"If he was, as his place of origin records, the husband of Zhao Wu, and Zhao Feng and his sister were Zhao Wu's children, then they should have been granted land."
"But according to Ying'er, they had to rely on the land given to them by someone else."
"I knew it Afang wouldn't do that."
"She has always been alone." Ying Zheng thought to himself excitedly.
Although he deeply trusted Afang, the doubts planted in his mind still lingered.
He couldn't help but consider the possibility What if Afang did remarry? How would I face that?
And if Zhao Feng and Zhao Ying were not his children, how would he come to terms with it?
But
The guilt in Ying Zheng's heart, toward Xia Dong'er, toward his own children, all surged to the forefront of his mind.
At the root of it all, it was his fault.
He had failed to protect them.
"You and your brother are twins, a boy and a girl."
"You're already twenty years old. That's quite an age for a woman. Have you never considered marriage?" Ying Zheng asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Zhao Ying immediately became alert, shaking her hands frantically. "I haven't thought about it. I'll leave it to fate. My brother says that even if I never marry, he'll take care of me for life."
At this, Ying Zheng burst into laughter. "So you intend never to marry?"
"No, that's not it."
"I just haven't met the right person," Zhao Ying shook her head again.
"Would you like me to keep an eye out for you? If there's a promising young man, I could introduce you to him," Ying Zheng said with a teasing smile.
"No, no need!"
"I'm just an ordinary commoner. There's no need to seek out so-called young talents," Zhao Ying waved her hands again, declining firmly.
At this moment, she was filled with unease.
She had no idea why the Qin King had called her here for idle conversation without any clear purpose.
She couldn't make sense of it.
All she wanted now was to leave Zhangtai Palace as soon as possible the farther away, the better.
"You seem quite uncomfortable in my palace," Ying Zheng observed with a faint smile, easily noticing Zhao Ying's unease.
"I am just a commoner and have little knowledge of such grand places. It's only natural for me to be uneasy in Your Majesty's palace," Zhao Ying answered truthfully.
"You are no mere commoner."
"You are my…"
Ying Zheng abruptly stopped mid-sentence.
He saw the wariness and suspicion in Zhao Ying's eyes, along with a trace of fear.
"You are the sister of my most trusted Great General. You are a noble now how could you call yourself a commoner?" Ying Zheng said with a smile.
"Uh…" Zhao Ying hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
Speaking with the Qin King was truly nerve-wracking she had no idea what to say.
And if she said something wrong, it could be disastrous.
"Alright."
"In my presence, you don't need to be so restrained. If you think about it, I even hosted your brother's wedding and sat among the elders. Just consider me your elder as well," Ying Zheng said warmly, his tone filled with kindness.
"Yes," Zhao Ying could only reply politely.
But in her heart, she thought, It seems the King just wanted to chat. He's probably doing this because of my brother.
"You may return to the Grand Medical Hall now."
"If anything happens in the palace, or if anyone dares to bully you, come directly to me I will see to it that justice is served," Ying Zheng said with a smile.
He could tell that Zhao Ying was at a loss for words, so he decided not to keep her in discomfort any longer.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"I am doing well in the palace. Doctor Chen is taking good care of me, and no one is troubling me."
"I shall take my leave now," Zhao Ying said as she slowly rose, bowed respectfully, and walked out of Zhangtai Palace.
Where there are people, there is conflict.
There will always be those who look down on others, and the hierarchy within the palace is even stricter.
But Zhao Ying was the sister of the Great General of Qin.
Everyone in the palace knew her status who would dare bully her?
Even as she stepped out of Zhangtai Palace,
Zhao Gao, who had been waiting outside, immediately bowed and asked, "Miss Zhao, are you familiar with the palace paths? Would you like me to have someone escort you back to the Grand Medical Hall?"
"Guards!"
"Escort Miss Zhao back to the Grand Medical Hall," Zhao Gao commanded.
"Thank you, Lord Zhao," Zhao Ying replied with gratitude.
She then followed a eunuch toward the Grand Medical Hall.
"The King truly extends his favor to the Zhao family," Zhao Gao murmured as he watched her leave.
"Even to Zhao Feng's sister, he shows such generosity."
"Among all the ministers in court, not one receives such favor."
"If only Zhao Feng would support Hu Hai… that would be ideal."
