Chapter Thirty-Nine: Meeting Ying Shu Again

"My Lord, you cannot..." Gan Long’s voice trembled with anxiety. "If you surrender military command, who will lead the Qin army?"

By relinquishing his hold on the military, Ying Qian was effectively casting away the life-saving talisman of the old aristocracy. Gan Long knew it all too well: it was precisely because Ying Qian held the military power that Ying Quliang had been forced to maintain a sense of caution toward them, the established noble clans.

Ying Quliang’s gaze remained as calm as still water. "The Qin army has Jing Jian and Meng Yun. There is no need to trouble yourself with these concerns, Counselor Gan."

With that, he stepped forward and personally placed the military tally into the hands of Jing Jian.

Military authority was finally, firmly, in the hands of his own men. The great stone that had been weighing upon Ying Quliang’s heart crashed to the ground.

"I thank my Lord for his trust! Jing Jian is willing to die a thousand deaths for the state of Qin to repay this!" Jing Jian gripped the tally tightly, trembling with excitement; the stroke of fortune felt almost too sudden.

Ying Quliang glanced at Gan Long from the corner of his eye and commanded Jing Jian in a stern voice:

"Jing Jian, from this day forth, you shall assist the Left Shuzhang in implementing the reforms. Anyone who dares to obstruct you may be executed without waiting for further orders!"

A warning—a naked, unequivocal warning.

Gan Long’s aged face turned as dark as a pig’s liver, yet he was powerless to act.

"Very well, it is settled. The reforms will be announced at the morning court tomorrow." Ying Quliang waved his hand and swept away, his sleeves trailing behind him.

Once the ruler had departed, the court officials dispersed one by one. Jing Jian deliberately walked past Gan Long, emitting a cold snort through his nose. With military power now in his grip and the explicit mandate of Ying Quliang backing him, why should he fear a mere Gan Long?

What a joke!

"You..."

Gan Long watched Jing Jian’s retreating back, his teeth grinding in suppressed fury, yet there was nothing he could do. In this era, whoever held the military power was the master.

"Master Guigu, please, join me for a word at my estate." Seeing Zhao Zheng about to leave, Gan Long hurriedly lowered his voice to address him.

Zhao Zheng sneered inwardly. This was exactly as he had anticipated; the old man was clearly looking to recruit him into his camp.

Zhao Zheng nodded calmly. "Since Counselor Gan extends the invitation, how could I refuse?"

With that, he and Ying Qian departed from the Yueyang Palace.

Watching the two leave, Du Zhi stepped forward and asked Gan Long, puzzled, "Teacher, why seek out that fellow? He has been kicked upstairs in name but stripped of real power; he is of no use anymore."

Gan Long cast a sidelong glance at Du Zhi and snorted coldly:

"You fool. Zhao Zheng repelled the state of Wei three times for Qin and turned the tide at Black Dragon Gorge to defeat the Wei army. Yet, despite such great merit, his power has been hollowed out. Even if he is a sage of Guigu, do you really think he is content?"

Du Zhi shook his head; anyone would feel resentful.

Gan Long clasped his hands behind his back and said in a low, heavy voice:

"Regardless of the past, there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests! The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We must win Zhao Zheng over to topple Ying Quliang."

...

Outside the palace gates, Ying Qian and Zhao Zheng walked side by side.

Ying Qian stared at Zhao Zheng with a gloomy expression. "Why on earth would you want to go and see that old scoundrel Gan Long?" He assumed Zhao Zheng was planning to throw his lot in with the old aristocracy.

Zhao Zheng hurriedly defended himself. "I am merely pacifying their anxieties. Old Gan Long knows that my promotion is a sham, and he will undoubtedly try to recruit me to oppose Ying Quliang. I’m afraid they might launch a desperate counterattack and do something reckless, so I have to infiltrate their ranks!"

Upon hearing this, Ying Qian’s expression softened significantly. "You little brat, your mind is full of schemes. That old scoundrel Gan Long must have exhausted eight lifetimes of luck to cross paths with you... But, having said that, that 'pretty boy' really does have some substance."

In the court, Wei Yang had faced the officials with logic and reason, which had indeed earned Ying Qian’s respect.

"Of course, look at who I am..." Zhao Zheng patted his chest, then shifted his tone, feigning mystery. "But the things that will truly shock you, Big Brother, are yet to come..."

