The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

That night, as night fell, the lights came on.

The tiny star lights in Xianyang City gradually converged into a dazzling sea of ​​lights from thousands of homes, as if telling the story of recovery and prosperity after the war.

In a corner of Xianyang City, there is a mansion standing quietly.

Li Ze was sitting in his study, his brows furrowed as he pondered, "I've heard Xiang Yu is incredibly brave and unrivaled, but he's far away in Zhao, out of reach. And Xiang Liang is currently alone in Xianyang. If we were to eliminate him now, wouldn't that be a godsend?"

However, Li Ze changed his mind and felt that this was inappropriate.

He was well aware of the close relationship between Meng Yi and the Xiang brothers, and that the vast majority of the troops near Xianyang City were now firmly controlled by the Meng brothers. If he failed to succeed in one fell swoop, the consequences would be disastrous.

Just as Li Ze was agonizing over how to avenge the murder of his father by the two Xiang brothers, a personal guard suddenly reported from outside the door: "Major General, there's a man outside the mansion who claims to be your old friend."

"Oh?" Li Ze was startled when he heard that, and couldn't help but wonder in his heart: "Old friend? I don't have many old acquaintances in Xianyang City."

After a slight hesitation, Li Ze decided to meet this unexpected guest, so he said to his guards, "Please let him in."

A moment later, a middle-aged man in Confucian robes entered the study, led by his personal guards.

Li Ze carefully looked at the middle-aged man in front of him. He was smiling and his eyes were deep and sharp, as if he could see through people's hearts.

The middle-aged man just stared at Li Ze calmly and intently, with a barely perceptible light flashing in his eyes.

Li Ze stared at the person in front of him. He felt that his outline looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him.

So, Li Ze asked with a puzzled look on his face, "Sir, you just said you are an old friend of mine, but I have no impression of you. I wonder who you are?"

The middle-aged man raised his lips slightly, revealing a faint smile, and said, "Don't worry, General. Let me tell you slowly."

After that, he paused for a moment, then continued, "General, could you please sit down first so we can discuss this in detail?"

Seeing this, Li Ze hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly to show his agreement.

He extended his hand and gestured for the middle-aged man to take a seat.

The middle-aged man walked slowly to the chair and sat down. He then straightened his sleeves before speaking again, "I've long heard that the general is a man of integrity and a true hero! Back then, if the general hadn't risked his life to protect Prince Ziying and the Crown Princess, and hadn't traveled thousands of miles to successfully deliver the late emperor's edict to the Crown Prince, the Qin Empire would have long since fallen apart and ceased to exist. The general's actions have truly saved the country!"

After hearing these words, Li Ze's heart tightened, his brows slightly furrowed, and a hint of vigilance flashed in his eyes.

He did not respond to the middle-aged man's words immediately. Instead, after a moment of silence, he asked directly, "Sir, what exactly do you mean by this? I hope you can explain it clearly!"

The middle-aged man seemed to have anticipated this. He continued smiling and said calmly, "Don't worry, General. To be honest, I came here to discuss a matter with you. You wish to avenge the murder of your father by the Xiang family, and I can lend a hand."

Li Ze's eyes became sharper. He stared at the middle-aged man and asked, "Sir, why do you want to help me? What are the conditions?"

The middle-aged man bowed and said, "Let's be frank. My name is Zhang Liang, and I have long admired your reputation. With Xiang Liang in Xianyang, you have concerns because of the Meng brothers. I have a plan that will keep them from worrying about this."

Li Ze's heart was moved, but he said, "Zhang Liang? It was you who assassinated the late emperor. Aren't you afraid that I will hand you over to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

Zhang Liang chuckled upon hearing this and said, "Since I dare to come here, I believe that the general will never do that." There was a hint of confidence in his smile, as if he was completely sure of his judgment.

Li Ze examined Zhang Liang and asked, "Why are you helping me?"

Li Ze stared at Zhang Liang, trying to find a clue from his expression.

Zhang Liang said calmly, "Now that the late emperor has passed away, the destruction of the six kingdoms is inevitable. Moreover, Wang Jian and Wang Ben, the father and son who destroyed my Han Kingdom, are already dead. Now, I only have one request." His tone was calm, without the slightest fear.

Li Ze gradually let down his guard and asked, "What is the request?"

There was a hint of curiosity in Li Ze's voice, wanting to know what Zhang Liang's purpose was.

Zhang Liang said, "I will help you kill Xiang Liang, and you will help me live an upright life."

Li Ze's heart was moved when he heard Zhang Liang's words. He thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, I promise you."

He knew that the person in front of him was no simple person, and his purpose was probably not just to help him get revenge.

But the hatred in his heart prevented him from giving up this opportunity easily.

Li Ze was silent for a moment, then said, "What you said is not without reason. But how can I believe you?"

Zhang Liang turned around and looked at Li Ze, a hint of sincerity flashing in his eyes. "General, I can tell you my plan in full and let you decide. If you think it's feasible, we can work together later."

Li Ze looked at Zhang Liang, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

He knew it was a risky decision, but he was willing to give it a try in order to avenge his father's murder.

Li Ze took a deep breath and said, "Oh, then General, I want to hear what your plan is."

Zhang Liang smiled slightly, leaned close to Li Ze and whispered, "Chunyu Yue and other Confucian scholars have been advocating for the feudal system, but they are not on good terms with the military group headed by the Meng brothers, especially Meng Yi. General, you can use these Confucian scholars to deal with the Meng brothers. And secretly spread the news that the Meng brothers want to use the crown prince's ascension to suppress Confucian scholars and implement the county system to the end."

If this happens, those Confucian scholars will surely rise up and attack him. The Meng brothers will be busy dealing with them and naturally have no time to care about Xiang Liang's affairs. After the crown prince ascends the throne and Xiang Liang returns to Chu, we can take this opportunity to take action against Xiang Liang."

After hearing this, Li Ze's eyes lit up, and he thought this plan was feasible. But he still asked cautiously: "What should we do if the Meng brothers react and investigate this matter?"

Zhang Liang smiled and said, "Don't worry, General. We are acting in secret and can lead some clues to other forces. Even if they suspect something, they won't be able to find any solid evidence right away."

A gleam flashed in Li Ze's eyes. "If this plan succeeds, Xiang Liang will be unable to escape. But after it's done, do you really only want to live an upright life?"

Zhang Liang bowed and said, "Don't worry, General. Everything I said is true."

Li Ze thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I'll follow your plan. If you can successfully avenge my father's murder, this general will not break his promise."

So, Li Ze and Zhang Liang began to plan the subsequent actions in detail, and a conspiracy against Xiang Liang quietly unfolded.

……

The scholar originally in Hu Hai's palace was Zhang Liang.

His original intention was to encourage Hu Hai to kill his brother and usurp the throne, thereby subverting the Qin Dynasty.

But unexpectedly, Fusu did not die. He fled to Jiuyuan and went south to Xianyang with the support of Meng Tian. Moreover, since Hu Hai ascended the throne, he no longer cared about him.

At this time, Zhang Liang had no choice but to lie dormant in secret, and through Li Ze, Chunyu Yue and others, he discovered the potential contradictions...