r18novel Chapter 378 Meeting Lord Longyang
Chapter 378 Meeting Lord Longyang
"At least 600,000."
Wang Jian answered without hesitation.
He had analyzed the situation before coming; a winning hand was guaranteed only with a stake of 600,000 or more.
In fact, it wasn't just Wang Jian who couldn't accept defeat; the Qin Dynasty couldn't accept it either, because failure could trigger a chain reaction.
After Ying Zheng ascended the throne, the Qin Dynasty's eastward expansion was unstoppable. If it suffered a defeat in the State of Chu, it would make the states of Wei and Qi think that the Qin Dynasty was not invincible, which would be troublesome.
"Six hundred thousand?"
Ying Zheng was surprised, but his face remained ashen.
He had guessed that Wang Jian would need more armored soldiers, but he hadn't expected so many.
The state of Yan had just been destroyed, and there were still rebellions in the Zhao region. Even if all the soldiers in the country were transferred to Wang Jian, it would not be enough for 600,000 men.
"Being attacked from both sides is not what I desire."
"We will attack Chu next year after we have fully conquered the Yan territory."
After a short while, Ying Zheng spoke.
He had intended to take this opportunity to promote Li Xin and Meng Tian, so that the Wang family would no longer hold absolute power in the army, but it was clearly not the right time yet.
Ying Zheng wanted to give important positions to Li Xin and Meng Tian, not because he felt that Wang Jian's achievements were too great and threatened his position, but because he felt that there needed to be competition. He had discussed this matter with Xu Lin before.
Having lived two lives, Xu Lin deeply understands the importance of market competition.
Upon hearing this, Li Xin hesitated, as if he wanted to speak.
Wang Jian then claimed to be ill and returned to his hometown of Pinyang.
Unlike Lü Buwei, Wang Jian was not an overtly ambitious person.
Now that the royal family holds absolute power in the Qin military, even if Ying Zheng doesn't mind, he is still somewhat worried.
Meng Wu's military skills are not as good as Meng Ao's, but Meng Tian is quite good. Perhaps in the future, the military will be divided between the Wang family and the Meng family, which is what Wang Jian wants to see.
Ying Zheng had a good personal relationship with the brothers Meng Tian and Meng Yi. Meng Tian was also well-versed in military strategy. Although the Meng family came from the State of Qi, they had a great chance of rising again.
After leaving, Xu Lin did not go home, but went to the Moon Goddess's residence.
The headquarters of the Yin-Yang School, Shendu Jiugong Mountain, is located in the State of Chu. This trip to Chu may allow me to travel with the Moon Goddess.
Upon learning of Xu Lin's arrival, the Moon Goddess stopped her cultivation and personally went out to greet him.
"Mr. Xu, it's been a long time."
The moon goddess bowed deeply in homage.
After several months apart, her demeanor had become even more elegant, and her cultivation had also improved considerably.
"haven't seen you for a long time."
"What has Miss Yue been busy with lately?"
Xu Lin stood with his hands behind his back.
Although the moon goddess is more aloof than before, she is still a young girl.
"I'm not busy lately."
The Moon Goddess answered.
Then he and Xu Lin started taking a walk.
Actually, the Moon Goddess didn't really like taking walks before, but because Xu Lin liked it, she gradually came to like taking walks as well.
The two chatted from dusk until the stars filled the sky.
"Which country do you think the Qin Dynasty will attack next?"
Xu Lin stopped, turned to look at the Moon Goddess's exquisite face, and asked.
The moon goddess doesn't like wearing tight clothes, but that doesn't mean she has a bad figure.
On the contrary, she has a great figure, and it's hard to say who is better between her and Honglian.
"I thought it would be Wei."
"But now it seems most likely to be Chu."
The moon goddess gave a cold, beautiful smile.
Xu Lin's eyes were piercing, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"Would you be willing to come with me to Chu?"
Xu Lin pressed on with a serious expression.
Under the bright moonlight, his words were full of profound meaning.
It was both an invitation to the Moon Goddess to enter Chu and an invitation for her to go further.
Before this, the Moon Goddess had always wanted to take her relationship with Xu Lin further and win him over before Yan Fei could.
