bestfiction Chapter 479 The Panicked Nobles of Six Nations 2
Chapter 479 The Panicked Nobles of Six Nations 2
"Qin is eight hundred miles away. No matter how powerful that iron lump is, it can't break through the fertile plains of my Qi." Hou Sheng's words revealed a hint of confidence, but King Jian of Qi could not find any comfort in them.
Before he could finish speaking, King Jian of Qi suddenly coughed violently, and his body trembled even more violently. He clutched the brocade quilt tightly, as if it were his last refuge.
Before his eyes, the illustrations in the secret report kept replaying in his mind. The ten black iron behemoths spewed tongues of fire, and the city wall three hundred paces away collapsed in an instant. The disgraceful scene of the Wei envoy losing control of his bladder and the pale face of the Chu official kept flashing through his mind.
All of this ultimately transformed into the silhouettes of the Qin army's iron cavalry, which relentlessly trampled across the wheat fields of Qi and Lu, hurtling towards Linzi City.
"Does the Prime Minister know?" King Qi Jian's voice sounded slightly hoarse, as if it had been sanded.
His gaze was fixed intently on Hou Sheng, as if trying to see through his eyes to the depths of his heart. "Rumor has it that the gunpowder used that day by Zhen Tian Lei was just ordinary fireworks, with limited power. But how powerful must real gunpowder be?"
King Qi Jian's words suddenly stopped. He seemed to realize something, his eyes widened, and he stared intently at Hou Sheng, his pupils suddenly contracting as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.
Over the years, the Prime Minister's office had maintained trade relations with the Qin state, with Qi's salt and iron being continuously transported to Qin. However, this iron ultimately became a powerful weapon for Qin, threatening Qi's security. This fact struck King Jian of Qi like a heavy blow, one he could not ignore.
Hou Sheng felt uneasy under King Jian of Qi's gaze, a look filled with suspicion and distrust that seemed to pierce through his very soul. However, Hou Sheng was a shrewd and calculating man. He quickly composed himself, forced a smile, and said, "Your Majesty is overthinking it. My trade with Qin is entirely for the benefit of Qi. Besides, iron isn't only needed by Qin; other countries need it too."
King Jian of Qi stared intently at Hou Sheng, half believing and half doubting his uncle's words. Although Hou Sheng was his relative, he also knew that Hou Sheng wielded great power in Qi; in fact, it could be said that Hou Sheng, not him, was the one who truly held power in Qi.
King Jian of Qi sighed heavily in his heart. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke, "Uncle, how about we surrender?" Even he himself was startled by the words he uttered. Surrender was an extremely difficult decision, meaning that the State of Qi would lose its independence and dignity.
"Surrender?" Hou Sheng waved his sleeves, sweeping across the table like a gust of wind. The scroll of Shu brocade map was swirling in the air as if caught in a gale, finally crashing heavily onto the blue brick floor with a dull thud.
Hou Sheng's gaze slowly shifted from the map to his nephew's thin figure curled up in the brocade quilt. He stared intently, as if trying to see through the layers of brocade to the once spirited young man inside.
However, King Jian of Qi today was a far cry from the charismatic figure he once was at the Jixia Academy. His frail body, wrapped in a brocade quilt, appeared even more fragile, as if a gust of wind could topple him. His face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color, with only his eyes revealing a hint of stubbornness and resentment.
King Jian of Qi gripped the corner of the quilt tightly, as if it were his last straw. His knuckles turned white from the excessive force, and even the soft velvet surface was worn with deep indentations.
"The walls of Yingdu, the capital of Chu, are nothing but mud bricks under the thunderous roar." King Jian of Qi's voice suddenly trembled, carrying an undisguised fear and despair.
Hou Sheng remained silent for a moment, then slowly bent down and picked up the map. He carefully unfolded it, as if it were an invaluable treasure. His fingertips gently traced the Ji River defense line on the map, and he said slowly, "Has Your Majesty forgotten? We also have newly made repeating crossbows, capable of shooting two hundred paces, with astonishing power. Moreover, Linzi City has ample provisions, enough to sustain us in a long-term siege..."
"Grain and provisions?" King Jian of Qi suddenly laughed out loud. The laughter echoed in the empty hall, carrying a chilling sense of despair and devastation.
"Last year, during the locust plague, the Prime Minister's granary was emptied in just three days after the relief efforts began. What will the Great Qi use to defend the city now? Even the royal family's expenses have to be maintained by selling the jade artifacts of the late king!" King Jian of Qi's voice grew louder and louder, until it was almost a roar.
The warm pavilion was deathly silent, as if time itself had frozen. Only the crackling sound of the bronze lamp wick popping seemed particularly jarring in the deathly stillness.
“Even if we can hold out for a while…” Hou Sheng’s slightly anxious voice broke the suffocating silence. He had indeed transported a lot of salt and iron for the Qin Kingdom, but that was only to make more money. Thinking of the mountains of gold ingots in his house and the jars of Jade Dew wine stored in the cellar, his voice gradually regained its composure.
"If Your Majesty insists on surrendering to Qin, where will you place our ancestors?" Hou Sheng's words carried a hint of questioning.
"Ancestors?" King Jian of Qi suddenly coughed violently, as if he were coughing up his heart and lungs. His body trembled from the coughing, and it took him a while to calm down.
"When Duke Huan united the feudal lords nine times, did he ever imagine that his descendants would one day be reduced to begging for mercy from the Qin people?" King Jian of Qi propped himself up, his eyes red and bloodshot.
“Uncle, you say that Qi still has the strength to fight. But what if it is defeated? What will become of the people of Qi? Will they be used as laborers by the Qin people, or will they become victims of this chaotic world like those who were killed by thunderbolts?” King Jian of Qi’s voice was full of pain and helplessness. His eyes were fixed on Hou Sheng, as if trying to find a glimmer of hope on his face.
Hou Sheng stared at his nephew's bloodless, pale face, as white as paper, secretly plotting how to profit handsomely from the situation. He knew Qin's ambitions towards Qi, and that Qin would need to demonstrate sufficient sincerity to force Qi to surrender.
After a moment of silence, Hou Sheng's lips curled into a sly smile. He spoke slowly and deliberately, "There's no need to rush this matter. We might as well send an envoy to Qin to negotiate. After all, perhaps Qin doesn't truly want to destroy Qi?"
His voice was calm, but it carried an enigmatic quality. It seemed that in his eyes, this negotiation, which concerned the very survival of the nation, was nothing more than a transaction to be exploited.
Upon hearing Hou Sheng's words, King Jian of Qi felt somewhat relieved and nodded, saying, "Then we shall follow the Prime Minister's suggestion. However, I wonder who we should send to Qin?" Hou Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "We can send the royal prince Tian Wen as an envoy. He is eloquent and has some old acquaintances with Qin officials, so he might be able to handle things." King Jian of Qi agreed and immediately arranged for Tian Wen to prepare for the mission.
After receiving the order, Tian Wen dared not delay. He hurriedly packed his belongings and, carrying the letter and gifts from the State of Qi, embarked on the journey to the State of Qin. Along the way, he was filled with anxiety, knowing full well the weight of this responsibility. He feared that the slightest misstep could plunge the State of Qi into utter ruin.