As soon as they left the main hall, the young Minister of State felt things were going badly. The Eldest Prince was walking so fast ahead that he even needed to jog to keep up. At this point, he didn’t care about losing face anymore and directly grabbed Fu Su’s robe sleeve, explaining with difficulty: “It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, it’s… it’s really… I just couldn’t bring myself to speak.”

Fu Su didn’t say anything, pulling back his robe corner, but his footsteps slowed considerably.

The green-robed youth followed Fu Su back to the side hall with a troubled mind, his brain deducing various possible consequences. The more he thought, the worse his expression became. Although he had previously considered leaving Fu Su to serve another enlightened lord, after these years together, he had to admit that this Eldest Prince before him was actually his best choice. This was also why he was willing to exhaust all efforts—he truly wanted to assist Fu Su in ascending to that throne.

His brows furrowed tighter and tighter when he suddenly felt a point of warmth press on his brow. The green-robed youth looked up in surprise to find Fu Su extending his finger to smooth the wrinkles between his brows, his face full of complex, indiscernible expressions.

“Shouldn’t I be the one who’s angry?” Fu Su looked at his young tutor’s rarely furrowed face, restraining the flash of amusement in his eyes, and said solemnly: “Bi Zhi, I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me.”

Hearing these words of thanks, the green-robed youth’s expression didn’t relax but became even more grave. Was this a closing statement? Was he about to be told to pack up and leave? Or perhaps, afraid he might go to another brother, would he be directly sent somewhere else, forbidden from accessing confidential matters?

After all, no one could tolerate subordinates acting on their own authority, and moreover… moreover, it was said that when Daliang was flooded, many civilians in the city also suffered casualties. These sins would more or less be counted on his head…

“However…”

See, there was indeed a turning point. The green-robed youth’s expression had already fallen into dejection, his bright eyes dimmed considerably. He almost wanted to cover his ears and not listen.

A pair of large hands pressed on his shoulders, forcing him not to escape. He only heard Fu Su say in a grave voice, word by word: “Bi Zhi, you are not permitted to hide anything from me again when doing things. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I’m afraid you’ll do things that would rather damage yourself to achieve success for me.”

Hearing these words, the green-robed youth was stunned. These weren’t words he could have predicted. He raised his head, meeting Fu Su’s eyes, seeing the other’s serious attitude, and couldn’t help but ask in confusion: “This… seems unrelated to this matter?”

“Fine, you want to discuss this matter, then let’s discuss this matter.” Fu Su was almost driven to laughter by his young tutor. Releasing the latter, he said: “Why didn’t you tell me? Did you think I would rebuke you for treating human lives as grass?”

The green-robed youth bit his lower lip and didn’t speak, but in his heart, he actually thought exactly this.

He had never been on a battlefield, never truly faced the cruelty of life and death in an instant. After thinking up the strategy of flooding Daliang, it was only through youthful spirit that he handed the silk pouch to Wang Li without thinking carefully.

When the battle reports from the front arrived, he couldn’t sleep well night after night, feeling his shoulders and chest pressed down by blood and human lives, making him almost unable to breathe.

“In the thirteenth year of King Zhao, Bai Qi was promoted to Zuo Geng and sent troops to Yique, attacking Han and Wei, beheading two hundred forty thousand.”

“In the twenty-ninth year of King Zhao, attacking Chu at Yan, breaking the dikes to flood the city, hundreds of thousands died.”

“In the thirty-fourth year of King Zhao, Bai Qi attacked Wei, captured Huayang, drove out Mang Mao, captured the generals of the Three Jin, and beheaded three hundred thousand. In battle with Zhao general Jia Yan, he drowned twenty thousand of his soldiers in the river.”

“In the forty-third year of King Zhao, Bai Qi attacked Han, broke Xing City, captured five cities, and beheaded fifty thousand.”

“In the forty-seventh year of King Zhao, in the Battle of Changping, four hundred thousand Zhao soldiers surrendered to Lord Wu’an… he used deception and buried them all alive… before and after, beheading and capturing four hundred fifty thousand…”

The green-robed youth blinked, not understanding why Fu Su suddenly brought up Lord Wu’an Bai Qi at this moment. But hearing Fu Su spit out cold numbers sentence by sentence, the green-robed youth also felt chilled. Bai Qi was Qin’s war god, but to the other six states, he was an existence like the god of death. Moreover, these numbers Fu Su mentioned were all incomplete statistics. The entire Warring States period spanned over two hundred years, with a total of over two million war deaths, and nearly half of them had to be attributed to Lord Wu’an Bai Qi.

Truly achievements built on piles of white bones.

Throughout dynasties, those who could secure the state and defeat enemies were all titled “Wu’an.” In the past fifty years, military generals who received this title of Lord Wu’an included first Bai Qi, then Li Mu, and later Xiang Yan—all famous generals, but Bai Qi’s reputation was still the greatest.

