This time, we will annihilate Zhao!
The Northern Frontier Camp will serve as a diversion, holding the Zhao Border Army in check. Hangu Pass Camp, on the other hand, was to act as support. Even though Lantian Camp suffered substantial damage in this battle, Hangu Pass Camp was ultimately not deployed.
The next time a war to destroy a state is launched, Wang Jian certainly won't take the initiative to volunteer for battle again. This would violate his duty as a subject. After all, the prestige he gained from annihilating two states was already at its peak. If he were to contend for more, it would inevitably stir great suspicion in the court.
"Convey my order," Wang Jian said in a solemn voice. "Cleanse Dai City of all Zhao troops. Execute any who refuse to surrender, without exception."
"Understood." The Personal Guard Commander immediately departed to relay the command.
Once he had left, a smile of gratification appeared on Wang Jian's face. The execution of Zhao Yi and the storming of the Dai Royal Palace should firmly secure Zhao Feng's next promotion. My son-in-law is going to become a Shangjiangjun. Qin's fourth Shangjiangjun, and the youngest in all the lands. Yan'er truly has an excellent eye for choosing such a tiger of a son-in-law.
At this moment, Wang Jian was naturally happy for Zhao Feng. With this battle decided, coupled with Ying Zheng's earlier promise, the rank of Shangjiangjun was all but guaranteed.
Obviously, Wang Jian was not yet aware that Ying Zheng had already announced Zhao Feng's appointment in the court.
Zhao Feng will be promoted to Shangjiangjun, and he will eventually have to return to Xianyang. Yet he has little to no reverence for royal authority. Life in the court is not like commanding troops in the field; I will have to thoroughly teach him the way of a courtier, the art of keeping a low profile. Otherwise, he will surely be targeted.
Wang Jian thought to himself.
The Lantian Camp's troops continued their operations. With Dai City secured, the entire Dai Territory would be conquered by Qin within a month. On that day, the Zhao state would be no more!
「Time flew by!」
「Wei State, Daliang City.」
"Your Majesty," a general reported anxiously as he arrived before Wei Wuji. "The Zhao state has fallen. The King of Dai, Zhao Yi, has been slain by the Qin army amidst the chaos of battle, and the Zhao army in the Dai Territory has been completely wiped out."
Hearing this, the carving knife and bamboo slips fell from Wei Wuji's hands. A solemn expression crept onto his aged face.
In the end, they couldn't hold on. The momentum of Qin can no longer be stopped. Of the Three Jins, only my Wei remains. Wei Wuji sighed inwardly, an unspeakable sorrow welling within him.
"Your Majesty," the Wei general asked, his voice trembling, "with the fall of Zhao, Qin will surely attack our Wei once they have complete control over the Zhao Territory. How should Wei position itself?"
"How should we position ourselves..." Wei Wuji muttered, equally uncertain of what to do. "You may withdraw for now."
Wei Wuji waved the general away.
"Yes," the general said, respectfully withdrawing.
"Sigh..." Wei Wuji sighed deeply, then pulled a piece of silk fabric from beneath his table. On it were written four characters: "Grand Plan for Restoration!"
The news that Dai Territory had been conquered by Qin and that Zhao Yi was dead spread like a tidal wave across the lands, naturally causing even greater unrest among the various countries. Those farther away were less concerned, but the state of Wei was on pins and needles.
「Xianyang.」
A messenger bearing a command flag galloped swiftly through the city gates. The capital guards on duty immediately moved the barricades to clear a path. The messenger charged into the city unhindered.
"Our Qin army has won a great victory in the Zhao state!
"Dai City has been breached by our Qin army! The King of Dai, Zhao Yi, has been slain by our Main General, Zhao Feng! Our army's momentum is unstoppable!
"The Dai Territory has been conquered by Qin, and the Zhao state has perished!
"A great victory! The Zhao state has perished, and its lands are now under the rule of our Qin! A great victory!"
The messenger held the command flag high, shouting at the top of his lungs as he galloped toward the Royal Palace.
"The Zhao state is gone?"
"Is it true?"
"The heavens favor our Qin! The Zhao state has actually fallen!"
"Hahaha, the Han state is gone, and now the Zhao state is gone too! Qin has already annihilated two of the Three Jins! A great victory! A magnificent victory!"
"The Seven Kingdoms have been divided for hundreds of years, yet our Qin has eliminated two states in less than three years. One day, Qin will surely unify all under heaven!"
"Our Daqin Elite Soldiers are, without a doubt, the strongest!"
"The great aspiration of generations of Old Qin People is finally about to be fulfilled! To unify all under heaven, only our Qin can do it!"
"Handan has fallen, the Zhao state is finished. The late General Wang, who took his own life before the walls of Handan City, can now rest in peace."
"Our Qin has won!"
"Let's go!"
"Today is a joyous day for Qin! Brothers, I'm treating you all to a drink at the tavern!"
"Haha, let's go together!"
"It's a pity we don't have an Immortals' Liquor House in Xianyang. Their wine is a true treasure. If only we had some of that to truly celebrate."
"Where exactly is this Immortals' Liquor House? I've heard so many fellow drinkers talk about it, but I've never seen it myself."
"That's just you being out of the loop, brother. The Immortals' Liquor House is in Yingchuan. I was on a business trip and passed by the Wei River, so I tried it in Wei City. The place was packed!"
"It's that good? I must go try it someday."
"Come on, enough talk! Let's go celebrate Qin's conquest of Zhao! The joy of conquering a state is something we men of Qin must celebrate!"
"That's right! I once served in the army. All men of Qin should celebrate!"
...
At this moment, countless citizens throughout Xianyang City were ecstatic, especially the men. Such jubilation over expanding their territory naturally thrilled them. This, perhaps, was the ambition passed down through the bloodline of the Old Qin People.
In ancient times, the Old Qin People carved out a domain from a corner in the northwest, eventually becoming the most powerful state of the era. All of this was pioneered by them. The desire to unify all under heaven was not only the lifelong ambition of generations of Qin monarchs but a legacy passed down through the blood of all the Old Qin People.
「Historically.」
It was also because Hu Hai was incompetent.