socalfunplaces Chapter 182 Ready for Battle, Heart Set on the Sixth Union?
Chapter 182 Ready for Battle, Heart Set on the Sixth Union?
"Oh my god—are you guys crazy?! I'm not sleeping! I'm going to lie on the barren hillside and count the stars! If all else fails, I don't need to close my eyes, I'll keep him company by the fire and listen to his ghost stories!" Lin Tian was so anxious that he jumped up and down. He had heard that homosexuality was prevalent during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and today he had indeed stumbled upon it.
He dared not argue, for Ying Zheng's tent was right next door, and he was forced into the tent in just a few steps.
"Brother Lin, Zifang does indeed have something important to ask you." Zhang Liang released his hand, his smile as gentle as spring water.
Lin Tian stared at his delicate, fair-skinned face, his features so exquisite, that goosebumps rose on his skin. He quickly waved his hands, pleading, "Brother Zifang, spare me! Go find your loyal friend Han Fei!"
"What do you mean, spare my life? I really want to ask Brother Lin about the Qin state."
"Huh?...Never mind!"
Lifting the curtain and entering the tent, Lin Tian glanced around and saw: Wei Zhuang leaning against a pillar with his sword in his arms, Gai Nie standing quietly beside Ying Zheng, never leaving his side; further inside, Ying Zheng sat upright in the center, his black hair unbound and casually draped, his expression as deep and still as an ancient well.
The ground was covered with straw mats and neatly folded thin blankets—well, I really have to spend the night here.
Even when he brags, he can still exclaim with swagger: "I once shared a mat with the First Emperor!"
That's tough!
It turns out that Han Fei and Zhang Liang's invitation to him was not a joke, but rather a personal instruction from Ying Zheng, and the group had already secretly discussed and agreed upon it.
Lin Tian knew perfectly well: this wasn't asking for advice, it was setting a trap—waiting for him to fall into it.
The question is simple: How to destroy the Qin Dynasty?
Lin Tian immediately deflated. He was just a passerby who made a living off the system, not some old scholar well-versed in the classics of the six kingdoms!
But then he thought about it again. The fact that the King of Qin would take the initiative to spread out a map and ask someone to figure out how to destroy his own country piqued his interest.
Ying Zheng took out the map of the seven kingdoms hand-drawn by Pang Juan and spread it on the mat. Everyone sat around it.
He pointed his finger at the map of Qin, his gaze sharp as he stared directly at Lin Tian: "Sir, may I ask—if we wish to defeat Qin and dismantle its unification, where should we begin?"
Han Fei continued, speaking at a measured pace: "The states of Qi, Chu, and Wei have weakened in recent years, either due to internal strife or defeats in external wars. Their strength has been diminished. Now, the only state that can truly suppress Qin's power is Zhao. In the Battle of Changping, Zhao Kuo replaced Lian Po, and 400,000 elite troops perished at the hands of Bai Qi. Although it seemed like a crippling blow, Zhao's foundation was not broken. After several years of recuperation, its military strength has been restored, and it remains the last backbone of the five eastern states."
Han Fei sees the game of chess in the world more clearly than anyone else!
Lin Tian looked at the ninth young master of South Korea and sighed in his heart: "A man of great talent, yet born in South Korea—a small temple cannot contain a true god."
He murmured to himself, "Talented men are often troubled by the times, and beautiful women often meet tragic ends."
According to Han Fei, the only way to defeat Qin was through Zhao.
Ying Zheng stared at the territory of Zhao on the map, his brows furrowing slightly: "The generals and ministers are in harmony, with Lin Xiangru as a civil official and Lian Po as a military leader, and later Li Mu as steady as Mount Tai... Zhao is united as one, and it is indeed a tough nut to crack."
Lin Tian merely chuckled, a slight smile playing on his lips: "After King Wuling of Zhao implemented the 'Hu-style clothing and cavalry archery,' the Zhao state's strength grew, and its power steadily increased without interruption. Even more remarkable was the unwavering trust and tacit understanding between the ruler and his ministers. Although the Battle of Changping resulted in the loss of elite troops, King Zhaoxiang of Qin missed a crucial opportunity—not only did he fail to march directly to Handan, but he also accepted the treaty of ceding territory, releasing the tiger back into the mountains. By the time Zhao had caught its breath, reorganized its troops, and regained its momentum, the Qin army launched a counterattack, only to suffer a crushing defeat, even losing the six hundred li of fertile land in Hedong that they had just acquired. Zhao is still the same Zhao."
