Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 344

Zhou Wen's attack was swift, accurate, and ruthless. He had learned the secret techniques of the Luo Wang after losing his arm in order to obtain the identity of Duan Shui. Now, he used the secret techniques taught to him by Zhao Gao to cut off Zhao Gao's head with a single sword strike!

On the other side, Wu Chen's attack did not kill, but it severely injured Wang Liang, the strongest of the remaining four sword slaves: although Wang Liang did not expect to be attacked by his comrade, as an elite member of the Luo Wang who had fought his way out of death time and time again, his reaction speed saved his life.

In the blink of an eye, the arrogant fake emperor Zhao Gao died. Two of the six sword slaves protected Ziying, three retreated on guard, and one of them lay bleeding in the middle, unable to stand up.

Zhou Wen and Wu Chen had both impersonated high-ranking officials in the farmhouse before, so now, facing a possible major battle, they did not hesitate to set up the Twenty-Four Earthly Formation.

In addition, a group of loyal henchmen from the Luo Wang assassins also arrived. These cannon fodder, who were there to bolster morale, had been placed in the closest positions by Wu Chen, who held the power of the head of the Six Sword Slaves.

"Execute the traitor Zhao Gao, and disregard all others. Anyone who obstructs this will be punished with the same crime!"

Ziying held the imperial seal above his head and kicked Zhao Gao's head down the steps, glaring angrily to show his most majestic appearance. This was a plan that had been discussed beforehand. As a prince of the royal family, Ziying still possessed a part of the imperial majesty.

The ministers in the square were taken aback by this sudden turn of events. When they saw the head of the red-haired Zhao Gao, they were as surprised as they had been when they saw the head of Hu Hai not long ago. But this time, they reacted quickly, their eyes lighting up as they rolled up their sleeves and surrounded the platform. These ministers were not particularly strong, but their actions put immense pressure on the Three Swordsmen and the Luo Wang assassins who arrived later.

Zhao Cheng, who succeeded his brother as Chancellor and then as Chief Physician, drew his sword with bloodshot eyes: "Kill everyone!"

He had been in charge of the Net these past few days, but had been completely deceived by Wu Chen and Zhou Wen...

If Zhao Gao had become the fake emperor as originally planned, Zhao Cheng's status would have naturally risen accordingly. But now that Zhao Gao is dead, Zhao Cheng has suddenly become the target of public criticism.

It's obvious that Ziying's "disregarding others" certainly didn't include him.

Therefore, the best way for Zhao Cheng to survive is to create enough chaos in Xianyang: his envy is just an act, not a genuine expression of grief for his brother Zhao Gao; he needs to be more concerned about his own fate now.

However, none of the members of the Luo Wang organization present obeyed the order, including the Three Sword Slaves.

Zhao Gao was, after all, already dead.

Having lost their leader, even if they could kill all these ministers, how could they possibly make amends? Zhao Cheng was not worth their following.

Wu Chen understood the mindset of the assassins from the Luo Wang organization. He gathered his inner energy and shouted loudly, "The Luo Wang organization is the empire's weapon of destruction, yet Zhao Gao abused it as a personal weapon. He has now been executed. I am Zhen Gang, the leader of the Six Sword Slaves. I have reached an agreement with Prince Ziying that as long as the Luo Wang organization is willing to repent and turn back from its wrong path, they will all be innocent."

The leader of the Six Sword Slaves' speech carried far more weight than Zhao Cheng's. The members of the Net quickly came up with a plan and turned around to surround Zhao Cheng.

The three swordsmen also recognized the situation and sheathed their swords. Only the unfortunate Wraith was seriously injured and fell unconscious...

The brothers Zhao Gao and Zhao Cheng were executed, and Yan Le, who controlled the Xianyang Imperial Guards, also failed to escape: although he had military power, the small tiger tally became ineffective when Ziying continued to carry the imperial seal to the front of the military camp.

The image of Zhao Gao and his faction had long been established in the minds of the Qin people. Having killed Huhai and lost the emperor's protection, they were insignificant in the vast city of Xianyang.

The biggest challenge in dealing with Zhao Gao's faction lies in dealing with Zhao Gao himself. Once this goal is achieved, all other problems will be solved.

