Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 332

He had already made all the necessary arrangements beforehand; from Hangu Pass to Xianyang City, there were people belonging to Lu...

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In Sanghai City's Little Sage Manor, the sect leader Fu Nian and his uncle Xunzi both went to Licheng. After being appointed as officials of the State of Qi, they jointly managed the affairs of the Qi territory. The third junior brother Zhang Liang followed the King of Qi to join the army. Only Yan Lu was left to guard the academy and take care of the disciples who had not yet graduated.

Xiaoshengxianzhuang had already served the Lu family in the Qi state. The powerful Qin state had not responded to the uprising here for several months. In addition, the people lined the streets to welcome the Qi army wherever they went. The Qin army surrendered without a fight, and for a time the empire was almost shaken to its core.

Even if the King of Qi leads the expedition in person and fails to enter Hangu Pass, the Qin Dynasty will likely lose control of the areas outside Hangu Pass. The future governance of this country will require a large number of officials. The Confucian school has won a rare opportunity by siding with the right side in advance, and it should seize this chance.

Even the ancient Qin state needed Confucian scholars to fill its court, so His Highness the King of Qi, who has always been on good terms with Confucianism, would certainly not reject them.

The disciples in Xiaoshengxianzhuang now will all be propagators of Confucianism and need to be properly taught.

However, there are three special individuals who make it quite troublesome for Yan Lu to manage them.

That was Tianming, Gao Yue, and Shao Yu, who knew that the Xiang clan had been almost completely wiped out, and that Xiang Liang and Fan Zeng had all died in battle.

Of the three, Tianming and Gaoyue are already fifteen years old, while Shaoyu is seventeen, an age when he's easily impulsive...

Chapter 418 Xiang Yu Emerges from the Mountains

Yuanhong's sword is not flashy, but anyone with a little knowledge can see its special features.

The environment inside Xiaoshengxianzhuang was generally harmonious, but not all the Confucian disciples there were gentlemen; instances of forming cliques and bullying occasionally occurred.

Among the three children, Tianming is often bullied because of his eccentric personality and the lack of convincing talent compared to Gaoyue and Shaoyu. Even his two companions cannot keep an eye on him all the time, which results in a poor relationship with the Confucian students.

Now, Tianming suddenly has a famous sword in his hand, with the renowned words "Yuanhong" engraved on its blade. Although Sanghai is now under the jurisdiction of the Lu family's Qi state and all the Qin state's wanted posters have been torn down, it is hard to guarantee that those Confucian students will not snatch Tianming's sword and claim it as a "friendly gift".

When King Qi personally led the expedition, Zhang Liang noticed this before leaving. He chose to trust the three little ones' abilities, while Yan Lu, who stayed behind to manage Xiaoshengxianzhuang, practiced the meditation technique and had no intention of taking up a post in Qi. His management style was rather lax.

If the sword were to be stolen, he would help get it back, but only if Tianming was willing to ask for his help.

If the violence hadn't happened right before his eyes and Tianming hadn't sought help out of spite, preventing the matter from escalating, Yan Lu wouldn't have interfered.

"I'm sure my senior brother, the sect leader, will scold me when he gets back." Yan Lu sighed slightly. Managing hundreds of disciples was really not easy. He knew he hadn't done some things well enough, but despite his seemingly leisurely demeanor, he had already reached the limit of his abilities.

Even if you try your best to be 'accomplished', you will bring nothing but bigger problems.

Thinking of this, Yan Lu picked up the book in his hand again and began to read it carefully: he could only manage himself, and he could only do his best in other matters.

Fu Nian, who was leaving, knew exactly what kind of person his second junior brother was, but he still entrusted Xiaoshengxianzhuang to him. The reason was simple: firstly, according to the rules, Yan Lu should be in charge when he was not around; secondly, even if Yan Lu could not do the best, he would not let Xiaoshengxianzhuang develop poorly.

As for the disciples in the manor possibly becoming dissolute due to lax management... The Confucian school has the support of His Highness Prince Qi and will not lack opportunities to recruit disciples of excellent character in the future. The current indulgence is eliminating a group of prodigals who lack self-management skills.

Confucianism is developing rapidly. If these "prodigal sons" are not eliminated now, they may become parasites within Confucianism if they go out to serve as officials in the future, damaging the reputation of Confucianism!

As for the three little ones with special identities obtaining the Yuanhong Sword, Fu Nian's opinion was very straightforward: Zi Mu, Zi You, and other Confucian disciples who had a poor relationship with Zi Ming could not truly defeat the three little ones, and the sword would be protected by Zi Ming himself.

In fact, it was pretty much what he had imagined.

After obtaining Yuanhong, Tianming, who goes by the alias Ziming, began to diligently practice swordsmanship even without the uncle's care. His advantage came into play at this time: once he was determined to do something, he could put in tireless effort.

