Chapter 154 My Charming Ancestor 28

The four words, "Lord Liu," though seemingly casual, weighed heavily on Zhang Liang's soul like four towering mountains!

Enjoy yourself?

"Hehehehe..." Zhang Liang's body trembled violently.

Scenes from his dream flashed before his eyes: the new king's suspicion, Han Xin's resentment, Fan Kuai's shock, the people's displacement and starvation under the new oppressive government, and his own life of barely surviving like a homeless dog, ultimately dying alone in endless regret.

Everything was his choice.

"I……"

He opened his mouth, but it felt like there was sand stuck in his throat, and he couldn't make a sound.

The next second!

"Thump!"

Before the horrified eyes of all his retainers and assassins, Zhang Liang, who was always infallible in his calculations and always proud and composed, suddenly slammed his knees straight down to the ground! His knees struck the hard ground with a crisp sound!

But he did not kneel toward Zhou Jue, nor did he kneel toward Xianyang, where Ying Zheng was.

He faced the war-torn landscape of his homeland, and the vast expanse of the world's inhabitants! Trembling, he straightened his blood-stained robes, and then deeply kowtowed his forehead to the cold, hard stone slab!

"Thump!"

This bow was performed with utmost sincerity.

This bow is as heavy as Mount Tai!

"I accept it."

A hoarse voice came from the ground, filled with endless exhaustion and regret.

"Immortal, I concede defeat."

He did not raise his head, but remained in the posture of worship, his voice deep and clear, echoing throughout the silent manor.

"This kneeling is not for immortals or gods, nor for kings."

"Only for the countless people who died unjustly because of my selfishness, Zhang Liang."

"Thump!"

He kowtowed again! Blood was already seeping from his forehead!

"These two kneelings."

He kowtowed again!

"Only for those old comrades who believed in me, followed me, but whose remains were never found."

"Thump!"

The third time, he slammed his forehead heavily against the ground! Blood instantly stained the bluestone slabs red!

"These three kneelings."

For the third time, he slammed his forehead heavily against the ground!

"For my arrogant self-righteousness, for my ridiculous obsession."

"Zhang Liang... was wrong."

The last two words seemed to drain all his strength. He lay prostrate on the ground, motionless, his shoulders heaving violently, and a suppressed sob escaped his lips, causing his loyal retainers around him to feel their hearts break and tears to stream down their faces!

The lord they held in their hearts, who was always so shrewd and proud, was utterly crushed at this moment.

Zhou Jue watched him quietly, without interrupting or mocking him, until the suppressed sobs gradually subsided.

She then said, "Since you've accepted it, listen carefully to your first task."

Zhang Liang's body stiffened slightly. He slowly straightened up, his face streaked with blood and tears, looking utterly disheveled. But in his eyes, which had been filled with regret and despair, a faint yet resolute flame ignited.

"Zifang, I would like to hear the details."

"First, take good care of your health." Zhou Jue held up one finger: "What I need is a Zhang Zifang who can serve the Qin Dynasty for a hundred years, not a sickly person who might cough up blood and die suddenly at any time."

“Second,” she held up a second finger, “take care of your people.”

"Whether they leave or come back to Xianyang with you is up to you, and it's their choice. I just want the result."

“Third,” Zhou Jue stood up, “I’ll be waiting for you at the Qin army camp at the foot of the mountain. I’ll give you one night.”

After saying that, she didn't even look at Zhang Liang, turned around and strolled out of the manor with an air of leisure.

It was as if she had come here simply to attend a tea party.

...

After Zhou Jue left, the deathly silence in the manor was broken by cries of grief.

"My lord!"

"My lord..."

The retainers swarmed around Zhang Liang, their faces filled with grief and confusion.

"Come in, all of you!"

Zhang Liang stood up, leaning on the stone table. His voice was hoarse, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Sitting in the main seat, Zhang Liang looked down at the brothers who had followed him through thick and thin for many years, and felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

"From this day forward, I, Zhang Liang, surrender to Qin."

