The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Time flies and another day has passed.

Qin Yi and his two companions packed up their belongings, whipped their horses, and headed north, finally arriving at Jinyang City, the capital of Taiyuan Commandery. They rested for two days in Handan City, which was only a day or two away from Yanmen Commandery.

Qin Yi mentally estimated the time. It had been around the end of September when he set out from Pei County. Heading north, he'd been delayed for a few days in Linzi, and it was now nearly mid-October. This speed was lightning fast for the only means of transportation at the time—horses. This was largely due to the Qin Straight Road and Qin Chi Road, which the First Emperor had built from Xianyang to stretch across the country. Like giant dragons, they snaked across the land of China.

In general, the construction of the Qin Straight Road and the Qin Chi Road by Qin Shihuang had a positive and far-reaching impact on the social and historical development of the time, strengthened centralization of power, promoted economic and cultural exchanges, and consolidated the unity and security of the country.

Qin Yi planned to rest here for one night. When he entered Jinyang City, he was greeted by the atmosphere of a northern town.

Jinyang City, an ancient town in the north, has tall and sturdy walls surrounding the city like a solid barrier. The streets within the city are narrow and winding, crisscrossing each other, with rows of houses arranged in an orderly manner on both sides.

The bazaar, located in the heart of town, was bustling with activity. Vendors displayed a dazzling array of goods in their stalls. The colorful fabrics of the Hu people fluttered in the breeze, and the handicrafts were exquisite and unique. The sounds of bargaining filled the air as people walked through the stalls.

There are shops on both sides of the street. The sound of hammering can be heard from the blacksmith shop, sawdust flies from the carpenter shop, and the fragrant restaurants and teahouses attract passers-by. Children play in the streets, and their laughter echoes in the air.

The layout of Jinyang City is rigorous and orderly, and the environment is lively and prosperous.

The three of them found an inn, had their meal, washed up briefly, and rested for the night.

The next morning, the three of them rode north along the Yellow River, arriving a day later in the northern part of Yanmen County. The further north they went, the sparser the population, the smaller and more scattered the towns. Across the vast expanse, desolation and silence intertwined like a web. A cold wind blew across the boundless grasslands, its chill piercing the lonely towns like fine needles.

Here, as I rode my horse, towns dotted the landscape like stars, each one unreachable. The houses were low and simple, like fortresses built of stone and mud. The streets were narrow, winding, and dusty. Occasionally, a pedestrian hurried by, their figure looking lonely and small in the cold wind.

Further north, a vast grassland undulates, its grass undulating in the wind like a withered ocean. In the distance, the mountains rise and fall, winding like a sleeping dragon. In the sky, clouds roll and unroll, and occasionally, wild geese flap their wings and soar, their mournful cries adding to the desolate and lonely atmosphere.

Such an environment is quiet and desolate, lacking the hustle and bustle of a bustling city, like a silent painting.

The Great Wall's outline gradually became clear. From a distance, the figures seemed densely packed, scurrying up and down like ants moving house. As I drew closer, I realized they were the laborers and corvée laborers constructing the wall. Autumn had already arrived in the north, yet most of the men toiled bareback, surrounded by soldiers stationed every three steps and every five steps, and overseers wielding whips. The laborers, carrying bricks on their backs, trudged up the mountain step by step.

The three of them arrived at the recruitment office, registered their information, and then had to go through a series of tests. After all, being stationed at the Northern Great Wall, they had to ensure the strength of the border troops.

The first level: weightlifting. 300 jin, 400 jin, 500 jin, 600 jin, 700 jin (the ratio of Qin jin to modern jin is roughly 3:1). The second level: horseback archery. The third level: martial arts combat.

Gradually, more soldiers gathered to watch. At the first level, Qin Yi and Ying Bu were evenly matched in strength. After this period of training, Qin Yi passed the level of 700 jin (approximately 100 kg), Ying Bu passed the level of 600 jin (approximately 100 kg), and Han Xin, with his weaker foundation, barely passed the level of 300 jin (approximately 100 kg).

