HCT – Chapter 108 Lord Chunshen’s Gift

King Zhaoxiang of Qin passed away. The six states all sent generals and ministers to attend the mourning ceremony—except for Han. The King of Han came personally, dressed in mourning attire.

When King Zhu of Qin heard the news, he was stunned for quite a while, momentarily unsure how to respond.

To ease his burden, Zhu Xiang, though not attending court, temporarily assumed part of the duties of a close aide to King Zhu and helped him handle official documents.

Upon hearing that the King of Han had come in person to mourn, Zhu Xiang couldn’t help but twitch the corners of his mouth, picturing Han Fei’s teary, sorrowful face.

Since his return, Zhu Xiang had little time to interact with others due to his responsibilities toward the Qin royal family, but he had still met Han Fei a few times, who was now serving under Xunzi.

The death of the old King of Qin didn’t give Han Fei any hope. Instead, witnessing firsthand how the old king had devoted himself entirely to Qin until the very end only deepened Han Fei’s despair. As a result, Han Fei had been in a somewhat dazed mental state lately.

Now, seeing his own king disregard the dignity of a monarch to don mourning garb for the late King of Qin would likely worsen Han Fei’s condition.

“The King of Han mourning our former sovereign with the etiquette of a vassal to a Son of Heaven is probably to show his loyalty to Your Majesty,” Zhu Xiang said, rubbing his twitching lips. “As long as Your Majesty promises to let Han remain a vassal, he’s ready to surrender and become a tributary state of Qin. It’s just… his eagerness makes the gesture rather unseemly.”

King Zhu collected himself and, expression turning cold, said, “Even if he becomes a tributary state, Qin will still destroy Han. He thinks that by lowering himself, he can pressure me? Hmph.”

After years of grooming by the late King Zhaoxiang, King Zhu trusted Zhu Xiang deeply but remained highly suspicious of everyone else. The King of Han’s move made him immediately suspect that this wasn’t mere foolishness—rather, that the King of Han, having heard of his mild temperament, was trying to coerce him into making a concession.

When a vassal mourns another vassal, it suffices to send generals or ministers. But for a vassal to mourn the Son of Heaven, they must come in person and wear mourning garb. Wasn’t the King of Han trying to publicly acknowledge King Zhu as the Son of Heaven? And if Qin attacked Han afterward, wouldn’t the world accuse Qin of lacking righteousness?

But King Zhu was still a King of Qin—he wouldn’t be constrained by such moral coercion.

“Your Majesty is absolutely right. Perhaps that’s exactly what he’s planning. Not everyone in Han’s court is an incompetent fool,” Zhu Xiang chuckled. “But if their strategy is to humiliate their own king just to trap Qin morally, then even if they’re not fools, they’re certainly no better than fools.”

King Zhu’s expression improved slightly at Zhu Xiang’s mocking tone. “Hmph, if even their king’s dignity doesn’t matter to them, the Han officials probably don’t respect their monarch either.”

Zhu Xiang nodded. “Since the King of Han is willing to wear mourning attire for the late king, Your Majesty should simply reward his ‘loyalty.’ Now that the Nine Tripod Cauldrons have returned to Qin, according to precedent, the King of Qin is already the Son of Heaven. The late king is worthy of receiving this tribute from the King of Han.”

King Zhu smiled. “You’re right.”

He rubbed his eyes, which were a little red again.

As the funeral drew near, King Zhu’s mood worsened. Though he could usually hide his emotions well, when alone at night with Zhu Xiang, he couldn’t help letting his true feelings show.

“Once my royal father knows of this, he’ll surely laugh heartily,” King Zhu said.

“Of course,” Zhu Xiang replied, sighing inwardly, worried for King Zhu’s health.

King Zhu had never been in great health, and now he was both overworked and grieving. The dual strain on his body and mind had Zhu Xiang watching him with constant anxiety.

He couldn’t help but wonder if, in the original timeline, King Zhu had died only a year or so after ascending the throne due to the same circumstances.

Thankfully, King Zhu was aware that he couldn’t afford to fall, so he followed the physicians’ advice more diligently.

Moreover, he was now so occupied with state affairs that he no longer lingered in the harem. According to the court physicians, his health was actually slightly better now than when he had been Crown Prince.

Catching Zhu Xiang’s mischievous gaze, King Zhu blushed and grew angry for the first time in front of him.

