Liu Ji sat astride a fine steed, gazing at the city of Xianyang before her, her expression dazed.
She wore a striking crimson robe, gripping the imperial sword Chi Xiao in her hand, her cloud-like hair cascading down, swaying gracefully in the wind.
To others, she appeared as a handsome young man, exhilarated and gratified by the sight of the land he had conquered.
Looking back on the events of the past month, Liu Ji felt as though she were in a dream. Even she hadn't expected the invasion of Guanzhong to be so effortless, as if destiny favored her, as if the gods themselves were aiding her.
Over a month ago, she had set out with the 30,000 elite troops given to her by Roy. Along the way, she encountered scattered remnants of Chen Sheng and Xiang Liang's defeated forces. She incorporated these soldiers into her ranks, adding over 10,000 more men.
Having already gained ample combat experience while capturing territories near Pengcheng, Liu Ji now had elite soldiers and fierce generals at her disposal. At Chengyang, she easily defeated the Qin general Wang Li. She then pressed westward to Changyi, where she encountered another rebel leader, Peng Yue. Upon meeting Liu Ji, Peng Yue immediately pledged allegiance, handing over command of his troops to her.
After taking Changyi, Liu Ji encountered the rebel leader Gang Wuhou, seized control of his army, and continued her westward advance.
Upon reaching Gaoyang, Liu Ji sought out talented individuals, gaining the assistance of the brothers Li Yi and Li Shang. With Li Yi's strategies, Liu Ji captured Chenliu, securing ample supplies. Soon after, she reunited with Zhang Liang.
Zhang Liang had been wandering the area after Xiang Liang's army was annihilated by Zhang Han. Overjoyed to see Liu Ji and recognizing her rising dragon-like aura, Zhang Liang cast aside his reservations this time, directly acknowledging her as his lord and offering his counsel.
In no time, Liu Ji had Xiao He handling internal affairs, Zhang Liang devising ingenious strategies, and generals like Fan Kuai and Li Shang at her side—the core of the future Han dynasty had finally been assembled.
From then on, Liu Ji's army advanced with unstoppable momentum. They captured Yingyang, conquered Han territory, took Yangcheng, seized Nanyang, and, following Zhang Liang's plan, secured the surrender of Wancheng's defenders, finally breaching the gates of Guanzhong.
When she set out from Pengcheng, she had only Xiao He, Fan Kuai, and a few others accompanying her, with just the thirty thousand troops Roy had given her under her command. By the time Liu Ji reached the heartland of the Qin dynasty in Guanzhong, she already commanded an army of one hundred and forty thousand, with numerous surrendered Qin generals and rebel leaders pledging their allegiance to her. Moreover, Zhang Liang, the esteemed disciple of Master Huangshi, offered his strategic counsel. In just over a month, it was as if she had become the protagonist of a novel, truly demonstrating what it meant to be the chosen one of heaven.
Zhang Liang had recognized the Red Dragon bloodline within Liu Ji and believed she could replace the Black Dragon of Qin, which was why he bowed in submission, willing to assist her in establishing an empire that would last for millennia.
"My lord, according to intelligence from our spies in Xianyang, Zhao Gao has indeed killed the Second Emperor of Qin. He did not resort to any schemes. Now that we have taken Wuguan and you have sent Li Shang to seize the lands of Hanzhong and Bashu, there is little resistance left in Guanzhong. Zhao Gao's attempt to divide the territory and rule separately is nothing but overestimating his own strength!"
"...Now, all you need to do, my lord, is take a brief rest and lead the army directly to attack Xianyang. The city will fall on its own—this is the inevitable tide of history. There is no longer any need for me to devise strategies."
Zhang Liang, tall and handsome with an air of scholarly elegance, stood before Liu Ji, eloquently discussing the grand scheme of things. With his strategic brilliance, he had already secured the dragon's lair—the very foundation of Qin's rise.
"Zifang's strategies are unparalleled, deciding victories from a thousand miles away. I am no match for him!" Liu Ji sighed sincerely, her tone genuine, without a trace of jealousy or wariness.
Seeing this, Zhang Liang also sighed inwardly. If Liu Ji had one greatest strength, it was her ability to employ talent. Though she herself might lack certain capabilities, she knew how to recognize and utilize others' strengths, trusting them without suspicion. She was also remarkably open-minded in her selection, accepting anyone useful regardless of their eccentricities. It was precisely this trait that allowed her influence to expand rapidly in just over a month, enabling her to carve out her own kingdom.
"Report!"
Just as Liu Ji and Zhang Liang were conversing, a soldier rushed over and knelt down. "...An envoy from Xianyang has arrived, claiming to seek surrender to the Marquis of Wu'an!"
