klisemfg Chapter 594 Wei's "Loyal Minister"
Chapter 594 Wei's "Loyal Minister"
On the 22nd day of the first lunar month, thirty li outside Daliang City.
Qin patrols are clearing away the remnants of the battlefield. Although Wei has surrendered, small groups of defeated soldiers are still roaming the countryside and need to be wiped out.
Team leader Wang Hu was a veteran in his thirties with a scar on his face that ran from his brow bone to his chin, a mark left from the campaign against Zhao. He led ten soldiers, searching along a secluded path.
"Boss, this place is the middle of nowhere, what kind of deserters could there be?" the young soldier complained.
Wang Hu glared at him: "Stop talking nonsense! General Han Xin has ordered that there be no organized Wei troops within a radius of fifty li. Do you think that in the eight hundred years of Wei's history, there haven't been many loyal ministers?"
Just then, a rustling sound came from the woods ahead.
"Be on guard!" Wang Hu shouted in a low voice.
The soldiers immediately dispersed, nocked their crossbows, and pointed their spears. But after a while, what emerged from the woods was not a soldier, but a ragged old farmer.
Upon seeing the Qin army, the old farmer knelt down in terror: "Sir, spare my life! Sir, spare my life! I am a villager from nearby, not a Wei soldier!"
Wang Hu stepped forward to examine him. The old farmer was about fifty years old, sallow-faced and thin, with calloused hands; he certainly didn't look like a soldier. But he was carrying a tattered bundle on his back, bulging with weight.
"What's in the bundle?" Wang Hu asked.
"It's just... some dry food and a few tattered clothes." The old farmer's eyes flickered.
Wang Hu gave a signal, and two soldiers stepped forward to search the bundle. Sure enough, besides the dry rations and clothing, there was a small bamboo tube sealed tightly with wax.
"What is this?" Wang Hu picked up the bamboo tube.
The old farmer's face was deathly pale, and his lips trembled: "This...this is something I found, I don't know..."
Wang Hu didn't waste any words with him and directly opened the bamboo tube. Inside was a scroll of silk. Upon unfolding it, he saw that the handwriting was messy and there were dark red bloodstains in some places.
"Your subject Yan Ju, weeping blood, kowtows to the King of Wei: The King of Wei is foolish and incompetent, surrendering to the tyrannical Qin. He is ashamed before his ancestors and disgraced before the world. Yet, in the eight hundred years of Wei's history, have there been no loyal ministers? I have already rallied my old troops and hidden them in the wilderness. When the Qin army is off guard, I will raise the banner of righteousness. I earnestly request the King of Yan and the King of Qi to send reinforcements immediately to jointly strike down the tyrannical Qin and restore the state of Wei..."
Wang Hu's expression grew increasingly grave as he looked at the document.
Yan Ju, a general of the Wei Kingdom, disappeared before the city fell. It turns out he didn't flee; he went to organize resistance.
"Where should this letter be sent?" Wang Hu asked coldly.
The old farmer collapsed to the ground: "I...I don't know. Someone gave me a string of cash and told me to deliver the letter to Liuzhuang, fifty li to the east, and give it to a man named Old Xu..."
"Liuzhuang?" Wang Hu frowned. "Take them away! Back to camp!"
January 26th, Xianyang.
Inside the Zhangtai Palace, King Ying Zheng of Qin threw the blood-stained letter onto the table, his face ashen.
"What a fine Yan Ju! What a loyal minister!" The King of Qin's voice was as cold as ice. "He survived the fall of the city and hid in the wilderness, yet he still wants to contact Yan and Qi to restore the State of Wei?"
Senior officials such as Feng Quji and Meng Tian stood with their heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound.
Ying Wuyou was also present. Looking at the blood-written letter, she sighed inwardly. History always has its inertia; there will always be those who refuse to accept defeat and struggle to the very end. But what meaning does such a struggle hold, other than adding to the casualties?
