Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 352

The combined forbidden technique of the four members of the Yin-Yang School was incredibly powerful, and their excellent teamwork nearly overwhelmed Prince Qi. Fortunately, his internal energy was vast, and he managed to force Shao Siming to betray him, ultimately breaking through the Yin-Yang School's defenses and achieving final victory.

The next morning, upon returning to Xianyang, he encountered Li Muchejia, who had arrived in Xianyang discreetly, at the city gate.

After the three members of the Quicksand Gang and Zhao Tuo handed over their military power, they rode the White Bird to Guanzhong first, while Li Mu, who had settled the Qin army, also quickly crossed the Shu Road on the mechanical Vermilion Bird.

At the checkpoint, he changed to a different carriage.

Because Li Mu had reported all the plans to Lu Wei in advance, Lu Wei was able to calculate the old general's itinerary. There were also disciples of the Farmer's School secretly protecting him along the way, and he knew exactly when Li Mu would arrive in Xianyang.

Therefore, at the gate of Xianyang, the scene unfolded in public: King Qi stepped down from his imperial carriage and invited an old man in gray to accompany him into the city.

The old man's identity immediately piqued the curiosity of countless people. The peasant disciples who had been lying in wait in the crowd pointed out that he was none other than Li Mu, the former Lord Wu'an of Zhao and the commander of the Southern Army of Qi!

Upon hearing this, the people of Xianyang suddenly realized: So that's how it is! Only a renowned general like him could receive such a generous treatment from the King of Qi!

As a native of Qin, Li Mu's name had been known in Xianyang for over twenty years, and many older Xianyang residents still remember the deeds of this Zhao general.

At that time, among the six states of Shandong, apart from Li Mu and Xiang Yan, no one else could make Qin taste defeat.

Even after suffering many defeats, a sense of conviction will still arise when facing an enemy.

Now, after many years, hearing this name again, Li Mu, who has regained command of the army, is undoubtedly the greatest general in the land.

Li Mu possessed profound inner strength. Upon hearing the discussions on the street outside the carriage, a feeling of pride and triumph immediately arose in his heart: even though he had passed the age of being competitive, how could the old general not be excited to hear the people praising his reputation in the capital of his former greatest enemy?

Looking gratefully at the smiling Prince Qi, Li Mu bowed deeply in the carriage. If Lu Wei could see the loyalty value, he would surely see that Li Mu's loyalty bar was not only full but also locked.

Even if he couldn't see it, Lu Wei could guess Li Mu's mood: he intended to elevate Li Mu's reputation to its limit through his own efforts. On the one hand, the old general's high reputation would not pose a threat to him, and on the other hand, he was deliberately making it visible to the Qi army.

A general's superb military skills are indeed a prerequisite for becoming a famous general, but military skills alone are not enough.

Only by gaining the approval of King Qi and being escorted from outside the city into the city by the king can one be considered the undisputed number one general in the land.

Li Mu enjoyed the first honor, but his age wouldn't pose a barrier to the younger generals in the army. Who would receive the second honor, and how could they obtain it? That's what those eager young men needed to think about.

"General Li, there's no need for such formalities."

"The old general not only annihilated Ren Xiao's 200,000-strong army, but also stabilized the complex situation of the Yue people, Shu people, and surrendered Qin troops in the south. He also promptly sent troops to subdue all the counties in the south. His hard work and great achievements made him the number one contributor to the destruction of Qin."

"I merely walked a few extra steps; it is far from enough to demonstrate the general's merit."

"Your Majesty is too kind!" Li Mu dared not claim credit, for the importance of the situation in the south was far less than that in the central region.

Moreover, the reason he was able to appease the Chu, Shu, and Lingnan regions was due to Lu Wei's prior planning. Compared to the merits listed by His Highness Prince Qi, he actually did very little.

"I say you are the greatest contributor, and you are the greatest contributor."

Lu Wei smiled and helped Li Mu up, then firmly announced that the primary contributor would not be changed.

No one is more suitable for the position of the most meritorious minister than Li Mu. As for the greatest merit in the destruction of Qin, even if Lu Wei did not want it, it would naturally be given to him, so there was no need to compete for it.

"In addition, I have arranged a residence for the old general in Chang'an. After you rest for a day today, I will personally take you there tomorrow."

His Highness Prince Qi's enthusiasm was boundless; he wanted to elevate the special treatment he bestowed upon Li Mu to the highest level...

Chapter 456 The Three Elders Enter the Court

"'Even if Chu has only three households left, it will surely be Chu that destroys Qin.' Your predictions have always been accurate, but this most important one failed. How do you explain that?"

Two elderly men with white hair strolled on the desolate mountains of Guanzhong. The two old men had a huge height difference, but it did not prevent them from walking in unison.

Moreover, Xunzi and Chu Nan Gong's seemingly slow pace, from an observer's perspective, actually covered a considerable distance...

