According to the information, Li Xiong highly respects Zhang Gui of Xiliang. When faced with a dead end, he even mentioned to his followers the desire to lead them to Xiliang to seek refuge with Zhang Gui.

Since forming an alliance with Zhao Hanzhang, Zhang Gui of Xiliang has continuously accepted refugees escaping from the Central Plains. He’s even carved out a land and established Jinxing County to accommodate the refugees; Li Xiong intends to go to Jinxing County.

Words spoken by someone one admires have different effects than if spoken to subordinates or opponents.

He wants to speed up, as the year is drawing closer, and with Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan’s wedding coming soon, he still hopes to bring Princess Hongnong and Fu Xuan back in time.

Zhao Xin carefully stored the information and immediately wrote a note which he handed to a private soldier, instructing him to deliver it to the scouts right away, "Ensure they send out the message immediately upon receipt and immediately relocate once completed."

"Huh?" the private soldier responded, "I’ve been very careful, and there’s no tail following me."

Zhao Xin replied, "Better to be cautious. They have radio stations; we can’t afford any slip-ups."

The private soldier acknowledged this and discreetly delivered the message.

Zhao Xin asked Zhao Hanzhang to send a letter to Zhang Gui, urging him to persuade Li Xiong.

Raising her brows and without hesitation, Zhao Hanzhang immediately wrote to Zhang Gui. Coincidentally, she hadn’t connected with him emotionally for a while, suggesting he plant more grain and raise sheep. Regarding the sale of sheep, she assured, he need not worry as she was confident that next year, the Central Plains would consume a large amount of mutton.

Besides mutton, there’s also goat milk. The nutritional value of the populace is lacking, and aside from soy milk, they should drink more milk.

Only with stronger bodies can they better build their nation.

As for matters in the Shu region, Zhao Hanzhang only mentioned two points: firstly, Lord Cheng Li Xiong has always admired Shi Yan, and secondly, losing the Shu region pains my heart greatly...

It seems like a casual remark on the current state of the world, but with the Seven-Quartet Exquisite Heart, Zhang Gui scrutinized the letter sent by Zhao Hanzhang at great speed, reading these two sentences twice.

Then he put the letter away and said to his confidants, "General Zhao has stabilized the Central Plains. Tell the shepherds to keep more lambs next spring. Come autumn, we’ll sell the sheep to the prosperous Central Plains in exchange for their grain, fabrics, and porcelain."

"As well as salt."

Zhang Gui laughed heartily and happily replied, "Yes, and salt!"

"But the salt in the Central Plains is also expensive; haven’t those sent out found new salt wells and salt stones?"

They have two salt wells facing depletion, and it’s estimated it will take another three or four years to extract anything worthwhile, so they need to find new salt wells and salt stones.

With more and more people in Xiliang, the demand for salt increases yearly.

After dismissing his trusted subordinates, Zhang Gui’s smile gradually faded as he sat down at the desk, seriously staring at the paper and brush before him.

He remained silent for a long time but eventually started grinding ink to write.

Far away in the Shu region, Li Xiong received a letter from Xiliang and was utterly bewildered.

Upon opening the letter, his confusion only deepened, but after the bewilderment, he pondered the words within.

Li Xiong always thought his admiration for Zhang Gui was one-sided, essentially a fan of Zhang Gui, never expecting Zhang Gui to know him, let alone write specifically to persuade him.

Zhang Gui advised him to become a subordinate to Jin State as a vassal. Originally intending to haggle with Zhao Hanzhang for more benefits and territory, Li Xiong hesitated.

Who would want to be a traitor condemned in history books when one could be a loyal minister?

The Jin State’s ruler was too weak, lacking in virtue, and showed signs of insanity; rebellion was necessary for the sake of the populace.

Yet he worried about the brutality of Liu Yuan and Shi Le in the Shu region, who might slaughter Han people and the Di Clan. If not for Zhao Hanzhang’s formidable presence, he wouldn’t have considered returning to the Jin State, even Zhang Gui’s persuasion wouldn’t sway him.

He didn’t think people from the Sima family could lead the populace out of hardship.

While hesitating, the doctor from the Ministry of War, supporting a soldier, staggered and ran in, shouting all the way, "Urgent report, urgent report, urgent report!"

Startled, Li Xiong quickly pressed down the letter and stood up.

The imperial guard immediately apprehended the two people, and the soldier knelt on the ground, offering the military report, hastily saying, "Your Majesty, the Zhao Family Army has entered Fuling County, capturing three counties alongside Li Zhao, Fuling, and Fuling County is on the verge of falling."

Li Xiong’s eyes widened in disbelief, asking, "Who is leading the Zhao Family Army, how did they get there?"

The soldier did not know.

When Fan Changsheng and the ministers arrived, they learned about the actual situation in Fuling County from the soldier.

Several months ago, Li Xiong had sent Li Xiang to breach Fucheng, capturing the governor Qiao Deng, but Fuling hadn’t completely fallen.

Due to the cold weather, Li Xiang returned with the army, but some troops remained in Fuling, occasionally clashing with the opposite side, exploiting the opportunity to seize counties.

Thus, they gradually fought and seized three counties. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

People from the other side were drawn to them, wanting to defect from Jin State to join them. At a time when the situation was promising, a Zhao Family Army descended suddenly, soggy, some without shoes yet with sophisticated weaponry and fierce fighting spirit, snatching a city within a day.

Before they had time to react, the Zhao Family Army allied with Li Zhao on the opposite side, jointly recapturing the other two cities.

The soldier said, "According to people who fled from that side, General Wang from the Zhao Family Army persuaded many landlords to provide grain to relieve the people. The people on that side saw it was the Zhao Family Army, and didn’t run towards us."

Li Xiang was furious and said to Li Xiong, "Your Majesty, Zhao Hanzhang is untrustworthy. Negotiating with us here while stealing from our rear, I request to execute Zhao Xin to demonstrate the nation’s power."

Fan Changsheng asked, "After capturing three cities, did they continue to attack?"

The soldier replied, "No, the Zhao Family Army only raised their flag and then remained still."

All these details were clearly stated in the military report, and there was even more detailed intelligence unknown to the soldier.

Having carefully read the military report, Li Xiong handed it to the Prime Minister without expression.

Fan Changsheng hurriedly received it and after reading, fell silent, then handed it to Li Xiang.

Li Xiang received it angrily. The military report stated that the Zhao Family Army was led by Wang Xuan, who after capturing three cities, sent a letter to General Yu stationed in Cheng Country to discuss.

General Yu went.

The military report explained that Wang Xuan crossed Wujiang under orders to bring the Jin minister here back to report, with no intention of offending Cheng Country.

It was just unfortunate that upon arrival, the two nations were at war. As a Jin minister, he had a responsibility to defend the territory and an obligation to assist colleagues, thus sending troops to support Li Zhao.

The ministers of Cheng Country were left speechless.

Would they believe Wang Xuan’s statement?

Clearly not.

To say nothing of negotiations just two days prior, which hadn’t been thoroughly concluded yet, a letter from Shu to Luoyang, and then from Luoyang to Jingzhou, couldn’t be done in just five or six days. Let alone leading a large army across Wujiang and climbing Wushan to reach Fuling County.

It was evident that Zhao Hanzhang had arranged everything, timing it such that Zhao Xin had just arrived in Ba Shu, and Wang Xuan soon set out.

This indicates Zhao Hanzhang calculated everything, firmly believing they would eventually submit to Jin as a vassal, with the condition of vassal state territory, which Zhao Hanzhang had outlined for them in advance.