Chapter 005: Please behead me

In a large courtyard in the southern part of Handan, an old man and a young man sit facing each other

However, he is the most capable among Zhao Kuo's retainers. Whenever Zhao Kuo encounters a matter, he is willing to delegate it to him for completion. Over the years, he has never botched a single task and has been diligent in his work. Although Zhao Kuo does not appreciate his character, he has not dismissed him.

Ying Yiren was about to help him up and said: "You are my teacher and should not treat me with such formalities. Please, go ahead."

As soon as Zhao Kuo uttered these words, the originally lively road suddenly fell silent. The heroes looked at Zhao Kuo in disbelief; even Di stared wide-eyed. Among the heroes, there was a long-faced man with few whiskers who glared at Zhao Kuo and asked, "Does Ma Fuzai think that we are following you out of a desire for fame and to achieve great deeds?"

Those rugged men clearly did not regard the short old man, even though the old man's beard trembled violently. Just as Ge was about to strike these individuals, Di, grinning and baring his teeth, emerged from among them. Di did not cast his gaze upon Ge, leading the group to the side of the carriage. Upon seeing Di, Ge sheathed his short sword, let out a cold snort, climbed onto the carriage, and turned his head away in another direction

"I would like to ask you to promise me that if one day I stand in the way of your great achievements, you must kill me. I do not wish for someone like you to delay your ambitions because of personal feelings. Please promise me this." The elder said earnestly.

He bowed to Ying Yiren and said, "I hope you can grant me one request"

Ying Yiren remained silent for a long time before finally saying: "I have known Kuo for two years. He cannot see through this scheme; he probably truly regards me as a friend... unwilling to do anything that would harm me." As Ying Yiren spoke, his expression grew even more complex. The elder looked at him helplessly; he had high hopes for this young man before him, this unappreciated son, who harbored great ambitions in his heart

Then how should we persuade King Zhao to appoint Zhao Kuo

Isn't it? Zhao Kuo looked at them in confusion

However, the elder did not say so, as he understood the temperament of Ying Yiren, knowing that this would not persuade him

In ancient times, the State of Zheng and the State of Song were at war. Before the battle, General Hua Yuan of the State of Song sacrificed a sheep to reward his troops. He honored everyone but forgot to share the mutton with his charioteer, Yang Zhen. Yang Zhen was extremely angry, believing that the general did not value him and that he had been insulted. Therefore, at the onset of the battle, Yang Zhen drove his chariot directly into the main camp of the State of Zheng, resulting in the capture of Hua Yuan and a great defeat for the State of Song. This illustrates why it was said that people of that era could not tolerate humiliation.

Ge Leng snorted softly, saying little more, but Zhao Kuo felt somewhat troubled. This fellow was indeed creating trouble for himself. He had no grand ambitions; as someone who aspired to be a recluse, what need did he have for so many retainers?

I have heard that those who eat meat are mediocre, and they are envious of the talents of Ma Fuzi. The Qin people have seized our Shangdang and now wish to conquer Changping. We can only hold our ground. If Ma Fuzi could command the chariots of the Zhao state, how could the Qin people continue to be so arrogant?" One person said, angrily pounding his fist on the wooden table in front of him. The people of Zhao are not afraid of death; ever since they changed their attire and mounted their warhorses, the people of Zhao have never bowed their heads.

I know that Er and San are renowned heroes in the service of horses. It brings me joy that you are willing to pledge your loyalty to me. However, I am merely a young man without a beard, and I worry that if Er and San follow me, they will achieve little.

The current conflict with Qin has resulted in a defeat for the Zhao state, which undoubtedly has stirred the emotions of the Zhao people. Almost all Zhao individuals are discussing this matter, and they are extremely angry; they feel insulted, and the Zhao people cannot tolerate such humiliation. In this context, the reputation of Zhao Kuo has suddenly swept across the entire Zhao state. Not only in Handan, but in almost every place where there are Zhao people, the name of Zhao Kuo can be heard.

This serves to prove that their following Zhao Kuo was not for the sake of fame and fortune, but rather out of admiration in their hearts, which is why they came to follow him. The heroes of this time were somewhat different from those of later periods; in the land of Yan and Zhao, most of these heroes came from respectable backgrounds, not from the lowest strata of society. They could not be insulted. Not only they, but even the common people from the lowest levels of society could not be humiliated.

The Zhao people boast that if our cavalry had been deployed, the Qin would have long since rolled up and gone home. How could there be instances of our officers being captured by the Qin?

You are truly a person of integrity, my lord. I have wasted so many years of my life without coming to follow you sooner

I have heard others say that Ma Fuzi is a truly talented individual. Ma Fuzi has been well-versed in military strategy since childhood, and no one can rival him. Even during the time of Ma Fu Jun, he was not a match for Ma Fuzi, often left speechless by his arguments. With such a virtuous talent in Zhao, why does the sovereign not wish to appoint him to lead Zhao's chariots and defeat the armies of Qin

When that person saw Zhao Kuo did not respond, he suddenly drew a short sword from his waist, and the others also drew their weapons one after another. At this moment, Zhao Kuo truly felt a bit flustered. What does this mean? I do not need you, yet you want to fight me? Di, Ge! Zhao Kuo looked at his two attendants, but Di lowered his head, his face flushed with shame, while Ge held his head high, ignoring the situation at hand.

