Chapter Seven: Tianyu Discusses Qin
General Xiang Yan led the Chu army to counterattack and achieved a great victory over the Qin army at Chengfu. Li Xin was defeated and fled back to his country. The following year, King Zheng of Qin appointed Wang Jian as general once again, commanding him to lead an army of 600,000 to attack Chu once more. The two sides met at Chen (present-day Huaiyang County, Henan). Wang Jian remained inactive, waiting for the enemy to tire. The Chu army repeatedly challenged them, but the Qin army did not engage in battle, forcing Xiang Yan to lead his troops back east.
After hearing this, Guo Jing trembled all over and looked at him with a somewhat unusual gaze. What he had just spoken was merely a superficial discussion, yet the young man before him was able to analyze it in detail, pinpointing the crux of the Qin state's strategy with remarkable precision. He dissected King Zheng of Qin's far-sightedness so incisively that Guo Jing thought to himself that this young man was not only physically capable but also possessed considerable insight in his studies. He would surely not be an ordinary person in the future.
Long Tianyu smiled faintly, thinking that in ancient times, heroes and champions were revered. In a future society, it would be strange if violence and killing were not sanctioned by law. As the saying goes, literature disrupts order, and martial prowess disrupts the law. For society to be harmonious and stable, the actions of warriors and swordsmen must be restrained; they cannot take lives recklessly or act wantonly. Unfortunately, in the era of the late Qin dynasty, two thousand years ago, these legal concepts remained futile.
The State of Qin successively destroyed the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou, occupying the regions east and south of the Yellow River in Han, establishing the three commanderies of Taiyuan, Shangdang, and Sanchuan. It benefited from the advantages of Bashu and Hanzhong to the west, the utility of Hu and Chai to the north, the limitations of Wushan and Qianzhong to the south, and the fortifications of Qihan to the east. Geographically, it was advantageous for both offense and defense, with a thousand chariots and a million troops, far surpassing the military strength of the other six states
After three days of continuous travel, with the carriages stopping intermittently day and night, they chose a clearing in the woods to set up camp and start a fire. From several carriages emerged more than thirty young women, some at the tender age of adolescence and others in their twenties, all possessing beautiful features and graceful figures. They wore long skirts that swept the ground, their waists slender like a crescent moon. It is likely that they were songstresses taken in by the Guo family, and they were all skilled in singing and dancing; otherwise, they would not have traveled such a long distance together.
Wang Jian seized the opportunity of the retreat of the Chu army to command a pursuit, achieving a great victory over the Chu forces at Qi (present-day Suzhou City, Anhui Province), where he killed the general Xiang Yan. The following year, the Qin army, riding the wave of victory, advanced and captured the Chu capital Shouchun, taking prisoner the Chu King Fu Chao and the Chancellor Li Yuan, alas
Long Tianyu met the gaze of the other party and noticed that Guo Jing's smile contained a hint of probing. He thought to himself that if he did not reveal a bit of his skill, it would lead Guo Jing to underestimate him
Long Tianyu thrust his tongue into the other person's mouth, entangling fiercely with her little fragrant tongue, sucking vigorously on her sweet lips while gently caressing her delicate body. One hand explored beneath, kneading her voluptuous, rounded hips, while the other glided over her flat, toned abdomen, reaching towards that mysterious area.
Long Tianyu did not expect that a businessman could analyze history and politics so thoroughly. He himself had only spent considerable time in the library during his university years, perusing classical historical texts, which allowed him to gain some understanding of national history, though he would not claim to be particularly professional. However, he was familiar with the historical events of the Warring States period. At this moment, with a modern mindset, he found the man's arguments and points to be quite reasonable, secretly admiring the breadth of knowledge of this middle-aged man.
The six states, facing the threat of the powerful Qin, engaged in long-term warfare that drained their strength. At times, they united to resist the strong Qin, and at other times, they allowed the strong Qin to attack the weak states. This inability to form a stable and unified resistance against Qin instead provided opportunities for Qin to defeat them one by one. Alas! The people of a fallen nation, it is better not to speak of it...
As he walked back to the camp, some warriors were cooking and making fire, while others were on guard and patrolling. Upon seeing Long Tianyu, they all cast looks of genuine admiration.
At this moment, with a slight smile at the corners of his mouth, he spoke with great dignity: "The reason why the Qin Dynasty unified the six states, aside from the foundation laid since Duke Xiao of Qin, lies in the appropriate application of strategic tactics by the Qin state. During the reign of King Zheng of Qin, the national strength was robust, providing sufficient manpower and material resources for warfare.
In contrast, the six eastern states were weak in strength and could not unite strategically, fighting individually. They were fundamentally unable to stop the advance of the Qin cavalry, adopting a passive defense in the war and suffering defeats, ultimately leading to their successive destruction by the Qin state
Long Tianyu, through several days of in-depth discussions with Guo Jing, gained a deeper understanding of the history and cultural customs of the Qin Dynasty. Although he had read many books in the future era, he realized that they were merely a drop in the ocean. At this moment, he felt that the historical records might not necessarily reflect the true history, as they could be distorted by the author's biases and preferences regarding historical figures. After all, writing about history from several hundred or even a thousand years ago, based on the compiled and transmitted materials, may not provide an accurate depiction of reality.
The woman symbolically struggled for a moment, but her body soon reacted violently, and she became intoxicated, eagerly responding. The other party's inexperienced kiss awakened the most primal desires in Long Tianyu, who wondered to himself: "Why is Yu'er so shy today?"
