Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 319

Those who block the way shall die; this is the unchanging rule of the Farmer's Hero. It is time for our friends, the Xiang family, to join their long-dead kingdom.

However, since the two sides had a friendship, and Lu Wei was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to kill his friend, he entrusted the task to the Yin-Yang School: "Try to let the Qin army take action. The relationship between the Yin-Yang School and the Agricultural School is not a secret among the Confucianists. Although my methods are very ingenious, I can't completely hide it from those few brilliant guys."

"But it's always good to have a similar reason."

"I will instruct the Grand Master of Fate and the others." The Moon Goddess had no questions about such a small matter. The only thing that concerned her was the problem of the First Emperor of the Empire: "According to the dosage you provided, if Ying Zheng takes five more pills from the Cloud Lord, the toxins in his body will accumulate to a fatal level, and the time will not exceed ten days."

"In just ten days, the master of an empire will fall, and his empire will soon fall as well." He sighed with emotion. This time was actually a few days later than Lu Wei had calculated, but fortunately it was still within the plan: it was enough to get Jing County and Fan County in the south to rise up in rebellion.

The area was remote, and by the time news of the uprising reached Sanghai, His Majesty the Emperor would have had no time to issue any orders.

A truly great era is coming, an era that belongs to Lu Wei alone.

“It is precisely at times like these that we must be more careful. It’s time for you to break off your dealings with the Net,” the Moon Goddess advised, offering her personal opinion.

"That's about it. The Luo Wang organization is under heavy pressure from the Shadow Guards. Hopefully, this surprise will provoke Zhao Gao to retaliate even more fiercely."

------

Lu Wei didn't leave the Crescent Moon Palace until noon. He hadn't eaten breakfast and had been working tirelessly since the night before. He had just made a decision that would determine the fate of the people. He had wanted to treat himself to a delicious meal.

The Moon Goddess had to meet the Young Master of Fate later, so she stayed in the palace to dress up and couldn't accompany him for long. After all, she was the new leader of the Yin-Yang School and had many affairs to attend to.

But as Lu Mouren walked around a corner in the corridor, he unexpectedly saw Yan Fei waiting there.

"Greetings, Chief of the Knights."

Looking at the handsome Lord Dongjun bowing respectfully to him, Lu Wei was quite surprised: Yan Fei had fled in a sorry state after being harassed by him last time, but today she actually took the initiative to come to find him.

There's probably something fishy going on here!

"What is it?" Lu Wei asked calmly, his hands behind his back and head held high.

"The hero arrived at the Mirage early this morning and has only just emerged from the Crescent Moon Palace. He likely hasn't had a meal yet... Consort Yan has prepared some refreshments in the Dawn Palace. Would the hero be so kind as to dine there?"

Yan Fei adopted a very humble posture, and her words even carried a hint of shyness. The deeper meaning behind what she said was self-evident.

While overexertion is certainly bad for one's health, Lord Xia Kui, as a top-tier expert, is not at the point of being 'unable'!

"Alright, lead the way."

Lu Wei nodded calmly, never backing down.

Chapter 394 Li Mu Goes South

“A stone from Mars fell from the sky, with the words ‘The First Emperor will die and the land will be divided.’ This is a hint from Heaven, and we can make use of it.”

In a small town at the foot of Daze Mountain, the anti-Qin nobles from the six states gathered together, patiently listening to the speech of Xiang Yu's Fan Zeng.

"The contents of the Yinghuo Stone foreshadowed not only the ultimate failure of the search for immortality through the mirage, but also the end of the tyrannical Qin dynasty. Therefore, Ying Zheng did not hesitate to send General Wang Li to massacre all the people in the area where the Yinghuo Stone fell, and also sent the elders of the Yin-Yang School to be in charge of escorting it."

His tone remained unchanged when he spoke of the 'massacre'. In this era, Fan Zeng did not feel that such an act needed to be emphasized: for both Qin and the anti-Qin forces, the value of the Yinghuo Stone was higher than that of the common people.

