Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

"It's been a long time since we last met. You've changed quite a bit," Xu Qing said, looking at Honglian with a touch of emotion.

He witnessed Princess Honglian's growth. Back when the state of Han still existed, Princess Honglian was an extremely spoiled and willful girl. She was the apple of the eye of the King of Han, and Han Fei doted on and protected her. However, after the King of Han and Han Fei died one after another, Princess Honglian lost the right to be willful.

Han Yu wouldn't tolerate her.

Honglian had already changed by that time, but what truly made her shed her superficiality and undergo a complete transformation was after she killed Han Yu and the state of Han was destroyed.

"People change, I just regret that I matured too late."

Honglian's words were filled with deep emotion and reminiscence.

As she said this, she couldn't help but think of the ancient state of Han, her brother Han Fei, and her father.

At that time, she was carefree, thinking that as a princess of Korea, she could get whatever she wanted. But later she realized that her carefree life was only because someone else was carrying the burden for her.

"I discovered some things within the Yin-Yang School of Qin."

Xu Qing suddenly spoke to Hong Lian.

"What is it?" Honglian asked Xu Qing, puzzled.

Xu Qing's sudden mention of this matter was clearly not unfounded; there must be a reason behind it.

"Some things about the death of Han Fei!"

Xu Qing said it casually.

Honglian's body trembled, her previous composure vanished, and she rushed to Xu Qing's side, "Brother, how did you die?"

She was emotional, her eyes fixed on Xu Qing.

However, facing Honglian's persistent questioning, Xu Qing remained extremely calm, speaking in his own measured tone: "After Han Fei entered Qin years ago, the Yin-Yang School sent people to contact Han Fei..."

Xu Qing recounted a past event unknown to Honglian.

"...The Yin-Yang School wanted to seize the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon. Han Fei had stirred up some trouble in the state of Han and was a first-rate shrewd man. The Yin-Yang School thought they could find clues from Han Fei."

"We want to bring him into the Yin-Yang School."

"However, it's clear that Han Fei refused..."

"Afterwards, due to Li Si's jealousy and some unknown reasons, Han Fei was imprisoned. In fact, at that time, he still had a way out. As long as he was willing to completely side with Qin and help Qin destroy Han as a pledge of loyalty, the King of Qin admired Han Fei's talent and might not be able to spare his life."

"Unfortunately, Han Fei was too attached to the state of Han and ultimately did not choose this path."

Honglian listened quietly to Xu Qing's story. Before she knew it, a glistening tear had appeared in her eyes.

Back then, she only heard the shocking news of her brother Han Fei's murder in Qin while in Korea, unaware that there were so many hidden secrets.

"...Before he was to be executed, in Yunyang Prison, the Yin-Yang Clan saw Han Fei one last time. Even now, he could still live, as long as he was willing to join the Yin-Yang Clan, they could save him."

"However, he still did not choose to side with the Yin-Yang School!"

"Why is my brother so foolish?" Tears finally dripped from Honglian's eyes. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, her voice choked with sobs, filled with endless sorrow and heartache.

She longed to go back in time and persuade her brother to let go of his obsession with Korea, or even just to survive, rather than face such a resolute death.

Xu Qing stood quietly to the side, watching her grief-stricken appearance, her expression remaining calm, but she did not say anything more.

What he just said was only the tip of the iceberg regarding Han Fei's death; there were still too many secrets he hadn't told Honglian.

He had overheard those stories from Yan Fei when he was in the Yin-Yang School in the Qin State. As a high-ranking member of the Yin-Yang School, Yan Fei knew many secrets that were unknown to others.

The Yin-Yang School has always valued those with exceptional talent. Gan Luo was kidnapped by the Yin-Yang School through trickery and brought back to the school for careful training, eventually becoming a Star Soul.

