Chapter 286: For the King and for the People

In recent years, there have been calls in the Qin court for using military force against the Wei State.

Originally, General Meng Ao stated that he would personally lead the army to attack Puyang, the capital of Wei State.

However, due to the accidental death of General Meng Ao in the battle of Yaoshan last year, this matter was shelved.

However, before he and the King of Qin left Xianyang for Xinzheng, the matter was brought up again.

At the last court meeting, a court official suggested that Qin should attack Wei again.

The Wang family, which has always kept a low profile, took the initiative to lead the army to attack the State of Wei.

The reason was that Wang Ben was still short of some merit to be promoted to general.

And if we can destroy the Wei State, this achievement will be enough.

The Wang family is a powerful family in the army, and the matter involves the eldest son of the family becoming a general and entering the senior ranks of the Qin military.

I thought it was a sure win, and the attack and defense would be led by Wang Ben.

But I never expected that a person would appear and kill me.

Li Xin, the grandson of Li Chong, the former governor of Longxi County in the Qin State.

Like Wang Ben, he was a little short of being appointed as a general.

Although there are many wars at present, the only war in which one can gain enough merit and be promoted to general is attack and defense.

Of course Li Xin wanted to fight for it, but who knows when the next war like this will happen in a few years.

Whether in the officialdom or in the military, everything goes fast.

If one wants to be granted the title of marquis, one must at least be appointed as a general and have control over the military power of a region.

Under normal circumstances, even if Li Xin wanted to fight, he would not be able to defeat Wang Ben.

But somehow, Changping Jun, who had been keeping a low profile, came forward and strongly supported Li Xin in leading the army.

As a result, the candidate, who was originally a no-brainer, began to change.

In addition, Lu Buwei took the opportunity to show goodwill to the Wang family and took the initiative to support Wang Ben.

The King of Qin had no choice but to choose to support Li Xin together with Changping Jun.

The scene was at a stalemate for a while.

After the court meeting, Ying Zheng sighed and said that it would be great if Cheng Jiao was there, as with his cleverness, he would definitely be able to break the deadlock.

In fact, he knew that Ying Zheng did not want to have any disagreements with the Wang family at this time.

However, considering that the Wang family’s influence on the military is indeed too great, the Wang family cannot be allowed to control the army. Otherwise, it is hard to say whether there will be another family that is more troublesome than Lu Buwei.

The case of Bai Qi, Marquis of Wu'an, is still vivid in our minds.

The selfless dedication of Wang Xi, the heavy armored general of Wusui Pingyang, almost became a thorn in Ying Zheng's heart.

How could the Wang family control most of the Qin army?

Bai Qi alone could have such a great influence, let alone an entire family.

There was nothing to worry about for Gai Nie above. The only thing that worried him was his master’s old friend Gongsun Yu.

No matter which one of Wang Ben and Li Xin led the troops, Wei State could not resist them.

And he knew Gongsun Yu's character well, and he was likely to fight to the death and die for his country.

But it is difficult for him to do nothing.

I just had to write a letter and give it a try.

By the way, try to preserve a bloodline for my uncle.

Gai Nie wrote the letter and handed it to Jing Ke.

If Jing Ke learned swordsmanship from Gongsun Yu after arriving in Wei, he could also use this opportunity to ask Jing Ke to help take care of Gongsun Yu's descendants.

After a short period of contact, he realized that although Jing Ke appeared cynical on the surface, he was actually very trustworthy and chivalrous.

He believed that Jing Ke would definitely not refuse his request.

Cheng Jiao saw Jing Ke put away the letter.

He smiled and said, "Xiao Ke, why don't you come with me to Wei State? I will be on a diplomatic mission to Zhao State in a few days, and I will be passing by. You may as well lend me a companion."

Even though it wasn't on his way, he still wanted to go and see how beautiful Li Ji, who was later known as the most beautiful woman in the seven countries, was.

To be able to gain this reputation among all the beauties in the Qin Dynasty.

