Qin Dynasty: Starting with clinging to Zhao Ji's thigh

Chapter 42: I ceded territory not out of fear of Qin, but out of benevolence!

The Royal Palace of Zhao.

The main hall was completely silent.

"This is impossible!"

King Yan of Zhao's angry voice echoed in the palace.

Just now, Gan Luo, as the deputy envoy, had presented Qin's demands to the King of Zhao on behalf of Lord Changxin.

Not only did they have to cede dozens of cities near Qin, but they also demanded that the former crown prince, Zhao Jia, go to Qin as a hostage.

This was undoubtedly a blatant humiliation for the State of Zhao!

King Yan of Zhao's anger was a perfectly normal reaction.

Strangely, there weren't many courtiers in the hall who also showed anger on their faces.

How could such a nation not perish?

Ying Jing remained indifferent, showing no concern whatsoever for the anger displayed by King Yan of Zhao.

Beside him was Yuki-hime, who had been specially brought to the palace.

Today is the best opportunity for Yuki to take revenge.

Inside the hall, Zhao Jia's face was somewhat pale, and when he saw Xue Ji, his body trembled almost uncontrollably.

After the fire at Feixue Pavilion that day, he already knew that Xueji had been rescued by Changxin Jun.

However, it was no longer possible to silence them.

As an important envoy of the Qin state, Ying Jing's presence at the post station was so heavily guarded that any mishap would reignite the war between Qin and Zhao. The security of the post station where he resided was no less stringent than that of the Zhao royal palace.

"Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry? Let's hear the Qin envoy's reasons first."

King Zhao truly doted on the Queen Consort; she was even present on such an important occasion.

Upon seeing the King of Zhao's anger, she immediately stepped forward to appease him.

It must be said that with her soft-spoken and understanding manner, it's no wonder that the King of Zhao favored her so much.

“Lord Changxin, there must be a proper reason for making such an absurd condition.”

He then relayed the message.

Ying Jing remained calm and took only one step forward.

"Your humble servant has learned that the states of Zhao and Yan are now at odds and have been at war for a long time. Your esteemed General Li Mu is exceptionally brave and invincible in every battle."

Ying Jing praised Li Mu profusely, but King Zhao's expression did not improve; instead, it became even more unpleasant.

Li Mu was indeed very capable, but overly capable generals are always feared by those in power.

Especially in the current state of Zhao, only Li Mu is a capable leader, and no one can restrain him.

If it weren't for the current war that necessitates the use of Li Mu, King Zhao would have considered stripping him of his military power.

However, some officials in the court had obvious joy on their faces, and many people admired Li Mu.

It was truly a blessing for the State of Zhao to have such a general after Lian Po.

"Knowing that General Li Mu is so brave, how dare the Qin envoy make such an unreasonable request? Does he think that the Zhao state is afraid to fight?"

King Yan of Zhao was quite imposing at this moment, sitting high on his throne, exuding majesty.

Unfortunately, he seemed to lack strength when he spoke.

I don't know if it was because of physical weakness, or because I knew that what I was saying lacked confidence.

"Your Majesty is mistaken. General Li Mu is indeed strong, but he is only one person. How can he fight against Qin while fighting against Yan?"

"The same applies to the State of Zhao. May I ask Your Majesty, with the current strength of the State of Zhao, is it possible to defeat the army of the State of Qin while fighting against the State of Yan?"

Ying Jing's assertive attitude is a testament to the advantage of having a powerful nation behind him.

The King of Zhao must take his words seriously.

"No."

King Zhao wanted to say he could, but he couldn't fool himself.

"Now, General Huan Yi of Qin has amassed 100,000 troops and is already on the border between Qin and Zhao. If Your Majesty does not agree to our conditions today, and the Qin army attacks, does Your Majesty have enough troops and suitable generals to confidently withstand the Qin attack?"

"When the time comes and the enemy is at the gates, Your Majesty should still agree to the conditions proposed today. Why drag the people into war just to save face for Your Majesty?"

Ying Jing pressed closer and closer.

"This……"

King Yan of Zhao hesitated.

It wasn't that Ying Jing was particularly eloquent; he was simply genuinely afraid of the Qin state.

In order to counter the Qin state, the six states formed alliances many times, but each time their coalition against Qin ended in failure.

The six states of Shandong all referred to Qin as the "Qin of tigers and wolves."

This is not a compliment, but it is enough to demonstrate the power of the Qin state.

This reputation was earned by successive generations of Qin rulers.

"I have also heard that Prince Dan of Yan, who accompanied our delegation to Zhao, has been captured by Your Majesty's men. I hope Your Majesty can show your benevolence and send Prince Dan back to Yan, so that the war can be stopped and the people on the border of our two countries can be spared the suffering of war."

It's not appropriate to be too direct about Yan Dan's point.

Want face.

However, King Yan of Zhao understood the meaning behind it.

He could use Yan Dan as leverage, along with the pressure from Li Mu, to gain greater benefits from the Yan state. Ceding a portion of the cities to the Qin state would be insignificant.

Self-interest is the most crucial thing.

This time, King Yan of Zhao was genuinely tempted.

In any case, the losses suffered from Qin can be recovered from Yan.

But if he agrees so easily, wouldn't people think he's too weak and afraid of Qin?

Mencius said: "The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important. If Your Majesty agrees to cede land and return Yan Dan to Zhao, thus sparing Zhao from war, such a benevolent ruler will surely be loved by countless people."

Seeing that King Zhao Yan's attitude had changed, Ying Jing continued to speak, striking while the iron was hot.

This time, he gave King Yan of Zhao a plausible excuse.

Your Majesty agrees to these outrageous conditions not out of fear of Qin, but simply to spare the people from the ravages of war.

This is an expression of benevolence, the kind of benevolent ruler Mencius spoke of.

"Your Majesty, please prioritize the people's well-being and show them benevolence. Then the people of the world will love Your Majesty again!"

Guo, the philanthropist, is also very good at seizing opportunities.

At this crucial moment, he stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Jing Dashan.

Guo Dashan's influence in the Zhao court was indeed considerable.

As soon as he spoke, many other officials stepped forward to echo his sentiments.

"Your Majesty, please prioritize the people's well-being and show them benevolence. Then the people of the world will love Your Majesty again!"

Even the Queen Consort added a timely remark to King Zhao's ear: "Your Majesty is considering the safety of the people. I believe that when the people learn of this, they will agree with your decision and even more people will love and respect you."

Ok!

The ministers and the queen both agreed.

Seeing this, King Yan of Zhao felt he could agree.

For the sake of the people of Zhao, he wanted to be a benevolent ruler.

The thought of being praised by countless people and Confucian scholars made King Yan of Zhao feel a little excited.

"The Qin envoy's suggestion is not without merit. I should heed the words of the sage, practice benevolence and love for the people, and ensure that they have no worries."

"The debate we have today should be known throughout the seven kingdoms and the whole world. My decision to cede territory was not out of fear of Qin, but out of benevolence."

On the throne, King Yan of Zhao had completely convinced himself.

He stood tall and proud, exuding righteousness.