allendalepharm Chapter 184 The Ironclad Army
Chapter 184 The Ironclad Army
"What's his motive? How dare he break our secret agreement and turn against us?"
The short sword was sharp and menacing, its chill penetrating to the bone. The candlelight flickered on the blade like a dying flame—if Lü Buwei were to cast a single blow, Hei Bai Xuan Jian would be gone from the martial world.
Xuan Jian's eyelashes didn't even tremble, as if what hung above his head wasn't a deadly weapon, but a falling leaf. He calmly said, "The throne of King Han, plus—the expulsion of Han Fei."
Lü Buwei sheathed his sword and put it in his sleeve, his tone softening slightly: "Why? How is Han Fei now?"
"He was falsely accused of assassinating the Qin envoy—the very guard that Prime Minister Lü secretly sent to Xianyang to protect the emperor. Han Fei was speechless and had no choice but to go to Qin in person to plead his case. King An of Han had always been wary of the Ninth Prince and had long harbored suspicions. At this moment, he sent Han Fei as an envoy to accompany the king on his westward journey to Qin." As soon as Xuan Jian finished speaking, Lü Buwei had already strolled back to his seat and stood with his hands behind his back.
"Xuan Jian, get up."
"Xie Lüxiang".
He stood ramrod straight, his face calm and composed, but his heart was churning with turmoil—the young master had predicted everything perfectly.
Before leaving, Lin Tian asserted: Lü Buwei is suspicious by nature and only believes in the word "profit".
Xuan Jian was shocked, almost thinking that the young master had spent every day with Prime Minister Lü.
What horrified him even more was that Lin Tian had already pinned all the blame for the deaths of Ba Linglong and all the changes on Bai Yifei, and even used the lure of profit to weave a flawless cause-and-effect story.
It even points out that the fact that the black sword accompanied Han Fei into Qin is the strongest and most irrefutable evidence.
At this moment, Xuan Jian's admiration for Lin Tian went far beyond mere superb martial arts; it was awe before someone who was all-powerful and insightful, a shock and submission to something akin to a miracle.
Lü Buwei gazed at Xuan Jian, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Fortunately, I didn't draw my Fish Intestine Sword against you—you truly are a capable general who understands the bigger picture and knows when to advance and retreat. With the Eight Linglongs already defeated, your return to Xianyang alone was a matter of life and death! Such discretion is rare, extremely rare!"
"I am deeply grateful for Prime Minister Lü's kind words, but I dare not take credit for them. I have only done my duty. I would like to ask Prime Minister Lü for guidance on the next steps," Xuan Jian said, bowing his head.
"Whether the King's safe return to Qin was due to the will of Heaven or human effort, it doesn't matter—after all, he's just a young man who hasn't even reached adulthood yet. The real problem right now is Han Fei, who accompanied the King! This man is the most important thing we need to deal with at the moment."
Lü Buwei slowly walked to the main seat in the hall, sat down behind the table, and lightly stroked a scroll of bamboo slips with his fingertips. The candlelight illuminated his calm eyes and brows: "Xuan Jian, do you recognize this sentence—'The danger of a ten-thousand-chariot emperor lies in the excessive power of his ministers; the danger of a thousand-chariot emperor lies in the excessive trust placed in his advisors; this is a common worry for all rulers'? Whose words came from?"
"A striking quote from Han Fei's 'Gufen' chapter. The king has always admired Han Fei's Legalist arguments, and they are well-known throughout the Qin court and among the people."
Lü Buwei's eyes brightened slightly, and he nodded approvingly: "What kind of hero is he with just a sharp sword? True skill lies in reading, thinking, and discerning. Han Fei has won the king's favor and even accompanied him to Qin—do you think the king will entrust him with important responsibilities? Perhaps even keep him in the court to secure his position?"
"Your Majesty's trip was precisely to welcome Han Fei, and his promotion is a foregone conclusion," Xuan Jian said in a low voice. "If Chancellor Lü sees him as a source of trouble... I am willing to draw my sword and risk my life to eliminate this hidden danger for the Chancellor!"
"Fool! You're hopeless!" Lü Buwei slammed his fist on the table, his voice like tearing silk. Xuan Jian immediately knelt on one knee, his throat tightening, and dared not utter another word.
