General's Residence in Tu'an
"General,"
"The brothers have all been assembled, just waiting for your command."
"We can take action at any time."
A commander approached Jin Feng and reported.
Jin Feng lifted his head, looking at his trusted subordinates before him.
"The princess is the love of my life."
"I cannot stand idly by and watch her marry into Qin."
"Gentlemen,"
"You have followed me for many years, so I will not waste words."
"As long as you help me rescue the princess, I will not treat you unfairly." Jin Feng's gaze was resolute as he spoke.
"We swear to serve the General to the death!"
The group responded in unison, kneeling in devotion.
"This operation does not represent Tu'an."
"You must not reveal your identities."
"Once you succeed, escape to Goguryeo immediately."
"As for your future, I will make arrangements."
"Rest assured, I will take care of your families so you have no concerns." Jin Feng spoke solemnly.
"We understand!" The subordinates nodded in acknowledgment.
"This is the princess's wedding route."
"The Qin army will enter Tu'an's territory for twenty miles to receive the bride. You are to strike the moment Qin takes charge." Jin Feng handed them a map.
"General,"
"There is something I don't understand." One of the subordinates hesitated.
"Speak." Jin Feng responded.
"Why not attack within Tu'an's territory?"
"It's said that Qin's army is formidable. Even though our brothers are strong warriors, we don't know how many Qin soldiers are coming. We may not succeed." The subordinate voiced his concern.
"If we attack within Tu'an's borders, our nation will have to bear the consequences. If Qin seizes this as a pretext, it will be disastrous for us."
"As for Qin, they have already sent notice. Only a thousand soldiers are coming to receive the princess."
"I have gathered three thousand elite warriors for this mission more than enough to eliminate them." Jin Feng's voice was firm.
"I understand now." The subordinate nodded.
"Remember,"
"Once you attack, leave no survivors."
"Wipe out the Qin soldiers completely."
"To ensure the deception, find a girl of the same age as the princess and have her fall off a cliff."
"This way, Qin will have to swallow their losses." Jin Feng sneered.
"We understand!"
The subordinates responded in unison.
"Go."
With a wave of his hand, Jin Feng dismissed them.
As they departed, his eyes glowed with cold determination.
"Qin! You have drained Tu'an's treasury and forced us to send our princess away! I will remember this grudge."
"For now, I will endure. But one day, I will raise Tu'an's armies and march upon your lands then you will know the pain of surrendering land and paying reparations."
Clearly,
Jin Feng was filled with hatred toward Qin.
Twenty Miles from Qin's Border, Inside Tu'an Territory
A thousand black-armored cavalrymen stood in formation.
Leading them was a commanding officer of the Northern Frontier Army, serving under General Li Mu.
His name is Han Xin.
After Li Mu returned to the mortal world, Zhao Feng introduced him to Ying Zheng. With his abilities, Li Mu was quickly entrusted with great responsibilities.
Now, Li Mu commanded 200,000 troops, stationed on the eastern front against the Donghu.
Meanwhile, another general, Meng Wu, led 200,000 troops to guard against the Xiongnu.
In terms of rank,
Li Mu was currently a senior general, but his independent command structure made his army its distinct division.
As he grew more familiar with Qin's military system, it was only a matter of time before he was promoted to Grand General of Qin.
Even among Qin's top commanders,
None doubted his capabilities.
"General,"
"The Tu'an wedding convoy is approaching."
A bodyguard reported to Han Xin.
"Understood."
Han Xin nodded, fixing his gaze ahead.
In the distance,
Several thousand Tu'an escort troops could be seen accompanying dozens of carriages.
As they neared,
Han Xin rode forward.
"I am Han Xin, Commander under General Li Mu of Qin's Northern Frontier Army."
"I have come by order to receive the bride."
Han Xin addressed the leading officer of the Tu'an convoy.
"I am Jin Shi, commander of Tu'an's royal guards."
"I have been ordered by my king to escort the princess." Jin Shi responded respectfully.
Facing the Qin army, he dared not show any arrogance.
"Where is the princess?"
Han Xin asked.
"She is in the carriage behind us."
"Apart from the princess, Tu'an has also provided a dowry of fifty carriages."
