Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Zhou Wenqing's smile froze slightly.

At this point, what could possibly prompt General Wang to take action...

Is the army about to set off?

"Understood." He nodded in response, his voice deepening, losing its usual gentleness and gaining a touch of solemnity. "I'll change my clothes and go to the palace immediately."

A month later, the main gate of the Zhou residence finally reopened, and the carriage sped off towards Zhangtai Palace.

Stepping through the palace gates, Zhou Wenqing bowed respectfully to the throne from a distance, saying, "Your subject is late."

Ying Zheng raised his head, his gaze falling on him, and nodded slightly: "Minister Zhou has arrived. No need for formalities, please sit down."

Zhou Wenqing sat down below Ying Zheng, his gaze subtly sweeping around the room.

Li Sichong nodded slightly. Wei Liao's expression remained unchanged as he stared at the enormous domain map before him. Wang Jian and Meng Wu stood side by side, still in their armor, clearly having just arrived from the training ground.

He sighed inwardly. It was strange, really. His residence was the closest to the palace, yet whenever the king summoned him, he was always the last to arrive.

Could it be that he was changing his clothes too slowly?

But the next second, Ying Zheng's words made him lose all interest in thinking about these things.

"A spies from the Zhao state have sent word that King Yan of Zhao is dead."

His voice was light and casual, yet it was like a stone thrown into a deep pool, instantly disrupting the silence in the hall.

Zhou Wenqing paused slightly, then looked up at the throne.

King Yan of Zhao finally died?

This man has always been incompetent, favoring sycophants and alienating the virtuous, and obsessed with grandiose projects, squandering the nation's resources. Now that he has suddenly died, the Zhao court will surely descend into chaos.

If I remember correctly, historical records state that before his death, Zhao Yan, at the instigation of his favorite minister Guo Kai and Empress Zhang, deposed the well-known Crown Prince Zhao Jia and installed his young son Zhao Qian as the new Crown Prince.

This new ruler is only a little over ten years old. He is timid and lacks his own opinions. Not all young rulers can be as promising as Your Majesty. Zhao Qian is just a puppet who has been pushed onto the throne.

The young ruler and the doubts surrounding the throne, the infighting among court officials, and the low morale of the army—each and every one of these factors was enough to severely damage the Zhao state, not to mention that the main force of the Zhao army was currently being transferred north to attack Yan, leaving the country vulnerable.

The prelude to the destruction of a nation is finally about to begin.

Zhou Wenqing lowered his eyes, concealing the fleeting sharpness in them.

Wei Liao turned away from the map, stroked his beard, and his gaze was as calm as still water:

"Your Majesty, King Zhao Yan has just passed away, and the people in the court must be in turmoil. At this moment, the main force of the Zhao army is being transferred north to attack Yan, leaving the country vulnerable. If our Great Qin sends troops now, Zhao will be caught between internal strife and a powerful army pressing on its borders. It will be unable to defend itself from both ends and will surely be defeated."

"This is a golden opportunity, we must not miss it!"

"In my opinion, we should immediately launch an attack on Zhao under the pretext of rescuing Yan. This would be perfectly legitimate, and no one in the world could object!"

Wang Jian took a step forward, and with a rustling sound, he announced, "Your Majesty, I request permission to fight."

He strode to the map, his rough fingers landing heavily on the border of the Zhao state, slowly tracing the contours of the mountains and rivers, his voice carrying the certainty of a seasoned warrior:

"The State of Zhao has been waging war for years, defending against the Xiongnu in the north and resisting Yan and Qi in the east. Its national strength is exhausted. Now it is launching a full-scale attack on Yan, which will surely leave the country vulnerable. I have learned that the main force of the Zhao army is located along the Yi River. The area south of Handan and north of the Zhang River is poorly defended and can be taken in one battle."

He stretched out his hand and made a cursory stroke on the map.

"I request that we divide our forces into two routes. One route, led by me, will pass through Jingxing and take Eyu directly, cutting off the Zhao people's western reinforcements. The other route will pass through Yecheng, cross the Zhang River, attack Anyang, and advance directly to the south of Handan."