Faced with the questioning, Chu Nan Gong chuckled, stroking his long eyebrows that hung down to his beard, showing no embarrassment whatsoever: "Wasn't it Lu boy who ignited the first uprising that led to the downfall of Qin on Chu soil?"

"That's sophistry," Master Xun said, shaking his head and disagreeing with the argument.

"Old man, I said from the beginning that Chu would surely destroy Qin, not that Chu would surely replace Qin. How is that sophistry?"

Nan Gong chuckled as he leaned on his cane. The cane he held was a white jade one, not his usual wooden one. If Lu Wei were here, he would surely recognize it as the one he had 'found' for Chu Nan Gong more than ten years ago.

For more than ten years, Master Nan had never taken it out, but since handing the Yellow Stone Heavenly Book to Lu on the mirage last year, he had been using this jade cane.

Xunzi's intention in doing so couldn't be clearer: to save his life.

Although His Highness Prince Qi has always been humble, polite, and generous, this is not his true nature, and who knows how he might change after gaining power?

His status as Duke Chu Nan is special, and his actions, whether big or small, are always seen as having profound meaning. Suddenly taking out this jade staff and branding himself with the mark of the King of Qi is definitely an act that will please Lu Wei, so why not do it?

"The Chu faction is not the mainstream in the new empire. Only the former Chu princess in the harem and Xiang Yu and Ying Bu in the court are at odds with each other. This is something you don't want to see, right?"

The topic of "the destruction of Qin will inevitably be caused by Chu" was briefly mentioned, but Xunzi subtly alluded to the Chu lineage.

More than ten years ago, Chu Nan Gong hoped that Lu Wei could participate in Changping Jun's plan. At that time, he naturally thought that Lu Wei would become a subordinate of Changping Jun and Xiang Yan to assist Chu in achieving its goals. Later, he also gave guidance to the remnants of the Xiang clan in Sanghai. It can be seen that even this "god-like figure" still has some "patriotism".

He was not a heartless person, and his longing for his homeland was understandable. However, even so, after the peasant uprising, Chu Nan Gong no longer publicly expressed his opinions. Instead, he devoted himself to playing chess and strolling around the market in Linzi City, completely ignoring the Chu faction that Xunzi had advised him. This was not in line with the style of Chu Nan Gong as Xunzi understood him.

"We are both old and dying, why bother testing each other and only adding to our troubles?"

Chu Nan Gong's smile remained unchanged, but his cloudy eyes were dull and lifeless: "Or perhaps, who entrusted you with this request?"

"Those younger generation didn't dare to give me instructions, but since Xiaoshengxianzhuang has decided to serve the court, I'm too old to help them in court. So chatting with old friends in the mountains is just something I did casually."

"This is no longer our era; let the next generation handle their own affairs."

Suddenly, a third old man appeared in front of the two old men along with a cloud of white mist. The pattern on the simple robe he wore was familiar to Xunzi and Chu Nan Gong: a Taoist, Bei Mingzi who should be in seclusion!

In this combination, Xunzi, who is over ninety years old, is the youngest among the three, and he and Xiaomeng belong to the same generation.

However, for people of their caliber, seniority was no longer the primary factor to consider when speaking to each other. Even Xunzi, a Confucian master, did not pay attention to formalities, and Chu Nan Gong and Bei Ming Zi would not be so fixated on etiquette.

"You two have come to invite me, is it for the grand ceremony of King Qi's ascension to the throne at the beginning of next month?"

Without offering any explanation for his eavesdropping, Bei Mingzi went straight to the point.

The three weren't particularly close; in fact, they'd probably only met a handful of times over the decades. But friendships don't only come from being inseparable. Sometimes, a single conversation and mutual understanding can last a very long time...

“Exactly.” Xunzi nodded in agreement: “Among us old men, only Nan Gong is familiar with the Emperor, but our sects are already completely entangled with the Empire. We might as well go together.”

"Is that so..." Bei Mingzi had already made his choice, but before answering, he deliberately lowered his head and asked Chu Nangong, "What will be the fate of the new empire?"

“What does this old man know about fate?” Nan Gong shook his head frankly. “But the people of the world have long yearned for peace of mind.”

“In that case…” Bei Mingzi knew what was going on: “Then the three of us will travel together.”

...

Xunzi, a Confucian scholar; Beimingzi, a Daoist; and Chu Nangong, a sage from Chu—any one of these three was a great talent from the Hundred Schools of Thought who had once required the personal reception of seven states. Now, they came together to Xianyang to congratulate the King of Qi, and this immediately became a popular topic of conversation throughout the land.

In matters of building momentum, it's always a matter of mutual assistance, but these three old men themselves have no needs. Their visit is more about demonstrating that they and their backers are willing to serve King Qi unconditionally.

Lu Wei's prestige rose to another level: even Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng could not summon these people to serve as officials in the court in the past.

Han Xin, who had temporarily relinquished his military power in the north, saw his teacher being helped into the palace by the King of Qi from several feet away. Overjoyed, he also felt a sense of longing: those who could be treated like this by the King of Qi were truly exceptional talents. He, Han Xin, had been invited by Lu Wei in Shouchun many times, but he was not yet qualified to receive the treatment of Li Mu, Nan Gong, and others.

