Chapter 116: The Battle of the Hegemony Begins, the Strongholds and Cleared Fields Show the People's Will

At this time, the State of Qi became the battlefield between the two factions.

Pang Nuan and others wanted to persuade Qi to join the coalition, but Qin, on the other hand, wanted to divide and disintegrate the other party's attempt to form an alliance with Qi, or at least prevent Qi from getting involved in the subsequent war between the two sides.

Apart from the King of Qi, Hou Sheng, the Prime Minister of Qi at that time, became the connection point that both sides were striving for.

"Hou Sheng, Hou Sheng, damn it."

When Hou Sheng persuaded the King of Qi to not get involved in the struggle for the alliances, all parties in the alliance were very angry, but they did not dare to force Qi at this time.

Once Qi is forced to form an alliance with Qin, that would be a headache. Now Qi has decided to stay out of the matter, or at least not help either side.

"We can't delay any longer. The arrow is on the string and must be shot."

At this time, all parties in the coalition understood that instead of getting entangled with Qi, they had to act as soon as possible, because the more time Qin had to prepare, the worse it would be for all parties in the coalition.

Chu, Wei, Han, Zhao, and Yan finally held a formal alliance with the cooperation of all parties.

"It's finally done."

Yan Dan felt that he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. During this period of time, he was afraid that his father would do something weird again. The war between Yan and Zhao ended up with a result that neither side was satisfied with. He was afraid that under the instigation of Qin, another accident would happen.

"Prince, we should pay attention to Yan Chunjun's attitude. His sudden change of heart and decision to form an alliance must be a conspiracy."

One person spoke up. They were still frightened by the last battle between Yan and Zhao. Now they knew that Yan Chunjun had received great benefits from the help of Qin last time. They were afraid that Yan Chunjun would do it again this time.

"No need," Yan Dan shook his head and said to the others, "He will not do anything bad until the coalition shows signs of decline."

After suffering a great loss, Yan Dan has seen clearly that Yan Chunjun only cares about power.

The last time he cooperated with Ying Zifei was simply because he felt threatened by the aggressiveness of himself, the Crown Prince of Yan.

He is a fence-sitter who leans towards both sides. Before he feels that his power is threatened, the more he cooperates with the Qin State, the more leverage he will have over it.

Yan Dan believed that Yan Chunjun was very clear about this.

And in this alliance, Yan Dan has already understood that if he wants to stand out, he must reach some kind of tacit understanding with Yan Chunjun, or in other words, he must give up his own interests that will satisfy Yan Chunjun.

In the past, he would not have thought or done this, but a few blows from reality made him realize that he had to do it, even though he would feel uncomfortable.

But, as the prince, he must do it.

"Then let's do it secretly." Yan Dan thought secretly. He knew that he had to bear this kind of filth behind the scenes alone. As for the people he recruited, they would just know that he, Yan Dan, was a prince who was determined to change the State of Yan.

Yan Dan subconsciously looked in one direction with a complicated look.

"Teacher, I finally understand these things. Is this what you hope for?"

Yan Dan didn't know, and he suppressed the malice in his heart.

Perhaps one day in the future, when he becomes successful, he will be able to prove that his understanding and choice were correct.

"Let's go, we should make some preparations."

……

The alliance stirred up the world, and many people in Qin felt a lot of pressure. No matter whether it was Lu Buwei or King Ying Zheng of Qin, when they really faced this moment, no matter how much preparation they had made, it was difficult for either of them to calm down.

The future of the world situation depends on this battle. For the two of them, all their future plans will be decided by the outcome of this battle.

Compared to the pressure from all parties in the court, the atmosphere in the residence of Queen Mother Zhao Ji in the palace was less tense. Although it was as busy as usual, everyone was used to it.

"You are the Marquis of Zhen'an, but you don't seem to be nervous about this war."

The look from Queen Mother Zhao Ji made Ying Zifei feel extremely embarrassed. Just now, Queen Mother Zhao Ji revealed the scheme that had pushed her out of the Medical Academy. Ying Zifei also felt a headache.

"Haha, that's enough. I won't pursue those matters anymore."

Seeing Ying Zifei being humiliated, Zhao Ji laughed happily, and then said: "Do you really think I am a fool? Although I don't know much, I have been with the late king for some years."

"You have helped me solve some of the problems I was worried about. I should thank you for that."

