Chapter 6: The Palace

　　In the Chen royal palace, the maidservants had already finished lighting the lamps.

　　The study of King Ying was bright with candlelight. The door opened, and a figure hurried in—swift in approach yet landing without a sound, stirring only a flicker of the surrounding flames.

　　King Ying sat behind his desk, his head bowed over the memorials before him. The commotion of the one who had entered did not make him look up.

　　The figure came to the front of the desk, dropped to his knees, and prostrated himself. "Your Majesty, a message has arrived from Commander Chen."

　　"Speak.""Yes, Your Majesty. The Crown Prince's party has crossed the summit of Qinchuan. The Shu horses are all fit for riding once more. They are expected to arrive at Dingrong City in three days, where Grand Tutor Jiwei of Wei will receive them in person." The figure reported with head bowed, while at the side of the desk, another person used a wooden pointer to indicate the location of the Qinchuan summit on the map hanging on the right wall.

　　King Ying glanced up at the map and asked, "And what of those who were tracking them?"

　　"Your Majesty, according to Commander Chen's account, three of the Wei King's guards who had been following the Crown Prince's party attacked and defeated another group. The survivors withdrew and fled far away. Commander Chen estimates that the Wei King's guards themselves do not know which kingdom dispatched that group, so they have chosen to pretend not to have noticed—and have now made camp for the night."

　　King Ying listened without a word, then waved his hand. The figure immediately bowed, withdrew backward to the door, and closed the study door behind him.

　　King Ying tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. After a moment, he murmured softly, "How very strange..."

　　A voice behind him spoke up: "Is Your Majesty wondering why that group fled as soon as they were touched?"

　　King Ying replied, "That is not the point of suspicion. Those men must have been thoroughly familiar with the Crown Prince's party. Given the strength of Commander Chen's company, they could not have easily overpowered them. And with the Wei King's guards providing covert protection, why did they not retreat in the face of difficulty? Instead, they persisted in tracking—deliberately allowing the Wei guards to strike them down with a single blow. Could it be that they had some ulterior move in store?"

　　The voice behind him did not reply, but stepped forward—it was none other than Queen Ying, the mother of Crown Prince Li.

　　King Ying continued, "Do you think this group did not notice the Wei King's guards?"

　　"Those dispatched on such a mission would hardly be ordinary folk. It is unlikely they failed to notice," said the queen.

　　"Then I fear they may have some scheme in reserve. Could their retreat be a ploy—waiting until Commander Chen's men let down their guard before striking again?"

　　Queen Ying said, "Then would Li not still be in danger? Should we send an urgent message to Luo Huangyi and the others?"

　　The king waved his hand. "That won't be necessary. You know Chen Jiang as well as I do—he is no ordinary man. Such tricks will not work on him."

　　Recalling Chen Jiang's usual conduct, the queen's heart settled somewhat, though a trace of disquiet still lingered.

　　The king, reading his wife's expression in a glance, understood her heart and spoke to reassure her: "A son of Chen cannot be a flower raised in a greenhouse. Li is mischievous by nature, quick to anger and prone to impatience. If he does not undergo trials, how can I entrust the throne to him with confidence in the days to come?"

　　Queen Ying's heart still held a lingering reluctance. "Even so, Li is still young. This mission to Wei is like a young tiger entering a pack of wolves—one wrong step could bring mortal danger."

　　"If not for this, when he grows to adulthood, he might well become just another mediocre man—of what use would that be to Chen? I know you worry for Li, but things have already been set in motion. Excessive worry will only harm you without helping him."

　　He paused, then added, "Ever since our Chen ancestors founded this kingdom, none of our line has faded into obscurity."

　　The queen glanced at King Ying with a hint of reproach. "That may be so. I am not blaming you—these are merely the worries of a mother's heart."

　　The king smiled, patted the back of his wife's hand, sat down again, and resumed reading the memorial before him.

　　Chen had been founded a thousand years ago. By the time the throne passed to Ying, six kings had reigned before him. On the day Ying was born, strange signs appeared in the heavens. Under a clear, bright sky, black clouds suddenly rolled in and covered the sun. After three breaths, the clouds scattered, and a gentle rain began to fall—and did not stop for three full days.

　　Thus, some said, "The black cloud hangs over Chen—seven generations, then cut short." When the Grand Tutor of the court heard this, he flew into a rage and ordered the rumormonger executed in the marketplace.

　　But Chen Ying, from childhood, had been exceptionally bright. He could read a text once and never forget it. He treated others with generosity, stood out among several princes like a crane among chickens, and was greatly favored by the late king. What was even more remarkable was that he possessed the aptitude for cultivation.

　　Thirty-three years ago, after the Grand Tutor and other ministers strongly urged the late king, the throne of Chen was passed to Chen Ying.

　　In the thirty years since Chen Ying ascended the throne, the kingdom had enjoyed favorable weather and good harvests, and the people lived in peace and contentment. King Ying lived up to the hopes placed in him, governing with diligence and earning deep admiration from the people of Chen. This also allowed the retired former king and the court ministers to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

　　There was another point of great importance: Chen Ying was a cultivator—and not just any cultivator, but one who had reached the Nascent Soul realm. Moreover, his queen was a cultivator of the same realm.

