Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 229

The Jingni Sword is a deadly weapon, but that is not its original purpose; rather, it is a characteristic bestowed upon it by the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven).

The Eight Swords of King Goujian of Yue were created as a reward for his meritorious officials after he became the hegemon of Yue.

By then, he had successfully avenged himself. Rather than being driven by intense vengeful intent, Goujian wanted to use famous swords to demonstrate the strength of the Yue Kingdom and his prestige. Therefore, in addition to their practicality, the eight swords of the King of Yue also possessed aesthetic appeal.

Of the other eight swords of the King of Yue, Lu Wei had seen Zhuanpo Miehun and Yanri, but the only one he had seen up close was Jingni, which was a very beautiful sword.

The salamander in "Jing Ni" is not the giant salamander in the general sense of later generations, but a female whale.

The term "whale salamander" refers to the male whale and the female salamander.

The exquisite Jingni Sword possesses the profound beauty of a whale swimming in the sea, and its sword energy, besides being sharp, should also have a profound attribute.

Ji Yan's life had been wonderful ever since Lu Wei threatened her by grabbing her neck when she was young; she had nothing to hate about her. Although she had learned her mother's killing intent, that intent was merely imitation, not her true nature.

Xiao Yan'er will have the opportunity to break through this layer of imitative killing intent and reach the purest and most profound essence of the Jingni Sword. People who crave power should naturally deepen their true nature.

But even now, the killing intent she used was no match for the Snow Woman's Jade Soul...

The Snow Maiden, having lost her grip on the Jingni Sword, smiled and, with a touch of smugness, gently patted Ji Yan's head with her other hand: "You lost again this time~"

"Sister Snow Maiden's swordsmanship is superb, far beyond what Ayan can match." Without disappointment, Xiaoyan obediently nodded, ending the duel.

Retrieving their longswords that had been knocked away, the two returned to the crowd at the sidelines in unison. After wiping the sweat from her brow, Ji Yan watched as the others laughed and summarized the battle. Suddenly, she stared at the Soul-Swallowing Sea sword in her brother's hand, giving him a hesitant yet pitiful look:

"Brother Hall Master, I heard that you personally taught Sister Xue Nu her swordsmanship. I also want to improve. Can I learn swordsmanship from you when I have free time in the future?"

"What, little Yan'er, you want to beat me so quickly~" Before Lu Wei could speak, the Snow Maiden, who had just won, casually put her arm around the girl's head and chuckled, "Actually, your swordsmanship is already quite good among your peers. You will definitely reach a level above mine in the future."

“But Brother Hall Master is the ‘Number One Master of the Farmer’s School,’ and Ayan wants to learn more skills from him.” Ji Yan blinked, her expression innocent.

“That’s not wrong.” Xue Nu knew that Xiao Yan’er had worked very hard since she was a child, so she nodded in agreement and further praised, “Xiao Yan’er is so diligent, she will definitely reach an incredible level in the future.”

"..." As the person who watched her daughter grow up most closely and who was also her original swordsmanship teacher, Lu Ni did not comment: her swordsmanship was first-rate in the martial arts world, but it was indeed insufficient compared to the Hall Master.

Seeing everyone enjoying themselves, Duanmu Rong smiled gently.

Lu Wei smiled faintly, not wanting to disrupt the friendly atmosphere.

He naturally understood that Ji Yan's reason for seeking his swordsmanship training was not simply for the sake of swordsmanship: as the highest authority in the Gonggong Hall, and essentially the highest authority in the Farmer's Clan, being able to freely enter and leave the main hall of the Gonggong Hall under the pretext of learning swordsmanship was an honor that ordinary people could never obtain.

With such treatment, Ji Yan could often 'accidentally' participate in the secret meetings of the Gonggong Hall, which was probably what the young girl wanted more than swordsmanship.

------

With a series of clangs, the Lingxu Sword was drawn and severed several Qin soldiers' long spears. Zhang Liang slid forward and cut open the few exposed throats beneath the heavy black armor. Three Qin soldiers stared wide-eyed and fell limply to the ground.

Having dealt with the enemy, Zhang Liang immediately crouched down to examine the white-armored man who was bleeding profusely from multiple wounds and nearly dying from the Qin soldiers' attack: This was Chu armor, and the man before him was a Chu general who had escaped.

This man had suffered injuries at different times, the oldest of which dates back a month. The wounds were so gruesome that he would have died long ago had he not been physically strong.

Zhang Liang's journey took him to the Chu region before the fall of Guangling City, and he witnessed the final battle of the Qin-Chu war from a relatively close distance.

There's not much to say about the war itself. The Qin people were the strongest fighters among the six states. Even the lower-ranking generals and commanders of the Qin army possessed high tactical skills. It truly deserves to be called the most prosperous state for military and legalist strategists.