One sentence, like a thunderclap!

"My lord! You mustn't!" The most senior retainer immediately knelt down, tears streaming down his face. "How can you just let go of the national and personal grievances! Have you forgotten how the state of Han was destroyed!"

"Shut up!" Zhang Liang shouted sharply, a cold glint in his eyes. "National hatred and family feuds are my personal obsession! I was wrong, terribly wrong! I cannot let my personal obsession fuel even greater national hatred and family feuds for the people of the world!"

His gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over everyone.

"That dream made me see things so clearly!"

He stood up and bowed deeply to everyone below the steps.

"My surrender to Qin today is my own path to atonement; you need not bind yourselves to me!"

He straightened up, his voice firm and resolute.

"Those who wish to leave, may you take gold and silver, and from now on, may the sky be high and the sea wide, and may all debts of gratitude and righteousness be settled!"

"Those who wish to follow me into Qin face an uncertain future, their fate unknown! Whether it brings fortune or misfortune, I cannot guarantee!"

"The choice is entirely up to your heart!"

After saying this, he closed his eyes and waited for the verdict.

The hall was deathly silent.

After a long while, a burly man with a scar on his face suddenly knelt on one knee, his voice booming: "Wherever my lord is, that is where I will be! The state of Han may be gone, but as long as my lord is here, we will have a home!"

"My lord! We are worthless lives, but you have given us a new life! We are willing to follow you through fire and water!"

One, two... Dozens of people below the hall knelt down in unison!

...

The next morning, the Qin army camp was under heavy guard.

Cao Can was studying the map and analyzing the military situation when suddenly, a violent commotion broke out outside the camp!

"Enemy attack!?"

He grabbed his sword and charged out of the tent!

However, the scene before him made him freeze in place!

From the morning mist in front of the camp, a figure slowly approached. Clad in dark blue, with a pale face and a slender build, yet his spine was ramrod straight!

Behind him followed dozens of followers with complex expressions, but none of them were armed!

Xiao He and Chen Ping followed closely behind, and when they saw the face of the leader, they were equally dumbfounded and gasped!

Zhang Liang!

Zhang Zifang, the one who had kept them on tenterhooks the whole way, had actually arrived so quickly? And without any weapons at all!

Zhang Liang walked up to the three men, stopped a few steps away.

He bowed to the three men with a standard gesture, his voice carrying clearly throughout the room.

“Zhang Liang, a Korean survivor, has come to keep his promise.”

"I am willing to follow the three of you back to Xianyang and await His Majesty's judgment."

"Good! Good!" Cao Can was the first to react, his face flushed with excitement. He rushed forward and grabbed Zhang Liang's arm tightly, as if afraid that he would run away.

"It is truly a blessing for our Great Qin Dynasty and for Your Majesty that Master Zifang has come!"

Xiao He and Chen Ping exchanged a glance, both seeing ecstasy and shock in each other's eyes.

It's done!

The immortals really did it!

...

The team immediately set off on their return journey.

However, when Xiao He politely went to invite the immortal to depart, he found that the magnificent carriage was already empty.

On the table inside the carriage, there was only a scroll of bamboo slips. Xiao He unfolded the scroll, and there was only one line of text on it.

"You may return on your own and meet in Xianyang."

The three looked at each other, a greater sense of doubt rising in their hearts.

Immortal, are you not leaving with them?

As they set off to return to Xianyang, they were on a mountaintop hundreds of miles away.

Zhou Jue changed into a smart outfit and was looking at the real-time map transmitted back by the drone.

"Brother Tongzi, let's get to work! Have you planned the route? We don't have much time."

The system's enthusiastic voice rang out: "Reporting to the host! The optimal route has been planned! We can cover the main resource-producing areas of the Qin Dynasty within 7 days! Mission accomplished! Let's go!"

The next second, Zhou Jue's figure turned into a blur and disappeared from the mountaintop.