At the funeral, Zhu Xiang, serving as the officiating ritual official, met with the representatives from the six states who had come to mourn King Zhaoxiang.

The ceremony was solemn and grand. Though many envoys longed to speak with Zhu Xiang, they had no opportunity during the proceedings. Once the formalities concluded, they would remain in Xianyang for a while, and only then could they openly pay visits to Qin’s important ministers.

Those who came to mourn the King of Qin weren’t limited to the envoys of the six great states. Although later generations referred to the Warring States as “Seven Powers,” in truth, many small countries still existed at this time. These smaller states, though technically vassals of the Seven Powers, were still entitled to send their own representatives to the funeral.

Among them, the envoy from the State of Wei caught Zhu Xiang’s attention.

If he remembered correctly, this envoy from Wei was the son-in-law of the King of Wei. He had heard from Cai Ze that the King of Wei intended to install this man as the next ruler of Wei, though internal opposition in Wei was apparently strong.

Many talented individuals in Qin hailed from Wei, and their political ties to Qin’s court were relatively close. If given the chance, Wei would likely prefer to submit to Qin rather than be shackled to the King of Wei’s ambitions.

Now, with the King of Wei assigning his son-in-law to serve as envoy, Zhu Xiang wondered if this indicated a shift in attitude—perhaps Wei was preparing to compromise with the King of Wei after all.

Zhu Xiang made a mental note to discuss this with Cai Ze later.

Naturally, besides Wei, Zhu Xiang also paid close attention to the envoy from Zhao.

Unfortunately, although this Zhao envoy had an expression full of admiration—practically screaming “Lord Zhu Xiang, I’m your biggest fan!”—Zhu Xiang didn’t recognize him at all.

Zhu Xiang had initially assumed that either Lord Pingyuan or Lord Pingyang would come to Qin. Though reuniting with old friends-turned-enemies might be awkward, such relationships were common in the hostile tangle of the Seven States. Zhu Xiang believed that even Lord Pingyuan or Lord Pingyang would be willing to share a drink with him and temporarily set aside enmity for old times’ sake.

But when he saw that none of the envoys from Zhao were familiar faces, Zhu Xiang’s expression turned slightly forlorn.

General Lian Po also paid attention to the Zhao delegation. Though he said he didn’t care to see anyone from Zhao, he still came for a peek.

Seeing Zhu Xiang’s wistful look, Lian Po seized an opportunity to scold him.

“You’re now a minister of Qin, the brother-in-law of the Crown Prince! Even if you see someone familiar among the Zhao envoys, you must pretend you don’t know them!” If not for the ceremonial headpiece Zhu Xiang wore, Lian Po might have knocked him on the head. “What’s with that look on your face? Missing Zhao? Do you think the rumors in Xianyang about you aren’t already bad enough?!”

“General Lian, I was wrong! I’ll manage my expressions better so as not to trouble His Majesty,” Zhu Xiang, ever skilled at a smooth and respectful apology, immediately bowed and admitted fault.

Lian Po gave a cold snort. “If you’re worried about Lord Pingyuan, I’ll ask around privately and let you know. But you must not make contact with any Zhao envoys. Even if they send an invitation, you’re not allowed to meet them!”

Zhu Xiang nodded repeatedly like a pecking bird. “Understood!”

Still uneasy, Lian Po went to find Zichu and Cai Ze and asked them to keep a close watch on Zhu Xiang.

He also made a point of notifying King Zhu and the Prince Zheng ahead of time, explaining that Zhu Xiang’s reaction wasn’t a sign of lingering attachment to Zhao, only a fleeting nostalgia for past acquaintances. He urged them not to doubt Zhu Xiang’s loyalty.

Though Lian Po had noticed that the current King of Qin was far less paranoid than the previous one, as a former minister cast aside by the King of Zhao, he had learned to be cautious and plan ahead.

After that, Zhu Xiang was warned again by Zichu and Cai Ze. Then King Zhu and young Ying Zheng whispered cautions in his ear. Even Bai Qi and the bedridden Fan Ju couldn’t resist offering a few nagging words.

Zhu Xiang was getting overwhelmed.

He turned to Xunzi and sighed, “Master Xunzi, you’re the best. At least you believe I’m not that foolish.”

Xunzi lazily lifted his eyelids and said, “I know you’re stupid, but I believe plenty of people will stop you from doing something foolish, so I won’t waste my breath.”

