With the cannon fodder script in hand, it is easy for the king to change his fate

These old fogies are like parasites, long since integrated into the Chu Kingdom. The very existence of the vast Chu Kingdom is sustained only by these parasites. To completely eradicate them would cause the Chu Kingdom to collapse instantly.

He was truly desperate when he discovered the result.

Later, he seemed to have learned from them, forgetting his original aspirations and becoming completely immersed in pleasure.

It seems he hasn't visited his mother in a long time.

"Don't you have any ideas at all, just waiting for that Canglan King to take over one city after another in our Chu Kingdom?" Yuan Cheng asked.

"Your Majesty, perhaps we could send an envoy to negotiate first, and also send an envoy to Liang. This time, it's not just Chu that has suffered; Liang has lost even more than Chu," a minister immediately suggested.

The Canglan King's arrival was overwhelming, so they couldn't just sit and wait to die, or everyone here would be doomed.

They weren't from those remote small towns; their wives, children, and elderly parents were all in the capital. At this point, even if they wanted to seek refuge with the Canglan King, it would be too late.

Besides, is it really a wise move to pledge allegiance to King Canglan? What if you end up not only failing to gain his favor but also accumulating a bad reputation that will last for eternity?

Yuan Cheng naturally did not want to become the ruler of a fallen kingdom, and it seemed that this was the only option for him at the moment.

As for starting a war?
Chu should not go to war unless absolutely necessary. Given the current situation, what can it use to fight?
"Let's do it this way for now," Yuan Cheng said, somewhat exhausted.

After the court session ended, Yuan Cheng went to Dou Yuexin's palace.

Upon seeing Dou Yuexin, he could hardly contain his emotions: "Mother."

With such a big situation outside, and Dou Yuexin having other options, she already knows the latest news.

Looking at Yuan Cheng's vulnerable appearance, she didn't know how to blame him for a moment.

"What do you plan to do now?" she asked.

Yuan Cheng recounted the results of the discussion in the court, but his words lacked confidence: "Mother, the Canglan King already has the support of the people."

"Now that we have taken so many cities from Chu and Liang without a fight, I can't imagine how overwhelming the momentum will be if we really go to war. As news from that side spreads, people around the world will probably expect that the other side will really unify the world."

"Mother, the State of Chu has lost the hearts of its people."

"The most likely option now is to join forces with Liang and see if we can withstand the Canglan King."

Dou Yuexin sighed: "Let's do our best. Mother can't think of any other way."

"Just now someone offered me a plan, saying that if we had to resort to this plan as a last resort, it would be very likely to make King Canglan retreat."

Dou Yuexin frowned. From Yuan Cheng's face, she felt that this was definitely not a good plan, otherwise he wouldn't look so frightened, as if he had heard something unbelievable.

She asked, "What plan?"

“Since King Canglan cares so much about the people and his reputation, as long as we use the lives of the people as hostages, the other side will definitely not dare to act rashly again.” Yuan Cheng’s lips trembled as he finished speaking.

This plan was truly insidious, yet it was surprisingly effective.

Given the current reputation of the Canglan King, if he doesn't care about the lives of the people, he will immediately lose their support.

Of course, if he did that, he, the ruler of Chu, would be severely reviled and even recorded in history books, leaving a lasting stain on his reputation.

Dou Yuexin suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief, and then cursed, "These old bastards are really vicious."

"I'm afraid, but I'll make you, the emperor, bear all the blame."

Once the Chu Kingdom chooses to do so, regardless of whether it was Yuan Cheng's order or his involvement, the blame will fall on him. "Cheng'er, even if the country is truly shattered, you cannot do this," Dou Yuexin said solemnly. "You can be a muddle-headed emperor like before, but you cannot use this scheme."

"Unless you use this strategy, you can truly turn the tide and completely control the entire Chu Kingdom. Ask yourself honestly, can you do that?"

If this can be achieved, ensuring a peaceful and prosperous life for the people of Chu, then that scheme will be insignificant. Even with some criticism, if the people live well, it will not shake Cheng'er's position as emperor.

However, Dou Yuexin understood her son and was also aware of the situation in the State of Chu.

He can't.

"Cheng'er." Seeing that Yuan Cheng didn't answer, Dou Yuexin's voice rose slightly, "What are you thinking about?"

"Mother, if it really comes to that, without this plan, the State of Chu will perish. What will we do then? Or rather, will we even survive?"

Dou Yuexin said nonchalantly, "What is there to fear in death?"

After saying this, she noticed the fear on Yuan Cheng's face and fell silent for a moment.

In a daze, she felt a pang of regret.

If Cheng'er and Zhen'er could switch places, perhaps things would be different. She felt a little self-deprecating; even at a time like this, she was still thinking about such trivial things.

“Cheng’er, you are the monarch of a country. No matter what, you must not lose the demeanor of a monarch.”

Dou Yuexin's words did not calm Yuan Cheng down.

He didn't stay there long and left in a daze.

Dou Yuexin looked worried, and finally whispered to Lan Hua, "Have someone keep an eye on Cheng'er, and report back quickly if there is any news."

"Yes."

No matter what, even at the most critical moment, she would never let Cheng'er do such a thing.

When Azhen heard that an envoy from the State of Chu had arrived, she was not surprised at all: "Let them in."

The Canglan Queen is a woman; this is known to outsiders.

So when the Chu envoy saw Azhen, he wasn't surprised. But when he stood up and saw that somewhat familiar face, he froze on the spot and blurted out, "Princess Jiahe, what are you doing here?"

"Envoy of Chu, this is Yunzhou. The person before you is King Canglan, not Princess Jiahe. Be careful what you say." The speaker was Yinshuang. However, when they were in Chu, Azhen had not taken Yinshuang to any grand occasions, so the envoy did not recognize her.

The Chu envoy paused for a moment, then looked at Azhen again. The other party's demeanor was indeed somewhat different from that of Princess Jiahe he had seen before.

"Please forgive me, King Canglan." The envoy suppressed the turmoil in his heart, then explained his purpose and asked Azhen what he could do to stop.

Azhen laughed and said, "The ruler of the world is the one who is capable. What I want is this world, so why should I step down?"

"Does King Canglan really intend to be an enemy of my Chu Kingdom?" The Chu envoy's face was grim, and he could hardly contain his anger.

Azhen's expression remained indifferent: "You came to ask me what I wanted, and I said I wanted the entire Chu Kingdom. But you wouldn't give it to me, and you were even unhappy."

"It's fine if you don't give it to me, I'll just take it myself."

"The state of Chu is riddled with problems, and the people are suffering terribly. If you don't care, then get out of the way!"

The Chu envoy's face flushed red. How could there be such a bandit? (End of Chapter)