Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

But this is actually a good thing for him. As long as he still has value, Donghuang Taiyi will do his best to help him.

Yan Dan slowly raised her hand, looking at her palm, which was so cold it had no warmth at all, so pale it was almost transparent. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she murmured, "Can I really come back to life? Like before, be a real person again..."

He ignored the commotion outside the courtyard and stood quietly, seemingly lost in thought or perhaps waiting.

The night remained deep, and most of Xianyang City was asleep, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the darkness.

But some people are destined to never sleep soundly, and Xiong Qi, the Lord of Changping, is one of them.

His residence was located on the east side of Xianyang City. Although it was not as luxurious as that of the Qin nobles, it was still elegant and quiet.

At this moment, the study was brightly lit. Lord Changping sat at his desk with a specially made chessboard in front of him. The squares on the chessboard were not as regular as those on Go, but were divided according to the territories of the various states. The black and white pieces represented the power and military strength of the Qin state and the six states of Shandong.

He held a black chess piece in his hand, his fingertips lightly tapping the edge of the board. His brows furrowed slightly, his gaze slowly sweeping across the board as he rapidly considered the situation in his mind.

Since the fall of Korea, he has never stopped scheming.

During the day, he had to navigate the Qin court as the Right Chancellor. Only at night could he calm down, sort out his thoughts, and plan how to unite the remaining forces of other states to curb Qin's expansion and secure a glimmer of hope for Chu.

Now, with the fall of Han, Zhao is in grave danger, Wei is retreating to protect itself, and Chu, though still powerful, is also facing the threat of Qin.

Among the various schools of thought, the Mohists, the Agriculturalists, and the Confucians all wielded considerable influence. If these schools could be united, they might be able to form a force capable of confronting the Qin state.

He never gave up on even South Korea, which had already been destroyed.

The Qin state's conquest of the Han state seemed easy, but in reality, it was due to the incompetence of the Han ruler and his ministers. The King of Han was assassinated in the palace on the eve of the fall of the country, and the Prime Minister Zhang Kaidi died of a sudden heart attack. The entire Han court was thrown into chaos and was unable to organize any effective resistance.

However, this does not mean that the people of Han are willing to accept the fate of national subjugation. Those former subordinates who are hiding among the people and yearning for revenge may well cause trouble for Qin if they can secretly unite.

After all, although Qin had troops stationed in Han, if rebellions broke out among the people, it would inevitably deplete Qin's military strength and energy, which would undoubtedly be beneficial to his "Azure Dragon Plan".

"Perhaps it's time to deploy manpower in Korea in advance. If we can incite resistance among the people, it might become a brilliant move to restrain Qin." Changping Jun's eyes flashed, and he placed the white chess piece in his hand on the area representing the territory of Korea. The moment the piece fell, he seemed to see the flames of resistance burning in Korea, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Just then, a deep voice came from the study doorway: "Your Majesty."

Changping Jun immediately turned around and saw a middle-aged man dressed in blue cloth with a resolute face standing at the door. It was Tian Guang, who had just escaped from Yan Dan's residence.

Tian Guang's robes were dusty and his hair was a little messy, clearly indicating that he had been running. However, his expression remained calm, though there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

"How is it? Have you found anything on Yan Dan's side?" Lord Changping asked directly without any pleasantries.

He and Tian Guang were old acquaintances, and they had enough trust and tacit understanding between them. This time, he asked Tian Guang to secretly observe Yan Dan partly because of his instructions.

Initially, he intended for Tian Guang to contact Yan Dan in the Yan state, gain his trust, and develop him into his pawn. However, Yan Dan's personality changed drastically; he became reclusive and refused to give anyone a chance to make contact. Left with no other option, he changed his mind and had Tian Guang secretly advise King Xi of Yan to send Yan Dan as an envoy to the Qin state so that he could observe him closely in Xianyang and look for an opportunity to make contact.

