Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

The territory of the Qin Empire is only one part of this map!

The vast grasslands stretch westward, the continuous mountain ranges separate the mysterious kingdom, and beyond the boundless ocean lies an unknown continent...

Those mountains, rivers, and foreign names exploded in his mind like thunder!

"This...this is..."

Han Xin's voice trembled with excitement, his fingers gripped the edge of the map tightly, and his eyes blazed with an unprecedented, almost burning light!

As a born commander, he instantly saw countless battlefields to conquer and the achievements he could pursue for the rest of his life!

"Beyond the Qin Dynasty, the world is vast! How can a hidden dragon be confined to shallow waters?"

Qin Chuan's voice, like a resounding bell, struck Han Xin's mind.

Without the slightest hesitation, Han Xin knelt heavily on one knee, bowed his head deeply, and said in a firm and fervent voice: "Han Xin is willing to be the sharpest sword in Your Majesty's hand! Wherever the sword points, that is the land! I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"Alright." Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction. "Go to Xianyang first, lie low and nurture your strength, and wait for the storm to break. Soon, your chance to shine will come."

Han Xin had no more regrets. He kowtowed deeply to Qin Chuan, carefully put the map away, and then took a deep look at the emperor who had changed his destiny.

He then turned around and strode away, disappearing into the alleyway, his back view filled with unprecedented high spirits and anticipation.

Watching Han Xin leave, Qin Chuan turned his head and met Xiao Meng's clear eyes, which were slightly dissatisfied with her interrupted interest.

She seemed to want to say something.

However, at that moment, an extremely gentle female voice, as soft as a spring breeze rustling through willow branches, carrying just the right amount of surprise and intimacy, came from the street corner not far away:

"Brother Chuan?"

Qin Chuan and Xiao Meng looked in the direction of the sound at the same time.

A young girl wearing a dark blue cloak and a thick fur collar stood gracefully under the eaves of a silk shop.

She was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with an exceptionally beautiful face, skin as white as snow, eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, and a gentle and quiet temperament, like a secluded orchid in a valley.

She held a delicate oil-paper umbrella in her hand, which slightly shielded her from the afternoon sun, adding to her charming and graceful demeanor.

At this moment, she was looking at Qin Chuan, her beautiful eyes filled with a gentle smile and undisguised affection.

Xiaomeng's brows furrowed instantly. Her cold gaze swept over the girl's gentle and beautiful face and the undisguised intimacy she showed when looking at Qin Chuan. A strange chill, which she herself was unaware of, quietly spread out.

That "Brother Chuan" sounded so natural and familiar!

Chapter 76: A Woman's Words Lead to the Catch of Farmers

Looking at the gentle and charming girl, Xiaomeng subconsciously took a step closer to Qin Chuan.

"Brother." Her voice was still clear and crisp, but with a hint of tension that was barely perceptible. "When did you gain a younger sister besides me?"

Qin Chuan smiled as he looked at the almost icy jealousy in Xiao Meng's eyes, then turned his gaze to the gentle young woman approaching.

"That's a long story."

He did not immediately explain to Xiaomeng, but instead said gently to the girl, "Ayan, it's been a long time."

Tian Yan walked up lightly and gracefully, gave Qin Chuan a gentle bow, and said elegantly, "Brother Chuan."

Then, she turned to Xiaomeng, being equally polite but maintaining just the right amount of distance:

"This must be Master Xiaomeng of the Taoist Tianzong sect. I have long admired him."

Xiaomeng simply nodded slightly, scrutinizing Tian Yan with a probing gaze.

Qin Chuan then explained to Xiao Meng, "Ayan is Tian Yan, the eldest daughter of the Lieshan Hall of the Farmer's Family. Her mother..."

He paused slightly, his voice calm as he revealed a secret: "I was once Jing Ni, a top-tier assassin of the Luo Wang organization."

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiaomeng's cool eyes.

Qin Chuan continued, "After Jing Ni became pregnant with A Yan during her mission, she grew tired of killing and defected from Luo Wang. To seek protection, she concealed her identity and married Tian Meng, the then leader of Lieshan Hall. On the very night of their wedding, I found Jing Ni."

Tian Yan listened quietly, her eyes calm and unwavering, as if she were listening to someone else's story.

