Chapter 13

"You look down on Han?" Zi Nu looked at Zhou Shuo with some displeasure, inside and out she didn't treat Han as a dish; although she doesn't consider herself a Han person, she also knows what Han is like, but she dislikes such attitude.

"What words could get one into the Seven Hegemons? Han certainly has its strengths, but its standing is the lowest; having gained land from the division of Jin by Wei and Zhao, at its peak it merely subdued the weak Zheng, keeping the lords from encroaching, and is far inferior to the other six." Zhou Shuo ignored Zi Nv's displeasure; he felt unqualified to judge its worth, but Han is indeed unimpressive among the Warring States' Seven Hegemons. As for the other six lords—no need to mention Qin—Zhao practices Hu-style horse archery, Wei sweeps the Central Plains, Yan attacks Qi and defeats the Hu, Qi twice achieves hegemony, Chu contends for the Central Plains; what does Han have? At its height, it merely prevents the lords from causing harm.

"Zhou Shuo, I dare not agree with that. You also said Han obtained its land from the division of Jin by Wei and Zhao, but its soil is not as fertile as Wei's, nor as vast as Zhao's, and it is surrounded by strong powers—this is insufficient." Han Fei could not quite accept it; after all, this is his homeland, and he could not tolerate such belittling.

"Han Shuo, among the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period and the Seven Hegemons of the Warring States, which did not rise while surrounded by strong powers? Though Han's land is neither fertile nor extensive, it possesses powerful bows and crossbows, and peerless swords of the world—this craftsmanship is outstanding, already providing the capital for hegemony. What did Qin initially have? Merely the Zhou king's horse‑herding folk. Han too once rose to prominence, with Lord Zhao appointing Shen Buhai as chancellor, reforming the administration and training the troops; yet after Lord Zhao and Chancellor Shen died, what became of Han? Han Shuo, the Battle of Changping—Han's accumulated weakness, have you still not seen it?"

Zhou Shuo cut off Han Fei's rebuttal: which state in the world rises without difficulty? Qin can be said to have had an extremely hard start, yet it is the classic example of a late‑stage reversal and triumph. When it first rose, the major powers of the Central Plains looked down on it and would not associate with it; but Qin strove with vigor, finally trampling the six states underfoot, then sneered, "Yesterday you looked down on me; today I make it impossible for you to rise." That is venting one's spleen.

"……" Han Fei listened to Zhou Shuo's lengthy discourse, first stopping his steps, wanting to rebut but finding no words; when he heard of the Battle of Changping, his fists clenched tightly.

In the Battle of Changping, Qin attacked Han to seize Shangdang; the Han king ceded the land, but Shangdang Governor Feng Ting refused to surrender to Qin, taking the land over to Zhao, thus provoking the Qin–Zhao showdown at Changping. Qin general Bai Qi thereby earned the epithet "Butcher" through this battle. In such a great war, the role Han played inevitably made him feel ashamed; and he, Han Fei, who styles himself a talent of great ambition, established the Flowing Sands to wander the court, claiming he would seize ninety‑nine percent of the world—yet what has he actually done so far?

"Have you said enough?" Zi Nv looked at the suddenly silent Han Fei, then at Zhou Shuo's eyes narrowing tightly.

"Well, we've gone off topic, gone off topic, sorry." Zhou Shuo also blurted out in a moment of frankness, looking at Han Fei who had stopped walking and whose expression had sunk into gloom, and at Zi Nv whose face was as cold as ice; he felt suddenly embarrassed, wondering if this was just talking big without effort—Han actually isn't easy either.

"It's fine, it's fine; Elder Brother Zhou's vast knowledge has today opened my eyes. If following your view, how should Han rise?" Han Fei loosened his clenched fist, inhaled, lifted his head, and gave Zhou Shuo a smile.

