Teasing the First Dragon at the Start

The Chu army guards frowned slightly and reached out to stop them, wanting to inspect the musical instruments and prevent these strange fellows from getting close to their commander without reason.

The musician was taken aback and looked at Bai Su, unsure of what to do.

Bai Su put down his wine cup and said with a smile, "General Xiang, are you perhaps worried that I have ulterior motives?"

Xiang Yu raised a delicate eyebrow and waved her hand, saying, "Don't even mention a few musicians, so what if there are assassins with weapons? I don't take them seriously at all. You may all step back."

"Yes."

The Chu army guards clasped their hands and withdrew.

Bai Su praised, "As expected of General Xiang, who is hailed as the number one man in the world, he is indeed heroic."

Xiang Yu didn't take Bai Su's praise too seriously.

She frowned slightly as she looked at Bai Su: "There's no need for these polite words. If you can't give me a satisfactory answer, I won't let you leave easily."

Han Xin, standing to the side, blinked his clear black and white eyes and glanced at Bai Su with some curiosity, wanting to see what this renowned Grand Chancellor was really up to.

Bai Su smiled and said, "Since General Xiang wants to see, then you may begin."

The musicians all sat down on the ground.

One of the musicians, who was the leader, plucked the strings, and a beautiful melody began to play.

"This is a musical instrument from my Great Chu..."

Xiang Yu didn't take it too seriously at first, and picked up his wine cup to drink. But when he heard the familiar melody, he was stunned.

She knew the musical instruments of the Chu Kingdom very well.

Firstly, as a noblewoman of the Chu state, she was surrounded by various famous musicians, and through this exposure, she gained some knowledge of music.

Secondly, when she lived in Jiangdong since childhood, whenever she practiced martial arts in the courtyard, Yu Ji would sit on the long corridor and play the zither for her.

Hearing the familiar melody again now brings back a flood of memories for her.

Xiang Yu put down his wine cup and looked at Bai Su: "What are you doing? Are you trying to persuade me by using my Chu's musical instruments?"

Bai Su shook her head slightly and said, "General, please continue reading."

Xiang Yu raised an eyebrow and continued reading.

As the musician's movements slowly came to a stop, a musician dressed in a white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) picked up a bamboo flute and began to play.

The clear, melodious sound of the flute echoed within the tent, gentle and refined, giving one the feeling of a humble gentleman.

In a daze, one feels as if they are in the Central Plains, where the various schools of thought are lecturing and discussing knowledge at the Jixia Academy.

Han Xin seemed to have noticed something and said, "This is a tune from the Central Plains, and... white clothes like snow, these are musical instruments and styles from the State of Qi."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu looked over and, just as Han Xin had said, the musician was dressed in the attire of the State of Qi.

The musician who played the zither was dressed in red, which is a tradition of the Chu Kingdom.

If that's the case, then the next two should be the State of Yan and the State of Zhao.

quickly.

As the flute music stopped.

The two musicians began to play at the same time, one playing the guzheng and the other beating the war drum.

It evokes a sense of vicissitude and tragedy, making one feel as if they are in the snow-covered north, amidst the vast and magnificent scenery of the frontier.

After a long while, everyone slowly recovered from that emotion.

Bai Su looked at Xiang Yu and asked, "General Xiang, how are you feeling?"

Xiang Yu said, "These are musical instruments that originated in my six kingdoms. Although each has its own merits, in terms of timbre, the zither of my Chu kingdom is the best, while the other kingdoms are slightly inferior."

Bai Su couldn't help but laugh and said, "But doesn't the general find it a bit monotonous to listen to just one Chu Qin melody?"

Xiang Yu frowned and snorted, "So what? In terms of eight hundred years of heritage, who in the world can rival my Chu Kingdom? And... didn't you say you would make friends through rites and music? Why are all the musical instruments from my six kingdoms used? Where are the instruments from Great Xia?"

"Here..."

Bai Su winked at the musician, who respectfully handed over a small musical instrument.

Xiang Yu's expression turned strange: "What is this thing? It looks very strange."

Bai Su explained, "This instrument is called a suona. It was recently introduced from the Western Regions and has been improved by combining it with the style of our Great Xia."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu scoffed, "As expected, it is a barbarian country with no foundation. It has only been a few years since it unified the world, and even musical instruments have been invented less than a year ago."

Bai Su was not angry at all at Xiang Yu's disdain.

He simply waved to the musicians, and the crowd began to play one after another.

First came the Jiangnan charm of Chu, then the Central Plains spirit of Qi, and finally the Liaodong ice and snow of Yan, and the northern grasslands of Zhao.

To everyone's surprise, Bai Su picked up the suona and began to play. The powerful and majestic aura of the Northwest Loess Plateau, with its clashing swords and galloping horses, swept across the land like tigers.

The instruments, which were originally separate, began to complement each other and gradually began to play together under the call of the suona.

Like a giant dragon opening its eyes, it stretches out to the east, bringing together people from all corners of the world and unifying the nine provinces.

The boundless heroism of the frontier, the misty charm of Jiangnan, the refined elegance of the Central Plains, and the snow-covered landscape of Liaodong—all these elements seemed to merge into one under the guidance of that small suona horn.

Before this breathtaking music, everyone felt their blood surging and were unable to calm down for a long time.

It wasn't until the music stopped that Xiang Yu and Han Xin slowly came to their senses.

Xiang Yu couldn't help but say, "The instrument you're holding, called a suona, is quite unique."