“I gave her a choice: freedom and the opportunity to live a stable life with her daughter. The price was that she had to secretly assist me in controlling Lieshan Hall as the wife of the hall master, becoming my eyes and pawns in the peasant family.”

Qin Chuan spoke calmly, slowly recounting the past:

"As for Tian Meng... he's an incompetent and lecherous scoundrel. I'll just cripple his martial arts and male abilities and make him a docile 'hall master'."

Xiaomeng understood; this was indeed in line with Qin Chuan's style of eliminating all threats and taking control of the overall situation.

"After that, I will visit Lieshan Hall from time to time to meet with Jingni and learn about the farmers' activities."

Qin Chuan looked at Tian Yan, a rare gentleness in his eyes:

“Once, I was seen by Ayan, who was still young at the time. Actually, she had seen me on the night of her mother’s wedding.”

Tian Yan continued, her voice still gentle:

"Although I was young then, I understood that what Brother Chuan and Mother were talking about was very important. So I said to Brother Chuan, 'Ayan will keep the secret.'"

As she recalled the past, a childlike earnestness filled her eyes.

“After that, I stopped deliberately avoiding Ayan when I met Jingni. Every time I came, I would bring her some little trinkets.” Qin Chuan continued, “After a while, we became familiar with each other. Ayan naturally started calling me ‘Brother Chuan’.”

After hearing the whole story, Xiaomeng's jealousy did not completely dissipate.

She keenly sensed the deep scheming hidden beneath Tian Yan's gentle exterior, especially when she looked at Qin Chuan, the intimacy behind it seemed not entirely pure.

"Hmph!" Xiaomeng snorted coldly, her clear gaze fixed on Tian Yan: "I'm afraid that your deliberate closeness back then wasn't out of genuine affection for this brother, but rather out of ulterior motives, to protect your mother and yourself, wasn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Yan showed no embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, she met Xiao Meng's gaze calmly, her lips still bearing that gentle smile:

“Master Xiaomeng has keen insight. Indeed, Ayan has been living a life of constant displacement with her mother since childhood, hiding here and there, and has witnessed the wickedness of people. Her precocious maturity is a necessity for survival. Her closeness at that time was indeed driven by a selfish motive to use Brother Chuan’s power for self-protection.”

She readily admitted it, and this frankness surprised Xiaomeng slightly.

"Brother Chuan knew this from the very beginning."

Tian Yan looked at Qin Chuan, her eyes filled with a complex mix of gratitude and dependence:

"But Brother Chuan never exposed it, nor did he distance himself from me or blame me for it. How could he bear to callously expose that clumsy scheme of a little girl who only wanted to protect her mother and struggle to survive?"

Qin Chuan nodded slightly, tacitly agreeing with Tian Yan's words.

"So, Brother Chuan went along with it and recognized me as his sister."

Tian Yan's gaze softened and became sincere again:

"Over the years, Brother Chuan has treated me like a brother and a father, protecting my mother and me from the clutches of the Luo Clan and the conflicts between the peasants. He also helped me take control of the Lieshan Hall, giving me the ability to truly protect those I wanted to protect. This affection can no longer be repaid with the hypocrisy of being forced to act out of fear back then."

Looking at the genuine sincerity in Tian Yan's eyes and Qin Chuan's tacit agreement, Xiao Meng was speechless for a moment.

She understood that Tian Yan was telling the truth and she also understood Qin Chuan's actions, but she couldn't shake off the possessiveness and displeasure of having her close friends taken away.

She stopped talking and instead asserted her dominance through her actions, stretching out her slender hand and tightly hugging Qin Chuan's arm, almost pressing her entire body against his side. Her cool eyes looked at Tian Yan with a hint of provocation.

Seeing this, Tian Yan's gentle smile remained unchanged, but she also stepped forward and naturally took Qin Chuan's other arm, her voice still soft:

"Brother Chuan, Master Xiaomeng, there are too many people and too many eyes around here. Why don't we go back to Lieshan Hall with Ayan to talk?"

Thus, on the bustling town streets, Qin Chuan's left arm was tightly embraced by Xiao Meng, the aloof and peerless leader of the Taoist Tianzong sect, while his right arm was affectionately linked with Tian Yan, the gentle and wise eldest daughter of the peasant Lieshan Hall.

The three of them walked toward the headquarters of the Farmer's Lieshan Hall in this extremely eye-catching yet strangely harmonious manner, under the gaze of countless eyes that were either surprised, envious, or awe-inspiring.

