The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 138: The Battle of Yan is Not Over, and the Brutal Lü Buwei

The seven major chambers of commerce each have their own strengths, and the Zhao Chamber of Commerce's strength is the fur business.

Hunt wild animals, skin them, sew them into custom pieces, and sell them to the rich.

The white fox fur coat worth thousands of gold that saved Mengchangjun's life and allowed him to escape from Qin State came from the Zhao Chamber of Commerce.

It was precisely because he had been accustomed to hearing the roars of wild beasts and seeing tigers and bears being hunted since he was a child that Zhao Dashu had a strong murderous aura.

The mercenary air commonly seen in merchants is almost non-existent in Zhao Dashu, and instead he exudes a majesty that comes without even getting angry.

Facing his son's teacher, Zou Yan, who was extremely famous in the Yan and Qi dynasties.

Zhao Dashu was also unscrupulous and ruthless.

He was leaning against the side of the carriage, with one leg raised and his hand on his knee, in a very indecent posture.

"Zouzi is in a hurry. I will save face for him in front of Xuanlang. Now it's just you and me. If Zouzi doesn't give me an explanation." Zhao Dashu slapped his chest with his hands, and leaned forward slightly. His eyes were sharp and bright. "It's uncomfortable here!"

As he finished speaking, the car curtain was still shaking.

It can be seen how fast he moves and how urgently he speaks.

Zou Yan closed his eyes and rested, looking calm and unafraid. He didn't even open his eyes and pointed to the top of his head.

"This is God's will."

"Is it God's will again?" Zhao Dashu sneered.

When he heard these four words for the first time, he was respectful.

The second time he heard those four words, he was filled with awe.

When he heard these four words for the third time, he responded solemnly.

But this time, he had heard it for who knows how many times, and he just treated it as a fart!

Zhao Dashu moved closer and stared at Zou Yan:

"I don't think it's God's will, it's you, Zou Yan's will!

"If you want my son to have a good relationship with Master Chengjiao, then of course it's the right thing to do, but why do you have to take away Xuanlang's favorite thing?
"He has been watching the little black tiger for more than three months since he learned that the mother tiger was pregnant! Did Zou Zi have to take it away?"

Zou Yan finally opened his eyes, his eyes were clear, like that of a child.

"If I don't take Xuan Lang's favorite thing, how can I make Master Qin remember Xuan Lang?

"Haven't you met this young gentleman?

"Young Master Chengjiao's mind is as far ahead of his peers as Xuanlang's body is.

"He was born in the Qin royal family. Some treasures that are worth a fortune outside may be no different from dirt in the eyes of Prince Chengjiao. This little black tiger of a different species is a rare thing, which makes him look at it differently.

"When he sees the little black tiger, he will think of Xuan Lang. When he thinks of Xuan Lang, he will remember Xuan Lang's painful act today. Do you know?"

Zhao Dashu's expression eased a little. This explanation was much better than any explanation from fate.

"Although I don't know what Zou Zi's intentions are, I believe he will not harm Xuan Lang. I was a little anxious about this matter, and I would like to apologize to Zou Zi." Zhao Dashu was sitting and bowing: "Zou Zi is knowledgeable and can understand the will of heaven. Don't argue with me, a layman."

Zou Yan smiled and held it lightly with one hand:
"The love of a mother for her calf is the way of heaven."

After Zhao Dashu left, the old man closed his eyes again and murmured in a low voice:
“I hope that this exotic black tiger can be treated well by you, young master.

“The seed you plant today will give rise to a gentleman’s heart tomorrow.

“A gentleman, in his attitude towards animals, cannot bear to see them die when he sees them alive, and cannot bear to eat their flesh when he hears their cries. That is why a gentleman stays away from the kitchen…” (Note 1)
Behind the Zhao caravan, Ying Chengjiao's caravan was resting on the spot, waiting for the Zhao caravan to set off before moving again.

