Chapter 286 A Changing World

In the original trajectory, when facing the attack of the Qin army, the State of Zhao relied on the bravery of the Zhao army and Li Mu's skill in fighting. In the battle between the Zhao army and the Qin army, the Zhao army won more victories than defeats. There was even a saying that "as long as Li Mu lived, the State of Zhao would not perish."

But in fact, this is not the case. The battle between the Zhao army and the Qin army on the battlefield seems to be just a fight between soldiers and generals, but fundamentally it is a full-scale war between the two countries, from monarchs to the people. It is by no means a war that can be decided by the victory of a single level.

The reason why Qin was able to immediately launch another attack on Zhao despite losing 100,000 soldiers was because of its strong national strength. But it was different for Zhao. It seemed that Zhao was constantly winning on the battlefield, but with every victory, its national strength was weakened. In the process of continuous weakening, Zhao seemed to become stronger in the process of defeating Qin, but in fact it was constantly becoming weaker.

Because of the war, Zhao's land lacked young and middle-aged people to cultivate it. Because of the war, Zhao's young and middle-aged people were constantly decreasing, but they could not be replenished in time. Because of the war, Zhao's limited resources were constantly consumed, and it became weaker and weaker in its continuous victories.

This situation may not be seen in the early stages of the contest between Qin and Zhao, but as time goes by, these changes will become something fatal that even Li Mu cannot change.

What's more, the Qin State was still the darling of this era. It was absolutely true to say that the destiny lies with the Qin State.

Because when Zhao State could still hold on for a few more years, it experienced two natural disasters. First, a major earthquake spread throughout the northern border of Zhao State, causing heavy casualties among the military and civilians of Zhao State. Then, a drought affected most of Zhao State, causing famine in Zhao State.

Taking advantage of this God-given opportunity, the Qin army, led by Wang Jian, attacked Zhao again. Although Li Mu blocked the Qin army's attack on the front battlefield, he was eliminated by Qin through a counter-espionage plan. From then on, Zhao had no hope.

But even without Qin's counter-espionage plan, Yang Chong was not optimistic about how long Li Mu and the Zhao army could hold out against the Qin army's attack.

Therefore, when facing the survival of the State of Zhao, Yang Chong did not think that he could influence the Queen Mother of Zhao and make it impossible for the State of Zhao to kill Li Mu through counter-espionage.

In the contest between Zhao and Qin, Zhao lost because of its national strength. Since Yang Chong was unable to change this reality, the demise of Zhao was unstoppable.

What Yang Chong wanted to do was never to save the fate of Zhao. What he wanted to do was to take advantage of the time when Qin and Zhao were fighting to develop and strengthen himself as much as possible. Only in this way, when Zhao was destroyed, Yang Chong would have enough strength to confront Qin head-on.

In Yang Chong's memory, the great earthquake in Zhao State occurred next year, and the drought occurred later, which means that Yang Chong still had two years to reorganize the internal affairs and eliminate Tian Jian's Southern Qi.

Xunzi, Guiguzi, Xiao He and others naturally didn't know that Yang Chong had thought so much in his mind, but when they heard Yang Chong's certainty, they believed it to about 70%.

"We can prepare to resolve the issue of Tian Jian." While Xunzi and others were thinking, Yang Chong made the final decision.

When Yang Chong decided to start working on solving Tian Jian's problem, Han Fei and Bai Feng had already entered the territory of Dai County of Zhao State from the grassland after a long journey, and with them was a caravan from the wolf tribe.

"The King of Qi's hands are so long. When the world's attention is still on the struggle among the seven countries, his hands have already reached into the grassland, and he has even cultivated his own spokespersons on the grassland." Han Fei found it unbelievable when he saw the wolf warriors on both sides who looked ferocious but knew etiquette well.

"The king once said that war is a form of communication, and commerce is also a form of communication, and it is even a better form of communication. Over the years, Qi's caravans have continued to go deep into the north, from the mountains and forests of Liaodong to the grasslands of the wolf tribe, and even farther places. Qi's caravans have been involved in all of these places. As for what the Ninth Prince has seen now, it is just one of them." Bai Feng replied.

