Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 278

Chapter 328 Identity Selection

"The mechanical city has collapsed?"

With his back to Li Si, the prince, Ying Zheng stared at the map of the Qin territory on the wall. The prominent highway markings on the map resembled blood-red veins, representing the vital support of the entire empire.

With these roads, the Qin cavalry could quickly reach every key point in the country and achieve direct control over various major prefectures.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Under pressure from the Imperial soldiers, the Mo family activated the Azure Dragon Mechanical Beast to destroy the Mechanical City. The Mo family has now lost all its trump cards."

Li Si smiled and reported the good news to His Majesty the Emperor, but only gave a vague indication of the heavy casualties suffered by the Imperial soldiers due to the Azure Dragon mechanism.

He knew very well that losses were never His Majesty's primary concern; as long as the objectives of the operation could be achieved, it would be a success.

Moreover, according to the reports from Luo Wang's informants, this operation was not only successful, but a great success: not only did the Mohists suffer heavy losses, but most of the fugitive nobles from the six states were also killed. Although there had been some unrest at the bottom of the empire in recent years, with these people dead, the foreseeable peace would last much longer.

"However, after suffering a major defeat, the remaining Mohists and the rebels of the six states have become even more closely united..." Liston paused, then continued, "Moreover, in the battle of the Mohist Mechanical City, it is said that the Confucian and Agricultural schools played some special roles... and there are even rumors that the Daoists were involved."

"After the Mohist school, the empire should not underestimate the other schools of thought."

“Confucian farmers, they are all old forces from the Qi and Lu regions.” Ying Zheng’s gaze moved toward the coast of the East China Sea. The locations of Xiaoshengxianzhuang and Dazeshan were also marked on the map. “In the years since the unification of the empire, Fu Nian and Lu Wei have been very close. Go to Sanghai next year and visit your old acquaintance.”

For Ying Zheng, the Confucian and agricultural families had always been one of the targets to be suppressed, but on the other hand, they had also expressed their loyalty to the empire over the years.

Unlike the stubborn and rebellious Mohists, the Confucian farmers were suppressed while also being appropriately courted: this process was repeated to continuously instruct them.

Ying Zheng was certain that among the great philosophers like Confucian scholars and agriculturalists, there must be some who harbored dissatisfaction or even hatred towards the empire, but that was of no importance; he did not care about the hatred of his enemies.

As the only emperor in the world, the First Emperor could not afford to pay attention to dogs that only barked.

"As for Taoism, the Shadow Guards of the Human Sect have reported many clues about Xiaoyaozi's actions. Why don't you talk about them?"

Ying Zheng's voice was powerful but not harsh, but Li Si still hurriedly bowed and said, "Xiaoyaozi has been closely monitored by the Luo Wang. According to Zhao Gao, this leader of the Human Sect is the target of the Luo Wang's long-term strategy. Our informant in the Mechanical City is placed next to Xiaoyaozi."

"The reason we're not taking action against him now is to use him to fully control the rebels' next move. This is more important than a mere Xiaoyaozi."

Killing Xiaoyaozi, or rather, coercing the Daoist sect, would be a piece of cake for the Qin state. The fact that Mount Taiyi is located in the heart of Guanzhong means that Daoism will never be a major threat to Qin. Therefore, allowing the already controlled Xiaoyaozi to roam the Jianghu would be more beneficial.

Even if we kill one batch of rebels from the six kingdoms, a second batch will likely emerge. Even if the threat posed by these rebels only diminishes, we still have to keep them under surveillance.

Since we already have the existing stuff, there's no need to manufacture it separately.

Xiaoyaozi is far too active in the martial arts world, and he has been in possession of Xueji since the last Taoist Heaven and Man Sword Tournament. Whether it is the sword or his appearance, Xiaoyaozi's distinctive features make it easy for his rebellious nature to be grasped.

The fact that the Daoists have not been held accountable by the Qin state under these circumstances is largely due to the effectiveness of the Luowang (Net of Heaven).

"Has the leader of the Taoist Heavenly Sect not been decided yet?" Ying Zheng remained noncommittal to Li Si's answer and continued to ask another related question.

"Not yet, the Taoist Tianzong sect has a stronger tradition of seclusion." Li Si nodded.

"Since the Human Sect leader has sided with the rebels, then let the Heavenly Sect send a new leader to serve the Empire."

"Let Fusu handle this matter."

His Majesty the Emperor's words are the most sacred decrees. Upon hearing the name Fusu, Li Si's eyes widened in surprise, and he obeyed the order to withdraw.

Is the emperor, barely over forty, about to accelerate the assessment of his princes...?

------

Lu Wei and Ji Yan returned to Daze Mountain. Before the New Year, they could take a short break at the headquarters.

The task of poisoning the First Emperor has been entrusted to Xinghun by the chivalrous leader. Poisoning is a highly technical job, and the most crucial aspect is to calculate the timing and location in which Ying Zheng will be poisoned and die.

The first thing that can be confirmed is that this location cannot be Xianyang Palace.