The dining establishments here are not state-run like those in Qin, thus the atmosphere is not as solemn, and one can see many men sitting inside, boasting about various matters

They do not intend to take action against Zhao Kuo; rather, they are going to commit suicide

Alright... I have agreed

Handan City is most famous for its beauties; it is a well-known consensus that the State of Zhao produces beautiful women. The feudal lords take pride in marrying Zhao women, and most of Zhao's beauties are concentrated in Handan City. Handan City is the largest city in the State of Zhao. Here, one can see merchants from the State of Qi, warriors from the Yan region, and even scholars from the State of Chu. These individuals wear bright red Chu garments and speak in a language that the Zhao people cannot understand, strutting confidently along the roads. Handan City is the largest city in the State of Zhao. Here, one can see merchants from the State of Qi, warriors from the Yan region, and even scholars from the State of Chu. These individuals wear bright red Chu garments and speak in a language that the Zhao people cannot understand, strutting confidently along the roads.

The crowd once again turned their gaze towards Zhao Kuo. Zhao Kuo hurriedly dismounted from the carriage, as he did not wish to see so many people die because of his words. If it were the original Zhao Kuo, perhaps it would not have mattered, but the soul from two thousand years later could not allow him to disregard life in such a manner. He furrowed his brow, earnestly looked at these people, and bowed, saying: "It is Kuo's fault. Kuo has already realized his mistake. I ask for the forgiveness of you two or three gentlemen."

Zhao Kuo merely expressed some goodwill towards him, causing this young man, who had never experienced being cared for, to lose his composure

Ying Yiren clenched his fists tightly, his whole body trembling, gritting his teeth

What they need is neither wealth nor fame, but rather recognition and a sense of trust

The crowd shouted, some even with tears in their eyes, began to cry. Upon witnessing this bizarre scene, Zhao Kuo did not laugh; instead, he felt something he had never experienced in his twenty-plus years of life.

Zhao Kuo looked at those heroes, most of whom were robust men adorned with weapons. The land of Yan and Zhao is home to many brave warriors, and these were likely all the renowned fighters from the Mafu region. They gazed eagerly at Zhao Kuo, their eyes seemingly sparkling with excitement, which only added to Zhao Kuo's headache. He could not fathom what Di had said to these individuals to stir such enthusiasm in them. After pondering for a moment, Zhao Kuo finally stood up and faced them

Alright

However, he did not feel happy because of my words. He said that I am his friend and he would not do anything to harm me

I want to gouge out one of my eyes, for the person we have always wanted to follow has been living right beside us!

His bow startled those who were unafraid of death; they hurriedly stepped aside, not accepting Zhao Kuo's grand gesture. They quickly bowed again, saying, "We are all willing to follow you. We are humble people and cannot accept your courtesy. Please allow us to stay by your side, to drive your chariot and tend to your horses"

It is said that in the State of Yan, there was even a Zhao person who killed someone over the matter of Zhao Kuo. The reason for the murder was that while this Zhao person was boasting about Zhao Kuo, a Yan person asked him, "Who is Zhao Kuo?"... Thus, this warrior, who felt that Zhao Kuo... was not right, and himself... was also not right, felt that the entire State of Zhao had been insulted and killed the Yan person on the spot

Zhao Kuo's three main guests are Di, who is the most courageous, but he tends to be unable to control his mouth and talks excessively. Ge has the worst temper and is not good at dealing with people, yet he is the only one among the three guests who can read and write, and can even be considered as Zhao Kuo's half mentor. As for Xing, his reputation is quite poor throughout the Mafu area. Before joining Zhao Kuo, he was already a notorious rogue in Handan City, and after aligning himself with Zhao Kuo, he continued to commit many misdeeds.

He regards me as a friend, and I truly do not wish to do anything that would hurt him. He is probably the only friend in the entire Zhao state who treats me with sincerity. Why don't we replace Lian Po with someone else

When these heroes aimed their weapons at themselves, Zhao Kuo was startled; it was then that he understood what these individuals intended to do

The elder knew it would be like this, letting out a helpless sigh. Changing to another person, how easy could that be? In order to support this Zhao Kuo, he was on the verge of losing everything. Decades of savings had all been used to enhance the reputation of this young man. Now, even in the southern state of Chu, people remembered the name Zhao Kuo. Furthermore, this young man Zhao Kuo was recommended to Qin by Ying Yiren. If another person were to take on this role, what would it have to do with you, my lord? How would you gain the favor of the Qin people? Moreover, this young man Zhao Kuo was recommended to Qin by Ying Yiren. If another person were to take on this role, what would it have to do with you, my lord? How would you gain the favor of the Qin people?

... ...

He is adaptable and resilient; even when insulted by the Zhao people, he can remain indifferent. After proposing a deceptive strategy against Zhao Kuo, he even decided to go personally to enhance the likelihood of success and to avoid arousing suspicion. Such courage is truly admirable to the elders. For him, this is indeed the greatest treasure. However, Ying Yiren also has his shortcomings. Having been neglected since childhood and later coming to Zhao State, he has endured much humiliation, making him a very sensitive person.

"Young Lord, I have heard that virtuous individuals shine like torches in the night, attracting lesser men from afar to seek their allegiance. These are the heroes surrounding the horse and clothing, who can follow the Young Lord without fear of death. I ask the Young Lord to keep them." Di bowed to Zhao Kuo and then spoke.

Upon hearing Ying Yiren's words, the elder was taken aback, gently stroking his beard, and inquired in astonishment: "Could it be that he has seen through our intentions? Did not the young master say that he is arrogant and impulsive? How could he possibly uncover our scheme?"

Stop! Zhao Kuo shouted anxiously

I followed your advice and went to find Kua.