Inside the high carriage with four horses, Ying Chengjiao used a slender spoon to scoop out a little bit of goat milk that had just been delivered by the Zhao Chamber of Commerce, about half the size of his fingernail, and stuffed it into the little black tiger's mouth.

The little black tiger followed his instinct and ate with great pleasure.

The originally shriveled belly slowly swelled up into a ball, and the area around the tiger's mouth was filled with goat milk.

Ying Chengjiao was very happy feeding the little black tiger. At that moment, he didn’t think about anything else but feeding the little black tiger.

Things like Zou Zi, Gongsun Longzi, King of Chu, and King of Wei were all forgotten and could not be remembered.

After eating, the little black tiger grunted twice.

She snuggled in Ying Chengjiao's arms, found a comfortable and warm sleeping position, and fell asleep in a short while.

Ying Chengjiao placed the little black tiger on the black bear skin cushion in the carriage and wrapped it with animal skin.

Create a warm and crowded environment for it to enhance the little one's sense of security.

He gently rubbed the little black tiger's head with the tip of his index finger and smiled knowingly.

He picked up "Gongsun Longzi" from the corner of the carriage and read it carefully by candlelight.

Time to get down to business.

If he wanted to throw an unbreakable stone under the wheel of history, then the Jixia Academy must be gone.

And there was Gongsun Longzi in the Jixia Academy.

If his golden body was broken under Gongsun Longzi's questioning, he would lose his reputation.

Not only will all the hard work over such a long period of time be almost in vain, but there will be no more stones to be put in later, and one can only throw some sand.

Ying Chengjiao didn't know how to win the debate against Gongsun Long, who was famous for his debates and whose name was recorded in history, so he tried to find the answer from "Gongsun Longzi" written by Gongsun Long.

He seemed to have forgotten.

Many of those who lost to Gongsun Long had read Gongsun Long's work "Gongsun Longzi", but no one of them was better than Gongsun Long, including Zhuangzi and Zhuang Zhou, who were also good at debate.

As soon as he unfolded the bamboo slips, he suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, as if something was missing.

Holding the bamboo slips, he shook his little head around:
"Hey, where did Wuxia go?"

Bai Wuxia has always been inseparable from him, even sleeping in the same bed. He has become accustomed to having Bai Wuxia by his side.

Lifting the curtain of the carriage, he looked around and soon found his commander.

A dozen steps away, a young girl with a cold face stood beside the Sword Saint Gai Nie, saying something.

But just by looking at his expression, you can tell that it is definitely not a good thing.

He ran over with his calves and heard the girl questioning loudly.

"Is that an eight-year-old child? That is clearly an adult flesh man with both inner and outer qualities! (Note 2)
"You put this kind of person in front of you, young master? You believed him when he said he was eight years old? Can't you see that he is both internally and externally cultivated, and has strong martial arts skills?"

"According to the Qin calendar, he is seven years old." The Sword Saint spoke with a blank expression: "His energy and blood are full, which is consistent with his age."

Bai Wuxia first drew a horizontal line in front of his body with one palm to indicate Zhao Gongming's height.

He then drew a big circle in the air with his hands, representing Zhao Gongming's body shape.

"Just as you said, seven years old! Is there a seven-year-old that tall and strong?"

"Appearances can be deceiving, but blood and qi cannot."

"I have never heard of anyone being able to sense the blood and qi of others."

"You are short-sighted."

"...What did you say?" Bai Wuxia touched the hilt of the sword with her bare hands and gritted her teeth and said, "Even if you are gifted and can sense other people's blood and qi, you should be able to sense how dangerous that flesh man is. You still dare to let him get close to the young master, you..."

"It's not dangerous. I can protect you, sir." "You are standing farther from you than the flesh man. If the flesh man attacks, how can you save him in time?"

"What do you do?" Gai Nie asked back, "Can't you even block a single move?"