Zhang Liang originally intended to be a mere spectator in this war, but he was not a heartless person. In a massive war of annihilation, some excessively cruel things would inevitably occur. The reason why morality is so precious in war is precisely because there is so much of this cruelty.

This is determined by the nature of war; in feudal times, there was nothing to criticize.

But Zhang San, the leader of Xiaoshengxianzhuang, couldn't help but take action, even though he was determined to see what kind of world the unified country would be like:

Being poor cares themselves, being wealthy cares the world.

Even if one cannot save the world, saving the present is still a noble thing to do.

He walked and observed along the way until one day he encountered Qin soldiers chasing and killing this Chu soldier.

Logically, both sides are wearing their respective countries' armor, which is part of the fact that the war is still ongoing...

But even as the Chu general was about to be killed, Lingxu Sword was still drawn... He, in the end, could not achieve absolute impartiality...

After reviving the Chu general, Zhang Liang also learned the man's name: an unusual surname combined with an ordinary given name.

Xiang Bo.

Chapter 260 Bear's Heart or Mi's Heart?

Xiang Bo's Qin-Chu war ended in a semi-conscious state.

He was not Xiang Yan's biological son, so although he was a relatively outstanding member of the Xiang clan's collateral branch, he was more of a strategist: he knew a little more about the Chu army's action plans than other generals, but he had only a superficial understanding of the reasons behind the plans.

In the Battle of Guangling, he was in charge of the Chu army's front-line battle, but the central army was defeated by the two flanks, resulting in the defeat of the battle. At that time, Xiang Liang was surrounded by enemies and was in a crisis. He was able to break through the encirclement thanks to the group charge of these Xiang clan members.

In the end, however, he was the only one who managed to escape...

After breaking out of the battlefield, he didn't know the state of the main army, but the sight of Qin soldiers everywhere he encountered along the way suggested something was amiss...

He only survived the war when Zhang Liang rescued him.

Having escaped the dangerous battlefield, Zhang Liang was not surprised that the person he had saved was a member of the renowned Xiang clan. He simply told him with a serious expression that King Xiong Qi of Chu and General Xiang Yan had both committed suicide to serve their country, and that the state of Chu had fallen.

However, the Mohist heroes rescued a Chu army from the pursuit of the Golden Fire Cavalry on the battlefield. It is said that an important figure from the Xiang clan was among them, which should be considered good news for Xiang Bo.

With his eyes wide and fists clenched, Xiang Bohu forced himself to stand up and solemnly bow to Zhang Liang to express his gratitude for saving his life.

The Zhang family of Han and the Xiang family of Chu were both top noble families among the original six states. After Zhang Liang revealed his identity to them, they trusted each other more and had more in common. When they were traveling north, Xiang Bo hesitantly asked Zhang Liang for another request:

"The king's youngest son is named 'Xin'. He was born not long before the war. The Qin people have not announced the outcome of the crown prince's birth. I wonder if we could ask Brother Zifang to help investigate with the help of the Confucian school?"

"The youngest son of King Xiong Qi of Chu?" Zhang Liang pondered. Xiong Xin, is that it...?

"Is there any news about my mother and sister Mi Xin?"

In the Daze Mountains, after obtaining what she wanted, Ji Yan returned to her room in the front hall of the headquarters the next day. Mi Lian, whose eyes were red and whose facial expression looked somewhat comical, found her and grabbed Ji Yan's arm anxiously, asking her questions.

Princess Chu already knew the outcome of the conflict between Chu and her father in Licheng, which is why she was taken away half-compliantly.

Her promise to her father was shattered the moment Guangling City fell.

At that moment, Mi Lian almost fainted. Although Xiao Yan'er had learned a little bit of first aid from Sister Duanmu, she did not try to wake her up. Instead, she only gave her a calming pill: "If I save Mi Lian, she will be very noisy, which will not be good for her health."

Ji Yanren is quite good; this operation will not hurt the other party, nor will it hurt his own or Mei San Niang's ears.

Mi Lian woke up halfway back to Daze Mountain. Although she was still crying, the calming pill was working and her emotions did not collapse.

As they approached their destination, Mi Lian asked Ji Yan for help in investigating the whereabouts of her mother and sister, and Ji Yan readily agreed.

In fact, in such a war, one can prepare for the worst possible outcome for a mother with a child, but it wouldn't hurt to investigate.

“I have already sent people to Chu to investigate thoroughly, but there are still no further results... In fact, given your mother and sister’s status, this is the best outcome for the time being, do you understand?” Ji Yan spoke gently, and in a good mood, she didn’t mind giving Mi Lian more warmth.

"Hmm." Releasing her grip, the girl responded softly, standing there in a daze, before being brought back to her senses by a moderate tap on the head from Ji Yan: "Hey, my little maid, now it's time for you to get to work!"

"Huh?" Startled, the princess clutched her forehead where she had been tapped and blinked as she looked at Ji Yan, who had her arms crossed...

...

"Mi Xin? Xiong Xin?"

A month later, Lu Wei received a more detailed report from Chu in Gonggong Hall, but the report's contents raised some doubts for him:

It is a fact that the State of Chu has perished, but there is an incredible rumor circulating that claims that the youngest son of King Xiong Qi of Chu, Crown Prince Xiong Xin, was not captured by the Qin people, but instead went into exile in the Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) with the help of loyal people of Chu.

Xiong Qi only has two children. His eldest daughter, Mi Lian, is currently in his care, while the baby born before the war, although named 'Xin', is a girl!

This can be attested to by the original novel and even by Mi Lian herself.

Even if the original content might deviate due to the butterfly effect, Mi Lian could never be unable to distinguish whether her blood relative, who shared the same father and mother, was her sister or brother.

Moreover, the name Xiong Xin... Master remembers that the original King of Chu, who was revered as Emperor Yi in history, was named Xiong Xin. However, the Xiong Xin who had been a shepherd boy was, according to historical records, the grandson of the former King Huai of Chu.

Now, the shepherd boy Xiong Xin has not left any trace, but Xiong Qi's crown prince Xiong Xin has revealed clues ahead of time.

After a moment's thought, Lu Wei naturally came to a guess: this 'Xiong Xin' is, without a doubt, the Xiong Xin in the Qin's World!

This makes perfect sense logically: historically, Xiong Xin was installed by Xiang Liang, and if he didn't exist, this would most likely not have changed in the world of Qin's Moon.

Xiong Qi was the King of Chu recognized by Xiang Yan, so it was perfectly normal for Xiang Liang, as his son, to establish Xiong Qi's child as king.

The only problem is that this 'Xiong Xin' is actually Mi Xin, Xiong Qi's youngest daughter, not the crown prince, but this is not really a problem.

A baby's sex can be changed as needed, and this is not dependent on the baby's own will.

The person who fabricated this rumor is very likely the deceased King Xiong Qi of Chu himself; such a rumor would only benefit him in any way.

Firstly, he would have a male heir, which would be a seed of hope for Guangling City in its predicament and for the entire Chu Kingdom. Nothing could be more important than this.

Secondly, if the State of Chu were to fail and the people of Qin believed the rumor, then his daughter Mi Xin would have a high probability of escaping capture and surviving because of her gender!

In the future, when the Qin Dynasty rises up against it, they can simply bring out Mi Xin again and claim that he has the heart of a bear, thus establishing a new banner. Are any doubters really going to investigate whether the new King of Chu is male or female?

The more Lu Wei thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He summoned Ji Yan and asked her to ask Mi Lian for more details about her sister. At the same time, he also mobilized his disciples in the martial arts world to search for a wandering mercenary named Ying Bu.

This rumor is very well-crafted; I can use it for my own purposes in the future!

------

Not long after Hua Ying lost the princess at the Drunken Dream Pavilion, she received news of the fall of the Chu Kingdom, which caused her to fall seriously ill.

It was only with the arrival of her younger brother Jibu that she found a rare comfort: her brother had survived the brutal war!

Ji Bu's Shadow Tiger Legion was the personal guard protecting the King of Chu. He would only face the fiercest attacks from the Qin people. Initially, upon learning of the King of Chu's suicide, Hua Ying imagined that her younger brother had also...

Fortunately, that scenario didn't happen!

"Sister, where is Her Highness the Princess?" After a tearful exchange of pleasantries, Ji Bu asked eagerly.

He survived because he wanted to preserve the life force of the Chu state. His sister from Wei was authorized by the King of Chu to take care of the princess, and Ji Bu himself was the commander of the King of Chu's personal guard. He was truly blessed by the king.

Although the State of Chu has perished, hope remains, and it is still possible to rebuild its territory in the future.

“Princess…” Hua Ying lowered her head again at the mention of Mi Lian, remaining silent for a long time. Her attitude instantly gave Ji Bu a bad feeling: “What’s wrong with the princess?”

"The princess has been...kidnapped!" After biting her lip, Hua Ying managed to utter these words before turning away and sobbing.

"Take him away!" Ji Bu was stunned for a moment...

In the ruins of a village north of Guangling City in Chu, Ying Bu, commander of the Chu army's Lei Bao Legion, removed his conspicuous armor. His tattooed face carefully concealed its ferocity as he looked at the crying baby in his arms.

At his feet lay the lifeless body of the Queen of Chu...

Yingbu arrived just in time, taking the child from the Queen as she lay dying.

Faced with the bloodline of the king, he voluntarily restrained his usually fierce nature. No matter how many emotions he was experiencing, he had to make the little life in his arms smile at this moment.

On the day the king died for his country, Ying Bu originally wanted to lead the remaining few hundred members of the Lei Bao Legion into the enemy ranks and die heroically, so that their blood could irrigate the land of Chu and inspire those who came after.