The reason is simple: Lu Wei wanted Huhai to succeed Qin Er Shi, and although the Luo Wang had infiltrated the Xianyang Palace to some extent, Zhao Gao still could not control the fact that the emperor died in his own palace. Zhao Gao, who supported Huhai in seizing power, needed ample time to make precise calculations.

Therefore, it is necessary to make His Majesty the Emperor die on the tour, just like in history. This can be achieved by taking advantage of the mirage's departure!

After all, when the Mirage sets sail to find the immortals, the emperor will personally attend the ceremony. However, in Lu Wei's plan, the Mirage will never set sail smoothly: the Yin-Yang School leader, Donghuang, will be killed on the Mirage!

To minimize the impact of the Mirage incident, perhaps only an incident involving the emperor could grab attention.

These two things can be done simultaneously.

Although the timing of the mirage's departure was top secret to the outside world, for Lu Wei, who had the Sun, Moon, and Stars as his inside agents, everything about the mirage was no secret.

Xinghun, who personally took action, cleverly calculated the rate at which the toxins accumulated in His Majesty the Emperor's body, and everything went very smoothly...

In the mountains of Daze, Lu's son and daughter, Qian'er and He'er, have grown up and become much more sensible over the years. When Lu Wei undertakes important tasks, they can play a role in strengthening the confidence of his subordinates.

After returning from being away for several months, Lu Wei should have spent time teaching his two children some lessons, but with the Mirage project about to be completed, the amount of free time he could spend was ultimately limited.

After having Shao Siming guard the entrance to prevent anyone from approaching, Lu Wei handed the Illusionary Sound Box to the Moon Goddess. The Right Protector of the Yin-Yang School did not inquire about Dong Jun Yan Fei: Yan Dan's death, the destruction of the Mechanized City, and the acquisition of the Illusionary Sound Box already indicated the success of the trip to the Mechanized City.

"With this box, I need to go back to Xianyang."

Upon opening the treasure box, just as she had done more than a decade ago, her slender, jade-like hands began to manipulate the exquisite pavilions within. The Moon Goddess casually played a lively melody as background music for their conversation.

"The power problem of the Mirage is being solved after Gongshu Chou returned. He gained a lot of new insights during his trip to the Mechanical City. The Mirage can be tested next year, and if all goes well, it can officially set sail to find the immortals the year after next."

"We are on a tight schedule; next year will be crucial for the layout of the mirage."

"It has determined the fate of the Yin-Yang School, the Empire, and ourselves, so the urgency is to be expected." On the way back, Lu Wei and Xiao Yan'er had also studied the Illusionary Sound Box together. Even if we disregard its ability to unlock the secrets of the magical Azure Dragon Seven Constellations, its exquisite design makes it an extremely rare treasure as a music player.

According to the records of the Yin-Yang School, the Illusionary Sound Box can play millions of tunes according to the changes in the starry sky. Theoretically, these tunes have an infinite number of arrangements, and even an individual or an entire dynasty could not listen to them all in their lifetime.

"I have already dealt with the troubles that the remnants of the six kingdoms might cause in the martial arts world. Now, the only enemy left is this country."

The music genres in the Illusionary Sound Box have a significant impact on a person's mood. Listening to the stirring music, Lu Wei's ambition surged: "The seven kingdoms will be buried, and the position of the ruler of the world will ultimately be mine!"

“Yes.” The Moon Goddess nodded, facing the surging heat that rushed to her chest, her eyes fixed firmly on this ambitious statement for the first time: “The old order needs a new master to change it…”

Outside the door, listening to the low murmurs mingling with the music from the Illusionary Sound Box, Shao Siming hesitated for a moment, but still adhered to the Moon Goddess's order to go in...

...

"Daze Mountain".

A disheveled young man dressed in linen clothes carried a bronze-yellow longsword across his back. He looked up at the town sign for "Dazeshan Town," knowing that this was the necessary route to enter Dazeshan openly and legitimately.

"The invitation from the former Hall Master Lu... now it should be Lu Xia Kui. I don't know if it still counts... Never mind, I'm just a good-for-nothing with a bad reputation now. Let's just follow the most basic rules of the peasant clan."

The gloomy-looking young man muttered to himself as he slowly walked into the town.

He easily obtained proof of joining the farm at the town's tavern. Wearing a star-shaped grass pendant, he lazily wrote the two characters 'Han Xin' on the disciple register.

"Should we start by farming? Hmm, that's one way to survive in this era."

Nodding and accepting the farm tools, Han Xin, on his first day at Daze Mountain, went to the fields with the other farm disciples and completed his work for the day in a mundane manner.

His performance among the newly joined disciples was neither outstanding nor at the bottom; it was just average.

After just one day of action, Han Xin was certain that coming to the farmhouse was the right choice... Even if the Shadow Guard hadn't sent him, this was still a place he absolutely had to observe.

'In the Battle of the Mechanized City, both the martial arts world and the remnants of the six states suffered heavy losses. The Mohist school was essentially destroyed, and the anti-Qin forces were routed.'