Zhu Xiang: “…”

He just wanted to chat with some old friends—why did everyone act like he was about to defect to Zhao?

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t possibly be that stupid!

Zhu Xiang’s elders and juniors certainly knew he would never betray his country. What they were truly worried about was his soft heart being exploited by foreign envoys, putting him in danger through cunning schemes.

Although Zhu Xiang wouldn’t actually be in physical danger, emotional pain from being betrayed by old friends was a real possibility.

What Zhu Xiang didn’t realize was that even friends, when standing on opposing sides, would still use friendship for their own interests.

Many of Qin’s schemes to sow discord were carried out through “friends.” And the friendships between these friends were, for the most part, genuinely sincere.

When Qin King Zhu noticed envoys from other nations eyeing Zhu Xiang like hawks, he took precautions. To prevent any suspicion of Zhu Xiang having secret talks with envoys, he instructed that Zhu Xiang and his family continue living within Xianyang Palace. That way, even if others wanted to meet him privately, they wouldn’t have the chance.

To further cover the situation, King Zhu gave a simple banquet for the six-state envoys at Xianyang Palace, allowing them to interact with Zhu Xiang—so he could ask about his old friends.

“Missing old friends is human nature. If you want to ask something, just ask,” King Zhu told Zhu Xiang. “I’ll excuse myself first, citing illness.”

Zhu Xiang responded with slight embarrassment, “Thank you, Your Majesty.” He had wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but at this moment, a simple thank you was more appropriate.

He regretted letting his feelings of sorrow show on his face. Clearly, the one most in need of comfort right now was the king—so why was the king being so gentle with him instead?

Once everything was arranged, Zhu Xiang sat with the envoys from Wei and Zhao.

True to his word, King Zhu left early, leaving only Crown Prince Zichu and Zhu Xiang to host the envoys.

Lord Chunshen (Huang Xie) looked at Zhu Xiang with a hint of frustration. Chu was currently stronger than both Zhao and Wei—shouldn’t he be seated next to Zhu Xiang?

Even though Qin had seated him next to Prince Zichu, he was still quite upset.

Who was Prince Zichu, anyway? Even if they talked, it wasn’t like he could charm Chu into siding with Qin. All he wanted was to talk to Lord Zhu Xiang!

“How is Lord Xinling doing?” Zhu Xiang asked the Wei envoy, putting down his chopsticks as he noticed King Zhu give him a subtle “go ahead and chat” glance before leaving.

The king had given him this opportunity—it would be a shame not to use it.

“Lord Xinling… I don’t know,” the Wei envoy replied, surprised that Zhu Xiang would speak to him first—and even more surprised that he brought up Lord Xinling. “Does Lord Changping know him?”

Zhu Xiang said, “We only met a few times, but Lord Xinling once sang farewell for me when I left Zhao. From that moment, I considered him a friend.”

The Zhao envoy sitting on Zhu Xiang’s other side suddenly looked awkward and uncomfortable.

The Zhao king’s persecution of Zhu Xiang and forcing him into Qin was a deep wound in every Zhao citizen’s heart. Hearing Zhu Xiang personally mention it naturally struck a nerve.

“Lord Xinling is currently in Zhao,” the envoy replied stiffly. “The Zhao king granted him a fiefdom. Though he remains reclusive, he should be in good health.”

Zhu Xiang sighed wistfully. “So Lord Xinling went to Zhao? He must be staying with Lord Pingyuan. Is Lord Pingyuan doing well? How about Lord Pingyang’s health?”

The Zhao envoy replied, “They’re doing fine. All in good health.”

Zhu Xiang noted how quickly the envoy gave a simplistic answer, and something caught in his chest.

He glanced at the envoy’s seemingly calm expression and replied mildly, “That’s good to hear.”

But the envoy wasn’t a very good actor. Though he wore an expression of calmness, clearly trying not to appear deceptive, his earlier discomfort when Zhu Xiang mentioned entering Qin exposed his guilt. The sudden shift in expression was too obvious—he clearly had something to hide.

Lord Pingyuan’s health was probably very poor. As for Lord Pingyang, it was hard to say, but he was likely preoccupied and overwhelmed due to Pingyuan’s condition.

