Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

Inside the elegant room, the aroma of wine lingered, but the atmosphere was as still as iron.

Han Fei and Wei Zhuang were already waiting there.

When Qin Chuan led Hong Lian through the door, two pairs of eyes immediately focused on them.

In that gaze, there was complexity, scrutiny, but even more so, a sense of calm and defeat after the dust had settled.

Han Fei was still wearing his signature purple robes, but the spirited look in his eyes had been replaced by deep weariness, and the dark circles under his eyes told the story of countless nights of exhaustion.

He raised his wine cup and toasted Qin Chuan from afar, his smile bitter yet candid: "Brother Qin, no, I should call you brother-in-law now. You've arrived."

He put down his wine cup and said in a low voice, "Brother Wei Zhuang and I have lost."

He looked directly at Qin Chuan without the slightest hesitation. "A bet is a bet. South Korea ultimately failed to rise again in our hands. The dream of a powerful South Korea has vanished."

His words conveyed a heavy sense of resignation, as well as a clear understanding of the limitations of his own abilities. In accordance with their past agreement, he chose the path of submission: "Han Fei, I am willing to accept defeat, join the Bad People, and serve Qin."

Qin Chuan nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to the other side.

Wei Zhuang slowly emerged from the shadows.

His signature white hair fell like snow, with a few strands brushing against his cold, chiseled face, adding to his weathered look and imposing presence.

His posture remained as upright as a pine tree, and the shark-tooth greatsword he held emitted a cold, eerie light, as if it had drunk the blood and souls of countless losers.

The arrogance that once shone in those sharp eagle eyes has been replaced by a deeper, more restrained sharpness, like a deep, cold abyss, gazing at Qin Chuan.

"A disciple of Guiguzi always keeps his word."

Wei Zhuang's voice was deep and hoarse, with a metallic quality, and each word seemed to weigh a ton.

He slowly clasped his hands in a fist salute, facing Qin Chuan, and for the first time lowered his head, which he had never easily yielded.

This is not a simple bowing down, but an acknowledgment of absolute power and the ultimate victor.

He lost completely, and he understood it clearly.

The Qin Chuan before him represents the power to end the chaos and establish a new order, and he chooses to integrate into this torrent, seeking his place in the new landscape.

Qin Chuan looked at the two former rivals, now chosen to submit, his eyes calm and unwavering:

"Both of you are outstanding figures of your time, and all your past deeds were for the sake of the country. After entering Qin, the past is forgotten, and you only need to look forward. A new world awaits you."

He didn't engage in empty pleasantries; he went straight to the point and gave them a clear vision for the future.

Honglian stood beside Qin Chuan, looking at the once spirited Ninth Brother and the cold and powerful Wei Zhuang in their current state. She felt a mix of emotions, including sadness, regret, and a sense of relief that everything had finally settled down.

She knew that this might be the best outcome for South Korea and for them personally.

The meeting with Han Fei and Wei Zhuang was brief yet solemn.

After finalizing the itinerary for Han Fei to accompany him back to Qin, Qin Chuan, accompanied by Hong Lian and protected by elite Qin soldiers, entered the Han royal palace. Now, it resembled more of a mansion awaiting acceptance.

The atmosphere in the main hall was extremely oppressive. King Han An, dressed in the colors of a feudal lord rather than a royal robe, sat in the main seat with a pale face and evasive eyes, trying to appear calm.

Seeing Qin Chuan and Hong Lian enter, especially seeing Hong Lian, a faint glimmer of hope instantly ignited in his eyes.

Han Wang'an's voice was ingratiating and trembled almost imperceptibly as he tried to force a fatherly smile:

"My Honglian, how are you in Qin? Your father... Your father misses you dearly!"

Looking at her father, who was once high and mighty but is now groveling, Honglian felt no emotion, only cold disappointment and a sense of utter annihilation.

This was the man who, in order to prolong his own life, personally gave her away as a gift.

The so-called concern is nothing more than a fig leaf for trying to use her to curry favor with the powerful.

She did not respond to the insincere greeting, nor did she even glance at Han Wang'an.

She stepped forward, nodded slightly to Qin Chuan, and then calmly swept her gaze over the ashen-faced former officials of Han in the hall, finally settling on King An of Han.

Her voice was clear and firm, echoing distinctly in the silent hall:

"Your Majesty the King of Han."

This title is cold and distant.

"Today, Honglian has come to tell you something."

She slowly raised her hand and unfastened the crimson lotus jade pendant from her waist, a symbol of her status as a Korean princess.

That jade pendant, warm and smooth, was once her most cherished symbol of status.

"From this day forward, the name 'Honglian' and this title are returned to the Korean royal family."

She gently placed the jade pendant on the cold floor in the center of the hall, making a crisp sound, like something breaking.

"This name and title carry the blood and responsibility of Korea. And I am now the Princess Consort of the Great Qin."

She turned slightly to the side, taking a step closer to Qin Chuan, her posture revealing her intentions.

"From now on, my name is 'Red Serpent'."

When she uttered the name, a resolute glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had shed her old shell and been reborn.

"The Crimson Serpent exists only for her husband."

After the words were spoken, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

The hope on King Han's face was completely shattered, leaving only the embarrassment and despair of having his last shred of dignity stripped away in public.

