Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 151

Judging by the time, he defeated two enemies in just two moves. The last one, Tian Hu, who was caught off guard and affected by the Soul-Swaying Skill, was already defeated when this brute charged straight at him.

Tian Hu, with his profound inner strength, should not have fallen for the trick so easily, but his volatile temper made him most susceptible to illusions.

Their biggest mistake was not forming the Earthly Marsh Twenty-Four Alliance from the beginning.

"Let go of Ah Hu!"

Zhou Wen knew it was time for him to make a move.

The sharp tip of the sword shot out a fierce sword light, aiming straight for Lu Wei's back.

"Well done!"

Turning swiftly, the Hall Master parried with his sword. With a clang, and before the disciples below could react, Hall Master Lu Wei, who had just appeared invincible, stumbled back a step with his left foot...

Chapter 170 On the Eve of the Attack on Wei

"Brother Lu Wei single-handedly stormed into Lieshan Hall, defeated Tian Hu in one move, and then defeated Tian Meng, the master swordsman, in thirty moves, reclaiming the famous swords Gan Jiang and Mo Xie. His strength can be considered the number one master of our Farmer's School!"

In the main hall of Gonggong Hall, Lu Wei sat in the main seat, with Zhu Jia and Situ Wanli on either side below him.

The three hall masters from outside the clan gathered together. This time, the initiator of the meeting was no longer the Shennong Hall as usual. Hall Master Lu's status among the outside clan halls had risen to the top in just a few years.

However, correspondingly, although there is still cooperation among the three halls, Shennong Hall and Siyue Hall are becoming more closely united, and Gonggong Hall has been excluded from several new projects.

In addition, Lu Wei has been wandering around for many years, and the cooperation meeting between the three halls has almost completely reverted to the separate alliance of Shennong Hall and Siyue Hall in the past.

The Zhu family also really wanted to be the leader of the knights.

Initially, the Zhu family's plan was for him to lead the outer clan to fight against the Tian clan. If they won, as the eldest brother of the outer clan, he would undoubtedly be the successor to the chivalrous leader.

Even if they were defeated, Tian Meng, who had become the leader of the three sects, would not dare to openly harm them.

Now, the alliance of the three non-family branches can basically overwhelm the two branches of the Tian family's fierce tigers. However, after the victory, the question of who should succeed as the leader of the chivalrous sect will become a new point of contention.

The young and strong Lu Wei seems to be the best successor to the chivalrous leader from the perspective of the peasant's righteousness.

He's only in his early twenties. Once he becomes the leader of the peasant clan, the peasant clan will be under Lu Wei's control for at least forty or fifty years. It's conceivable that during those forty or fifty years, the other hall masters will die of old age without any further opportunities for advancement.

The title of the chivalrous leader is within reach; we cannot easily relinquish it. We must strive to win it again.

After all, even if they fail, all they will get is to become elders in the Tomb of the Six Sages in a few years. Compared to the potential gains, the loss is acceptable.

"Brother Zhu, you're too kind. I've just been working a little harder."

Lu Wei's gaze swept over the two of them, but he maintained a smiling expression and did not bring up the reason for inviting them over.

After Zhu Jia and Situ Wanli openly communicated with their eyes, Situ Wanli spoke:

"Brother Lu returned from Sanghai City last time, and then suddenly left for Yan State in a hurry."

Lu Wei's whereabouts were a secret at the time, but his boast of being invincible did indeed begin in the State of Yan, so it is not difficult to conclude that he went to the State of Yan.

"It is said that the leader of the chivalrous sect is also in the Yan Kingdom. I wonder if there is any connection between the two?"

Before coming to Gonggong Hall, Situ Wanli and the Zhu family held a small meeting to discuss their attitude towards Lu Wei.

"The Yan Kingdom has always been within the sphere of influence of my Gonggong Hall. After arriving in Yan, I have been residing in Luqiu Pavilion in Ji City. As for the Xia Kui..."