Though Lord Pingyang had slightly more foresight than Pingyuan, he was inferior in talent, judgment, and reputation. Now that Zhao’s king had been publicly discredited multiple times, Lord Pingyang might not be able to carry Zhao on his own.

Just as Wei had Lord Xinling, Zhao had managed to survive numerous crises thanks to Lord Pingyuan.

A faint sadness and regret welled up in Zhu Xiang’s heart.

He didn’t feel deeply for Lords Pingyuan and Pingyang—but he still found it a bit pitiful.

Noticing the change in Zhu Xiang’s expression, the Zhao envoy—though not a skilled actor—was not foolish. He immediately sensed that Zhu Xiang may have figured something out and grew increasingly nervous.

Zhu Xiang also saw the tension and smoothed things over. “I’ll prepare some gifts. Please help me pass them along to Lords Pingyuan, Pingyang, and Xinling.”

The envoy let out a visible sigh of relief. “Yes.”

Zhu Xiang didn’t ask any more questions of the envoys. He sipped his wine in silence, seeming to be lost in thought.

Neither the Wei nor Zhao envoy dared to strike up conversation.

They had prepared many compliments and flattering words for Zhu Xiang. Even if they weren’t representing their nations officially, they had hoped—on a personal level—to receive some guidance from him.

But once they saw Zhu Xiang in person, appearing more like an immortal than a mortal man, they were so nervous they couldn’t even breathe properly.

Lord Zhu Xiang’s white hair and youthful features, his aura like a lone pine on a snowy mountain—he stood out even in the midst of a noisy crowd, as though encased in wind and snow that separated him from the mundane world.

Prince Zichu signaled to Cai Ze with a glance: Zhu Xiang is spacing out.

Cai Ze returned a glance: He must be bored to death and itching to leave.

Both friends sighed inwardly.

Their king and former ruler doted on Zhu Xiang so much that he had been living far too freely—almost never attending banquets or accepting invitations. Even when high officials in Xianyang invited him, he would only send gifts and not show up in person. No wonder he seemed so bored at this banquet, lost in thought.

Zichu, seeing Zhu Xiang hadn’t touched his drink in ages and seemed to be sleeping with his eyes open, finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He had someone use the excuse that Ying Zheng missed him, giving Zhu Xiang an excuse to leave early.

Zhu Xiang truly believed Ying Zheng missed him, so he rushed off to find the boy—only to see that the child was sound asleep.

Annoyed, he poked Ying Zheng’s belly. “Heartless brat. Your uncle is out there suffering, and you’re in here slacking off!”

Xue put down her embroidery and said, “Zheng’er cried for days during the mourning rites and even had to help carry the coffin to the tomb. He’s exhausted—what’s wrong with letting him rest a bit? And since when is attending a banquet considered suffering?”

Zhu Xiang sat down beside her, wrapped an arm around her, and rested his head on her shoulder. “I know Zheng’er’s tired. I’m just saying. But seriously, banquets are suffering.”

He began to complain—the food was terrible, the wine worse, and all the social maneuvering was exhausting.

“Why are we even drinking during national mourning?” he grumbled. “We’d be better off with plain water. And when did the wine in the palace become this bad? Was my brewing recipe wasted?”

Xue replied helplessly, “Didn’t you hear Xunzi explaining it earlier? That wasn’t real wine—it was a special herbal substitute.”

“I didn’t listen,” Zhu Xiang said. “Who pays attention to what food or drink is served at a banquet?”

Xue was even more exasperated. You’re the master of ceremonies—how could you not pay attention? Ever since assisting Queen Huayang in preparing the banquet, she’d memorized most of the menu herself.

Zhu Xiang casually chatted with her about everyday things. As they talked, sleepiness crept up on him. Eventually, he crawled into Ying Zheng’s bed and began sleeping alongside the boy.

Xue put down her embroidery, picked up the household ledger, and began reviewing it while fanning Zhu Xiang and Ying Zheng to keep the mosquitoes away.

Incense smoke curled through the air. Besides the sound of their steady breathing and the soft rustling of pages, the room was utterly quiet.

When the room was fully filled with incense and no mosquitoes remained, Xue set down the fan, smiling gently as she gazed at her sleeping husband and child.

In the days when she was separated from her beloved and her child, Xue often felt so lonely that she couldn’t sleep. But eventually, she got used to it.

