Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 347

"You will be rewarded according to your merits later. Now, you may leave."

Lu Wei waved his hand dismissively, dismissing Sima Xin, Dong Yi, and the other palace maids and guards.

Silently, he filled a cup with wine, and carrying it, he walked from the side gate of the palace to the pavilion. King Qi's face remained calm, revealing no inner emotion.

“You are all virtuous people with bottom lines and principles, while I am a petty person who chases after power.”

"So be it, so be it. From now on, only this despicable person will remember you and offer you wine..."

With a splash, he poured the full glass of wine in front of him. One by one, those who could once be called friends were leaving; how could he call himself lonely if he wasn't completely alone...?

Chapter 446 A Million-Strong Army

"Is Wei Zhuang devising a plan for Zhao Tuo, offering 100,000 Qin soldiers as a price to gain a position in the new dynasty?"

"'When things tend to converge, they tend to diverge; when plans are appropriate, they are all in place. Transformation and change are interdependent; each has its own situation. They seek each other repeatedly and adapt to circumstances...' This is indeed the method of Guiguzi's strategy, using external conditions to maximize one's own interests."

Lu Wei flipped through the battle reports from the southern front, nodding slowly at Zhao Tuo's unexpected choice, but at the end, the corners of his mouth suddenly curled up slightly.

Although the movement was slight, it was still noticed by Ji Yan, who was massaging his shoulders. The latter asked curiously, "Is Your Majesty laughing at Wei Zhuang?"

Her long dress billowed gracefully, and her eyebrows, delicate as willow leaves, were slightly raised, making her appear lively and playful. Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with affection, as if shimmering with the light of a lake, clear and transparent.

Her nose was small and pert, and her cherry-like lips held a smile, exuding a subtle sweetness and gentleness. Her long, dark hair was styled into an exquisite updo, adorned with a jade hairpin inserted at an angle, making her look warm and refined.

After being bestowed a palace dress by Lu Wei, Ji Yan changed her chivalrous attire and naturally transformed into the demeanor of a noble princess.

Whether in the palace or on Mount Daze, the locations are different, so one should dress appropriately for the environment.

“I’m not laughing at him, but I find it interesting that ‘he was unwilling to accept my jurisdiction, chose to use Zhao Tuo to prove his worth, and ultimately ended up on different paths.’”

Feeling the pressure from the slender, jade-like fingertips and smelling the delicate, pleasant fragrance, Lu Wei relaxed completely and said.

The war in the south did not break out. The Qin army, which was fighting against Qin, sent an envoy to negotiate with Li Mu. It turned out that the envoy was Wei Zhuang himself.

During the negotiations, His Highness King Qi's central army had already entered Guanzhong. Therefore, Wei Zhuang not only lowered his stance but also took the initiative to request that the disposal of the 100,000 Qin troops be handed over to the Qi army, which can be described as a step back to advance.

Unlike Sima Xin's convict army, these 100,000 Qin soldiers were allies against Qin and also included a piece of Lingnan land. Although Li Mu could forcibly take it even if they did not surrender, it was still much more convenient. Considering these two factors, both Zhao Tuo and Wei Zhuang could be ennobled.

Of course, Lu Wei could also disregard morality and lure and kill these 100,000 Qin soldiers, along with Zhao Tuo and Wei Zhuang, in Shu.

But it's not worth it: Lu Wei doesn't need to leave others no way out when he has already won a great victory.

"Perhaps Wei Zhuang believed he could have used these 100,000 troops to carve out a share of the spoils, but the king's might and swift conquest of Guanzhong forced him to take this path."

Ji Yan tilted her head, lowering her eyes as she guessed.

"It is Wei Zhuang's skill to leave himself an escape route. He is willing to yield and his value is used by the court, so I will not be stingy with rewards." Putting down the report book, His Highness Prince Qi said magnanimously, "I have already had Zhao Tuo and the three from Liu Sha transfer their military power to Xianyang. After the wars in the north and south are over, it is time to prepare for the grand ceremony."