"I'm afraid it's not just as simple as a trade route?" Han Fei smiled playfully, his eyes passing over the surrounding wolf warriors and falling on a wolf woman.

To be precise, she was a wolf girl, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, a few years younger than Honglian. However, it seemed that because the wolf tribe's diet was very different from that of the Seven Nations, the wolf girl had developed to a very mature stage at such a young age.

What attracts the most attention between her curvy figure and her slender yet powerful waist is a style completely different from that of the women in the Seven Kingdoms.

The small braids unique to a wolf girl make her look like a little beast. With her heterochromatic eyes, she has a special status in her tribe.

The girl's name is Hu Ji. She is a witch in the wolf tribe that has deep cooperation with the State of Qi.

According to legend, the ancestors of the wolf clan were a branch of the Xia Dynasty. When the Xia Dynasty was destroyed by the Shang Dynasty, a branch of the Xia people migrated to the northern grasslands. After this branch of the Xia people integrated into the local ethnic group, the two gradually formed the current wolf clan under mutual influence.

Therefore, although the current wolf tribe has the tribal system of nomadic peoples, there is also the shadow of the Xia people within the tribe.

In the wolf tribe, the most powerful person is not the tribe leader, but the witch.

In the wolf tribe, a person cannot do without a shaman from birth to death. He needs a shaman to deliver him when he is born, and he needs the shaman's medical skills when he grows up. When he grows up, if the cattle and sheep he raises get any epidemic disease, he also needs a shaman. Even if he dies, he needs a shaman to preside over his funeral and send his soul to where he can go.

It can be said that in the wolf tribe, shamans play various roles. The food, clothing, housing, transportation, birth, aging, sickness and death of the wolf people are all inseparable from shamans. As for the tribe leader, he is only a military leader.

The shaman who was so important to a tribe was now leaving the grassland and preparing to go to Qi State. Han Fei didn't know what the purpose was, but he knew that the purpose was definitely not as simple as doing business.

Along the way, Han Fei had obtained some very useful information from the wolf tribe members who were traveling with him through indirect questioning.

Han Fei learned that the tribe of the people around him was originally only a small tribe, and the reason why it was able to develop to its current scale of 5,000 tents was because of its cooperation with Yang Chong and the State of Qi.

The goods that entered the Wolf Tribe’s grassland from the State of Qi gathered in this tribe and were sold to the entire Wolf Tribe through them. In the process, their tribe’s wealth accumulated in huge amounts.

Supported by this wealth, the tribe began to grow and develop. They had the best weapons, the finest war horses, and the best life. Gradually, they naturally became a huge attraction to the surrounding small tribes. The former small tribe developed into the large tribe it is today.

Han Fei didn't know why Yang Chong would cooperate with such a tribe. Was it just a coincidence, or did Yang Chong have some purpose? But there was one thing Han Fei was sure of, that is, the tentacles of Qi State had extended into the grasslands and were operating a huge network with the help of trade routes.

This network is just a trade route now, but if one day in the future, the border of Qi is really connected to the grassland, this trade route will burst out with great power. For hundreds of years, our ancestors have already told the descendants how to deal with barbarians like the wolf tribe.

Where did the Northern Di, Eastern Yi, Western Rong, and Southern Barbarians of Chu go now? Weren't they all assimilated by the seven countries? The current wolf tribe may become the people of the seven countries in the future.

For a moment, Han Fei became curious about the future of the wolf tribe. The demise of a nation is much more interesting than the rise and fall of a country.

Just when Han Fei found another problem for himself, his mounts, which had been concentrating on the road, became restless. Even with the wolf tribe's good riding and shooting skills, it took a long time to calm their mounts down. Han Fei was in a very embarrassing situation. Fortunately, Bai Feng helped him avoid falling off the horse.
"What's going on?" Han Fei asked puzzledly. At this moment, he saw that not only the mount became restless, but also the birds flying in the valley became restless. Even many animals seen during the day fled from their caves hidden underground.

"Oh no, let's go, let's get out of the valley quickly." Before Han Fei could react, the only female voice in the caravan was heard, it was Hu Ji.

"It's an earthquake." After Hu Ji's reminder, Han Fei suddenly reacted and remembered something Xunzi had told him when he was studying in Qi State.

