People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 344, Heartache and Thoughts
"Let's put the conditions aside for now. I want to know what the Marquis's remaining two worries are," Xu Qing said in a deep voice.

Wanting to master surgery was merely Lü Buwei's superficial purpose in meeting him. Even if Lü Buwei didn't ask him for it, as long as he handed the book over to Ying Zheng, Lü Buwei could obtain it from Ying Zheng with his power.

The remaining two worries are probably Lü Buwei's real purpose.

"My second concern is whether your decision to enter Qin was your personal choice or a Daoist one," Lü Buwei asked in a deep voice.

"This is both my personal choice and the choice of the Taoist Heavenly Sect. I wonder if the Marquis has heard this saying?"

Xu Qing glanced at the puzzled Lü Buwei and continued...
"The fate of Qin was intertwined with that of Zhou. Although Zhou and Qin shared the same origin, they rose together in the western border region. Qin rescued Zhou and became one of the feudal lords. Qin and Zhou were separated for five hundred years before Qin united again. After seventeen years of reunification, a hegemon emerged."

Xu Qing understood that what Lü Buwei really wanted to ask was whether it was his personal choice to support Ying Zheng, or the Daoist Tianzong's choice to support Ying Zheng.

In truth, both he and Tianzong ultimately chose Qin and Ying Zheng. If Tianzong had chosen someone else, Xiaomeng wouldn't have helped Qin after descending the mountain in the original story.

As for the proverb he mentioned, although it was indeed Lao Tzu's prophecy about the Qin state, Tian Zong didn't know whether he believed in it or not. But that didn't stop him from using it to bolster his confidence and resources for the conversation that followed.

Lu Buwei looked surprised. The fact that Lu Buwei, who had held power in the court for half his life, could be so surprised was enough to show the significance of those words.

"I see. It seems the Grand Chancellor did indeed come to Qin with a mission," Lü Buwei said, looking at Xu Qing meaningfully.

He was familiar with this statement; it was what Lao Tzu said to Duke Xiao of Qin when he left Hangu Pass to the west, and it was a prediction of the future fate of the Qin state.

Not many people knew this saying; even within the Qin state, only the successive kings of Qin knew it. He only learned of it by chance when Ying Zheng went to Yongcheng to pay homage to his ancestors after ascending the throne.

"Is Your Majesty truly the person foretold in this prophecy? Does the Heavenly Sect truly believe in Your Majesty?" Lü Buwei continued to ask.

Meeting Lü Buwei's questioning gaze, Xu Qing slowly spoke.

"Your Majesty is the future ruler of the world!"

"The ruler of the world!?"

Lu Buwei stared at Xu Qing in disbelief, his hand on the table clenching nervously. Although he had been in a high position for a long time, he was still shocked by these words.

Since the decline of the Zhou royal family, the feudal lords have been constantly at war. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the various states still respected the face of the Zhou emperor to some extent.

But ever since the division of Jin into three states, the last powerful Ji-surname vassal state perished, and the states no longer concealed their ambitions. Their goal was no longer to dominate, but to conquer the world.

Even though the Qin state had repeatedly forced the six states of Shandong to cede territory and sue for peace over the years, it was still uncertain whether it could eventually unify the world. Too many ambitions for hegemony had ended in failure due to a single misstep.

The examples of Duke Huan of Qi, King Fuchai of Wu, the Rebellion of the Three Princes of Qin, King Wuling of Zhao, and King Huai of Chu are all there; no one can be certain of the outcome until the very end.

Hearing a positive answer from Xu Qing, Lü Buwei was naturally shocked, but he also understood that Xu Qing was genuinely assisting Ying Zheng, and was not a spy like Zheng Guo.

This relieved Lü Buwei of his long-standing worries.

"Although I value you, since you entered Qin, especially when you returned with the King, although I bestowed upon you a high title, I still have some doubts about you and worry that you will become the second Zheng Guo," Lü Buwei said to Xu Qing with emotion.

When Ying Zheng first ascended the throne, Zheng Guo was persuaded to go to Qin to build a canal, saying that digging a canal could divert the Jing River and turn Guanzhong into a fertile land. After discussion in the Qin court, it was finally decided to support Zheng Guo's construction of the canal.

However, Zheng Guo's true purpose in entering Qin was soon revealed. This was a strategy by Han to weaken Qin, and Zheng Guo was also a spy for Zhang Kaidi, who wanted Qin to spend its national strength on building canals.

However, since Ying Zheng personally approved the project, and the canal could indeed be transformed from barren land into fertile fields, Lü Buwei tacitly approved its construction.

Although this matter ultimately benefited the Qin state, Zheng Guo was indeed an out-and-out spy, and Lü Buwei was always wary of him. This, on the contrary, made Ying Zheng grow closer to Zheng Guo, and they even became friends.

When Xu Qing heard that Lü Buwei suspected him of being a spy, he was not greatly surprised. After all, there was a precedent in the state of Han, so it was normal for them to have such suspicions. Moreover, Lü Buwei's frankness showed that the other party had already put aside his suspicions.

"Doesn't Your Excellency suspect that I'm deliberately trying to gain your trust?" Xu Qing asked with a light laugh.

"If that's really the case, then I'll just say I was blind," Lü Buwei said, laughing heartily as he looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's ability to utter proverbs known only to the Taoist Heavenly Sect and the Qin royal family is sufficient proof that Xu Qing's status as a disciple of the Taoist Heavenly Sect is genuine.