'But the biggest beneficiaries of this event were not the empire, but rather the peasantry.'

'Given the massive conscription by the First Emperor, the organizational capacity and number of able-bodied men maintained in Daze Mountain were extremely rare. Judging from Lu Xiaokui's performance, his preparations were not merely for defending his small territory in Daze Mountain...'

"This is a place where I can achieve great things. As a Shadow Guard or a disciple of the Farmer's Clan, it's hard to say which will be more valuable in the future!"

Chapter 329 Sanghai Cliff

"The Heroic Leader".

Chen Ping, the master of Kuiwei Hall, entered the main hall of Xiaogeng Manor and bowed to Lu Wei, who had just returned.

Lu Wei could clearly see that the angle at which he bent over was several degrees greater than before.

Of the six members of the Farmer's Family, he and Ji Yan were the ones who knew best what the Farmer's Family was doing.

The current chaos in the world has exposed some of the empire's weaknesses in the eyes of insightful people. This is especially true when news of the Qin army's unfavorable progress in its southern expedition against the Baiyue has been secretly circulating in certain circles, tearing a small hole in the empire's strongest military capability.

This was the most threatening measure Qin had ever used against the other six states; the court had done absolutely nothing else to make the people of those states feel a sense of belonging to Qin.

When the people are alienated and disloyal, the country is destined to fall apart.

Most alarmingly, even the Qin people in Guanzhong, the heartland of the Qin Dynasty, were beginning to complain...

Under these circumstances, rebellion was a promising endeavor, and the peasants possessed the strength to do so. Chen Ping was consciously changing his attitude towards what Lu Wei was about to do.

"The disciples have found out that the remaining forces of the Mo family have indeed gone to a secret base in the mountains outside Sanghai City. There is a high possibility that there are underground hideouts with structures similar to a mechanical city there."

Chen Ping took out a map from his sleeve and, with Lu Wei's nod, stepped forward and spread it out on the table: it detailed the terrain around Sanghai City and marked the location of the Mo family's stronghold.

"The new leader of the Mohist school is indeed Gao Jianli, which is probably the worst news for the Mohist school."

He shook his head. Chen Ping believed that Gao Jianli becoming the leader of the Mohist school was a more terrible thing for the Mohist school than the destruction of the Mechanized City.

Gao Jianli could be a ruthless thug or a cool and aloof musician, but he was not suited to be the leader of any of the major schools of thought in the Hundred Schools of Thought period.

Chen Ping believes he is the same in this regard: he is not suited to be in charge, just like Lu Wei's current position, which he is completely incapable of holding.

This is not a matter of IQ or EQ. For example, Chen Ping admitted that he could not have managed the relationship between the Farmer School and the Yin-Yang School and the Confucian Fu Nian School to the extent that it has now.

At best, it can only be maintained at the level of a gentleman's friendship, which is as light as water. Being able to see certain things clearly is absolutely not the same as doing certain things well.

"That's how it used to be, but Gao Jianli is a good friend of mine. With that connection, the Mohist school is going to be very fortunate."

With a faint smile, Lu Wei conjured a stool from afar and invited Chen Ping to sit down.

Chen Ping nodded, flattered: "I see. Should we leave this map at the Qin army camp?"

His meaning was clear: the Mohists are not completely desperate yet, so it would be a real pity if they could not become loyal dogs under the Lord of Chivalry sooner.

In response, Chen Ping believed he could help the Mohists and help them escape their confusion as soon as possible.

"It's a bit early, let's wait a bit longer." Lu Wei looked down at the map, stroked his chin, and after mentally reviewing the timelines and events for next year, he smiled and said, "They've only just settled in, let them take their time."

"Let them run into some more obstacles on their own, so that we can push forward the implementation of the Azure Dragon Plan."

"Yes," Chen Ping replied knowingly and stepped back.

The next leader to arrive was A-Yu, who took charge of the Lieshan Hall, but his primary responsibility remained overseeing its internal affairs.

Among the six hall masters, Chen Ping and Ji Yan are in charge of external affairs, Dian Qing of Chiyou Hall is in charge of the defense of Daze Mountain, Zhu Jia of Shennong Hall is also recruiting mountain bandits in Taihang Mountain, and there is no need to say more about the old doctor Nian Duan.

Nothing major happened in Daze Mountain during the months Lu Wei was away. Some minor incidents were inevitable, but they weren't serious enough for him, the leader of the heroes, to be personally involved. The reason why A Yu still had to make the trip was partly because of routine reporting: whether there was something to report or not, it always had to be presented to Brother Lu.

On the other hand, it was because of Han Xin.

Han Xin thought that his inconspicuous and quiet joining of the peasant family would not attract attention, but little did he know that a few days after joining, his unusual behavior was reported to A Yu.

Han Xin, who had been taught by Chu Nan Gong, was low-key in both his dress and his words and actions, but in reality, he had an extremely high-profile heart!