Chapter 383: Alliance

Regarding Guangchengzi, Xuanyuan was no longer certain whether this was actually a Trap set by Baifeng, or if Baifeng wanted to deceive him; he had to carefully consider the matter of visiting Guangchengzi to study the "Dao." Originally, he had already made up his mind to go to Kongtong Mountain no matter what, but now, he had to go back and re-confirm with that Sage to see who exactly was deceiving him.

Thus, Xuanyuan directly ended this topic that had been brought up inadvertently, and after continuing to drink two sips of tea, he proposed the main purpose of his visit: "Baifeng, how about our two tribes form an alliance?"

Baifeng also put down his teacup, sat up straight, and asked very seriously: "What do you mean by this alliance?"

Xuanyuan replied: "You also know that our Xuanyuan Tribe is already at war with the Lieshan Clan, but we currently do not have the ability to take down the Lieshan Clan in one go. Furthermore, the Suiren Clan is also constantly expanding toward our Xuanyuan Tribe, and the Shennong Clan, a large tribe that has been silent for many years, has now also begun to have thoughts of expansion and has started to take action.

What you don't know is that the Chiyou Jiuli Tribe in the distance has already united with the Sanmiao Tribe and the Yi Tribe. The small tribes around them are already being continuously absorbed, their territory is constantly expanding, and their strength is continuously growing."

Baifeng tapped the tabletop lightly with his finger: "Then what does this have to do with us? It is your Xuanyuan Tribe that is in danger. Our Huaxia is far from the center of your struggles, and the war between you cannot affect me. I have no need to form an alliance with you, and furthermore, what benefit is there for us to form an alliance with your Xuanyuan Tribe?"

Xuanyuan then revealed the major news he had obtained: "What if the Suiren Clan prepares to attack you? Do you have the ability to block the attack of the crazed Suiren Clan? As far as I know, the current Suiren Clan has fifty or sixty thousand Soldiers, and in your city, let alone Soldiers, I haven't even seen many tribespeople. Do you have the ability to face the Suiren Clan yourselves?"

Baifeng was shocked by this news, and the Soldiers of the Shangshu Department beside him were also badly frightened; just the Soldiers alone numbered fifty or sixty thousand, while their entire population didn't even reach twenty thousand.

Population size was too important in this era. Baifeng could not judge whether this news was true, but the number of Soldiers of this Suiren Clan was likely not far off, and it was very possible there were even more.

"How did you get this news?"

Xuanyuan said straightforwardly: "Because the Suiren Clan has already found me, wanting to unite with us to attack you."

Baifeng stared into Xuanyuan's eyes and asked: "Then why didn't you agree, but instead came to find me, tell me this, and want to form an alliance with me? I think it wouldn't be a difficult task for your two tribes to unite to attack my Huaxia. My Huaxia is so wealthy and has so much grain; it should have enough attraction for you, right?"

Xuanyuan shook his head slightly: "The Suiren Clan is not a good ally; Baoxi is somewhat too crazy, and he is not too trustworthy. The risk of being his ally is too high. But you are different; at least in these many years of trade and exchange, your Huaxia has shown sufficient integrity and civilization. In all these years, I have never heard of your Huaxia attacking other tribes. A peaceful Tribal Chief is the only one worth trusting, and one need not fear that they will turn around and attack their own ally after the war ends.

Most importantly, I want your knowledge; I want to know the methods for planting grain, as well as other things. Only you know these things. I even feel that you are a Sage, wiser than all other Sages. I even believed you when you said you studied under Guangchengzi."

Baifeng felt that the latter half of the sentence was Xuanyuan's true thoughts. No matter how poor an ally is, as long as there is sufficient profit, they can be connected, but Xuanyuan chose the latter when faced with a choice between grain and the methods of planting grain; this is what it means to have foresight.

"Then if we form an alliance, what conditions do you require, and what benefits can you bring to our Huaxia?"

"I need your methods for planting grain and your grain seeds. The price is that when the Suiren Clan comes to attack you, I will send out all the Soldiers I can mobilize to help you attack the Suiren Clan, without retreating, until the Suiren Clan ceases the war."

But this condition of his had no attraction to Baifeng at all, and it even sounded a bit like empty talk. How many are the Soldiers that can be mobilized? Once the things are learned and the grain seeds are taken, if he ends up sending only a hundred or eighty Soldiers and says this is all the Soldiers he can mobilize, then what could Baifeng do?

Baifeng decisively refused: "I don't see the slightest sincerity in this condition of yours. If you want an alliance, then let me say: a military alliance or an economic alliance. In a military alliance, if a tribe attacks you, or if you launch a war to attack other tribes, I will send troops to help you, and the same applies in reverse: if I am attacked, you also send Soldiers to help me.

If you only want to learn how to plant, then there is one point: I provide the technology, you provide the people. You already know that our Huaxia lacks people, but your Xuanyuan Tribe has plenty of people. Our Huaxia's territory is not small, but it is difficult to develop.

You send people to help us reclaim land and plant grain, and I send people to teach you how to plant. This is an economic alliance, how about that?"

Xuanyuan did not answer Baifeng's question, but instead asked: "You refused me, are you not afraid that I will unite with the Suiren Clan to attack you? Although your city walls are high and sturdy, that does not mean they are safe. We have enough Soldiers to break through your city walls."

"Are you threatening us?"

Xuanyuan's expression did not change at all: "I am just stating a fact."

Baifeng slapped the table: "Good, very good. Xuanyuan, I will not accept your alliance request, but if you want to unite with the Suiren Clan, I can let you see now what reliance our Huaxia has besides city walls. I want to let you know that even if you succeed in uniting your two tribes to attack me, the price you pay will make you the two weakest among all the tribes!"

Before Xuanyuan could respond, the Soldiers beside him immediately rushed forward to block for Xuanyuan: "What is this, Baifeng? You want to break the rules and lay a hand on our Tribal Chief? Then you will face the joint attack of all the tribes!"

Baifeng chuckled: "That naturally won't happen. Our Huaxia is the most observant of rules and the most civilized. I just want to let Tribal Chief Xuanyuan observe the military strength of our Huaxia, to let you know that some things can compensate for the gap in numbers."

Afterward, Baifeng turned his head and said to the people of the Shangshu Department: "Notify the Ministry of War, emergency assembly, and conduct a Military Exercise for me. Let the people of the Xuanyuan Tribe open their eyes!"