Jing Ke's eyes lit up: "This is good, does it include wine?"

"Bao, when we get to Korea, I'll treat you to some orchid wine brewed by Zi Nu."

"That's good, it's settled. I also want to see what kind of carriage Old Man Ban built. It will cost two thousand gold coins."

Gai Nie, who had been just listening and saying nothing, trembled slightly in the hand holding the wine glass.

Having money really makes you want to do whatever you want. You can build a carriage with two thousand gold coins.

Suddenly I began to understand Ying Zheng and why he could borrow money from Cheng Jiao without any hesitation.

Big dog owner!
If it were him, he wouldn't be so wasteful.

Two thousand gold coins are enough to improve the people's livelihood in a small town.

But the money belonged to Cheng Jiao, so he couldn't say anything.

In a slight trance, he remembered something Xiaozhuang had once said to him.

The nobles of these seven countries should all be killed, including himself.

Although it is a bit extreme, it also illustrates the sharp contradiction between the nobles and the common people.

Unfortunately, Xiaozhuang finally chose the nobility.

But he didn't know whether his choice would eventually lead him to nobility or common people.

In this era, there are too few paths left for the people, or even none...

The only one who gave him some hope and was capable of accomplishing the task among the entire Seven Kingdoms was Ying Zheng. Now there was another Cheng Jiao who was incompatible with this era.

This is also the reason why he entered Qin early and chose Ying Zheng when Ying Zheng was in the most difficult time.

He wanted to realize his dream, but it was impossible to do so relying solely on Guiguzi's strategy.

He needed to forge new paths.

Just like at this moment, he is guarding Ying Zheng.

I want Ying Zheng to not only see the world, but also the people of the world, and have the people in his heart.

Even if it costs my whole life, I would do it.

I only hope that Ying Zheng can embark on his ideal path.

Serve the king and the people.

Cheng Jiao didn't know what Gai Nie was thinking.

Even if I knew, I wouldn't know how to say it.

If Zheng Ge in the Qin Dynasty had not experienced the betrayal by Lu Buwei, Zhao Ji, Lao Ai and Changping Jun, it is possible that he would have really embarked on an unprecedented path as Gai Nie imagined.

He is as great as the Three Sovereigns, his achievements surpass those of the Five Emperors, and his name will be praised through the ages.

He said goodbye to Jing Ke, who was reluctant to see this wealthy man leave, and Gai Nie, who had something on his mind.

Cheng Jiao walked leisurely in the dark city of Xianyang.

The mood is very good.

When approaching your own kennel.

Suddenly a loud noise was heard from the mansion.

Cheng Jiao's face changed.

What the hell?

Is there a bomb in your house?

The spiritual power circulated throughout the body and instantly reached the source of the sound.

Master Ban saw Cheng Jiao coming over and said with a wry smile, "Mr. Chang'an, you are not scared, are you?"

Ali glared at Old Man Ban angrily.

"That's three times! What on earth do you want to do?!"

If Cheng Jiao hadn't requested it, Ahri would have asked Yan Lingji to dehydrate and burn the old man long ago.

Cheng Jiao held the sword in his hand and looked at his carriage which had become unrecognizable and no longer resembled a vehicle.

A few black lines appeared on the forehead.

"Master Ban, are you modifying the car or destroying it?"

Master Ban wiped his sweat and said, "It was just an accident. Yes, it was an accident."

Ah Li's face flushed with anger. "Master, this is the third time. What accident? I think he did it on purpose. At the beginning, it almost caused chaos in the mansion. Sister Jingwei and the others were dissatisfied."

Master Ban said unhappily, "What do you mean by intentional? Am I that kind of person, old man?"

Cheng Jiao touched the blade of the sword and said, "Master Ban, can you tell me what you are going to do? How can modifying a carriage make such a big noise?"

Master Ban's eyes hurt a little from the cold light reflected from Cheng Jiao's sword.

"It is because of the demonstration you gave me today that I have gained a lot of insights. I want to build a carriage that can be propelled by water and fire."