Earthquakes are rare in Korea, but they are extremely common in Shu. When Xunkuang was young, he traveled around the world and climbed Mount Shu, where he saw many records of earthquakes.

Han Fei, who knew the horror of earthquakes, ignored everything else and urged his horse to run forward.

Earthquakes may not be fatal on flat ground, but they are the most deadly in the valley. Even a not-so-strong earthquake can shake off rocks. There is no place to hide in the valley, and the rocks falling from high places are deadly weapons.

After a panic escape, the caravan finally escaped from the valley, but many unlucky people were killed in the earthquake. Under the rocks, all beings are equal.

Amid Han Fei's compassion for the world, the news about the earthquake in Zhao State had spread throughout the world.

Xianyang,

"There was an earthquake in Daibei, Zhao State, and nine out of ten houses were empty. This is a great joy for us. The national strength of Zhao State has greatly declined since then. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us." In the Xianyang Palace, King Zheng of Qin said this to his confidant.

Among these people were Wang Jian, Wang Ben who came from Southern Qi, Prime Minister Changping Jun, Court Justice Li Si, and King Zheng of Qin. It can be said that all the decision-makers of Qin were gathered here.

"Your Majesty, this is the perfect time to send troops to Zhao State. We must not miss it!" Changping Jun said excitedly.

The most elite army of Zhao State now is the Northern Frontier Army. Li Mu led the border army of Dai to defeat Qin State, but now there is an earthquake in Dai, which extends for thousands of miles. Although the earthquake is not very strong in every place, Dai, as the center of the earthquake, must have suffered heavy losses. It is even possible that many soldiers were killed in this earthquake.

Changping Jun, who was in charge of the Qin State's government, was very clear about the power of earthquakes and the damage they caused.

The trauma caused by an earthquake to a country is not even the death toll. The biggest loss is the people who are still alive. Among the survivors, there are many disabled people with missing limbs. These people are a considerable burden for a country.

What's more, Zhao State had been engaged in constant wars in recent years, and its domestic economy had long been severely damaged. It can be said that after experiencing the earthquake in Dai, Zhao State would inevitably be extremely weak, and this was Qin State's opportunity.

During Qin's external expansion over the years, the only army that could make the Qin army feel pressured was the Zhao army. This time the earthquake in Zhao could be said to be an opportunity given to Qin by God. Qin would never miss this opportunity and give Zhao a chance to recover.

"I don't want to go against the will of heaven." said King Zheng of Qin.

King Zheng of Qin was surprised when he learned the news of the earthquake in Dai, but Yang Chong had a completely different feeling. He was not happy, but only surprised.

"It shouldn't be like this. I clearly remember that the earthquake in Zhao State should have occurred next year. I can change human history, but I am powerless against natural disasters like earthquakes. How could the earthquake in Dai happen earlier than expected?" In the palace of King Qi, Yang Chong was puzzled.

"Have you believed in the divination of that witch from the Yin-Yang School again? You can't trust all those things." Looking at Yang Chong who was talking to himself, Yan Lingji seemed to see something else.

"I really didn't hear what the Moon Goddess said. There was an earthquake in Daidi. Will there be a severe drought tomorrow?" If it were any other time, Yang Chong might have fought back against Yan Lingji, but he was not in that mood at the moment.

Is there something wrong with his memory, or is there something different about the world? Yang Chong needs to figure this out.

If it was just a problem with his memory, then it would be easy to explain, but if the world had changed, then the meaning behind it would be hard to explain.

"Why are you talking nonsense now?" Yan Lingji asked suspiciously and with a bit of irritation. She couldn't understand what Yang Chong was saying at all.

"Because of the inexplicable things I encountered, are you interested in going out with me?"

Yang Chong put away his thoughts and had already made a decision.

"Go out? Where to?" Yan Lingji became interested. Of course, what she was really interested in was not going out, but going out with Yang Chong.

"Zhao State, go to Zhao State and see what this earthquake is all about." Yang Chong said.

It would be useless to just guess now. Yang Chong had a hunch that he might be able to see some clues at the location of the earthquake.

(End of this chapter)