"Han Shuo, you are a high disciple of Xunzi, a grand synthesizer of the Legalists, possessing the talent to govern the world and benefit the people; what problems does Han have that you still need to ask me?" Zhou Shuo looked at Han Fei's forced smile and twitched his mouth. Han's biggest flaw is its unwillingness to strive, its tendency to coast and wait for death. To reform Han, one should emulate Shang Yang, first overhaul the laws, purge the administration; Han Fei himself becoming Sikou would presumably follow that path, but the result—well, heh.

"I consider myself capable of governing the world and benefiting the people, yet I lack the skill to save the state." Han Fei lowered his gaze. Indeed, he had wasted his thoughts in murky waters, becoming Han's Sikou, but everything fell far short of his imagination; Han continues to slide downhill, ever farther, like a massive wheel, and he does not even have the courage to stand before it.

"There is, Han Shuo; you can propose the Five Vermin and the Eight Treacheries, and your understanding of Han's situation is absolutely deeper than mine." Zhou Shuo looked at Han Fei's water‑like eyes and curled the corner of his mouth. Han Fei knows Han's circumstances inside out and also knows how to counter them; by asking this, there is a fifty percent chance he is simply waiting to show off, then smoothly dragging himself in to emulate Shang Yang.

"Elder Brother Zhou, you're joking." Han Fei looked at Zhou Shuo's smiling mouth, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes. Indeed, he knows everything about Han and has a set of countermeasures, but he dares not act; yet when listening to Zhou Shuo's eloquence, he feels an impulse to join forces to block the wheel's advance—an impulse that Zhou Shuo's clever closing of the talk also snuffs out with a blink. This chaotic age is already long enough.

Zi Nv, lagging behind, watched the two figures ahead walking again, focusing her gaze on the man holding the gauze lantern—what is his background, that he possesses such insight into the world, and what does he intend to do in Han?

"I am now very curious, Elder Brother Zhou—who exactly are you, and what is your purpose in Xinzheng? Could we be friends?" Han Fei suddenly halted his steps, as if sensing Zi Nv's thoughts, and asked Zhou Shuo.

"Han Shuo, the place I come from is incomprehensible to you and your kind; my purpose in coming here is actually simple: to collect things that interest me, and I am interested in many things. As for whether we are friends, I believe we already are—unless you refuse to regard me as a friend." Zhou Shuo turned to face Han Fei's clear gaze and spoke plainly.

"We naturally wish to regard Elder Brother Zhou as a friend, but friendship lies in sincerity of heart." Han Fei looked at Zhou Shuo's unwavering gaze, his brows slightly furrowing, but before he could finish, Zhou Shuo interrupted him.

"I also know that the friendship of gentlemen is as light as water." Zhou Shuo looked at Han Fei, who did not give up; he did not know whether he himself qualified as a gentleman, but toward Han Fei he bore no ill will, so some matters need not be pursued to the root.

"But I still want to know your origins, Elder Brother Zhou." Han Fei would not let it rest, driven by a strong thirst for knowledge.

"Han Shuo, have you encountered such a power? Indeed, it is the kind that transcends mortals and, in the unseen, grasps everyone's fate—and I come from that very power." Zhou Shuo pondered a moment, then looked at Han Fei's face; according to the plot's foreshadowing, he made a hint that was neither big nor small, and whether the other party understood it was none of his concern.

"You……" Han Fei's face changed abruptly; the power that transcends mortals and, in the unseen, holds sway over everyone's fate—before setting out home after completing his studies, he had once asked his teacher whether such a power existed, and after receiving an affirmative answer, he did not spare himself wandering the four frontiers to feel it; now this man claims to come from that power—does he know what he is saying?

"What exactly are you two talking about?" Zi Nv looked at the two who had momentarily lost the thread, their conversation becoming incomprehensible, and she felt somewhat anxious.

"The sky is already dark, Han Shuo—I have arrived here as you said; where is the liveliness you mentioned?" Zhou Shuo looked at the anxious Zi Nv, offered no explanation, and simply asked the question; tonight he came here to join the fun.

"Don't worry, Elder Brother Zhou—I have a premonition that someone will come, and perhaps……" Han Fei turned from his shock, rubbed his slightly feverish forehead, spoke halfway, then suddenly lifted his head to look behind Zhou Shuo.