When Dongjun of the Yin-Yang School from the Mirage came to Xiaoshengxianzhuang to remove the sealing curse on him, Tianming was able to unleash his full potential.

In a short time, he gained some insights into swordsmanship and was no longer a clown in the Confucian swordsmanship class. The Ghost Valley Vertical Sword Technique allowed him to defend Uncle's Abyss Rainbow even without the help of Gao Yue and Shao Yu.

Compared to him, the dejected Shao Yu is more deserving of concern...

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Shao Yu learned that Xiang Liang and his companions, including Fan Zeng and Long Ju, had been killed by the Qin army after the Lu family established the Qi state. Among the crimes of the tyrannical Qin announced by the peasants was the fact that they did not hesitate to slaughter a small town to lure and kill the Xiang family.

Gao Yue had learned of this news from Zhang Liang beforehand. Her mother, Yan Yun, was the communication channel between the peasant and Mo families in Daze Mountain, and her two uncles were generals of the Southern and Northern armies, respectively. Naturally, she was excited about this.

Tianming was only happy about the establishment of the Qi Kingdom, an anti-Qin rebel army, while Shaoyu was stunned and suddenly collapsed to the ground. His two friends, who had come to their senses, helped him back home with concern.

'Shaoyu didn't lose control of his emotions despite his rage...'

At the time, Gao Yue was relieved, but what happened later made her and Tianming even more worried: Shao Yu actually started drinking heavily because of it!

He was drunk all the time, no longer interested in anything around him. It seemed his entire mental world had collapsed... He didn't go out, and he barely spoke...

Tianming and Gaoyue often came to visit him, but Shaoyu was always covered in the smell of alcohol and rarely paid any attention to the two of them.

That night, Tianming finally couldn't hold back and punched him, trying to use the pain to rouse the once spirited young master of the Xiang family. But Shaoyu just glanced at him coldly and continued to raise the wine jar.

Tianming wanted to go up again, but Gaoyue, unable to bear watching any longer, forcibly dragged him away. The three of them still didn't get a chance to speak today...

The moment his two friends left, despite the pain on his face (Tianming hadn't held back), Shaoyu, covered in wine stains, glanced apologetically toward the door before nimbly getting up.

He's been faking being drunk, not just today, but for the past few days.

Its purpose is precisely for this moment!

"Tianming and Miss Yue must be very disappointed in me now, but I'm sorry..."

Shao Yu took off his clothes and changed into a set of night clothes. His two companions had just left and would definitely not return.

"There's evening class today, taught by the Second Master himself. Even if I don't go, Miss Yue will help me get a leave of absence. It's the perfect opportunity to leave Little Sage Village!"

He clenched his fist and twisted his wrist, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes: "Qin Gou, I'm here!"

With only some dry food with him, Shao Yu opened the door, peeked out to make sure no Confucian disciples were watching, and then sneaked out of the housing area.

He returned to the courtyard where he and Tianming had previously tried to climb over the wall to leave. This time, no one would stop him. He leaped, leaving the safe zone he had stayed in for two years...

Shao Yu is going to join the army and become part of the Qi army!

He is Xiang Yu, the young master of the Xiang clan. Even without the Xiang clan as a platform or the Chu state's connections, he could still make a name for himself in the army by relying on his own strength!

After the destruction of the Xiang state, the ancestors of the Xiang clan were able to rise from the ashes of a vanquished state to become the strongest clan and a great general in the Chu state. Xiang Yu was able to rebuild the achievements of his ancestors in the Qi state!

Revenge against the Qin state and revive the Xiang clan were Xiang Yu's firm goals after learning that all members of the Xiang clan had been killed.

However, Tianming and Gaoyue would definitely stop him. Having lost his family, Xiang Yu was unwilling to lose his last friend as well, so he came up with the idea of ​​pretending to be dejected and leaving without saying goodbye.

"Once I become the Grand General of Qi, I will personally apologize to you."

Looking back at the high walls of Xiaoshengxianzhuang, Xiang Yu descended the mountain with heavy steps...

"who!"

Halfway up the mountain, a hidden weapon suddenly shot at him. Xiang Yu turned around, clenched his fist, and caught it, only to find that it was just an ordinary small stone.

"What, you've even forgotten your older brother?"

A young man dressed as a wandering swordsman sat on a treetop by the roadside, a long sword slung over his back, looking at him with a broad smile, before leaping down.

"Tianming?" Xiang Yu stared at the newcomer in shock. He hadn't expected it to be his friend who had just punched him...

"What, are you surprised?"

Tianming showed no trace of his earlier anger, swaggering forward: "Your acting is not bad, kid, but compared to the great hero Tianming, it's still lacking."