Han Xin believed he was close to achieving his ideal of being ennobled and appointed as a general, but this was still the ultimate goal.

While being granted the title of king seems impossible now, the treatment Li Mu would receive as the Marquis of Wu'an is attainable.

The seed in his heart sprouted and grew, and Han Xin resolutely turned around: Envy is not only not a bad emotion, but on the contrary, taking the object of envy as a goal and striving to surpass it is an excellent quality!

Wei Zhuang, who was given control of the Luo Wang organization, was also among the onlookers. Lu Wei had entrusted him with the power to reorganize the Luo Wang organization without reservation, with only one requirement: to complete the assigned tasks at any cost when the empire needed him.

This identity suits Wei Zhuang's style well. Even if what he wants is not just to stop here, this starting point is still pretty good.

With the support of an empire, he could now boldly attempt things that the Quicksand Sect could not do in the past... An unprecedented feeling filled the heart of this Guigu disciple.

The joy of life gradually changed Wei Zhuang's gaze towards Lu Wei. While joining the empire brought him power, the shackles of that power were also quietly placed upon him.

Meanwhile, in the crowd opposite Wei Zhuang, Gai Nie silently watched his junior brother, observing his transformation...

These talented individuals from all over the world are dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to His Highness Prince Qi, allowing him to rest easy.

Chapter 457 Battle against Beiming

Upon learning of her teacher's visit, Xiaomeng quickly returned to Xianyang from Chang'an.

When she used her lightness skill to arrive at the Xianyang Palace Garden, she found that Bei Mingzi was fighting with Lu Wei, while Chu Nangong and Xunzi, who claimed to be a weak scholar, were watching from the side.

Although the two old men didn't offer much commentary on the battle, they occasionally smiled faintly, stroking their beards or nodding, looking quite content.

Chu Nan Gong and Xunzi were certainly not ignorant of martial arts, but it was true that they were not fond of fighting. However, if an emperor who was about to ascend the throne were to spar with his Taoist master friend, the two of them would not mind watching the battle.

Xiaomeng's appearance did not escape the notice of everyone present, including the two people on the field who were exchanging words.

Holding the Qiu Li Sword, the current Taoist sect leader showed little concern about the fight between his two important relatives, his face remaining indifferent.

Deep down, she felt that this sparring match was unnecessary: ​​although her master, Bei Mingzi, was the true number one Taoist, he was already old, and even if he was stronger than her, his strength in actual combat would be limited.

Lu Wei's strength is unfathomable, and he has been traveling in the martial arts world for a long time. If he can surpass me, he can surpass his master.

If the skill gap is too large, then the original meaning of the term "exchange of skills" is lost.

On the field, Bei Mingzi's weapon was just an ordinary standard longsword from the Qi army, which Lu Wei had casually picked up before the competition began. However, Bei Mingzi's swordsmanship was quite special: Taoist sword control techniques.

Using qi to control the sword and transforming qi into a sword, Bei Mingzi, even in his old age, could defeat powerful enemies from afar thanks to his top-tier internal energy reserves.

Chisongzi knew this swordsmanship, but he never used it in public to conceal his identity.

Xiaomeng also knows some, but she is still young and hasn't spent time specifically refining her skills.

Therefore, this was the first time Lu Wei had ever witnessed this amazing swordsmanship.

Compared to Gai Nie's Hundred Steps Flying Sword, the Sword Control Technique lacks the unstoppable momentum of the Ghost Valley Vertical Sword Technique, but possesses an almost unpredictable and agile quality.

However, the two are completely different sword techniques, so such a comparison is biased.

In terms of internal energy, Lu Wei is in his prime. Even though he has cultivated for nearly twice as long as Bei Mingzi, he is not inferior to his opponent in terms of quantity.

Even disregarding the strength of the Devouring Sea Sword, Lu Wei could have gathered his energy and broken Bei Mingzi's sword, yet he did not do so.

The reason is simple: Bei Mingzi's sword control technique creates air currents with special patterns, which, like flowing water, ripple around Lu Wei.

Following this ripple, the principle of sword control was clearly revealed before him: Bei Mingzi was using the guise of sparring to teach Lu Wei sword control!

Only those directly involved can truly grasp the essence of this sparring match. However, from the perspectives of the three spectators, and even from Xiaomeng's eyes, who is knowledgeable in sword control, the scene unfolds in a completely different way:

Lu Wei only defended and did not attack, while Bei Mingzi used his sword control technique to conjure a sword formation out of thin air.

It seems that Lu Wei is being modest, preparing to take the blow head-on once Bei Mingzi's sword formation is complete.

But the real truth is: combining different perspectives, both internal and external, is what Bei Mingzi is doing.

He was both teaching Prince Qi swordsmanship to do him a favor and setting up a sword formation under the guise of teaching: he wanted both the favor and the victory in the sparring!