Ying Zifei stood up and bowed respectfully. There was no need to say anything deeper. Now that Queen Mother Zhao Ji understood that she could not become the biggest weakness of her son Ying Zheng, many things would be easier to handle.

"Please sit down. Although some of the things I did were a bit absurd, I have now found a more interesting direction."

"This guy is really interesting when he's busy."

Queen Mother Zhao Ji spoke in a leisurely tone, and then added: "Seeing that the Medical Academy is almost in order, I have less things to do. This time, Qingyunzi doesn't need to provoke me. You, the real mastermind, must let me see more interesting things."

When Ying Zifei heard this, he was immediately delighted. If you want to make Queen Mother Zhao Ji busy, then he, Ying Zifei, has the solution.

"My Queen Mother, I really need your help in this regard."

Seeing Ying Zifei smiling happily, Zhao Ji's heart skipped a beat for unknown reason, as if she had fallen into another big pit.

However, she changed her mind and thought that the whole world was praising her for opening a new path for female medical students and her good reputation was spreading. The great satisfaction in her heart made her eager to try again.

That feeling was unforgettable, and there was an idea in her heart urging her to pursue this great sense of satisfaction.

Two hours later, the people who came to the palace from the Zhen'an Marquis's residence were led by Wei Qianqian and were once again recruited by Queen Mother Zhao Ji.

Seeing that Queen Mother Zhao Ji was busy again, Ying Zifei took his leave.

The affairs of the palace could not be hidden from King Ying Zheng of Qin, and Ying Zifei had no intention of hiding it.

"My Queen Mother is so busy, I'm afraid I'll forget about it."

King Ying Zheng of Qin said slowly and Ying Zifei rolled his eyes. He said, "We have to be on guard against some things. Queen Mother Zhao Ji is in the best condition now."

"Grandmother once mentioned to me that we should ask Concubine Shu to help our mother more. What do you think?"

Ying Zifei and Cheng Jiao looked at each other and said nothing. Even though both of them were trusted confidants of King Ying Zheng of Qin, in some matters, keeping silent was the best option.

All decisions should be made by King Ying Zheng of Qin himself.

Seeing the two of them remain silent, Ying Zheng felt helpless. He also knew that Shu Fei was not made queen, and the Chu faction headed by the Queen Mother Huayang were dissatisfied.

The reason why Concubine Shu was allowed to intervene in the affairs currently handled by Queen Mother Zhao Ji was to gain a reputation for virtue, so as to serve as a stepping stone for her to sit on the throne of queen after she becomes pregnant with children in the future.

Ying Zheng knew that his best way to deal with the situation now was to maintain the current balance in the court.

He and Lu Buwei had reached a tacit balance, but Ying Zheng knew very well that if he established a queen now, the balance would be broken.

In the entire court, no, it should be said that in the entire Qin State, there are many people who are willing to bet on the next round.

And the next round, of course, is the crown prince.

If he were to establish a queen now, it would mean a certain statement by Ying Zheng, the King of Qin. In this way, the Chu faction has the Queen Mother Huayang and the Queen within it, and the Lord Changping and others outside, which would inevitably make many people waver and join it.

But this is what Ying Zheng would not allow. The current balance is the best political situation.

The people of the Chu faction can be used and can be regarded as a backup force to check and balance Lu Buwei and other factions, but they must not be allowed to expand now, otherwise it will become a problem for the future political situation.

He did not want an action at this time to lead to another chaotic purge in the Qin court in the future.

Just like the separated Black Ice Platform, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Zongying Guard, each of the three parties has its own responsibilities, but they also cooperate with each other to achieve a balance of power.

This is how he, the King of Qin, employs people, and it is also the best guarantee for Ying Zifei, Cheng Jiao and others in the future.

A sharp knife, in addition to a scabbard, also requires another sharp blade to balance it.

Ying Zifei secretly complained in his heart at this time. After Qing Yunzi and others intended to ask Shufei to help Queen Mother Zhao Ji, but were finally rejected by King Qin Ying Zheng on certain things, he had already reacted.

Ying Zifei didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the inner court. As for how Ying Zheng would decide, that was his own business.

"Why, you two, don't you have anything to say about this matter?"

