Chapter 61 The Imperial Fate of Victorious Qin

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away on the battlefield of Tunliu, King Zheng of Qin had dispatched Xin Sheng with five thousand light cavalry to join forces with Wang Jian, Zhang Tang, and the others. Upon stating the purpose of his arrival, Wang Jian was overjoyed and immediately distributed the rewards brought by Xin Sheng to the tripartite army.

Subsequently, he sat together with the various generals inside the military tent to discuss the final decisive matters of the campaign. This time, Fan Yuqi and Lord Chang'an, Chengjiao, had openly rebelled. Whether within the Qin court or across the borders of Qin and beyond, there was no longer any place that could shelter the two of them.

"The position of Tunliu is now isolated!"

"With the arrival of General Xin Sheng today, we have gained yet another major reinforcement. Of the three cities of Tunliu, only the last one remains. Once we capture Fan Yuqi, this matter can be settled!"

Originally dispatched to attack the State of Zhao, no one could have anticipated that two factions of Qin troops would now be mutually engaged in warfare, draining the very strength of Qin. To say that at such a critical juncture, Lord Chang'an Chengjiao had suddenly rebelled without any external instigation was utterly impossible.

Clad in black armor, Wang Jian sat at the head of the table, while Zhang Tang, Huan Yi, Wang Ben, Xin Sheng, and others sat below. Sweeping his commanding gaze across the generals, Wang Jian smiled slightly with deep satisfaction.

Trapped within the city of Tunliu, Fan Yuqi could now do little more than fight like a cornered beast, unable to hold out for long. The only remaining concern was whether he could be captured alive. If he could not be captured, judging by the royal decree brought by Xin Sheng, the fate of these generals would hardly be pleasant either.

"Before Xin Sheng departed, His Majesty sent word commanding: Fan Yuqi must be taken alive, and his head severed with a sword, so as to slake his wrath. Yet there are still many soldiers within the city of Tunliu; if we launch a direct assault, I fear Fan Yuqi will not be drawn out!"

As a newly appointed palace swordsman of Qin and serving alongside Li Xin as Left and Right Zhonglangjiang, he considered himself quite fortunate this time. By the command of His Majesty, he had been placed in command of the light cavalry to participate in the military campaign, which he regarded as a formal recognition of his abilities.

This being his first official assignment, he was determined to execute it brilliantly and in a manner that would satisfy His Majesty. With Lord Yinghu having passed away and Lord Gangcheng gradually distancing himself from the center of power, the only person left who could aid him was His Majesty.

"Ha, ha! General Xin need not worry; I have already devised a plan!"

Hearing these words, Wang Jian gave a hearty laugh. His robust physique rose from his seat, the crisp clatter of his surrounding armor echoing clearly. He then slowly stepped down into the hall, dismissing the attendants on either side and leaving only the generals of the army. Speaking in a hushed and gentle tone, he slowly laid out the strategy he had conceived in his heart.

Meanwhile, not far away within the besieged city of Tunliu, upon receiving the news that Changzi and Huguan had fallen, Lord Chang'an Chengjiao was struck with profound shock and terror. Knowing his royal brother's temperament well, he realized that should he fail, his fate would be utterly wretched. He hurriedly dispatched men to summon Fan Yuqi.

"My Lord need not be anxious. Though Tunliu is now reduced to a single city, it still possesses tens of thousands of troops. A final clash with Wang Jian and the others is inevitable. Should we fight and fail, we can still make a clean withdrawal, heading north toward the lands of Yan and Zhao, uniting the various states, pressing our forces against Hangu Pass, and slaying the false king to restore peace to the altars of state."

Dressed in full military attire, Fan Yuqi bowed deeply. Matters had reached a point where there was no longer any retreat. Observing the worry etched upon the face of Lord Chang'an at the head of the hall, he sighed inwardly, speaking in steady and composed tones to address the concerns weighing on Lord Chang'an's mind.

With Wang Jian's large army now surrounding the city, achieving victory over them seemed unlikely, but capturing him and the Lord would prove no easy task either. As the last surviving bloodline of Ying Qin, he was resolved to risk everything to protect him.

"As the General says, we must exercise the utmost care and caution!"

Unversed in military affairs, Lord Chang'an Chengjiao could only entrust all matters entirely to Fan Yuqi. Reflecting upon his previous actions, he could scarcely believe he had been persuaded by Fan Yuqi to rebel; and that Crown Prince Jia of Zhao—viewed in hindsight— harbored unfathomable motives.

