The First Emperor's decree and the Crown Prince's national policies spread from the Qin capital, Xianyang, to all the commanderies and cities across the land.
The four national policies shook the entire world.
No one remained indifferent to them.
For the ordinary people of Great Qin, the implementation of these policies would bring greater stability and security.
But for the remnants of the Six Kingdoms lurking in the shadows, these policies especially the additional decrees to confiscate all copper and iron weapons were a disastrous blow.
In Han Territory
A hidden location.
A dozen people gathered around a piece of cloth, their expressions heavy with concern.
"Zhao Feng…"
"He is truly ruthless and merciless!"
"He is eradicating our nations' writing, severing our cultural heritage."
"By collecting all the copper and iron, he is cutting off our source of weapons."
"He is pushing us into a dead end!"
Xiang Liang gritted his teeth, his voice filled with anger and hatred.
Everyone present shared the same emotions.
"Zifang."
"What should we do now?"
All eyes turned to their strategist, Zhang Liang.
"Zhao Feng's move…"
"It is an open strategy, unstoppable."
"Once these policies take effect, the foundation of our former nations will be destroyed." Zhang Liang sighed.
"Are we supposed to just watch helplessly?"
"If we let Qin succeed, how will we ever restore our countries? How will we take revenge?"
The men were furious and unwilling to accept this reality.
Truth be told, the so-called goal of restoring their nations and avenging the past was, for many of them, merely an excuse.
What they truly desired was to regain their lost power and privileges.
"If these four policies are implemented," Zhang Liang continued, "the entire Qin state will be mobilized, and they will certainly guard against us."
"Furthermore, I predict that before long, the Qin Empire will fully implement the commandery-county system."
"News has already arrived that the First Emperor has ordered a ban on discussing the feudal system. Anyone who dares to bring it up will be executed. This clearly shows that the First Emperor intends to consolidate all power in his own hands."
"Once he fully enforces the commandery-county system, dividing our former lands into Qin's administrative regions, our situation will only become more difficult."
Zhang Liang's face was clouded with worry.
"Zifang."
"Given the situation, what do you propose?" Xiang Liang asked, staring at Zhang Liang.
"My fellow men."
"I have just received new intelligence."
Zhang Liang took out a sealed letter from his sleeve.
"This report came from within Qin."
"In half a month, Zhao Feng will perform an ancestral ceremony in the Qin Imperial Shrine to formally enter the royal lineage and be recorded in the Qin genealogy."
"There is also an elderly Qin matriarch, Empress Dowager Huayang, who resides in Yongcheng. Zhao Feng will personally travel there to escort her back to Xianyang."
"Zifang, are you suggesting we ambush him on the way?"
"Kill Zhao Feng?" Xiang Liang immediately grasped the meaning.
"This information has not yet spread widely, and the exact departure date has not been set."
"However, according to the report, Zhao Feng will not bring too many soldiers with him." Zhang Liang added.
"Are you saying that someone from within Qin's upper ranks leaked this information?" Xiang Liang pondered.
"There are many people in Qin who want Zhao Feng dead, not just us," Zhang Liang sneered.
Hearing these words, Xiang Liang fell into deep thought before saying, "Zhao Feng has just been appointed Crown Prince, yet he is leaving Xianyang so soon. Could this be a trap? Could he be deliberately luring us out?"
Zhang Liang sighed bitterly. "General Xiang, we now have only two choices. First, we watch as Zhao Feng departs from Xianyang and does nothing, allowing him to safely escort Empress Dowager Huayang back. Second, we send our men to assassinate him. If we succeed, Qin will fall into chaos, giving us a sliver of hope for the future."
"And this choice is not just for us; it is also for those in Xianyang who wish Zhao Feng dead."
"Of course."
"In the end, the decision is yours. Will you seize the opportunity or let it slip away?"
Zhang Liang did not want to make this decision himself.
Zhao Feng's sudden departure from Xianyang was too deliberate and too obvious as a baiting tactic.
It seemed as if he was deliberately leaving behind the heavily guarded capital, using himself as bait to lure his enemies into action.
This move…
Zhang Liang could see through it.
So could the other conspirators in Xianyang.
But…
They had no choice.
If they did not act now, when Zhao Feng eventually turned his attention toward them, they would have no opportunity to resist.
That was the essence of an open strategy.
The opportunity was there.
The choice was theirs.