Chapter 419 The Army Enters Shu

"You... you figured it out a long time ago?"

Xiang Yu was very surprised. He looked at Tianming carrying Yuanhong on his back and asked in disbelief.

"Of course, why do you think I punched you today?" Tianming said smugly, hands on his hips. "We're friends. You could have just told me what your plans were, but after being given so many chances, you still wouldn't be honest!"

"I'm sorry... I don't want you to get involved in such a dangerous matter. This is something I, as a soldier of Chu, must do. Are you going to stop me?"

Xiang Yu pondered the difference in martial prowess between himself and Tianming: he was far stronger than his friend, but if the other used Yuanhong, he would inevitably get in the way.

"Sigh..." Tianming sighed helplessly upon hearing his words, "You're so foolish, even if you went to the battlefield, you might still be tricked and killed... If I wanted to stop you, why would I wait until we got here to make my move?"

"You brat!" Xiang Yu couldn't help but raise his fist in response to the other's teasing. Tianming jumped back to create some distance: "Look at you, I've only said a few words to you and you can't hold back anymore. Is this the kind of mentality you're suited for the battlefield?"

These words were completely unlike what Tianming should say; in Xiang Yu's memory, only Master Fan Zeng would speak like that...

A pang of sadness struck Xiang Yu, who still fondly remembered Fan Zeng at this moment. Thinking of this, his tone became much lower: "Then why have you come?"

"You're going to join the Qi army, right?" Tianming said confidently, hands on his hips, "Of course I'll go with you!"

"You're going too?" Xiang Yu asked incredulously, "That's a battlefield."

"That's why I'm going—because of the battlefield!" Tianming nodded matter-of-factly. "The world is in chaos right now, and it's precisely when the great hero Tianming is needed to uphold justice!"

"You?" Xiang Yu crossed his arms, looking completely unconvinced. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he laughed and said, "You heard that Mr. Gai is now serving as a bodyguard for that King of Qi, so you decided to go, didn't you!"

"So what if it is?" Tianming, who had been seen through, was not upset at all. He took the lead and walked ahead of Xiang Yu: "The people that Uncle supports must be good people. That King of Qi who led the army to rebel against Qin is an even better person!"

"I want to do my part too!"

"What about Miss Yue?" Xiang Yu asked again.

“Yue’er…” Tianming’s voice softened: “I could tell you were pretending to be drunk in order to find a chance to go out alone. Yue’er is so smart, she must have seen through it too. She didn’t say anything, which means she tacitly approved of our actions.”

"The battlefield is too dangerous; she can't come with us."

“That’s right.” Xiang Yu stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Tianming, putting his arm around his neck. “But don’t worry, as your older brother, I will definitely protect you.”

"When I become the Grand General of Qi, I will also make you a marquis! Then we will apologize to Miss Yue together."

"Tch, I have no desire to be some kind of marquis. I will become the greatest hero in the future martial arts world!" Tianming said proudly.

The two friends, who had been friends for many years, bickered all the way down the mountain. The night market in Sanghai City was still bustling. Since they were wanted and had finally come down the mountain, they finally had a chance to have some fun. But at this moment, neither of them was in the mood to linger.

They took the bustling night market in stride and left the city overnight.

Inside Xiaoshengxianzhuang, Gao Yue was lost in thought during her evening class. She knew that her two companions had probably already left Sanghai.

From the city of government offices to Xiaoshengxianzhuang, as long as the chaos continues, separations will always repeat themselves.

'I should return to my mother's side,' the princess of Yan thought slowly.

Now that the Qin state is preoccupied with its own survival, she can receive better treatment at Dazeshan than she would at Xiaoshengxianzhuang.

Moreover, barring any unforeseen circumstances, she might see Tianming Shaoyu again soon.

After all, those two people had to go to Licheng to join the Qi army...

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His Highness the King of Qi's army advanced unimpeded until they encountered a large-scale Qin army resistance at Sanchuan County.

Li You, the governor of Sanchuan Commandery, was the son of Li Si, the prime minister of the empire. He married a Qin princess and held a high position. Sanchuan Commandery, which he controlled, was located in Xingyang, the main grain and fodder camp in the Guandong region. There were 25,000 Qin soldiers stationed there. He also temporarily conscripted 20,000 laborers and asked Li Si for the power to transfer 30,000 troops from the six surrounding commanderies, bringing the total strength to 75,000.

In addition, the six surrounding counties are still conscripting laborers to continuously send to Sanchuan County, and it is estimated that the final number of Qin troops could exceed 100,000, making them a formidable enemy.

Lu Wei sent Dian Qing to launch a probing attack. Although he won, the results were not significant. Li You's troop deployment was unoriginal, but at least the old-fashioned military formations would not make any basic mistakes.