If he doesn't trust Xu Qing, doesn't he also trust Tianzong?

Although Tianzong's actions are unpredictable, he is aware of the secret connection between Tianzong and the Qin state. Moreover, when Tianzong enters the world to choose supporters, he would never choose the Han state.

After all, South Korea is now on a dead end.

Xu Qing and Lü Buwei exchanged a smile, and the atmosphere between them became slightly lighter, without the previous wariness and suspicion. "My lord, now that I have revealed my identity and purpose for coming to Qin, shouldn't you tell me your true purpose for coming to see me today?" Xu Qing said, picking up his teacup.

Lu Buwei looked at Xu Qing and sighed softly. He had two purposes for seeking out Xu Qing today: first, to test him, and second, to ask Xu Qing to help him revise his books.

However, having confirmed Xu Qing's identity as a disciple of the Daoist Heavenly Sect and his purpose in coming to Qin, he changed his original third question and began to speak.

"I wonder how the Grand Chancellor would evaluate me? Do you think I am Yi Yin, the Duke of Zhou, or Qing Fu and Tu Anjia?"

Xu Qing was taken aback, and his gaze toward Lü Buwei became more meaningful.

This is a life-or-death question. The other party has already stated the question; does he still have a choice?

However, looking at Lü Buwei's complicated expression, Xu Qing carefully recalled Lü Buwei's actions throughout his life. Although he was a powerful minister and even had an affair with Zhao Ji, he did not do anything else that was outrageous.

If the other side truly wanted to usurp the throne, they wouldn't have given Ying Zheng a chance to grow up. Regardless of their true intentions, the outcome shows they had no intention of rebellion.

Perhaps I did, but at my age now, I probably don't anymore.

“A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. I don’t know what you are thinking, but judging from your actions, you are only one step away from becoming like Yi Yin, the Duke of Zhou, and Qingfu and Tu Anjia.”

"Who you become is up to you, Your Excellency."

Xu Qing looked at Lü Buwei and spoke slowly.

"If one could be like Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou, who would want to be like Qing Fu or Tu Anjia?" Lü Buwei sighed softly.

Although he was a powerful minister, he had no intention of harming Ying Zheng. There were rumors that Ying Zheng was his child, but he knew that this was nonsense. People who believed such things were either stupid or malicious.

The reason he hesitated to relinquish power was because he was worried about Ying Zheng and the Qin state. He did not want the fruits of his life's struggle, the Qin Dynasty, to be destroyed in an instant.

"Are you worried that His Majesty will be unable to control the complex court and that after taking power, he will not be a match for the court officials, thus ruining Qin's eastward expansion?" Xu Qing said thoughtfully.

Lu Buwei's words had made it very clear that the other party had no intention of taking over the throne; what they were worried about was that Ying Zheng would be unable to suppress the ministers.

After all, this concern is not unreasonable. Everyone says that the Qin state unified the world by building up the strength of six generations of Qin, and even if the last Qin king was not Ying Zheng, the Qin state would still have been able to unify the world.

But is that really the case? Probably not entirely.

Ying Zheng played a crucial role in Qin's stable unification of the world, clearing away the last stumbling block to Qin's unification by eliminating the complex internal factional struggles.

If internal unity cannot be achieved, let alone unifying the world, there is a risk of failure that could destroy the legacy of six generations of Qin dynasty.

Don't really think that the titles of various state relatives in Qin are just for differentiation. No one knows how many of them are spies sent by various states or secretly colluding with them. Xiong Qi could not be just an isolated case. Human nature is the least worthwhile thing to examine.

“That’s right. The world is bustling with people coming and going for profit. Even kings with a thousand chariots, lords with ten thousand households, and rulers of a hundred families still worry about poverty, let alone ordinary people and commoners?” Lü Buwei said in a deep voice.

He could hand over power to Ying Zheng, but Ying Zheng had to demonstrate his ability to control the Qin state and suppress the ministers who harbored their own agendas.

Otherwise, we should wait and see, either until Ying Zheng has sufficient power or until he eliminates these people.

However, judging from the current developments, he is no longer able to help Ying Zheng eliminate these people, because the conflict between Ying Zheng and him has become increasingly acute.

“The king has grown up. If you cannot let go, how can you see his true abilities? A fledgling in the nest can never become an eagle soaring in the sky. Only by experiencing the wind and rain can it grow sharp claws and strong wings.” Xu Qing put down his teacup and said.

"Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. Your Majesty is, after all, the child I watched grow up."

Lu Buwei paused, seemingly worried that Xu Qing might misunderstand something, and then continued to explain.

"There are rumors that Your Majesty is my child, not the biological son of the late King. In fact, this statement is not entirely untrue. Your Majesty is the one who inherits my ideals, and in a sense, he is undoubtedly my child."

Each call of "Uncle" and each day's instruction—that's all affection.

Humans are not plants or trees, how can they be without feelings? He was not an ambitious man completely corrupted by power, and he also had his own emotions.

"I understand that believing rumors from the outside world is either foolish or malicious. The Tao Te Ching says, 'It gives birth to things without possessing them, acts without claiming credit, nurtures them without dominating them. It helps all things grow without taking possession of them, exerting its strength for all things without relying on its abilities, assisting all things to grow without controlling them.'"

“Parents treat their children in the same way. You can only guide the king to do the right thing, not control everything the king does. You are now nearly sixty years old. If you are gone one day, the king will have to face everything on his own,” Xu Qing said.

(End of this chapter)