The Qin people were known for their martial spirit, and the onlookers cheered. The commander guarding the pass was Meng Tian's deputy, Pang Bo, who had also been drawn in. He happened to see Qin Yi lift 700 jin (approximately 1,000 kg). He was astonished. He could only lift 500 jin (approximately 1,000 kg). He had only seen General Meng Tian lift 600 jin (approximately 1,000 kg), and he hadn't done 700 jin (approximately 1,000 kg) in recent years. He immediately decided to recruit Qin Yi Yingbu as his deputy commander.

The second stage, the three of them marched northward, their horsemanship already honed to perfection. As for archery, Qin Yi and Ying Bu were evenly matched, both scoring a "medium." Han Xin, on the other hand, narrowly missed the mark.

The third stage was a martial arts duel. Pang Bo signaled his younger brother Pang Qing to come on stage to test their skills. First up was Han Xin. After a dozen or so moves, Pang Qing was slightly ahead. Pang Qing tried to make a last-ditch effort, but was driven off the stage by Ying Bu in just ten moves. Unconvinced, Pang Qing tried to rush onto the stage, but was stopped by Pang Bo, who then took the stage himself.

When Qin Yi heard the soldiers shouting "General Pang," he was secretly delighted. It was truly a case of searching for something without any effort. It looked like this must be Pang Bo, Meng Tian's deputy general. He decided to give him some face and call it a draw.

Qin Yi and Pang Bo were on the stage, standing opposite each other, and when their eyes met, sparks seemed to fly.

Pang Bo attacked first, his figure as swift as a ghost, his fist whistling towards Qin Yi. Qin Yi dodged to the side and swung his palm at the same time, the palm force was like a wave, pressing towards Pang Bo like a tidal wave.

Pang Bo leaped back, avoiding Qin Yi's palm strike. A wooden sword appeared in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the dagger stabbed at Qin Yi's throat like a venomous snake. Qin Yi dodged the attack of the wooden sword and grabbed a wooden spear. With a powerful swing, the spear wrapped around Pang Bo's sword like a snake.

Pangbo pulled hard, trying to break free from the wooden spear, but Qin Yi was too strong and he couldn't break free at all. Qin Yi took the opportunity to step forward and the tip of the wooden spear in his hand attacked Pangbo like raindrops.

Pang Bo dodged left and right, but the wooden spear attacks became more and more intense, and he gradually became tired. Suddenly, he saw a flaw in Qin Yi, and he dodged the attack of the wooden spear, and at the same time, the wooden sword in his hand stabbed Qin Yi's chest like lightning.

Qin Yi was startled and quickly dodged to the side, but the wooden sword still cut a hole in his clothes on his chest, revealing the tiger talisman pendant hidden inside.

Pang Bo was startled. This tiger talisman pendant looked very familiar, as if he had seen the same one with the general. He did not stop, but immediately increased the speed of his attack, wanting to pursue the victory. However, Qin Yi did not retreat, and swung the wooden spear in his hand even more fiercely.

The atmosphere on the stage became tense, and the soldiers held their breath, watching the fierce battle nervously.

Finally, the two men exerted force at the same time, and the wooden spears and swords collided with each other. There was a crisp "crack" sound, and the wooden spears and swords broke into two pieces.

Qin Yi saluted and said, "General. Your martial arts are as powerful as the waves crashing against the shore, unstoppable!"

Pang Bo laughed loudly, "You did it on purpose, kid. Don't you think highly of my skills?" Then he said, "How about you and that guy become my deputy generals together?" As he said that, he pointed at Ying Bu.

Qin Yi hurriedly said, "How dare we disobey the general's order? However, since the three of us came here at the same time, we naturally have to share the joys and sorrows. Although Han Xin is not a strong warrior, he has the wisdom to plan and win battles thousands of miles away. I hope the general will approve it."

Pang Bo thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll do as you say. Pang Qing, take the three of them to their quarters, have them change their clothes, and explain their military duties." He thought to himself, "When the general comes over on his border patrol, I'll tell him about the tiger talisman pendant."

Qin Yi and the other two bowed and said, "Thank you, General."

The three of them followed Pang Qing to the base.