If they wanted Zhao Feng dead, they had to act on their own.
"I will dispatch 400 elite warriors from Chu."
After a long silence, Xiang Liang made his decision.
"In that case," said a noble from Wei, "I will send 500 from Wei."
"300 from Zhao."
"200 from Yan."
…
After a round of discussion, the remnants of the Six Kingdoms finalized their decision.
Even though they knew this might be a trap, even though they knew Zhao Feng was deliberately acting as bait, they had no choice.
If they missed this chance, they would never get another.
Meanwhile, in Xianyang City
Inside the residence of Wei Zhuang.
"The prince has completely given up."
"Tomorrow, he departs for Yanmen."
Wei Zhuang spoke slowly, disappointment in his tone.
"Zhao Feng's past treatment of Minister Wang is well known to us all."
"For years, we have been opposing Zhao Feng. Now that he is the Crown Prince, with his cunning and control over the military, do you think he will spare us?" Wei Zhuang looked around at the gathered men.
"Prime Minister Wei, do we have to go this far?"
"If we fail, we will be implicated, and the Crown Prince will have every reason to deal with us."
"Yes."
"The Crown Prince's methods are just as ruthless as the First Emperor's. If we act, the consequences could be total annihilation."
"This matter… forgive me, but I cannot participate."
…
Some remained silent, but others openly objected.
Assassinating the Crown Prince was an act of treason, punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan.
"My friends."
"For years, we have worked against Zhao Feng. Do you truly believe he won't investigate?"
"When he does, what fate do you think awaits us?" Wei Zhuang's tone carried a hint of menace.
Hearing this, the gathered men's expressions darkened.
.....
Zhao Residence!
Although he had been conferred the title of Crown Prince, Zhao Feng still resided in his original mansion.
Inside and outside the residence, personal guards stood watch.
Five thousand elite guards had now become the Crown Prince's army, marking a significant shift in their status.
In the underground chamber of the residence
"Who are you people?"
"Why did you capture me?"
"I'm just a commoner; I haven't done anything wrong."
"Why are you holding me? Let me go!"
A weak voice echoed in the prison cell, filled with fear and unease.
"Master."
"This man has been imprisoned here for over a month now, waiting for your return to decide his fate," Ying Bu said, pointing at Liu Ji, who was shouting inside the cell.
Zhao Feng stepped forward and looked through the window.
"So this is the founding emperor of history Liu Bang."
"But right now, he's nothing more than a mere ruffian."
"Although he's as insignificant as an ant before me, and with me here, there will be no so-called Second Qin Dynasty…"
"Eliminating him now might remove future troubles as well."
Zhao Feng glanced at him, showing no sympathy for Liu Ji's current wretched state.
In history, Liu Ji seemed almost like a child of destiny. Despite being chased by Xiang Yu to the point of near annihilation, he always managed to escape, even going as far as kicking his son off a carriage to save himself.
Removing him now would eliminate a potential threat.
"Was there anything unusual when you captured him?" Zhao Feng asked.
"Master."
"There were indeed some strange occurrences," Ying Bu recalled before speaking.
"Tell me," Zhao Feng urged.
"When we seized him, I led five elite shadow guards."
"The operation was completely secret; no one should have known about it."
"But just as we moved in, a group of constables suddenly appeared."
"We quickly took the target away, but on the way, we ran into a group of six-nation remnants about dozens of them. After eliminating them, we encountered a patrol of county soldiers, and their numbers were significant."
"Then, out of nowhere, a torrential downpour blocked our way."
"All sorts of unexpected obstacles kept appearing."
"I have never encountered such a situation before."
"I can't believe so many things went wrong just while capturing this man," Ying Bu remarked with bewilderment.
"As expected, he is a man of great fortune."
"If not for the overwhelming suppression of martial power, perhaps we wouldn't have been able to capture him at all."
Hearing this, Zhao Feng nodded in realization.
This was the characteristic of a "Child of Destiny" always turning misfortune into fortune.
He was practically an unkillable existence.
If not for having Ying Bu, a Grandmaster-level martial artist, personally take action, capturing Liu Ji might have been impossible.
"In that case, killing him now is the right decision. Otherwise, he could indeed cause trouble for Great Qin in the future," Zhao Feng said coldly as he gazed at Liu Ji in the cell.
Then
"Kill him," Zhao Feng ordered.
"As you command!"
Two shadow guards beside Ying Bu immediately obeyed.