　　This was unheard of among the Seven Kingdoms.

　　The Qinchuan range stretched across the central lands of the Middle Earth, its full length extending for countless thousands of miles. The Chen Kingdom lay to the southwest of Qinchuan, with the Wei Kingdom on the northeastern side, the two realms divided by the mountain range.

　　The Luo River flowed through the heart of Chen, traversing the kingdom from west to east for thirty thousand miles before turning sharply southward. At that turning point began the border between Chen and another kingdom—Qi.

　　The Luo River continued southward for fifty‑three thousand miles before emptying into the Southern Sea. At the river's mouth, Chen possessed a narrow strip of territory—only a hundred miles wide but stretching some two thousand miles in length.

　　This strip of land faced Qi across the Luo River to the east, and bordered Yan to the west—a kingdom that lay along the Southern Sea.

　　If viewed on a map, the entire Chen Kingdom resembled a long‑spouted water jar in the act of pouring—its spout reaching out into the vast ocean.

　　From the base of that spout to its tip, and then along the coastline of the Southern Sea, all the way to Chen's border, lay the territory of Yan. And Yan's westernmost reaches, in turn, bordered the Kingdom of Han.

　　Three years ago, the ruler of Yan—a kingdom that had long enjoyed good relations with Chen—sent an envoy to present King Ying with a confidential intelligence report.

　　The report revealed that troops within the Qi Kingdom were being shifted from the east to the western border. King Ying promptly dispatched secret agents into Qi.

　　Working covertly with undercover informants already in place, these agents spent three months verifying the matter. When their urgent report came back, it threw the entire Chen court into an uproar.

　　Qi and Chen had long borne a deep-seated enmity. When their founding kings had established their respective kingdoms, the two realms had been separated by the Luo River, and initially there had been no border disputes. But over the past five hundred years, the Luo River had steadily shifted westward, eroding a considerable amount of Chen territory.

　　Yet, bound by the decrees of their ancestors, successive kings of Chen had been compelled to abide by the existing arrangement—and the shifting border had long been a point of contention between the two kingdoms.

　　Though Qi and Chen were separated by the Luo River and lived side by side, their natural endowments could not have been more different.

　　Qi's territory was rich in minerals, and the founding ancestors of Qi had been renowned for their forging skills. Qi had made forging its foundation, producing all manner of long-handled weapons and sharp blades. Qi's weaponry was famed throughout the land, and the armies of all kingdoms took pride in being equipped with Qi-made arms.

　　Chen, by contrast, was crisscrossed by the tributaries of the Luo River. Its soil was rich and fertile, yielding abundant millet, rare medicinal herbs, and—most notably—the Shu horse. The Shu horse was famed for its extraordinary endurance and speed, making it the preferred mount for armies across the kingdoms.

　　Chen's population was now the largest among the states, and its people were prosperous—with the kingdom's abundant resources as the foremost reason.

　　Among the surrounding kingdoms, Yan was known for its abundant rice and marine products, Han for its plentiful game, Wei for its manufactured goods, and Zhao and Qin each had their own specialties.

　　Of all these neighboring states, Wei was the most powerful. The current Wei king, named Cheng Tang, was a wise and ambitious ruler of great vision. Since ascending the throne, with the wholehearted assistance of Grand Tutor Jiwei, Wei's army had grown strong and its cavalry well-supplied—so much so that the saying "Wei's soldiers are the mightiest; Wei brings order to the world" spread throughout the kingdoms.

　　Yet if measured by readiness for battle and skill in waging war, the northern kingdom of Qin stood above the rest. For many years, Qin had been locked in conflict with Zhao on its western border. Though Qin was weaker in both strength and territory compared to Zhao, it had over the years won more battles than it had lost and had even annexed considerable lands from Zhao.

　　When news of Qi's westward troop movements reached Chen, the entire kingdom recognized the ambition behind it.

　　Chen Ying urgently convened the three dukes, the six ministers, and all the nobles and high officials to deliberate on a course of action.

　　During the council, a consensus was reached on the need to seek an external alliance, but a debate arose over which kingdom to approach.

　　Chen Kingdom intended to send envoys to form an alliance, and the only possible candidates were the Yan Kingdom, the Han Kingdom, and the Wei Kingdom.

　　Wei boasted a powerful army, but the towering Qinchuan Range stood between the two realms, making travel and communication extremely difficult. Han shared no border with Qi at all, so if Han chose to come to Chen's aid, its troops would have to enter Chen's territory to fight. Allowing Han's soldiers to march through Chen could help fend off Qi's forces, but there was a lingering fear that it would be easy to invite these "plague gods" in and impossible to send them away later. No one could guarantee that Han held no ulterior, wolfish ambitions.

　　Yan and Chen had enjoyed friendly relations for generations. If Qi swallowed Chen, Yan would be in peril too, so the two were natural allies. But Yan's national strength was far too weak, and it could offer Chen only very limited support. It could barely defend itself, let alone send troops to aid Chen.

　　As a result, all the court officials could only turn their attention to Wei.