"With Zhao Feng's support alone, it would be as if half the court stood behind him," Zhao Gao thought to himself, his sinister eyes gleaming with calculation.
Though he remained humble and submissive in the presence of the Qin King,
Deep down, he was already plotting his future.
He no longer wanted to be a mere servant within the palace.
He wanted to stand tall as a man of his own.
Inside the Palace
Ying Zheng's gaze became firm.
"Ying'er…"
"You are my daughter."
"Rest assured."
"From now on, I will never let you suffer again."
"Nor will I allow you to endure any grievances."
He silently made this vow in his heart.
Then, looking at the stack of memorials on his desk,
A hint of weariness crossed his face.
"So many reports… I must handle them before I can head to Yongcheng."
"Afang avoids me surely because of those people."
"Does she still think I lack the power to protect them?"
"Qin today… is no longer the Qin of the past."
Ying Zheng muttered to himself.
Yunzhong City
Inside the grand hall of a general's residence
This was Zhao Feng's official residence.
However, since coming to Yunzhong, Zhao Feng has spent all his time in the military camp.
His residence remained largely unused.
He lived and ate alongside his soldiers
That had always been his way.
Whatever food Zhao Feng ate, his men ate the same.
At this moment, inside the hall,
Three generals Zhang Han, Tu Sui, and Li You were present.
And alongside them, a man clad in the official attire of the Yan Kingdom.
It was Yan's Grand General, Qing Qin.
"I greet the Great General Zhao Feng,"
Qing Qin clasped his fists and bowed respectfully.
"General Qing Qin, you are too courteous," Zhao Feng responded with a faint smile.
Hearing this man's name, Zhao Feng couldn't help but find it peculiar Qing Qin? Celebrating Qin?
If he were a general of Qin, his name might have had some significance.
But he was a general of Yan.
If one day Qin attacks Yan, how will this general face Qin?
"My king has heard that the general has been promoted to Supreme General of Qin and is now guarding Yunzhong City. He has specially sent me to congratulate you on assuming your new post," Qing Qin said with a smile.
"King of Yan is too kind."
"I, Zhao Feng, am young and entrusted with such an important position. It is all due to His Majesty's deep favor. The fact that the King of Yan specifically sent General Qing to offer congratulations is truly an honor for me," Zhao Feng replied with a smile.
"Our Yan State and the Qin State are allied nations. In the past, when Zhao attacked Yan, had it not been for Qin responding to our call for help, our Yan State might have already perished at Zhao's hands. This favor, Yan will never forget."
"This visit to congratulate the general further reflects the strong bond between Yan and Qin," Qing Qin said with a smile.
"Indeed."
"Our Great Qin and Yan are bound by an alliance," Zhao Feng immediately echoed.
But words were just words.
Throughout history, one truth remained unshaken strength was the ultimate rule.
Once one's power was sufficient, so-called alliances were nothing more than scraps of paper.
Just like when Qin attacked Zhao.
Zhao Yan was completely fooled by Ying Zheng, who tricked him into waging war against Yan, leaving Zhao's homeland defenseless while also purging capable generals.
In the end, Zhao's downfall was inevitable.
And it was all because Zhao Yan had brought disaster upon himself.
Hearing Zhao Feng's words, Qing Qin smiled and suddenly asked, "I have heard that the general has only one wife, is that correct?"
"Yes." Zhao Feng nodded, but he also looked at Qing Qin with some curiosity. "Why does General Qing ask?"
"When I departed from Yan, my king specifically instructed me to ask."
"Would the general be open to taking a concubine?"
"My king has a daughter who is extremely beautiful, just eighteen years old. If the general is willing, my king would like to form a familial bond with you," Qing Qin stated directly.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng inwardly chuckled.
"Interesting. A ploy to sow discord?"
"And they tried it on me."
"If I were to accept this offer without reporting it, those old men like Wang Wan would have an excuse to impeach me, accusing me of treason and collusion with a foreign power."
In just a moment, Zhao Feng had figured it all out.
Although he was only twenty years old, having lived two lifetimes, he was far from a naïve hothead.
Zhao Feng smiled faintly. "His Majesty of Yan is too kind. How could I refuse such a generous offer? However, as a subject of the state, and given my current position, this matter concerns the princess of a royal house. It must first be reported to my king. If the King of Yan is truly sincere, I shall submit a memorial and provide a formal response afterward. What do you think?"