They opened the prison cell door.
Seeing this, hope flickered in Liu Ji's eyes.
"I'm just a commoner! I may be a gambler, but I have never broken the law!"
"Please let me go!"
However, the two shadow guards ignored his pleas.
They drew their swords.
Seeing this, Liu Ji trembled, his face filled with terror.
"W-Why are you killing me? Who did I offend?"
The shadow guards did not respond.
They simply raised their swords and stabbed Liu Ji.
Zhao Feng watched in silence.
Sure enough
Just as the swords struck, an invisible force surged from Liu Ji's body.
Boom!
The two shadow guards were instantly sent flying.
"Hmm?"
Zhao Feng narrowed his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing across them.
"Interesting."
"Even though he's already in my grasp, there's still a force protecting him?"
"Is a 'Child of Destiny' really this hard to kill?"
"I refuse to believe this," Zhao Feng sneered.
Inside the cell, the shadow guards were stunned.
They had no idea what had just happened.
They exchanged glances before gathering their inner energy and attacking again.
But no matter how much force they exerted, the moment their swords approached Liu Ji, they were repelled by an unseen power.
"Master."
"There's something wrong with this guy. He has no cultivation, so why does he have such a powerful protective force?" Ying Bu was also astonished.
Two Xiantian-level shadow guards couldn't even harm a defenseless man?
"You try," Zhao Feng instructed, his gaze locked onto Liu Ji as if he had discovered something.
"Yes!"
Ying Bu quickly stepped into the cell.
"Step aside."
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the two shadow guards.
Meanwhile, Liu Ji was utterly dumbfounded.
He had just seen the two men attempting to kill him, only to be thrown back by some mysterious force.
A thought surfaced in his mind: I am being protected by an immortal! They can't kill me!
With that realization, Liu Ji's expression changed.
He immediately declared, "Who are you people?"
"Why are you trying to kill me?"
"I, Liu Ji, am protected by immortals! You cannot kill me!"
"If you know what's good for you, release me immediately, or the immortals will not spare you!"
His words carried a tone of warning.
In this era, beliefs in gods and spirits were deeply ingrained, and what had just happened to Liu Ji was indeed beyond normal understanding.
If he had encountered mountain bandits or ordinary county soldiers, his claim might have frightened them.
However
For Zhao Feng, such a trick was meaningless.
With his current strength and his ever-increasing attributes, he might even be able to battle immortals.
Ying Bu also paid no attention to Liu Ji's words.
He drew his sword.
Infusing it with his Grandmaster-level inner energy, he slashed at Liu Ji.
With a pu chi sound
A translucent barrier emerged around Liu Ji's body.
At that moment, Zhao Feng fully unleashed his spiritual sense and saw a colossal cauldron's phantom looming over Liu Ji.
"So that's how it is."
"The Yu Province Cauldron."
"The legacy artifact passed down from Great Yu."
"Back when Qin destroyed Zhou and transported the Nine Tripod Cauldrons to Qin, this Yu Province Cauldron mysteriously went missing. Turns out, it ended up with Liu Ji."
"A destiny-bound artifact, combined with heaven's mandate no wonder it shields him from harm."
"Is this truly fate, or is someone orchestrating it?"
Seeing this scene, Zhao Feng's expression turned contemplative.
Meanwhile, Ying Bu's full-powered strike
A slash strong enough to annihilate dozens or even hundreds
Could not even breach Liu Ji's barrier.
"Hahaha!"
"I am protected by the gods! You cannot kill me!" Liu Ji burst into wild laughter.
At this moment!
Zhao Feng slowly stepped into the prison cell.
He gazed intently at Liu Ji.
His divine sense unfolded instantly.
"Ah… what's happening?"
Liu Ji's body floated uncontrollably into the air.
Ying Bu immediately sheathed his sword and stepped behind Zhao Feng.
"Killing you is as easy as lifting a finger."
"Capturing you was indeed the right move; otherwise, the Nine Cauldrons would never have been completed."
Zhao Feng spoke coldly.
He raised a finger and struck.
A streak of sword energy shot toward Liu Ji.
Just like when Ying Bu and the others attacked before, a protective barrier appeared.
However, Zhao Feng's strike seemed to have reached the limit of this Yu Province Cauldron's barrier. Or rather, Liu Ji had no real control over its power; he was merely passively shielded by the cauldron due to his destined fate.
