Chapter 162 - Ying Zheng's Lethal Intent, No Cost Too Great

Qin Imperial Palace.

"Xue Nu and the Mohist School..."

"How amusing. An internal conflict."

"Sir, have you found out who's behind the remnants of the Six Kingdoms?"

Looking at the intelligence report he had just received, Ying Zheng sneered.

"According to Black Ice Platform spies, it's Monarch Changping, who was thought to be dead for many years."

"Monarch Changping... I truly misjudged you. I never imagined your ambition ran this deep."

"You've been hiding in the shadows all these years. No doubt, you've constantly been working against the Qin Dynasty."

"Sir, what exactly have you uncovered?"

This man had once shaken the entire Qin Dynasty to its core.

Just mentioning him filled Ying Zheng with hatred.

His killing intent surged.

He was still alive?

There wasn't a single citizen of the Qin Dynasty who didn't know the name of Monarch Changping.

His merits were undeniable.

Back when Ying Zheng first ascended the throne, it was during the chaos of Lao Ai's rebellion.

It was Monarch Changping who, through a brilliant strategy, quelled the rebellion.

He even helped Ying Zheng successfully complete the crown ceremony and take control of the Qin Dynasty.

Later, he helped eliminate Lu Buwei's force, rendering great service.

Ying Zheng trusted him deeply.

He was even appointed Prime Minister, second only to Ying Zheng himself in power.

Everyone believed that he and Ying Zheng were of one heart and mind.

Even Ying Zheng himself had been full of confidence, convinced that Monarch Changping would loyally support him.

But unexpectedly, when he was sent to Chu Kingdom to pacify the people on Ying Zheng's orders, he rebelled.

He even orchestrated the downfall of two hundred thousand Qin Dynasty troops.

He then proclaimed himself King of Chu Kingdom and declared war on the Qin Dynasty.

At that time, the loss to the Qin Dynasty was unimaginable.

It was one of the rare major political and strategic failures of Ying Zheng's reign.

In fury, Ying Zheng dispatched Wang Jian with six hundred thousand troops to crush him.

Eventually, Monarch Changping was killed during that campaign.

But now, the man had apparently returned from the dead.

It seemed that the one who died back then was only a decoy.

Ying Zheng immediately felt he had been deceived once more.

To be played again and again by the same man filled him with seething rage.

No one could match his hatred toward Monarch Changping.

"What arrangements has Monarch Changping made behind the scenes?"

Ying Zheng asked in a sharp voice.

The middle-aged scholar looked at the furious Ying Zheng and, unusually, did not attempt to calm him.

Instead, after a moment of thought, he replied calmly.

"Your Majesty, over the years, I have reinvestigated the events of the past and discovered many suspicious details."

"Oh? Sir, what did you find?"

"Your Majesty, Monarch Changping's intention to rebel did not begin after his arrival in Chu Kingdom. He had already nurtured such ambitions while still in the Qin Dynasty."

"During his time in high office, he secretly orchestrated many hidden conspiracies."

"He even plotted to assassinate Your Majesty."

"The attempt on Your Majesty's life by Jing Ke, publicly attributed to the Crown Prince of Yan Kingdom, has now been traced through various clues. All signs point to Monarch Changping as the true mastermind."

Ying Zheng's expression darkened again at these words.

If Monarch Changping had been plotting from the start, did that mean Ying Zheng had been kept in the dark all along?

This matter had to be fully uncovered.

"Sir, give me the full details."

"Your Majesty, back when Crown Prince Dan of Yan Kingdom was a hostage in Xianyang, he already harbored thoughts of rebellion. Monarch Changping secretly recruited him and helped him escape from Xianyang."

"What? Monarch Changping helped him escape too?"

"Outrageous. What was the Black Ice Platform doing at the time? How could they miss such a vital piece of information?"

Ying Zheng was furious.

He had kept his greatest enemy close and even entrusted him with immense power. What a monumental mistake.

If not for his natural caution, he might have already been killed by this traitor.

"What else?"

"At that time, General Fan Yuqi was ordered to attack Zhao. But it was Monarch Changping, along with the Agricultural School's Tian Guang, who conspired behind the scenes, causing the campaign to fail."

"The Qin Dynasty's military suffered devastating losses."

"Afterward, Fan Yuqi was placed under a bounty by Your Majesty."

"But the truth is, that was exactly what Monarch Changping wanted."

"Fan Yuqi was secretly rescued and protected by Tian Guang."

So that was the truth.

Fan Yuqi's defection, it was all Monarch Changping doing.

And with Fan Yuqi's head, Jing Ke was able to attempt the assassination.

A masterfully layered scheme.

Each step is interconnected. One mistake and Ying Zheng would have been killed.

Ying Zheng's face turned even darker.

"Is there more?"

"Many of the military merits credited to Monarch Changping were actually orchestrated by him to build influence at court, paving the way for rebellion."

"He secretly ordered his men to incite the rebellion in Xinzheng of the Han Dynasty. Then he volunteered to suppress it."

"During that time, he secretly formed alliances with remnants of the Six Kingdoms."

"What else?" Ying Zheng gritted his teeth.

"Your Majesty's decision to send him to Chu Kingdom to pacify the people was also subtly influenced by him."

"He even calculated Your Majesty's reaction."

"Unfortunately for him, he misjudged the power of the Qin Dynasty, which led to Chu Kingdom's eventual downfall."

"He didn't stop at the Imperial Court. He also laid extensive plans within the Hundred Schools of Thought in the Qin Dynasty."

"Little Sage Manor of Confucian School, the Human Sect of Dao School, the Agricultural School, the Mohist School, even the Yin Yang School, he made connections with them all."

"Even now, they remain in secret contact."

"Your Majesty, we must proceed with the utmost caution."

"His schemes far surpass our expectations."

"There are still many officials within the court who may be under his control."

The middle-aged scholar spoke with rare gravity.

"Investigate thoroughly. Continue the search!"

"No matter the cost, this man must be eliminated."

"Send word to Bai Qi immediately. I want to see Monarch Changping's head."

"Hmph. So what if he spent years scheming in the shadows?"

"In the face of my army and absolute power, all plots and conspiracies are nothing but jokes."

"A rat like him dares to challenge me?"

Ying Zheng's hatred for Monarch Changping had reached the bone.

"Your Majesty, we must eliminate the remnants of the Six Kingdoms quickly. I have a feeling that if Monarch Changping is not caught soon, the Qin Dynasty will face even greater danger."

"The resistance from the Six Kingdoms has been fierce, but not to the extent it should be."

"Judging by Monarch Changping's abilities, the current unrest should be at least ten times worse."

"The rebel forces and uprisings should be far more numerous and far stronger."

Over the years, among all the enemies the scholar had studied, Monarch Changping stood out as a formidable threat.

He couldn't be compared to other kings of foreign kingdoms, but he still required significant effort and strategy to deal with.

One misstep could lead to massive loss.

"You make a good point. Whether it's true or not, we must get to the bottom of it."

"Put aside the matter of Xue Nu and the Mohist School for now."

"Monarch Changping, this traitor, must be eliminated as our top priority."

Compared to Monarch Changping, Xue Nu was insignificant.

Even with her impressive Heavenly Human-Grade Cultivation Technique, Ying Zheng didn't consider her worth his concern.

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List of Characters:

Qin's Moon ( 秦时明月 )

・Ying Zheng ( 嬴政 ) — Emperor of Qin Dynasty

A Step Into The Past ( 寻秦记 )

・Shang Yang ( 商鞅 ) – Prime Minister of Qin Dynasty