After Wu Chen and Zhou Wen personally dealt with some minor loose ends with the Luo Wang organization, the abdication ceremony naturally became Ziying's succession ceremony: all of the First Emperor's sons had died, and Ziying had played a role in the plan to eliminate Zhao Gao, so now he was the only one qualified to succeed to the throne.

However, obtaining the throne at this time may not be a good thing. After Zhao Gao's death, all the military intelligence he had hidden was revealed to the court: the news that the Qi army had already reached Ba Shang and was only fifty kilometers away from Xianyang caused ministers who still had feelings for the empire to wail in despair.

Meanwhile, ministers like Shusun Tong, who had long admired the benevolent army of Qi, secretly rejoiced: This empire had been ruined by Huhai and Zhao Gao; rather than trying to repair it, it would be better to simply tear it down and rebuild it.

Given the current situation, with the entire area outside the pass rebelling and a core part of the territory lost, Ziying is no longer fit to call himself emperor. Therefore, he voluntarily downgraded himself and reverted to the title of King of Qin.

But that wasn't enough. How to repel the enemy was still the first question Ziying asked his ministers: he would never have chosen Wu Chen and Zhou Wen's surrender proposal unless there was no other way.

Having finally resolved the issues of Zhao Gao and Hu Hai, the Qin Dynasty will rise again with the support of loyal ministers and capable generals. If it can win a battle to demonstrate that the Qin Dynasty's military strength is still intact and thus gain the opportunity to cede territory and negotiate peace, there is still a possibility of salvaging the situation!

Like Zhao Gao, the Great Wall Legion became the strongest supporter of this idea: the core strength of the more than 200,000 Great Wall Legion members was still there!

It's a pity that this support is no longer available...

------

After a brief rest at Ba Shang, the army was about to set off again, but the Mo family's Suzaku, a machine-like creature, detected that the Qin army was actually gathering and seemed to want to launch an attack.

With 50,000 imperial guards from Xianyang and another 50,000 troops from the Great Wall who had been withdrawn, the 100,000 Qin troops were capable of fighting the Qi army.

Dozens more bat-winged mechanical beasts from the Gongshu family were immediately dispatched, equipped with Sky Glasses to expand the monitoring range, making the Qin army's movements clear at a glance.

Upon hearing this good news, Lu Wei decisively ordered his army to set up a defensive formation and wait for the Qin army to arrive: even if they had the advantage, it was better to trap them like turtles in a jar than to launch an attack.

Equipped with the mechanical arts of the Gongshu family and the Mohist school, the Qi army was incredibly powerful, and its technological level surpassed that of the Qin state, which was in a state of chaos. Under such circumstances, Qin still launched an attack, which shows that on the one hand, they really did not understand the strength of the Qi state, and on the other hand, it also shows that Ziying was very eager for a military victory, even a small one, to restore his confidence.

This can be seen from the snowflake-like letters secretly sent from Xianyang: these were sent by officials of all levels in Xianyang who wanted to secretly communicate with the Qi army. As long as the Qi army could reach the gates of Xianyang, there was no need to worry about the need to attack the city!

The Qin army, once the most feared force of the six states east of the mountains, has now become a means for Qin to regain its confidence—a truly ironic situation.

Chapter 441 The Marquis of Guiming

"The Qin laws were complex and harsh, but even I must admit that their perfection is a treasure of the Chinese nation, and the State of Qi will also govern and rule on this basis in the future."

In front of Lu Wei's desk was a tall stack of Qin law texts, which Xiao He had sent people to copy from the counties and prefectures of Guanzhong.

He took out a book and flipped through it casually. The roar of the White Tiger mechanical beast could be heard even from a distance. The Gongshu family also joined the battle with the newly made Hato Juro from the farm workshop. The commotion caused by these metal creations was quite loud.

One hundred thousand Qin troops were attacking the Qi army's camp at Ba Shang, while King Lu Wei of Qi calmly summoned Xiao He, Chen Ping, Zhang Liang, and Xing Hun to discuss matters in the main camp after arranging his troops.

"After entering Xianyang, the Great Qi should immediately promulgate new laws to reduce the excessive punishments and excessive jurisdiction in the Qin laws. The four of you should lead your civil officials to come up with a plan."

With a wave of his hand, His Highness the King of Qi assigned a crucial matter concerning the future of the new empire. Before the four ministers was a copy of the Qin law.

Legal issues have always been one of the most important core aspects of a country; without laws, there is no country.