Otherwise, had Wang Jian and Fan Yuqi joined forces as originally intended, they could have successfully advanced into the lands of Zhao and expanded their borders. However, dwelling on those matters was now useless; his only hope lay in Fan Yuqi's ability to stabilize the situation.

"Reporting to Your Lordship, there is a man outside the residence claiming to be a former retainer of Your Lordship, seeking an audience!"

Fan Yuqi quickly departed to return to the military camp, deploying troops, issuing commands, and assessing the military situation. Yet within the residence of Lord Chang'an in the city, a man dressed in coarse plain robes and attired like a scholar stood quietly in the main hall. Upon receiving the report, Lord Chang'an Chengjiao emerged with a pleased expression.

"You are... Yang Duanhe! Why are you here?"

In the main hall, Lord Chang'an Chengjiao looked at his former retainer. Finding him faintly familiar, and pondering for a moment, he slowly uttered his name. The man bowed in response, yet Chengjiao's brows immediately twitched. Although this man had once been his retainer, he had long since entered the service of the Qin court and was no longer under his jurisdiction.

Yet his appearance here today suggested this might be a stratagem devised by Wang Jian and the others, who sought to use this man's past friendship to persuade him to surrender without a fight. That... was utterly impossible. At this thought, his expression involuntarily grew somewhat cold.

"Duanhe pays his respects to Your Lordship. That Your Lordship has been brought to this pass is the sole doing of Fan Yuqi. Xianyang has long whispered that Fan Yuqi had long harbored the ambitions of a traitorous chancellor; it is only unexpected that he would actually perpetrate such a deed."

"Now that General Wang Jian's grand army has surrounded the city, the fall of Tunliu is a matter of days. What does Your Lordship intend to do?"

Regarding Lord Chang'an Chengjiao's attitude, Yang Duanhe, who had come under the orders of Wang Jian, remained unperturbed. Moreover, his very presence within the Lord's residence indicated that the Lord wished to understand his intentions.

Without hesitation, he proceeded straight to the core of the matter. His words were tactful yet sharp, shifting the primary responsibility for the disaster onto Fan Yuqi. After all, the young Lord was still inexperienced and easily swayed by external temptations.

"Hmph! Fan Yuqi claimed, 'The current king is not the progeny of the former king,' and thus led me to this point. This was never my original intent! Although Wang Jian's army has besieged Tunliu, if I head north to the lands of Yan and Zhao, what can you and your likes do to me?"

"When the time comes, I shall rally the various states to attack Qin, slay the false king, and take his place! Ying Qin shall remain a great power!"

Lord Chang'an Chengjiao let out a cold snort. Whether the deed had been done by Fan Yuqi or by himself, the guilt rested squarely upon both of them. Although Yang Duanhe's words carried an inner edge, Wang Jian could not ultimately block their path of retreat.

To ask him to surrender directly to his royal brother was completely out of the question. If he did so, his lineage would never lift its head for generations to come—a prospect he refused to accept.

"Not so. The might of Qin is well known to Your Lordship; even with the six states allied as one, they cannot achieve victory. Tunliu has now become an isolated city, and Your Lordship's military defeat is imminent. Though Fan Yuqi possesses fierce valor, he lacks long-term strategy, thereby plunging Your Lordship into this desperate plight."

"Furthermore, the previous proclamation has already spread throughout the lands of Qin, yet not a single person has responded. Even in Xianyang, there has been no movement whatsoever. The falsehood of Fan Yuqi's words is thus plainly evident. As for Your Lordship's plan to flee north to Yan and Zhao and subsequently organize a vertical alliance to attack Qin, that is a grievous miscalculation!"

Yang Duanhe gently shook his head. Though Lord Chang'an Chengjiao's vision seemed grand, it possessed no possibility of success. That Fan Yuqi was truly odious, having seduced the Lord into rebellion and provoked internal strife among the Qin forces; he deserved to die a thousand deaths.

Whether His Majesty was truly of the Ying clan's bloodline was no longer of any consequence. What mattered was that His Majesty now enjoyed the steadfast support of the Ying clan relatives and the entire Qin court, bolstered further by the assistance of the Chancellor and the maternal relatives from Chu. Lord Chang'an's current course of action was nothing less than digging his own grave.