HCT – Chapter 229 Pledging to Qin for the Common People

Zhao King Yan sent the royal clansman Zhao Cong to replace Sima Shang. Guo Kai secretly instructed the messenger delivering the royal edict to make sure Sima Shang was “arrested.”

Ever since Zhao King Yan attempted to destroy Lin Xiangru’s tomb, Lin Zhi had taken over from Cai Ze, personally monitoring every move the king made. When Qin and Zhao went to war, he even came to the border between the two states so he could obtain Zhao’s intelligence the moment anything happened.

As soon as Zhao King Yan wavered, Lin Zhi received the news immediately.

He was a little surprised—because he hadn’t even made his move yet.

Lin Zhi had prepared many layers of schemes, but before he could execute any of them, Zhao King Yan committed an act even more outrageous than anything he had planned.

Lin Zhi had indeed been contemplating ways to sow discord between Zhao King Yan and the Zhao court.

Previously, Lord Pingyuan and Lord Pingyang had taken turns stabilizing the government for King Xiaocheng of Zhao, allowing the nearly usurped king to barely maintain control of his shaky court.

When King Xiaocheng passed away, Lord Chunping and Zhao King Yan fought for the throne.  Although the struggle ended almost before it began—so quickly that Qin had no time to intervene—the fracture was already there.

Lord Chunping was older than Zhao King Yan and had been jointly trained by King Xiaocheng and Lord Pingyang. Though his mediocre talent caused King Xiaocheng to hesitate too long and fail to appoint him crown prince in time, he was still far more suitable than Zhao King Yan, who had never received proper training.

Those who supported Lord Chunping were largely the subordinates once left behind by Lord Pingyuan and Lord Pingyang.

This group was also the clearest-headed faction in the Zhao court.

To bring Zhao to a swift end, the king had to be lured into “purging the loyal and upright.”

These loyal ministers all had some connection with the Lin clan. Originally, Cai Ze had worried about Lin Zhi’s emotional involvement, so he had handled Zhao affairs personally.

But when Zhao King Yan tried to violate Lin Xiangru’s tomb, even Zichu, Cai Ze, Zhu Xiang, and Li Mu together could not restrain Lin Zhi. Cai Ze could only hand all Zhao matters over to him.

Lin Zhi had already prepared himself to turn against every ally of the Lin family. Yet before his plan even began, Zhao King Yan had already turned against them himself.

Taking a prostitute as his consort?

Lin Zhi felt, in a strangely delicate way, that he had lost.

Even with his self-proclaimed stomach full of venomous schemes, he could never have imagined something so absurdly destructive.

It wasn’t as though other monarchs lacked consorts of low birth—widows, priestesses, singers, entertainers. This was an era where rites and music were collapsing; it was normal. Wasn’t Zheng’er’s birth mother herself merely a singer-dancer in Lu Buwei’s household?

But no matter how lowly, none of them were prostitutes.

As Zhuangzi’s direct disciple, Lin Zhi was far more mentally flexible than most. Yet even he struggled to accept Zhao King Yan’s actions—let alone the respectable ministers of Zhao.

He concluded: this time he had lost. Next time, he would personally strike.

Sending agents to provoke Guo Kai was the beginning of Lin Zhi’s poisonous scheme.

This time, the Qin army’s offensive in Yanmen Commandery was being held back. Although Lin Zhi had great admiration for the commanders of Yanmen—who followed the ideals of Li Mu and Lord Xinling—he had also been prepared to use a strategy of estrangement.

He had been deliberating how to apply it when Guo Kai made the first move.

Lin Zhi locked himself in his room for a long while.

He could understand why the Zhao king wanted to replace his generals.

Even Zhu Xiang could see Zhao’s structural weaknesses, and Lin Zhi certainly could as well.

Zhao King Wuling’s reforms focused overwhelmingly on military matters, leading to unprecedented power concentrated in the hands of generals commanding troops, while the court lacked effective measures to restrain them.

When a new king ascended the throne, he naturally distrusted the generals left by the previous king and wanted to replace them with men he himself had trained.

Such as how King Xiaocheng did not trust Lian Po.

If Zhu Xiang were present, he would list several more examples from history.

Starting from King Xiaocheng, Zhao kings developed a major flaw—they knew nothing of warfare.

Changing generals wasn’t inherently wrong, but changing generals mid-battle was a grave taboo in warfare. Yet starting with King Xiaocheng, every Zhao king loved doing exactly that.

Why had Qin King Zheng’s mid-battle general replacement shocked the Six States? Because they all knew Qin King Zheng was no fool and would never make such a blunder.