But when that day and that moment actually arrived, the moon goddess hesitated again.
Because she is different from Yan Fei, who is love-struck and somewhat like Zhao Ji. For love, Yan Fei is willing to give up everything, even if it means being scorned by the world and being infamous for eternity.
But the Moon Goddess is different; at heart, she is someone who prioritizes loyalty.
When does the gentleman plan to enter Chu?
After more than ten breaths, the Moon Goddess asked.
She was very conflicted about this.
On the surface, it was about entering Chu, but in reality, it was a choice in life.
Should we choose Xu Lin, or the Yin-Yang School?
"Early next month."
Xu Lin replied.
Seeing that the Moon Goddess was hesitant, Xu Lin looked towards Yan Fei's residence.
He did it on purpose.
Yanfei is the Moon Goddess's weakness.
"it is good."
Upon seeing this, the Moon Goddess immediately agreed.
If she doesn't accept, Xu Lin will most likely go with Yan Fei, which is unacceptable to her.
She has always been overshadowed by Consort Yan since childhood, and this time she must overshadow Consort Yan!
Xu Lin nodded and escorted the Moon Goddess home.
……
Ten days later.
A torrential downpour began.
The State of Wei was located in a low-lying area, and many people would die whenever there was heavy rain.
Seeing that the rain showed no sign of stopping, Mei San Niang was very worried and had a poor appetite.
"How is the rainfall in Wei?"
How many people will die this time?
Mei San Niang looked towards the Wei Kingdom and murmured to herself.
She had no mind to practice her skills at that moment, because this rain was the heaviest she had ever seen since she could remember.
Seeing that the rain was getting heavier, Wang Ben, who was stationed in Handan County, wrote a letter to Ying Zheng, saying that this was a good opportunity to destroy Wei.
Ying Zheng readily agreed and instructed Wang Ben to act accordingly.
Therefore, Wang Ben personally led an army of 100,000 to Daliang, the capital of Wei.
When the news reached Xianyang, it was still raining, and many ordinary people's houses were flooded.
If it weren't for the government's disaster relief efforts, many people would have died near Xianyang.
If Xianyang was in such a state, what about the state of Wei?
So Mei San Niang went to the study.
Upon entering the study and finding only Xu Lin there, Mei San Niang threw her clothes on the floor.
This left Xu Lin completely puzzled.
Are you drunk?
Xu Lin frowned.
He had just finished dealing with Yan Lingji and had no intention of fighting again.
"I didn't drink."
Mei San Niang shook her head.
Then they attacked Xu Lin.
"Wait a moment!"
Xu Lin immediately called a halt.
He wasn't ready.
You seem to have something on your mind?
Xu Lin asked.
After speaking, he took off his coat and draped it over Mei San Niang's shoulders.
"I want to join the Wei state."
"Before the state of Wei was destroyed."
Mei San Niang said in a deep voice.
Is there anything else?
Xu Lin nodded.
He asked Mei San Niang to sit next to him.
Although Mei San Niang had a great figure, Xu Lin still found it hard to accept that she was so open and honest right away.
"It's gone."
Mei San Niang said.
"it is good."
"You may enter Wei, but you cannot join forces with the Armored Gate and become an enemy of Qin."
Xu Lin requested.
He knew that Mei San Niang was a person who kept her promises.
"it is good."
Mei San Niang reluctantly agreed to the matter.
She couldn't leave the Xu residence if she didn't agree, so she had no choice but to agree.
Coupled with what the King of Wei had done to her master, she had completely lost faith in the State of Wei.
Just as Mei San Niang was about to leave, Xu Lin suddenly exerted his strength, tripped Mei San Niang, and caused her to fall into his arms.
After this parting, it will be several months before we meet again. As the saying goes, there is always tomorrow.
Therefore, Xu Lin can be said to have shared all his knowledge with us this time.
……
More than an hour later.
Mei San Niang endured her discomfort and left with difficulty.
She had underestimated Xu Lin before; if she hadn't begged for mercy just now, she probably wouldn't have been able to leave the study today.
As night fell, Mei San Niang donned her cloak and rode off to the State of Wei.