He paused, his voice as steady as a rock: "With attacks from both sides, the Zhao people will be caught off guard and unable to defend themselves. They will inevitably fall into chaos. By the time they react, I will have already established a foothold on the south bank of the Zhang River. If Eyu falls, Zhao's western gateway will be wide open; if Anyang falls, there will be no more defensible terrain south of Handan. From then on, Zhao will be at a loss, and our Great Qin will be able to attack or defend at will. Destroying Zhao in the future will be as easy as turning the palm of my hand!"

He truly lived up to the reputation of General Wang Jian.

Zhou Wenqing, who had never seen a military campaign, felt a sense of clarity simply by listening and watching.

Like butchering an ox, you don't chop the bones or touch the tendons; you just make a cut along the grain, and the flesh separates from the bone.

"To destroy Zhao in the future is nothing more than turning one's hand"—when this comes from someone else, it's boasting; but when Wang Jian says it, it's a statement.

Looking at the menacing General Wang Jian before him, Zhou Wenqing suddenly recalled a line from later historical records:

"When Wang Jian was a general, he defeated Zhao, destroyed Chu, and subjugated the Baiyue. He won all his victories through strategy and never suffered a defeat."

He had found it bland when he read it before, but now, standing under the candlelight of Xianyang Palace, listening to Wang Jian utter the four words "in a dilemma" in that unhurried tone, he truly understood what "strategic victory" meant.

Having always been used to the easygoing and energetic General Wang, I almost forgot that he was an old general who was good at military operations, winning by stability and overwhelming others with his power.

Meng Wu stood to the side, his blood boiling. As soon as Wang Jian finished speaking, he couldn't wait to take a step forward.

"Your Majesty, I also request permission to fight!"

"good!"

Ying Zheng tapped his fingers heavily on the table, turned to Zhou Wenqing, and asked in a deep voice, "How are the preparations for the provisions and supplies going?"

"Your Majesty, the provisions and supplies have been prepared and stored in three granaries. The transport routes to various counties have been surveyed, and we await Your Majesty's command!"

"Please give the order, Your Majesty!" the crowd shouted in unison. Wang Jian, Meng Wu, Li Si, and Wei Liao all bowed, their voices echoing in the hall.

Ying Zheng stood up.

He walked up to the map, the candlelight flickering behind him, casting a long, straight shadow of his dark figure.

His gaze shifted from the Qin region to the east, across Hangu Pass, across the Yellow River, and landed on the city of Handan, which had stood for a hundred years. His fingers gently pressed on the edge of the map, his fingertips applying slight pressure, as if he had already touched the city wall of Zhao.

Then, Ying Zheng suddenly raised his hand and gently waved it, as if brushing away a fallen leaf from the table.

"Attack Zhao—Let's go to war!"

------

The following day at court, Wang Jian requested permission to fight, and the ministers were more united than ever before.

The emperor appointed Wang Jian as commander-in-chief and Huan Yi as general, with Meng Wu overseeing the transport of grain and fodder, and Yang Duanhe accompanying the army to provide support, in order to attack Zhao and rescue Yan.

The four men bowed and accepted the order, standing side by side. Their armor gleamed coldly in the morning light, like four drawn swords.

Before Zhou Wenqing could speak, a chorus of "Your Majesty, I second that" and "Your Majesty is wise" rang out behind him.

The courtiers bowed deeply without objection. Even Lord Changping, standing in the queue, remained silent for a moment before slowly bending down as well.

From the generals to the civil officials, everyone in the court and the country stood together, united in purpose and determined to win.

Those who once argued fiercely for the law, those who once looked down on each other in court, now all bowed their heads, bent their backs, and responded to the same thing in the same posture and in the same direction.

No one asked why they were fighting anymore, no one asked if they could win. The civil officials only argued about when the supplies would be transported, and the military generals only clamored about whether they could be added to the vanguard...

The might of the Qin Dynasty is unstoppable!

Zhou Wenqing silently retreated again.

So, considering that the troops are about to be dispatched, these high-ranking officials and nobles won't target him, the "logistics officer" in charge of supplies... right?