At this moment, Master Ban was already soaked.

Part of it was because the weather was too hot, and part of it was because he was afraid Cheng Jiao would not let him continue.

Now he was basically certain that it was unrealistic to do these things in a small carriage.

There is nothing wrong with the design, but the material is too poor, unless it is replaced with iron that can be used to forge famous swords.

But it seems that even if all the famous swords in the sword manual were melted, it might not be enough...

Cheng Jiao was stunned when he heard what Master Ban said.

Water and fire push?

Isn't this a steam engine?

Cheng Jiao retracted his sword and asked solemnly, "Can you do it?"

Master Ban smiled bitterly and said, "I have an idea, but the materials can't handle it. It keeps exploding. I've improved it three times but it still doesn't work."

Cheng Jiao never expected that Master Ban would come up with a plan to manufacture a steam engine so quickly.

I originally thought this aspect was difficult, but after a while, it turned out to be no problem at all for these geniuses.

Although the iron-making and smelting technology of this era was much stronger than that of the Warring States Period in history, it was still limited.

Not counting those cheating bronze, wood, stone and mechanical devices.

To achieve the steel used in later generations, it is basically hammered out bit by bit by manpower.

The output is extremely small and extremely time-consuming.

Cheng Jiao groaned and said, "Don't worry about it for now. I'll find a way to deal with the materials."

The physics I learned in high school was not in vain, as the steel smelting process is still a frequently tested question.

Although I have almost forgotten it, I still remember some simple principles.

Summarize them all and make them into a riddle teller, and let old man Ban figure them out.

Provide reference opinions, control the direction, and strive to develop the steam equipment first.

From point to surface, even if you don’t know where to start the technology tree, just click on whichever one you encounter first.

With steam equipment, smelting equipment, etc., mining, laying railways, etc. can also be done.

Who knows, in a few decades, we can take a high-speed train to visit the Xinzheng Palace.
Ali looked at Old Man Ban's smug look and felt so angry that his teeth were itching.

The thought that the young master not only did not pursue the matter, but also spent an extra thousand gold coins to support Old Man Ban's research made her, the chief eunuch in charge of money, very unhappy.

But this was the young master's decision, and Ahri had no choice but to take out a thousand gold coins from the treasury.

Old Man Ban smiled and said, "Little girl, there will be many places to spend money in the future, why do you feel so bad about it? Money is meant to be spent."

Ali glared at Old Man Ban.

"Just save it, that's all!"

After saying that, he turned around and left.

Cheng Jiao lay on the bed yawning.

No one was found that night.

He is not a seed drill, so it is no big deal for him to work hard every night.

Cheng Jiao's master bedroom is not very big, about 10 square meters.
As for the bed, it is about the size of a bed for two or three people.

Suitable for rest and sleep.

As for the super-large bed in the side room that can accommodate more than a dozen people, it is not a place to sleep, but a place for entertainment and catching cats...

The next day, a guest came from outside and sat and talked with him.

The guest asked, "Your Highness, you must have been exhausted by the long journey. Are you used to the customs and practices of Qin?"

Yan Dan, who did not have a scar on his face, said calmly, "Dan has stayed in Qin many times, so he is quite familiar with it."

Cheng Jiao laughed and said, "That's good. Please ask His Royal Highness to stay for a few more days this time."

Yan Dan took a breath and slowly exhaled: "There is no His Royal Highness the Crown Prince here, only Yan Dan as a hostage. Please attend the court meeting tomorrow, and Qin will send someone to Yan."

He didn't expect that just a few months later, he would meet Cheng Jiao again in such a situation as a hostage.

Thinking back to when he was in Xinzheng, he had made fun of Qin and Han in his heart, as both countries were controlled by foreign officials.

As a result, not long after he returned to Yan State, he was set up by Wang Shuyan Chunjun.

Under the pretext of establishing friendly relations between the two countries and jointly attacking Zhao, he was sent to Qin as a temporary hostage.

But who knows how long this temporary period will last.

