Three Kingdoms: Wolong's brother-in-law, tricking Liu Bei into seizing Jingzhou

A heavy and tense atmosphere permeated the solemn and majestic halls of the Qin Emperor's Palace.

At this moment, Cao Rui and Sima Yi are having a secret meeting in a quiet chamber, a meeting that concerns their very survival.

The candlelight flickered inside, casting shadows that danced freely on the walls.

Cao Rui frowned, his expression somber, and he sighed deeply:

"Yi, it seems now that our grand ambition to revive the Great Qin with the help of the Yuezhi people has been completely shattered, like a dream."

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi clenched his teeth and squeezed out a heavy sigh.

"Ugh!"

His voice was filled with resentment and helplessness, as if it carried endless pain and despair.

Cao Rui shook his head slightly, his expression forlorn, and said:

"Now that things have come to this, no matter how much we sigh and lament, it will be of no use."

After a moment of silence, Sima Yi's eyes flickered, a resolute glint in them:
"Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, why don't we accept the offer from the Heavenly Emperor of the Parthian Empire?"

Perhaps this is our only way out.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui's body trembled violently, as if struck by a thunderbolt.

His eyes were filled with astonishment and contemplation, and he was momentarily lost in thought.

Rewinding to a month earlier, Emperor Fritz of the Parthian Empire dispatched a secret envoy from afar to this place, extending an olive branch to Cao Rui in an attempt to recruit him.

Fritz made a solemn promise: if Cao Rui could lend him a hand in conquering the Yuezhi, he would send out his elite troops to repel the powerful Han state.

After the matter is accomplished, the entire Western Regions will be granted to Cao Rui as his fiefdom, allowing him to enjoy wealth and honor.

Cao Rui simply smiled at Fritz's rosy vision and didn't take it to heart.

In his view, this was nothing more than a deceptive lure thrown out by Fritz to achieve his goal.

But now, the situation has changed dramatically.

Xiao Fang's army is advancing menacingly towards the Pamir Mountains. Once they cross the mountains, they can advance deep into the heart of the Yuezhi Empire.

If the Yuezhi Empire were to perish in this war, Cao Rui knew that he too would inevitably meet his end.

Faced with this life-or-death crisis, Cao Rui had no choice but to re-examine Fritz's words and began to waver.

He looked at Sima Yi with concern and asked:
"Yi, even the Yuezhi Empire is no match for Xiao Fang, so can Fritz really do it?"
Does he really have the ability to turn the tide?

Sima Yi knew that this matter was of great importance and dared not be negligent in the slightest.

He quickly turned around, took out a detailed map depicting the Parthian Empire, and carefully laid it on the table in front of Cao Rui.

Sima Yi extended his finger and slowly traced it across the map, his expression serious as he analyzed:

"Your Majesty, please look, the Parthian Empire is vast and its territory is boundless."

Its country has a large number of soldiers, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and its cavalry is numerous, making its fighting strength not to be underestimated.

In terms of overall national strength, the Parthian Empire was in no way inferior to the Han Dynasty, and in some aspects, it was even slightly superior!

"If the Parthian Empire can successfully swallow up the Yuezhi, its strength will be further enhanced, far surpassing the Yuezhi Empire."

I believe that if we can obtain the strong support of the Parthian Empire, we will surely defeat the Han army and turn the tide of battle!

Sima Yi's gaze was firm, and his tone was full of confidence.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui slowly scanned the map with his eyes, a glint of hope gradually appearing in them.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "I never expected that the Parthian Empire would be so much stronger than the Yuezhi. It's truly unbelievable."

However, Cao Rui still had concerns, and his brows furrowed slightly:

"Although the Parthian Empire will be stronger than the Han Empire after it annexes the Yuezhi."

But what if Fritz, after defeating the Han, breaks his promise and refuses to grant us the Western Regions?
"Wouldn't we have ended up with nothing by then?"

Sima Yi was speechless upon being asked this question, and for a moment he did not know how to answer.

He lowered his head slightly, pondered for a moment, then a confident smile appeared on his lips as he said:
"Your Majesty, rest assured, Fritz's goal is to conquer the Yuezhi and expand his territory and sphere of influence."

He knew that only with our support could he successfully achieve this goal.

Therefore, it is believed that he would not do something as counterproductive as annexing the Han state after the deed is done.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui remained puzzled. He frowned and asked:

"Why is the Prime Minister so certain?"
Is there some hidden story behind this?

Sima Yi smiled slightly and calmly explained:
"Your Majesty, don't forget that to the west of the Parthian Empire, there is an incomparably powerful Holy Roman Empire."

The Holy Roman Empire spans thousands of miles, its vast territory far surpassing that of ordinary countries.

Its national strength was several times that of the Han Dynasty, making it one of the strongest nations of its time.

"Over the years, there have been frequent disputes and frictions between the Parthian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. In these conflicts, the Parthian Empire has mostly been at a disadvantage and suffered considerable losses."

Therefore, if the Parthian Empire dares to rashly launch an eastern expedition against the Han Kingdom, the Holy Roman Empire will inevitably seize the opportunity to enter and launch an attack from the west.

At that point, the Parthian Empire would be caught in a two-front war, attacked from both sides, with unimaginable consequences. Therefore, the Parthian Empire would certainly not want to see this happen and would inevitably act with caution.

Sima Yi analyzed the situation with clarity and logic, as if everything was under his control.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui suddenly realized the truth, and he couldn't help but sigh:

"I never imagined that such a powerful nation as Shinra existed in the world."

There's always someone better than you!

After a moment of reflection, a hint of excitement flashed in Cao Rui's eyes, and he said with delight:

"In that case, let's join forces with Fritz and do everything we can to help him take down the Yuezhi!"
Perhaps this is the key step that will turn the tide for us!

Just as Cao Rui finished speaking, a guard rushed into the secret room, urgently reporting:

"Your Majesty, Empress Binu has urgently summoned you to the palace, saying she has important matters to discuss!"

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then whispered to Cao Rui:

"Your Majesty, the Empress's urgent summons must be because news of Xiao Fang's advance on the Yuezhi has reached her ears."

The Empress summoned His Majesty to the palace at this time, surely to seek His Majesty's opinion.

Your Majesty could take this opportunity to encourage the Empress to seek aid from the Parthian Empire. In this way, our plan can be implemented smoothly..."

Cao Rui nodded slightly, keeping Sima Yi's plan firmly in mind, and then hurriedly got up and headed straight for the palace.

As evening falls, the afterglow of the setting sun shines on the glazed tiles of the palace, refracting a dazzling array of colors.

Cao Rui finally arrived at the palace.

Inside the main hall, the Yuezhi officials all looked anxious, their brows furrowed, like ants on a hot pan, completely overwhelmed with worry.

They sat huddled together, whispering amongst themselves; the atmosphere was unusually tense. (End of Chapter)