Chapter Thirty-Three: General Wang Jian of Qin

"Senior brother, is Lord Chunshen of Chu, Huang Xie, preparing to follow the example of Lord Xinling of Wei and form a vertical alliance to attack Qin?"

For Zongquan and the others, who were currently busy planning the establishment of the "Heavenly Realm on Earth" and the scholarly pavilions, such concerns were but trivial matters. Over the decades, the states had constantly woven a web of horizontal and vertical alliances, but after a century of strife, the end result was always the continued rise of the state of Qin.

Years ago, outside Hangu Pass, although Wei Wuji had gained momentary fame, the state of Qin had remained fundamentally unscathed. Moreover, with the natural defenses of the Xiao-Han mountains and the Yellow River, the pass was easy to defend and impossible to attack; breaking through Hangu Pass was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The foundations had already been laid. Following their grand-uncle’s instructions, they were simultaneously cultivating sources of wealth and gathering intelligence from across the Central Plains. His fellow junior brothers were doing the same, though they had not expected Lord Chunshen to act so swiftly.

"The state of Chu, and Lord Chunshen? Interesting. By my count, Lord Chunshen, Huang Xie, must be over seventy by now. I never expected him to possess such bold ambitions. While he has contributed significantly to the state of Chu as a whole, today’s Chu is no longer the Chu of the past."

"Our grand-uncle once said that the momentum of Qin is now unstoppable. Had it been the Chu of a century ago, Qin might have feared them, but that is impossible now. With the security of Hangu Pass, Qin can march eastward at any time. Once the moment is right, they can sweep across the six states and conquer them all."

"In the last two years, Qin’s influence has only grown stronger. A vertical alliance of states to attack Qin is unlikely to succeed. I imagine our grand-uncle is already aware of this."

For such a major event, the "Heavenly Realm on Earth" and the scholarly pavilions in Chu would have surely sent word back long ago. The states had attempted to attack Qin many times over the last century. He remembered the first instance, when Gongsun Yan led an army against Qin; had it not been for the interference of Master Zhang, Qin would likely have been in grave peril.

Perception rippled outward, and the city of Daliang in the state of Wei grew increasingly agitated. Young men were enlisting in the army, eager to wash away their past humiliations; otherwise, it would be too late if the tragedies of the Battle of Changping or the Battle of Handan were to befall Wei one day.

The same scene was unfolding in the states of Han, Zhao, Yan, and Chu. As for the state of Qi in the east, it seemed to show little movement. It had always sat on the sidelines, watching the disputes between states. Even so, it had yet to recover from the wounds inflicted by the state of Yan decades ago.

However, this did not prevent Qi from placing bets on the conflict. If the attack on Qin succeeded, Qi could take a share of the spoils; if it failed, they would withdraw their people to avoid Qin's retribution.

***

"I didn't expect Lord Chunshen of Chu to form a vertical alliance to attack Qin so quickly. It is a pity, though—it was destined to fail."

Zhou Qing still retained some impressions of this event. Historical records indicated that this particular campaign against Qin had actually achieved significant success. Pang Nuan, who was well-versed in the strategic difficulty of attacking Hangu Pass, had moved the allied fleets onto the Yellow River, leading his troops across the natural barrier to march directly into the undefended heartland of Qin. Everywhere they passed, they were unstoppable, as the bulk of Qin’s forces remained stationed at Hangu Pass.

Before long, the allied armies reached the vicinity of Xianyang, terrifying the Chancellor, Lü Buwei, who scrambled to mobilize forces and dispatched the rising military talent of Qin, Wang Jian, to quell the threat.

A surprise counter-attack caused the cowardly Lord Chunshen to be the first to lead the Chu forces back home. Subsequently, Wang Jian defeated the various allied armies one by one, and with the arrival of the Qin general Meng Ao shortly thereafter, the hope of the allied states was thoroughly extinguished.