But Bai Qi was different from other generals.

When Lord Wu’an’s fame rose, nearly every Qin general had once served as his deputy. Qin’s armies had essentially all been trained by him. Wang He had accompanied him almost his entire life.

Thus Wang He’s troops were no different from Bai Qi’s troops.

Lord Wu’an also had immense prestige among the Qin people. If the soldiers learned that he was their commander, not only would they not resist, their morale would soar.

This was precisely why King Zhaoxiang grew intent on killing Bai Qi.

King Xiaocheng of Zhao did not trust Lian Po and wanted to groom Zhao Kuo, which led to the disaster at Changping. After the defeat, he woke up and relied on Lian Po again, easing Zhao’s decline.

King Yan of Zhao also did not trust Lian Po.

But he was even more foolish than Xiaocheng. At least Xiaocheng replaced Lian Po during a standoff, giving some buffer time. Lian Po had also been retreating steadily, so there was some justification.

But King Yan replaced Lian Po while Lian Po was on a rampage of continuous victory. He dispatched someone to remove Lian Po mid-battle, enraging Lian Po into turning his troops to attack Le Cheng—the man sent to replace him—forcing Le Cheng to flee the state.

Because he had moved the army without authorization, Lian Po could only flee as well. Zhao lost two great generals in one breath.

Yet King Yan was a lucky man.

Yan took the chance to attack Zhao, and with no generals left, Zhao was on the verge of destruction. In desperation, King Yan appointed the nearly eighty-year-old Pang Nuan—who had never led troops before.

Who would have thought Pang Nuan was a buried genius?

Then Li Mu, who had been stationed in Yanmen, also began to shine, eventually becoming his own “Lord Wu’an.”

If his opponent hadn’t been Qin King Zheng, King Yan’s posthumous title “Xiang” might have been well-deserved.

Later, King Yan abolished his legitimate crown prince and made the son of a prostitute his heir. That heir, Zhao King Qian, continued the tradition of not trusting the previous king’s generals.

Pang Nuan was dead, so he turned his hand against Li Mu, wanting to promote a general of his own choosing.

But his method of replacing generals was even more “impressive.”

At a time when Qin was sweeping across the realm and Zhao was in mortal danger, how could there be time to train new generals? The moment he replaced Li Mu, Qin surged forth and destroyed Handan in one strike.

Three Zhao kings, each choosing the perfect moment to replace their generals—each more disastrously than the last.

King Xiaocheng was merely recalling Lian Po to retire peacefully; King Yan forced Lian Po into exile; King Qian tried to kill the blameless Li Mu.

Truly, each generation had a more stunning deficiency of brain than the last.

Zhao King Qian abandoned the Great Wall—not Guo Kai’s fault. It was simply Zhao’s royal tradition.

Guo Kai was merely a sycophant clinging to the king. If the king wasn’t incompetent, how would Guo Kai ever have risen?

After working through these thoughts, Lin Zhi found himself even more confused.

He had once basked in the “afterglow” of the wise King Huiwen of Zhao. He could not understand why the king’s descendants became increasingly foolish.

Was this… fate?

Lin Zhi thought of Zhu Xiang, and of little Ying Zheng, and finally could only sigh.

Perhaps this really was destiny.

Destiny belonged to Qin.

Recovering from this “blow,” Lin Zhi now planned to add fuel to the fire of Zhao King Yan and Guo Kai’s performance.

Discord could be sown not only in the court, but among the common people too.

This was what set Lin Zhi and Cai Ze—two masters of diplomacy—apart from others of their era.

The main reason the Qin army was struggling in Yanmen was because the commoners there were willing to die beside the defenders, fiercely hostile toward Qin.

So Lin Zhi sent agents throughout Yanmen Commandery to spread news:

Yanmen’s prosperity today was built by Li Mu and Zhu Xiang.

Li Mu was Zhu Xiang’s close friend. When Zhu Xiang had nearly been killed, Li Mu secretly brought the seeds Zhu Xiang gave him and implemented Zhu Xiang’s ideals in Yanmen.

After being humiliatingly given to Qin as a “gift,” Li Mu and Zhu Xiang persuaded Lord Xinling to enter Yanmen to continue their policies.

Lord Xinling was later forced to take his life due to the fear of the new Zhao king—Zhao King Yan and the Wei king had pressured him to death—but the sub-commanders left behind by Li Mu and Lord Xinling continued the same policies.

But the new Zhao king deeply hated Zhu Xiang, Li Mu, and Lord Xinling, and he hated the commoners of Yanmen for living too well—because they weren’t surrendering all their grain to Handan.

