Chapter Four: The Mad Warrior Rises to Harm Others, The New Three Kingdoms Conflict Continues Unabated
The two felt a great weight lift from their hearts as they came out to see Qin Lei standing in the courtyard with a food box in hand, wearing a warm smile, which was indeed somewhat ... ... detestable
The last soldier of Qi was utterly terrified. Qin Lei feigned an attack, but Iron Eagle rushed forward, lifting the Qi soldier as if he were a chick. He delivered over a dozen slaps from all sides, causing the soldier's teeth to loosen completely and his mouth to turn into a bloody mess before he was violently thrown onto the street, landing with a loud "thud" on the ground
In the past two years, the relationship between the Qin State and Southern Chu has eased, turning their hostility towards the Qi State, with hundreds of thousands of troops stationed at Hangu Pass, ready to strike like a fierce tiger at any moment. Since the departure of that princess, the only buffer in the relations between the two states has vanished, leading to continuous friction. Under such circumstances, how could the prince, who is held as a hostage, possibly have a good life
Thus, the incident where the young proton was angrily beaten by the watchdog did not spread. The Jinwu Guard, responsible for maintaining order in the East City, quickly arrived. Fortunately, the beating only lasted a moment, and the Iron Eagle soon caught up with Lord Li's sedan chair. With a shout of "His Highness has been bullied," it startled Li Guangyuan into turning back hastily, just in time to encounter the Jinwu Guard searching the proton residence. Lord Li immediately erupted in fury, shouting, "If even a single hair of His Highness is harmed, it is better not to sign this treaty; everyone should prepare for war, as that is the right course of action."
Iron Eagle let out a sound of acknowledgment, contemplated for a moment, and said: "It is still better for Your Highness to take the offensive."
Through the analysis of the situation, Qin Lei strongly felt that he might become the focal point of the Three Kingdoms game in the upcoming period. The State of Chu certainly hoped for his demise; the assassin from last night was likely from Chu. The State of Qi should not wish for his death, as it would provide a reason for Qin to go to war. The attitude of the State of Qin is rather ambiguous; although Li Guangyuan ostensibly came to discuss the alliance and to redeem the prince, he subtly revealed that the people of Qin seemed prepared to abandon themselves to provoke war. However, opinions should not be unified; at least Li Guangyuan tends to favor preserving himself. Although Li Guangyuan ostensibly came to discuss the alliance and to redeem the prince, he subtly revealed that the people of Qin seemed prepared to abandon themselves to provoke war. However, opinions should not be unified; at least Li Guangyuan tends to favor preserving himself
He sorted out his thoughts, no longer lost in random musings. He reached for the cool tea and gulped it down. With a flick of his hand, he tossed the cup, causing a white chrysanthemum to bloom against the red pillar, accompanied by the crisp sound of shattering. Qin Lei rose steadily and strode out of the pavilion, with Iron Eagle closely following behind. Qin Lei would not tell Iron Eagle about the intense activities in the morning that left him with a sore back and unable to move, as he had just recovered.
Tie Ying looked at Qin Lei, who was dressed in a short jacket, with a puzzled expression, waiting for him to speak
Although the Proton Mansion holds a lowly status, it is situated in the eastern city of the capital, where the residences of officials and nobility are located, ensuring good public order and a relatively low number of pedestrians
More than a decade has passed, and time has changed many things: the princess of the Qin state, who was married off for political alliance, fell into a state of depression and passed away several years ago; the upper echelons of the Qi state are intoxicated by the fragrance of victory, indulging in extravagance and debauchery. The common people suffer immensely, and the contradictions have become increasingly acute, leading to a decline in national strength; meanwhile, the Qin state has endured hardships and worked diligently, uniting as one, and has finally restored its national power
Li Guangyuan saw that Jin Wu was walking out of the courtyard, empty-handed, indicating that he had gained nothing. Feeling somewhat relieved, he squinted his eyes and said to General Jin Wu in a stern manner: "This matter involves the diplomatic relations between our two countries. I will inform Your Majesty and the Honglu Temple. Please return, my lord..."
Li Guangyuan's request to Qin Lei was to feign illness. Qin Lei agreed and instructed Tie Ying to publicly claim that he had been overly frightened, resulting in memory loss and insomnia, with severe emotional fluctuations. In moments of excitement, he could even become violent, posing a significant danger
The frail old man with white hair conducted a thorough examination, but found no abnormalities in the hair or the books. However, Qin Lei's amnesia is genuine.