His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The courtiers were terrified and no one dared to speak.

Qin Chuan looked at the woman beside him with a resolute attitude, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

He didn't say much, but simply took a step forward, and an invisible pressure instantly enveloped the entire area.

Qin Chuan's voice was calm and even, yet carried an undeniable authority. He directly used the new, lower-ranking title:

"His Majesty the King of Qin accepts your submission. From this day forward, the state of Han will be abolished and reduced to a prefecture. You will be the Marquis of Han and will move to Xianyang to live out your remaining years in peace. All military and political affairs in the former territory of Han will be taken over by the officials of Qin."

He offered no further comfort, no insincere pleasantries, only a cold acceptance of instructions.

This is the most direct declaration from the victor to the vanquished.

King An of Han—no, he should now be called Marquis of Han—swayed, his face ashen, and finally bowed his head in despair, squeezing out a single word with all his might: "...As you command."

Qin Chuan didn't look at him again, turned around, and reached out his hand to Chi Lian.

Chi Lian placed her hand in his palm without hesitation, her face no longer showing any longing for her homeland, only a firm determination to follow the new life.

The two walked side by side, under the imposing protection of Qin soldiers, out of the hall that symbolized the complete demise of the State of Han.

Outside the palace, the sunlight was blinding, as if foreshadowing the end of the old era and the beginning of a new and powerful one, slowly ushered in by the Qin state behind them.

The last vestige of imperial aura of Xinzheng, this ancient city, has completely dissipated.

Chapter 51 My younger brother Ying Chuan has the bearing of a military god!

The dust of Korea's demise has not yet settled, and the bronze cauldron in Zhangtai Palace in Hamyang still seems to retain the warmth of the conquest.

Ying Zheng's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, was firmly fixed on his next prey—the State of Zhao.

This powerful northern state, which once caused the defeat of a famous general during the reign of King Zhaoxiang of Qin and subjected the young Ying Zheng and his mother Zhao Ji to humiliation, has now become a stubborn rock that the empire must crush on its eastward expansion path.

Ying Zheng's voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying an unquestionable determination and suppressing years of resentment.

The assembled officials stood solemnly, their expressions a mixture of fighting spirit and gravity.

Just as the court was finalizing its decision and the names of veteran generals such as Wang Jian and Huan Yi were about to be revealed, a figure, a figure almost forgotten by the court, slowly stepped out from the shadows of the palace gate.

He was dressed in dark casual clothes, his steps were steady, and his face no longer showed the foolishness and ignorance of the past, but only a deep pool of calm.

His appearance was like a drop of cold water thrown into boiling oil, instantly shattering the silence in the court.

"Brother Zheng, this battle is entrusted to your younger brother."

The sound was not loud, but it penetrated the palace with perfect clarity and reached the ears of everyone.

The ministers looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief.

That legendary foolish young master?

Ying Chuan, who has been secluded at home for years and has been almost treated as a royal mascot?

He actually volunteered to lead the campaign against Zhao, a major battle that would determine the fate of the nation?!

An old minister couldn't help but utter a low shout, but Ying Zheng raised his hand to suppress it.

Ying Zheng, seated high on his throne, fixed his piercing gaze on Qin Chuan.

What he saw was not idiocy, but the brilliance that a hidden dragon had finally revealed after lying dormant.

He recalled the various changes Qin Chuan had undergone since returning from the Yin-Yang School, and the unfathomable depth Qin Chuan had displayed in Xinzheng, Korea.

More importantly, a blood-related intuition told him that this younger brother was no ordinary person.

A thought flashed through Ying Zheng's mind: Brother Chuan's actions must be to avenge the humiliation he suffered as a hostage in Handan!

Just as he himself longed day and night to flatten Handan!

As the King of Qin, he could not personally lead the expedition; perhaps his younger brother Ruochuan could fulfill his long-cherished wish on his behalf…

"Excellent!" Ying Zheng's voice was resolute, carrying an undeniable authority. "I grant your request! Effective immediately, I appoint Prince Ying Chuan as commander-in-chief, leading an army of 300,000 to march east and attack Zhao!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Li Si, Wei Liao, and other senior ministers hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade him. "Zhao has Li Mu, whose name resounds throughout the land. He is a renowned general of our time! To attack Zhao is no ordinary matter. Although the prince is exceptionally intelligent, war is fraught with danger, and I fear it is not the right course of action..."

"I trust my brother Chuan!" Ying Zheng interrupted them, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials with a chilling intensity. "My mind is made up; there is no need for further discussion!"

He thought to himself: My brother, Gu Zhichuan, is destined to be a military genius! This battle will be the moment he becomes famous throughout the world!

The courtiers remained silent, fearing no further offense to the king despite their many doubts.

Privately, however, a pessimistic mood permeated the air, with almost no one believing that this "foolish young master" could withstand Li Mu's sharp edge.

Qin Chuan stood on the command platform, his black cloak fluttering in the wind.

Below the stage, 300,000 elite Qin soldiers stood in a solemn array, their swords and spears gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

His gaze swept calmly across the torrent of steel, a long-lost sense of pride and control, stemming from his experience navigating the world of villains, surged within him.

Zhao State? Li Mu?

In his eyes, it was nothing more than a piece of the puzzle that was about to be incorporated into the empire.