Chapter Three: The Surprise Ambush

In the grand hall, Ying Qu Liang glared at Gan Long’s face, dark as a burnt pot, feeling an immense satisfaction swell within him.

Delightful! Absolutely delightful!

Seeing that old villain take a beating was truly exhilarating!

Gan Long steadied himself and retorted, “Such alarmist talk is baseless. How could the Wei army dare invade after such a crushing defeat? Killing Gong Shu Cuo only proves the valor of our great Qin and serves to instill fear in our enemies.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng’s tone turned cold. “Valor?”

“The enemy from Wei, who dared invade, was routed by fifty thousand old Qin soldiers, their helmets and armor cast aside, their commander reduced to a prisoner. That, that is true valor.”

“Killing a helpless captive—what kind of valor is that? Instead, it’s adding fuel to the fire, uniting Wei in fierce hatred. They won’t back down; they’ll fight us to the death.”

“In that case, Minister, would you stake your own life on Qin’s survival?”

Gan Long was instantly at a loss for words, his complexion turning pale and then flush. What a sharp-tongued brat!

Silence fell over the hall.

Zhao Zheng seized the moment, shifting his gaze to Ying Qu Liang with a sudden change in tone: “Avenging by killing him might feel satisfying, but the fate of the nation hangs in the balance for generations to come! Gong Shu Cuo is now a trump card in our great Qin’s hand.”

Everyone was stunned, even Ying Qu Liang’s expression turned inquisitive.

He had thought Zhao Zheng would merely silence Gan Long, but instead, Zhao Zheng claimed Gong Shu Cuo was a trump card?

So what exactly was this trump card?

Zhao Zheng explained, “A trump card is a bargaining chip.

“Qin can no longer endure the ravages of war; even the Six States of Shandong are scheming to divide Qin’s lands. Killing Gong Shu Cuo would mean continued war with Wei, leading Qin down a path of certain death.”

“Therefore, not only must we not kill him, but we must deliberately release him. This would disgrace the Wei campaign and buy precious time for our great Qin to recover.”

Of course, there was another purpose—to win favor with Wei Yang and bring him into Qin.

When Zhao Zheng finished speaking, the hall was deathly silent, not even a pin dropping could be heard.

Even Gan Long was pondering Zhao Zheng’s words.

“Report!”

A soldier dashed into the hall, tumbling as he ran. “Your Majesty! The Wei army... is approaching Wuguan!”

At that time, Hangu Pass had long been lost. The only natural defense Qin had left was Wuguan.

What? Again?

Chaos erupted in the hall, ministers buzzing with anxious talk.

“This is the end. We’re doomed.”

“Hold Wuguan at all costs. Not a single Wei dog shall cross into the heartland.”

Someone shouted, “Hold? With what? After the battle at Shaoliang, we lost over half our elite troops, our armor and weapons almost depleted, and our supplies barely sufficient. These Wei soldiers—wolves and tigers!”

“Better to cede land and seek peace. Yes, only ceding land can save us.”

Arguments, blame-shifting, despair filled the air.

Faced with a crushing onslaught like a mountain, all strategies seemed powerless.

Gan Long snorted coldly, glancing at Zhao Zheng with a grim expression: “What then? What will you do next?”

Zhao Zheng thought for a moment. Historically, the Wei invasion of Qin was due to Pang Juan’s internal political strife, aimed at purging Gong Shu Cuo.

But this time, unlike history where Pang Juan attacked the Lishan camp, why was the assault directly on Wuguan?

He asked the messenger soldier, “Is the Wei general Pang Juan?”

The soldier nodded: “The Wei army commander’s given name is indeed Pang.”

Zhao Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. If it was Pang Juan, then all was well; this man was after Gong Shu Cuo.

Damn it, if it weren’t for owing a favor to Guiguzi, he wouldn’t bother with this mess.

Just as Zhao Zheng prepared to waste more breath, a rough voice thundered from outside the hall.

“Why cede land and seek peace? What happened to the old Qin spirit?!”

Like a clap of thunder!

A towering, armored man, radiating a fierce aura, strode into the Zhanghua Hall.

Ying Qu Liang hastened down from his throne to greet him: “Brother.”

The newcomer was none other than Ying Qu Liang’s elder brother, Crown Prince Ying Qian—the sole one respected by the old noble families.

In official history, Ying Qian was only described with two words: “Rebellion.” But that was in later years.

