With the court having settled on the decision to attack Chu,
Huan Yi imdiately set out toward the Hangu Pass Camp, embarking on the campaign against Chu.
All the departnts of Qin also sprang into action.
Transferring grain, transporting supplies, and delivering arrows.
Everything was being readied for war.
This ti there was no command of troops at the front, so Zhao Feng naturally did not delay his own affairs, and he too set out for Shaqiu to return ho and accompany his mother.
Ti gradually passed.
In the blink of an eye,
half a month had gone by.
On the Qin-Chu border,
two hundred thousand elite soldiers from the Hangu Pass Camp advanced in orderly fashion toward the border city of Chenying.
anwhile, Huan Yi had arrived at Chenying ahead of them.
"Greetings, Lord Changping."
Huan Yi clasped his fists in salute to Mi Qi.
"Greetings, Shangjiangjun Huan Yi." Mi Qi imdiately returned the salute.
"Lord Changping, you have guarded this Chenying for two years, your rit and toil are beyond asure."
"This ti I co under royal decree to attack Chu. Once the campaign is done, Lord Changping, you will surely be able to return to Xianyang and advance your position further." Huan Yi smiled as he spoke to Mi Qi.
"To serve the state is my unshirkable duty." Mi Qi also smiled.
Then,
with a hint of probing, Mi Qi asked, "May I ask how many troops the Shangjiangjun leads in this campaign? Will there be reinforcents from other camps?"
"This campaign to attack Chu is mine by request; only my Hangu Pass Camp will take part." Huan Yi answered with a confident smile.
"Only the single camp of Hangu?" Mi Qi looked surprised.
"Shangjiangjun, are you deceiving ?"
"Chu is certainly not a weak state like Han. Would relying on just one camp at Hangu really suffice to destroy Chu?"
"Is there so military secret you cannot reveal to ?" Mi Qi said with a stern face.
He displayed an appearance of being distrusted.
"Lord Changping, you jest."
"You are the maternal grandfather of the Eldest Imperial Son, related by blood to the Great Qin Royal Family. The Great King trusts you deeply, bestowing upon you this crucial task of guarding Chenying. How could I possibly deceive you?"
"To destroy Chu, my Hangu Pass Camp is more than enough."
"No assistance from other camps is required."
"Now the army has already left Hangu and is marching toward Chenying; once the army returns to the city, I will imdiately order the attack." Huan Yi spoke with a smile.
He did not doubt Mi Qi in the slightest.
After all, Mi Qi’s status spoke for itself.
The maternal grandfather of Qin’s Eldest Imperial Son, the father of the future king’s mother.
The rightful mber of the royal kin.
This Chenying was the border city adjacent to Chu, as well as a strategic hub.
Sending Mi Qi to guard it was ant to build his rit—for he would be of great use upon returning to court. Rumors on the court long held that the position of Right Chancellor was surely his.
Hearing how earnest Huan Yi was,
Mi Qi nodded, though his face still showed puzzlent: "Shangjiangjun is truly so confident, that with just one camp he can destroy Chu?"
"If we do not try, how will we know?"
"Right now, Chu is in chaos—Li Yuan is dead, and the Chu State is like a pile of loose sand."
"My Hangu troops will surely accomplish an extraordinary feat." Huan Yi said with great confidence.
"Since the Shangjiangjun is so confident,
I, Mi Qi, will give my full support."
"Regarding grain and supplies, I will have the city’s soldiers arrange and allocate them. There will absolutely be no delay." Mi Qi imdiately declared.
"Many thanks for your kindness, Lord Changping."
"This ti, the grain and supplies will be supervised personally by the Left Minister, Han Fei. In addition to my main camp’s elite soldiers, ten thousand logistics troops will support us; the supply coordination will be flawless." Huan Yi said with a smile.
Huan Yi naturally rembered Zhao Feng’s words.
Thus he paid close attention to the matter of grain and supplies—personally requesting Han Fei’s supervision and assigning a capable logistics officer for support.
Hearing Huan Yi’s refusal, Mi Qi felt a slight alarm within, but then smiled and said, "This ti the Shangjiangjun’s attacking force is truly small, but in my Chenying there are fifty thousand prefecture soldiers—though not as elite as the main force, they are nonetheless capable fighters."
"On campaign, logistics are of utmost importance."
"This Chenying can be used as a major storage base for Qin’s provisions."
"When the grain arrives, I can assist in sorting and transporting supplies in batches for the Shangjiangjun." Mi Qi said with a sincere tone.
At this,
Huan Yi considered for a mont and finally nodded: "Since Lord Changping has said so, if I refuse again I would be lacking in propriety."
"The task of handling and distributing supplies, then, I leave in Lord Changping’s hands."
Upon hearing this,
Mi Qi imdiately smiled, "Please be at ease, Shangjiangjun. I will see to this matter properly, so you need have no concern—just focus on the campaign."
"Good." Huan Yi laughed heartily as well.
"Since the Shangjiangjun has arrived, I have already arranged a banquet. Tonight we should discuss at length the plan to attack Chu." Mi Qi said with a smile.
"That would be most excellent." Huan Yi imdiately agreed.
Night fell.
Within Mi Qi’s estate,
"Lord Changping..."
"Have you not yet made up your mind?"
"You are, by birth, of our Great Chu Royal Family—royal-blooded and of direct descent. Now the Great Chu is in constant disorder, all because of a weak monarch, all because of ministers wielding all power."
"Now that Shangjiangjun Xiang Yan has said so: as long as Lord Changping returns to Chu, he will spare no effort in helping you ascend the throne and revive Great Chu."
Deep into the night, in stillness,
a scholar stood before Mi Qi, earnestly persuading him.
On Mi Qi’s face, however, appeared a look of inner struggle.
"What you offer is certainly tempting."
"But the King of Qin has already promised that if I soday return to Qin, the post of Right Chancellor will surely be mine."
"Moreover, my daughter is the mother of the Eldest Imperial Son of Qin. The future King of Qin may well be my own grandson."
"The King of Qin has shown such deep favor—were I to betray him, what would beco of my daughter? What of the Mi Family clansn in Qin?"
"I, Mi Qi, would henceforth be branded a traitor by all." Mi Qi spoke in anguish.
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