Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

The relationship between Fusu and Lord Changping needs no further explanation.

Before Lord Changping rebelled against Qin, he once regarded Fusu as his "hope". Lord Changping secretly plotted to assassinate the Qin emperor in order to support Fusu's ascension to the throne.

Perhaps Fusu was unaware of these hidden details.

However, among the clues left behind by the remnants of Lord Changping's faction discovered during this search, Fusu was indeed mentioned. Of course, these secret scrolls involving the eldest son Fusu could not be made public directly; they were secretly collected by Ying Zheng.

However, Ying Zheng's attitude towards Fusu inevitably changed.

The reason is that seeing Fusu inevitably reminds one of Changping Jun, that traitor.

However, Zhao Gao in this world is dead. Even if Hu Hai were still alive, without Zhao Gao's secret support, Fu Su's situation would still be somewhat better than in the original timeline. As for what the future holds, that remains to be seen.

Time washes everything away.

As time passed, the uproar surrounding Zhao Gao's death eventually subsided.

Ultimately, the person is already dead, and many of Changping Jun's remnants have been exposed. Although the murderer has not yet been found, there are no more clues for the time being, so we can only put this matter aside for now and deal with it slowly.

However, Ying Zheng seemed impatient about another matter.

That is to destroy Qi!

Of the six states east of the Yellow River, five have already been destroyed. If Qi is also destroyed, the entire world will fall under Qin's control. This is an unprecedented feat, and Ying Zheng is naturally eager to accomplish it.

On this day, in the main hall of Xianyang Palace used for deliberation.

Ying Zheng sat on the throne, his voice booming, "Of the six states of Shandong that once stood alongside my Great Qin, five have been destroyed. Now, only Qi remains. Destroying Qi will be the final step for my Great Qin to unify the world!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the court became solemn, and some were even moved.

Everyone knew that as long as the State of Qi was destroyed, the State of Qin would accomplish an unprecedented feat, and these people were all participants in that success.

But no one knew exactly when the conquest of Qi would begin until Ying Zheng spoke.

And now, they understand that this day has finally arrived.

Immediately afterwards, Ying Zheng spoke again, outlining a series of arrangements for the destruction of Qi.

The ministers accepted the orders one by one.

Only the military commanders are still hoping.

This is because Ying Zheng has not yet revealed who the commander-in-chief is.

Ying Zheng scanned the faces of the many generals one by one: Wang Jian, Wang Ben, Meng Wu, Meng Tian, ​​Yang Ruihe, Li Xin... It can be said that the Qin state had a wealth of famous generals, a constellation of brilliant stars.

Finally, he revealed the commander of this operation.

"Wang Ben, I hereby grant you an army of 100,000; annihilate Qi immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ben immediately stepped forward, saying, "This humble general obeys the order!"

Many people were quite surprised when Ying Zheng chose Ying Zheng as the main general.

When Ying Zheng conquered Yan, he chose Li Xin. It was thought that this was because the Wang family had destroyed several states and he was worried that their achievements would overshadow his own, so he chose other generals. Following this line of thought, when conquering Qi, he should also choose someone else, such as someone from the Meng family.

In the end, Ying Zheng still chose Wang Ben.

Aren't you afraid that the Wang family's achievements will be too great?

Ying Zheng had actually thought about this question as well.

But in the end, he remembered what Xu Qing had told him about overseas affairs. As long as the territory of the world was large enough, there would be no fear of not having the opportunity to expand the territory. Moreover, he was still alive and did not worry about the Wang family becoming too powerful.

By destroying the State of Qi, the world can be unified. This war requires a cautious approach, so there is no need to divide the spoils.

Chapter 369 Mr. Qing Returns

Wang Ben led 100,000 Qin troops, riding the wave of Qin's conquest of the five states of Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, and Yan, and marched eastward, his sword aimed directly at the state of Qi.

