Villain: After I died, all the heroines cried themselves to sleep.

The wind blows through Jishan, its sound like the chanting of strings.

The State of Qi launched a major attack on the State of Song, which caused a myriad of changes in the weather, eventually surging into the Ji Gate of the Qi capital like a sea of ​​clouds and waves.

There, the green tiles stretch endlessly, and ancient trees reach for the sky; it is the Jixia Academy, the foremost academy in the land.

It was also the central place where the Hundred Schools of Thought contended.

Because of Qi's attack on Song, the Jixia Academy was bustling with activity.

Scholars from various schools of thought gathered together and engaged in debate and discussion on related topics.

If you can win an argument, then debate; if you can't, then learn from each other.

Therefore, it is common to see famous scholars holding debates, where Confucianism displays its righteous spirit and engages in a fierce battle with Legalism's methods and tactics.

The Mohists used the principle of non-aggression to mediate disputes, while the Daoists observed the changing winds and clouds and let nature take its course.

There were also Yin-Yang masters there who deduced the Five Elements and their corresponding virtues.

As for the strategists...

They are ready to travel to various countries to lobby.

In addition, there were originally some farmers there, but they were all taken to Liang State in the past two years.

Privately, the students were also having various opinions.

Some were talking about the mutual emperorship between the East and West.

"I told you that the Liang Kingdom's emperor had ulterior motives. Qi was originally an enemy of Yan, but because of Liang's persuasion, it turned its mind to annex Song."

Some were gossiping about the Qi-Song alliance.

"Qi King's sister, Jiang, ranks seventh on the list of beauties from ten kingdoms. With such a beauty by his side, how could Qi King be easily seduced by beauty? Could it be that the woman from Song is the fairy Wangshu, who tops the list?"

"No, you don't know that the daughter of the King of Song is Shang Wan, a great talent from our Jixia Academy. She is as famous as Xu Daoyun, a great talent from the State of Zheng, and they are ranked fourth or fifth on the list of beauties of the ten states."

"Ah? It's her? That's not surprising... It's said that she left the academy to avoid Prince Qi..."

In addition, the rationale and feasibility of Qi attacking Song are being analyzed.

"Those who follow the righteous path receive much support, while those who stray from it receive little. King Song was cruel and tyrannical, and the people called him Jie Song. Qi's attack on Song can be seen as a way to mourn the people and punish the guilty."

"Liang is too far away, Wei and Zheng have just suffered a defeat, the three southern states are at odds, Tang is threatened by Liang and the northern barbarians, Yan is not a concern, and Song is in internal strife. It is indeed a good time to attack Song."

"Now the Qi army is besieging the capital of Song. Given the current situation, if Qi can annex Song, it might truly be able to claim the title of Eastern Emperor..."

Many people felt that Qi's attack on Song was not benevolent enough.

Even the chief priest Xun Qing resigned and left.

However, it must be admitted that the timing was excellent.

As long as we annex the State of Song.

The State of Qi will then be able to completely surpass the State of Liang and become the most powerful state in the world.

However, just when everyone thought that way...

Not long after.

Suddenly, news arrived.

The western state of Liang publicly condemned the actions of the state of Qi, demanding that Qi withdraw its troops and return the territory of the state of Song.

With Liang taking the lead, other states followed suit.

In a short time.

The State of Qi was only one step away from destroying the State of Song.

They are caught in a dilemma.

……

Let's rewind to ten months ago.

Luo Zheng learned from Fan Ze that the State of Qi was attacking the State of Song in order to seize Song Wan, the daughter of the King of Song.

The whole person is not well.

Although predetermined fate is not reality, but merely a hypothetical future timeline.

In reality, Song Wan had virtually no connection with Luo Zheng.

But he just felt very unhappy.

Surely no one would actually hand over a female lead candidate to someone else, calling it a sense of realism?

The key point is that he also has to complete the system's tasks.

So Luo Zheng had no choice but to grit his teeth and go for it.

But before he could take any action...

He received Teng Mian's notification first.

An uninvited guest from beyond the Great Wall requested an audience.

When Luo Zheng received the guest, he noticed that the guest was wearing a veiled hat, making it impossible to see his true face.

Judging from his clothing alone, he should be a scholar.

Who are you?

Luo Zheng had some guesses in his mind, but he still asked the question.

Upon hearing this, the visitor did not hesitate for long and immediately removed his veil.

What came into view was an extremely handsome face.

She was no less beautiful than Li Si, who was said to be able to topple kingdoms.

Although he was dressed as a scholar.

The delicate features that revealed their gentle charm were enough to tell the truth.

"Song Wan of the State of Song pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Song Wan, disguised as a man, bowed to Luo Zheng.

She maintained the demeanor of a woman.

"..."

Luo Zheng stared at Song Wan for a while.

He dared to come here alone.

