Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

He never imagined he would see Honglian, Zinu, Nongyu, and others here.

Zi Nu Nong Yu and others had already left Korea before the country was destroyed, and for Zhang Liang, they were long-lost friends.

Although Honglian left after the fall of the State of Han, Zhang Liang knew that she had gone to the State of Qi. However, during his time in Qi, he did not see Honglian and did not know how she was doing. After Qi was destroyed, Honglian's whereabouts became even more unknown.

Zhang Liang was overjoyed to see his old friend again.

What pleased him even more, or rather, what he found unbelievable, was that he and Xunzi met... Han Fei.

The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits!

Logically speaking, the concept of ghosts and gods is considered superstitious and misleading, and Confucian scholars do not believe in it.

However, at this moment, Zhang Liang and Xunzi had no choice but to believe these things.

Zhang Liang met his close friend, whom he considered like an elder brother, while Xunzi met his beloved disciple.

It can be said that everyone has a bright future.

Xu Qing's future is naturally even brighter.

It is precisely because his future is bright that he does so many things, acting as a dream-fulfilling master.

"Thinking about it carefully, it seems pretty good if the story ends at this point."

Xu Qing thought to himself.

Although many things are still in the development stage and have not yet reached the stage of harvest, everything seems to be developing in a positive direction.

Although Ying Zheng did not achieve immortality, he gained a longer lifespan.

Those treacherous individuals lurking within Qin have also been largely eliminated.

Donghuang Taiyi died, and Zhao Gao also died.

Although Hu Hai is still alive, without Zhao Gao's support, he is a useless person and there is nothing to worry about.

Looking at the world, although some remnants of the six former states still exist.

But those remnants couldn't cause the slightest ripple.

In addition, the various schools of thought in the Hundred Schools of Thought attached themselves to the State of Qin and expressed their loyalty to it.

Now, all that's needed is for many things to be completed so that the Qin state can continue its outward expansion.

Before Xu Qing could finish expressing his feelings, time quietly slipped by, and several years passed in the blink of an eye.

In recent years, the giant sea-crossing ship jointly developed by the Mohists and the Gongshu School has been successfully completed. After many sea trials, its performance has been stable and it can carry thousands of troops and horses, as well as sail on the ocean.

When the time was ripe, Ying Zheng issued an edict, and the Qin army split into multiple routes to begin expanding in all directions. On one hand, it sent fleets out to sea to explore, and on the other hand, it marched westward to conquer the Western Regions and southward to conquer the Baiyue.

The Western Regions were a vast land, dotted with numerous tribes. With its powerful fighting force and advanced machinery, the Qin army swept through the land, gradually incorporating the Western Regions into the Qin territory.

The southward campaign against the Baiyue tribes was far more successful than in history.

The Baiyue region is covered with dense jungles and rife with poisonous creatures, making it a historically challenging area for conquest.

However, the Qin state's medical reforms are now showing initial results. The army doctors carry newly compiled medical books and are equipped with antidotes, which can effectively resist the invasion of poisons. The mechanical beasts created by the Mohists and Gongshu School can open up mountains and clear jungles and thorns, carrying soldiers through dangerous places. The disciples of the Farmer School are familiar with the terrain of the mountains and fields and are also immune to all poisons. They guide the army to avoid dangerous shoals and miasma, leading the army on the way.

With the support of many forces, the Qin army encountered almost no major obstacles and completely conquered Baiyue in just a few months, incorporating this land into the territory of the Qin Dynasty and establishing prefectures to govern it.

During the conquest of Baiyue, Xu Qingjing, feeling restless, naturally went there to see if he could offer any assistance within his power.

Help was, of course, provided.

However, it did not originate directly from him, but from someone else.

Tianze, Yanlingji!

This group of Baiyue assassins, who had disappeared for many years, unexpectedly reappeared in the Baiyue region.

Or rather, they were originally Baiyue people.

It was only because the state of Han and the state of Chu fought a war against the Baiyue that it was forced to come to Han.

However, due to Xu Qing's interference, Tianze and the Baiyue assassin group did not cause much trouble in South Korea, which actually reduced their casualties to a greater extent.

After leaving Korea, they apparently went to the State of Chu, but still did not cause any trouble.

It wasn't until he saw them again here that Xu Qing realized they had returned to Baiyue.

However, even after returning to Baiyue, Tianze did not achieve much.

Ultimately, he was just a deposed crown prince with only two loyal subordinates under his command.

Otherwise, the original work would not have placed its hopes for revenge on something as ethereal as the Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon.

After finding Tianze and Yanlingji, Xu Qing had a very friendly conversation with them. In the end, out of consideration for the "friendship" of the past, Tianze and his assassin group successfully sided with the Qin Kingdom, which led to the Qin Kingdom's easy annihilation of Baiyue.

The main culprits were the collaborators, who played a crucial role in this.

After conquering the Baiyue, the Qin state gained a completely new path for external expansion.

Of course, the conquest of the Western Regions also yielded considerable gains.

The name of a familiar ancient country reached Xu Qing's ears.

Loulan!

Upon hearing this name, Xu Qing felt a surge of emotion. As someone from a later era, he was no stranger to Loulan.

Countless ancient poems and lyrics from later generations bear the imprint of this ancient kingdom in the Western Regions. Wang Changling wrote the heroic words, "Having fought a hundred battles in the yellow sands, I will not return until Loulan is destroyed." Li Bai also expressed his ambition, "I am willing to use the sword at my waist to directly slay Loulan." Du Fu also wrote the lament, "When will the vassal state return? Loulan has not yet been slain." Every word and sentence is engraved with the mark of this ancient kingdom in the long river of history.

