"It's time to look elsewhere."
As the Tenglong Legion retreated, the Golden Fire Cavalry pursued for a while before withdrawing. After all, this was Chu territory; advancing too deeply might lead to falling into enemy traps.
With the battle concluded, the battlefield was littered with corpses, most of them wearing the silver armor of the Tenglong Legion. In this battle, the Tenglong Legion suffered losses of around 120,000 soldiers, while the Golden Fire Cavalry lost about 10,000. The newly improved steel smelting technology greatly enhanced the defensive capability of their armor, reducing casualties significantly.
These figures only represent fatalities. If wounded soldiers are included, the Golden Fire Cavalry's casualties reach tens of thousands. This victory would greatly elevate Meng Tian's reputation, paving the way for him to potentially become one of Qin's top generals. After all, this battle resulted in the capture of Chu's Grand General, Xiang Yan.
After the war, Daniel Davis bid farewell to Meng Tian and headed to the two other fronts where Qin and Chu forces were engaged. While Meng Tian defeated the Tenglong Legion, Wang Jian's forces vanquished Chu's Shadow Tiger Corps and Thunder Leopard Corps.
With this, Chu's three main military corps suffered devastating losses. Qin's ensuing offensive was unstoppable. Apart from a few fortified cities capable of holding out for a few days, most fell to Qin within a single day.
Some cities even opened their gates and surrendered as soon as they saw Qin's army approach.
"It's time to visit Shouchun and deal with the Farmer Sect. We need to eliminate potential future trouble." Daniel Davis muttered. The Farmer Sect was embroiled in a power struggle, with conflicts over the leadership position and the divine Shennong Seal. This seal had even been used to kill Bai Qi. Daniel Davis suspected that it wouldn't be long before he himself was targeted by the Shennong Seal.
Although he wasn't worried about the seal, he decided to address the Farmer Sect's leadership issues now to prevent future complications. He planned to help Tian Yan take control of the sect by eliminating its current leaders and the six elders hiding in the Flame Emperor's Six-Sage Tomb in Mount Daze. With her intelligence and skills, Tian Yan would have no trouble leading the Farmer Sect.
"As for Han Xin, the famed military strategist, his future legacy may not shine as brightly as it could have," Daniel mused.
The chaos of an era breeds heroes. Without a widespread upheaval, even a military genius like Han Xin would struggle to rise to prominence. In these relatively peaceful times, even the most profound knowledge of military tactics wouldn't guarantee recognition. While some might know of Han Xin's capabilities, truly showcasing them was another matter entirely. Apart from Daniel Davis, only Han Xin's mentor, Wei Liaozi, recognized his talent.
Wei Liaozi was a reclusive figure in Qin. Originally from Wei, he had not been valued there and moved to Qin. Wei Liaozi's prowess was on par with legendary generals like Bai Qi and Wang Jian, but he cared little for fame, so few knew of his abilities.
Han Xin was his disciple. In this era, few prominent figures truly came from humble beginnings. Neither Chen Sheng, Wu Guang, Liu Ji, nor Han Xin were ordinary commoners. For the genuine poor, literacy itself was a hurdle, let alone mastering complex knowledge.
Bang.
In the royal palace of Chu, Lord Changping slammed his desk in fury, shattering it. Bamboo slips and books scattered to the ground. While Qin primarily used paper for documentation, the other six states relied on both bamboo slips and paper. Paper was mainly used in Qin and Qi, the latter thanks to the Confucian Little Sage Village's influence.
"Xiang Yan..." Lord Changping growled in frustration.
With the complete defeat of Chu's three major corps, Qin's forces swept through Chu like an unstoppable wave. Lord Changping's grand ambitions, ideals, and plans disintegrated alongside the military's collapse.
He did not consider himself responsible for this outcome. Instead, he blamed Xiang Yan for disobeying his orders. However, the truth was that the fault lay entirely with him. Even in the original history, when he caused Qin to lose 200,000 elite troops, he still failed to change the outcome.
As a master of intrigue, Lord Changping excelled in the shadows. But stepping into the spotlight to lead through schemes alone was futile. At that point, strength determined success.
On the surface, Chu's vast resources seemed comparable to Qin's. However, war has never been decided by mere numbers. Lord Changping completely underestimated the disparity in combat effectiveness between the two sides.
If anyone embodied the term "armchair strategist," Lord Changping fit it more aptly than Zhao Kuo. Despite considering himself a prodigy, even dismissing Ying Zheng in his arrogance, reality soon taught him that the throne was no easy seat.
The noble Xiang clan of Chu didn't ally with Lord Changping because of his charisma or grandeur. They joined him out of interest. The Xiang clan was one of Chu's most powerful aristocratic families. Without sufficient benefits, why would they abandon the former king to back Lord Changping, a former Right Prime Minister of Qin?
The same applied to the Farmer Sect.
"Ying Zheng, don't think you've already won," Lord Changping muttered after regaining his composure. Although he had failed on the battlefield, he still had his trump card: the Azure Dragon Plan, which he had been setting in motion since his time in Qin. Despite the deaths of Zhu Jia and Sheng Qi, others could step in to complete the plan.
Historically, the most effective way to dismantle an organization was to sow internal strife. For this, Lord Changping had made extensive preparations. One of his strategies centered on Prince Fusu. As a Confucian sympathizer in a Legalist state like Qin, Fusu was a potential spark for civil unrest.
This was precisely why Li Si later collaborated with Zhao Gao to forge an imperial edict targeting Fusu. For Li Si, allowing a Confucian ruler to ascend the throne was unacceptable. The struggle between the Hundred Schools of Thought was far more brutal than any battlefield skirmish.