Bai Su smiled and said, "This thing is so similar to my Great Xia. The First Emperor unified the world in just a few years, and this little musical instrument has only been here for less than half a year. In terms of heritage and style, it is far inferior to the six states of Shandong."

"But once the suona begins to play, all other instruments must yield to it. General Xiang, don't you think this magnificent musical piece is far more beautiful than any other Chu music?"

Han Xin's clear black and white eyes widened in surprise. She was a smart woman and quickly understood the meaning behind Bai Su's words.

What Bai Su ever wanted was never to eliminate the Chu people, the Qi people, the Yan people, or anything like that, leaving only the Xia people in the world.

What he truly desired was to build a mighty Xia Dynasty as its backbone, the rich heritage of the six kingdoms as its flesh and blood, and gather the talents of the Central Plains to create a prosperous nation, just like the exhilarating music he had just heard.

No matter how exquisite, the music of Chu or Qi alone seems too monotonous.

Only through mutual cooperation and coordination can a true symphony of strength be created.

After pondering for a long time, Xiang Yu asked, "What is the name of this piece of music?"

Bai Su spoke up: "The Nine Provinces are one."

"Nine Provinces United, the Nine Provinces Unified, what a fitting name indeed."

After a long silence, Xiang Yu smiled slightly: "Compared to that tyrant in Xianyang, I don't dislike your ambition. However... there will inevitably be a war between Xia and Chu. Trying to convince me with these things is still somewhat insufficient."

Bai Su scratched his cheek in annoyance: "General Xiang, do you want to start a war? Wouldn't it be better for both sides to shake hands and make peace?"

Xiang Yu smiled and said, "The centuries-old feud between Xia and Chu cannot be resolved in a few words. Only a thorough war can eliminate these years of resentment."

"Besides... I, Xiang Yu, have never been content to be inferior to others. If you want me to back down, then show me your strength."

"Defeat me on the battlefield."

Bai Su sighed: "Then there's no other way. After I step out of this tent, we'll only meet on the battlefield. So... before I leave, I'd like to offer General Xiang a cup of wine and ask him for a favor."

Xiang Yu asked with some curiosity, "What is it?"

Bai Su said solemnly, "There is a plague outbreak on the grassland right now. This natural disaster is even worse than the plague. If it is not controlled properly, the whole world may be affected. Although we have a grudge, in the end it is just a matter between the Chinese people. If I lose to you in the future, I will be willing to accept it."

"But I am unwilling to die from natural disasters. I hope that the general will consider the overall situation and that both sides will temporarily cease hostilities so that I can return to the north to treat the plague."

"To show my sincerity, I am willing to step aside and offer the Jiujiang Prefecture to the General..."

After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

After all, there were no righteous wars after the Spring and Autumn Period. Whether it was the six states or the feudal lords, almost none of them cared about the dignity of the nobility or kept their promises.

Not everyone can do what Xia Jun did: even after the empire collapsed and his commander died, the 300,000-strong Great Wall Legion still held the north, never allowing any foreign tribes to set foot in the Central Plains.

Han Xin's eyes lit up after hearing Bai Su's words; this was a good opportunity.

Currently, the main force of the Xia army is on the grasslands, and due to the plague, the people in the north are in a state of panic. The commander-in-chief, Bai Su, has returned to the north, and there are almost no strong enemies in the south.

If we seize this opportunity to intimidate the six-nation coalition and join forces with them to betray the Great Xia, we can surely achieve great merit.

On a smaller scale, it could eliminate some of the Xia army's forces; on a larger scale, it could launch a northward expedition, conquering cities and seizing territories.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at Xiang Yu.

Xiang Yu understood what Han Xin was thinking and knew it was a great opportunity, but she had always despised such despicable acts of taking advantage of others' misfortunes.

After all, as a great general standing between heaven and earth, she should use her three-foot sword to achieve unparalleled feats. If she is to fight, she should fight openly and honestly on the battlefield. What kind of general would she be if she secretly took advantage of others' misfortunes?

After a long silence, she spoke: "I... I can agree to that, but before that, I need to see someone."

Bai Su was taken aback: "Who do you want to see?"

Xiang Yu said, "Yu Ji, I have some questions I want to ask her."

Bai Su nodded and said, "Okay, I will convey your request to her."

Han Xin watched the two men raise their cups to sign the agreement, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. She wanted to say something, but in the end, it turned into a helpless sigh.

She couldn't help but sigh in her heart, "Xiang Yu is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. He is not afraid of danger and leads his troops to fight on the front lines. He is willing to share life and death with his men. This is all very good."

However, placing too much emphasis on aristocratic etiquette and showing womanly compassion at crucial moments will likely hinder one's ability to achieve great things.

Chapter 325 Han Xin's Refusal

Inside the large tent, a brazier blazed brightly.

After offering Xiang Yu a cup of wine, Bai Su smiled and said, "Since the alliance has been formed, I will not disturb you any further."

Xiang Yu nodded slightly, without saying anything more.

The terms of cooperation offered by Bai Su sound quite good right now: Xia Jun withdraws from the Jiujiang area, and most of Chu territory falls under her control.

During this period, while consolidating the newly acquired territory, they also dealt a blow to the six-nation coalition, integrating them into their organization. This was almost equivalent to the initial restoration of the Chu state.

This has almost achieved her initial goals when she first started the uprising.

After Bai Su and the others left, the tent returned to silence.

Han Xin, who had been standing silently to the side for a long time, finally couldn't help but speak up: "General, you shouldn't have negotiated with Bai Su."