Tian Guang walked to the table, bowed, straightened up, and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, Yan Dan has serious problems. This matter... is probably more complicated than we imagined."

Lord Changping's heart sank. He had thought that Yan Dan's problem was nothing more than a change in temperament or being coerced by the Qin state. But looking at Tian Guang's solemn expression, he vaguely felt that things might not be so simple.

As Tian Guang recounted the story, Changping-jun's expression gradually changed, from initial calm to surprise, and then to disbelief.

When he heard Tian Guang say that Yan Dan might already be a "corpse ghost" surviving by relying on the secret methods of the Yin-Yang School, he clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white, his eyes filled with shock: "You mean, the current Yan Dan is not a living person at all, but a... living dead person?"

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. If these words hadn't come from Tian Guang's mouth, he would never have believed it. To come back from the dead was simply an unheard-of and absurd thing!

Tian Guang nodded slightly, his tone certain: "Your Majesty, although I cannot be 100% certain, all signs point to this. When the great upheaval occurred in Yan, Lord Yanchun was assassinated, and Yan Dan personally pursued the murderer but was severely injured. As far as I know, Yan Dan was indeed lifeless at that time, but not long after, he suddenly came back to life, claiming that he had mastered some kind of secret technique for faking death. Such a statement may deceive outsiders, but it cannot deceive those who observe carefully."

He paused, then continued, "I've been secretly observing him these past few days and discovered that Yan Dan never goes out during the day, always staying in a dark room; his face is deathly pale, and he occasionally exudes a faint aura of death; moreover, he rarely interacts with people, and even when he does, he deliberately keeps his distance, as if he's hiding something. If it's just a drastic change in his personality, these abnormalities seem too coincidental."

Tian Guang's gaze sharpened: "Therefore, I dare to guess that Yan Dan may have really died back then, but was later resurrected by some strange means, and thus became what he is now."

Lord Changping fell silent, his fingers lightly tapping the chessboard as he rapidly processed Tian Guang's words in his mind. It wasn't that he didn't believe in ghosts and spirits; as a native of Chu, where shamanism was prevalent, he naturally held some belief in such matters.

However, the idea of ​​"coming back to life" was too unbelievable for him to accept for a while.

After a long silence, Lord Changping finally spoke, his voice low and deep: "Do you know who is helping Yan Dan behind the scenes?"

Tian Guang immediately replied, "When I was lurking in the shadows, I saw the person who met with Yan Dan. That person was wearing a black robe and had a mask on his face. His aura was strange and powerful. Judging from all the signs, this person is very likely the leader of the Yin Yang School, Donghuang Taiyi."

“Donghuang Taiyi…” Changping Jun murmured the name softly, a strange look appearing on his lips.

In Qin, he came into contact with many things related to Chu. The two states had been linked by marriage for generations, and Chu's culture and customs had long been integrated into all aspects of Qin.

Donghuang Taiyi was originally the supreme god worshipped by the people of Chu. Qu Yuan wrote a poem specifically for him in "Nine Songs" to praise his divine power.

The Yin-Yang School uses the names of deities from the Chu Kingdom, clearly indicating a deep connection with the Chu Kingdom.

Even so, Lord Changping never regarded the Yin-Yang School as an ally.

I wouldn't have done that before, and I certainly won't now.

The Yin-Yang School's attitude of leaning towards the Qin State was too obvious. Although the Daoists also lived in seclusion within the Qin State, they only cultivated in seclusion on Taiyi Peak of Zhongnan Mountain and did not concern themselves with worldly affairs. The Yin-Yang School, on the other hand, directly served the Qin State government, helping Qin State to refine elixirs and deduce the calendar.

Why would he have the idea of ​​winning over a sect that has completely sided with the Qin state?

Even though his "Azure Dragon Plan" required the union of various schools of thought, he never included the Yin-Yang School or the Taoist School in his considerations.