Quietly sitting in meditation deep within the sect's territory in Ba Commandery, Zhou Qing received intelligence from the various states. Just as he had recalled, after Lord Chunshen decided to launch the attack, he did not hesitate, moving immediately and crossing the Yellow River a month later.

A month and a half later, the situation shifted abruptly. As Zhou Qing had remembered, Lord Chunshen fell for the ruse and was frightened back to Chu, leaving the armies of the other states to fight alone.

Two months later, the campaign was over. The allied attack on Qin had failed, and the armies of the six states suffered heavy losses. This time, their anger was directed more at Chu than at Qin; they had all agreed to attack together, yet Chu had been the first to abandon the cause, acting in a most dishonorable fashion.

For Qin, however, the emergence of the general Wang Jian and the successful repulsion of the allied forces was a cause for celebration. It was rumored that Chancellor Lü Buwei held feasts for three days and three nights, and even the young King Zheng of Qin, who had yet to seize full power in the Xianyang Palace, was overjoyed. Though he lacked true authority at the time, the defense of Qin’s survival meant the state grew stronger while the others grew weaker.

A month later, envoys from the various states arrived in Qin, offering rare treasures and maps of ceded lands. The states of Wei and Han, being closest to Qin, were the most eager; otherwise, they knew that if the Qin army were to arrive, they would lose far more than just these territories.

As for the state of Zhao, although resentful and reluctant, they were pressured by their own domestic situation and sent envoys to Qin a month and a half later, offering only wealth and refusing to cede land, prepared for the possibility of another war.

Seeing the states acting so sensibly, Lü Buwei refrained from further action. Although attacking now might yield more benefits, a rash move could provoke a desperate counter-resistance from the states, which would harm Qin’s long-term strategy.

In the hundred-plus years since Duke Mu, Qin had fought constant wars. While its national strength had risen, its granaries and treasuries were not yet full. Without absolute certainty, they could not venture out of Hangu Pass to overlook the six states and unify the realm.

***

"Grand-uncle, this is the news from Xianyang!"

With Qin remaining still, the other states found a temporary respite, and everything returned to its former state. Within the Heavenly Sect, Zhou Qing sat quietly on a giant boulder atop the mountain. It was midsummer, and by his reckoning, he was nearly eight years old.

The inner energy within his body surged, encompassing the mysteries of the "Zhuangzi: Free and Easy Wandering." Vital energy flowed continuously into him, and the cultivation techniques of the many Taoist sages were all integrated into the Gate of All Wonders, his internal count having reached a staggering five million.

During this period, Zhou Qing had also expended effort to forcibly elevate the cultivation of his grand-nephews, including Zongquan, who had been busy abroad. Although they had not reached the perfection of the Innate stage, they were drawing ever closer.

Dressed in a white silk Taoist robe, he stood as a gentle breeze ruffled his garments. His mystical energy swirled, causing the void around him to tremble slightly. Light flickered in his eyes, and ripples of Taoist resonance spread outward, the cycle of life and death following his will.

His small frame contained immense power. Hearing the crisp voice beside him, Zhou Qing turned his head to look at the newcomer. It was Zongqiong, a disciple who had entered the sect alongside Zongquan and whose cultivation had now reached the Innate stage.

She was sixteen or seventeen years old, a young woman of refined appearance. She practiced the "Heart as Still as Water" technique, possessed considerable inner strength, and walked with a light step. Dressed in a pale cyan Taoist robe, her skin glowed with a faint luster. She bowed in salute before drawing a scroll of paper from her robes and handing it to Zhou Qing.

"Qin is set to select palace guardians and palace swordsmen to safeguard the security of the Xianyang Palace and the life of the King of Qin!"

"It seems the pressure from Lord Chunshen of Chu leading the allied armies to the gates of Xianyang has weighed heavily on Lü Buwei and Young Master Zheng. Calculating the time, the representatives from the Yin-Yang School and the Ghost Valley School must be using this opportunity to enter the Xianyang Palace as well."

"In that case, how could I be missing?"