After repelling the Qin army and securing a great victory, the Chu lands were temporarily safe. Roy led his troops back to the city to reward the army.
Before advancing westward, he had sent a missive to Dongyang. As expected, the Dongyang magistrate—a man known for his "loyal and generous nature"—handed over his forces upon receiving Roy's letter and retreated to the rear, accepting an official post.
Roy then led these 26,000 soldiers to meet Zhao Ping, from whom he learned that Chen Sheng had been killed by his own charioteer during his retreat. With the death of the King of Chen, whom Zhao Ping had once served, he pledged allegiance to the Xiang clan. After absorbing Zhao Ping's forces, Roy's army swelled to 50,000 men.
Though the majority of these troops lacked combat prowess, the recent battle had tempered them in blood and fire. With some training, they could still be of use. In this era of warlords vying for supremacy, sheer numbers mattered—they intimidated smaller rebel factions, compelling them to surrender outright.
However, with the increase in troops, troubles also followed one after another. Kuaiji Commandery had a sparse population, and although the Yangtze River Delta was a land of fish and rice, the south had not yet been developed. The population was small, and people relied on nature for their livelihood. While the commoners could barely feed themselves, as the army grew, Kuaiji Commandery's food supply gradually became insufficient.
"We must find a way to capture Xingyang. There are many Qin granaries nearby. Taking Xingyang would cut off Qin's food supply lines, trapping the Second Emperor in Guanzhong. With those granaries, we could easily sustain an army of hundreds of thousands."
Roy stood in the city lord's residence, rubbing his chin as he muttered to himself while looking at a simple map on the table.
In a corner nearby, Yu Ji sat on a cushion against the wall, holding a bamboo scroll as if she were reading intently. However, her occasional glances and charming eyes betrayed that she wasn't actually reading—she was secretly observing Roy.
To be fair, the Second Emperor of Qin was quite capable. The First Emperor had gathered all the weapons of the realm, leaving other regions unarmed, and built numerous granaries in Guanzhong capable of feeding a million troops. Guanzhong was also protected by the natural barriers of Xiao and Han Passes, and without soil erosion issues, the Loess Plateau was fertile. It was like a dragon soaring to the heavens. Under normal circumstances, even if the rest of the realm rebelled, holding Guanzhong would allow the Second Emperor to reunite the six states and lay the foundation for an empire lasting millennia—if he had even a modicum of ability.
When the First Emperor died, he had undoubtedly considered the instability of the remnants of the six states. But another war to conquer them would solidify the people's loyalty, and with some recuperation, the empire could last a thousand years. That was why he left behind such a legacy. Yet he could never have imagined his son Hu Hai would be so "remarkable"—brilliant enough to kill all his siblings. A tyrant could still be emperor material, but Hu Hai was simply an incompetent fool.
For Hu Hai, that prodigal son, to squander such a heavenly advantage and end up in utter defeat was truly a talent in its own right.
Yu Ji simply watched Roy as he strategized, finding him utterly fascinating.
He clearly had no interest in power or influence, yet he was exhausting himself over these matters.
Yu Ji understood people. She loved observing and could always see through a person. Thus, she knew Roy well—he cared nothing for wealth or glory, nor for the things other humans pursued.
So what did he truly want? Why was he making all these plans and decisions? Was it for his so-called family? But he had once told her he had no interest in the Xiang clan, with whom he shared no blood ties—he wasn't even originally named "Xiang Ji."
Then what was he doing all this for? What was he pursuing? Yu Ji grew curious.
Hmm… was he pursuing her?
At this thought, Yu Ji suddenly startled, lowering her head like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, burying her face in the bamboo scroll. Her jade-like cheeks flushed crimson.
Roy noticed her sudden movement and gave her a puzzled glance before shaking his head and ignoring it.
In this mansion, there were only him and Yu Ji, not even a single servant. Since Yu Ji disliked interacting with people, he would provide her with the environment she preferred. After all, Roy was no delicate noble who couldn't bear to go without attendants.
"Report!"
A soldier's shout came from the entrance.
Roy glanced at Yu Ji and prepared to step outside.
Unexpectedly, Yu Ji parted her crimson lips and spoke softly, "...If it's urgent, let the soldier come in and speak."
She wasn't an unreasonable woman. Though she loathed contact with humans, she didn't want Roy to constantly accommodate her like this. Roy had already worked hard to create a quiet environment suitable for her life, and Yu Ji felt she should also consider Roy's needs.
Was this what mutual understanding between humans felt like?
Yu Ji found it somewhat unbelievable. When had she learned to understand humans in return?
No—the only one she could truly understand was the Great King. As for other humans, forget it.
"Enter!"
"Yes!"
The soldier stepped inside, keeping his head bowed and not daring to look at Yu Ji beside him. He knew she was the general's beloved concubine, especially after witnessing her deadly beauty on the battlefield. The soldiers had long revered her as a goddess...
"General, Lord Xiang has sent a messenger. Thanks to your great victory over the Qin army, the Xiang family's reputation has soared. Lord Xiang has already crossed the Huai River, with rebel forces like Ying Bu and General Pu joining him. Now, Lord Xiang commands sixty thousand troops and is stationed in Xiapi!"
The soldier reported swiftly.
Roy nodded, knowing Xiang Liang wouldn't live much longer. Before success, Xiang Liang was cautious—a strategist by nature—but deep down, he was incredibly arrogant. When he had nothing, he could endure like King Goujian of Yue, but the moment he gained power, he would inevitably grow overconfident.
Now, Xiang Liang had done almost nothing yet already commanded sixty thousand troops solely on the Xiang family's reputation. Combined with Roy's fifty thousand, the Xiang family suddenly possessed an army of one hundred and ten thousand—the largest rebel force aside from Qin. Regardless of the army's actual combat strength, such rapid expansion was bound to inflate Xiang Liang's ego as well.
"I understand."
Roy nodded.
His own reputation was now established, so Xiang Liang's presence no longer mattered. Once Xiang Liang died, the Chu army would inevitably fall into his hands, and the title of "Hegemon-King of Western Chu" would soon be his to claim.
"Anything else?"
Seeing the soldier hadn't left, Roy asked again.
"One more minor matter. A Liu from Pei County sought refuge with Lord Xiang, but Lord Xiang sent him to you instead."
The soldier considered this trivial news. That Liu had fewer than two thousand defeated soldiers under him, making his faction one of the smallest among the rebel forces joining Lord Xiang—so insignificant that even a lowly soldier like him paid it no mind.
"Was his name Liu Ji?"
"Reporting, General—it was indeed Liu Ji!"
"Good. When he arrives, bring him to me!"
"Yes!"
"..."
The soldier retreated. Once he had left, Yu Ji suddenly set down the bamboo scroll in her hand and looked at Roy with surprise. The soldier might not have noticed, but Yu Ji had—when the name 'Liu Ji' was mentioned, Roy's expression and tone had been different from usual. She had even caught the faint smile at the corner of his lips.
"Your Majesty seems particularly interested in this person named Liu Ji?"
Yu Ji tilted her head as she asked.
"Hmm. Though the world is vast, only a handful of people have ever caught my eye. And among them, Liu Ji is the most important."
Roy's words piqued Yu Ji's curiosity. Just what kind of person could earn such high praise from this cold and domineering king, who usually seemed indifferent to everything?