He stared at Long Tianyu for a while before speaking: "Indeed, as early as when the Qin army captured the capital of Yan, the Qin state had shifted its offensive target towards the Chu state. At that time, King Zheng of Qin dispatched Li Xin and Meng Tian to lead an army of 200,000 to attack Chu. The Chu general Xiang Yan led his troops to resist. The advance of the Qin army was initially smooth, defeating the Chu forces at Pingyu (southeast of present-day Runan County, Henan) and Qìn (southeast of present-day Shenqiu County, Henan), and advancing to Chengfu (east of present-day Baofeng County, Henan)
Strategically, it was in an offensive posture, advancing like a hot knife through butter, sweeping all before it, and successively annihilating various states. Tactically, the Qin state implemented a policy of attacking from near to far and from weak to strong, first eliminating the neighboring weak states of Han and Zhao, then breaking through the center to attack Chu and destroy Wei, thereby alleviating concerns from the north. Finally, it eliminated the strong enemies of Qi and Chu on both flanks, a truly astute application of tactics
Long Tianyu felt a tickle on his face from a delicate hand, and he thought to himself: "The beauty was wild all night and is still not satisfied!" With that, he closed his eyes, suddenly grasped the other person's wrist with one hand, wrapped his other hand around her slender waist, and with a swift motion, flipped over to pin her beneath him. Before she could even let out a startled cry, he had already sealed her fragrant lips.
Before long, the light footsteps of a woman could be heard from outside the tent, followed by her lifting the curtain and entering the tent
Guo Jing seemed particularly appreciative of this young man who acted with such righteousness. When he spoke about it, he became especially excited, expressing himself with great enthusiasm: "Since the Warring States period, the seven powers have coexisted and successively implemented reforms to enrich their nations and strengthen their armies. The State of Wei employed Li Kui for reforms, the State of Chu utilized Wu Qi, and the State of Zhao had King Wuling's reforms. However, the most effective was the reform by Shang Yang. Over the course of more than a hundred years, from Duke Xiao of Qin to King Zheng of Qin, the strength of the Qin state has continuously grown!"
Guo Jing paused for a moment, turned to Long Tianyu, as if testing the other party's knowledge, and smiled, saying: "Young Master Long, what is your view on the unification of the Great Qin?"
Guo Jinghu's eyes turned red, and he sighed: "To be honest, I have a younger sister named Guo Xiuer, who is the wife of the Prime Minister Li Yuan. When Li Yuan went to war, my sister was already suffering from a serious illness. Later, upon learning that her husband had been captured, she was overwhelmed with grief and passed away. Thinking of the deceased, I cannot help but feel sorrowful."
The woman paused after lifting the curtain, hesitating for a moment. Then, she lightened her steps and approached the edge of the long couch, bending down to sit. With affectionate eyes, she gazed at Long Tianyu, hesitating for a while, her face flushed. She extended her delicate fingers, resembling jade shoots, and touched Long Tianyu's exceptionally handsome cheek, gently caressing it. Her heart raced like a startled deer, secretly thinking: "He is truly handsome; I have never seen a man more charming than him"
In terms of military organization, conscription was conducted according to the commandery and county system, the military structure was improved, and combat effectiveness was enhanced. The soldiers were valiant, and the light cavalry was formidable, far surpassing that of the other six states. In military strategy, the approach of engaging in long-distance expeditions, which often resulted in defeats, was altered. Instead, the strategy of distant alliances and nearby attacks, as advocated by Fan Ju, was adopted, gradually consuming and consolidating the occupied territories
The woman shuddered, suddenly opening her eyes, her gaze fiery red, and she moaned, "Ah! Brother Long... please don't..."
Long Tianyu engaged in some physical activity outside the camp, wielding his sword in a dance-like manner. Having previously learned several forms of folk martial arts and swordsmanship, most of which were routine-based and not focused on practical combat, he realized their limited effectiveness. Now that he had returned to this era, where survival was a constant struggle, it was essential to master a few lethal techniques for self-preservation. Drawing on his own foundation, he created several moves, which could barely hold their own against mediocre swordsmen.
With nothing to do, he returned to the warm tent shared with Yu Ji. Yu Ji was not in the tent, and as he gazed at the long couch inside, he thought of the tender moments spent with the beauty each night. The image of her skin glowing like the setting sun, her exquisite beauty unmatched, made his heart warm, and he fell into a deep sleep on the couch
Long Tianyu did not rise, thinking to himself: "Yu Ji has always been gentle and graceful, even when being affectionate, she does not dare to be overly indulgent. Let me give her an unexpected thrill and see how she reacts!"
Long Tianyu sensed the sorrow in the words and asked, "Sir, why do you sigh?"
Long Tianyu did not expect the Guo clan's influence to be so vast, not only wealthy enough to rival a nation but also closely related to the Prime Minister, indicating that there are many political factors at play.
The State of Qin employed correct strategies. For instance, in the wars against Han and Zhao, it adapted to the specific circumstances of the battlefield, rather than rigidly adhering to the established principle of "first attacking Han to intimidate the vassal states." Instead, it demonstrated flexibility: if Zhao was vulnerable, it would first attack Zhao; if Han was weak, it would eliminate Han. The campaign against Chu was a result of reflecting on the missteps in attacking Chu, and it concentrated superior forces against Chu based on its strength, leading to victory. In the campaign against Qi, it avoided direct confrontation and instead struck at its weaknesses, achieving victory through surprise.