The Qin laws were a major contributor to Qin's ability to conquer the six states and achieve unification, but also a major culprit in the collapse of the Qin Empire in just a few years.

To revise the laws established by generations of Legalist masters from Shang Yang to Li Si, only a talent as rare as Xiao He and Zhang Liang could accomplish this.

One of them belonged to Taoism and the other to Confucianism, and both were able to use the doctrines of their respective schools to neutralize the inherent flaws of Legalism.

Chen Ping and Xinghun can also use their knowledge to supplement theirs.

The sharp whooshing sound that cut through the air became the closing tone of Lu Wei's words: It was a volley of crossbow bolts.

Although the Qin state lost the Gongshu family, its artisans were still able to create powerful battlefield weapons, with the Qin crossbow being a prime example.

Whether it's a small crossbow or a large ballista capable of piercing city walls, they are all examples of exquisite craftsmanship.

The sound of crossbow bolts conveyed the ferocity of the battlefield outside. After a moment of distraction, Zhang Liang smiled and spoke first: "Confucius said, 'If you govern the people by laws and regulate them by punishments, they will avoid punishment but have no sense of shame. If you govern them by virtue and regulate them by rites, they will have a sense of shame and moreover become good.'"

“The law should, in its essence, disregard human feelings. However, if it is completely devoid of human feelings, it becomes detached from the lives of ordinary people. On the other hand, if it is too close to human feelings, it violates the original intent of the law. The balance between these two aspects truly requires careful consideration of the pros and cons.”

“The affairs are governed by law, law is derived from power, and power is derived from the Way.” Zhang Liang’s opinion was to add appropriate Confucian benevolence to the Qin law. Xiao He also had his own views on this: “The wise should not overstep the law to make schemes, the debaters should not overstep the law to make arguments, the scholars should not betray the law to gain fame, and the ministers should not betray the law to gain merit.”

"Laws and regulations are the ultimate form of justice, and those who govern by laws and regulations must not be disordered. Being impartial and selfless, and ensuring that rewards and punishments are credible, is the way to govern. The combination of punishment and morality is the key to law enforcement."

The Taoist school is very similar to the Legalist school in emphasizing the fairness of law enforcement, which is basically a common point among Taoism, Legalism, and Confucianism.

However, Xiao He also valued the moral role in lawmaking, as Zhang Liang pointed out, and the key was to ensure that the law was convenient for people's normal lives.

After all, in the Taoist view, the prosperity of the people is both the result of the implementation of laws and the prerequisite for the people to abide by the law.

Both schools of thought have their advantages and disadvantages, but compared to Legalism, the biggest drawback of Legalism is that it somewhat restricts the power of the monarch.

Zhang Liang and Xiao He couldn't possibly have been unaware of this, but the Qin laws already contained too many provisions guaranteeing the supremacy of the monarch, so there was no need for them to elaborate further.

After stating their position, the next step is a detailed discussion, which will likely continue until just before the Qi army enters Xianyang...

Outside the main camp, dust flew and blood splattered everywhere. Inside the main camp, the 'battlefield' continued. Lu Wei would sit down and watch Xiao, Zhang, Chen, and Xing discuss things, or put on his cloak and stand on a high platform to enjoy the battle. He kept track of the progress on both sides from a holistic perspective.

Finally, before nightfall, the Qin army could no longer hold out and began to retreat. Lu Wei seized the opportunity and beat the drums to pursue them: This was the last army that Xianyang could mobilize, and they were bound to be completely defeated.

Then, the army can advance directly into Xianyang the next day without rest!

...

After changing into a modified royal robe from the time of the First Emperor of Qin, Ziying sought out Wu Chen and Zhou Wen again to discuss surrender.

The news that the 100,000-strong army had suffered a setback in its attack and then made organizational mistakes during the retreat, resulting in a complete defeat, had already been sent back to Xianyang by fast cavalry. At the same time, the news that the audacious Qi army's bat-winged mechanical beasts had flown around Xianyang had terrified the officials.

Since he had lost the gamble, Ziying was left with only this one option.

Wu Chen and Zhou Wen were not surprised by this, because although they did not stop Ziying from sending troops, they had sent the Qin army's military formation data to Ba Shang in advance.

According to Luo Wang's investigation, they were not the only two doing this in Xianyang City, but they were definitely the two who sent the most detailed information.