"The heroes of the Mohist school have already discovered the route for transporting the Yinghuo Stone. We have a chance to intercept them halfway!"

Unlike the nobles of the six states, the Mohists, due to their Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world) nature, gained greater trust and directly entered the Daze Mountains to accept the protection of the Farmers. However, despite this, the connection between the two sides was not severed.

Dao Zhi, the leader of the Mohist school, was known as the king of thieves and had many dealings with the Xiang family. Among the Mohist members who arrived later, Yan Yun was a member of the nobility of the six states and was the highest-ranking 'Queen of Yan'.

In addition, Princess Mi Lian of Chu, who has joined the Farmer's Clan, has recently been in frequent contact with the nobles of the six states. Although she did not say it explicitly, Fan Zeng could tell that the Farmer's Clan was also very interested in the stone, and Mi Lian herself had shown enthusiasm for the revival of Chu, which was only natural.

Yan Yun and Mi Lian's identities destined them to stand on the opposite side of Qin, thus gaining the natural trust of the anti-Qin side.

All these signs were pushing the anti-Qin alliance to seize the Yinghuo Stone. Fan Zeng keenly sensed the hidden crisis behind this, but he also believed that this operation, like the previous Azure Dragon assassination of Qin, had to be carried out.

The Yinghuo Stone was something the Qin state desperately wanted to hide, so the anti-Qin side naturally wanted to sabotage the Qin state's plan and expose it to the public!

How can one not take some risks when trying to seize the fate of a nation?

"This time, the Qin state dispatched its elite armored troops to escort the stone. With our strength alone, even including the farmers, our chances are slim, aren't they?"

Reasonable dissent arose among the nobles of the six states, which did not surprise Fan Zeng. After exchanging glances with Xiang Liang, the latter, clad in striking Chu army armor, the snow-white plume on his gleaming silver helmet swaying majestically with his movements, gazed upon him.

"The contents of the Yinghuo Stone are too earth-shattering. That guy Ying Zheng would never want this to be recorded in the history books, so it will not be transported to Sanghai in a grand manner."

"The Hundred-Battle Armored Soldiers are just bait on the surface. According to accurate intelligence, the real Yinghuo Stone is in the hands of the Yin-Yang Clan elders and is being escorted by a small team. That's why Master Fan said this is our opportunity."

As Xiang Liang spoke, he swung his arms, the metallic clang of his thick shoulder armor adding to the persuasiveness: "We have a way to get the Farmers to hold back Wang Li; only a small force from the Yin-Yang School will be our enemy."

After Xiang Shi expressed his stance, the nobles were tempted: if the peasant clan could truly help deal with the most troublesome battle-hardened soldiers and offer them the credit for seizing the Yinghuo Stone, it wasn't something they couldn't give up...

...

"Is the general going south in person?"

Han Xin followed behind the white-haired and white-bearded Li Mu, carefully avoiding being hit by the hoe that the Lord of Wu'an was carrying on his shoulder.

The two hadn't walked far when they arrived at a small vegetable garden. Li Mu was dressed in hemp clothing. He had just celebrated his sixtieth birthday two years ago, but now he was completely dressed as an old farmer, and he was doing the things that an old farmer should do.

Bending down to hoe the ground tirelessly, Li Mu chuckled and said, "The Lord of Heroes has ordered an uprising in Jing County. Although I am old and have been out of battle for a long time, it is time for me to be used. Naturally, I can no longer hide in Daze Mountain."

"Even if the leader of the chivalrous forces finds me too old and only allows me to serve as a vanguard soldier, I am unwilling to miss this first battle of the righteous army."

"General, you are too modest. You are the 'Great General' appointed by the leader of the knights, and you will be of great use in the future. This uprising in the south is just a detachment, and it is a long journey... I am willing to go in your stead."

Han Xin simply stood aside and watched Li Mu work, without any intention of snatching the hoe to help: just as he said, Li Mu was extremely healthy, and he couldn't possibly take it from him, and it would only anger the old general.

"Although it is a detachment, the enemy they will face is the main force of the Qin army. Ren Xiao and Zhao Tuo are both famous generals of Qin and will not be easy to deal with."