In a critical moment, Li Hun, the charioteer general of the Qin state, and Wen Chengyan, the right chancellor, rallied the officials to support the current Emperor Zhao Wu in ascending to the throne. While stabilizing the court, they divided the nine provinces, allowed annual tributes, exchanged royal hostages, and arranged a marriage between the imperial sister and Northern Qi. This effectively dismantled the alliance between Qi and Chu, after which the Qin army united and repelled the forces of Chu, resolving the crisis of the fallen state
He himself was hiding in the small study on the west side, reading daily the "New Records of the Three Kingdoms" personally written by Li Guangyuan. This book starts from the loss of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons in the previous Tang Dynasty and continues to the present. He maintained a rigorous academic style, writing with integrity, offering no excessive praise for the Qin state, nor unjustly disparaging Qi and Chu, but rather providing an objective account of the history spanning over two hundred years
... ...
After completing all this, the Iron Eagle, still feeling unsatisfied, remembered that he should explain to His Highness. He awkwardly said to Qin Lei: "It was this brat who humiliated my subordinate this morning"
Qin Lei stood on the stone bench in front of the door, looking down at several guards with disdain, his right index finger gently tracing the tip of his nose. The soldiers, seeing the legendary weak little hostage in such a manner, felt displeased and hugged their long spears, staring provocatively at Qin Lei. One of them, with a foul mouth, remarked: "He really is quite fair-skinned; could he be a rabbit lord..."
Seeing the two men glaring at him, Qin Lei raised the food box in his hand and chuckled at Li Guangyuan, saying: "I just went to buy a breakfast for the gentleman. I am not familiar with the area and took longer than expected. I hope the gentleman can forgive me"
Qin Lei looked at the moaning and unconscious soldiers of Qi scattered on the ground, feeling quite pleased, and his thoughts became clear again. Suddenly, in a fit of anxiety, he said to Tie Ying: "Quickly go find Lord Li, or we will be in trouble."
Qin Lei saw six ruffians charging at him, and he swiftly drew a door bolt, feigning a horizontal sweep. As the opponents' attack momentarily faltered, he transformed the sweep into a strike, delivering a powerful blow to the collarbone of the one on his right. The sickening "crack" echoed simultaneously, and the man fainted without even having time to grunt.
The other five seized the opportunity to pounce on Qin Lei, wanting to hold him. Two of them had just reached out when they felt a tightness in their backs, and as they flew backward, they were actually left behind by the Iron Eagle
Qin Lei nodded in understanding; he pursued results in combat, often defeating his opponent with a single move. However, this does not mean he does not appreciate the fast-paced style of Iron Eagle.
... ...
With the collection of books in the study, Qin Lei realized that this world, prior to the Tang Dynasty, was the same as his original world. However, the course of history took a slight turn at Mawei Slope, and what followed became entirely different.
Before the word "bar" could even be uttered, Qin Lei kicked up his leg and struck the man's abdomen directly. The man let out an "oh" and flew out sideways, crashing into the main door, causing dust to fall from the doorframe.
Emperor Xuanzong has died, and Emperor Suzong has also passed away, leading to great chaos in the realm, resulting in the fall of the Tang dynasty. After fifty years of warlord conflicts, only the three major nations of today remain. For two hundred years, there have been alternating periods of war and peace; whenever one side grows powerful, the other two tacitly join forces to suppress it. Even to this day, the three ancient nations still stand, embroiled in disputes
Li Guangyuan and Tie Ying hurried into the courtyard, only to find a scene of chaos, with no sign of His Highness. Just as the two were feeling anxious, a clear voice came from behind, "Are you two in a good mood, playing hide and seek?"
Sixteen years ago, the most powerful Emperor Xiangwen of the Qin Dynasty passed away, leading to a struggle for the throne among various factions and a chaotic political situation. The states of Qi and Chu, under the leadership of the Hundred Victories Marquis Zhao Wujiao of Eastern Qi and the National General Zhu Lie of Southern Chu, joined forces with an army of one million to attack Qin. The morale of the Qin army was low, resulting in a rout that extended for a thousand miles, with more than half of the territory lost and hundreds of thousands of troops annihilated, putting the nation in a perilous state
As for the grown prince, it seems that no one cares about him
... ...