“Father, please calm down.” Ying Wuyou stepped forward. “Yan Ju is just a military man; he can’t cause any real trouble. The most urgent task is to eliminate the hidden dangers in Wei and prevent them from resurfacing.”
The King of Qin looked at his daughter: "What are your thoughts, Jia Yang?"
Ying Wuyou was prepared: "Yan Juneng can hide troops in the wild simply because he relies on the support of the old nobles. Although the Wei Kingdom has fallen, the power of the local nobles still exists. They have plenty of money and grain, and many tenant farmers. It is easy for them to hide a few hundred private soldiers."
She paused, then continued, "Therefore, we cannot just arrest Yan Ju alone; we must uproot him. All nobles connected with Yan Ju, and all forces that might support the restoration, must be eliminated."
"How should we clean up this mess?" Feng Quji asked. "We can't just kill them all, can we? The Wei region has just been pacified, and excessive killing might alienate the people."
Ying Wuyou nodded: "What Prime Minister Feng said is absolutely right. Therefore, I suggest that we relocate these old nobles from their homeland and cut off their roots."
Where to move to?
"Baka Island".
A murmur rippled through the hall. Baga Island was a large island beyond the East China Sea, discovered by Xu Fu three years prior. The King of Qin sent General Li Xin to occupy it. The island had a warm climate and gold and sulfur mines, but it was far from the Central Plains and the environment was harsh.
Ying Wuyou explained, “We will relocate the former nobles of Wei to Baga Island for three years to work in the mines. Those who perform well will be allowed to return to the Central Plains and be granted land and houses to live in peace; those who perform poorly will have their exile extended. In this way, we will not only eliminate the hidden dangers, but also give them a chance to reform themselves.”
Wei Zhuang pondered for a moment and said, "Princess, your plan is brilliant. But how do we determine which nobles should be exiled? We can't exile them all, can we?"
“Of course, there must be evidence,” Ying Wuyou said. “Yan Ju’s blood letter is the starting point. We can use this as a pretext to launch an investigation in Wei. Anyone who has corresponded with Yan Ju, anyone who has funded the resistance, anyone who has spread anti-Qin rhetoric… will all be exiled.”
She looked at the King of Qin: "Father, this matter must be handled quickly. We must eliminate all destabilizing factors before the people of Wei become unsettled."
The King of Qin pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Granted. Issue an edict: All former nobles in Wei who participated in the rebellion shall be relocated to Baga Island! They shall work in the mines for three years, and those who perform exceptionally well may return to the Central Plains!"
He paused, then added, "Also, a reward of a thousand gold pieces is offered for the capture of Yan Ju. Dead or alive, no matter what!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" the ministers exclaimed in unison.
This imperial decree quickly spread throughout the Wei region.
The effect is immediate.
Many of the old nobles who had been eager to rebel immediately fell silent upon hearing the news of the "exile to Baga Island." Three years of mining on a remote overseas island, though arduous, would at least guarantee survival. Continuing to resist would mean the extermination of their entire families.
Weighing the pros and cons, most people chose to give in.
But there are exceptions.
On the fourth day of the second lunar month, fifty li outside Daliang City, in a secluded valley.
Yan Ju stood before the cave, looking at the more than three hundred former subordinates before him. These were all veterans of the Wei army who, after the city fell, refused to surrender and fled here with him.
"General, the King of Qin's decree has spread far and wide," the lieutenant whispered. "It says that all the nobles who participated in the resistance are to be exiled to some... Baka Island."
Yan Ju sneered: "Baka Island? Never even heard of it. It must be some desolate, untamed land overseas; going there is a sure way to die."
"So what do we do now? Many nobles who originally promised to support us have now gone back on their word."
Yan Ju remained silent. He hadn't expected the King of Qin to react so quickly and with such ruthlessness. Exile overseas was far worse than death—death at least left him with the reputation of a loyal subject, while exile meant dying in obscurity.
“How many people are still on our side?” he asked.
"Less than ten. And...and they demanded that the general present a feasible plan, or else..."
"Or should we surrender?" Yan Ju finished speaking for him.
The lieutenant lowered his head.