Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Receiving the assurance that the Prime Minister of Qi would not act first, Luzi quickly stated that the Qin Army outside the city had no ulterior motives. He assured both the Chancellor and the Empress Dowager that no one dared to target Linzi City.
Upon hearing this, Housheng revealed a barely noticeable smile. In his view, the Qin Army stationed outside was more like a bargaining chip. Who was Luzi? If pushed to the limit, he could vanish in an instant. However, things were different now; Luzi would never abandon the Thousand-Man Squad outside to disappear. If they went missing for no reason, he was eager to see how this thousand-man unit would vanish!
Personally escorting the Prime Minister of Qi out the door, Luzi couldn't help but recall the former Ju State. The Hou Family's homeland, once a significant feudal state. The ancient Gu Mu Kingdom of Qingzhou in Huaxia was later renamed Ju by Zhou.
Years ago, when the Chu State set its sights on them and launched an attack on Ju State's capital, it forced Ju State's Sovereign to surrender the imperial jade seal and capitulate. Faced with an army from Chu that outnumbered them by dozens of times, everyone in Ju State united in their resolve to live or die with their country.
As the war dragged on, nine out of ten households were lost. With the nation on the brink of collapse, a minister proposed asking King Qi for military assistance. At such a critical moment, this suggestion put Ju State's Sovereign in a difficult position.
Concerned about Qi State's similar ambitions toward Ju State, Juguo Jun feared that seeking help might lead to an awkward situation where it was easy to summon aid but difficult to send it away. However, many ministers argued that without external support, they would soon face annihilation. Even if Qi State did not wish to assist, they should understand the principle of mutual survival. Weighing priorities, it was imperative for the king to make a swift decision!
Ultimately, Juguo Jun agreed to this suggestion, penned a letter, and secretly dispatched an envoy to Qidu Linzi. What no one anticipated was that this marked the true beginning of Ju State's nightmare!
Due to the earlier valiant resistance from all citizens of Ju State against the invaders, fatigue began to set in among the Chu Army as they approached Ju State's capital. In fact, if Ju State had managed to hold out just a few more days, perhaps its entire history would have been rewritten. But history never allows for hypotheticals; after all, those in power at that time could see no glimmer of victory ahead.
At that time, Ju State had an alliance with Jin and maintained a neutral relationship with Qi State. Upon receiving Ju State's plea for help, King Qi initially had no intention of sending troops. It was only after some ministers suggested ideas that he decided to dispatch forces.
Before the Qi Army could arrive as reinforcements, the already overstretched Chu Army retreated entirely. Just as Juguo Jun was about to celebrate this turn of events, he was reminded by his ministers that the Qi Army had already entered Ju Region. He hurriedly sent an envoy with a message of gratitude along with some significant gifts for King Qi.
It seemed that King Qi had not seen any emissaries from Ju State until he arrived at Ju State's capital and met Juguo Jun; only then did he learn about these events. Expressing regret while proactively offering assistance for post-war reconstruction efforts—such as rebuilding houses and repairing city walls—was his response.
After all, Qi State had come to help Ju State combat invaders; outright rejecting their goodwill upon meeting would likely be inappropriate. Juguo Jun found it difficult to refuse King Qi's proposal and thus agreed while expressing his welcome.
Juguo Jun was unaware of King Qi's true intentions, and his warm hospitality goes without saying. It wasn't until one day that Juguo Jun suddenly died and the entire Royal Family went missing. Only then did the people of Ju State realize King Qi's true nature, but it was too late.
Subsequently, the number of protesters erased became impossible to verify. As the citizens of Ju State chose to remain silent, the massacre finally came to an end. King Qi, having successfully taken advantage of the situation, seized Ju State without a fight and subsequently incorporated this nation established by the Eastern Barbarians into the territory of Qi State.
Housheng and his sister Queen Dowager, although born in the Central Plains, could not escape their minority status. Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the power center governing Qi State at this time was perceived as having been counterattacked.
King Qi took advantage of Ju State's weakness to swallow it whole, yet ultimately handed over all of Qi State back to the Juguo Clan. It wasn't until 221 BC that this Qi State, ruled by a minority group, was officially taken over by the unifying Qin.
For Luzi, it was unexpected that the unification plan would take nearly forty years to realize. In his view, even twenty years seemed ample time, but that was simply how things turned out.
Only those who continued to persevere would discover that history is actually composed of a series of coincidences and inevitabilities. The existence of these coincidences and inevitabilities inevitably delayed the timing of success.
After seeing off the Prime Minister of Qi, Luzi then summoned Han Yongcheng, instructing him to immediately leave the city and manage the stationed Qin Army five miles outside. He repeatedly reminded the Soldiers not to leave their camp under any circumstances, even if provoked from outside; they were not to step out of the Camp Gate!
To ensure that Han Yongcheng took this seriously, Luzi, as he sent him off, earnestly said: “General Han! The current situation is complex, and the gathering Qi Army could launch an attack on Shangdang at any moment. If any unexpected events occur during this time, it may not be something you and I can resolve. Therefore... your responsibilities at this moment are heavier than Mount Tai; success or failure hinges on this!”
Han Yongcheng, being someone who understood the gravity of the situation, felt the weight of Luzi's words and dared not be careless. He immediately replied: “Rest assured, General! Without your orders, all Qin Soldiers will certainly refrain from retaliating or responding!”
Satisfied with his assurance, Luzi nodded and advised Han Yongcheng to be extra cautious moving forward before waving for Li Xin to escort him out. As for whether he could leave the city, since Qi State allowed him in, they could naturally let him out as well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to enter in the first place!
The issues at hand were simple yet complex. Despite receiving assurances from both sides, Luzi still felt somewhat uneasy; this was his greatest concern. During this waiting period, as long as neither side fired prematurely, it would be a stroke of luck. Once the decree from King Zhao of Qin arrived, he could resolve everything that followed.
Due to certain reasons, Feng Quji did not go out to see his old friend off. If outsiders discovered he was familiar with a Qin General, his identity would soon be exposed. Waiting in the hall for Luzi’s return, he hurriedly approached to inquire about the next steps in their work plan.
Luzi smiled lightly and poured herself a bowl of tea to soothe her throat. After drinking several bowls without feeling the burning sensation in her throat, she said, "There are no work plans right now. We should eat when it's time to eat and sleep when it's time to sleep. We just need to wait calmly."
Upon hearing this, Feng Quji, who was already on edge, was puzzled. With the situation outside becoming increasingly urgent, how could anyone be at ease enough to sleep? He swallowed hard and asked, "Why is that?"
Luzi shook her head with a smile. "There's nothing we can do! The current situation is beyond our control! If we don't wait, what else can we do? It's getting late; let's hurry and get some sleep!"
Comment 0 Comment Count