nycdaug Chapter 483 The Panicked Nobles of Six Nations 6
Chapter 483 The Panicked Nobles of Six Nations 6
Below, Meng Tian, Wang Jian, and a group of fierce generals stood with their hands on their swords, their bodies as solid as mountains, exuding a fearsome aura. The candlelight flickered on their faces, reflecting a bloodthirsty glint in each of their eyes, as if they were eager to tear their enemies to pieces.
Suddenly, Ying Zheng slammed his hand on the table, making a loud noise. The bronze cauldron on the table trembled, and the incense ash inside flew up, as if disturbed by his anger.
"King Jia of Dai has colluded with the State of Wei, attempting to invade our Great Qin!" Ying Zheng's voice, like thunder, echoed in the empty hall, making everyone's eardrums buzz. His words were filled with anger and majesty, sending chills down their spines.
"The remnants of Zhao, their treacherous hearts are still burning!" Ying Zheng continued to roar. "Today, I will make all the nations of the world see clearly—anyone who dares to oppose Great Qin will be reduced to dust!" His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept over the generals, as if scrutinizing their resolve and courage.
Sensing Ying Zheng's anger, the generals straightened their bodies and shouted in unison, "We are willing to serve Your Majesty!" Their voices, like resounding bells, echoed throughout the hall for a long time.
Ying Zheng nodded in satisfaction, then issued the order: "Order the firearms battalion to accompany the army on the expedition! I, the King of Dai, will be wiped out from this world amidst the roar of thunder!" His tone was cold and resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
With his command, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense. The generals knew that a war was about to break out, and they would shoulder the heavy responsibility of expanding the territory.
Meng Tian strode forward, his armor clanging, and clasped his hands in a loud voice, saying, "Your subject obeys! This time, I will make Prince Jia of Dai pay a heavy price for his foolishness, and let the six states know that the wrath of Qin is not to be trifled with!"
Ten days later, outside Hangu Pass, the sun shone brightly under a clear blue sky. However, a tense and oppressive atmosphere permeated this vast expanse of loess land.
From afar, banners fluttered, obscuring the sky and the sun, resembling a black ocean. Those were 100,000 Qin soldiers, surging and spreading across this land like a black torrent, their imposing presence terrifying.
At the very forefront of this black torrent were the artisans of the firearms battalion. They pushed specially made elmwood chariots forward slowly. These chariots were covered with thick black felt, and from a distance, they looked like huge black boxes. Each chariot was pulled by four strong black horses, the sound of their hooves echoing through the sky, as if the earth itself trembled.
No one knew what secrets lay hidden beneath that mysterious felt. However, when this black torrent approached the borders of the modern nation, people suddenly realized—beneath that felt lay a weapon powerful enough to overturn the course of war!
These deadly weapons are the improved version of the Heaven-Shaking Thunder. They lie silently beneath the black felt, like sleeping behemoths, waiting for the moment to unleash their destructive power.
Meanwhile, within the capital city of Dai, the atmosphere was unusually oppressive and suffocating. Prince Jia of Dai stood in the palace hall, staring intently at the map on the wall, his brows furrowed tightly.
His fingers unconsciously traced the border line between Dai Commandery and Wei, his heart filled with doubt and anxiety. He simply couldn't understand how, when the King of Wei had falsely sent an envoy to discuss a joint resistance against Qin, it had become, in Ying Zheng's words, that he himself had provoked the situation?
The urgent reports from his spies made him even more uneasy. The Qin army's vanguard had already crossed Yanmen Pass and was no more than a hundred miles from the border of the Dai Kingdom! This meant that the shadow of war had already fallen over the Dai Kingdom, and a life-or-death struggle was about to unfold.
"Quickly! Send someone to Daliang immediately to request reinforcements!" Prince Jia of Dai grabbed the Prime Minister's shoulder, his nails almost digging into the Prime Minister's flesh, his voice trembling with despair. "Tell the King of Wei that if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold! If the Dai Kingdom falls, the Wei Kingdom will be next!"
Meanwhile, far away in Daliang, King Jia of Wei stood on the towering Wanghe Terrace of the palace, gazing at the Yellow River flowing eastward below, his heart filled with endless sorrow.
"Your Majesty, the letter from the Prince of Dai requesting aid has arrived," Wei Ziyuan's voice came from behind.
King Wei took the letter and gently traced the words on it with his fingertips, examining it carefully.
Suddenly, King Wei let out a mocking laugh. “King Qin is making an example of me.” His voice was cold and deep, as if it could penetrate one’s soul. “He’s not touching my Wei Kingdom, he just wants to wait until the Crown Prince has completed his studies at the academy so that he can completely squeeze the profits from my Wei Kingdom’s salt and iron resources.”
King Wei looked towards the western sky, where the sunset glowed like blood, staining half the sky crimson. His eyes revealed a hint of despair and helplessness, as if he could already see the future of Wei. "By the time the Crown Prince truly returns after completing his studies, Wei will likely be exhausted, reduced to an empty shell..." he murmured to himself, his voice gradually fading.
In the Dai Kingdom, a sudden, earth-shattering roar shattered everyone's illusions.
The deafening thunder was incredibly powerful; the massive explosion, like a thunderclap, resounded through the heavens. Flames shot into the sky, illuminating half the night, as if the entire world had been shaken by this sudden explosion.
The soldiers guarding the pass stared in horror at the scene before them. Before they could react, the sturdy city walls collapsed with a deafening roar amidst the violent tremors. Bricks and stones flew everywhere, and dust blotted out the sun. Those defenses, once considered impregnable, were as fragile as sandcastles built by children under the terrifying power of the thunderclap.
Prince Jia of Dai was as pale as paper, his body swaying precariously as if a gust of wind would topple him. But he still forced himself to overcome his fear and physical discomfort and climbed the city wall with great difficulty.
Standing atop the city wall, Prince Jia of Dai's gaze was drawn to the billowing smoke rising in the distance. The smoke resembled a gigantic black dragon, its claws outstretched, devouring everything in its path. Prince Jia's legs trembled uncontrollably, as if all strength had been drained from them.
His eyes widened in horror as he stared at the thick smoke, an indescribable fear welling up inside him. He had never imagined that such a terrifying weapon existed in the world; its power far exceeded his expectations.
"Quick! Let's run!" Prince Jia suddenly snapped out of his daze and shouted at the top of his lungs. His voice was so insignificant in the chaotic battlefield that it was quickly drowned out by the thunderous roar of the thunderclaps, the deafening crash of the collapsing city walls, and the desperate cries of the people.
The news spread swiftly throughout the six states, like birds taking flight. In the Chu court, the debate between the pro-war and pro-peace factions intensified.
"Now that the Qin army has attacked the Dai state, their next target will surely be the Wei state! If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; we cannot stand idly by any longer!" The ministers of the pro-war faction spoke passionately and indignantly, demanding that the King of Chu immediately send troops to aid the Wei state.
However, the ministers who advocated peace remained stubborn: "If Chu sends troops now, it will play right into Qin's hands! This is clearly a trap set by Ying Zheng! We must not act rashly!"