"It seems the Yin-Yang School's schemes are even grander than we imagined," Changping Jun sighed softly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

The secrets surrounding Yan Dan and the involvement of the Yin-Yang School have complicated the situation further, but they have also given him a new opportunity.

Chapter 208 Mononong joins forces, secretly starting a new chapter

Previously, Lord Changping wanted to contact the Mohists through Yan Dan, because he learned from Tian Guang that Yan Dan had a deep connection with the Mohists, who had helped the Yan state on many occasions.

If we can establish contact with the Mohists through Yan Dan's connections, we might be able to bring them into the "Azure Dragon Plan".

However, the plan was shelved after Yan Dan's personality changed drastically.

Now that Tian Guang has uncovered Yan Dan's secret, perhaps he can find another way to approach the Mohists.

Changping Jun looked up at Tian Guang, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry: "Tell me, what would happen if we told the Mo family about Yan Dan's secret? According to you, the Mo family values ​​Yan Dan highly and has invested a lot of manpower and resources in him. If they knew that Yan Dan had become like this and was colluding with the Yin Yang School to try to seize a treasure hidden in the Mo family, how would they react?"

Tian Guang's eyes flashed, and he instantly understood Changping Jun's intention. He pondered for a moment and said, "The Mohists have always valued righteousness. If Yan Dan betrays the Mohists and joins the Yin-Yang School, the Mohists will definitely break with him. Moreover, the Yin-Yang School's plot to seize the treasure hidden in the Mohists is a provocation against the Mohists. If this matter is handled properly, it may trigger a conflict between the Mohists and the Yin-Yang School."

He paused, then continued his analysis: "Although the Mohist school is a prominent school of thought, it excels in mechanical arts, and its truly top-tier masters are not many. The Yin-Yang school is different. Although they have fewer members, each of them possesses strange and mysterious techniques, and top-tier masters emerge in large numbers. If the two schools were to fight, on the battlefield, the Mohist school would have the assistance of mechanical beasts and might not lose; however, in a small-scale duel between masters, the Mohist school would probably be at a disadvantage."

A calculating glint flashed in Tian Guang's eyes: "If we choose to lend a hand when the Mohists are at a disadvantage, we might be able to pull them to our side. We have many disciples from the Farmer's School, and we also possess the Twenty-Four Battle Formations of the Earthly Marsh. If we could combine them with the Mohists' mechanical arts..."

Upon hearing this, Changping-jun's eyes lit up instantly.

Before Tian Guang could finish speaking, he had already thought about what would happen next.

The Farmer School has many disciples who are skilled in farming and warfare, and can provide the army with food and manpower; the Mohist School is skilled in mechanical arts and can create powerful weapons and fortifications. If the two complement each other, they can definitely become a powerful force that can dominate the world.

Previously, he wanted to use Yan Dan as an opportunity to contact the Mohists; now, the opportunity is still Yan Dan, but the method is completely different.

The night grew deeper, but fortunately, the lights were bright here in Changping.

He and Tian Guang had a detailed conversation about what happened that night.

As for the "Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon" mentioned by Donghuang Taiyi, Lord Changping did not take it to heart.

Although the rumor about that thing is widespread, it's absurd to say that something can directly reverse the course of the world.

Lord Changping was a very pragmatic person who never considered saving the State of Chu or curbing the ambitions of the State of Qin as something unrealistic or unrealistic.

Compared to the fake "Azure Dragon Seven Mansions," his "Azure Dragon Plan" is much more reliable.

As the conversation drew to a close, Tian Guang seemed to suddenly remember something, a look of realization flashing in his eyes. He said, "Regarding how to accurately inform the Mo family about Yan Dan's matter, I have thought of an excellent candidate."

"Oh?" Changping-kun's eyes showed a hint of surprise, his gaze fixed on Tian Guang.

Although the two had discussed many plans beforehand, from inciting conflict between the Mohists and the Yin-Yang School to taking the opportunity to establish friendship with the Mohists, and finally to bringing the Mohists into their camp, their thinking was already clear.