“No one can judge Lord Wu’an’s merits and faults. In the Battle of Changping, the Zhao army was without grain for forty-six days, and soldiers killed each other for food. They surrendered to Qin to save their lives temporarily. Lord Wu’an burying them alive was also unavoidable.” Fu Su’s tone was heavy, yet he spoke with unusual seriousness.

The green-robed youth also knew this history. He and Fu Su had even discussed this matter before, but their viewpoints today were completely opposite. The original disapproval had gradually reversed due to various subsequent investigations. One important reason was the Zhengguo Canal flowing gurglingly not far outside.

If Bai Qi hadn’t buried these four hundred thousand people alive, he couldn’t have supported so many surrendered soldiers. After all, over thirty years ago, Qin didn’t have the Zhengguo Canal yet, and grain supplies barely fed their own army. So if these four hundred thousand couldn’t be fed, could they be sent back to Zhao? After they ate their fill and rallied, would they kill their way back? Then this war would just be child’s play, so they could only be killed.

“From then on, the Zhao people deeply hated the Qin people.”

The green-robed youth also knew this matter. King Zheng happened to be born in Handan, the capital of Zhao, the year after the Battle of Changping, so his childhood was extremely miserable. His youthful experiences caused King Zheng to personally handle his former enemies when Handan was broken through. The hatred between the two states contained therein was evident.

Fu Su walked to the half-open latticed window, gazing at the green mountains and clear waters not far away. After a long silence, he slowly said: “In the eyes of Zhao people, Qin people are cruel. But Qin people feel that compared to their own sons and brothers being injured, enemy soldiers’ casualties are better.”

“I am a Qin person.”

As he spoke, he turned his head. Actually, his appearance was sixty percent similar to King Zheng, with the other forty percent tempered by his mother consort’s gentleness. Combined with his entire refined scholarly bearing, people couldn’t feel any imposing aura from him. However, when he set his face and restrained his smile, he gave people an indescribable sharp and dignified feeling.

“My benevolence is only for my subjects. If you want my benevolence, then become my subject.”

Fu Su’s voice like a morning bell echoed in his ears. The green-robed youth was shaken, dizzy and disoriented for a moment.

He followed his instinct, walked forward several steps, and knelt down directly, prostrating at the other’s feet. He picked up the hem of the other’s robe and placed it to his lips to kiss, offering his loyalty.

“As you wish, my Majesty.”

Fu Su smiled as he helped up the young tutor kneeling at his feet. The topic seemed to have gone somewhat off track, but he should have counseled his young tutor well. Tonight he wouldn’t have trouble sleeping again, would he?

This young Minister of State was a clever person, but sometimes clever people were prone to overthinking.

Fu Su personally reached out to pat the dust contaminating the other’s body, smiling and sighing: “I’m angry because I’m afraid you’ll act on your own authority and harm yourself. Even doing things beneficial to me is not acceptable.”

The green-robed youth complied on the surface but didn’t quite agree in his heart. Using chess as a metaphor, sacrificing scattered pieces to achieve key pieces was very normal. Using go as a metaphor, sacrificing some stones for a large territory was also worthwhile.

Fu Su knew these deeply rooted concepts couldn’t be changed with just a sentence or two. He could only sigh inwardly, remembering to pay more attention in the future. His mouth had already changed the subject: “Old General Wang will certainly come out to attack Chu. Are you worried about Wang Li?”

“Not worried.” The green-robed youth answered without thinking.

Fu Su narrowed his eyes somewhat jealously, envying that fellow surnamed Wang for being able to receive his young tutor’s unreserved trust. Moreover, he had no way of knowing when this deep friendship had begun to be cultivated. Even knowing the other befriended Wang Li nine out of ten times for Fu Su’s sake, he still felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

The green-robed youth didn’t notice his Eldest Prince’s emotions, still inwardly grumbling. He had given Wang Li the Ever-Victorious Halberd that conquered in every battle—Chu would certainly be defeated. Moreover, there was the protective silk pouch, ensuring his life would be safe.

Having armed him so thoroughly, what was there to worry about?

224 BCE

Wang Jian rubbed his aching old waist in the carriage. He really couldn’t deny his age anymore. In the past, he could have killed his way in and out of enemy armies three times with no problem. Now he just sat in the military tent presiding over the overall situation, at most riding a warhorse to maintain formation. After a long time, he could barely bear it.

It seemed after attacking Chu, he must retire and return home. Actually, if Li Xin had sufficient ability, he wouldn’t have wanted to come out to attack Chu. Wouldn’t playing with his grandchildren at home be delightful?

