The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After discussion, it was decided to expand the search for the assassin to the entire Hengshan County, and to divide the troops into four groups.

Wang Ben was stationed in Dongyuan County, responsible for protecting the safety of the First Emperor; Li Ze, Meng Yi and Tu You led their soldiers to search in the south, north and east directions respectively; and the west direction was handed over to the Hengshan County Commandant.

All forces were mobilized, and Wang Ben deployed a tight defense in Dongyuan County to ensure Qin Shi Huang's safety. Li Ze, Meng Yi, and Tu You led the troops in a swift search, meticulously checking every village, forest, and road, leaving no trace.

The Hengshan Commandery commander led his troops westward, proceeding cautiously. However, several days passed without any trace of the assassins. Just as everyone was feeling anxious, news arrived from Li Ze that several of the assassins had been apprehended and were being tortured.

After hearing the news, Wang Ben and others were all cheered up and immediately took their men to where Li Ze was, hoping to get more information from these assassins.

At this time, Li Ze had tortured these assassins beyond recognition, but they still gritted their teeth and refused to reveal any useful information.

Wang Ben's face darkened as the sky before a storm, and he decided to conduct the interrogation himself. He strode into the cell, his icy gaze sweeping across the assassins like a sharp sword. Every assassin caught in his gaze trembled, feeling an overwhelming pressure.

"I'll give you one last chance. If you still don't tell the truth, you'll be miserable!" Wang Ben's voice was filled with threats and murderous intent, which made people shudder.

The assassins trembled all over and raised their heads with difficulty, looking at Wang Ben with fear in their eyes.

"Tell me, where is Zhang Liang, and who is the mastermind behind you?" Wang Ben's voice was as cold and ruthless as ice, as if it could freeze a person's soul.

After a moment's silence, one of the assassins trembled slightly, finally unable to bear the pressure, and said, "Sir, I...I said...Zhang Liang went south, and we went our separate ways to avoid the Qin army's search." After saying that, the assassin slowly lowered his head, as if he had lost all his strength.

Wang Ben's eyes lit up, like a hunter who had spotted his prey, and he continued to ask, "Are there any other accomplices?"

Another assassin replied, "Sir, three of them went east, and two went west."

Wang Ben turned and walked out of the cell, his face so gloomy it looked like water could drip out. He said in a deep voice, "We only know that Zhang Liang fled south, and the other five assassins headed west and east. We must send more men to pursue them with all our might."

Meng Yi nodded and said seriously, "Besides that, we must quickly identify the mastermind behind this. This assassination was clearly carefully planned. If we can't find the mastermind, your majesty's safety will be seriously threatened."

"Yes." Wang Ben nodded in agreement. His gaze was like a burning torch, filled with determination and majesty. "Tu You, you will lead a group of troops to continue pursuing Zhang Liang southward. No matter what happens, you must not let your guard down. If you have any news about Zhang Liang, report it to me immediately. Meng Yi and Li Ze, you two will each lead an army and search the east and west respectively. Don't miss any corner and make sure to capture all of these assassins!"

"Yes, sir!" The generals responded in unison, and then they quickly turned around and left.

Wang Ben stood quietly, gazing at their departing figures, silently praying that the operation would be successfully completed, the case solved swiftly, and the safety of the First Emperor ensured. He knew the importance of this mission; the slightest mistake could lead to irreversible consequences.

A day later, news came from various places that the five assassins had been arrested and brought to justice. They were being held in strict custody, awaiting further interrogation.

However, what was worrying was that Zhang Liang was the only one missing, as if he had vanished into thin air. This news made Wang Ben's heart tighten, as he knew that Zhang Liang's escape meant that the potential threat still existed.

After Wang Ben reported this to the First Emperor, he frowned and said with displeasure, "This Zhang Liang is really cunning!"

Wang Ben stood respectfully before the First Emperor, his face somewhat heavy as he said, "Your Majesty, Zhang Liang is, after all, a descendant of the Korean nobility and has extensive connections in the country. Now that he has fled, I'm afraid he will cause us considerable trouble."

The First Emperor frowned, pondered for a moment, and then issued an order: "Issue a nationwide arrest warrant for Zhang Liang. As for the other assassins, they will be sentenced to being torn apart by five horses, and the whole country will be notified."

Wang Ben took the order and left, his steps heavy. A cold look flashed across the Emperor's eyes, and he thought to himself, "Zhang Liang, you can't escape."

However, Zhang Liang seemed to have vanished without a trace, and despite a massive manhunt that lasted several days, no trace of him was found.

Meng Yi looked at Wang Ben and said with a bow, "General, I'm afraid Zhang Liang has disguised himself, hidden his identity, and fled far away." He frowned, a look of worry on his face.

Meng Yi pondered inwardly, "According to historical records, after Zhang Liang's failed assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang, he chose to hide his identity and evade capture. How easy would it be to find him now?"

Meng Yi knew Zhang Liang was a man of great resourcefulness, and he would certainly do everything in his power to conceal his identity and whereabouts. Furthermore, while the Qin State was powerful at the time, it was also vast and populous. Finding a single individual amidst such a vast sea of ​​people was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Thinking of this, Meng Yi couldn't help but feel helpless.

Wang Ben was silent for a moment, frowning, as if he were thinking about something. He finally spoke, "Well, it seems that now is not the right time to pursue them. I just hope that Yu Hai's arrest warrant can find their whereabouts." His tone revealed a hint of helplessness and worry.

After all, once a fugitive escapes, it becomes very difficult to recapture them. While a warrant can expand the search area, it does not guarantee that the fugitive's whereabouts will be found.

Li Ze sighed and said softly, "General, I'm worried that they will hide among the people or collude with other anti-Qin forces to pose a threat to Your Majesty."

Wang Ben nodded and said solemnly, "I share the same concerns. However, our forces are limited and time is running out, so we can't conduct an in-depth search of every location. We can only hope that the arrest warrant will be effective."

Tu You frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "General, perhaps we can report this to His Majesty and strengthen intelligence gathering in various places to keep abreast of their movements. At the same time, we must also strengthen defenses on the border to prevent them from escaping."

Wang Ben agreed: "That's a good idea. We can use local officials and spies from all over the country and let them provide information."

Wang Ben patted Li Ze, Meng Yi and the others on the shoulders and said with a firm look in his eyes, "The safety of your Majesty and the world of Great Qin depends entirely on us. You must not take it lightly."

Li Ze and his men said in unison: "General, rest assured. We swear to defend His Majesty and protect the Great Qin until our death."

At this time, they were in the military camp, and the atmosphere around them was solemn and serious.

Wang Ben looked at the people in front of him seriously, his eyes revealing his expectations for them.

Li Ze stepped forward and said, "General, your Majesty's safety is our mission. We will do our utmost to prevent anyone from threatening your Majesty's safety."

Tu You also said immediately: "Your Majesty's safety depends on us. We are willing to defend your dignity with our lives."

Wang Ben nodded, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

"Good!" Wang Ben said, "We must remain vigilant at all times and not miss any possible threats. Your Majesty's safety is our top priority."

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes, sir!"

Their voices echoed in the barracks.

Wang Ben patted their shoulders again, then turned and left.