But there is still a crucial question that has not been resolved: how to make contact with the Mohists?

It should be noted that Yan Dan held an extraordinary position within the Mohist school. Ordinary Mohist disciples could not challenge his authority, let alone report his secrets.

Only the leader of the Mohist school, or even the Mohist Grand Master, is qualified to investigate the truth about Yan Dan and has the ability to make the decision to break with Yan Dan.

"I was momentarily careless and didn't think of it before, but now, as I'm organizing my thoughts, it suddenly came to mind," Tian Guang explained to Changping Jun, his tone carrying a hint of certainty. "I know an old friend who had a deep friendship with the leader of the Mohist school. This person is not only of upright character, but also capable of accurately conveying information to the Mohist leadership..."

"His name is Xu Qing, and he is a swordsmith whose skills are unparalleled!"

Tian Guang recounted how he met Xu Qing and even mentioned Xu Qing's abilities.

Upon hearing the name of the person Tian Guang mentioned, Changping-kun's eyes lit up.

He was also thinking of a past event.

"If I remember correctly, the person who killed Lord Yanchun in the Yan Kingdom was..."

“Indeed, it is Mr. Xu Qing!” Tian Guang replied to Lord Changping, and then recounted the past events of the Yan Kingdom.

Lord Changping knew some of the things that had happened in the State of Yan.

Especially after paying attention to Yan Dan, he also took the initiative to learn about things related to Yan Dan.

Unexpectedly, there was such a connection between them, and Tian Guang played a role in it.

Tell me more about this person.

Upon hearing the person Tian Guang mentioned, Changping Jun became even more interested.

He had never met Xu Qing, but through Tian Guang's words, he had a fairly clear impression of Xu Qing in his mind.

First, he is a handsome and extraordinary young man whose sword-making skills are unparalleled in the world. In addition, his strategies and martial arts are also first-rate.

Such a person is not very interested in external things, apart from swords.

But if anyone dares to bully his friends, he will choose to take decisive action without hesitation.

"We must recruit such talent to our side!" Changping-jun said with unwavering determination in his eyes and utmost seriousness.

Such a person, skilled in both literature and martial arts and of upright character, would be a great asset if he joined the "Azure Dragon Project".

“I understand what you mean.” Tian Guang nodded slowly and continued, “Over the years, I have been trying to befriend Mr. Xu Qing. Although he has not officially joined the Farmer’s Clan, his relationship with the Farmer’s Clan is extremely deep.”

Then, Tian Guang mentioned Xu Qing's connection with the Mo family. Long before he met Xu Qing, Xu Qing had entered the Mo family's mechanical city and even received a token personally given to him by the Mo family's leader.

However, Xu Qing preferred freedom and did not choose to join the Mohist school.

Upon hearing this, Changping Jun's opinion of Xu Qing rose even higher.

He knew that the Mohist school had extremely high standards for recruiting people. Not only did they require outstanding strength, but they also had to agree with the concept of "universal love and non-aggression." Ordinary people simply could not catch the eye of the Mohist school.

Even the Mohist school tried to recruit Xu Qing, which shows just how outstanding his talent is.

However, neither Changping Jun nor Tian Guang knew that Xu Qing's philosophy differed greatly from that of the Mohists. From the very beginning, Six-Fingered Black Knight had no intention of bringing Xu Qing into the Mohists. The Mohist token that Xu Qing had shown to Tian Guang was merely a testament to their friendship, but it led Tian Guang to misunderstand.

……

After discussing everything with Lord Changping, Tian Guang decided to leave Xianyang immediately.

Previously, while investigating Yan Dan's secrets, he was inadvertently discovered by Donghuang Taiyi. The Yin-Yang School had been rooted in the Qin State for many years, and now it had completely sided with the Qin government, with its influence deeply entrenched.