After leaving Xianyang, Mei San Niang could no longer bear it and switched to a horse-drawn carriage.
Unable to stop coughing, Mei San Niang took out her water bag and drank several large gulps of water. Even now, she still feels a foreign object in her mouth.
And for some reason, she still feels chest pain.
Three days later.
The rain continued as before.
Even Xianyang, which is located at a high altitude, was flooded in many places, let alone Daliang, the capital of Wei, which is located at a low altitude.
Seeing the lightning and thunder still flashing outside the window, Xu Lin thought of the historical event of Wang Ben attacking Wei and flooding Daliang. Daliang was the capital of Wei; if water were used, countless people would die.
Xu Lin is not a saint, but he also does not want to kill innocent people indiscriminately.
After all, Wei would soon become one of Qin's several prefectures, and the people of Daliang would become Qin's people.
With this in mind, Xu Lin decided to go to the State of Wei in person.
When he arrived in Daliang, Mei San Niang had just come out of the military camp.
Dian Qing and his men were determined to fight the Qin people to the death, even if the odds of victory were slim.
Seeing that Mei San Niang was in low spirits, Xu Lin pulled her into his arms.
Although there were many refugees around, Mei San Niang was unable to break free this time.
She had a good personal relationship with Dian Qing and the others, and she didn't want to watch them die under the iron hooves of the Qin army.
Mei San Niang buried her face in Xu Lin's chest, without sobbing or shedding a tear.
After a short while, Mei San Niang took a deep breath and regained her usual aloofness.
"Sir, are you not planning to go to Daliang in person?"
Mei San Niang asked.
She wasn't too surprised by this.
Because Xu Lin is someone who likes to 'change his mind frequently'.
Or, in Xu Lin's words, this is called "plans can't keep up with changes".
"The Qin Dynasty rewards soldiers with titles based on military merit, and I do not want to see hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians of Liang die."
Xu Lin explained seriously.
Then they went to an inn not far away with Mei San Niang.
Due to the torrential rain, only a few inns in Daliang remained open for business.
With the Qin army at the city gates, many wealthy merchants took advantage of the chaos to escape from the State of Wei.
"Sir, do you have a way to save them?"
Mei San Niang pointed to the refugees sheltering from the rain under the trees outside the window and asked.
Although she has a fiery temper, she also has a tender side.
"I haven't come up with a foolproof plan yet, otherwise I would write directly to the king, or go to Wang Ben, who is in charge of attacking Wei."
"Therefore, your task tonight is very important."
Xu Lin smiled.
"Is my mission very important?"
Mei San Niang frowned slightly.
She didn't understand what Xu Lin meant.
"Correct."
Xu Lin smiled broadly.
After he finished speaking, he closed the bamboo window and lay down comfortably on the soft couch.
Before long, Mei San Niang noticed something was wrong.
The brocade quilt was suddenly stretched out.
This made Mei San Niang instantly understand what Xu Lin had just said.
Actually, she doesn't like guessing what people are thinking; she prefers to be straightforward.
However, what Xu Lin requested was not something that could be done directly.
Therefore, Mei San Niang could accept this.
"You have lived in the State of Wei for many years, so you should be very familiar with the Wei court."
"After Wei Yong's death, who held the reins of power in the Wei court?"
Xu Lin used his hand as a pillow.
Although Mei San Niang often practices hard skills, her body is not actually hard because she can control it.
“I heard from my fellow disciples yesterday that the current King of Wei listens to a man named Lord Longyang.”
Mei San Niang crawled under the brocade quilt.
The familiar taste made her start to eat heartily.
"Lord Longyang?"
"The protagonist of 'homosexuality'?"
"This guy is still alive?"
Xu Lin frowned.
Although Lord Longyang was a man, to be honest, he was quite interested in meeting this Lord Longyang.
Of course, this "meeting" has no deeper meaning.
He was simply curious why anyone would like men in this patriarchal society.
……
The next day.
Xu Lin changed into civilian clothes, and Mei San Niang disguised herself as Xu Lin's wife. The two of them went to Longyang Jun's residence together.
Mei San Niang wanted to fight her way in, but Xu Lin stopped her.