Upon hearing the king's words, a thoughtful look flashed across Ji Yan's brows: "Your Majesty still entrusted the 100,000 Qin troops to General Li Mu?"

"What are you worried about?" Lu Wei noticed her hesitation, guessed what the girl was thinking, and asked knowingly with a smile.

Li Mu led the army of two counties from Jing County all the way into Bashu. During the process, he absorbed Yue troops and scattered Qin troops, and now he has an army of 200,000. If he were to take in another 100,000 Qin troops, he might be able to establish a separatist regime in Bashu and Lingnan and build his own country.

"I have known of General Li's loyalty since we were in the Daze Mountains, but to have such power in the hands of one person..."

Ji Yan moved in front of Lu Wei, knelt down, and said firmly, "I'm afraid that if the situation develops to the point where there's no other way, General Li will have no choice but to act under duress."

"Such a thing is also a concern in the north: General Han Xin, who is more ambitious, is younger and has a greater ambition. After gathering the defeated soldiers of the Great Wall Legion, his troops will reach 300,000. We must be wary of this."

Hearing this, Lu Wei remained calm and asked slowly, "So, how do you think we should guard against it?"

"Immediately recall Li Mu and Han Xin. They have made great contributions and should be ennobled and settled in Xianyang to recuperate."

Ji Yan intended to kill both of them, but it wasn't up to her to decide. She believed Lu Wei would understand the meaning of the word "quiet recuperation".

Moreover, His Highness Prince Qi was feigning to test her. Ji Yan could tell from His Highness Prince Qi's reaction that her worries had likely already been addressed, but she still had to show herself.

With the generals of the north and south each commanding 300,000 troops, this would be a sleepless test for any monarch. Lu Wei, who valued power so much, would certainly not allow anyone the opportunity to betray him.

Of course, besides this, there is another more important issue that Ji Yan did not consider: the burden on the world remained too heavy after the fall of Qin.

As mentioned earlier, the total number of soldiers on the north and south routes was 600,000. After the capture of Xianyang in Guanzhong, the Qin imperial guards, county soldiers, and pass guards captured also numbered 300,000, bringing the total to 900,000.

Including the scattered soldiers along the way and the reserve army still training in Licheng, the number of soldiers and troops separated from production across the country had already exceeded one million, which was a huge burden for the newly established State of Qi.

Initially, the grain supplies in Dazeshan and the two counties were enough to support the expedition of the three armies. However, a month earlier, Lü Qing had sent a letter of urgent need for supplies: not only could Qi not supply the million-strong army, but the grain granaries that the Qi army had seized from the Qin people along the way were also nearly empty.

Reducing the size of the army and restoring productivity across the land are the more pressing matters for the empire today.

After all, Li Mu and Han Xin simply did not have the basis for rebellion:

Of the three armies, Li Mu's southern army was the most diverse, comprising not only surrendered Qin soldiers but also people from Shu and Yue. Both of these local forces were carefully cultivated by Lu Wei, and it was impossible for Wu Rui and Yu Ziqi to betray the King of Qi under such circumstances.

Han Xin's situation was not easy either: although he was the nominal commander-in-chief, Lu Shan, Lu Yu, and Yan Bing were all loyal to the King of Qi. The fact that the three of them did not hinder Han Xin's command did not mean that they were obeying Han Xin, but rather that they were acting on the orders of the King of Qi.

Although Han Xin made great contributions in defeating the Great Wall army, he did not have a particularly outstanding performance in this war, and he was far from being able to win the soldiers' trust and willingness to follow him in rebellion in less than a year.

Not to mention there is another crucial reason: regardless of which of the three armies—north, south, or central—their core strength consists of disciples of the Farmer School, and Lu Wei is the leader of the Farmer School!

Twenty years of experience in farming is the source of His Highness Prince Qi's confidence in handing over the army!

It doesn't matter what Li Mu and Han Xin's personal character is like. As long as the Shennong decree is issued, there are plenty of brave warriors in the army who will tie the two of them up and bring them directly back to Lu Wei.