Is she truly worthy of being the future female ruler of the Song state, who refuses to be inferior to anyone?

In her predetermined fate, after the death of the King of Song, Song Wan eliminated dissidents and persecuted loyal officials.

She exploited the Song people's belief in ghosts and gods, portraying herself as a goddess who served ghosts and gods, and seized the throne of the Song state.

During this period, they also sowed discord among neighboring countries, causing them to fight each other.

In order to preserve the weak state of Song.

She was only forced to enter Liang Wang Zheng's harem after he swept across the land.

Therefore, she is the prime suspect in the murder of Prince Liang.

"Are you the daughter of the King of Song? I have heard of the assassination of the King of Song and the attack on Song by Qi while I was in Guanzhong. Why did you come all the way to Liang instead of staying in Song to fulfill your filial duties?"

Luo Zheng said meaningfully.

Although there is no evidence.

However, he strongly suspected that Song Wan was very likely the murderer in the event of the downfall of the Song royal family.

Perhaps the assassination attempt on the King of Song was also related to the other party.

"Although Wan is a woman, she is also concerned about her country and has come here for the sake of the Song Dynasty."

Song Wan was graceful and possessed a unique charm.

She bowed to Luo Zheng again.

"Now that the State of Qi intends to annex the State of Song, we hope that Your Majesty will intervene to save Song. This is not only for the sake of Song, but also for the sake of the State of Liang."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

Luo Zheng looked at Song Wan with great interest.

Although he intended to save Song.

But since Song Wan took the initiative to come and give it away for free.

There's no reason not to squeeze them dry.

"If Liang wants to advance beyond the pass, the biggest obstacle is Qi. If Qi annexes Song, its national strength will increase greatly in a short period of time, and Liang will no longer be able to compete with Qi."

Song Wan gazed at Luo Zheng with her bright eyes and gently parted her lips.

"If the State of Liang is willing to help prevent the State of Qi from annexing the State of Song, then the State of Qi will gain nothing, and the State of Song will be willing to become a vassal of the State of Liang and follow its lead."

"In this way, the State of Qi will find it increasingly difficult to stop the State of Liang from expanding eastward."

"Even if Qi annexes Song, the first to be threatened will be the states outside the pass. They will fight Qi to the death, and I can sit in Guanzhong and watch them fight."

Luo Zheng smiled wryly and looked down at Song Wan.

"Besides, you are just a princess, and the King of Song has already been assassinated. What right do you have to decide on the vassal state of Song?"

"With the support of the Liang Kingdom, I can make my younger brother succeed to the throne of Song. He has always been obedient to me, so it will not be difficult to get him to submit to the Liang Kingdom."

Song Wan continued calmly.

"Moreover, there is no need for Liang to send troops. We only need to use Liang's name. As long as Liang condemns Qi, the other countries will definitely respond and attack Qi."

"The Liang Kingdom can cause chaos outside the pass and become a vassal of the Song Kingdom without using a single soldier."

"This is entirely beneficial to Your Majesty."

"Not enough."

Luo Zheng shook his head, rejecting Song Wan's suggestion.

"What exactly does Your Majesty desire?"

Song Wan finally couldn't help but frown and ask back.

Luo Zheng stopped beating around the bush with Song Wan.

Pointing at the other person.

"I?"

Song Wan was stunned.

"Yes and no."

Luo Zheng brought his acting skills to the extreme.

"I have an ailment: I am lustful."

He grinned and suddenly opened his arms wide.

"You came here in person, only to seduce me with your beauty, but you've misunderstood one thing."

"My greed and ambition are immense, large enough to swallow the entire world!"

"I want more than just you; I want the entire Song Kingdom!"

"..."

Song Wan looked at Luo Zheng, who exuded an overbearing aura.

Speechless.

……

Song Wan left the palace at dusk.

As soon as she stepped out of the palace gate, a black-clad swordsman wearing a bamboo hat came to her side.

"Princess."

"Let's talk about it when we get back."

Song Wan waved her hand and led the swordsman back to his residence.

As soon as she got back inside, Song Wan could no longer hold on.

He collapsed onto the couch, completely limp.

He looked extremely tired.

She was completely devoid of the composure and calm she had shown not long ago.

"..."

The swordsman remained silent upon seeing this.

He was simply radiating an extremely chilling killing intent.

"There's no need to be so angry. King Liang did nothing to me."

Song Wan quickly stopped the swordsman, fearing that he might do something irrational for her sake.

She pulled the swordsman to sit next to her.

To tell the whole story.

After listening, the swordsman spoke in a cold tone.

"If he forces the princess, even if he is the King of Liang, I will kill him."

"Don't say that, it was all my own choice."

Song Wan took the swordsman's arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Although King Liang is as lustful as rumored, he is not incompetent. He even knows of your existence, and I don't want anything to happen to you because of this."

The swordsman was a Xuanwu warrior she picked up on the road many years ago.