With a piercing sound
The sword energy penetrated the barrier and instantly pierced through Liu Ji's heart.
His body fell straight to the ground.
"Eliminated [Future Emperor of Han, Liu Ji], altered the course of destiny, acquired +200 points to all attributes, gained +200 days of lifespan, and received a Tier-5 Treasure Chest."
A system notification suddenly appeared.
"A Tier-5 Treasure Chest?"
Zhao Feng's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then, a smile spread across his face.
"Killing Liu Ji was indeed the right choice."
"He was worth a Tier-5 Treasure Chest."
Zhao Feng was extremely satisfied with his decision.
If he hadn't passed through Sishui County and noticed Liu Ji, if he hadn't ordered Ying Bu to capture him, this treasure chest would have slipped away.
As Liu Ji perished, his soul drifted out of his body, raging furiously at Zhao Feng.
But he didn't realize that Zhao Feng could see him.
"Even in death, you still have so much to say? Then let me erase you."
Zhao Feng raised his hand, conjuring a flame from the underworld and hurling it at Liu Ji's soul.
The ghostly fire burned.
A wailing, agonized scream echoed through the prison.
In just moments
Liu Ji's soul was utterly consumed.
"Soul energy +200 acquired," the system prompted.
Zhao Feng approached Liu Ji's corpse and pulled down his collar.
A small cauldron was revealed beneath.
"The Yu Province Cauldron."
"It took on this miniature form… As expected of a destiny's chosen one, favored by heaven."
"Now that I've slain this child of destiny, I wonder how those who were manipulating events from the shadows will react." Zhao Feng picked up the cauldron.
It appeared small.
But when lifted, it was heavy as a thousand catties. However, Zhao Feng could still carry it effortlessly.
"Burn his body."
"Also, summon Li Mu, Sima Shang, and Han Xin to Xianyang."
"They've been kept in reserve for too long it's time for them to be put to use." Zhao Feng instructed Ying Bu before turning to leave.
"Yes," Ying Bu responded immediately.
Back at his residence
Zhao Feng felt an eager anticipation for the Tier-5 Treasure Chest.
"Open the treasure chest," Zhao Feng commanded.
"Opening Tier-5 Treasure Chest…"
"Obtained: Postnatal Fate-Enhancing Supreme-Grade Spirit Treasure [Heavenly Profound Mirror]," the system notified.
"A Postnatal Fate-Enhancing Spirit Treasure?" Zhao Feng was puzzled.
He knew about Postnatal Spirit Treasures.
He was also familiar with the hierarchy of magical treasures and weapons:
Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, Immortal, Divine.
Beyond that were Postnatal Spirit Treasures, and even beyond them were Innate Spirit Treasures.
"What's the difference between a Postnatal Fate-Enhancing Spirit Treasure and a regular Postnatal Spirit Treasure? Could it be related to fate?"
Still curious
Zhao Feng summoned the treasure.
The Heavenly Profound Mirror.
A radiant mirror imbued with mystical energy appeared in Zhao Feng's hand.
At the same time
The mirror's attributes unfolded before him.
Heavenly Profound Mirror: Postnatal Fate-Enhancing Supreme-Grade Spirit Treasure
(Can evolve into a higher-tier Spirit Treasure through the accumulation of fate energy.)
Abilities:
Can analyze and refine martial techniques, cultivation methods, and divine abilities using energy.
Can create an accelerated cultivation space.
Can be divided into multiple sub-mirrors, each fully controlled by the main mirror.
Sub-mirrors can communicate, exchange messages, and even trade with each other.
Sub-mirrors can also open independent cultivation spaces.
Seeing the Heavenly Profound Mirror's properties
Zhao Feng was completely stunned.
"This treasure is heaven-defying."
"Not only can it evolve, but in the future, when I establish a ruling dynasty and consolidate the nation's fate, I could enhance this treasure even further perhaps even upgrading it into an Innate Spirit Treasure?"
"Moreover…"
"This treasure can deduce techniques and create cultivation spaces for accelerated training."
"And it can generate sub-mirrors! If I spread these across the Qin Empire, wouldn't they function even better than modern communication devices? Not only that, but they could also serve as training hubs, accelerating cultivation for the entire empire this is practically divine!"
"This treasure is… unparalleled."
Zhao Feng murmured to himself, completely astounded by the artifact's immense power.
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 375+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader