Chapter 230

Floods have been the greatest threat to the Huaxia tribes from ancient times to the present.

From the terrifying legends of "floods reaching the heavens, vast waters surrounding the mountains and hills," to the Great Yu taming the floods in ancient times, these stories have long remained in people's memories. Even today, the landscape of the world remains hot, rainy, crisscrossed by rivers, with abundant water and lush forests.

At that time, the harm of floods was far greater than the disaster of water shortages. Only because of this did the world have the saying of "beneficial water." Beneficial water refers to water that can be used. Since great rivers and vast lakes are constantly surging and floods are frequent, those who farm, fish, and hunt often face the disaster of being wiped out.

Also because the countries of the world only blindly guarded against floods and rarely faced droughts, once a drought actually occurred, they would all appear at a loss.

When Su Xuan first appeared in the State of Han, it was because the State of Han had suffered a severe drought for several months without a single drop of rain. The Han Wang, forced by necessity, had to issue a decree to summon capable people to pray for rain for him.

Su Xuan used the technique of "knowing the timing" to predict in advance that heavy rain was coming, and then accepted the Han Wang's reward, leaping to become an honored guest of the Han Wang. His ability to summon wind and rain was thus praised by many.

However, even though the drought in the State of Han last year was alleviated due to subsequent heavy rains, the months-long drought still affected the harvest of the State of Han that year. Last year could not really be considered a harvest year; for the State of Han, last year was more like a year of misfortune.

After the drought, there were also the sudden death of the Han Wang and the assassination of Ji Wuye.

After the Crown Prince of Han ascended to the throne, he could only rely on the Chancellor, Zhang Kaidi, to stabilize the domestic situation. However, disaster did not seem to intend to let the State of Han go. This year, spring was fine, but by summer, there was another series of severe droughts.

And this drought was much larger in scale than last year's. Not only the State of Han, but even the Qin Guo was affected.

If it were in the past, the Qin Guo would definitely have been greatly affected, but the Zheng Guoqu in the Qin Guo was almost completed. With the Jing River being diverted into the ten thousand hectares of fertile fields in Guanzhong, although this drought was fierce, the impact on the Qin Guo was not as great as imagined.

The State of Han, however, was different.

Last year's drought was barely survived by luck.

If another drought came this year, it looked like the crops in the fields would all die in the severe drought, leading to a total crop failure.

For the State of Han, this was an absolutely unacceptable thing.

The State of Han was already weak in national strength, and if there were another total crop failure, no one could guarantee what would happen.

And so, in order to survive the drought, the Crown Prince of Han, who had not yet officially ascended the throne, urged the officials below to provide disaster relief while trying to find ways to borrow grain to survive this drought.

The many changes in the State of Han could hardly be hidden from the neighboring Qin Guo.

In the Zhangtai Palace, Ying Zheng summoned Su Xuan.

"Master Su, there is a severe drought in Nanyang of the State of Han!"

After seeing Su Xuan step into the Zhangtai Palace, Ying Zheng could not help but share this news with him.

Since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the State of Han had been repeatedly defeated, and its territory had been swallowed by the Qin Guo. Nanyang was already considered the last piece of fertile land in the State of Han. A severe drought in Nanyang meant that the entire State of Han would fall into a disaster of grain shortage.

"Did the Qin Wang summon me here just to tell me this?"

Su Xuan asked Ying Zheng with a calm expression.

Ying Zheng explained, "Of course, it is not just this."

He said slowly, "As far as I know, last year, the State of Han also suffered a drought for several months, and in the end, it was thanks to your brilliant methods that you successfully summoned rain for the Han Wang, thus resolving the drought."

Speaking of this, he could not help but make a joke to Su Xuan, "It is fortunate that the Zheng Guoqu is nearly completed and can be put into use; otherwise, the severe drought in Guanzhong this year would also have to rely on your art of summoning wind and rain to bring rain to resolve it."

"The Qin Wang flatters me!"

Su Xuan responded indifferently, not explaining the truth about summoning wind and rain.

Ying Zheng continued, "This year's drought will not have your help to resolve it for the State of Han. Nanyang has always been the granary of the State of Han. Unsurprisingly, this drought this year will lead to a total crop failure for the entire State of Han..."

"Is the Qin Wang preparing to take action against the State of Han?" Su Xuan guessed Ying Zheng's intention and asked him.

"Correct!"

Ying Zheng nodded and said, "Originally, the Zheng Guoqu was only completed this year, and I intended to start the matter of destroying the country the year after next."

"But Heaven has been kind, and the State of Han is suffering from a severe drought. Such a good opportunity, I do not want to miss!"

"Because of a drought, countless people of the State of Han have fallen into famine. Tell me, at this time, if the Qin Guo takes action to save those people of the State of Han who have fallen into famine because of the drought, will they be grateful to the Qin Guo?"

Ying Zheng said indifferently, his tone suddenly turning cold, "The monarch and ministers of the State of Han are incompetent. Since they cannot resolve this drought, then do not blame the Qin Guo for taking action to help."

Through Ying Zheng's words, Su Xuan roughly guessed the purpose of Ying Zheng summoning him here.

Earlier, Su Xuan had re-discussed the general trend of the world with Ying Zheng.

Among them, Su Xuan emphasized under what name they should destroy the Six States.

The reason Su Xuan gave was to "punish the unrighteous, execute the inhumane, and save the common people."

Strike at the nobles of the Six States and win the hearts of the lowest-level people of the Six States.

As long as the lowest-level people of the Six States lived better than when the Six States were still in existence, then even if the nobles of the Six States wanted to plot a rebellion in the future, no one would respond to them.

In the final analysis, it was because the thoughts of the lowest-level people were very simple and plain; they just wanted to survive.

Only when they really couldn't survive would they think about rebelling.

"Regarding the affairs of the State of Han, I might be able to help the Qin Wang!" After Su Xuan figured out Ying Zheng's thoughts, he said to Ying Zheng.

"Oh?" Ying Zheng looked at Su Xuan in surprise.

"Although Ji Wuye is dead, the 'Night' organization still exists. Although Emerald Tiger is gone, he operated for many years, and what he possessed was more than just those family assets. Although the family assets were confiscated by the Han Wang, his business network was left behind."

"Although I have come to the Qin Guo, I have not severed my relationship with the 'Night' organization. I might be able to use the power of the 'Night' organization to drive up the grain prices in the State of Han!"

Ying Zheng listened quietly to Su Xuan's explanation and gradually understood Su Xuan's meaning.

"Drought is a natural disaster, and the 'Night' organization is a man-made disaster. Under the combination of natural and man-made disasters, the people of the State of Han will have no way to survive. If at this time, the Qin army attacks and provides them with food and shows them kindness..."

"Then the people of the State of Han will become the most solid supporters of the Qin Guo! Even the hatred of destroying their country will not be as profound as imagined!" Su Xuan interjected, finishing Ying Zheng's words.