Before leaving, he sent a letter to the Mohist master whom he had just become his disciple.

I hope to get some help and return to Yan State as soon as possible to get rid of Yan Chunjun and General Yan Yi.

Until now, he still didn't understand why Yan Chunjun was so cruel to him and wanted to kill him.

Is it because he is afraid that he will inherit the throne that he attacked him?
Yan Dan felt a little gloomy in his heart, he had indeed thought so.

Wang Shuyan Chunjun relied on his father's trust to do evil in Yan State, levying heavy taxes and extorting heavy levies. He even liked to do things openly and took pleasure in robbing other people's wives and daughters.

He even reached into the army and promoted a waste like Yan Yi to be a general.

There are also rumors that Yan Chunjun accepted bribes from other countries and betrayed the interests of Yan State.

The list goes on and on.

How could he, who wanted to force Yan to death, allow someone like Yan Chunjun to exist?

Sometimes he envied Ying Zheng. His grandfather died quickly, his father died early, and he got what he wanted at a young age, which was the dream of countless potential hostages of the Seven Kingdoms.

Before inheriting the throne, the probability of the prince becoming a hostage is not low.

If I remember correctly, the former Crown Prince Jia of Zhao was also in Xianyang...

If you have the chance, you can go and talk to Zhao Jia.

Prince Jia has a good reputation in the Seven Kingdoms.

If there is a chance, help Zhao Jia return to Zhao State and inherit the throne.

Whether it is to help him by looking out for each other or to cooperate with Yan and Zhao to resist Qin in the future, both are good choices.

As for the grudges between Yan and Zhao.

Ask his father or grandfather, it’s none of his business!
The situation in the seven countries is now clearer.

The Qin State had the potential to swallow up the world.

South Korea was basically powerless to turn the situation around and could only survive under the nose of Qin.

After the Battle of Changping, the State of Zhao had been in a state of transition, and its ruler was only concerned with pleasure, so the state was doomed to failure.

Wei originally had a capable man, Xinling Jun, who was responsible for reviving the country. However, due to the suspicion of King Anli of Wei, Qin succeeded in its counter-espionage. Xinling Jun died. In the same year, King Anli of Wei died, and Wei fell into a slump.

The State of Qi followed the national policy of following Qin's instructions and keeping in touch with the other princes, and turned a blind eye to the changes in the world. Although there was singing and dancing and prosperity, it was all just a bubble.

Chu was the country that had the best hope of stopping Qin from continuing to prosper. Chunshen Jun's coalition was very good, but his teammates were too weak. Not only was he beaten back by Qin, but he also moved his capital eastward to Shouchun. People in the martial arts world laughed at him, saying that the King of Chu was timid and ran eastward.

As for the State of Yan...

Forget it. Prince Dan said why bring this up. You can tell by looking at his expression.

Cheng Jiao smiled and said, "We will discuss this at the court meeting tomorrow. Please be patient, Brother Yan. There is one more thing. The master came to see me yesterday because of Brother Yan's matter."

Yan Dan's mind was moved: "I wonder what Chang'an Jun wants to do?"

Cheng Jiao said solemnly: "Brother Yan, don't worry. Although you and I have different philosophies, these are just disputes of ideas, which are nothing. I will convince Brother Wang as soon as possible and try to send you back to Yan State within these two months."

Yan Dan didn't expect the giant to be so powerful.

Cheng Jiao is even more awesome.

No wonder as soon as he arrived in Xianyang, he received a message from the great master asking him to visit Cheng Jiao.

I thought I would waste a long time in Qin State, but I didn't expect that the surprise would come so suddenly when I just visited it for the sake of trying.

When Yan Dan saw how harmoniously Ying Zheng and Cheng Jiao got along, he thought about the chaos in his own family.

The surprise faded, and a melancholy feeling suddenly set in: "Mr. Chang'an, Dan is very grateful."

But he knew very well that when it was time to strike back at the Qin State, he would show no mercy.

(End of this chapter)