Han Fei's talent far surpasses Gan Luo's, and the Yin-Yang School's expectations for him are far beyond those of ordinary people. If Han Fei were willing to agree and side with the Yin-Yang School, they would have plenty of ways to save his life. They could even use the Yin-Yang School's mysterious techniques to create a fake corpse that looks exactly like Han Fei, thus deceiving him and allowing him to live under another identity and continue his studies.

However, Han Fei's temperament was too resolute. His heart was filled with the state of Han and the morality of the world. Neither the coercion and enticement of the Qin state nor the sincere recruitment of the Yin Yang School could shake him in the slightest.

He would rather die for his country than submit to any power or betray his country and his original aspirations.

According to Yan Fei, after her last meeting with Han Fei, Donghuang Taiyi also went to Yunyang Prison, seemingly intending to force Han Fei to reveal the secret of the Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon.

It can be said that Donghuang Taiyi was the last person to see Han Fei.

Even so, Donghuang Taiyi ultimately failed to obtain the secret of the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon of Han from Han Fei.

However, he brought back something: Han Fei's belongings.

All of these were things Xu Qing had gathered while organizing the legacy of Donghuang Taiyi at the Yin Yang School. Now that he had met Honglian, he naturally didn't mind telling her about them.

"Get up when you've cried enough." Xu Qing spoke slowly, her tone still calm, but less cold and more subtly comforting. "Han Fei's choice was his own decision, and he has never regretted it. You don't need to wallow in grief forever."

Honglian slowly raised her head, her eyes blurry with tears, her face streaked with tears. She sniffed, looked at Xu Qing, and said in a hoarse voice, "I know, but I'm still not reconciled... I'm not reconciled that my brother died like this."

"If you're not willing to accept this, then live well!" Xu Qing continued. This wasn't the first time he had said similar words to Hong Lian.

He made similar remarks when South Korea was on the verge of collapse.

"Furthermore, within the Yin-Yang School, there is a sword that was once Han Fei's personal sword. This time, you will come with me to leave Qi and go to Qin!"

Honglian was taken aback upon hearing this.

My brother's belongings?

Then, she came to her senses and nodded emphatically, "Okay!"

For Honglian, there was no sense of national or familial sentiment.

She didn't feel sorry when South Korea was destroyed, since everyone she cared about was dead.

With the state of Qi on the verge of destruction, there is naturally no reason to feel sorry for it.

Now that Xu Qing has found her and invited her to the Qin Kingdom, she will go.

She also wanted to see what the place where her brother died looked like.

"Mr. Qing is really being unfair!"

Not long after Xu Qing and Hong Lian finished speaking, an old voice suddenly rang out.

Xu Qing didn't turn his head, but he knew who was speaking. He said calmly, "I sent Honglian here to you back then. It's only reasonable for me to take her away now."

"But you, have you decided where you're going?"

"Should we stay in Linzi?"

The newcomer was dressed in a coarse brown cloth robe, with white hair and beard, but his eyes were bright and piercing. It was An Qisheng.

An Qisheng walked over to Xu Qing and Honglian, glancing at Honglian who was still teary-eyed. "Although I don't know what you said to her, it's good that Honglian is willing to go with you."

"After all, I'm an old man, while she's in her prime, and there's no need for her to stay by my side all the time."

“Master…” Honglian looked at An Qisheng and couldn’t help but speak.

Although she had already decided to leave with Xu Qing, hearing her master say this still left her with mixed feelings.

“Parting and reunion are inevitable, so there’s no need to be sad.” An Qisheng guessed Honglian’s thoughts and said with a smile, “Besides, you and I, master and disciple, may still have the opportunity to meet again in the future.”

As he spoke, he looked at Xu Qing and told her his plans for the future: "I don't plan to stay in Linzi anymore; I'm going to go to sea."

"Didn't you ask me to find you a small island back then?"

"I wonder if there's a place for me there?"

Meeting An Qisheng's gaze, Xu Qing smiled and said, "Of course, I'll have your place!"

On this side, Xu Qing met with his old friends and discussed where to go, enjoying themselves immensely.