“…What I’m saying now is that you put the young master in danger!” The girl growled and drew her sword an inch out of its sheath.

"That's dangerous for you." Gai Nie glared at the girl. "Even if you can't stop me, I can still strike first and kill him before he touches you. Sensing blood is not a talent, but an internal skill. You can't sense it because your internal organs are not trained enough. I heard you say something that suits you very well. If you are not good at it, practice more!"

Bai Wuxia's beautiful eyes shone coldly, and she drew the sword from her waist:

"Your sword had better be as sharp as your mouth."

"Fighting?" Gai Nie's eyes lit up: "Qin Jian, Nie has never seen him before."

The two of them jumped up, rushed into the forest in a few steps, and disappeared from everyone's sight.

This is the custom in the underworld - not to compete in front of others.

The more people know about you, the easier it is to be targeted and the faster you will die.

The boy who just ran over was a little anxious:
"Take me with you! Take me with you! I'll decide the outcome for you!"

Zhao State, Handan.

Lu Buwei lived in the post house and continued to serve as an envoy of the State of Qin.

When the news came that King Xi of Yan announced the release of Prince Cheng Jiao of Qin, Lu Buwei did not show any joy.

It was as if this was all supposed to happen.

On the second day after the news arrived in Handan, King Dan of Zhao invited Lu Buwei to attend the court.

When Lu Buwei entered the front hall of the Xin Palace of Zhao State, he saw that the fake prime minister of Yan State, Jiang Qu, was also there.

With a cold face, he did not take a seat or sit on a chair. He stood in the center of the court and bowed to Zhao Wangdan and said:
"I heard that the soldiers of Zhao have all returned to their homes. It seems that the King of Zhao has given up the idea of ​​attacking Yan.

"Then I ask the King of Zhao to make way for Qin, and Qin will attack Yan on its own."

The originally peaceful hall suddenly fell into deathly silence, and the expression on Zhao Wangdan's face became unnatural.

Yan Jiaxiang was furious. He pointed at Lu Buwei and said what most people in the hall were thinking:
"The reason why Qin attacked Yan was to rescue Qin's son Cheng Jiao!

"Now our Yan State has already invited Prince Cheng Jiao out of Ji with great courtesy, and Qin State still wants to attack Yan!
"It can be seen that your Qin State is not after your prince, but to annex Yan State!"

Jiang Qu turned to Zhao Wangdan with an angry face, and bowed slightly with his body shaking with anger:

"King Zhao! I have long said that Qin's attack on Yan is a wolfish ambition and has nothing to do with morality!
"The relationship between Zhao and Yan is like lips and teeth. Without one, the other cannot exist for long. We are even closer than the former Yu and Guo!

"By lending the road to Qin, Zhao is following the old path of Yu!
"Jin State used the excuse of passing through Guo to attack Guo, and when the Jin army returned, it destroyed Yu State. After Qin State destroyed Yan State, it will also destroy Zhao State!"

Last time, Jiang Qu only talked to Zhao Wangdan.

This time, he was speaking to King Dan of Zhao and all the civil and military officials of Zhao State.

The civil and military officials of Zhao State were all of distinctive character.

Although Jiang Qu said this to protect the State of Yan, the logic is correct. Qin's intention to attack has been confirmed over the years.

Even though the Qin army suffered heavy losses when it conquered Yan and was unable to fight again, this time they were just asking for permission to pass through.

Given the hatred between Qin and Zhao, Qin would sooner or later take action against Zhao.

By then, the Qin State, which had destroyed the Yan State, would occupy the east and west sides of the Zhao State, and the situation of the Zhao State would be ten times more critical than it is now.

Knowing that Lu Buwei was coming today, the old general Lian Po came down from his sickbed and went to the court.

The prime minister of Qin and the acting prime minister of Yan both spoke.

The old general glanced at King Dan of Zhao, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking, he, as the fake prime minister of the State of Zhao, stood up.