Thus he would definitely send orders to kill the old commanders of Yanmen, just as Zhu Xiang, Li Mu, and Lord Xinling had been treated.

Estrangement didn’t have to be slander.

Rousing the people didn’t require rumors.

The stratagems of a diplomatic master did not need to be petty schemes.

Lin Zhi excelled at this upright form of “estrangement”—using truth to divide the common people from the king.

Lin Zhi didn’t know whether Zhao King Yan intended to kill Sima Shang, but portraying the danger in its most extreme form was not a lie.

He personally came to the front lines and had Meng Ao send a Qin envoy openly to meet Sima Shang and warn him that he would die at Zhao King Yan’s hands, advising him to prepare.

The Qin envoy did not try to persuade surrender. After delivering the message, he left, leaving Sima Shang and the Yanmen commanders anxious and uneasy.

Originally, Sima Shang and the Yanmen veterans got along well with Pang Nuan.

They were not necessarily all upright men, but they were all competent generals who shared common ground.

Especially Sima Shang and the Yanmen veterans, who had long-standing ties with the now-legendary Lord Wucheng and Lord Xinling. Pang Nuan had always been curious about the two, and they often discussed their past.

But after the Qin envoy arrived, a deep rift formed between the two sides.

If Zhao King Yan truly intended to kill Sima Shang and the Yanmen commanders, then they would never allow themselves to be taken without a fight.

The one who would undoubtedly be tasked with capturing Sima Shang and the other veteran generals of Yanmen Commandery would be Pang Xuan, the commander leading the troops.

“Is King Zhao Yan insane? The reason we can’t take Yanmen Commandery is precisely because the old generals left behind by Lord Wucheng and Lord Xinling are united with the people there. If he kills all the old generals of Yanmen, wouldn’t that be breaking through Yanmen’s defenses from the inside?”

Meng Ao was so shocked that the wrinkles on his face nearly stretched flat. Wang He, remembering how Zhao Kuo once nearly outmaneuvered Lord Wu’an, showed a horrified expression.

Lin Zhi smiled slyly. “Zhao Wang Yan is only sending Zhao Cong to replace Sima Shang and ordering Sima Shang to return to Handan to ‘explain himself’. Even if he wants to kill someone, it should only be Sima Shang.”

Meng Ao and Wang He understood instantly.

Saying Zhao Wang Yan wants to arrest Sima Shang and drag him back to Handan is the same as saying he wants to kill Sima Shang. And since Sima Shang is an old general of Yanmen, then surely Zhao Wang Yan must want to kill all the old Yanmen generals.

No flaw in that logic!

Meng Ao told Wang He, “Looks like you’ll have to endure a bit longer before you get the credit for scaling the walls first.”

Wang He forced a bitter smile. “I hope they give me that opportunity soon.”

Lin Zhi knew Wang He’s physical condition; upon hearing this, he could only fall silent.

Zhu Xiang had said that Wang He’s illness was likely a parasitic infection. Garlic and pumpkin seeds had some antiparasitic effect.

But garlic and pumpkin seeds could only prevent or slow early-stage infection. Once the organs were already damaged, with the current medical level, it was simply a slow death—nothing could cure it.

Lin Zhi also knew that after all his years of farming in Southern Qin, Zhu Xiang himself also suffered from edema caused by parasites and was only holding it at bay with his strong physique and herbal medicines.

Like Wang He, such illnesses remained hidden during youth. When old age came, one weakening sickness was enough to make all the long-ignored issues erupt like a landslide.

Right now Zhu Xiang was still young, but Wang He was already old.

Lin Zhi worried that Zhu Xiang might eventually end up the same—or worse.

But Zhu Xiang comforted him, saying that many generals lived into their seventies and eighties, and many elderly farmers living in far harsher conditions even lived to ninety-nine. He took great care of his health; reaching sixty or seventy would be no problem.

It was Lin Zhi, who drank himself half to death and ignored health entirely, who would die first.

He even joked that he would play music, sing, and dance in front of Lin Zhi’s grave and eat all the offerings placed there every year.

Zhu Xiang painted the scene so vividly that Lin Zhi began to suspect this brat had already done such a thing before.

Putting aside their unhappy thoughts, the three resumed discussing the stupidity of the Zhao king.

Suddenly, Lin Zhi remembered something. “Where is General Sima? Why haven’t I seen him?”

Meng Ao replied, “Although General Sima is not actually from the same clan as Sima Shang, they share the same surname, so he sent someone to persuade Sima Shang to surrender.”

