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

The living room of Lord Changxin's residence.

"Your Majesty, Li Si, who issued the recruitment order, has arrived."

"I have already tested him, and he is indeed very talented and may be able to meet Your Majesty's requirements."

Zhao Gao bowed respectfully, his movements meticulous, his dead fish eyes filled with obsequiousness.

Joining Changxin-jun's ranks back then was definitely the right decision!

He never imagined that he, a mere eunuch, would one day become a prefectural commandant, managing the security of a prefecture.

Under Zhao Gao's guidance, Li Si finally met Changxin Jun, whom he had always longed to see.

He glanced around at every detail, pondering the likes and dislikes of Lord Changxin.

Strange chairs with backrests that Li Si had never seen before were placed around the room.

A simple charcoal drawing hangs on the clean white wall, and the light shining through the window makes the tiger on it look lifelike.

Some of these things were mentioned in the Hanoi newspapers that guided some merchants to Linzi, but the feeling of actually seeing them with one's own eyes was completely different.

"Ah."

At the head of the table, Lord Changxin sat quietly, sipping tea, and merely gave a lukewarm hum in response to Zhao Gao's words.

Dressed in purple, with a handsome face and unfathomable eyes, he exuded an aura of profound composure as he sat there quietly.

“Li Si, a Confucian scholar, pays his respects to Lord Changxin.”

Li Si took a deep breath and then bowed deeply.

He knew perfectly well that whether he could achieve his wish depended on whether he could pass the test in front of Lord Changxin today.

He wore a scholar's robe, had a fair complexion, and was clean-shaven.

His brows radiated confidence, and his eyes seemed to hold a yearning for power.

However, the deep breath he took still revealed a hint of unease in him.

The Li Si before him was completely different from the experienced figure Ying Jing remembered.

However, Ying Jing did not underestimate it.

A figure like Li Si, who is recorded in history, is definitely not simple.

Perhaps he is still a bit young and cannot perfectly hide his emotions, but his abilities are not far behind.

Actually, it might be more effective if the user is younger.

Just like Zhao Gao, no matter how ambitious he was, he was always bound by Ying Jing, and even had to be grateful for the position of county commandant who could only manage public order.

The same applies to Li Si's side.

"Your name is Li Si, a disciple of Xunzi and a fellow student of Han Fei. I am not mistaken, am I?"

Ying Jing's expression was calm, but this simple sentence shocked Li Si.

He had only just left Xiaoshengxianzhuang and had no reputation whatsoever, yet Lord Changxin knew so much about him!

"What Lord Changxin said is absolutely correct. Li Si was indeed a student of the Confucian scholar Xunzi."

Li Si took another deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Ying Jing suddenly smiled, put down his teacup, and said gently, "Don't be surprised. Your brother has a high opinion of your senior brother Han Fei. He has read Han Fei's works such as 'Five Vermin' over and over again. That's why I noticed Han Fei and also noticed your existence."

Li Si couldn't help but clench his fists. Even though he hid it well, a deep sense of jealousy still flashed in his eyes.

When he was under the tutelage of Xunzi, a Confucian scholar, he was disliked by Xunzi, who thought he was inferior to Han Fei in every way.

Unwilling to accept this, he chose to serve the most powerful of the seven states, Qin, hoping to surpass Han Fei.

But I never expected to hear such news!

"However, as far as I know, your talent is not much inferior to Han Fei's."

Ying Jing's sudden change of tone immediately aroused Li Dun, who was somewhat unwilling to accept defeat.

"Compared to his unrealistic intentions to transform South Korea, you are more realistic and understand what you need better."

Liston was even more excited!

It's rare that someone would think he's no less capable than Han Fei.

Lord Changxin, you are my confidant, Li Si!

Choosing to accept this recruitment order will undoubtedly be the most correct decision I've ever made!

"Li Si thanked Lord Changxin for his affirmation and accepted the recruitment notice, expressing his willingness to serve Lord Changxin."

Li Si no longer hesitated; serving under Lord Changxin was definitely the right thing to do!

But at this moment, Ying Jing gently shook his head.

Li Si immediately became anxious: "If Lord Changxin does not believe in Li Si's abilities, he may test me at will, but if I fail, I am willing to die to atone for my sins."

This wasn't an impulsive act; he was confident that he was absolutely capable.

However, Ying Jing still shook his head.

"There's no need for that. I'm already aware of your abilities."

"But...aren't you curious why I would appoint a prefect now, when Hanoi hasn't had one for several years?"

Li was stunned for a moment!

He arrived here full of ambition, and happened to overhear people discussing the recruitment order in the teahouse. He didn't think much of it at all.

However, after Ying Jing's reminder, he realized that there might be some deeper changes involved.

"By imperial decree of my brother, I am about to depart for Xianyang."

Upon hearing Ying Jing's words, Li Dun's expression changed drastically, turning deathly pale.

He only saw Lord Changxin's glamorous appearance and astonishing power, and assumed that the King of Qin would trust Lord Changxin implicitly.

Now it seems he misunderstood. After all, that was a supreme king; how could he not make any move!

In this light, if I were to pledge allegiance to Lord Changxin...wouldn't my future career be ruined?

Ying Jing saw the changes in Li Si's expression.

However, he didn't point it out, but just chuckled lightly: "So, do you still want to be the governor of Hanoi now?"

Li Si looked somewhat conflicted.

He is a realistic person, and logically he should give up and make the most appropriate choice.

Otherwise, they would be tied to Lord Changxin's ship, and if something unexpected really happened, they would lose the opportunity to realize their ambitions.

but……

The thought of Han Fei, and the high regard the King of Qin held for him, inexplicably filled him with a sense of resistance.

Then I thought of Lord Changxin, who was the first person to affirm Li Si's abilities.

As if possessed, Li Si gritted his teeth and said, "Li Si is willing to serve you."

Ying Jing smiled with satisfaction: "You hesitated, but that's only natural, and I don't mind."

"I am about to go to Xianyang, so you will temporarily serve as the governor of Hanoi and assist in managing all the internal affairs of this place."

"But you should know that no one likes a fickle person. Now that you've made your choice, there's no turning back."

Li Si was overjoyed and even felt a little guilty.

On their very first meeting, Lord Changxin entrusted him with an important task and even exempted him from the assessment.

Such trust!

He was still hesitant, which was really inappropriate.

Even if Lord Changxin is in a bad situation, with my help, Li Si, I might be able to help him get out of his predicament!

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, Li Si will do his utmost to utilize all my knowledge!"

Seeing Li Si's devout expression, Ying Jing smiled slightly.

Five steps to win over Li Si.

The first step is to create a persona. Changxin Jun's persona should be so impeccable that it can attract talent.

The second step is to subvert the character's persona by deliberately revealing a precarious state that might arouse Ying Zheng's suspicion, thereby stimulating his desire to change this state.

The third step is to establish a contract: now that you've decided to pledge allegiance, you can no longer betray me.

The fourth step is to destroy his values. This involves belittling him through Han Fei and suppressing him through Li Si's hesitation, making him doubt himself and feel guilty.

The fifth step is to repeatedly torment the opponent, but not to overdo it. Occasionally, you should give them a little something in return, but then you should continue to suppress them.

Before he knew it, Ying Jing seemed to have gone through the entire process.