Once she had many things to occupy her during the day, she didn’t miss her faraway family as much at night. Wasn’t this exactly what her beloved often told her?

“Xue, you should find something you want to do. Don’t spend all your energy on me and Zheng’er. Only then can you live happily.” Even so, although she had found something she wanted to do, she was still happiest when she was with her beloved and her child.

She put away the account books, lay down beside Zhu Xiang and Ying Zheng, and together the three of them stole a half-day of idle leisure from the fleeting world.

At the banquet, Zhu Xiang used his remarkable talent of sleeping with his eyes open to let the envoys of various states know that he was a man beyond the mortal realm—someone they couldn’t casually approach.

Even Huang Xie found himself at a loss, unsure how to pique the interest of this worldly immortal. If Zhu Xiang had no interest, then he would have no chance of forming a relationship with him.

After much consideration, he turned to Lin Zhi for help.

Lin Zhi had not returned directly to Xianyang after coming back to Qin. He had helped King Zhu with a few matters and just managed to catch the end of the funeral.

Afterward, he was to join the officials of Qin in sending off King Zhaoxiang to his final rest, and would not be leaving Xianyang for a while.

As soon as Lin Zhi returned to the city, Huang Xie came to visit, offering generous gifts in hopes that Lin Zhi would introduce him to Zhu Xiang.

At that moment, Zhu Xiang was already at Lin Zhi’s residence.

Lin Zhi joked, “Now tell me, should I accept this generous gift or not?”

Zhu Xiang warned, “If you take a bribe, be careful not to get thrown into prison by His Majesty.”

Lin Zhi replied, “Don’t worry. As long as I give half to His Majesty, he won’t punish me.”

Zichu added, “I saw it too—so I get a share. If you don’t give me half, I’ll report you as the Crown Prince.”

Lin Zhi cursed, “Nonsense! Don’t even think about prying anything from me! You’re already the Crown Prince—you should be giving me things! If you don’t bribe me, I’ll go support your brothers instead. You think being Crown Prince makes you secure?”

Zichu took a deep breath. “Zhu Xiang, did you hear the nonsense Lin Zhi is spouting? If word of this gets out, even ten heads wouldn’t be enough for him.”

Zhu Xiang replied perfunctorily, “It’s fine. Disasters never kill the wicked. I believe Lin Zhi will always find a way to survive.”

Zichu said, “Next time, I’m not coming to see Lin Zhi with you. I should’ve come with Cai Ze.”

Lin Zhi looked puzzled. “By the way, where is Cai Ze? He didn’t come out a hundred li to welcome his dearest friend? Has he gotten arrogant since becoming Prime Minister?”

Zhu Xiang said, “Both Zichu and I left the palace. Guess who’s dealing with all the paperwork we left behind?”

Zichu gave a dry cough. “I’ll take care of my duties once I return to the palace.”

Zhu Xiang bared his teeth in a grin. “I worked hard to dump those tasks on Cai Ze. No way I’ll do them when I go back.”

Zichu said helplessly, “How unfortunate Cai Ze is to have met you.”

Zhu Xiang replied, “Right back at you.”

Lin Zhi nodded, “How unfortunate Cai Ze is to have met both of you.”

Zichu and Zhu Xiang said in unison, “You’re the last person qualified to say that!”

Lin Zhi stroked his freshly trimmed beard. “I know you’re all just jealous of my noble character and immense talent. But that’s okay—I’m magnanimous and won’t hold it against you.”

Lin Zhi’s old servant couldn’t help but remind him, “Master, Lord Chunshen is still waiting outside.”

Lin Zhi showed a look of sudden realization. “Ah, I forgot about him. Back to the topic—should I accept this lavish gift or not?”

Zhu Xiang said, “Take it. I’ll take one-fifth. The king, Xia Tong, and Cai Ze each get one-fifth.”

Lin Zhi grimaced with pain. “I only get one-fifth? Zhu Xiang, you’re ruthless. Who says Lu Buwei is a crooked merchant? You’re the real profiteer here.”

Zichu said, “If Lu Buwei were here, this whole sum would end up in Zhu Xiang’s hands. Since the meeting is with Zhu Xiang, how can he not accept a gift?”

Zhu Xiang agreed, “Exactly. You should give me extra just to get me to see Lord Chunshen. Otherwise, no meeting.”

Lin Zhi waved his sleeve to shoo Zhu Xiang away. “Out! In that case, I refuse to meet him too.”