Lin Zhi frowned. “What does him sending someone to persuade surrender have to do with him personally not being here?”

Meng Ao and Wang He realized the issue as well.

Exactly! Sima Jin told them he was going to persuade surrender and wouldn’t attend the meeting. But what does sending someone have to do with him not showing up?

Having served under Lord Wu’an with Sima Jin for many years, Wang He suddenly turned pale.

“That brat…” Wang He held his forehead, gritting his teeth. “He didn’t go himself, did he?”

Meng Ao was puzzled. “How is that possible?”

Wang He sighed weakly. “If Lord Wu’an were here, it’d be impossible. Sima Jin is usually steady.”

Meng Ao became furious. “What! So under my command he becomes reckless?!”

Wang He said, “It’s not your fault, Lord Meng. When he’s excited, Sima Jin is the type who would strip and dance in front of King Zhao Xiang.”

Meng Ao stopped being angry. “Well… indeed, only Lord Wu’an could control him.”

Lin Zhi: “……”

Not only did he strip and dance in front of the Qin king, he even dragged the Qin king to strip and dance with him, and they both got beaten by Xunzi, whom Cai Ze had brought.

But honestly—stripping and dancing in front of King Zhao Xiang—this general was truly something else.

“What now?” Meng Ao asked curiously. “What would Lord Wu’an usually do?”

Wang He replied dryly, “Prepare to collect his corpse. If he somehow survives, give him a beating and then prepare to collect his corpse again next time.”

Meng Ao: “……”

Meng Ao said, “Alright. I’ll have someone prepare a wooden coffin for him and place it in his tent.”

Lin Zhi cast him a look.

Now he understood—Meng Wu truly was Meng Ao’s biological son.

By the time they remembered the “missing” Sima Jin, the once overly lively old general whom Zhu Xiang had met back in Changping was now gray-haired. He had already infiltrated Yanmen Commandery.

When divisions emerged between Yanmen’s old generals and Pang Xuan, their defenses also loosened.

Sima Jin walked straight into Yanmen, first seeking out the retainers left by Lord Xinling.

Before his death, Lord Xinling had arranged new places for his retainers; many had stayed in Yanmen.

When Xinling’s retainers learned that the newcomer was actually Sima Jin, they were so frightened they nearly fainted—then immediately asked about Lord Xinling’s situation.

Although Zhu Hai escorting Xinling’s coffin south to find Lord Changping was already known in Yanmen, they still wanted more details.

Sima Jin didn’t know much—but he could fabricate.

In any case, Lord Zhu Xiang was already extraordinary; adding a few invented tales about him angrily leading troops north to escort Xinling’s coffin wouldn’t sound any more outrageous.

Xinling’s retainers were moved to tears and asked, “General Sima, what can we do for you?”

Sima Jin said, “Sima Shang is a distant relative of mine. Zhao Wang wants to kill him—another tragedy like Lord Wucheng, Lord Xinling, and so many others. I wish to give him a chance to live.”

Sima Jin sighed. “The Qin army doesn’t particularly care. With Zhao Wang replacing his general mid-battle, Yanmen will definitely fall. But I cannot bear to see kin killed, nor can I bear to see Yanmen, which Lord Wucheng and Lord Xinling built up over so many years, destroyed. So I risked coming here.”

He wiped his eyes and continued, “If Yanmen does not surrender, the Qin army will not sheathe their blades. Even the common people who have fought for you will be slaughtered. If the spirits of Lord Xinling and Lord Wucheng—far away in Southern Qin—knew Yanmen was destroyed, how heartbroken they would be.”

Xinling’s retainers hesitated for a long time and finally asked: “General Sima… will Zhao Wang really kill General Sima Shang?”

Sima Jin said, “You’ll know in a few days.”

They sighed. “You are a deputy commander of the Qin frontlines, powerful and respected in Qin, yet you risk your life to come. Why should we doubt? Please follow us to see General Sima Shang.”

They drove to meet Sima Shang, who had locked himself in his study for days.

When Sima Shang learned the visitor was Sima Jin, he was so stunned he couldn’t speak.

I’m merely a temporary commander of Yanmen. Why would the Qin army’s deputy frontline commander personally come to persuade me to surrender?

I’m… flattered beyond belief!

He began racking his brain to recall family genealogy—were they really related somehow?

After Xinling’s retainers left and shut the door, Sima Jin’s expression turned cold. “No need to think. We’re not related.”

Sima Shang asked awkwardly, “General… why risk—”

Sima Jin said, “Back when Lord Zhu Xiang entered Changping, I was serving as deputy to Lord Wu’an.”

