Luo State paid little attention to the war between Wu and Wu-Chu, considering it merely a battle to divide their spheres of influence.
What concerned Luo Yu most now was still the problem of the High Minister Clans in Qi State. Thus, after seeing Sun Wu off, he came to Linzi without the slightest delay.
The Crown Prince of Luo State's diplomatic visit to Qi State was a tradition that maintained friendly relations between the two states.
As Luo State's two most important allies, Qi and Jin faced entirely different problems.
Jin State currently had no problem with High Minister Clans. Chong'er had enough prestige to keep its ministers and grandees in check. Jin State could now be described as brimming with vitality, like Zhou State when the Sage King had first enfeoffed its lords. It had even begun preparing to reclaim its hegemony.
Jin State's problem was structural, exactly the same as Zhou State's. Outside forces could not intervene at all; what it needed was a strong and capable ruler.
Qi State's problem was unlike Jin State's, where vast lands had been enfeoffed to meritorious subjects while the ruling house had few members.
Even now, Qi State's central government remained very powerful.
But a powerful central government did not mean a powerful ruler. Qi State's Grand Steward controlled its government, and the High Minister Clans competed fiercely for that position.
All that was needed was for Qi State's ruling house to gain control of the central government. This was something Luo State could intervene in. As long as the Duke of Qi cooperated, Luo Yu was quite confident.
Qi State and Song State had the strongest mercantile traditions among the All Xia states. Qi State in particular enjoyed the profits of fish and salt, and had been among the