"Tian Guang, Yan Dan... It seems the Azure Dragon Plan must proceed," Lord Changping murmured, summoning Farmer Sect leader Tian Guang and Mo Sect leader Yan Dan to discuss the plan.
In an inconspicuous three-courtyard residence in Shouchun, Daniel Davis finally met Tian Yan, the current Jingniu (Surprise Pike), also known as the "female Guan Zhong" and "female Zhuge." Of course, Zhuge Liang did not yet exist in this era; Daniel privately attributed the title to her brilliance.
On the surface, Tian Yan appeared gentle and unassuming. Few would suspect that she was the ruthless, highly skilled assassin ranked as a first-class operative in the Luo Network.
"Take a seat. What's the situation in Chu, and what moves has Lord Changping made?"
"Chaos reigns in Chu. Lord Changping recently summoned Tian Guang, Yan Dan, and other heads of the Hundred Schools to discuss something called the Azure Dragon Plan," Tian Yan reported.
The Azure Dragon Plan was a grand scheme involving not only the Mo Sect and Farmer Sect but also other prominent factions like a branch of Confucianism. However, few knew its full details; even someone as influential as Tian Yan in the Farmer Sect had only limited information.
"Ah, the Azure Dragon Plan. I'll just snatch the Mechanized Azure Dragon and see how they plan to execute it," Daniel Davis chuckled, his curiosity piqued.
His interest wasn't in the mechanized dragon itself, which he already knew the location of, but in the map of the seven states' underground passages. That artifact intrigued him.
"Forget the Azure Dragon Plan. With me here, it won't come to fruition. What matters now is whether you want to become the Farmer Sect's leader."
"What do you mean, my lord?"
Tian Yan, unlike her predecessor—her mother—had remarkable intelligence, embodying true excellence in both intellect and martial prowess.
"You will lead the Farmer Sect. The empire needs a stable Farmer Sect, not a fractured one."
The Farmer Sect's general members came from commoner backgrounds, but its leadership was monopolized by the Tian family. In the original timeline, factions like Zhu Jia and Sheng Qi opposed the Tian family. Now, with those factions eliminated, the Farmer Sect was entirely under Tian control. Their support for Lord Changping stemmed from their desire to reclaim Qi.
The Tian family of the Farmer Sect originally belonged to Qi's royal lineage. After losing a struggle for the throne, they fled to Chu. Their ultimate goal was to return and reclaim Qi.
"Of course, I will follow your arrangements, my lord. However, Luo Network's orders currently forbid interference with the Farmer Sect," Tian Yan replied cautiously.
"I'll have the Emperor approve your withdrawal from the Luo Network. After that, you can ignore their orders and focus on leading the Farmer Sect."
"Thank you, my lord. I will obey all your commands," Tian Yan said with visible relief. Leaving the Luo Network was notoriously difficult, but with Daniel Davis' influence as Imperial Adviser, it was a simple matter.
"By the way, do you know the truth about your mother?" Daniel's sudden question visibly changed Tian Yan's composed expression.
As someone nicknamed the "female Guan Zhong," Tian Yan had long uncovered the truth about her mother's demise. However, avenging her was no simple matter. Zhao Gao was no ordinary foe. Not only was he a top-tier martial artist, but his six shadowy swordsmen made him even harder to approach.
"Don't worry. You'll have your chance for revenge. With your talents, you might even end up leading the Luo Network someday."
If an opportunity arose to
eliminate Zhao Gao, Daniel Davis would not hesitate. The man was more trouble than he was worth. With Ying Zheng's lifespan significantly extended, the empire's stability was assured, rendering Zhao Gao dispensable. This would also give Tian Yan her chance for vengeance.
"Who would've thought that Tian Guang was Yanri (Covering the Sun)? The Luo Network is truly fascinating," Daniel laughed after learning the truth about Yanri's identity from Tian Yan. The tangled web of spies, counterspies, and double agents in the Farmer Sect's ranks amused him.
"According to you, if Tian Guang, Tian Meng, and Tian Hu are removed, you'll have no trouble becoming the leader?"
"Yes," Tian Yan confirmed. For her, rivals like Situ Wanli and Tian Mi were insignificant.
"And the six elders of the Farmer Sect?"
"I have plans to deal with them when the time comes."
"No need for that. I'll take care of them myself. It's better to preempt any interference. By the way, the Farmer Sect's Wu Kuang is currently undercover in the Luo Network, isn't he?"
"Wu Kuang? He's still alive?"
"Yes, Tian Guang arranged for him to infiltrate the Luo Network."
"I see," Tian Yan muttered thoughtfully.
"It seems you understand now. Care to explain?"
"It's merely a matter of power balance," Tian Yan replied.
Like Lord Changping's support for Zhu Jia or the dual heirs of the Azure Dragon Plan (Sheng Qi and Tian Meng), Tian Guang needed to curb the growing influence of Tian Meng and Tian Hu. Arranging for Wu Kuang to infiltrate the Luo Network was his method of balancing power within the sect.
"Such intrigue isn't my forte," Daniel admitted, finally grasping the situation after Tian Yan's explanation.
"To think there's a Drunken Dream Tower here too," Daniel mused with a wry smile. "Hua Ying and Lian Yi. Lord Changping truly is heartless, even sending his own daughter to such a place."
The Drunken Dream Tower, one of the three most famous establishments in the Qin era—alongside Feixue Pavilion and Zilan Xuan—was a vast network of brothels. Officially a pleasure house, it secretly served as a key source of intelligence and revenue for the Farmer Sect.
Despite Chu's dire circumstances, with Qin armies advancing relentlessly, the Drunken Dream Tower remained lively. Some sought one last indulgence before the end, while others were indifferent to the change in rulers, prepared to surrender when the time came.
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