Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield-Chapter 708 - 289: Zhao Feng’s Intimidation! Shaking the World! (Part 2)
"The clan of Hou Sheng, Prime Minister of Qi?" Zhao Feng glanced at the newcomer.
"I did not expect Lord Wu’an to even know my family’s Prime Minister by name. The Prime Minister will surely be deeply moved when he learns of this." The newcomer replied respectfully.
"No need for more words."
"Will the King of Qi fight or surrender?"
"That is all I wish to hear." Zhao Feng was unwilling to waste any more time.
He asked directly.
"After the Prime Minister’s persuasion."
"My king is willing to surrender."
Hou Lin bowed low and saluted Zhao Feng.
Upon hearing this,
Zhao Feng nodded, "When will he formally surrender?"
"Now that the Qin Army is here, they may already enter our Qi borders." Hou Lin replied respectfully.
"Very well."
"It is best when kindred states can avoid bloodshed." Zhao Feng nodded.
Although disappointed the battle had been avoided, Zhao Feng had expected as much.
The King of Qi had no courage to seek death, for the King of Qin had already sent his royal edict: if the King of Qi did not yield, his entire clan and ancestral temples would be destroyed.
The vast lands of Shenzhou were now the territory of Qin.
The state of Qi was surrounded and had no path of escape.
Unless they fled across the sea.
"General Tian Lin, hear the royal edict."
Hou Lin now looked toward Tian Lin.
The latter immediately dismounted.
"Your servant awaits the royal command." Tian Lin bowed.
"Royal edict."
"The Qin Army is to enter Qi, there shall be no hindrance nor obstruction. I have resolved to surrender before Great Qin, preserving Great Qi in peace, so it may escape the sufferings of war and the ruin of the people."
"I now invite Marquis Wu’an of Qin to personally come to Linzi to discuss matters of submission."
Hou Lin brought forth the royal edict and read it aloud.
Upon hearing this,
Tian Lin breathed a sigh of relief; the tens of thousands of Qi soldiers behind him all did likewise.
"We will abide by the royal command!"
Tens of thousands of Qi soldiers shouted in unison.
At this moment,
only after truly feeling the killing intent emanating from the Daqin Elite Soldiers did they fully understand what slaughter and suppression meant.
In this instant,
they all relaxed at last.
At least they would not have to fight such an army.
"Invite me to Linzi?" Zhao Feng looked to Hou Lin.
"The Great King wishes to ask Lord Wu’an to come to the capital and discuss the protocol of surrender." Hou Lin replied respectfully.
"If that is so,"
"then I shall do as the King of Qi asks."
Zhao Feng nodded.
"Your Majesty."
"Should we not exercise more caution?" Zhang Han reminded him.
"It is unnecessary."
"The King of Qi truly intends to surrender. Should he dare to strike at me, a million Daqin Elite Soldiers would not forgive him."
"Besides, with my abilities, who in the world can harm me?"
"This time, only the Personal Guard Army will accompany me." Zhao Feng gave a faint smile, paying it no heed.
"Understood."
Recalling his defend lord’s might, only then did Zhang Han nod.
"You are now to accept the Qi army’s surrender. Additionally, send word to Cai Ci, as well as the subordinate officials of the Land of Yan and Zhao Territory, for them to enter Qi and take charge of the cities."
"Beyond that, report to the Great King, and request that personnel be sent to Qi lands." Zhao Feng added.
"This general obeys." Zhang Han immediately complied.
"Lord Wu’an, please follow me to Linzi."
"From here, it should take three days." Hou Lin respectfully informed him.
"Very well." Zhao Feng nodded, then tossed the Tyrant Spear in his hand to Zhang Ming, and spurred his horse forward.
Behind him,
five thousand Personal Guard Army accompanied his march.
Though the numbers were only five thousand,
their true fighting power could match fifty thousand.
This was the fearsome strength of Zhao Feng’s martial cultivator guards.
Watching Zhao Feng, guarded by five thousand of his elite, head for Qi lands,
Tian Lin could only sigh inwardly: "Perhaps, this is the might of Marquis Wu’an of Qin. With only five thousand men, he dares venture deep into Qi. If the king changes his mind, it will truly be perilous."
Three days passed in a flash.
The Qin Cavalry entered the border.
Encountering not the slightest resistance.
Before Linzi City,
this ancient capital, older even than Great Qin’s Xianyang, now saw the Qin Army at its gates for the very first time.
At the city gate,
Prime Minister Hou Sheng and all Qi’s hundred officials awaited their arrival.
As Zhao Feng approached on horseback,
Hou Sheng quickly came forth to meet him.
"Prime Minister Hou Sheng of Qi, together with the hundred officials, humbly welcome Marquis Wu’an of Great Qin."