Meanwhile, in the royal palace of Qi, a tense situation had broken out.

"Uncle, why are you forcing me?"

Tian Jian's face was very ugly. He did not expect that his uncle would come to the palace again and forcefully persuade him to surrender.

"It's not about forcing Your Majesty, but about letting Your Majesty know that for us now, this is the only option left."

Hou Sheng's voice was cold, and his words carried a chill.

Chapter 372 The Death of the King of Qi: Surrender is the Only Way to Survive!

Tian Jian slammed his hand on the table, his face flushed red, his tone filled with stubbornness and indignation: "Choice? I have no choice! Qi is the Qi of the Tian family. Even if I am incompetent, I will never hand over the state to others. I would rather live and die with Linzi and fight to the death than become a ruler of a fallen state!"

He used to be weak and incompetent, always relying on Hou Sheng, but now, when talking about the state of Qi and his own life, he showed an unprecedented determination.

He could not forget the respect he showed when he personally went to Xianyang to pay homage to Ying Zheng, nor could he forget the betrayal of Qin by breaking the alliance. He could not forget the fact that King Fuchu of Chu died in Qin. For him, surrender was not a way out, but another shortcut to death.

Seeing Tian Jian's resolute expression, Hou Sheng's last thought of persuading him completely vanished.

Xu Qing's words, the influence of the illusion, and the fear of death and the obsession with wealth instantly overwhelmed the last vestiges of ethics and morality in his heart, and his murderous intent was completely ignited.

He had originally thought that if Tian Jian was willing to submit, he would spare his life. But now it seemed that Tian Jian had become a stumbling block to his life and wealth. Only by eliminating him could he prevent future troubles.

"Your Majesty, your stubbornness will only lead to your own destruction!" Hou Sheng's voice grew colder, and the ruthlessness in his eyes could no longer be concealed. "Since Your Majesty refuses to listen to advice, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

Before he finished speaking, Hou Sheng had already gripped the ancient longsword at his waist.

As the prime minister of Qi and Tian Jian's maternal uncle, he had the privilege of wearing a sword and shoes in the palace and not having to bow to the king. Therefore, he brought the sword that Xu Qing lent him into the palace without anyone stopping him.

The longsword was drawn, emitting a clear "clang," and a profound sword aura rushed towards him, causing Tian Jian to stiffen.

"Uncle, what... what are you going to do?!" Tian Jian was terrified. He had never seen Hou Sheng like this before. The ruthlessness in his eyes sent chills down his spine.

He instinctively took a step back, wanting to call for the guards, but the words caught in his throat as he was frightened by the murderous intent in Hou Sheng's eyes.

"What are you doing?" Hou Sheng sneered, approaching Tian Jian step by step. "Naturally, I'm here to find a true path to survival for the King and for the State of Qi!"

Forced into a corner with nowhere to retreat, Tian Jian's fear gradually transformed into a burning anger of resistance.

Although he was cowardly, he knew that Hou Sheng was plotting to kill the emperor!

He suddenly grabbed the jade tablet from the table and smashed it at Hou Sheng, roaring, "Hou Sheng! How dare you commit regicide and murder your own family?! I will exterminate your entire clan!"

The jade tablet was too light to harm Hou Sheng at all.

Hou Sheng dodged to the side, his eyes filled with even more murderous intent. If Tian Jian hadn't said those words, he would have let it go, but since he had, he knew he had no way out.

Tian Jian had already decided that he was going to kill the emperor, and even if he stopped at this point, he couldn't change the other party's mind.

In other words, a rift has formed between them that cannot be healed.

It can only be said that the illusionary seed that Xu Qing planted in Hou Sheng's heart has been constantly influencing Hou Sheng's judgment, making his feelings for Qi Wang Tian Jian increasingly weak. For his own sake, he is willing to do anything and has lost his so-called composure.

Otherwise, Hou Sheng would definitely hesitate and dare not make a move.

But now, there is no such hesitation.