Hearing this, a flicker of disappointment flashed through Qing Qin's eyes.
He had hoped that Zhao Feng would accept immediately, bypassing the Qin King.
If Zhao Feng had agreed outright, some maneuvering within Qin might have created an opportunity to lure him to Yan.
But now, it seemed that this was nothing more than wishful thinking on their part.
"My king sincerely wishes to ally through marriage."
"The general may submit his report first and then reply later," Qing Qin quickly nodded.
"In that case, I shall have it submitted," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
A princess delivered right to his doorstep why would Zhao Feng refuse?
In this era, one was not limited to a single wife.
In his residence, there were already the Han and Zhao princesses, whom the Qin King had bestowed upon him.
However, their status didn't even qualify as concubines they were merely servants. If they bore his children, only then could they become concubines.
Since Yan was offering a princess, Zhao Feng saw no disadvantage in accepting.
After discussing a few more details with Qing Qin, the latter did not linger long and soon departed from Yunzhong City.
"General,"
"This Yan general is quite scheming,"
"Not only did he attempt to use this so-called princess to influence you, but he also wanted to enter the military camp to gather intelligence on our army."
Once Qing Qin left, Zhang Han spoke with some disdain.
Everyone in the hall had heard Qing Qin's words.
"With me stationed at Yunzhong City, of course, Yan is uneasy."
"They are well aware that our Wu'an Camp was established here specifically to counter them, but they have no means to change the situation. All they can do is resort to these petty tricks."
"They are hardly worth mentioning," Zhao Feng said with a calm smile.
"Indeed, hardly worth mentioning," Tu Sui nodded.
"Have the warhorses arrived yet?"
Zhao Feng turned to Zhang Han and asked.
"Reporting to the general."
"Within a month, all one hundred thousand warhorses will be delivered to our camp."
"This includes those captured on the Zhao battlefield as well as those obtained from Zhao's horse farms."
"This has been approved by the King himself," Zhang Han responded immediately.
"One hundred thousand cavalry."
"Although they are light cavalry, they are still an elite force unmatched in the world."
"Looking across Qin's four major military camps, only the Northern Frontier has an equivalent cavalry force of one hundred thousand." Zhao Feng laughed heartily.
Possessing one hundred thousand cavalry in this era was an absolute show of force.
"Once our Wu'an Camp is fully formed, it will undoubtedly surpass all other camps in military strength."
"Lan Tian and Hangu lack cavalry; our camp possesses it."
"The Northern Frontier lacks a well-coordinated infantry and offensive force; our camp possesses that as well," Tu Sui added excitedly.
"Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves."
"Warhorses are one thing, but the camp is newly established, and there is still much to be organized."
"How many surrendered troops have been transferred so far?"
"Is there sufficient grain and supplies?"
"Have all these matters been properly arranged?" Zhao Feng asked seriously.
"Reporting to the general."
"Over thirty thousand surrendered soldiers have been transferred here. Zhao is vast, and the prisoners are held in three different locations. Transporting all of them to Yunzhong will take one to two months."
"Given that the camp is still in its early stages, logistical challenges are immense," Li You reported immediately.
"Hmm."
Zhao Feng nodded, not pushing for more.
Given the state of transportation in this era, moving surrendered troops from three different locations within one to two months was already an achievement.
After all, they were dealing with living people over two hundred thousand of them.
Transporting them in one go was impossible, so the only option was to move them in batches.
In the case where military strength is sufficient for deterrence during transport,
mutinies, and escapes are not uncommon.
"The deployment of warhorses and soldiers will remain as it is for now.
Now, let us discuss the appointments for the camp's wanjiang (ten-thousand-man commanders), as well as the duwei (captains) and junhou (battalion commanders)," Zhao Feng said, looking at the three generals.
"General,"
"These officers should naturally be selected from our veteran warriors. Many brothers have distinguished themselves in the campaign against Zhao and now is the perfect time to promote them. Furthermore, once the penal army is restructured, they cannot serve as officers," Zhang Han responded immediately.
"From wuchang (squad leaders) to shichang (platoon leaders), these positions should all be held by our old comrades."
"Today, let us first decide on the wanjiang and duwei appointments.