"I hope Qin will treat her well." Jin Shi said with great deference.
"The princess is to be wed into the Crown Prince's estate our prince will certainly care for her." Han Xin replied politely.
From what he knew,
His lord was not one to be influenced by women.
This marriage was simply a political move to stabilize Tu'an.
Once China was fully unified and Baiyue subdued,
Tu'an would be next.
"Proceed with the handover." Jin Shi commanded.
Soon,
The carriages were transferred to Qin's army.
Qin cavalrymen quickly moved in to guard them.
"General Han,"
"Our duty is fulfilled. Until we meet again." Jin Shi clasped his hands in farewell.
"We will meet again."
Han Xin smiled and returned the gesture.
Though in his mind,
Their next meeting would not be so peaceful.
Once the transfer was completed,
"General,"
"All of Tu'an's gifts have been received."
"In addition to gold and goods, there are also several hundred servants accompanying the princess."
A bodyguard reported.
"We move."
Han Xin glanced around before giving the order.
Then, he rode up to the princess's carriage.
"Princess,"
"We now travel to Qin."
"The journey will be long and tiresome. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask." Han Xin said.
"Thank you, General."
A gentle voice came from inside the carriage.
Han Xin nodded expressionlessly.
The woman belonged to the Crown Prince, and he had no interest in her.
Besides, the world was vast, and there were countless women Han Xin would not be easily swayed.
Inside the carriage, a stunning young woman in the prime of her youth, around sixteen, sat gracefully.
Two maids attended to her.
She wore the traditional wedding attire of Tu'an, exuding an exotic charm.
She was undeniably breathtaking.
"I wonder what kind of person the Crown Prince of Great Qin is," Yu Shu thought to herself, feeling both anxious and uncertain about her future.
A thousand Qin cavalrymen escorted the procession, steadily heading toward the Great Qin border.
"General."
"Why do I feel that there's danger lurking all around us?"
As they entered a perilous mountain forest, a personal guard beside Han Xin spoke up.
"This place is indeed an ideal location for an ambush."
"Moreover..."
Han Xin scanned his surroundings, then smirked coldly.
"We're already surrounded."
With his martial cultivation at the Grandmaster level, how could he not sense the killing intent hidden within the valley?
"Who would dare to be so bold?"
"Who would dare to ambush our army?" The personal guard was shocked.
"This... might be a great opportunity."
Han Xin's eyes flickered with calculation.
"What opportunity?" The personal guard was confused.
"The opportunity for Great Qin to destroy Tu'an."
Han Xin sneered.
He had already formulated a plan.
Then, with a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Halt the army."
At his order, the elite Qin troops came to a stop.
"Draw bows," Han Xin ordered in a low voice.
The elite soldiers immediately raised their bows.
"Forty paces ahead, to the left and right release a volley of arrows."
Han Xin shouted.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Though they were only a thousand in number, their battle cries shook the heavens.
As soon as the order was given, a rain of arrows shot toward the forested slopes ahead.
The sudden attack startled the hidden assassins.
Many were caught off guard and instantly fell to the ground, pierced by arrows.
"We've been discovered!"
"No need to hide anymore!"
"Kill!"
From the shadows, countless masked assassins shouted.
Their accents were not those of the Central Plains but distinctly from Tu'an.
"Just as I thought."
"The people of Tu'an... truly cannot be trusted."
Hearing the foreign dialect echoing from the valley, Han Xin smirked coldly.
Moments later, waves of masked assassins charged toward the Qin forces, their numbers exceeding three thousand.
Arrows rained down on the Qin convoy, bringing an overwhelming sense of slaughter.
"Defend!" Han Xin commanded firmly.
The Qin troops continued shooting arrows while simultaneously forming defensive formations.
The incoming arrow volleys were unable to penetrate their defensive lines.
"Every soldier of Great Qin is trained in martial arts. These mere barbarians... are simply seeking death!"
Han Xin laughed as he watched the assassins rush toward them.
...
Xianyang!
Nine Provinces!
Thirty-six Commanderies!
A royal decree was issued to all under heaven!
"The imperial decree is here hear ye, people of the realm!"
"Five months ago, by the decree of His Majesty and the Crown Prince..."