Zhu Xiang laughed, “Saying that now? Too late! Come on, Zichu—let’s go raid his storeroom!”

Zichu and Zhu Xiang stood up and headed toward Lin Zhi’s storeroom in the back courtyard.

Lin Zhi cursed loudly at their retreating backs, then told his servant to prepare a carriage. “Whatever they set their eyes on, let them take it.”

The servant couldn’t help but laugh and cry at once.

After Zichu and Zhu Xiang left, Lin Zhi straightened his clothes, let down his hair, and went outside to greet Lord Chunshen.

With a face full of guilt, he said, “I was just bathing. Forgive me for keeping you waiting.”

Lord Chunshen saw that Lin Zhi had let down his hair and did not doubt his words. “No, it was presumptuous of me to visit unannounced. Please don’t blame me, Lord Lin.”

In this era, nobles placed great importance on etiquette. Especially since Lin Zhi claimed to be Xunzi’s disciple, and often discussed Confucianism in Chu, he should be even more mindful of propriety.

When a noble receives a distinguished guest, he would certainly dress properly in formal attire as a sign of respect. For Lin Zhi to greet him with loose hair, it must have truly been a hasty emergence.

If it were someone else, Lord Chunshen might have felt slighted. But Lin Zhi had always been known for understanding and practicing etiquette. He must have rushed out because he didn’t want his guest to wait.

Thinking this, Lord Chunshen felt a bit more warmth toward Lin Zhi.

After hearing Lord Chunshen’s request, Lin Zhi smiled bitterly. “Though I am Zhu Xiang’s friend, it is precisely because of that friendship that I cannot disregard his wishes and take people to see him as I please. If I did that, not only would my own doorstep be trampled down, but Zhu Xiang would also be overwhelmed.”

Lord Chunshen’s expression dimmed. “That’s true…”

“But,” Lin Zhi changed the tone, “Lord Chunshen is famous far and wide. Perhaps Zhu Xiang would be willing to meet someone like you.”

Lord Chunshen immediately said, “Would you introduce me? Whether Zhu Xiang is willing to meet me or not, I must at least try.”

Lin Zhi said, “Of course I can. But Zhu Xiang currently resides in the palace. If he’s to meet any envoy, it must first be approved by the King of Qin.”

Lin Zhi glanced at the gifts behind Lord Chunshen and said, “These presents—how about I present them to the King of Qin on your behalf, to convey your goodwill? What do you think?”

Lord Chunshen’s face stiffened. “I need the King of Qin’s permission just to see Zhu Xiang?”

Lin Zhi gave a tired and pained smile. “Surely you know Zhu Xiang’s value to Qin. Right now, all the envoys from the six states wish to hear his guidance—even a few words from him might benefit them endlessly.”

He didn’t say more. He simply clasped his hands behind his back and looked up at Xianyang Palace, letting out a long sigh with an expression of deep bitterness.

Seeing Lin Zhi’s expression, Lord Chunshen instantly understood his unspoken meaning.

Zhu Xiang might appear favored, but the King of Qin had actually confined him within Xianyang Palace, cutting him off from the other envoys.

Lord Chunshen recalled Zhu Xiang’s lonely and empty expression at the palace banquet, and his brief and distant conversations with envoys from Wei and Zhao. A wave of emotion surged in his heart.

Zhu Xiang likely knew himself that he had been imprisoned by the King of Qin.

Indeed, with a man as noble as Zhu Xiang, how could he truly be willing to follow the tyrannical King of Qin? The king also knew he couldn’t fully control Zhu Xiang, so he had chosen to imprison him instead.

On the surface, Zhu Xiang appeared to be greatly favored. But after entering Qin, he hadn’t held any high office in court. The king simply gave him special authority to act on his behalf, and whenever Zhu Xiang handled matters, there were always officials by his side.

It looked like assistance—but wasn’t it surveillance?

If Zhu Xiang were in another country, what ruler wouldn’t appoint him as Chancellor? Yet in Qin, he wasn’t even allowed to participate in court discussions.

The King of Qin is simply too cruel to Lord Zhu Xiang!

Lin Zhi asked, “Do you still wish to see Zhu Xiang?”

Lord Chunshen hesitated.