Listening to this incredibly talented young man's righteous insistence on taking his place in suffering, Li Mu laughed and shook his head: "The Xia Kui has many talented generals in Jing County, all of whom are proud. You are not qualified enough to subdue them in the short term. Even I can only go as a backup."

"The significance of initiating the anti-Qin righteous army requires that this battle must be won, not lost, and it must be a great victory. Therefore, the leader of the knights must be cautious this time. There will be room for you to make your move later, so don't rush."

The "proud generals" that Li Mu mentioned naturally referred to Peng Yue, Li Zuoche, Yan Shen, and others. Although they had been training in the south for many years, Li Mu still had to personally oversee this practical test.

With a senior military strategist as a backup plan, the younger generation can act with complete freedom.

Once the news of the uprising in Jing County spreads in a few days, and the troops of the surrounding counties of Qin are defeated, the southern army that is currently attacking Baiyue will definitely turn east to attack. The thought of fighting Qin again after more than ten years immediately ignited Li Mu's military fervor.

In the present Qin state, all the veteran generals have passed away: Wang Jian, Wang Ben, Meng Wu, and other generals of the same or previous generation as Li Mu are no longer alive. The leaders of their army are Meng Tian and Wang Li, two juniors. Li Xin, who participated in the destruction of Qi and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Longxi, died of illness at a young age.

Based on this calculation, Ren Xiao and Zhao Tuo, the current commanders and deputy commanders of the Qin army's southern legion, are already among the pillars of the Qin army.

Although Li Mu had always been optimistic about Peng Yue and others, a war cannot be decided hastily based on 'optimism'. Even he himself dared not say that leading the troops of Jing County against the regular Qin army would guarantee a victory, let alone vouch for Peng Yue and Li Zuoche from afar.

War is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin. It is imperative to examine it carefully. We must go all out against any opponent!

"So when does the general plan to set off? A great battle is about to begin, and Dazeshan will probably have some conflicts with the battle-hardened armored soldiers in the near future. These are the general's old rival troops."

There was no disappointment. Han Xin had endured for so many years, and his temperament could not be shaken by anything.

He knew that the future peasant uprising would be divided into at least two parts, with Jing County being only one of them, and the main force being the Dazeshan headquarters.

After Li Mu led his troops south to defeat Ren Xiao and Zhao Tuo, he still needed to pacify the Chu region and ensure everything was stable before heading north to the Central Plains. Meanwhile, the Dazeshan troops' attack target would be only Guanzhong.

Although the army of Daze Mountain will only be led by the chieftain himself, Lu Wei will probably not personally go to the front line to fight, and Li Mu is not here, so he is destined to be the vanguard general in the conquest of cities and territories!

“We’ll leave tonight.” Li Mu stopped hoeing the ground, stood up straight in front of Han Xin, and patted the young man on the shoulder: “As for the Hundred Battles Armored Army, go to Kuiwei Hall tomorrow and find Hall Master Chen Ping. He will tell you the details of the Xia Kui’s next plan.”

"Also, after I leave, you can't let this land of mine go to waste." Li Mu smiled and stroked his beard, then suddenly stuffed his hoe into Han Xin's arms.

Gripping the hoe handle, its surface patinated with age, Han Xin nodded emphatically, sensing his master's earnest expectation.

"The general always had me watch him farm, so I've become familiar with his techniques!"

...

Because of the distance, Xiao He received Lu Wei's order to "rebel" a day later than Xiao He received it in Jing County, which is much farther away than in Daze Mountain.

Calmly destroying the secret letter, even though Commander Li Mu has not yet arrived, preliminary preparations can already begin.

Xiao He dispatched his disciples to summon Yan Shen, Peng Yue, and Li Zuoche, instructing them to distribute all the armor and weapons in the workshop's inventory to the disciples. Immediately afterwards, Xiao He sent a messenger to Fan County...