"The land of the realm was to be reclaimed and granted to the people, ensuring that every citizen has land to cultivate and food to eat!"
"Now..."
"The reclamation has been completed, and all land within the borders of Great Qin has been declared state property."
"This is a matter of great celebration, a joyous occasion for Great Qin!"
"Hence..."
"Today's decree is to fulfill the promise made five months ago: to grant land to every citizen of Great Qin!"
"All citizens, according to household registration, shall receive land accordingly"
"Each male household member shall receive two mu of land, each female shall receive one mu. The maximum land grant per household is six mu!"
"Those who have served Great Qin and suffered injuries in battle shall receive additional rewards, including five extra mu of land, on top of imperial stipends."
"Furthermore..."
"All land belongs to the state. Once allocated, it may be cultivated but not privately sold or traded. Any violation will result in repossession without reallocation."
"Additionally, Great Qin possesses vast unclaimed land. Those who voluntarily cultivate and turn wasteland into fertile farmland shall be granted ownership for twenty years. After this period, the land will be reassessed and redistributed as necessary."
...
When the five-day period ended
Throughout the entire Great Qin empire, from provincial capitals to county towns, officials publicly proclaimed the decree.
Every citizen in the realm learned of the emperor's benevolence.
The entire empire erupted with joy.
"This is incredible!"
"My family has three men We'll get six mu of land! That's more than enough to farm. Even after paying taxes, we won't have to worry about food anymore!"
"His Majesty is benevolent! The Crown Prince is benevolent!"
"I only have three daughters... but His Majesty and the Crown Prince care about all people, not just men! Even daughters are given land! This is wonderful! The imperial court is truly kind!"
"Great Qin is merciful! The Emperor is merciful! The Crown Prince is merciful!"
"The old government was useless! I used to own five mu of land, but the nobles took it all! The officials did nothing! But now, Great Qin is granting land to commoners! This is the government we deserve!"
"Great Qin forever! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Crown Prince! My family finally has land of our own!"
Across Great Qin, millions of citizens cheered and celebrated.
On this day, joy spread throughout the empire.
Great Qin was vast, with over eighty million people scattered across its lands.
Yet at this moment, they all shared a singular devotion to Great Qin.
For the first time, they truly belonged to this empire, cherishing it as their own.
As Zhao Feng had once said
Throughout history, common people had simple desires: to live, to have stability, to farm, and to be free from oppression.
The old kingdoms had denied them that.
They had exploited and oppressed them relentlessly.
But Great Qin had now given them everything they had ever hoped for.
Under Zhao Feng's regency, harsh Qin laws had been repealed.
In their place came new laws of governance that nurtured the people and granted them prosperity.
Great Qin stood united.
The Central Plains had been unified.
The true era of a powerful united China had begun.
"The longing for the old kingdoms... is gone."
"From now on, the hearts of the people belong to Qin. We will never have a chance to restore the old nations."
"The path ahead... sigh..."
Hidden in the shadows, the remnants of the Six Kingdoms who heard the imperial edict being proclaimed were filled with immense unease and fear at this moment.
Perhaps in the past, they still had public opinion and the people's support to rely on, but now, they had lost everything.
If they were to come out now and attempt to incite rebellion, calling for the restoration of their former nations, they would likely be beaten to death by the very people who once belonged to their former kingdoms.
What had their old nations ever given the common people?
Oppressive governance.
Heavy taxes.
And relentless exploitation.
The nobles stood above all others.
But what about Qin's laws?
They treated everyone equally.
Regardless of one's status, whether noble or commoner, everything was governed by law.
This was the essence of Qin's Legalist rule.
Inside the Qin Palace!
In the Zhangtai Palace.
Outside the palace, two figures stood guard Ren Xiao and Zhang Ming.
One was the commander of the Imperial Guards, the other the commander of the Crown Prince's army.
The two of them were stationed outside Zhangtai Palace.
Beyond them, the Imperial Guards and the Crown Prince's soldiers formed a tight security perimeter.
At this moment, Ying Zheng had already issued a decree so long as he and the Crown Prince remained inside Zhangtai Palace, no one was allowed to disturb them.
Anyone who disobeyed and refused to retreat would be executed on the spot!
This decree was proof of how serious this matter was.