"You—you are the very 'sword-wielding knight-errant' named in Han Fei's 'Five Vermin'! You are a malignant tumor that disrupts the government and disturbs the people, a parasite that neglects farming and war, and the number one scourge that must be eradicated as soon as possible! Yet you dare to dream of drawing your sword to kill the king's confidant? Do you really think that within the walls of Xianyang Palace, no one listens or watches? A scoundrel of the Five Vermin, and a reckless fool who can't tell what's important, you killed the king's trusted confidant. Do you think you haven't died fast enough? And you even implicate me, can you bear the consequences?"
"...Your subordinate is filled with fear! I am afraid of making a mistake and ruining Prime Minister Lü's reputation. I am truly foolish and incompetent!" Xuan Jian kowtowed heavily.
Lü Buwei suddenly changed his tone, a half-smile playing on his lips: "I've heard that this Han Fei and the guest minister Li Tingwei were classmates, both studying under Master Xun?"
"That's certainly true."
"Since Li Tingwei is versed in Confucianism, he must be familiar with the saying, 'Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?' We are from the same school, so there is a natural bond between us. Why don't I give this opportunity to make it a beautiful story of meeting an old friend in a foreign land? Xuan Jian, do you need me to teach you how to say these words in a way that is both dignified and touching?" He traced Han Fei's bamboo slips with his fingertips, the candlelight flickering, making him look like a well-read old scholar.
"Prime Minister Lü, Xuan Jian takes his leave."
"Hmm. Close the door behind you—the east wind has been biting lately, making my hands and feet feel cold."
Hei Bai Xuan Jian turned and left, heading straight for Li Si's residence. He visited Li Si under the guise of being Lü Xiang's bodyguard and relayed the entire story of Han Fei accompanying the king to Qin to Li Si without omitting a single detail.
Li Si saw Xuan Jian off and stood alone in the courtyard. The moonlight was like frost, covering the blue bricks. Tonight was a waning moon, curved like a silver hook, with sparse stars dotting the sky, its chill penetrating to the bone.
"What kind of gift is this 'kindness' from Prime Minister Lü? It's clearly a knife hanging over my neck!" Li Si muttered to himself, his gaze deep and unfathomable. "This isn't a hidden arrow; it's an open conspiracy laid bare—yet I, Li Si, have no choice but to accept it. Xianyang today cannot afford the slightest wavering. A Confucian by birth, yet wielding Legalist methods—how similar he is to me… Junior brother."
"Prime Minister Lü is old, and the future of Qin must not fall into Han Fei's hands. The King will never let him return to Han—as long as he is in Han, I will feel like I have thorns in my back, burning me day and night! Prime Minister Lü has probably seen through this whole game long ago. This is not a discussion; it is clearly a business deal—that merchant Lü Buwei, who is known for his 'rare commodity,' is indeed as cunning as a fox and as shrewd as frost!" He flicked his sleeves, turned, and stepped into the house.
Black and White Xuanjian did not go far, but quietly lay in the shadows at the foot of Li Si's mansion wall. Only when Li Si's figure disappeared into the door did he, like ink dripping into water, silently melt into the depths of the night.
Hangu Pass is said to be the place where Lao Tzu entered Qin on his westward journey to convert the barbarians. For thousands of years, the people of Qin have felt a surge of pride whenever they mention it.
When the Korean delegation arrived at the pass, the gatekeeper of Hangu Pass had already received a secret report from Gai Nie. As soon as the delegation's carriages and horses reached the city gate, the gatekeeper, along with his civil and military officials and the people from the surrounding villages, knelt down by the roadside and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
They were worshipping Qin King Ying Zheng, who had been lost and then regained.
Upon entering the pass, Ying Zheng did not linger for a moment. He merely inspected the defenses of the pass and reviewed the ranks of the garrison before immediately setting off westward. At the same time, swift cavalry had already sped off—one to report the King of Qin's return, and the other to inform Han Fei that he had been sent as an envoy to Qin. The two urgent messages, like arrows released from a bow, shot straight towards the palace in Xianyang.
Hangu Pass was the gateway to the Qin state and the first beacon tower for the eastward advance of the ironclad army, which swept across the world.
Since the year Bai Qi took command of the Qin army, this place has been a permanent garrison for the Qin's most elite armored troops.
Han Fei stood at the edge of the training ground, his gaze sweeping over the rows of Qin soldiers standing tall and straight as if carved by a knife and axe, and over the gleaming, bluish-green standard-issue long spears and powerful crossbows. His heart trembled uncontrollably. He turned to Lin Tian and asked, "With such a fierce and ferocious army, among the six states, who can rival them?"