Wang Ben was pacifying the Wei people in Wei territory. Once Wei was stable, he would lead troops north to attack Yan. The Wei campaign proved he could also take charge independently.

However, with two generations of one family both holding military power, their influence was even greater than Zhao’s Li Mu. This too easily incurred the ruler’s suspicion. Even though before leaving he had specifically asked the King of Qin for good farmland to care for his descendants, sullying his image, it was still far from enough. So when attacking Chu, he specifically brought Meng Wu along to divide the credit.

Just as he was pondering, he saw his grandson lift the curtain and jump onto the carriage, kneeling beside him with a stern face, skillfully massaging his aching waist with practiced movements.

Wang Jian looked at Wang Li with satisfaction. After more than a year of battlefield tempering, he was like an iron block that had been forged thousands of times, already showing the prototype of a precious sword—good material. However, ever since the battle killing Xiang Yan, his grandson had been maintaining a stern handsome face, as if someone owed him a million strings of cash. His injuries hadn’t even healed yet, but he wandered around that battlefield all day. When breaking camp to leave today, he was still reluctant.

“Li’er, is there a friend you knew whose whereabouts you can’t find after the battle?” Wang Jian speculated—perhaps a good friend died in battle and his grandson couldn’t accept it at once.

“No.” The more Wang Li thought about this matter, the more depressed he became. His hand pressure increased. Seeing his grandfather’s tolerant, encouraging gaze, he finally couldn’t help but complain aggrievedly: “Grandfather, the Ever-Victorious Halberd A Luo gave me is lost. I’m so stupid!”

Hearing this, Wang Jian almost laughed out loud. So this was what it was about. However, considering his grandson’s pitiful self-esteem, Wang Jian struggled to suppress the smile at the corners of his lips, patted Wang Li’s head, and promised: “No matter, I’ll have people find you another suitable war halberd.”

“But even if it’s exactly the same, it won’t be the one A Luo gave me.” Wang Li was extremely vexed. This battle fighting General Xiang Yan had been truly too difficult. He had also overestimated his stamina. In a moment of inattention on the battlefield, the Ever-Victorious Halberd slipped from his hands, and afterward he was injured and fainted. When he woke up again, the battle was already over. That he could be retrieved to the Qin camp in one piece was thanks to the personal guards his grandfather had placed beside him fighting to protect him. How could they have had the attention to retrieve his weapon as well?

Wang Jian stroked Wang Li’s head and said gently: “Today what you lost was merely a weapon you found handy. Remember this feeling, so tomorrow you won’t lose a person who is very important to you.”

Wang Li silently chewed over these words several times in his heart, finally nodding firmly.

A burly man gazed at the departing Qin army in the distance, hatefully clenching his fists.

“Uncle! Look! Look!” An eight or nine-year-old boy ran toward him, clutching an unknown flower in one hand and dragging a heavy weapon in the other. “I found this when digging up this flower!”

The man helplessly closed his eyes. His own father was Chu’s renowned Lord Wu’an, he himself was the famous Lord Wuxin, and even his eldest brother who died young was a fierce general. But this nephew of his liked flowers and plants. If not for their identical appearance, he would truly doubt whether he was of Xiang family blood.

When he opened his eyes again, the man raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn’t expected this little fellow to actually dig up something good.

This was a war halberd, jet-black throughout, with a strangely shaped halberd head that looked like a divine beast’s head with a dragon body. The man couldn’t help but bend down to take this war halberd in hand, marveling at its weight. Perhaps because it was too heavy, this war halberd had been buried in the mud, and even soldiers cleaning the battlefield hadn’t discovered it. However, with this halberd so heavy, his nephew at such a young age could actually drag it with one hand—clearly possessing tremendous strength.

“Ji, this war halberd shall be called the Tiger-Head Coiling Dragon Halberd. Keep it for when you grow up! This halberd was found on this battlefield—it must have been guided by your grandfather’s lingering heroic spirit!”

The boy looked up, seemingly understanding but not quite, not daring to say he actually didn’t want to use this heavy big thing, because his uncle’s mood didn’t look too good.

Was it because grandfather died in battle?

The boy’s concept of “grandfather” was somewhat vague. After all, since he could remember, the number of times grandfather appeared in his life could be counted on fingers. The impression left for him was probably that when grandfather held him, the armor against his face was too hard and cold.

He didn’t like it at all.

The man cast his gaze into the distance. He knew the Qin army was heading to attack Chu’s capital Shouchun, and Chu, having already lost Xiang Yan’s protection, must have become a fresh fish on the chopping board, powerless to resist.

Facing those “Qin” banners fluttering on the horizon, the man gripped the war halberd in his hand and murmured—

“Nan Gong said, ‘Though Chu be left with but three households, it will be Chu that destroys Qin.'”

“Chu will surely destroy Qin! Chu will surely destroy Qin!”