Ying Zheng, who was quite troubled, wanted the two to help ease the Queen Dowager Huayang's thoughts. As for his grandmother, the Queen Dowager Huayang, Ying Zheng also didn't want the relationship between him and her to become strained.

Ying Zifei and Cheng Jiao understood what was going on. After exchanging a glance, Cheng Jiao said, "My king, I would like you to take two or three more concubines."

Hearing this, Ying Zifei really wanted to give Cheng Jiao a thumbs up. This guy is quick to react.

As long as Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, has several concubines, they must have families behind them. In this way, the issue of whether to establish a queen or not can be transferred to the struggle among those people.

For King Ying Zheng of Qin, he had a lot of room to maneuver in such a situation.

For some people who want to take advantage of the situation, it is not so easy to bet on the crown prince. Ying Zheng was also stunned by Cheng Jiao's idea. After thinking about it for a while, he had to admit that Cheng Jiao's idea was good.

Although he is not interested in women, he has to do something for the sake of the overall situation in the future.

For the entire Qin State, he, Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, is actually the biggest and best bargaining chip.

"Then let's wait until the Hezuo War is over." After solving a problem that had been troubling him, Ying Zheng felt much better. After discussing some things, Ying Zifei and Cheng Jiao left.

After leaving the palace, Cheng Jiao stopped, turned around and looked at the palace, and said softly: "You are right, that place, and the people in that position will only become more and more lonely."

Ying Zifei curled his lips and said, "Don't sigh, the battle of the five countries is the most crucial thing."

Cheng Jiao's mouth twitched, and he said unhappily: "Ying Zifei, the Zong Yingwei has leaked the news everywhere in this matter, I dare not be careless. Compared with your Black Ice Platform, I am only responsible for internal affairs this time."

Hearing this, Ying Zifei glanced at Cheng Jiao and said calmly, "Did Ying Shisan go to Liyang or Yongcheng?"

This sentence made Cheng Jiao's eyes narrow. He knew that he could not hide it from Ying Zifei, and said with a complicated expression: "Someone is using this coalition war as a gamble. Ying Zifei, perhaps the life and death crisis between you and me will be during this period of time."

Ying Zifei smiled slightly when he heard this, waved his hand and walked away, saying as he walked: "In this case, I will not interfere in the affairs of those two sides."

"Tell Ying Shisan a message, don't mess around."

Cheng Jiao watched Ying Zifei leave, secretly wondering in his heart what Ying Zifei knew.

"Forget it, someone else will take care of those things."

With a mutter, Cheng Jiao turned and left. The more secrets he came into contact with, the more cautious he became.

……

In the residence of Marquis Zhen'an, Ying Zifei turned the letter paper in his hand over and over again, and finally his internal force surged out and shredded the paper.

"I thought that if I solved some problems, you wouldn't have to face more troubles. Now it seems that I was too arbitrary."

Muttering something, Ying Zifei closed his eyes slightly to take a rest. The letter was sent by his father Ying Mo. According to the code written in it, the couple was in some trouble again.

The letter was to remind Ying Zifei not to pursue this matter.

After letting out a slight breath and opening his eyes, Ying Zifei asked Ah Fu to bring him some food.

"I found something interesting."

Hei Bai Xuan Jian sat down casually holding his child and said, "Luo Wang's new generation of Jing Wei has the shadow of various schools of martial arts."

Ying Zifei was a little surprised, but after confirming that what Hei Bai Xuan Jian said was true, he became interested.

"This further verifies my judgment."

"Oh?"

Hei Bai Xuan Jian raised his eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"

When Ying Zifei saw the child of Hei Bai Xuan Jian reaching out his hand, he took it and said with a smile: "Luo Wang must have given up some kind of benefit. No, to be precise, it should be the loss of Luo Wang last time. In fact, it was the result of some people joining together to test and threaten Luo Wang."

"The net that will be set up in the future will probably be a net with leaks everywhere. Anyone who should know certain information will know it."

Hei Bai Xuan Jian frowned, a little confused, and asked: "In this case, is Luo Wang still Luo Wang?"

"Why is Luowang not Luowang?" Ying Zifei smiled and said, "If my guess is correct, it must be that some changes in the situation have made some people realize that as long as the goal is achieved, Luowang as a tool is useful."

As he spoke, Ying Zifei looked at him leisurely, and continued: "Or perhaps, Luowang's changes are an advance precaution against Qin, the collaborator."