Lu Wei paused for a moment: "There are indeed rumors that Xia Kui is active in Yan State, and there are also rumors that he is cooperating with King Dan of Yan."

"I don't know if it's true or false."

The meeting with Tian Guang must be kept secret until he becomes the leader of the chivalrous sect. Although Tian Guang has given him the Shennong Token, he also has different instructions for Zhu Jia, Zhou Wen, and Tian Hu:

Tian Guang entrusted Chen Sheng and Changping Jun's plans to the Zhu family.

Tian Guang handed over the Luo Wang plan to Zhou Wen.

His own branch of the Tian clan, through which he secretly contacted Tian Du and Tian Hu.

Beneath the seemingly simple surface of the farmhouse, the secrets hidden within an organization of 100,000 people are far from simple.

"So even Brother Lu Wei didn't know?"

Zhu Jia stroked his beard and took over the conversation: "Xia Kui didn't show up at this year's autumn harvest conference, nor did Brother Lu Wei."

"We all thought the leader had other plans for you, brother."

"I should have come back for such an important event as the Autumn Harvest Conference."

Lu Wei shook his head: "But at the time, I was in the State of Chu and had to treat the physician Nian Duan, so I was unable to get away."

Nian Duan will be serving as the resident physician in Gonggong Hall in the future, and his identity will eventually be exposed. It's fine to tell Zhu Jia and Situ Wanli now; on the contrary, it will further demonstrate the strength of Gonggong Hall.

The importance of the former head of the medical school to a martial arts sect is self-evident.

"Physician Nian Duan!" Zhu Jia's mask turned a serious bright red, and he jumped off the chair. Situ Wanli also looked surprised; this news was quite unexpected.

"That's right, the physician is currently in Gonggong Hall."

...

Summoning Zhu Jia and Situ Wanli was merely a formality; in reality, he and Zhou Wen had already meticulously planned the competition for the position of leader of the chivalrous sects.

Zhang Er has only been infiltrating the Four Mountains Hall for a short time. Once he becomes the head of the Four Mountains Hall, Situ Wanli will be useless.

The secret of Tian Meng and Tian Mi's collusion with Luo Wang was exposed at a crucial moment, leading to the immediate collapse of both organizations.

Therefore, the final candidates for the title of Xia Kui were Lu Wei, Zhu Jia, and Tian Hu.

Not to mention that the Zhu family and Tian Hu could not possibly join forces, even if they did, they would not be a match for Master Lu.

Ultimately, all that's needed is a fair competition method to unfairly eliminate all other candidates.

The choice for the leader of the chivalrous sect has already been decided – Lu Wei.

The Farmer Clan is now embroiled in an even fiercer internal conflict due to the struggle between Master Lu and the Tian Clan over the famous swords Gan Jiang and Mo Xie. However, beneath the seemingly fragile exterior of the Farmer Clan's motley crew lies a core of composure and a firm grasp of everything.

In the grand scheme of things, with the unification of the land imminent, the overwhelming power of the peasant faction is a shining star. Only by deliberately dimming its brilliance can it better protect itself.

As for the Gan Jiang and Mo Xie twin swords that he had acquired, since Lu Wei did not have any two-handed swordsmen under his command at the moment, he would keep them for the time being.

The three leaders from different clans talked for an afternoon and even enjoyed a dinner together in the evening. However, when Lu Wei's words almost revealed his ambition to compete for the title of leader of the martial arts sect, the atmosphere between them became quite awkward.

The three families are drifting further and further apart, and the infighting within the peasant family has entered a new phase.

The whereabouts of the chivalrous leader Tian Guang remained unknown.

The day after seeing off the Zhu family and Situ Wanli, Tian Mi actually took the initiative to visit Hall Master Lu at Gonggong Hall.

Although Tian Mi was not of high value, since another hall master was visiting, Lu Wei, as the hall master, still needed to personally receive him based on the principle of equal status.

