Chapter 63 Life and Death Xuanjian

"Great King, an urgent dispatch has arrived from General Wang Jian!"

In the morning, the war in Tunliu, situated a thousand li away, came to an end. An army of more than one hundred thousand, together with the surrendered Qin forces, converged into a single force. Despite this, the blockade of the three cities of Tunliu remained as strict as ever.

Spurring his horse to its utmost speed, the military messenger carrying the bamboo slip personally written by Wang Jian galloped a thousand li. Passing through Hangu Pass and entering the Qin palace as evening fell with red clouds filling the sky, he presented the dispatch, kneeling outside Xingle Palace to await a response.

Upon the order, Zhao Gao, the Central Eunuch, hurriedly placed the item brought by the military messenger onto a wooden tray, cautiously presenting it to King Ying Zheng of Qin inside the hall. Although dusk was falling, the handling of state affairs continued unabated; the lamps inside had long been lit, casting a brilliant glow.

"Read it!"

Hearing Zhao Gao's words, King Ying Zheng, seated in the place of honor, paused slightly in his writing, then placed his brush on the rack. With calm eyes, he looked down at Zhao Gao and commanded in a resonant voice.

"Understood!"

"Your humble servant Wang Jian has not failed the King's mandate. Today the rebellion is suppressed, and the three cities of Tunliu have been taken. However, the rebel Fan Yuqi took advantage of the chaos to escape, fleeing north to Yan and Zhao. Lord Chang'an, Chengjiao, also fled in fear of his crime. Such an outcome is truly the incompetence of this humble servant; I beg my King to punish me!"

The voice was crisp, clear, and precise, carrying a faint trace of internal energy that allowed it to easily echo in the ears of the King above. Kneeling and holding the bamboo slip, Zhao Gao maintained a calm expression. When he finished reading, he put the bamboo slip away, placing it in a corner by his side—the pile of state decrees already handled by the King.

The King sat quietly above, remaining silent for a moment. The entire Xingle Palace was completely still, save for the faint crackling sound of the burning lamps.

"Reporting to the King, the Queen Dowager has departed from Ganquan Palace and is heading toward Xingle Palace!"

Suddenly, at some unknown moment, a palace servant entered the hall, kneeling at the rear. Though slightly shrill, his voice was loud and clear, carrying the news to the Great King at the front of the hall, more than ten meters away.

"Hmph, where was she when Chengjiao rebelled? Zhao Gao, send someone to summon the Chancellor here!"

Instantly, King Ying Zheng, who had been sitting quietly, flashed a look of fury across his handsome face. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and an invisible, oppressive dominance swept through the room, causing Zhao Gao below to shudder involuntarily.

Even though Zhao Gao was himself a martial artist of the Hunyuan Xiantian realm and had served closely by the King's side for many years, not only did he not feel any growing familiarity, but instead an inexplicable sense of alienation and dread suddenly arose within him.

"Understood!"

Daring not to hesitate, he immediately bowed and retreated, swiftly executing the King's will to avoid any delay. As for the arrival of the Queen Dowager, it was undoubtedly to plead for Lord Chang'an; as for the Chancellor... presumably the King had other plans in mind.

******

"Your humble servant Lü Buwei pays respects to the Great King!"

Dressed in a dark robe trimmed with red, wearing a towering official cap, secured with a black jade belt, and stepping in cloud-stepping boots, Lü Buwei, though already fifty years old, showed no signs of aging in his stride. His deep voice echoed as he bent his body and knelt.

The corner of his eye swept toward the Queen Dowager, who had already arrived inside Xingle Palace. Though arrayed in full ceremonial attire, her brows and eyes were stained with tear tracks, and even now, her body trembled with continuous sobs.

"The Chancellor need not stand on ceremony!"

"Zhao Gao, pass Wang Jian's dispatch to the Chancellor!"

Seeing Lü Buwei arrive, King Ying Zheng standing above waved a hand through the empty air, then looked toward Zhao Gao not far away, issuing a command with a trace of chilling frost in his voice.