"After all, the one who holds the tool of the net is the king."

"As the power of Qin grows, the power Your Majesty will be able to mobilize will become more and more powerful."

"And such a future is not a good thing for some people with ulterior motives."

Hei Bai Xuan Jian immediately understood that the current changes in Luowang were the result of some people making moves.

"In this situation, do I need to completely cut off contact with Luowang?"

"No need." Ying Zifei shook his head slightly and chuckled: "Change according to the situation and the situation."

"Behind you, Black and White Xuan Jian, is me, Ying Zifei. For some people, getting close to me, Ying Zifei, through the people you control is not a bad way."

"It's fine if we don't take the initiative. I think this change in Luowang is also an interesting situation."

Hei Bai Xuan Jian nodded to show that he understood, then stood up and left with the child in his arms.

……

"You're not going to tell Fei'er?" Jiang Huang was quite unhappy. She had finally solved some problems and was able to have abnormal contact with her son Yingzi. Before she could enjoy the happiness of family life, trouble came knocking on her door.

“Don’t interrupt his own deployment, otherwise it will only be a crisis for him.”

Ying Mo comforted his wife and continued, "That madman used Jiang Feng to get something from Shushan. For him, as long as he has bargaining chips, Donghuang Taiyi of the Yin-Yang family must be a good trading partner."

Jiang Huang's expression turned serious when he heard this, and he said, "So you suspect that Donghuang Taiyi is also using that lunatic?"

"Yes," Ying Mo nodded, and said solemnly: "Ever since Donghuang Taiyi started interfering with the posthumous son of Xinling Lord Wei Wuji, and some kind of deal between him and Confucian Master Xun, I suspected that they had reached some kind of tacit understanding."

Looking at his wife, Ying Mo continued with a deep gaze: "In the Confucian Xiaoshengxianzhuang, Master Xun was unable to stop the woman and the child from leaving."

"I think that Lord Xinling Wei Wuji left behind some tricks to push some secrets to be exposed."

Jiang Huang had a headache and sighed: "Well, you and I are both destined to be busy. I just hope that when I see Fei'er again, he already has a beloved woman."

The topic took a big turn and Ying Mo couldn't help but smile. He didn't want to interfere in his son's marriage anymore.

As the two were talking, they left the place, avoiding those who were pursuing them and disappeared without a trace.

……

As the situation in the world becomes tense, various forces have also set their sights on the impending war.

After the alliance was formed, the King of Chu was appointed as the leader, and Pang Nuan and others led the troops to attack the Qin territory directly.

The Qin State, which had been well prepared, implemented the strategy of clearing the fields and blocking the enemy in sections.

The purpose, of course, was to delay the logistical supply problem of the coalition army. Although Qin was well prepared for the coalition army, it was still under great pressure.

Hangu Pass was chosen as the main battlefield, which was a tacit decision made by all parties in the Qin State. Defense always has advantages over offense.

The battle had been going quite smoothly all the way, but Pang Nuan and the others did not feel happy at all. Instead, they felt a heavy sense of pressure.

Escape is a way of clearing the countryside, but an organized clearing of the countryside is not escape.

The Qin State's current policy of clearing the countryside means abandoning villages and small towns and only guarding large cities.

The people were organized and arranged, so it was not easy for the coalition army to capture the big city.

All the generals in the coalition understood that by doing this, Qin was preparing for the siege of all the major cities.

Faced with this situation, the coalition army had to divide its forces to fight, otherwise the Qin army would seize the initiative.

"The Qin State is becoming more and more terrifying." Pang Nuan's eyes were extremely solemn.

These places were conquered by the Qin State and became new territories.

The fact that Qin is now able to defend its city and clear its countryside shows that it has won the hearts of the people.

And this is exactly what Pang Nuan is afraid of, because he knows that the Qin State, which is so popular, has enough capital to fight in this war of alliance.

"Send out your troops and tell them to burn down the Qin army's food reserves in all cities at all costs."

With a ruthless look in his eyes, Pang Nuan quickly issued a military order. Only by mobilizing experts to burn food and grass in various places could the Qin State's plan of clearing the countryside fail.

If there is no food, chaos will surely arise.

Although Pang Nuan knew that many people would die if his order was given, he had to do it.

If the Qin army could last for three months in various places, it would be a fatal blow to the coalition forces.

(End of this chapter)