Li Xiong, thirty-seven years old this year, is in his prime. Originally from Ba Xi and a member of the Di Clan, his father was Li Te. During Emperor Hui’s reign, he migrated back to the Ba Shu with the displaced people, and due to his merits in killing enemies, he was conferred the title of General Xuan Cheng and Marquis of Changle.

However, at that time, the people in Ba Shu indeed lived difficult lives, and the displaced people had an even harder time. Perhaps the people he brought couldn’t survive, and as the only one in office, he found it quite meaningless, so he rallied everyone to revolt once again.

Indeed, Zhao Hanzhang deemed the uprisings by him and his father as a rebellion. Later, Li Te was killed, and Li Te’s eldest son, Li Dang, also died in battle. Li Xiong then took up his father’s burden, leading the rebel army through Ba Shu with strategic maneuvering. During this, Li Xiong was scattered at one point and nearly died, yet he refused to surrender and eventually carved out a territory.

Seven years ago, he declared himself King of Chengdu, and five years ago, he outright proclaimed himself emperor. However, Ba Shu remains divided, as there are still Jin officials persisting within.

As a Grand Commandant and Great General of Great Jin, she naturally can’t publicly call Li Xiong’s actions rebellion, oh no, it’s insurrection, she couldn’t say he did well in insurrection, right?

But, standing from the perspective of the Shu people, after Li Xiong assumed control, the lives of the people became slightly better than when under Jin State’s governance.

Putting herself in their shoes, Zhao Hanzhang felt that if she were a Shu citizen, she would definitely welcome Li Xiong and not Jin State.

How many years since your Sima family unified Shu and returned?

Many people still reminisce about Jihan.

Thus, regarding Shu, Zhao Hanzhang has always adopted a strategy of collaboration and cooperation.

While in Yu State, she encouraged private merchants to engage with Shu, and she was delighted by the grain and cloth sent from Shu. Zhao Hanzhang even established a Glass Workshop in Shu through Zhu Chuan.

Due to this, Li Xiong had a favorable opinion of Zhao Hanzhang.

However, such sentiments are personal feelings; they might seem important, but on a national level, they aren’t that significant.

Li Xiong met Zhao Xin, and before their meeting, he had discussed the conditions he wanted to propose with his ministers.

Thus, he was quite straightforward, and he always treated Princess Hongnong and Prince Consort with courtesy. Now, Zhao Hanzhang wanted to retrieve the pair but must agree to some of his conditions.

First, recognize Ba Shu’s independence and acknowledge Cheng Country;

Second, withdraw Jin Ministers from places like Han Jia County in Ba Shu, and refrain from interfering in Ba Shu’s internal affairs;

Third, establish diplomatic relations between the two countries, become brotherly nations, open tea and horse markets, and engage in trade.

Zhao Xin: ... You wish! Dreaming, aren’t you? Think and it happens.

Zhao Xin directly rejected Li Xiong and proposed to meet Princess Hongnong and Prince Consort.

Li Xiong naturally refused too and told Zhao Xin to consider before having someone escort him out.

Zhao Xin stayed at the post station, and the people he brought had already wandered the area around the post station. They reported, "There are Cheng Country Court’s people all around. I’ve bought some things and spread the word that we’re staying in the post station, but I don’t know when someone might come looking for us."

Zhao Xin lifted his robe and knelt on the mat, poured a cup of water, and said, "Next, we wait."

The trusted aide seemed puzzled, "Zhao Angel, why didn’t we just bring a radio transmitter with us? That way, we wouldn’t have to wait for them."

Zhao Xin glanced at him, saying, "Can you control Li Xiong himself?"

The trusted aide’s face turned red, and he bowed his head, "Naturally, I don’t have such ability."

"Neither do I," Zhao Xin stated. "Even the Great General doesn’t. We can’t predict how he’ll act, so how dare we carry such a crucial item with us?"

