This article will cover the events that took place immediately after the capture of Zhuoyong, which we previously covered. We recommend that you read that article first before reading this one. With the coronation ceremony fast approaching, the long battle between the Great King's camp and Lü Buwei's camp will finally come to an end. (Spoiler Alert!)
The Birth of the Kingdom of Ai ①
With the struggle in Sai two years ago, the death of Cheng Jiao in Tunliu six months ago, and the upcoming coronation ceremony next year, the power struggle between King Ying Zheng and Prime Minister Lü Buwei has intensified. Then, Lao Ai, a male prostitute sent by Zheng's mother, the Empress Dowager, and Lü Buwei, appears in the royal palace. The Empress Dowager demanded that Lao Ai rule the area in exchange for the three major imperial families paying money to Shanyang and Zhuoyong. Lü Buwei, who had been caught out by the male prostitute and their former romantic relationship, accepted the request, almost forcibly getting it approved.
The Birth of the Ai Kingdom ②
The Empress Dowager and her companions headed for Shanyang, but they ended up moving further north to Taiyuan. Gradually, the Empress Dowager used the power of the imperial family to bring soldiers, people, weapons, and food into the area, and even unilaterally established the Taiyuan area as a new country, the State of Ai. While the King's camp and Lü Buwei were in chaos, the State of Ai steadily built up its military as an independent nation, allied with Chu, and by having the Chu army invade from the south, it sandwiched Qin from the north and south, preventing the Qin army from being sent to the State of Ai.
The Ninth Year of the First Emperor
Faced by the ever-growing power of the Ai Kingdom, the new year has arrived. The ninth year of the First Emperor's reign marks the year when Zheng's coronation ceremony will be held. The coronation ceremony is a ceremony held upon the coming-of-age ceremony (usually at the age of 20; Ying Zheng performed this ceremony at the age of 22). Upon completion of this ceremony, the Qin Emperor could officially rule as ruler of the Qin state, be recognized by other countries, and forcibly bring all neutral forces under his control. In essence, the successful completion of this ceremony would mean victory for Ying Zheng's side. In such a crucial year, it was Ai who made the first move.
Ai's Uprising
While other nations sought to enrich Ai financially and hinder Qin, their ruler, Lao Ai, flattered and revered as a king, suddenly rose in unison against Qin. In fact, the uprising was being orchestrated behind the scenes by a minister of the Ai state named Hu Li. Hu Li falsely reported that Lao Ai's affair with the Empress Dowager and his illegitimate child had been discovered in the royal capital, and suggested that they should launch a surprise attack before the angry royal forces could attack. Hu Li also took the child Lao Ai had with the Empress Dowager hostage, and Lao Ai and his people were semi-forced to launch the uprising.
The Crowning Ceremony
Upriver along the Wei River, which runs east to west from Xianyang, 150 km northwest is the former royal capital of Yong, where the Crowning Ceremony will be held. The guests gathered at Yong were ushered to the Qiu Nian Palace, the site of the ceremony. Representatives and dignitaries from various countries attended, along with the empress dowager at the center of the controversy, prime minister Lü Buwei, right prime minister Changping Jun, left prime minister Changwen Jun, and finally, Ying Zheng. When Sei appeared last, he mysteriously appeared to be surrounded by a glow, demonstrating his divine and sure-handed qualities as a king.
A Surprise Attack from the Ai Kingdom
As the ceremony progressed, Ying Zheng, who had ascended to the throne at the tender age of 13, officially became the 31st King of the Qin Kingdom. Cheers rang out from the crowd, and Ying Zheng stood atop the throne, determined to unify China. The ceremony barely lasted a moment, when a messenger arrived informing him that 30,000 troops from the Ai Kingdom had already passed through Hangu Pass and were on their way to Xianyang. Lü Buwei smiles fearlessly. Yes, it was none other than Lü Buwei who was connected to the Tiger History of Ai. The Ai Kingdom would siege Xianyang, slaughter the entire royal family, then invade Yong and kill the King. Lü Buwei, accompanied by Meng Wu's troops, would then defeat them. This was Lü Buwei's scenario.
The King's Camp Feels at Ease
Seeing Lü Buwei's expression, the Empress Dowager, realizing she had been deceived, became enraged. Lü Buwei, however, attempted to quickly end the ceremony. However, at this point, Ying Zheng, with a relaxed expression, declares that he will carry out the ceremony until the end. This calm demeanor makes Lü Buwei suspect that Ying Zheng has discovered his plan. However, Lü Buwei's subordinate, Li Si, has done perfect behind the scenes, and Li Si asserts that there is no army in Xianyang that can rival the Ai army.
Ying Zheng's Strategy
As Lu Buwei's camp rapidly expands, Ying Zheng reveals that he has sent reinforcements, as well as 10,000 soldiers hidden in Sai, which the King himself had personally defended two years earlier. The scene shifts to 10,000 soldiers crossing the Wei River by boat from the southern road leading to Xianyang. Shin and his men are also there. Shin and his men cross the river and head toward Xianyang, where the siege has already begun. Thanks to Lu Buwei's maneuvering, the city is easily surrendered. As the Ai army slaughters civilians inside the castle, a group of black-clad cavalry appears before Shin and his men, who are marching from the rear to stop them.