Tian Mi's intentions were simple: Lu Wei was now the top expert in the Farmer's Clan, capable of defeating the Tian brothers, the Fierce Tigers, all by himself. It was only natural for her, who was assessing the situation, to come and befriend him.

During the conversation, Tian Mi habitually used the same tactics she used to deal with men.

In the Farmer's Family, an organization with a severe gender imbalance, Tian Mi, who is fair-skinned and beautiful, is a sweetheart to more than 90% of the disciples.

However, Lu Wei has never been used to sharing honey with others; he only likes to have his own.

After getting rid of Tian Mi and avoiding further disturbance, the head of the hall received Li Zuoche, a young disciple from Yan Guiling.

Sixteen-year-old Li Zuoche is the grandson of Li Mu. Last year, at a young age, he followed his grandfather as a bodyguard in the Qin-Zhao War, and later joined the peasant family with Li Mu.

He came to invite Lu Wei to Yan Gui Ling to inspect the results of the new year's military training, and Lu Wei, of course, wouldn't refuse this request...

------

The former territory of Zhao has now become the Handan Commandery of the Qin state.

The Qin king's dark chariots solemnly entered the city of Handan. Their first destination was not the Zhao royal palace, but the small courtyard where the Qin king had lived when he was a hostage.

Dressed in the most solemn Qin royal attire, Ying Zheng stepped onto the Zhao territory he had once traversed, and accompanied by Wang Jian, he approached step by step the house that was vaguely remembered.

On both sides of the gate, the people of Zhao who had once humiliated the young King of Qin knelt in unison.

These people, young and old, were hunched over, trembling.

Ying Zheng's steps were heavy and slow; this was the moment for him to wash away the humiliation of the past.

Finally arriving at the door, he turned around and glanced disdainfully at the kneeling people: "Pile them all up."

With those three words, "peace," he sealed their fate, then personally pushed open the door to his childhood home...

From a child who once depended on his mother Zhao Ji for survival to the King of Qin who now decides the fate of millions with a single word, he is absolutely certain that he is doing the right thing.

After taking revenge, he vowed to accomplish something unprecedented in thousands of years.

But before that, there was another enemy: Yan Dan, who was still hiding in the northern state of Yan...

"How are the preparations for the attack on Yan going?"

"The army can set off after the New Year."

Wang Jian, two steps behind King Zheng of Qin, said in a deep voice, "Neither the State of Dai nor the State of Yan in Liaodong will help King Dan of Yan. We will surely win this battle."

"I've heard that Yan Dan has turned Ji City into an iron fortress." Ying Zheng's gaze swept over the layout of the old houses, and he felt a sense of boredom: "How long will it take to pacify Yan territory?"

"The city can be captured within a year."

Wang Jian gave a calm and composed answer.

"One year?" Ying Zheng frowned slightly: "Then one year!"

He did not forcefully order the Qin army to spare no expense, but added a requirement: "Try to capture them alive."

"I accept your order."

"After the fall of Zhao, only Chu remains to stand in the way of my Qin cavalry."

Ying Zheng then said, "Some ministers in the court suggested taking advantage of the momentum of destroying Zhao to directly attack Chu, while others suggested destroying Wei step by step first."

"You are a general, what do you think of these two opinions?"

"Wei was a small country, and destroying Wei could be part of the campaign to destroy Chu."

Wang Jian certainly supported destroying Wei first, but he was unaware of the King of Qin's attitude, so he expressed his own stance rather tactfully.

"Then let's prepare to destroy Wei."

King Zheng of Qin understood Wang Jian's meaning and remained noncommittal about Wang Jian's cautiousness: "General, you have worked hard to defeat Zhao. Next, let's destroy Wei. Who do you think should be the commander-in-chief?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration of your subjects."

Wang Jian's heart tightened: "As for appointing generals, I am old and senile. Your Majesty's decision is surely the one to make, and you will surely achieve great things."