The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After sneaking into the city, Xiang Liang and his three companions began to ask around for Fan Zeng's residence. They weaved through the bustling crowds, asking passersby for the specific address, and following the directions, they arrived at a rather imposing mansion.

The mansion, with its serene and elegant surroundings, clearly belonged to a wealthy family. A pair of towering stone lions stood before the gate, and above it hung a gold-inlaid plaque inscribed with the words "Fan Mansion." The characters were vigorous and powerful, exuding an air of authority. Xiang Liang and the others exchanged a smile, secretly delighted: This must be Fan Zeng's home. They smoothed their hair, walked forward, and gently knocked on the door. Soon, the door opened a crack, and a man who resembled a servant poked his head out. He looked them up and down and asked, "Who are you looking for?" Xiang Liang quickly clasped his fists and bowed, saying, "We are from out of town. We have long heard of Mr. Fan's great name, and have come to visit. Could you please pass on the message?" The servant hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Wait a moment," closing the door.

After a while, they heard footsteps from inside, and then the door slowly opened. A middle-aged man with black and white hair and beard appeared in front of everyone. He glanced at Xiang Liang and others with a sharp gaze and said slowly, "You have come from afar, what do you want to see me for?" Xiang Liang stepped forward and said, "Brother Fan, it's me, Xiang Liang." He rubbed his face by the way. After all, he was dressed like a beggar, which could easily be misunderstood.

Fan Zeng looked at the man in front of him carefully, with a look of surprise on his face: "It's really Brother Xiang! Why do you look like this? Come, come, come in." After that, he personally stepped forward and grabbed Xiang Liang, welcoming him into the house, and ordered the servants around him: "Hurry up and prepare some clothes, hot water and delicious meals." The servants took the order and left, moving quickly and neatly.

After the four of them simply washed and changed their clothes, they walked out of the room. Xiang Liang immediately saw Fan Zeng standing there waiting for them.

Xiang Liang looked at Fan Zeng in front of him, smiled and said, "These are my nephews Xiang Yu and Xiang Zhuang, and my disciple Qin Yi..." As he spoke, he introduced the identities of his companions and the purpose of their visit one by one.

Fan Zeng listened quietly to Xiang Liang's introduction, his eyes slowly sweeping over the crowd. When his gaze fell on Qin Yi, he nodded slightly, indicating understanding. He secretly studied Qin Yi and saw that he looked calm, without the slightest hint of nervousness or restraint. He nodded silently inwardly.

After Xiang Liang finished his introduction, Fan Zeng smiled warmly and warmly invited them into the hall. He arranged seats for everyone to sit down. Then, the waiters quickly brought a sumptuous meal and fine wine and placed them on the table.

"Everyone has come a long way and must have worked hard. Please enjoy some food and wine first. Let's chat while we eat." Fan Zeng raised his glass and gestured to the crowd. Everyone responded, raised their glasses together, and began to enjoy this sumptuous banquet. In the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, everyone talked and laughed, exchanging insights and ideas with each other.

At the banquet, Xiang Yu restrained himself a lot and treated Fan Zeng with great respect.

Qin Yi thought to himself, "Fan Zeng, this comet-like figure, will surely stir up the world in the future and become the right-hand man of the Overlord of Western Chu. Our meeting today means that the foundation of the First Emperor's empire is beginning to loosen, and I should establish my own power as soon as possible. Perhaps, I can go north and use my biological brother's status and position, and then... And this tiger talisman pendant and bronze plaque on my body are the best proof of this, it seems I must keep them well."

During the banquet, Fan Zeng heard Xiang Liang's account of what had happened in the past few days, and he couldn't help but look up to Qin Yi.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Xiang Liang began to ask Fan Zeng about the current situation.

Fan Zeng stroked his beard and smiled, "The tyrannical Qin is now unjust. Sooner or later, the world will be in chaos, and the people will suffer terribly. The nobles of the six kingdoms are all lying dormant."

Xiang Yu interrupted, "Mr. Fan, in my opinion, if you want to achieve something, you must have great strength and extraordinary wisdom."

Fan Zeng's eyes flashed with admiration, and he nodded, "That's quite true. However, strength alone is not enough; we also need the support of the people."

Xiang Yu slammed the table and stood up, saying loudly: "I, Xiang Yu, will overthrow the tyrant and save the people from disaster!"

Fan Zeng smiled silently, thinking to himself: This boy is brave but lacks wisdom and strategy, and needs to be polished. Qin Yi, on the other hand, may seem calm, but in fact he is very scheming and will become a great man in the future.

Seeing this, Xiang Liang hurried to smooth things over, saying, "It is a great honor to meet Brother Fan today. How can we gain a firm foothold in this chaotic world?"

Fan Zeng thought for a moment and replied, "We should now secretly recruit talented individuals and build up our strength. At the same time, we should closely monitor the developments of all parties and wait for an opportunity to act."

Xiang Liang and the others nodded in agreement. By this time, Qin Yi had a plan in mind. He was even more determined to leave under the pretext of heading north to find his brother, and secretly develop his own power.