With thunderous war drums and banners obscuring the sun, the Qin army's iron cavalry swept across the desolate border between Qi and Qin. Wherever they went, they encountered almost no decent resistance. Since King Xiang of Qi, the State of Qi had been living in a corner of the country for many years, indulging in the illusion of peace. It had not experienced the baptism of war for decades, and its military preparedness had long been lax.

Most of the border guards were out of practice, their weapons were rusted, and their armor was tattered. Faced with the fierce attack of the Qin army, they either fled at the first sign of trouble or surrendered without resistance. In just over ten days, several cities in western Qi fell one after another, and the flames of war spread along the Ji River, soon approaching Linzi, the capital of Qi.

Inside the Zhangtai Palace, Ying Zheng was facing the map of the world hanging on the wall, his fingertips tracing the location of Linzi, his brows filled with eagerness and determination to unify the world.

Wang Ben's battle reports came one after another, each one bringing news of the fall of cities, but also mentioning the chaos within Qi's territory. Remnants of various states poured in, stirring up trouble among the people. Although they were not enough to resist the Qin army, they added some variables to the war to destroy Qi.

Just then, Gai Nie came to report that Xu Qing was requesting an audience.

Long ago, Ying Zheng gave Xu Qing a token, allowing him to enter the palace on his own. However, more often than not, Xu Qing would contact Gai Nie first, and Gai Nie would take him into the palace.

It is quite strange that Xu Qing has come to the palace on his own initiative.

Ying Zheng would naturally not refuse Xu Qing's request to see him.

Soon, in the same Zhangtai Palace, he saw Xu Qing.

"Mr. Xu, what brings you here?" Ying Zheng asked Xu Qing curiously.

These days, Xianyang is in turmoil, but Xu Qing has been unusually low-key, appearing to be detached from the situation.

Ying Zheng never suspected Xu Qing, believing that Xu Qing was involved in Zhao Gao's death.

It was simply because Xu Qing was too clean in his actions, leaving no clues behind. Although there had been some rift between him and Zhao Gao in the past, it never escalated into a life-or-death feud.

In addition, Zhao Gao once controlled the Luo Wang (a secret police organization), which offended far too many people.

There were countless people who could have killed Zhao Gao, but Xu Qing, who was indifferent to fame and fortune, was the least likely to be among them.

Xu Qing calmly said, "I am here to do my part in the Qin Dynasty's conquest of Qi."

Ying Zheng's gaze immediately sharpened.

He was aware of Xu Qing's capabilities.

Whether it was the destruction of Wei or the destruction of Chu, Xu Qing played a crucial role.

If it weren't for Xu Qing's secret assistance, destroying these two countries would not have been so easy.

It can be said that Xu Qing is a hero hidden in the shadows.

"How does the gentleman plan to help my Great Qin?" Ying Zheng asked curiously.

Xu Qing met Ying Zheng's gaze and said in a deep voice, "I once stayed in the State of Qi for quite some time and had a past relationship with Hou Sheng, the prime minister of Qi. Hou Sheng is a man who is only interested in profit, but he is also extremely trustworthy. As long as you can give him enough benefits, he will satisfy you in any way."

"Including... treason!"

Xu Qing didn't say anything more, but Ying Zheng was a smart man, and upon hearing this, he already understood what Xu Qing meant.

He gave Xu Qing a deep look and said in a deep voice, "Since Mr. Xu wants to do it, then go ahead and do it. I will cover for you."

Although the current trend is in Qin's favor, Qi is destined to be destroyed.

However, because Qi was the last remaining state in Shandong, the remnants of the other five states all flocked to Qi. Their resentment might have propelled Qi into a final resistance, thus creating unexpected turmoil.

If the State of Qi could be successfully destroyed, that would be ideal, as it would at least reduce the casualties of the Qin army.

……

Xu Qing ultimately couldn't remain uninvolved.