"These two should come to Guanzhong. As meritorious officials who are to be ennobled, they cannot miss the founding ceremony of the nation."

Lu Wei reached out and stroked Ji Yan's pretty face. The smooth, delicate touch seemed almost fragile. He smiled faintly and suddenly changed the subject, which had nothing to do with Li Mu and Han Xin: "How are those ladies-in-waiting in the Qin palace being dealt with?"

"!" Ji Yan looked up and noticed the King of Qi's intriguing gaze. Her clever mind was immediately startled:

'Oh no, I've crossed the line...'

Chapter 447 The New Capital, Chang'an

"The world is in chaos, and there are countless families broken and people killed."

Ji Yan dared not look Lu Wei in the eye for too long, her eyes darting away: "These palace women have long been homeless, so I want to hand them over to the soldiers to redeem them and take them back as concubines. This will not only provide a home for these poor women, but also promote the growth of the population. It will also allow the empire to reclaim the gold and silver that it has rewarded the soldiers and use it for other purposes."

Due to years of forced labor and war, the number of able-bodied men in the country has been halved. Even though Lu Wei quickly ended the war, it only alleviated the population decline. It would take twenty years of hard work to restore the population.

With no major battles to fight, the million-strong Qi army's most important task was to get married, take concubines, and have children to restore the vitality of the Central Plains, which was now devastated.

The Qi army in the central route received many rewards along the way, and had enough surplus wealth to support more people.

If the Qin harem of over ten thousand people were handled according to Ji Yan's method, it wouldn't be difficult to digest them. The money that was recovered and "repurposed" was also very important: the empire, which was rebuilding from the ruins, lacked everything.

Lu Wei's personal wealth grew exponentially, from controlling Daze Mountain to controlling Qi and then the entire world. However, it was a bottomless pit to use: millions of people in the world were his subjects, and it was Lu Wei's responsibility as the ruler of the world to ensure their survival.

Only by fulfilling this obligation can he unscrupulously enjoy his power: if he doesn't feed the fish fry in the pond, he can't cast his net to harvest plump fish when needed.

Looking at the seemingly weak Xiao Yan'er, Lu Wei withdrew his hand and praised her appropriately: "You can handle this matter. Since I have already said that the palace ladies are to leave, then let's not leave any of them behind, and release them all."

"Should we select young women from the common people to fill the palace?" Ji Yan's heart was pounding violently because of his words. After remembering today's lesson, she immediately replied obediently, "There is no need to select tens of thousands of women like the Qin Dynasty did. At least a hundred or so should be selected to increase the popularity of the palace and take care of the king's life."

"No need. There are five hundred maidens on the Sanghai Mirage. They were originally chosen to be tributes to the immortals. Now that the search for immortals has been suspended, let these five hundred maidens follow the Linzi court to Xianyang to fill the palace."

"Yes!" Ji Yan nodded and noted it down, her mind racing. She blinked and continued, "The Qin Dynasty left behind many palaces. According to Chief Secretary Xiao's suggestion, if His Majesty wishes to use Guanzhong as the base, he cannot continue to use the old Qin palaces, nor does he have the resources to build a new city from scratch. Therefore, he intends to compromise by using Zhangtai, one of the Qin palace complexes, as a foundation to build a new capital city to the east of Xianyang..."

“I know about this matter. The empire has a large number of laborers, and it is not appropriate to send them all home immediately. We need a buffer period, which is enough time to build a ‘Chang’an’ in a peaceful way.”

Lu Wei nodded to indicate that he understood. No matter how large the expenses were for building a new capital, it was unavoidable. This was built for the people of the world to see, and to serve as an example of the new dynasty's grandeur.

The girl lowered her voice: "What Ayan means is, should we leave a palace in the new capital as the headquarters of the Yin-Yang School...?"

