If the Chu State can successfully gain control of the armies of other countries, then there will be no obstacles for the Chu State to attack Zhongli State.
But now Xu Zi has been taken into custody, and the armies of all countries are ready. Of course, Song and Lu could not continue to assist Zhongli at this juncture. Therefore, there is only one Wu country left, which is unable to support itself and is powerless.
All is ready except for the opportunity!
The King of Chu was so happy that he held a big banquet again, and he and Li Ran had several drinks together.
But when Li Ran thought about it, something didn't seem right!
I was obviously here to persuade you to let the king of Xu go free, but how come I was so provoked by Prince Qiji that I actually did you a big favor to Chu?
Such a damn competitive spirit!
Turning his head, Li Ran glanced at Wang Zi Qiji again. Obviously, if this bastard hadn't been causing trouble here, he wouldn't have bothered to waste any more time on this matter.
Oh, forget it, it's harmless anyway. Quan should be a good person and do it to the end, sending the Buddha to the West.
But back to the topic, since I was entrusted by others. Since he agreed to Xiang Xu and Zichan about Xu Zi being taken into custody, he still had to speak up.
So, he turned to look at King Chu and asked seriously:
"I heard that the king detained Xu Zi at the alliance meeting?"
When King Chu heard the sound, he put down the wine bottle and immediately snorted coldly:
"Hmph, Xu Guo is so ignorant that he is still secretly helping Zhongli to this day! Moreover, he refuses to admit it in front of me! What I hate most in my life is this kind of duplicity, people who dare to do things they dare not be responsible for. How abominable!"
"In this case, why should I be polite to him? As long as Xu Zi is in my hand, Xu Guo will definitely not dare to be presumptuous again. Oh, sir, please rest assured, after Zhongli's country is destroyed, when the time is right, I will let him go. of."
Anyway, I have detained him. As for when to release him, it depends on when I am in a better mood.
A small country like Xu now dares to go against his huge country Chu. Isn't this a clear sign of seeking death?
King Chu Xiong Wei has always been domineering, so doing something like this is completely in line with his character.
"But... Your Majesty, have you ever thought that your behavior today will definitely bring disaster to yourself in the future?"
"The so-called alliance is for everyone to be in the same boat. Now that the king has detained Xu Zi in front of the envoys of the countries, how can the countries in the Central Plains have no dissatisfaction with Chu in the future?"
"Furthermore, the banner of the Chu State in this alliance is to seek the benefits of the Song Alliance, but now the king himself has violated the Song Alliance, then how will the world comment on it?"
At this time, Li Ran's face looked a little unhappy.
Because, in addition to what he said on the surface, there is actually another question that he finds difficult to talk about:
That is, the alliance meeting was his suggestion to the King of Chu. Once the Central Plains countries knew that it was Li Ran's idea to organize the Shendi meeting, then the people of the Central Plains would definitely pay back Xu Zi's account if it was seized. It will all be blamed on him, Li Ran!
Originally, because of Zhufan's death, the countries in the Central Plains had grown disgusted with Li Ran. Now that something like this has happened, how will he, Li Ran, face everyone in the world in the future?
Doesn't this push him towards death?
What needs to be reiterated here is that for people like Li Ran who do not have a prominent background but only have a good reputation, the most important thing is reputation.
As the saying goes, "If the name is not correct, the words will not be smooth, and if the words are not smooth, the things will not be accomplished."
Therefore, for a person like Li Ran, no matter where he goes, "whether his reputation is good or not" is definitely the first priority for him.
Just like before, Li Ran became famous for his actions in the State of Lu, which resulted in the treatment he received in the State of Zheng being more generous than that of ordinary wise men.
And once his reputation in the Central Plains countries plummets, how will he walk among the princes of various countries in the future? How to fulfill the ultimate long-cherished wish in his heart?
"Hey? What do you mean, sir?"
"Is it possible that I detained Xu Zi or is it my fault?"
After hearing this, the King of Chu immediately looked displeased and put down the cup in his hand.
"I dare not have such intention."
"What I mean is that it is indeed necessary to shock Xu Guo, but it is not necessary to detain Xu Zi."
"As I said before, what the king needs most now is to 'deny oneself and restore etiquette' to gain the trust of the countries in the Central Plains. However, the king's move is completely contrary to that! This is not a wise move!"
Li Ran saw that King Chu's expression was wrong, so he had no choice but to change his explanation.
But the meaning behind his words is still the same, that is, by detaining Xu Zi now, you, King Chu, are causing trouble for yourself.
At this time, Prince Qiji couldn't help but stand up and sneered:
"Sir proposed the alliance, but now he is blaming the king for not detaining Xu Zi on top of the alliance? What? Does he want to please both sides?"
"This is your fault. The kindness our country of Chu treats you is obvious to all. Even now, your heart is still devoted to the Central Plains. But where does he place our country of Chu?"
Wang Zi Qiji's words were very explosive, and they were obviously directed at him, Li Ran.
Moreover, his words immediately resonated with everyone present, including of course King Chu.
Li Ran has always been interested in the Central Plains countries, and the King of Chu certainly knew that.
This is something that everyone knows but cannot tell.
But now, Wang Zi Qiji's words have put both Li Ran and King Chu in an extremely embarrassing position.
King Chu Xiong Wei did not speak, but his face was gloomy and his eyes were serious.
Of course he could tolerate Li Ran's attachment to the Central Plains countries, as long as Li Ran was still willing to make suggestions for Chu. For example, the previous battle of Qunshu, as long as it could achieve certain benefits for the Chu State, it didn't matter to the King of Chu.
But now Li Ran's advice seems to be unfavorable at first glance, both for the King of Chu and for the entire Chu country. Then would King Chu still foolishly agree with him?
No matter how much the King of Chu cherished his talents, no matter how much he wanted to protect him and discuss matters as they happened, there was no room for explanation.
Seeing the displeasure on King Chu's face, everyone in the palace immediately understood King Chu's attitude.
Such people are absolutely unacceptable.
At this time, Prince Qiji was definitely not the only one who held this idea. Most of the officials in the palace may have already thought this way.
Therefore, the way they looked at Li Ran suddenly changed. It was no longer the admiration and admiration before, but a trace of fear and disgust.
What is reality? This is called reality.
Although Li Ran had just solved a very difficult problem for them, what Li Ran said the next second touched the interests of Chu State.
What just now? What just happened? Sorry, forgot.
Li Ran could even feel the fearful eyes turning back and forth on him, like beams of piercing light shining on him, and the chill that surged from the depths of his heart spread instantly.
He felt ridiculous for a moment.
Laughing at himself, he also laughed at the whole country of Chu.
However, he still had to make a final "struggle" at this moment.
"The appointment between me and the king is not clear to others, but the king should be clear about it. It is not convenient for me to explain too much at this time."
"Your Majesty's detention of Xu Zi may bring temporary benefits to Chu State, but in the long run, it will definitely do more harm than good. Chu State's desire to strive for supremacy is well known to all passers-by. This matter is definitely not good for Chu State." It’s a good thing, please give me a warning, Your Majesty!”