Not to mention that he had spent a long time in the State of Qi and had considerable influence there, the destruction of Qi was the final step for Qin to unify the world. Xu Qing naturally wanted to give it a push and bring this chaotic world to an end as soon as possible.

Of course, there were also selfish motives involved.

That is the sword that slays the king, but it still lacks the soul blood of the King of Qi.

After informing Ying Zheng, Xu Qing set off towards the State of Qi.

Although the army had already set off and was once close to Linzi, its marching speed could not catch up with Xu Qing's.

Within a few days, Xu Qing arrived outside Linzi City.

Standing on the official road outside Linzi City, Xu Qing looked at this once-familiar capital and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

In my memory, Linzi was one of the most prosperous cities in the world. Its streets and alleys were bustling with people, lined with shops, and merchants and travelers came and went in an endless stream. Linzi's silk fabrics and lacquerware were sold to many countries. Laughter and joy could be heard everywhere in the streets and alleys, creating a scene of peace and prosperity.

But now, Linzi is no longer what it used to be.

At the city gate, the guards were on high alert. Although their armor was worn, it also conveyed a sense of tension. Passersby were strictly checked, and everyone's face was filled with confusion and fear.

He used some tricks to easily enter Linzi City.

Inside the city, the streets and alleys were deserted. Most of the once bustling shops had their doors and windows closed. Occasionally, a pedestrian would hurry by, talking in hushed tones, his eyes filled with unease.

A suffocating atmosphere filled the air, a mixture of dust and a vague sense of unease that made it hard to breathe.

"Have you heard? The Qin army has already captured all the cities west of the Ji River, and they won't be able to reach Linzi for long!"

"It's all over, the State of Qi is going to perish! What should we do? Should we flee or stay?"

"Escape? Where to escape to? The world is so vast, is there any place the Qin army cannot reach now?"

In a corner of the street, several ragged people huddled together, whispering among themselves, their voices filled with despair.

In addition, various rumors circulated in the city. Some said that after the Qin army entered the city, they would burn, kill, loot, and commit all kinds of atrocities; some said that the remaining nobles of various states had gathered in Linzi, determined to live and die with the Qi state and fight the Qin army to the death; and some said that King Jian of Qi was already preparing to surrender and hand over the Qi state to the Qin state.

Xu Qing walked slowly along the streets and alleys, listening to the chaotic discussions around him, and understood what was going on.

The State of Qi had been at peace for many years, and its people had long been accustomed to tranquility. Now that war was imminent, they were naturally filled with anxiety.

The remaining forces who fled from other states saw Qi as their last lifeline. Unwilling to accept the fall of their country, they spread rumors and incited the people to rebel against the Qin army, hoping to make Qi their last place to struggle.

He saw that at the street corner, several people were leading some civilians, tearfully recounting the "atrocities" of the Qin army and urging everyone to take up arms to defend the State of Qi. However, they soon scattered as the city's garrison arrived.

This is just one aspect of the picture.

These people dared to incite unrest even within Linzi City, let alone in other parts of Qi.

Although the five kingdoms of Shandong were destroyed, their remnants, like centipedes, did not die easily.

Xu Qing ignored these things and continued walking. Before long, he arrived outside the Prime Minister's residence.

The Prime Minister's residence remained grand, with its vermilion gates tightly shut and guards in brand-new armor standing guard, a stark contrast to the desolate scene in the city.

Clearly, even with war looming, Hou Sheng was only concerned with his own safety and showed no concern for the survival of the State of Qi.

"Halt! Who are you?"

Just as Xu Qing continued to step forward, the guards at the door immediately raised their long spears and blocked his way.

Seeing this, Xu Qing sighed helplessly, "Is it true that old age has taken its toll? I've only been gone for a few years, and there's already no place for me here?"

Of course, Xu Qing also knew that the main reason was that he hadn't disguised himself. After all, back in Hou Sheng Mansion, he had disguised himself and appeared as "Mr. Qing".