The King of Qin said that one must go through him to see Lord Zhu Xiang—wasn’t this just to make the envoys from the Six States give up? Even if he learned about Lord Zhu Xiang’s current situation, even if Zhu Xiang wished to leave the King of Qin, how could he help him escape this sea of suffering?

Lin Zhi sighed and said, “In fact, I still hope Lord Chunshen can meet Zhu Xiang. At the very least, having someone from outside to talk to might make him a little happier. Back in Handan, Zhu Xiang was sharp and fearless, debating against all the scholars of the city. But now he hides in the shadow of the King of Qin. The world has likely forgotten that spirited Lord Zhu Xiang.”

Lord Chunshen immediately said, “Please, Minister Lin, help me present a gift to the King of Qin!”

Hearing Lin Zhi speak to this extent, no matter how many misgivings Lord Chunshen had, he had to go see Lord Zhu Xiang.

If he could persuade Zhu Xiang to become disillusioned with Qin—even if the King of Qin refused to let him go—Qin would find it difficult to continue using him.

Moreover, if he spread the truth about Zhu Xiang’s circumstances, the hypocritical image Qin promoted through him would surely collapse.

As for whether Zhu Xiang might die because of his actions… though Huang Xie greatly respected Zhu Xiang, like everyone else in the Six States, the more they respected him, the more they hoped he would die in Qin.

After Huang Xie left, Lin Zhi went to the storage room and found his two little thief friends. He told them what he had said earlier.

Zhu Xiang: “?”

Zichu: “?”

Lin Zhi, are you crazy? Why are you suddenly adding so much drama?!

Lin Zhi smiled slyly and said, “Didn’t Your Highness worry about not knowing who was spreading rumors about Zhu Xiang? If Huang Xie misunderstood, he’d surely find people in Xianyang who dislike the two of you to cooperate with. The more exaggerated the rumors, the more flaws they’ll reveal. Moreover…”

Lin Zhi chuckled a few times, his tone sneaky: “There must be people who know the real reason why Zhu Xiang doesn’t go to court and stays in the palace. Depending on the rumors, we can judge what level of access the rumor-spreaders have.”

Those who know nothing about the truth will spread rumors as is; those who know a bit will embellish them; and those who know everything will probably watch and wait.

“If they spread these rumors, they’re not just attacking Zhu Xiang and me—they’re attacking the reputation of Qin itself,” Zichu sneered. “That gives me every reason to move against them.”

Right now, even if those people spread rumors as bad as accusing him and Zhu Xiang of plotting treason, he could only endure it—because it was considered a “private matter,” and acting against them would seem like suppressing political opponents.

Even if the King of Qin didn’t care, Zichu didn’t want to seem power-hungry right after the king’s accession, which could damage his standing. He had to wait until the King himself couldn’t bear it any longer and took action.

But if they attacked Qin directly, then handling them would be much simpler.

Zhu Xiang asked, confused: “Lin Li, why do you have so many wicked ideas? Aren’t you a Daoist?”

Lin Zhi raised his eyebrows: “Daoism embraces all things. Want to learn Dao? I can teach you!”

Zhu Xiang shook his head vigorously: “…No no no, I think your version of Lao-Zhuang’s philosophy is a little off.”

Zhu Xiang felt Lin Zhi was even more adept at political scheming than Cai Ze. This probably wasn’t something taught by any of the Hundred Schools, but something Lin Zhi developed from his own venomous mind.

After casually sharing his evil plan like it was idle gossip, the conversation between Lin Zhi, Zichu, and Zhu Xiang quickly veered into less serious territory.

Zichu: “You’re going to meet him like this? Not even tying your hair? Won’t Lord Chunshen think you’re disrespecting him?”

Lin Zhi tossed his hair coolly: “I am a disciple of Xunzi, the most orthodox Ruist. Of course I understand etiquette. I was in such a rush to see him, I didn’t even fix my appearance—doesn’t that show how much I value him?”

Zhu Xiang: “Pah! Xunzi would never accept someone like you as a student.”

Lin Zhi laughed heartily: “Hahaha! Too late! Everyone in Chen Du of Chu knows I’m a great Confucian!”

Zhu Xiang and Zichu: “Pah!”

Meanwhile, Xunzi—also in Xianyang—suddenly shivered, cursing Zhu Xiang under his breath: “That brat must be gossiping about me again.”

