Qin Zheng sat in the carriage as it traveled along the rugged mountain road. Over the past few years, his strength had finally recovered to the sixth level of the Golden Core Realm. His complexion was much better than before, and his originally silver-white hair had now turned grayish-black. Without the burden of karma, his body had become extremely relaxed.
However, his heart could not relax at all. In the past few years, although all contact with China had been cut off and China had not attacked them, the State of Qin was becoming weaker and weaker.
There were three main reasons for this.
First, his strength had declined. Everyone in the State of Qin had lost the will to win. Many aristocratic families did not dare to rebel on the surface because of Qin Zheng's pressure. However, behind his back, they all agreed in public but opposed in private, causing the State of Qin's taxes to drop again and again.
The State of Qin had insufficient food. The aristocratic families took the opportunity to swallow up the land and population. Now, many of the State of Qin's citizens had become servants of the aristocratic families. The State of Qin did not have the right to order the servants of the aristocratic families.
Therefore, Qin Zheng had been patrolling the various counties in the State of Qin to stabilize the rule of the Qin family.
Second, the secret voices of the State of Qin could not be completely eradicated. What China had done every year, how rich the citizens were, and how many hundreds of miles of track had been laid. The citizens of the State of Qin knew very well what China had done every year.
Qin Zheng had spent a lot of effort to deal with the spies that China had hidden in the State of Qin. However, the results were minimal. Other than the ministers who had followed him, Qin Zheng did not dare to trust anyone else.
The citizens also liked to listen to stories about China. It seemed to be heaven in their hearts. The State of Qin had strictly prevented news about China from spreading in the State of Qin. In the past few years, countless people had been killed, but it was all to no avail.
The last point was that the State of Qin's spirit medicines and rare stones had disappeared. The experts in the State of Qin were constantly dying. The cultivation speed of the young people could not keep up. This caused the number of aristocratic families to drop rapidly. Currently, the State of Qin still had over 40 Foundation Establishment cultivators and less than 600 Xiantian cultivators. More than half of them were not under the State of Qin's control.
As for China, the number of Xiantian cultivators was close to 30,000. All the captains of the seven elite legions were Xiantian cultivators. All the village chiefs and fort lords were also Xiantian cultivators. The true strength of the two countries was 50 times different.
The population of the State of Qin had dropped from its peak of 8 million to less than 4 million. A large portion of them had been killed by wild beasts... and starved to death. They had left the State of Qin's northern Xiao Pass and followed the caravans into China.
Qin Zheng was deep in thought with an expressionless face. He heard Young Master Qin Jiao ride a horse to his carriage.
"Jiao 'er, what's the matter?" Qin Zheng asked.
Qin Jiao had just succeeded in building his foundation this year. Building his foundation at this age also showed his aptitude. It was entirely possible for him to advance to the Golden Core Realm in the future. Now, Qin Zheng was already spending more energy on Qin Jiao, hoping that the State of Qin could produce another Golden Core Realm cultivator in the future.
"Father, Hua Xia's 300,000-strong army has entered Chu Province, but they have not attacked the cities and citizens of Chu Province. Their target is the Demonic Beasts and Desolate Beasts in the Southern Yue Mountain Range. Hua Xia has already begun to exterminate all the Desolate Beasts in the Eastern Divine Prefecture!" Qin Jiao said.
"What is the stance of King Chu and the various aristocratic families?" Qin Zheng asked coldly.
"The King of Chu hasn't said anything. When the Hua Xia army arrived at the Chu City, they were able to change the terrain. They didn't need to enter the city. After the army of 300,000 passed through, they reverted the terrain back to its original state. Many aristocratic families of Chu City came out to welcome the Hua Xia army, but the Hua Xia army ignored them," Qin Jiao said.
"The Huaxia Empire has already drawn their sword!
Although he hasn't unified the world, he has already done what he should do as the ruler of the world.
The King of Chu doesn't have the courage to stop Hua Xia, nor does he have the strength to do so. The more they don't harass the aristocratic families of Chu City, the more the people of the world will side with Hua Xia, "Qin Zheng said.
"Father, what should we do then?
Should we send someone to continue communicating with the King of Chu? "Qin Jiao asked after some thought.
"There's no need. The King of Chu understands everything. There's very little he can do. Now, only by assisting Hua Xia in exterminating the Southern Yue Mountain Range can the Chu family temporarily sit on the throne. Otherwise, before the Southern Yue Mountain Range is cleared, all the aristocratic families of Chu City will seek refuge with Hua Xia!" Qin Zheng replied.
Qin Jiao didn't say anything else. Qin Zheng sat in the carriage and slowly moved forward. Only the rhythmic sound of the carriage wheels and hooves could be heard. After a while, Qin Zheng began to speak again.
"Make a trip to Hua Xia and communicate with the heads of the Hua Xia court about our Qin's stance.
We won't be enemies with Hua Xia, and the Qin army won't take a single step out of the country.
Like this, the Qin can hold on for a few more days. We shouldn't give up until the final moment. "Qin Zheng said to Qin Jiao.
"Father, why don't we directly meet with Hua Kai?
The Hua Xia court heads won't be easy to communicate with.
Although our Qin's strength can't compare to Hua Xia's, it won't be easy for Hua Xia to capture us. The Calm Martial Ruler has successfully condensed his Golden Core, so don't we have three Golden Core Realm cultivators? "Qin Jiao finished speaking and saw that Qin Zheng was already dissatisfied with him. He knew that he had said something he shouldn't have.
The news of his mother being a Golden Core Realm cultivator hadn't been announced during the Qin's most difficult time. Moreover, his father and mother had never been on good terms. However, at this time, all these disagreements were no longer important compared to the destruction of the Qin Empire.