Chapter 395 The Cycle of the Sword

Fan County has maintained a strong military force of 5,000 men over the years and is a well-known local power in Chu. If he were to gather the guards of the transportation routes around Fan Lake and the farmers in the countryside, his total military force could reach 20,000, which would be overwhelming for ordinary Qin counties.

However, upon receiving Lu Wei's order from Xiao He, the Fan ruler Wu Rui did not hesitate and immediately began mobilizing his soldiers, and promptly blockaded the Yangtze River, completely cutting off the upper and middle reaches.

Wu Rui was an outstanding figure among his generation from his youth, and what was even more remarkable was his extreme pragmatism:

Over the years, Fanxian and Jingxian have become closely connected. Many Yue people have benefited from the farmers' kindness and even been bribed by them. In addition, the farmers' advanced and civilized behavior has made it a place that all Yue people yearn for.

Wu Rui was well aware of the suffering of the people in the world today. Although he believed that it was not the best time to rebel against Qin, the decision on the general direction was always made by the peasants. He did not think that his judgment could be compared with that of the professional peasant leaders.

For all these reasons combined, one should simply obey orders.

“We will draw up our defensive layout and send it to Jing County. We will then ask the farmers to send a general to be in charge of military communication and command.”

Wu Rui summoned his trusted confidant Mei Xuan and ordered him to send people to actively strengthen communication with Jing County. He also instructed Mei Xuan to send an envoy to contact Yi Yu Song, who was further south.

Mei Xuan's family were originally bandits who followed the descendants of King Goujian of Yue and occupied the mountains in the Lingnan area. They were also Yue people. Later, because they admired the talent of Wu Rui, a descendant of King Fuchai of Wu, they took the initiative to serve him.

The people of Baiyue are known for their fierce and valiant nature, and Mei Xuan is a famously robust man among them, renowned for his bravery.

While Yi Yusong has indeed caused Qin a great deal of trouble over the years, he has also suffered a significant loss of strength due to his battles with the Qin army.

Despite his immense prestige among the Yue people, his fighting prowess is no longer a concern... Not every Yue person would risk their life for him out of admiration.

The reason why Yi Yusong was able to maintain a stalemate with Ren Xiao and Zhao Tuo was entirely due to the complexity of the mountains and forests of Yue and the active assistance of various talented people and extraordinary individuals among the Baiyue people.

"Strengthening ties with Jing County is only natural, but what about Yi Yusong's side..."

Mei Xuan, with his broad shoulders and thick waist, was about three times the size of Wu Rui. This burly man hesitated, scratching the back of his head, looking somewhat comical.

“I know you have a conflict with Yi Yusong, but now that the leader of the Farmer’s Clan has decided to rise up against Qin, we need to unite our allies and defeat the invading Qin army.”

Wu Rui respected his subordinate very much and patiently explained to him.

Yi Yusong had a fiery temper, and his method of subduing the Yue people was always to fight. Therefore, he had a lot of conflicts with Mei Xuan, who was also a Yue. Perhaps it was this personality that allowed him to delay the Qin army for so many years.

“That’s not the case.” Mei Xuan shook his head: “Why would I hesitate for personal gain?”

"But Yi Yusong has too high a reputation among the Yue people. If we save him now, what if Yi Yusong leads the Yue people to rebel against the Farmers' Clan in the future? Wouldn't that delay the Farmers' Clan's grand plan?"

"What do you mean?" Wu Rui frowned, somewhat surprised that Mei Xuan could say such a thing.

“There are too many factions among the Yue people, but now we only need one leader. Yi Yusong will become an obstacle. We might as well use the power of the Qin people to kill him, and then we can take over his subordinates later,” Mei Xuan cruelly revealed his plan. “If it succeeds, it will also remove a hidden danger for the Farmer’s Hero. After the Baiyue lands are all under the Farmer’s control, the Hero will surely reward the barbarian king.”

"This matter..." Wu Rui's expression relaxed. His subordinate was so loyal to the farmers, making no attempt to hide it, but what could he do...?

"You can handle it yourself. You can report the plan to Jing County and ask them to help improve it."

Since it was just internal strife among the Yue people, Wu Rui didn't want to get involved.