Sima Shang didn’t understand why he was mentioning something so far back.

Sima Jin continued, “Lord Zhu Xiang risked his life for the tens of thousands of Zhao captives. I admired him greatly. After he entered Qin, our military no longer relies solely on killing and capturing for merit. We also reward scaling walls, completing missions, securing supplies… Our rations are abundant now. We don’t need to plunder to survive.”

He looked at Sima Shang. “Soldiers and officers are human. Who wants pointless killing? But the people of Yanmen fight desperately because they are grateful to you. If Yanmen does not surrender, they will all die.”

Sima Shang was stunned.

He asked, “General, you came because you fear the Qin army will slaughter the people?”

Sima Jin said, “Yes. Yanmen was precious to Lord Wucheng, Lord Changping, and Lord Xinling. They would never want to see Yanmen soaked in blood. They allowed the people here to live better lives than elsewhere in Zhao—not so they would die for a foolish, incompetent king.”

He bowed. “Please think it over carefully.”

Sima Shang fell silent.

After a long while, he said, “I will arrange for your safe departure. Thank you for your righteousness.”

Sima Jin did not push further. After Sima Shang arranged his departure, Sima Jin left Shanwu City. He soon ran into Wang He, who had come personally with troops to retrieve him.

Then he immediately fled on horseback.

“Stop right there!”

“No!”

“If you run again, you’ll be punished by military law!”

“I didn’t violate military law!”

When Lin Zhi and Meng Ao learned why Sima Jin had done this, they fell silent.

Meng Ao said, “I truly didn’t expect this.”

Lin Zhi replied, “Zhu Xiang’s influence is stronger than we thought.”

Meng Ao chuckled. “Indeed.”

…

Sima Shang quietly made some preparations.

The unrest among Yanmen’s old generals seemed to subside.

Pang Xuan grew worried and asked bluntly whether Sima Shang might rebel.

Sima Shang said, “Zhao Wang accusing me of defecting to Qin is an insult not only to me, but to Lord Wucheng and Lord Xinling. General Pang, you’ve seen the battles here yourself. If not for Yanmen’s unity—if not for the common people willingly sacrificing themselves to stall the Qin army—Yanmen would’ve fallen long ago. That is the legacy left by Lord Wucheng and Lord Xinling.”

He paused. “And the legacy of Lord Zhu Xiang.”

Pang Xuan let out a deep sigh.

Sima Shang continued, “I will not betray the Zhao king. I will not make his slander true.”

Pang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and bowed respectfully.

After he left, Sima Shang sneered.

He had said only half the truth.

Soon, Zhao Cong and the king’s envoys arrived to confiscate Sima Shang’s commander seal.

The envoy acted arrogantly, demanding that the “criminal” Sima Shang be bound and thrown into a prison carriage for transport to Handan.

The soldiers of Yanmen were furious.

The people of Shanwu City surrounded the carriage, wanting to rescue him.

Having already lost Lord Wucheng and Lord Xinling, they refused to lose General Sima as well.

Under Pang Xuan’s strong protest, the envoy did not put shackles on Sima Shang.

Sima Shang stood inside the carriage, hands behind his back, facing the enraged people of Shanwu.

He recalled Sima Jin’s words.

He recalled Lord Zhu Xiang, whom he never met but owed much to.

He recalled the nearly fading face of his old commander, General Li Mu, and the vividly remembered, carefree smile of Lord Xinling.

Sima Shang never considered himself noble. He was merely a deputy who followed orders.

But at this moment, he seemed to understand Zhu Xiang’s pursuit, Li Mu’s pain as he gazed toward Handan, and Xinling’s “awakening.”

From his sleeve, he drew a small blade and addressed the “rebellious crowd” loudly:

“I have been slandered by a foolish king and treacherous ministers. To prove my innocence, I cannot flee.”

“But all of you—after my death—seek refuge with Qin and live.”

“The grain in Yanmen’s fields comes from seeds given by Lord Zhu Xiang. The northern tribes who harassed us were driven away by General Li Mu. The one who shielded you from heavy taxes was Lord Xinling.”

“Not the foolish Zhao king!”

“Go to Qin!”

“Go seek General Li Mu and Lord Zhu Xiang!”

Sima Shang plunged the small blade into his chest and slowly collapsed.

“GENERAL!!!”

The crowd erupted.

The Yanmen soldiers, already prepared, raised their weapons, donned mourning robes, and lifted white banners.

They killed Zhao Cong, captured Pang Xuan, opened the city gates—

And surrendered to Qin.