When Qin King Zhu received the treasure from Lord Chunshen that Lin Zhi delivered, he was utterly confused: “Why would Lord Chunshen suddenly send me a gift through you?”

Lin Zhi then recounted the tale of how he added his own twist and tricked Lord Chunshen.

Qin King Zhu’s face twitched: “You… you… sigh. My father always said you’re far too unpredictable. If not for that, you’d already be Chancellor. That’s why he wanted me to temper you for a few years first. Why are you like this… sigh.”

He rubbed his temples: “Fine, what’s your reason this time? Don’t you know Lord Chunshen might use this to slander Qin?”

Lin Zhi replied: “I’m counting on him to slander us. If he doesn’t, how else will Your Majesty find out who in Xianyang isn’t truly loyal?”

Qin King Zhu sighed: “I don’t care about my own reputation. Few Qin kings have ever had a good one. I won’t be the exception. But defaming Zhu Xiang like this—do you know how he might feel?”

Lin Zhi: “I opened the storage and let him pick a whole cart of gifts.”

Qin King Zhu: “……”

He pressed his temples again. “You say such things about Zhu Xiang, and Zichu will be unhappy too.”

Lin Zhi: “Zichu was there when Zhu Xiang picked the gifts.”

Qin King Zhu: “…Did you let Cai Ze pick gifts too?”

Lin Zhi: “Cai Ze is a good man. He wouldn’t act like a thief or a robber.”

Qin King Zhu: “……”

He was seriously considering appointing Cai Ze as Chancellor.

No matter how he looked at it, Lin Zhi really didn’t seem like a suitable Chancellor!

“Fine, do as you please,” Qin King Zhu said helplessly. “I have too many matters to handle. You take care of this.”

Lin Zhi bowed: “As you command. I’ll also be accepting a grand gift from Lord Chunshen on behalf of Zhu Xiang. Zhu Xiang said he, the Crown Prince, I, Cai Ze, and Your Majesty each get a fifth.”

Qin King Zhu: “…Why do I get a share too?” What are these kids playing at? Am I getting too old to keep up with their games?

Lin Zhi said seriously: “Zhu Xiang said, those present shall share the spoils.”

Qin King Zhu didn’t know what to say. His head throbbed.

“Do as you like,” he said weakly. “You take full charge. I don’t want to hear another word about who you conned money from, nor how you left me a share just to escape punishment!”

Why was the Crown Prince going along with this nonsense too?

Ah… well, come to think of it, every time that boy Yiren hangs out with Zhu Xiang and Lin Zhi, he becomes completely unruly. But when he’s alone with either one, he’s fine.

Still, Cai Ze is better.

Father, forgive me, I don’t want to appoint Lin Zhi as Chancellor. Let Cai Ze be Chancellor instead.

Qin King Zhu missed little Ying Zheng, who was still studying.

He felt Zheng was far more steady than Zichu and wouldn’t be led astray by Lin Zhi and Zhu Xiang.

Maybe Zheng should just become Crown Prince instead.

Lin Zhi’s scheme seemed chaotic and almost like a joke—but in reality, it was cruelly sharp.

In carrying it out, Zhu Xiang’s reputation wouldn’t really suffer, but Lin Zhi was using the reputation of the Crown Prince, the King of Qin, and even the entire Qin state as bait—to lure out the nobles of Qin who harbored disloyalty after the death of King Zhaoxiang.

Even though Lin Zhi proposed the plan, it couldn’t proceed without Qin King Zhu’s approval—since he was using Qin’s name, he needed the king’s cooperation.

This plan wasn’t just to help the overwhelmed King Qin King Zhu resolve a crisis once and for all—it was also a way to test him.

Had it been the old king, he would have adopted the plan without hesitation.

Reputation? If it meant gaining a few cities, the old king would gladly be the most notorious ruler of the Warring States era.

But Qin King Zhu had a gentler temperament than his father, and Lin Zhi used this strategy to test his governing philosophy as king.

If Qin King Zhu agreed, Lin Zhi would serve him as he did the old king, offering ruthless strategies without hesitation; if Qin King Zhu rejected it, Lin Zhi would instead take the path of the upright gentleman.

But Lin Zhi wasn’t worried the plan would displease the king—after all, who didn’t know he was a disciple of Lao-Zhuang, famous for being absurd and unpredictable?

“I’m a direct heir of Lao-Zhuang. How bad could my intentions possibly be?”