"Jiao 'er, you don't know the difference between a peak Golden Core Realm cultivator and an ordinary Golden Core Realm cultivator. Father's strength hasn't recovered yet, so our Qin Empire doesn't have the strength to fight with Hua Xia.
Right now, Hua Kai is very ambitious and is preparing to become the ruler of the world. In order to break through to the Soul Formation Realm, he will definitely try all kinds of things, just like father once did.
And the sea is very dangerous. It's possible to encounter great monsters or ancient beasts everywhere. It's normal to be trapped in a restriction for a thousand years.
This time, he wants to move the Nanyue Mountain Range, so he won't be able to avoid those two great monsters. We still have a chance, "Qin Zheng said.
Qin Jiao nodded. Hua Xia's goal wasn't hidden from the beginning. They wanted to unify the human race and make the lives of the common people better and better.
Becoming the ruler of the world was Hua Kai's goal, so he couldn't keep taking advantage of the situation. This was because everyone knew how difficult it was to reach the Soul Formation Realm. Since ancient times, there had only been one Soul Formation Realm cultivator in the 20,000 years. Moreover, Zhou Wang had obtained a great fortune from the ancient ruins to reach the Soul Formation Realm.
"Father, then should we break the border blockade?" Qin Jiao asked Qin Zheng while riding on his horse.
"Think of a way to establish a royal business group and maintain trade with Hua Xia. We have all the goods in our hands. It's much better than letting those aristocratic families give countless spiritual medicines and strange stones to Hua Xia.
This will be very difficult. Hua Xia certainly doesn't want to break the trade relationship with the other aristocratic families of the Qin Kingdom, but we can talk about it slowly. Our attitude is that we promise not to take the initiative to attack Hua Xia, but the national affairs of the Qin Kingdom must be controlled by the Qin family. "Qin Jiao already understood what Qin Zheng meant.
The Qin Kingdom has admitted defeat in terms of combat strength. Like you, we won't take the initiative to attack, but Hua Xia can't interfere with the affairs of the Qin Kingdom. The Qin family is the only master of the Qin Kingdom.
Therefore, the business groups of Hua Xia must enter the Qin Kingdom. The cultural blockade of the Qin Kingdom would inevitably be broken. When the people of the two countries began to communicate, this gap would be opened.
The only hope of the Qin Kingdom now was that Hua Kai had an accident, or that Qin Zheng could reach the Soul Formation Realm before Hua Kai. No one was sure that Hua Kai would succeed in reaching the Soul Formation Realm, so the Qin Kingdom still had a chance.
Qin Jiao asked, "Father, are we also going to open the grain trade?
If the trade is opened, Hua Xia's low-priced grain will inevitably enter the Qin Kingdom. Many aristocratic families will no longer grow grain, and the lifeline of the Qin Kingdom's grain will still be in the hands of Hua Xia. "
Qin Zheng said, "The main trade must be in the hands of the Qin Kingdom. I think that as long as we show that we are willing to communicate, Hua Xia will agree. Hua Xia's heart is much bigger than you think. They have already begun to look abroad."
The two of them chatted as they walked. Qin Jiao knew that his father was slowly handing over the national affairs to him. Like Hua Kai, he focused on cultivation and broke through to the Soul Formation Realm as soon as possible. Only then would the Qin Kingdom's difficult situation end.
On the other side, Tang Lei led the Undead Army across the Yangtze River and arrived outside of Ercheng. Ercheng was one of the most important cities in Chu. They saw countless skinny victims outside of Ercheng looking at them from afar. Tang Lei couldn't bear it and found one of the people in charge of the southern expedition, Chinese Ink.
Chinese Ink had just recorded the terrain under his feet into the Mountain River Diagram when he heard Tang Lei mention the people outside of Ercheng. He also couldn't bear it.
Chinese Ink said, "Although these victims have nothing to do with us, we can't just ignore them when we see them. Get people to set up porridge outside of Ercheng and give them porridge."
Tang Lei received the order and was about to take people to give porridge when Lian Po found Chinese Ink.
Lian Po said to Chinese Ink, "Chinese Ink, the Chu family just sent a message saying that it is the responsibility of every human to clear out the wild beasts in the world. Chu is willing to send 400,000 soldiers to help the Qin Kingdom clear out the wild beasts in the Nanyue Mountains."
"400,000?
How can Chu have so many soldiers?
I'm afraid they are just trying to fool me. "Chinese Ink didn't believe what he heard.
Lian Po said, "From the looks of it, at most, they will send some disaster victims over. We still have to provide food for them. They are throwing the burden to us.
After that, we won't be able to bring these disaster victims back to the Qin Kingdom. In the end, all the benefits will be taken by the Qin Kingdom! "
Lian Po said, "If they dare to give it to us, we will definitely take it. It's just a matter of a million dan of food every year!
These disaster victims are also very useful to us. With them, we can clear out the wild beasts more thoroughly.
I will now have people build a city near the Nanyue Mountains. We will clear out the wild beasts and change the terrain. At the same time, we can also build a few cities to stabilize the rear.
After these cities are built, does Dean Lian think they should belong to the Qin Kingdom or the Qin Kingdom? "Chinese Ink said with a smile.
"This is a good idea. A few days ago, I sent people to contact the various large families in the Qin Kingdom. They are all very willing to cooperate with us to clear out the wild beasts. Currently, the population of the Qin Kingdom in Chu is only about three million. If we send 400,000 disaster victims to the Nanyue Mountains, the population of the Nanyue Mountains will exceed a million. We can make a big move here."