"You brat, still playing coy with me." Ying Qian grunted and playfully tapped Zhao Zheng on the head.

At that moment, a voice tinged with resentment drifted from behind them.

"Oh? If it isn't my Lord Guigu? Two years without seeing you, and you seem to have grown even more carefree?"

Ying Qian and Zhao Zheng turned simultaneously to see Ying Shu standing behind them, hands on her hips, her beautiful eyes filled with a mix of fury and grievance, fixed squarely on Zhao Zheng. Unlike two years ago, Ying Shu’s figure had fully matured—it was positively tempestuous.

*Damn it... why is it this woman again?*

Zhao Zheng’s heart sank; he really did not want to encounter Ying Shu.

"Big Brother, I have matters to attend to, I’m leaving." With that, he turned and fled.

"You!"

Ying Shu stamped her foot in frustration. "Don't let me catch you again, or I'll have my second brother chop you to pieces!" she shouted in the direction of his retreat.

Ying Qian watched, thoroughly amused, and teased, "Little sister, if you go looking for the second brother, it’s not certain who will end up being chopped!" He winked mischievously. "But the way you look at that boy... tsk, tsk, why do you look like a jilted wife abandoned by her faithless lover?"

"You're the jilted wife! You're the one who’s a jilted wife!" Ying Shu’s face turned bright red with rage, and she stomped hard on Ying Qian’s foot.

Ying Qian winced in pain and watched her retreating back, baffled. When had his little sister become like this?

Zhao Zheng sprinted all the way to his front door, leaning against the frame, gasping for breath. *That woman... she really is like a persistent ghost!*

He had barely caught his breath when he heard Gan Long’s voice from across the way.

"Why is the Master in such a hurry?"

He looked up and saw, to his surprise, Gan Long and Du Zhi sitting inside his own gate, drinking tea. In this era, what kind of high official sat drinking tea right inside someone else's gate?

Zhao Zheng’s mouth twitched. These two old fools were terrified he wouldn't show up for the "banquet"!

"It is nothing. I nearly got bitten by a dog on my way here, hence why I ran back."

A dog? Gan Long and Du Zhi exchanged glances before responding:

"Dogs are very vengeful creatures... I hear that female dogs, in particular, hold the deepest grudges."

Zhao Zheng walked toward the Gan estate with a helpless expression. "Who could say otherwise? Women are equally vengeful; it is best to avoid provoking them."

Seeing Zhao Zheng approach, Gan Long immediately ordered his servant to bring out a mat.

"I wonder, Counselor, what business you have with me?" Zhao Zheng sat down on the mat, feigning ignorance.

Gan Long smiled and poured tea for Zhao Zheng. "This is excellent tea... only someone of your status deserves such a brew, but alas..." He paused, a look of regret crossing his face.

"Alas, what?" Zhao Zheng asked, playing the fool.

"Alas, while the tea matches your status, I fear you may not be able to hold onto it... If this fine tea were to fall into the hands of another, would that not be a pity?" Gan Long lowered his voice, his eyes becoming sharp and anxious.

*Does this old man mean that I have a hollow title and that I could be crushed at any moment now that power has slipped from my hands?*

What a joke. Zhao Zheng smiled but said nothing; Ying Quliang had left him an ace up his sleeve, and so had Ying Qian—though those were for moments of extreme crisis.

Seeing Zhao Zheng remain silent, Gan Long assumed he had touched a sore spot and immediately pressed his advantage:

"Master, you have rendered great service to our Great Qin, yet you suffer such injustice. We feel it is truly unfair!"

Zhao Zheng drained his cup in one gulp and spoke slowly: "The reforms are an inevitable trend, and the ruler has decreed that whoever obstructs them shall be executed without mercy." He stared directly at Gan Long, his tone enigmatic. "How do you intend to act?"

He continued, "And how can you be so certain that these reforms will bring only harm and no benefit?"

Gan Long was stunned. Zhao Zheng’s implication was clear. *Indeed, who said the reforms would necessarily harm their interests?*

Until now, the nobles had only heard of the reforms and thought of the fate of the aristocratic clans in the state of Wei. What if... just what if the Qin reforms actually worked in their favor?

Now that military power was entirely in the hands of Ying Quliang, they were like fish on a cutting board, extremely passive. To resist head-on would be unwise... perhaps it would be better to... observe the situation and wait?

Thinking this, Gan Long breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Master is absolutely right. It seems I, Gan Long, have not thought this through."