As for junhou and lower ranks, the wanjiang should be allowed to make their own selections based on military merit.
Once you have finalized the promotion lists, submit them to Kuai Pu. Once I approve them, he will submit them to the Shaofu (Lesser Treasurer)," Zhao Feng instructed.
"Understood!"
The three generals nodded in unison.
"Alright, you may all go now."
Zhao Feng waved his hand, dismissing them without further words.
"The subordinates take their leave."
The three generals promptly exited.
After they left, Zhao Feng sat down again, facing a table piled high with military documents awaiting his review.
After assuming the role of Shang Jiangjun (Supreme General),
his workload had multiplied tenfold compared to when he was merely a field commander.
And since this was a newly established military camp, the administrative duties were even more overwhelming.
Time passed gradually.
Night had fallen.
"My lord."
"An incident has occurred."
A voice suddenly sounded in front of Zhao Feng.
Ying Bu, clad in Yanting's signature black attire, knelt on one knee before Zhao Feng.
"Hm?"
Zhao Feng looked up at Ying Bu.
"In Xianyang, Handan, and Weicheng Three Jiuxian Lou (Immortal Wine Houses) were attacked by an unknown force in a night raid," Ying Bu reported solemnly.
"A night raid?"
Zhao Feng's expression shifted slightly.
"Any casualties? Were the wine houses lost?"
The Jiuxian Lou establishments were crucial to his wealth.
Without the revenue from Jiuxian Lou, Zhao Feng could never have funded the vast Yanting (his secret intelligence network).
Over the years,
Yanting had grown from nothing into a formidable force.
"My lord, please rest assured.
Every Jiuxian Lou is guarded by over a hundred Yanting Wuchang (elite shadow guards).
Moreover, when under attack, the Wuchang quickly converge for reinforcements.
Although the night raids were sudden, the losses were not severe.
There were minor casualties, but nothing significant.
And most importantly, the secret wine formula remains secure."
Ying Bu quickly reassured him.
"Good."
Zhao Feng nodded.
He had complete confidence in Yanting's capabilities.
With warriors tempered by Lian Gu San (Bone Refining Powder) and rigorous training,
the Yanting Wuchang was as formidable as any elite covert force in the world.
Even against Qin's Heibingtai (Black Ice Platform, the empire's intelligence agency),
if it were purely a battle of skill rather than resources,
his Wuchang would not be at a disadvantage.
"There were casualties?"
Zhao Feng furrowed his brows slightly.
Every Yanting Wuchang, even at the lowest level, was far superior to ordinary soldiers.
In battle, they could easily take down ten foes single-handedly.
Yet now, they had suffered losses?
"In Xianyang, fifteen men were killed, twenty wounded.
In Handan, eight were killed, and nine wounded.
In Weicheng, ten were injured."
Ying Bu provided the exact figures.
"For my Yanting to suffer casualties, this force is no ordinary one."
"How many attackers were there?"
Zhao Feng pressed on.
"In Xianyang, close to a hundred men attacked.
In Handan, there were even more.
Weicheng had slightly fewer."
"But all of them came from the same faction, were well-trained, and had a clear objective they were specifically targeting the Jiuxian Lou's secret wine formula," Ying Bu reported.
"The true formula is stored within Yanting's stronghold.
Even an army could not take it by force."
"This faction is delusional if they think I would leave such an important secret inside a mere wine house,"
Zhao Feng sneered.
"Jiuxian Lou has amassed immense wealth. Naturally, it has drawn the envy of many."
"Every time a new Jiuxian Lou is established,
local elites attempt to bribe, threaten, and coerce,
but Han Xi never bothered to report these trivial matters to me.
Instead, he handled them himself with great effort,"
Ying Bu said, a hint of admiration in his tone.
For Ying Bu to show such respect toward Han Xi, a crippled man,
was a testament to the latter's capabilities.
"Han Xi…
He has indeed proven his worth."
Zhao Feng nodded in acknowledgment.
Since the day he rescued Han Xi from the Han royal palace,
Han Xi had dedicated himself fully to gratitude, pledging his unwavering loyalty.
Because of this,
Zhao Feng had given him complete autonomy to act as he saw fit.
"This faction have you identified them?"
Zhao Feng refocused on the issue at hand,
though he had already formed a strong suspicion in his mind.
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