Zhao Zheng’s heart chilled. This man’s patience of ten years, all for avenging the disfigurement punishment, made him not someone to provoke.

Ying Qian’s arrival subdued the old noble forces that even Ying Qu Liang could not command.

“Weapons and supplies have always been Qin’s greatest weakness.”

Gan Long sighed helplessly, “At the battle of Shaoliang, our old Qin soldiers fought with passion, but among fifty thousand men, fewer than twenty thousand actually had weapons.”

Supplies and weapons—before Shang Yang’s reforms, these were Qin’s biggest shortcomings.

Zhao Zheng spoke slowly: “Precisely because of this, we cannot afford a prolonged war.”

“In warfare, the key is speed. We can strike before Pang Juan establishes his foothold and catch him off guard.”

The hall stirred with murmurs. Ying Qian narrowed his eyes and asked, “A surprise attack? Qin’s cavalry is scarce. With what do you plan this ambush?”

Zhao Zheng knew Qin’s cavalry was indeed scarce.

On the way here this morning, he hadn’t even seen a single horse, let alone cavalry.

No choice—the battle at Shaoliang had nearly emptied Qin’s forces.

Zhao Zheng shot Ying Qian a glance: “A surprise attack relies on swift action. Cavalry helps, but it’s not indispensable. Who says no cavalry means no ambush?”

During the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Liao led eight hundred men to charge Sun Quan’s forces of a hundred thousand, relying solely on infantry.

“If we rush to set an ambush outside Wuguan, Pang Juan’s army will be caught completely off guard.”

“Well said, young man. Bold and wise.”

Ying Qian patted Zhao Zheng’s shoulder approvingly, then turned to Ying Qu Liang and cupped his hands respectfully:

“My lord, I, Ying Qian, will lead the vanguard.”

Ying Qu Liang, who trusted Zhao Zheng, was also swayed by Ying Qian’s resolve and immediately ordered: “Brother, take command of the attack. Minister, you have full authority over internal affairs.”

Though the old noble families were reluctant, Ying Qian was their most prominent figure. If he agreed, they had no choice but to follow.

Gan Long stood solemnly: “Old Qin soldiers, united in facing the nation's peril, will not fail His Majesty’s trust.”

“Would not fail His Majesty’s trust!”

After the assembly dispersed, Ying Qu Liang, Ying Qian, and Zhao Zheng hurried to Wuguan.

As they neared Liyang city, a fine horse-drawn carriage blocked their path.

The curtain was lifted, and a lithe, alluring young girl leaned out.

Her ample curves—dazzling! Zhao Zheng’s Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed.

Seeing the girl, Ying Qu Liang’s face darkened. “Little sister, the situation ahead is grave; don’t cause trouble.”

Princess Ying Shu stuck out her tongue at her brother’s stern look and quickly moved aside.

As the three rode off, her gaze lingered on Zhao Zheng’s back.

Ten years ago... was that him?

But judging by his appearance, why did he not recognize me?

Once out of Liyang, Zhao Zheng turned back, curious: “Hey, who was that, Your Majesty?”

Such a beauty would eclipse any future star!

This trip tied up and dragged down the mountain was not wasted!

“That is my little sister, Princess Ying Shu,” Ying Qu Liang said after a moment’s surprise.

Princess Ying Shu—Zhao Zheng silently committed the name to memory.

They rode without pause, racing over a hundred miles, exhausting three horses.

At last, they arrived at Wuguan ahead of the Wei army.

Though not as formidable as Hangu Pass, Wuguan still commanded a strategic mountain pass.

The walls of Wuguan were weathered and stained with the scars of past bloodshed and fire.

Now, the atmosphere atop the pass was as heavy as iron.

Zhao Zheng’s legs weakened as he dismounted, nearly collapsing. Ying Qian simply hoisted him onto his shoulder and strode up the city wall.

The cold wind howled, fluttering their cloaks. Outside the pass, the scene was bleak.

Flags like forests, spears like waves.

Inside, only a few thousand weary defenders remained, most with damaged armor.

The Lantian camp guarding Liyang had no troops to spare.

Ying Qu Liang’s general Meng Yun had just returned with forces resisting the Western Rong tribes, barely enough to hold.

“Zhao Zheng,”

Ying Qian dropped him and pointed beyond the walls.

“You mentioned a surprise attack in the hall. Now that the situation outside is clear, how do you propose to ambush? Don’t give me empty words.”