If they were captured or killed upon entering Shu, the item would fall into Li Xiong’s hands.

Even if they might not use it, such a treasure should be kept from exposure to risk, so Zhao Hanzhang didn’t provide it, and Zhao Xin never planned on asking. They can communicate with Luoyang through spies within Shu, oh not, scouts.

Ahem, we call them scouts, the enemy calls them spies, nothing wrong with that.

The next day, Zhao Xin handed over a letter he wrote the previous night to two soldiers to send out. Then, he went to town for breakfast, and after eating, he contacted intelligence personnel within Shu.

Strolling back to the post station, he closed the door behind him, turned his back, and immediately took out a slip of paper from his palm.

It contained their contact information and schedule. Zhao Xin couldn’t help but smile, tossed the paper into a teacup to soak. Once the ink dissolved and the paper softened, he looked disgusted as he raised the cup several times to his lips, finally handing it to the trusted aide, "You drink it."

Trusted aide: ...

He took the cup expressionlessly, drank the water, and chewed the paper down.

Zhao Xin sat cross-legged and said to him, "Tomorrow, we need to go out again."

The trusted aide bowed in acknowledgment, "Yes."

Time to start passing messages.

Zhao Xin: "Send someone to inquire about Princess Hongnong’s residence and condition, use both covert and overt methods."

Two days later, after Zhao Xin was ignored for three days, Li Xiong inquired about him. The official overseeing him reported every detail of Zhao Xin’s actions over the past three days, "After his audience, he sent someone to Luoyang, likely to consult Zhao Hanzhang; then he wandered around the city, inquired about our city’s situation, and secretly sent people to investigate Princess Hongnong’s residence."

The official paused and asked, "Your Majesty, should we restrict his movements and prevent him from leaving the post station again?"

Li Xiong squinted and asked, "Was this all he did, nothing else?"

Official: "Nothing else."

Li Xiong looked at Fan Changsheng and asked, "What’s your opinion, Prime Minister?"

Fan Changsheng lowered his eyes in thought for a moment and said, "Check all the people Zhao Xin conversed with and the shops he visited over these three days."

He said to Li Xiong, "Zhao Xin is from Zhao Hanzhang’s family and has represented Zhao Hanzhang at the front line before. If he always has to consult Zhao Hanzhang before making decisions, his head would have been chopped off long ago."

"As an envoy, he must have discretion. Even though he may not agree to all of Your Majesty’s proposed conditions, he must have some points he can decide on. Not expressing them clearly suggests he’s stalling for time."

Fan Changsheng stated, "Zhao Family leveraged Zhu Family’s influence to open a Glazed Workshop in Shu, surely not just for our grain and cloth. I’ve long suspected they have spies here, and Zhao Xin’s actions may be to contact them."

"Even if he’s contacting them, the letter sent out will take time. Dare Zhao Xin risk secretly abducting people?" a general said, "Shu Road is treacherous. If they dare steal Princess Hongnong away, we’ll ensure they have no return."

"And then let Zhao Hanzhang send troops to attack Cheng Country?" Fan Changsheng replied coldly, "Currently, our relations with Zhao Hanzhang are better than Zhao Hanzhang’s with King Langya, so why take unnecessary offense against her?"

Li Xiong nodded in deep agreement.

Yet, some had differing opinions, "General, Shu is difficult to traverse, easy to defend, and hard to attack. Even if we offend her, as long as we control Han Zhong, even with wings she can’t fly in. What is there to fear?"

"But Han Zhong is currently in Fu Zhi’s hands."

"That’s just a façade. Han Zhong suffered famine for years; this year, just from starvation, close to seventy-eight thousand have died. The refugees inside would sell their lives for a handful of rice. Fu Zhi’s reputation is only within the aristocracy; the common people don’t buy it. In my opinion, we should use Princess Hongnong as leverage to force the Jin Army to retreat, then seize Han Zhong. At that point, Zhao Hanzhang truly would be unable to do anything to us."