Ying Zheng listened to these words, each one pointing directly to the gains and losses of his ancestors, but his face showed no anger. He simply lowered his eyes and listened intently.
"At that time, the State of Zhao had already offered land and sued for peace, and then quickly rallied the other feudal lords and formed an alliance. It was only in his anger that the late king decided to send troops." Ying Zheng's tone was calm, but it carried a hint of protectiveness.
Lin Tian smiled and said slowly, "You are all well-versed in the classics of various schools of thought. Have you not read the saying in Sun Tzu's Art of War, 'A ruler should not raise an army out of anger'? King Zhaoxiang of Qin's defeat was not due to a failure in battle, but rather to being driven by emotions and misled by circumstances—a defeat that was honorable and deserved."
"Sir, your insights are profound! I, Zheng, am humbled and will gladly accept your guidance!" Ying Zheng bowed deeply.
"Zifang, I have also learned much." Zhang Liang cupped his hands, his expression solemn.
Lin Tian felt somewhat embarrassed—these words were not something he had come up with after much thought, but rather something he had heard uttered in a lecture in the past.
Han Fei stared intently at the map of the seven states hanging on the wall, scratching his temples repeatedly with his fingertips, and sighed deeply, "Military strategy... I truly know nothing about it!"
"Brother Lin, if we want to defeat Qin, how should we begin?" He looked up, his eyes shining like a spring stream, filled with pure thirst for knowledge.
Lin Tian felt embarrassed: He really didn't want to put on airs and talk about these things. After all, he was eating the food of the future and eating the bowl of the ancients. It was really embarrassing.
But some people still insisted on pushing him to stand on the high platform...
He raised his hand and pointed at Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang: "The key to breaking the deadlock lies with the two of you—the ultimate skill of the strategists can be summed up in eight words: unite against the strong and form alliances to maintain balance."
Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang's ears immediately burned and their faces turned slightly red.
They knew perfectly well that their teacher had never taught them any strategies of diplomacy or military tactics, let alone any military strategy.
"Gai Nie, I've learned a lot!"
"Wei Zhuang, I've learned a lot!"
Lin Tian was stunned for a moment, beads of sweat forming on his forehead—how did he end up feeling so flustered by their flattery? He had wanted to keep a low profile and get away with it, but he was the one being the most humble, making him seem petty. It turns out that developing a thick skin really does take time.
Han Fei was momentarily stunned, Zhang Liang had already quietly fallen into deep thought, and Ying Zheng frowned deeply: "Brother Lin, could you elaborate a bit more?"
Lin Tian spread his palms, his voice steady: "Since Duke Xiang of Qin was enfeoffed, which of the Qin rulers was not always ready for battle and yearning for the world? To conquer the eight wastelands and encompass the four seas was an ambition etched into their very bones. You ask how to defeat Qin? Generations of people gritted their teeth, bled, and risked their lives to move forward. Do you expect to wipe out a hundred years of hard work in one day with just a few strategies and a surprise attack? There's no such easy thing in the world."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Given the current state of the six kingdoms, their mutual distrust and undermining of each other, forming alliances? I'm afraid the ink on the treaty is barely dry before the secret envoys have already sent the other side's defense plans to Xianyang Palace."
"Then, sir, what do you think Qin should do if it wants to unify the world in ten years?"
Ying Zheng's question was cleverly concealed—Lin Tian chuckled inwardly: This kid was born to sit on the throne.
He pointed to the heart of Qin on the map, then slowly traced a large, perfectly round circle across the borders of the seven states. He then emphasized several points, including Hangu Pass, Yiyang, Daliang, and Yingdu: "With Qin's current strength and the fragmentation of the world, as long as we thoroughly understand the two ironclad rules of 'strengthening by defeating the enemy' and 'using war to sustain war'—and are accompanied by a commander who is good at seizing opportunities, knows when to advance and retreat, and is skilled in offense and defense—this chess game of the states will ultimately be decided by you alone."
"Isn't this the man, sir?" Ying Zheng's eyes lit up, and he almost blurted it out.
In terms of comprehension, no one in the tent could surpass him; Zhang Liang was next, having already glimpsed the key to understanding.
Ying Zheng not only understood Lin Tian's words, but he could also hear the echo of his own heartbeat. He was so excited that he grabbed Lin Tian's hand, which was pressed on the map, his palm burning hot, and his smile reached his eyes.