This question suddenly came to Ji Yan's mind when Lu Wei mentioned the five hundred young girls. The new Chang'an city would certainly have enough land to allocate for the Yin Yang School, but she knew about the entanglements between those women of the Yin Yang School and Lu Wei...

If it's too far from the palace, it will inevitably cause some trouble. And those women of the Yin-Yang School are all obsessed with Yin-Yang arts, so most of them won't specifically enter the palace to become concubines. In that case, their headquarters should be built closer to the palace, which will make it much more convenient for them to travel back and forth.

"This matter will also be handled by you." Xiao Yan'er's consideration was not just a wild idea; it had received yet another approval from His Highness Prince Qi.

The hardworking people must work hard to restore the population, and as the ruler of the land, he must set an example!

...

It was noon when Ji Yan and I finished discussing the new capital and the harem.

Because productivity was much higher than in actual history, and the nights were very lively, the tradition of three meals a day appeared earlier in this time and space.

Of course, for the poorest people in the countryside, even one meal a day was a luxury. They were often satisfied as long as they had enough food to keep them from starving.

After all, he didn't die on the grounds of forced labor or along the way.

After a simple lunch, Lu Wei was still unable to hold Ji Yan and take a peaceful nap, as he still had many people to summon.

Three people arrived at the palace in the afternoon after receiving imperial decrees: Gao Jianli of the Mohist school, Master Ban, and... Gongshu Chou of the Gongshu school!

"Hmph!" Master Ban couldn't help but snort when he encountered his mortal enemy outside the palace.

Although they had already learned of this from the farmers, and the mechanical beasts of the Gongshu family had also contributed to the battlefield, how could they easily let go of the grudges that had lasted for hundreds of years?

A few years ago, this old codger even led the Qin army to break through the Mo family's mechanical city!

"It is truly rare for the Gongshu family to abandon darkness and embrace the light. I hope they will not go down the wrong path again in the future."

"Hehe, there's no need for the Mohists to concern themselves with that. I have long admired His Highness Prince Qi, but as for the Mohists..."

Gongshu Chou showed no anger at Master Ban's mockery. Instead, he stroked his beard and laughed smugly, "So you've actually abandoned your ways of the martial world to serve the imperial court?"

He was no match for Gao Jianli and Master Ban in a real fight, but he had come at the summons of the King of Qi. The fact that he hated them so much that he couldn't do anything about it gave Gongshu Chou a unique kind of pleasure.

The Mohists and the Gongshu family are still enemies, but neither can kill the other. So the only remaining means is to annoy each other. In this respect, Gongshu Chou's mentality has changed more quickly.

After all, he couldn't do anything during the months he was imprisoned on the mirage: if a mechanic can't study mechanical arts, then he can only study philosophy.

"You..." Master Ban blew his beard and was about to step forward with the mechanical hand when Gao Jianli raised his hand to stop him.

The Grand Master, who did not carry the Water-Cold Sword, remained silent, only shaking his head at Master Ban, then giving Gongshu Chou a cold stare before heading straight for the palace.

Master Ban understood what he meant: This is the territory of the King of Qi.

He calmed himself down, his temper subsided, and he withdrew his glaring gaze. His short, stout figure caught up with Gao Jianli's footsteps.

Being locked in and warned by the internal energy of a top-tier master, Gongshu Chou's body stiffened, and his mind went blank for several breaths. By the time he finally recovered, the two Mo family members had already gone far away.

"Hehe..." He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, forced a smile, and continued to be stubborn: "In the end, they didn't dare to lay a hand on me, and could only helplessly scare me."

Having said that, he quickened his pace and followed after him with his two mechanical feet: We can't keep His Highness Prince Qi waiting!

Inside the palace, the dispute at the palace gate was described verbatim by the secret guards. Lu Wei remained noncommittal. The Mo family and the Gongshu family were now working for him, so it was acceptable for them to have conflicts as long as they did not interfere with his plans.

His gaze was fixed on the table in front of him, where the dark eyebrows and the character "Feigong" stood out prominently...

Before motivating subordinates, offer them a small reward as an incentive.