Why resort to force when money can solve the problem?
Once Wei is destroyed, won't the money come back?
It's still raining today, but the rain is lighter than yesterday.
The Longyangjun Mansion is situated on high ground, so it is not greatly affected by rain.
After receiving the money, the steward immediately took Xu Lin and Mei San Niang to the study.
Lord Longyang was admiring flowers in his study at that moment.
It had been raining for more than a month, and he was afraid that the flowers in the courtyard would die, so he had them moved to the study.
"My Lord".
"Someone requests an audience!"
The steward reported.
"who?"
Lord Longyang asked.
He likes both the fragrance and the appearance of flowers.
"They seem to be people from Qin."
The butler was unsure.
"Qin people?"
"Let them in."
Lord Longyang found it somewhat interesting.
Soon, Xu Lin and Mei San Niang arrived in front of Lord Longyang.
Although Mei San Niang had lived in the State of Wei for many years, this was the first time she had met Lord Longyang.
Lord Longyang was eight feet tall, with an extraordinary appearance, fair skin, and a faint floral fragrance.
In terms of looks alone, Longyang Jun and Xu Lin are neck and neck.
However, Xu Lin and Long Yangjun are completely different styles.
Xu Lin is male, while Longyang Jun is androgynous.
"Are you also from Qin?"
"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."
Longyang Jun looked at Mei San Niang.
He had once visited Pijiamen with the previous King of Wei, at a time when Mei San Niang had not yet left the Wei Kingdom.
However, because Mei San Niang was still young and of low status at the time, she had little impression of this.
"I used to work at the Armor Gate."
Mei San Niang replied.
She admitted that Longyang Jun was very handsome, but not her type.
Longyang Jun looked very weak, as if she could kick him to death with one kick.
On the other hand, if Xu Lin were to kick her, she would most likely be the one begging for mercy in the end.
"I see."
Lord Longyang nodded.
Then he asked Xu Lin and Mei San Niang to sit down and talk.
Despite the impending fall of the Wei Kingdom, he remained remarkably calm.
Because he knew that fate was hard to defy and that the State of Wei had no chance of turning defeat into victory.
If it were decades ago... time can't be turned back, so why would you want to do that?
After chatting for a while, Xu Lin shifted the topic to the destruction of Wei.
"I heard from the lady that Your Excellency can influence the King of Wei's opinion."
"I wonder if Your Excellency would be willing to save the hundreds of thousands of commoners of the Great Liang?"
Xu Lin placed his hand on Mei San Niang's thigh.
Even through the clothes, Mei San Niang still felt slightly uncomfortable.
The main reason is that this is the Longyang Jun Mansion. If this were the Xu Mansion in Xianyang, or the inn where we stayed last night, she would accept whatever Xu Lin does.
"Heaven cherishes life, and so do I."
"If there is truly a way to save the millions of ordinary people of Daliang, that is my wish."
Lord Longyang nodded.
He acted very sincerely because he had already guessed the identity of the newcomer.
"Actually, this matter is very simple; all we need to do is open the gates and surrender."
Xu Lindao.
Mei San Niang's thighs felt wonderful to the touch, and he couldn't put them down.
Lord Longyang didn't care about this because he didn't like women.
If he had to choose, he would choose a man over a woman.
Of course, ordinary men would never catch Longyang Jun's eye.
"surrender?"
"More than a decade ago, during the Battle of Changping, hundreds of thousands of soldiers under Zhao Kuo's command did not surrender?"
"The Qin state rewards soldiers with titles based on military merit; would they not kill those who surrender?"
Lord Longyang asked.
He had considered surrendering, but it wouldn't work for the Qin state.
"Times change."
"Han, Zhao, and Yan have all become counties of our Great Qin."
"What benefit would it bring to our Great Qin to kill more surrendered soldiers?"
Xu Lin smiled and asked in return.
"Do your words represent the King of Qin?"
Longyang Jun's eyes lit up.
If that's the case, he's willing to persuade the King of Wei to surrender.
Even if they didn't surrender, the Wei Kingdom would be destroyed in a few months anyway, so it was better to surrender sooner rather than later. (End of Chapter)