As he spoke,
Hou Sheng fell to his knees in salute.
The officials behind him all followed suit, kneeling in turn.
Witnessing this,
Zhao Feng, too, calmly dismounted,
and stepped forward.
"All of you may rise." Zhao Feng smiled slightly.
The state of Qi’s bearing was one of deepest humility; their surrender was clearly sincere.
"Thank you, Lord Wu’an." Hou Sheng immediately gave thanks.
"Where is the King of Qi?" Zhao Feng inquired.
"In answer, Lord Wu’an,"
"The Great King awaits you at the Royal Palace with a banquet prepared." Hou Sheng replied respectfully.
Before Zhao Feng, as Prime Minister he did not dare the slightest impropriety.
All under Heaven spoke: Zhao Feng is the War God of Qin; yet there is another tale too—that Zhao Feng kills without so much as blinking, a veritable butcher of men.
Even though that slaughter was done among foreign tribes, the reputation ran deep in people’s hearts.
Zhao Feng’s deeds—the massacre of innumerable Donghu people—left his hands stained with blood far beyond mere tens of thousands.
Such a figure could only be feared.
"Han Chenyan."
Zhao Feng spoke.
"Your subordinate is here." Han Chenyan immediately responded.
"Take two thousand of the Personal Guard and secure the city gates."
"The rest will follow me to the palace." Zhao Feng commanded in a low voice.
"Understood!" Han Chenyan called out loudly.
At once, two thousand Personal Guard fell out of ranks, heading swiftly for the gates, seizing control and mounting the city walls.
At this sight,
Hou Sheng and the officials dared not utter a word.
After all, Qi’s surrender was now an established fact.
When all was arranged,
"Lord Wu’an, please follow me this way."
Hou Sheng immediately stepped forward to lead the way.
Zhao Feng mounted his horse; under the protection of his guards, headed toward the Qi Royal Palace.
Entering the Qi capital,
on both sides of the main road, crowds of Qi commoners gazed on in curiosity.
Now that news of Qi’s surrender had spread, many were opposed, many supportive; some filled with hate, others with relief.
For ordinary folk, they naturally wished to avoid war; but for those with integrity, this was nothing but shame.
In the crowd,
many stared at Zhao Feng and his guards with anger blazing in their eyes.
Yet all were under Zhao Feng’s notice, and he cared not.
As time passed and Daqin’s grip tightened, such sentiments would all be snuffed out.
And as they pressed deeper into the city,
where the main road was most crowded with people and grain carts,
"There’s killing intent."
Zhao Feng suddenly felt something keenly.
Whoosh.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Bolts from crossbows shot out from both sides of the road, aimed at Zhao Feng.
"Assassins!"
Zhang Ming shouted loudly.
At once, the Personal Guard surged forward, drawing swords in one swift motion, knocking down the arrows instantly.
Zhao Feng did not even need to act himself.
"Why are there assassins?"
At this, Hou Sheng’s face turned ashen.
If anything happened to Zhao Feng inside Linzi City, he would be finished, and so would Qi itself.
"Kill Zhao Feng!"
"Kill Zhao Feng, that Qin bandit!"
"Kill that butcher!"
"Kill him..."
From all around the main road, cries suddenly erupted.
Hundreds of assassins wielding weapons burst out of the crowd, firing crossbows and charging at Zhao Feng.
"Remnants of a destroyed nation, are you?"
At this, Zhao Feng simply smiled faintly.
In an instant, he saw through the situation.
Qi would never dare to attempt such a thing; they had already arrived at the capital. If anyone acted, it would be with soldiers. These assassins, without question, were the remnants of states destroyed by Zhao Feng’s hand.
Originally, Qi was their last refuge. Now, with Qi about to fall, they could no longer sit idle.
They moved to act at once.
"Kill!" Zhang Ming shouted coldly.
At that, the many Personal Guard spurred their horses into immediate action,
rushing to meet the assassins.
In collision with the guard,
it was only a moment,
before they were surrounded and cut off,
the assassins like moths to the flame, all put to the sword by the guards, their blood spilling across the ground.
The crossbow bolts were swatted aside with ease, unable even to pierce their armor.
In just an instant,
hundreds of assassins became nothing but corpses strewn across the road.
"Lord Wu’an."
"These assassins have nothing to do with our state of Qi."
"Qi truly had no knowledge of this!"
Hou Sheng gazed at Zhao Feng in terror, desperately afraid Zhao Feng would mistake him.
"Qi is not so foolish as to make a move against me in your own capital."
"These are but the remnants of the lands I have destroyed." Zhao Feng replied lightly, unimpressed.
At this, Hou Sheng let out a breath of relief.
...