Bowing in salute, Zhao Gao hurriedly retrieved the dispatch he had placed aside earlier. Holding it respectfully in both hands, he walked slowly toward the Chancellor and held it up gently. Lü Buwei said nothing more, taking the dispatch with one hand from Zhao Gao's grasp. With a single glance, the characters inscribed on the bamboo slip sank deep into his eyes.

"Zheng'er, spare your younger brother this once! His mother, Lady Ziyu, was on close terms with me, sharing a bond like sisters. Back then within the Qin palace, both I and my son received immense help from Lady Ziyu."

"Now among the offspring of the late King, only you and Chengjiao remain. If you kill Chengjiao, how will your mother be able to face the late King in the future? Besides, Chengjiao's disposition is not bad; he was led astray by that Fan Yuqi!"

Though Chengjiao was not born of her own flesh, ever since Lady Ziyu passed away, Chengjiao had grown up by her side, acting as a true brother to Zheng'er. Now that Chengjiao had rebelled and suffered defeat at Tunliu, if he were to be killed by Zheng'er, how could she ever face Lady Ziyu or the late King?

"Chancellor, you are Zheng'er's uncle; he will surely listen to your words. Such an act of killing a younger brother must never be done!"

The Queen Dowager at the front of the hall was still softly sobbing. Seeing Lü Buwei arrive, a glimmer of hope flashed across her eyes. As soon as he finished reading Wang Jian's dispatch, she implored the Chancellor beside her.

Though Lady Zhao was now over thirty years of age, arrayed in full regalia, she remained dignified and luxurious. Her tear-stained face still faintly revealed the peerless beauty of her youth. Hearing her plea, Lü Buwei's heart skipped a beat.

"If such rebels are not executed, all of our kin will plot rebellion!"

"Chancellor, what say you?"

Quietly standing above, King Ying Zheng looked on coldly, gazing down without being moved by Lady Zhao's entreaties. Hearing Lady Zhao beg Lü Buwei, a ferocious look flashed across his face. The nine jade pendants on his crown jingled as his voice grew increasingly gloomy and domineering.

"Your Majesty, whether Lord Chang'an Chengjiao was led astray by Fan Yuqi or not, a grave mistake has already been cast. According to the laws of Qin, he ought to be executed. As for Fan Yuqi, he should all the more be hunted across the states with a heavy bounty; anyone who dares harbor him shall be considered an enemy of our State of Qin."

"The three cities of Tunliu have been taken, but since they aided Lord Chang'an's rebellion, the people within the cities should be buried alive to serve as a warning to others!"

Lü Buwei sighed inwardly. Had it not been for the Queen Dowager's words, he might have been able to intercede for Lord Chang'an, but now that those words had been spoken, there was no room left for reversal. Besides, eliminating Lord Chang'an had been part of his own scheme all along.

It would curtail the power of the Ying clan and prevent them from ruining his plans. After all, the Marquis of Cheli from a century ago was hailed as the mastermind of Qin, and Lord Chang'an Chengjiao had always been clever; if allowed to gain further experience, he would gain yet another rival.

Pondering for a few breaths, Lü Buwei bowed in salute and articulated his counsel clearly.

"The Chancellor is truly the pillar of the state!"

"Leave this matter to the Chancellor to handle. I trust the Chancellor will act in a manner that satisfies Us."

Ying Zheng was well-satisfied with Lü Buwei's attitude. With a stride, he walked into the depths of the hall and, without further ado, walked straight out of Xingle Palace, closely followed by Zhao Gao and a retinue of palace servants and maids.

"Take good care of yourself, Your Majesty!"

Lü Buwei, who had lingered in the hall for a long time, likewise did not stay long. He bowed to Lady Zhao, who was still weeping beside him, turned around, and departed. A woman was, after all, just a woman, utterly incapable of comprehending matters of such magnitude.

Half an hour later, an imperial decree issued forth from the Qin palace and was handed to the military messenger who had come from Tunliu. Soon after, the messenger returned by the same route.

An hour later, a man clad in coarse hempen garments and wielding a black-and-white long sword transformed into a streak of light, departing from the Marquis Wenxin's estate and vanishing into the night.