"I regret not heeding your advice, which resulted in the loss of 100,000 soldiers of the empire..." Ziying's voice was weary. "I wish to wear hemp clothing, carry the imperial seal and military tally, bind myself, and go to Ba Shang to surrender to His Highness Prince Qi. I request that you two escort me there."

“His Majesty alone is not enough to show sincerity. All the court officials must bind themselves and go to kneel before King Qi,” Wu Chen said resolutely.

He received no reply to any of the letters he sent to Ba Shang, and had no idea how Lu Wei treated him. But now he had no other choice; the more he acted like a dog, the more likely he was to survive.

As a dog, it naturally wants its owner to be as glamorous as possible.

"Very well, I will discuss this with my ministers at tomorrow's court meeting. Please ask Luo Wang to prepare the equipment."

Ziying agreed without any bargaining. His attempt to kill Zhao Gao had failed, and the method for killing Zhao Gao could not be replicated on the King of Qi. So, he could do nothing but lie down and take the beating.

The next day, the Qi army had only advanced five kilometers when they learned that Prince Ziying of Qin, along with his wife, children, and ministers, were arriving in tattered and bound clothes. Lu Wei neither advanced nor retreated, but stopped on the spot, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Qin people...

When Ziying sat numbly in the carriage and saw the neatly arranged troops ahead, his expression changed to one of overwhelming guilt, and he stepped forward alone.

With his hands bound and forced to hold the Imperial Seal of the State, Ziying's gait was comical, which, combined with his status as the King of Qin, made it all the more humiliating.

But as losers, they brought this upon themselves.

The Qi army parted to make way, and a man riding a tall white horse stepped out. Ziying guessed that this was the King of Qi who had destroyed his kingdom in a year. He suddenly knelt down, raised the Imperial Seal as high as possible with his bound hands, and said hoarsely:

"Your subject Ying Ziying pays respects to Your Highness, the King of Qi."

With a snap, the jade seal in his hand was snatched away from him by the imposing King Qi. Ziying, filled with unease, lowered his head, wondering what the King Qi was doing—probably examining the details of the jade seal...

Ziying stared at the horse's hooves for a long time before his authoritative voice finally came from above:

"Although you are a traitor, you are also a rare and valuable person. Therefore, I will bestow upon you the title of Marquis of Guiming."

Chapter 442 Entering Xianyang Palace

Xianyang, with its magnificent architectural complex and grand layout, pushed the majesty and grandeur of feudal emperors to the extreme. As Lu Wei approached the city gate, his gaze was drawn to this majestic spectacle.

The closer you get, the more you can feel its immense size.

When he was of humble status, Lu had traveled to the capitals of five kingdoms as a wandering knight-errant. After the uprising, he also took a short break in Xinzheng during the siege of Xingyang. He even accompanied Zhang Liang to the old site of Zilan Pavilion and listened to him reminisce about the wonderful things that happened when Liusha was first established.

At this moment, however, he will be the master of the extravagant spectacle created by the First Emperor Ying Zheng and the Second Emperor Hu Hai at the cost of the entire empire.

Xianyang Palace was far superior to the former capitals of the six kingdoms. Hidden behind its appearance was a vast and long palace complex: Ying Zheng had housed the harems and palace women of the six kingdoms here, and after Hu Hai ascended the throne, he once again took in many women from the common people. Although it is impossible for the father and son to handle tens of thousands of harems, they clearly regarded it as a symbol of their imperial rule.

"Burial of the people's corpses beneath the palace and abduction of their wives and daughters into the palace—this is precisely the reason for Qin's downfall."

Dian Qing led his army into Xianyang ahead of time to set up defenses and clear the streets. While waiting outside, His Highness Prince Qi couldn't help but sigh.

Upon hearing his words, Marquis Guiming Ziying, who was leading the horse in front, lowered his head in shame, while the historian on the other side wrote diligently, recording this historic moment.

Once the Qi army had completely controlled Xianyang and eliminated the danger, Lu Wei shook his head and dismissed the obedient Ziying for the time being. He then rode into the city alone, surveying the quiet streets of Xianyang. The cautious gazes peeking out from the tightly closed window cracks were filled with awe and worry.

His Highness Prince Qi stood tall and proud, accepting the gazes with equanimity. A hundred meters behind him was the procession of ministers Zhang Liang, Chen Ping, and others...