Upon entering the majestic gates of Lieshan Hall, all the disciples and stewards they encountered along the way, regardless of age, immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing Qin Chuan being "held hostage" by two stunningly beautiful women, their expressions filled with utmost reverence and their eyes revealing a deep-seated awe.

Everyone kept their eyes down, seemingly oblivious to the strange postures of the three people.

Clearly, after years of management by Tian Yan, Lieshan Hall had long been firmly under her control, and Tian Meng's name was now meaningless; he was nothing more than a useless person who spent his days drinking in the depths of the hall.

Tian Yan led Qin Chuan and Xiao Meng directly to a quiet and elegant courtyard in the back hall.

In the courtyard, a beautiful woman dressed in plain clothes, with a cool demeanor and a hint of sharpness that was hard to detect, was already waiting.

She bears a striking resemblance to Tian Yan, and is none other than Tian Yan's mother, the former top-tier assassin of the Luo Wang organization, Jing Ni.

When Jingni saw Qin Chuan, she bowed slightly in respect, her posture humble and her eyes filled with complex emotions—gratitude, awe, and a hint of calm that comes with having experienced many hardships.

"No need for formalities." Qin Chuan nodded, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard. "You've all worked hard these past years."

"Your Majesty, I have successfully completed my mission. Lieshan Hall is now under Ayan's control, and its core disciples are all loyal to Your Majesty."

Jing Ni straightened up, her voice clear and crisp, carrying the conciseness of a task report:

"In addition, Situ Wanli, the head of the Four Mountains Hall, is a merchant by origin. He values ​​profit over righteousness. His subordinates have secretly won him over by offering the imperial trade routes and security as bargaining chips. The list of 70% of his disciples has already been submitted."

"The Zhu family of Shennong Hall are shrewd and unpredictable, and have not yet been completely subjugated. However, the armored gatekeeper Dian Qing and his elite troops, sent by the emperor, have gradually become the mainstay of Shennong Hall with their formidable strength and loyalty, effectively balancing the Zhu family."

After Jingni finished her report, she stepped back and gave her seat to Tian Yan.

“Mother is absolutely right. Besides, I have also made some progress on my end.”

Tian Yan released Qin Chuan's hand, stepped forward, her posture still gentle, but her words were clear and articulate, full of the confidence of someone in control:

"Gonggong Hall is now under the control of my daughter's capable lieutenant, Tian Zhong, and all its branches are under our control. Kuiwei Hall is managed by Tian Mi. Although she is skilled in seduction and scheming, her foundation is unstable, and she relies on my daughter for all the resources she needs. The real power of Kuiwei Hall has also fallen into our hands."

"Now, of the six halls of the Farmer's Clan, Lieshan, Kuiwei, Gonggong, and Siyue have clearly pledged allegiance or are under control. Shennong Hall has Dianqing to check and balance it. Only the situation of Chiyou Hall is still unclear. It can be said that most of the Farmer's Clan is already under Brother Chuan's control."

After listening to Jing Ni and Tian Yan's reports, Qin Chuan's eyes showed approval:

“Very good. You two, mother and daughter, have done even better than I expected. Jingni's patience and planning, and Ayan's extraordinary skills, have made an invaluable contribution to clearing up the murky waters of the Farmer's Family.”

His gaze deepened, and his tone shifted to decisiveness:

"The time has come; it's time to close the net on the farmers."

Jingni and Tian Yan exchanged a glance, a sharp glint flashing in their eyes simultaneously. They bowed and replied:

"I will obey Your Majesty's command!"

Xiaomeng stood aside, watching the mother and daughter who controlled half of the farmhouse, and feeling the strategic and commanding demeanor of Tian Yan when she reported. Although her jealousy had not completely disappeared, she had to admit that this woman was indeed extraordinary.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on Qin Chuan's arm.

After Tian Yan finished her report, her gaze swept over Xiao Meng's tightly clasped arms, she smiled gently, and quietly moved closer to Qin Chuan's side again.

A silent contest was quietly brewing in the backyard of the farmer's house, Lieshan Hall.

Chapter 77 Who's in favor? Who's opposed?

Inside Lieshan Hall, Qin Chuan's command to "close the net" sealed the fate of the peasant scheme.