Today, the imperial edict had been proclaimed across the empire, granting land to all commoners. It was also the day when the people's loyalty to Qin was fully cemented.
Such a moment was precisely what Zhao Feng had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to gather the will of the people and unite them under Qin.
It was the best time to condense the destiny and fortune of the Qin people.
"Are you ready?"
Ying Zheng looked at Zhao Feng with a serious expression.
"I am."
"This moment is when Qin's national fortune will be truly solidified." Zhao Feng replied solemnly.
"Good."
"I will wait for you here." Ying Zheng nodded his expression just as serious.
"Once the fortune is condensed, Father, you will be able to shift to cultivating the Divine Court, integrate the nation's fortune into your body, and refine your spirit."
"No matter what happens next, you don't need to worry." Zhao Feng reminded him.
Ying Zheng nodded. "I understand."
"Alright."
Zhao Feng took a deep breath and sat cross-legged.
In his heart, he silently chanted "Create the Divine Court".
Then, he began to operate the technique.
A mysterious energy began to radiate from Zhao Feng's body.
Centered around him, a force capable of harnessing the nation's fortune gathered in the air.
The entire space trembled.
Suddenly
A sharp cry echoed across the sky.
A massive black bird, several hundred feet in size, appeared out of thin air!
This was none other than Qin's Fortune Totem, which Zhao Feng had summoned.
Since the founding of Qin, its totem has always been a blackbird.
For many years, it had been considered the divine beast of Qin's national destiny.
However, with only mortal means, it could never be truly invoked.
Only by mastering the power of national fortune could it be awakened and transformed into the true guardian beast of the empire.
As time passed
The aura radiating from Zhao Feng continued to expand and grow stronger.
Finally
When it reached a critical point
"Create the Divine Court!"
"Manifest the Fortune Totem! Solidify the Nation's Destiny!"
Zhao Feng roared in his heart.
His technique reached its full power.
Above
The towering Fortune Totem, the blackbird, suddenly moved.
Originally, it had been invisible to the people.
But at this moment
Transformed from a mere totem into the true embodiment of Qin's national fortune
The entire city of Xianyang saw it materialize in the sky!
The enormous black bird, hundreds of feet tall, stood above the capital, exuding an invisible pressure and a sense of divine majesty.
Most of all, it invoked a deep reverence from every Qin citizen.
"Look!"
"The Black Bird! Qin's totem the Black Bird!"
"Our totem has come to life!"
"Such majesty!"
"It truly is magnificent!"
"This must be a sign of divine favor!"
"His Majesty and the Crown Prince have just granted land to all commoners could it be that even the heavens have taken notice of their benevolence, and thus sent down this blessing to protect Qin and our rulers?"
"It must be so!"
"A true divine omen!"
"In the past, when the Zhou Dynasty was established, the phoenix cried at Mount Qi."
"Now, with Qin uniting the world, the Black Bird has descended. This is a sign that our empire is blessed with prosperity and strength!"
"Heaven blesses Qin!"
Across Xianyang, countless citizens looked up at the Black Bird Totem, their faces filled with excitement and awe.
They all knew
This was their nation's divine omen.
A sign that the heavens recognized Qin's rule.
The totem's manifestation was shocking.
But to the common people, they were ignorant of the true reasons behind it.
Nevertheless, as word spread, Qin's authority and prestige would only grow stronger.
Just as Zhao Feng had foreseen
In the past, the Zhou Dynasty was founded with the phoenix's cry at Mount Qi.
Now, Qin had unified China, and the Black Bird had appeared over Xianyang.
This event would go down in history.
Future generations would remember it as:
"The Black Bird Descends Upon Xianyang Qin's Eternal Prosperity."
As the Black Bird Totem materialized
It transformed intangible fortune into true national destiny.
At that moment
Zhao Feng raised his head and stared at the Black Bird in the sky.
Then, in a deep and thunderous voice, he asked:
"People of Qin! Do you vow to remain Qin's people forever?"
The moment his words fell
A shocking phenomenon occurred!
Across the entire Qin Empire
In all nine provinces and thirty-six commanderies, among over eighty million citizens
Every single person heard his voice echoing in their ears!
For a brief moment
Countless people stood in stunned silence.
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