"Prime Minister of Qin." The old general said weakly, pretending to be seriously ill. "I really want to know why Qin wants to attack Yan. Prince Chengjiao is not only the prince of Qin, but also the prime minister of Zhao. Isn't the reason why Qin and Zhao declared war on Yan to rescue Prince Chengjiao? Now that Prince Chengjiao is safe, why does Qin want to borrow his way?"

Lu Buwei held his head high and chest puffed out, not even looking at any of the important officials of Zhao State.

He stared at Jiang Qu with murderous intent in his eyes.

"Has our prince been imprisoned by the State of Yan for so long in vain?
"I have been doing business in the Central Plains for ten years. I buy low and sell high. I am used to seeing people taking advantage of others, but I have never seen such an advantage!"

Pingyang Lord Zhao Bao and Zhao Wang Dan looked at each other and stood up:
"What Prime Minister Qin said is absolutely right. How can we imprison the Prime Minister of Zhao for nothing? Yan must pay the price!"

This uncle touched his chin and looked at Jiang Qu:

"One hundred thousand shi of grain, can the Prime Minister of Yan decide?"

If there is food, people can have more children. What Zhao State lacks most now is people.

Jiang Qu naturally knew what Zhao Bao was thinking, but he still breathed a sigh of relief and was about to speak.

"Not enough!" Lü Buwei shouted, his eyebrows raised. "Pingyang Jun has fine clothes and delicious food, and Zhao will provide everything he needs. He doesn't care about gains and losses. I am a businessman, but it's different. Merchants live in the open air and travel thousands of miles just to make a profit. They never do business at a loss. How can you exchange people for things?"

Zhao Wangdan leaned back in his chair, which made him look taller.

"I can understand Prime Minister Qin's heart very well.

“But borrowing the road is not allowed.

"My Zhao's prime minister is imprisoned by Yan. When we attack Yan, the moral principle is to stand on Zhao's side.

"Yan released my prime minister and lent its passage to Qin. When Qin destroyed Yan, Zhao lost its moral integrity.

"It was wrong for Yan to imprison our prime minister.

“But since our Prime Minister is fine, it would be inappropriate to ask Yan to destroy his country in return.

"Does Prime Minister Qin agree?"

Seeing that the King of Zhao was on the side of Yan, the Yan Xiangjiang Qu took advantage of the situation and was afraid that Lü Buwei would speak before him again, so he immediately shouted:

“Although I am not a businessman and have never done business.

"But according to the words of the Prime Minister Qin, human affairs cannot be exchanged for things, nor can they be exchanged for the country!
"Prime Minister Qin will not do business at a loss. Our Yan State can make a loss, but we cannot lose all our capital!"

Lu Buwei's brows relaxed slightly, as if he had heard it.

The Prime Minister Qin hesitated for a moment, and suddenly said in a cold voice:

"The King of Yan wrote a letter to our country's music department, saying that our prince is willing to stay in Yan.

“Now that my prince has just been freed, he can’t wait to leave Ji, which shows that the letter is fake.

"I heard that the letter was written by Jiang Qu. In fact, it was written by Jiang Qu and sent by the King of Yan.

“Since I became the prime minister of Qin and assisted the king of Qin in governing the great country, I have understood the principle of fairness and will not take advantage of Yan.

“Since it is a human matter, it should be replaced by human beings.

"Please ask the King of Yan to announce the truth to the world, execute the culprit Jiang Qu, and clear the name of Le Jian and Prince Cheng Jiao. Let's end this matter here."

【Note 1: A gentleman’s view on animals. When he sees an animal live, he cannot bear to see it die. When he hears an animal’s cry, he cannot bear to eat its meat. Therefore, a gentleman stays away from the kitchen.】

[Note 2: In the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, fat people are divided into three types: fat people, greasy people, and fleshy people. Fleshy people are big from top to bottom, and can be understood as strong fat people.]

(End of this chapter)