Hearing this, both Liu Ji and Zhang Liang were taken aback and quickly summoned the envoy. The envoy from Xianyang, dressed in plain clothes, knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face as he wept bitterly.
Upon questioning, Liu Ji learned that her swift advance into Guanzhong had struck fear into Zhao Gao and the Second Emperor of Qin. Zhao Gao had killed the Second Emperor, placing all the blame on him, and then summoned Ziying, the son of Fusu, stripping him of the imperial title and naming him the new King of Qin, intending to use him as a puppet.
However, Ziying refused to be controlled by Zhao Gao and secretly plotted to assassinate him. Seeing that Liu Ji's unstoppable army had already entered Guanzhong, Ziying concluded that survival was impossible and thus sought surrender.
After listening to the envoy, Liu Ji turned to Zhang Liang beside her. After a moment's thought, Zhang Liang nodded. "...This man's words are likely true, but to guard against any schemes, it would be best to have the Qin King Ziying come out of the city to surrender in person."
Following Zhang Liang's advice, Liu Ji sent the envoy back to Xianyang with her terms. Knowing his cause was lost, King Ziying of Qin rode out of Xianyang in a plain carriage with white horses, accompanied by his wife and children. He knelt before Liu Ji and presented the imperial seal and military tally.
Liu Ji held the jade seal in her hand, gazing at the eight characters inscribed upon it: "Mandated by Heaven, Longevity and Eternal Prosperity." It was none other than the Heirloom Seal of the Realm—the legendary Heshibi of the Qin dynasty!
If a few more years had passed, allowing its legend to be further elevated, this He Shi Bi would likely have become an extremely powerful Noble Phantasm.
Thus, the Qin Dynasty finally met its end. From the First Emperor's establishment to Ziying's surrender, the dynasty had lasted barely over a decade.
Xianyang was obtained without shedding a single drop of blood, filling Liu Ji's heart with pride as she led her troops into the capital. Though she had traveled across the Central Plains conquering cities and territories, this former rogue from Pei County had never witnessed the splendor of Xianyang—built by the First Emperor with the combined wealth of six states. The sight of Qin's magnificent palaces left her utterly dumbstruck.
"My lord... my lord?"
Seeing Liu Ji's dazed expression, Zhang Liang quickly tugged at her sleeve, fearing his lord might be blinded by this dazzling spectacle and forget their current situation. Should she indulge in pleasure and become another Second Emperor of Qin, all would be lost.
As Zhang Liang carefully considered how to advise her, Liu Ji suddenly snapped out of her trance and said, "...I know what you wish to say, Zifang. But I made a three-part covenant with King Xiang. He trusted me enough to grant me military authority and send me into Guanzhong. Now that I've taken this land, how could I forget our agreement and lose myself in indulgence?"
"...Very well. We shall take nothing from these Qin palaces and withdraw our forces back to Bashang. We'll await King Xiang's arrival before discussing further distribution."
Seeing Liu Ji remain so level-headed, Zhang Liang finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet at the same time, a shadow crossed his heart—he now understood that Liu Ji's greatest rival in her grand ambitions was none other than the Overlord of Western Chu.
But judging by Liu Ji's demeanor, she seemed to place extraordinary trust in the Overlord. Moreover... how should he put it? She appeared deeply infatuated. Though their relationship as two men struck Zhang Liang as peculiar, this only deepened his concerns for Liu Ji's current state.
'That Overlord of Western Chu remains unfathomable even to me.'
Zhang Liang shook his head. Though he had learned numerous mystical arts from Master Huangshi and possessed countless brilliant strategies, when he first met Roy, it felt like viewing flowers through fog. No matter how he schemed or planned for victory a thousand miles away, encountering the Overlord of Western Chu always left him feeling overwhelmed.
His initial refusal of Liu Ji's invitation to serve as her advisor hadn't been entirely unrelated to his desire to avoid Roy. At that time, Liu Ji had been preparing to meet Roy in Pengcheng, prompting Zhang Liang to immediately withdraw his neck and remain with Xiang Liang instead.
"Zifang, have someone gather all the noblewomen and palace maids from these Qin palaces."
Hearing Liu Ji's command, Zhang Liang initially feared she had succumbed to lust and intended to defile the palace. But then Liu Ji continued, "...I've long heard King Xiang has a weakness for women. It would be best to dismiss these noblewomen and maids to prevent him from being tempted by them."
Zhang Liang fell silent. This was clearly just abusing authority to remove potential romantic rivals!
With Zhang Liang's intelligence, how could he fail to discern Liu Ji's true motives?