He has always been by her side, protecting her.

He is the most important person to her.

"In any case, at least King Liang promised me that he would help the State of Song."

Song Wan sighed softly.

Recalling the words of the King of Liang, a bitter smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

The King of Liang seemed to know her quite well.

However, there were also many misunderstandings.

The other party thought she was trying to seduce him.

I don't know.

She came here in person.

It was a last resort...

……

The day after his secret meeting with Song Wan, Luo Zheng made the announcement in court.

The state of Qi should be condemned and ordered to return the territory of Song.

They even planned to send troops into battle.

Almost all the high-ranking officials, including Fan Ze, were puzzled.

They could reap the benefits without doing anything.

Why get involved in this mess?

Not to mention offending the State of Qi in this way.

Even if countries respond.

If Qi really withdrew its troops, then a great opportunity to weaken Qi would have been missed.

However, the king's prestige is now extremely high.

The ministers dared not object.

At this time.

Feng and Li stepped forward again.

However, this is not a question.

But...

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"..."

Even Luo Zheng was speechless as he looked at the two of them.

He hadn't even finished speaking.

They just stood there and praised it as brilliant.

"Although I lack Your Majesty's wisdom, I believe Your Majesty is confident in uniting the states beyond the Great Wall to attack Qi."

Feng Lu bowed respectfully.

Li Tonggu immediately picked up the conversation.

"As long as our country helps the State of Song to restore its state, the State of Song will surely be grateful to our country. At that time, the State of Qi will be restrained by the States of Yan and Song and will no longer be able to stop our country from going east."

That's what you call professional.

Luo Zheng was increasingly able to understand why, in his predetermined fate, King Liang Zheng would prefer to use these two treacherous ministers.

He coughed lightly and informed the officials of the information provided by Song Wan.

Have you ever heard of the Prince of Yan spending a thousand gold pieces to buy horse bones?

"The states of Yan and Qi were sworn enemies. Qi's attack on Song was actually a scheme by Yan. They sent the strategist Su Qin to infiltrate Qi's inner circle, so the King of Qi could not possibly withdraw his troops, and Yan would certainly take the opportunity to unite with other states to attack Qi."

"Furthermore, Qi Wen, the prime minister of Wei, has a grudge against the King of Qi, and he will not let this opportunity pass. He will persuade Wei to win over Zheng and unite with Yan to attack Qi."

"In this case, only the Tang Kingdom will remain, and it will surely join the coalition to avoid being isolated."

After hearing this, all the officials and nobles were completely silent.

After a long while, they suddenly realized what was happening and rose to their feet in reverence to bow deeply.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

……

Everything was just as Luo Zheng had said.

Shortly after the State of Liang issued its declaration of war against Qi, the State of Yan spearheaded the five-state attack on Qi.

The states of Wei and Zheng were the first to respond, followed closely by the states of Tang and Liang.

At this point, whether or not Qi withdrew its troops was no longer relevant.

The five-nation allied forces assembled and, under the command of General Yue Yi of the Yan state, marched toward the Qi state.

At that time, the State of Qi had already captured the capital of the State of Song.

Upon hearing that the five states were attacking Qi, the King of Qi hurriedly ordered his army to return to defend against the allied forces.

However, under the offensive of the five-nation coalition.

The Qi army suffered a major defeat at the Ji River.

Yue Yi led the Yan army in a rapid advance and captured the capital of Qi.

The other four states took the opportunity to divide up Qi's territory.

The State of Wei wanted to annex the territory of the State of Song.

Unfortunately, they were stopped by the Liang Kingdom and had to give up for the time being.

after this war.

The State of Song was restored with the support of the State of Liang.

The three kingdoms of Tang, Wei, and Zheng annexed a large area of ​​territory west of the State of Qi.

Under Yue Yi's leadership, the State of Yan rapidly eroded the remaining territory of the State of Qi.

They seemed poised to annihilate the State of Qi.

Upon hearing the battle report, the court officials were all excited and bowed down to Luo Zheng in submission.

"Once the State of Qi is destroyed, the only thing blocking our eastward expansion beyond Hangu Pass will be the State of Tang!"

Luo Zheng was not happy at all.

They even secretly cursed the State of Qi for being useless.

In his vision, the State of Qi was vast and powerful, possessing the Jixia Academy.

At most, they would suffer a major defeat; they would never reach the point of national annihilation.

They were actually defeated by Yue Yi in one fell swoop.

Even the capital city has been lost.

The royal family of Qi collapsed instantly.

It's all because there are too many mediocre people around me, which led to misjudgments.

at this point.

Luo Zheng had no other choice.

The only option is to send Teng Mian, who is leading the army this time, to the capital of Qi as soon as possible.

He did his best to find the whereabouts of Jiang, the sister of the King of Qi.

Because of Qi Jiang.

That's right.

She is still his wife.