　　While Wei and Qi were also separated by the natural barrier of the Qinchuan Range, the mountains came to an end at their far eastern edge, where the two kingdoms shared a small stretch of flat, connected border.

　　If Wei dispatched troops from that location, they could easily march straight into Qi's territory.

　　One minister proposed the strategy of "befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones," but most of the other officials dismissed the idea with open disdain.

　　To the north and east of Wei's territory lay the Zhao Kingdom and the Qin Kingdom, neither of which could offer any meaningful help in the current situation.

　　After all the ministers had dispersed from the court meeting, Grand Tutor Fuli followed King Ying back to his royal study. King Ying offered him a seat and asked, "Grand Tutor, what is your opinion on this matter?" During the court session, the Grand Tutor had remained quiet, observing all the other officials' suggestions, which was why King Ying now sought his personal view.

　　"Your Majesty," Fuli replied, "after hearing all the ministers' discussions, I believe that seeking a close alliance with Wei is the best possible strategy, and I fully agree with that judgment."

　　"But is this truly the right moment to form an alliance with Wei?" King Ying asked.

　　"Indeed it is," the Grand Tutor answered. "Even Yan has already learned where Qi's troops are headed. There is no doubt that Wei found out long ago, and I fear every kingdom under heaven has already caught wind of Qi's wild ambitions."

　　The Grand Tutor paused for a moment, then continued, "Among all the realms, our Chen has the most fertile and abundant lands. Qi has been plotting to seize our territory for a very long time, and this news does not surprise me in the slightest. Whoever conquers Chen will hold the key to dominating the entire world. Aside from the weak kingdoms of Yan and Zhao, the other four realms all have their eyes on our lands. The only thing holding them back is the unshakable loyalty of our people, which makes Chen impossible to easily overthrow."

　　King Ying nodded, gesturing for Fuli to go on.

　　"This time, Qi has taken the first bold step, determined to destroy our great Chen. The other four kingdoms will never stand by and let it happen. If Qi's scheme succeeds, it will mark the beginning of the end for every other realm. This is exactly the right moment to secure an alliance with Wei — it is the wisest possible move."

　　"Grand Tutor, what exact approach do you recommend we take?" King Ying asked.

　　Fuli cupped his hands in a formal salute and said, "There is one more thing I must say. Seeking friendship with Wei right now is an urgent, immediate response, but the old 'befriend distant states' strategy is not entirely without merit."

　　King Ying looked momentarily confused. "Grand Tutor, are you suggesting we should also send envoys to lobby Qin and Zhao at this very moment?"

　　"Precisely so," Fuli said. "And Qin, above all others, is the most critical. The Qin army is ferocious in battle, and the current King of Qin is a warlike ruler. He has been locked in years of continuous conflict with Zhao, and the fighting still rages fiercely. From what I have observed, one of these two kingdoms is destined to fall."

　　"Do you favor Qin to win?" King Ying asked. "General Ji Dongzan of Zhao is one of the most renowned generals under heaven. With him leading Zhao's forces, Qin's troops will find it nearly impossible to shake Zhao's defenses."

　　"That is true enough," Fuli conceded. "But brute individual courage cannot stand against overwhelming coordinated strength. I believe the King of Zhao is cowardly and afraid of battle, and Ji Dongzan is a brilliant gem trapped in unworthy hands — a man born in the wrong time, serving a lord who cannot recognize his full worth. Qin will inevitably grow into a dominant power in the days ahead."

　　At these words, King Ying's mind was fully clear. Forming an alliance with Wei was a natural choice, for Wei had long cast covetous eyes on the advanced weaponry and military advantages that Qi possessed.

　　A vertical alliance between Chen and Wei was the perfect move right now. The two kingdoms joined together would be more than a match for Qi.

　　The Grand Tutor's concern was that if Wei used this alliance to swallow Qi, it would inevitably grow far too powerful. With Qi's resources, population, and advanced technology under its control, Wei would become a new, overwhelming threat to Chen in the near future.

　　Reaching out to form distant ties with Qin was a long-term move to keep that future threat in check. Qin shared no border with Chen at all. If Qin managed to destroy Zhao, its next step would certainly be to invade Wei. For that reason, Qin would never want to see Wei grow into a dominant power at this moment.

　　If Chen and Wei conquered Qi together, Wei would gain all of Qi's lands, people, and technology, and would surely rise to challenge every other realm. It would directly threaten both its neighbor Qin and Chen. At that point, Chen and Qin would naturally form their own alliance to resist Wei, trapping it in a pincer attack from two sides, leaving it with no room to maneuver.

　　When that day comes, Chen could choose to secretly support Qin's attack on Wei, or even ally with Wei to resist Qin. It could adapt to the situation as it unfolds, and hold all the cards to move forward or retreat with complete ease.

　　After listening to the Grand Tutor's full explanation, King Ying understood everything clearly and quickly made up his mind. After a short moment of silence, he asked, "Grand Tutor, what approach should we take to formalize the alliance with Wei? And who do you think we should send as the envoy to Qin for the distant diplomatic mission?"

　　"This matter requires careful, thorough deliberation," Fuli replied.