"Someone has already arrived."

"Mm!" Zhou Shuo, upon meeting Han Fei's stare‑filled gaze, involuntarily turned around—only to see, from the other side of the palace ruins, a man walking step by step toward them.

"Intuition is a woman's thing, not fitting for one who is about to die." Invisible black qi flowed like poisonous snakes; the man seemed to have returned from hell, walking over the ground in straw sandals, the iron chains wrapped around his scale‑covered wrists floating up, trembling unconsciously in the air, the thick links ending in a metal snake head whose jaws shut unconsciously, like a lone living creature.

"Impressive!" Zhou Shuo looked at the man whose entire body emanated qi like poisonous snakes, his eyes narrowing. The man not only had a ghostly aura, blue skin, red brows, and scale patterns in his eyes, but also grew red scales on his hands, his pupils like a snake's; such a strange appearance reveals his identity—the former Baiyue crown prince Chìméi Jūn Tian Ze, also known as Chìméi Jūn. These details are irrelevant to me; I merely wonder what cultivation method he practices, whether his strange appearance is innate or acquired, a result of his art or some surgery—truly fascinating.

"A dying person waiting here for someone who has died once—what an interesting encounter." Han Fei watched the man approach, stepping ahead of Zhou Shuo; Zhou Shuo, seeing the situation, also stepped aside to one side. Han Fei is no leisurely observer; he considers what cultivation the man practices—this meeting is fraught with hatred and conflicting interests.

Not only Zhou Shuo, but Zi Nv behind also unfurled her red chain‑sword from her shaking hand, ever ready to respond to sudden changes.

"Death is not a fun matter; you will understand soon." The man looked at Zhou Shuo, who had stepped aside, and at Zi Nv likewise, his snake‑like eyes narrowed tightly.

"Quite interesting, actually—during this time I have seen many who ought to have died." Han Fei raised his head, showing no fear; Zhou Shuo watched him from the side. The "those who ought to have died" likely refer to Wu Jiu and Li Kai, and this Baiyue crown prince should also be dead, yet they all survived for some reasons; this dialogue feels like something from Gu Long, merely boring, yet hard to interrupt.

"Many who ought to have died are precisely in this palace." The man, or rather should be called Tian Ze, the former Baiyue crown prince, fixed his gaze on Han Fei. If he were not the Han king inside Han palace, then I would still be the illustrious Baiyue crown prince; if not him, I would be the supreme Baiyue king over all, not a mere bandit.

"Are you here for revenge, or for the treasure of the Broken Hair Three Wolves?" Han Fei did not answer but turned the question back; today's meeting was not beyond his expectation—otherwise he would not be here—but he wishes to clarify certain matters, namely the treasure hidden on Wu Jiu's person.

"I came here merely to prove one thing: sow a cause, reap an effect; time cannot bury the truth." Tian Ze shifted his gaze, stepped lightly before Zhou Shuo, lifted his eyes to view the desolate palace courtyard, then turned again to look at Han Fei; in his words he vented his resentment—the Han campaigns against Baiyue years ago and his own years of imprisonment will bring retribution; as for that treasure, it does not belong to Han, and Han has not yet gotten hold of it.

"Then do you also understand why you lacked the cause to die back then, yet now you bear the fruit of being revived?" Han Fei met Tian Ze's gaze without evasion. In the past, Han's campaign against Baiyue saw the Blood‑Clothed Marquis Bai Yi Fei imprison him; now he is released again, Bai Yi Fei is not his friend, nor is Han Fei his enemy.

"I am still alive because the suffering I have endured is not enough to kill me, and also because some people's ridiculous intuition holds that everything is under their control." Tian Ze turned his body fully toward them, his tone laced with mockery.

"Sometimes it's best to let words be free! An enemy's enemy is not necessarily a friend, but not necessarily an enemy either; if you want more enemies, or rather become friends of mutual benefit, make your choice!" Zhou Shuo could not hold back in the end.