The rise of one is the decline of another; the situation is self-evident. The State of Qin requires a war to avenge its previous humiliation
... ...
Such a book would not be well-received in any dynasty or country. Li Guangyuan had no intention of making it public. The entire work consists of over 600,000 characters, all written in exquisite regular script by hand, the value of which is self-evident. That day, Qin Lei asked Li Guangyuan to purchase some historical books, though his intentions were unclear. The next day, Li Guangyuan delivered his own work.
Li Guangyuan couldn't help but smile at the appearance of this person who was so concerned about their image. He also laughed and said, "I am indeed a bit hungry, Your Highness, thank you for your kind intentions." The two of them linked arms and entered the room, while the Iron Eagle stood at the door with a smile on his face.
... ...
... ...
The soldiers had never anticipated that the "prisoners" they were guarding would dare to engage them in combat. They discarded their long spears and charged forward with loud cries. Iron Eagle, having witnessed His Highness's prowess in hand-to-hand combat that could easily sever a man's lineage, was not concerned. With a powerful embrace, he captured two of them, and with a forceful motion, there was a loud "bang" as the heads of the two ruffian soldiers collided, rendering them unconscious
A few days later, the royal physician of Qi arrived
Qin Lei and Tie Ying turned back to the entrance. Those guards, seeing the Qin envoy walk away, resumed their arrogant demeanor.
Watching the elderly doctor shaking her head as she walked away, Qin Lei curled his lips and said to Tie Ying: "Continue negotiating with them, tell them I almost forgot how to breathe"
The words caused General Jin Wu's face to turn purple, but as the General of the North City, how could he not be well-informed? After a brief moment of contemplation, he gritted his teeth, saluted Li Guangyuan, and turned to shout: "Retreat!"
A golden-clad General Jinwu stepped out, saluting Li Guangyuan and saying, "This subordinate is currently in pursuit of the criminal. It is my duty, so I ask for your understanding, esteemed envoy."
In the backyard pavilion, Qin Lei sat upright on the stone bench, the tea cup on the stone table long since lost its warmth. Iron Eagle gazed at Qin Lei's spear-like silhouette, realizing that His Highness had truly changed, the world turned upside down. He let out a gentle sigh, a thought surfaced in his mind, no matter how much things changed, it couldn't be worse than before. Iron Eagle turned back, quietly guarding his prince.
Li Guangyuan has been gone for a long time, yet the information he threw at Qin Lei still lingers in Qin Lei's mind. Coupled with the earlier inquiry about Iron Eagle, Qin Lei has generally understood his situation
If that prince named Qin Lei were still around, he would surely indulge in self-pity and lamentation. However, now it is the Qin Lei from the twenty-first century, an elite instructor of the ace special forces, and all forms of weakness and self-harm are foreign to him
Qin Lei knew that he was afraid of hurting himself, feeling a small surge of anger in his heart. He nodded and said, "Alright, Brother Tie, please take my attack." As soon as he finished speaking, he moved forward and delivered a kick aimed at Tie Ying's waist.
After dinner one day, feeling that his body had mostly recovered, Qin Lei took Tie Ying to the backyard
In the days that followed, Li Guangyuan came increasingly often. Sometimes he would play a few games of Go with Qin Lei, and at other times, they would engage in casual conversation. He would even recount the negotiations that took place in the Eastern Qi court to Qin Lei. Qin Lei understood that opportunities were scarce for someone like him, a semi-prisoner, so he did not hold back. With just a few words, he would incisively analyze the complex struggles within the court, which made Lord Li's expression grow more and more pleased.
Qin Lei raised his small arm, resembling a reed stick, and beckoned with his palm, saying to Iron Eagle: "Let us spar, Brother Iron, please attack with all your strength"
Qin Lei sidestepped to avoid the Qi soldier lunging from the left, colliding directly into the embrace of the one in the middle. Qin Lei let out a loud shout: "Get up!" With a sudden drop of his shoulder, he knocked the Qi soldier down at an angle. Taking advantage of this momentum, Qin Lei charged behind the two men on either side, turning around to deliver a fierce strike with his staff to the left man's calf, instantly breaking bones and tearing tendons, causing him to crash to the ground.