The True Identity of the Imperial Guard
The cavalry, which is defeating the Ai army one after another and halting their advance, is actually the Imperial Guard of Changping Jun, one of the four pillars of the Lü clan. At the Yong Palace, Changping Jun stands up to Lü Buwei and says, "Thank you for your help." Changping Jun's change of heart had been gradually beginning since he dispatched Kaioku to Sai, but now he boldly declared his separation from Lü Buwei. With a determined expression on his face, Changping Jun hurried to Xianyang with Changwen Jun to provide relief.
The Second Gate Opens
The arrival of the Imperial Guards halted the first wave of enemy troops, but the second gate opened with the force of 30,000 rebels. He Ryoten and Shin were filled with memories of the failed rescue of Seikyo at Tunliu. Determined to not let Masa's child be killed at all costs, Shin issues a speech and heads at full speed to the harem. Many of the Ai army are made up of people who harbor a strong grudge against Qin, and the palace has turned into a sea of Qin aristocrats' blood. In the harem, Kou, Masa's son Rei, and his best friend You evade their pursuers and find a way to escape the palace.
Two Paths ①
Meanwhile, after the ceremony, while Yong awaits news from Xianyang, Lü Buwei and Ying Zheng discuss their vision of "World." Lü Buwei argues that the world was brought about by the monetary system. The monetary system created disparities in wealth, leading to people's egoistic desire to be wealthier than others. He continues, "The current war-torn world, where those who wish to rule China have gathered, is an extension of this." Lü Buwei then spoke of his dream of ruling the country with financial power, creating a prosperous state of Qin, distributing that wealth to other countries with Qin at its center, and ruling China without violence.
Two Paths ②
Lü Buwei then criticized Zheng's plan to unify China as insane, creating a cycle of hatred and resulting in endless war. After listening, Ying Zheng's eyes fixed on Lü Buwei and he began to talk about his own dream. Lu Buwei's thinking is not focused on war, and when countries that have become wealthy grow in power, that wealth will lead to even bigger wars, he counters. Ying Zheng then argues that the true essence of human beings is light.
Two Paths ③
Sei says that Shika, Ouki, and Seikyo, whom he met as a child, all died because they were desperately trying to keep the light within them shining.
The next generation will then take over, and humanity will move forward in a better direction. He continues by saying that the tragedies of war are a major cause of people's descent into darkness, and that his dream is to eliminate war through military force. He said that in his generation, he would end war. The King of Qin said that the end of uniting China without distinction, without superiors or subordinates, would bring about a world where people no longer have to kill each other.
In the Harem
Ying Zheng's dream and the story he told about the future beyond captivated everyone present, including Lu Buwei. This verbal battle would be meaningless if they could not protect Xianyang, but it was still worthwhile discussing the two paths the two men had drawn. Now, Mukai and the others stepped out onto the main street of the harem, but the cavalry of the Wei army, having read their movements, approached from the front. Desperate to somehow allow at least Mukai and Rei to escape, You blocked the path of the cavalry. You refused to back down a single step, determined to take even just one cavalryman with him. The moment the cavalry soldier raised his sword and You rode off on his horse, determined to die, it was Shin of the Hi Shin Unit who cut him in half from above, along with his cavalryman.
Battle of Xianyang
Just in time, Shin catches up and mows down the other cavalry. The Hi Shin Unit joins later and manages to protect Masa's wife, child, and You. Meanwhile, outside the castle, a desperate battle is unfolding to prevent any further enemy forces from entering the palace. Even with Ka Ryo Ten, they are outnumbered by the 30,000 enemy troops and find themselves in a desperate situation. At this point, a group of Changpingjun soldiers arrives, racing from Yong. Although a civil servant, Changping Jun was said to have been stronger than Meng Wu in his youth. His intellect rivaled Li Mu's, and his advanced tactic, the "Horai" technique, allowed him to instantly defeat the enemy general.
Victory Cry
Like a thunderstorm, Changping Jun defeated the enemy general in one fell swoop and shouted a victory cry. Once news of the defeat spread, it discouraged the rebel army from fleeing, and by deliberately creating an escape route behind them, he encouraged the entire army to retreat. With this, the Battle of Xianyang came to an end. Xiang and Zheng's son, Li, were safely protected, and the royal capital was temporarily freed from a predicament.
Complete Victory
Ying Zheng narrowly escaped Zhao and ascended to the throne at the age of 13. The long, long battle with Lü Buwei, which had lasted for nearly nine years, finally concluded with Ying Zheng's complete victory. Upon hearing this news in Yong, Ying Zheng felt relief, the Empress Dowager anger, and Lü Buwei was overcome with indescribable emotion at having been completely defeated. Having brought them to justice and shaken off past ties and grudges through this battle, the 31st King of Qin, Ying Zheng, now begins his journey toward unifying China.
Summary
What did you think? This is the story up to Volume 40 of the manga, and the battle between Ying Zheng and Lü Buwei has now reached a dignified conclusion. While Lü Buwei's biggest miscalculation was Changping Jun's betrayal, Changping Jun recognized Ying Zheng's potential as a king and took this action out of a desire to work together to realize the dream of unifying China. This means that Shohei-kun will likely play an even more active role than before, so we can look forward to more to come.