Xu Qing softly recited two lines of poetry, as a way of remembering her past life.

However, his familiarity with Loulan was not solely due to these poems.

His familiarity stems from the original theatrical version he knows, "Qin's Moon: The Dragon Soars Across the Land," which is set in the mysterious ancient kingdom of Loulan. The exotic scenery of Loulan and the secrets of the hidden dragon soul in the theatrical version have left a deep impression on him.

Xu Qing had long wanted to go and search for the ancient Loulan Kingdom, hoping to find the "Chiyou Sword" and something like the Dragon Soul, but he eventually gave up.

Unexpectedly, I have now heard the name of this familiar ancient country because of the Qin state's conquest of the Western Regions.

News of Qin's victories in the Western Regions continued to arrive, and news about Loulan also increased day by day.

This ancient kingdom was located deep in the Western Regions, and it had little interaction with other countries in the Western Regions, making it extremely mysterious.

The struggles among the various factions in the Western Regions were extremely brutal, a case of the strong preying on the weak.

Over the years, many countries have tried to take over Loulan, since an oasis in the Western Regions is a source of life.

However, none of the countries that attempted to take over Loulan ultimately succeeded.

They either perished in the desert due to sandstorms along the way, or encountered other unexpected events after reaching the outskirts of Loulan.

The strange occurrences instilled a sense of awe and reverence for Loulan in many people in the Western Regions.

After the Qin state gathered this intelligence, it had a completely new assessment of Loulan.

"This country is mysterious, seemingly possessing ancient traditions and treasures..."

As Xu Qing perused these records related to Loulan, he could only say that this Loulan was both similar to and different from the one depicted in the theatrical version.

However, unlike before, he did not ignore Loulan. Since he had come across it, he decided to go and see what fate awaited this ancient country, which was mentioned in ancient poems and appeared in theatrical versions, in this world that he had changed.

After all, compared to the humid and dangerous lands of Baiyue, the desert scenery and hidden past of Loulan piqued his interest in exploring it.

Moreover, the Qin army's conquest of Loulan might lead them to encounter some of the things that appeared in the movie, which would also fulfill a past memory.

……

News of the Qin army's conquest of the Western Regions swept through the ancient kingdom of Loulan like a sandstorm, plunging the entire nation into panic and shattering its former tranquility.

The Loulan nobles gathered in the council hall, looking flustered and arguing endlessly, but no one could come up with a solution.

In the past, they had only defended against invasions from small kingdoms in the Western Regions. Those kingdoms had weak military forces and could be easily repelled by Loulan's terrain and the "protection" of the goddess.

But the Qin state was different. This vast empire, which unified the six states of the Central Plains and swept across the world, had a powerful military force that was far superior to the small states of the Western Regions.

Some advocated surrendering to preserve the people of Loulan and the legacy of the ancient kingdom; others insisted on resistance, but they were only putting on a brave face, their hearts already devoid of confidence.

After much discussion, no consensus was reached, and everyone turned their attention to the ruler of Loulan—the High Priest.

Loulan has no queen and has always been ruled by theocracy. The high priest is the core person in charge of all affairs in the country and is also the representative of the goddess Jiutian Xuannü on earth.

The high priestess was a graceful and elegant woman from another tribe, dressed in a magnificent ceremonial robe embroidered with totems and wearing a jeweled crown. She exuded a faint aura of holiness. Normally composed and dignified, she could not hide a hint of solemnity between her brows at this moment.

After calming the nobles and ministers in the council hall, the high priest went alone to the Goddess Temple in Loulan City.

The Goddess Temple is located in the center of the oasis. Inside the temple stands a tall statue of the Goddess of the Nine Heavens, which is lifelike, with a majestic face and an aura of holiness.

The high priest walked slowly to the statue, straightened his robes, knelt respectfully, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and prayed softly.

Her voice, solemn and devout, echoed in the empty temple of the goddess: "Goddess above, the mighty Qin have invaded, their army besieging our city, and Loulan is in imminent danger. In the past, thanks to the goddess's protection, Loulan has been able to repel many invaders and preserve our homeland. Today, we earnestly beseech the goddess to manifest her power, grant Loulan strength to repel the Qin army, protect our people, and ensure the long-lasting existence of our ancient kingdom."

The prayers continued, and the high priest pressed his forehead to the ground, his expression one of utmost piety.

She firmly believed that Loulan had always been able to escape danger thanks to the power of the goddess, and this time, the goddess would surely protect Loulan and defeat the invincible Qin army.

Outside the temple, the wind and sand began to rise, as if in response to the high priest's prayers.

……

When the Qin army conquered the Western Regions, it did not send too many troops.

After all, the Western Regions were not actually that powerful.

Most of them were small Western Rong states, and normally Ying Zheng wouldn't even look down on these states.

However, Xu Qing's description of the alien continent piqued his interest. As long as he could pass through these small countries, he could reach another world. In this case, rather than leaving these small countries behind, it would be better to annihilate them all and occupy this whole place.

After all, no one would complain about having a large territory.

Although governing a vast territory is not easy.

However, over the years, with the continuous improvement of Qin's productivity and the creation of various new mechanical beasts, Qin has the ability to control this vast territory.

In recent years, in particular, the Qin state began to build a new type of transportation called "train".

By simply repairing the specific tracks, one can easily traverse hundreds of miles in a single day without breaking a sweat.

Although it is currently only being piloted in specific locations.

But if it continues, it will eventually spread to the whole world.

Naturally, this is also related to Xu Qing.

Over the past few years, Xu Qing has watched as the Mohists and the Gongshu School continuously develop new mechanical devices, and naturally, he has offered many useful suggestions.