Seeing his wicked husband looking at him, Li Balang snapped out of his daze and gave a shameful smile. "Grand Commandant, he's right. His suggestion is indeed more comprehensive and efficient than mine."

He was usually quite arrogant and very confident in his own abilities, but today he was found to have faults by this unknown young man, which was quite embarrassing.

Just now, he looked down on this kid, but now he's been slapped in the face.

Although Li Balang was somewhat unwilling, he had to admit that Zhang Ke's plan was more brilliant.

“In that case, let’s follow Zhang Ke’s plan.” The wicked man made a decisive decision, his eyes revealing no trace of his admiration for Zhang Ke.

Of course, he also noticed Li Balang's slight embarrassment and immediately laughed, "Balang, why do you have to be like this?"

Zhang Ke was not an arrogant person, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Yes, sir, I am just using your foundation to make improvements. If you ask me, let alone whether I can come up with such a plan, even if I could, I'm afraid it would be full of flaws."

He wasn't wrong about that; devising a plan is equivalent to creating something out of thin air, and the difficulty lies not in perfecting what predecessors have built upon.

It's unfair to judge who is stronger based solely on this incident. However, it does demonstrate that both are highly talented individuals.

Upon hearing this, Li Balang smiled with relief, his impression of Zhang Ke improved, and he immediately stopped dwelling on the matter.

"Zhang Ke, since you have proposed this plan, you must have considered the details of its implementation. Why don't you explain it in detail?" Seeing that he was relieved, the wicked man turned to Zhang Ke and asked him, wanting to see if this young man could really shoulder this important task.

Zhang Ke did not refuse. He explained his plan in detail, from selecting a suitable lake to how to guide the water flow, and how to open the flood discharge channel at critical moments. He explained every step clearly.

The wicked husband and Li Ba nodded repeatedly. Zhang Ke not only considered everything thoroughly, but also showed his deep thinking in the details.

This made the two of them look at Zhang Ke with even greater respect.

Don't forget, Zhang Ke has come up with such a detailed and meticulous plan in less than half an incense stick's time since he first heard about this matter; that's no small feat.

"Ba Liang, go quickly and handle this matter according to the plan." The wicked husband made the decision with a swift and decisive gesture.

Li Ba nodded in acceptance and turned to leave the study quickly, as time was of the essence and there was no room for delay.

After he left, only the wicked husband and Zhang Ke remained in the study.

"Would you be willing to join my ranks as a staff officer?" The wicked man extended an olive branch with a smirk.

In fact, this was something everyone knew perfectly well. Since Zhang Erhe had come to him and offered advice to improve the plan, it meant that he already had the intention to submit.

But the necessary procedures still need to be followed.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ke immediately clasped his hands and bowed deeply. "The world has been in turmoil for hundreds of years. I had long admired the Grand Commandant's words and intended to go to Xianyang to pay my respects, but I never expected to meet the Grand Commandant here."

"Hahaha, good, good, follow me, and I guarantee you'll be able to unleash all your talents." The wicked husband laughed heartily, raising his hand to pat Zhang Ke's somewhat thin shoulder.

He did not promise wealth and glory. Throughout history, many talented people have emerged, but most of them did not seek wealth and glory; they only wanted to find an opportunity to realize their ambitions.

Talking about money with someone like that is tantamount to insulting them.

Zhang Ke's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately said, "I'm glad the Grand Commandant doesn't mind my stupidity."

"Nonsense. If you are foolish, how many people in this world can be called wise?" The wicked husband's tone was somewhat mocking, but his eyes were full of admiration.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ke felt a surge of warmth in his heart; the rumors were indeed true. Although Qin General Efu was tyrannical and fond of killing, he was good at recognizing and employing people. Zhang Ke had finally found a wise ruler who appreciated his talents.

He took a deep breath and then said firmly, "Grand Commandant, I, Zhang Ke, am willing to serve you with utmost loyalty and share your burdens."

The wicked man nodded in satisfaction. With Zhang Ke joining, he now had a think tank, though it was a bit small.

However, it's nothing. Li Balang is worth ten of them, and Zhang Ke can be counted as ten as well, which means he has twenty strategists.

He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the scenery outside, pondered for a moment, then turned to Zhang Ke and said, "Zhang Ke, now that you have entered my Qin state, I will tell you that what the King and I are plotting is the unification of the world."

"The world, after a long period of unity, tends to divide; after a long period of division, tends to unite."

"This protracted war has brought our Chinese land to a standstill, and countless people have been displaced. It is time for it to end."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ke was startled, realizing he was about to be drawn into a storm that could change the course of history. But he did not back down; instead, he felt an unprecedented excitement and anticipation.

Seeing his excitement, the wicked man's expression turned serious. "Remember, you are not loyal to me, but to the Qin state, and to the King!"

"Whatever we do, no matter the means, is for the purpose of unifying the world as soon as possible and ushering in a peaceful and prosperous era."

"Grand Commandant, I understand. I am willing to die for this great cause." Zhang Ke's words were full of firmness and determination.

The wicked man smiled with satisfaction. These people's thoughts were truly dangerous; they were always talking about pledging allegiance to him. If this continued, he feared it would be difficult for him not to be crowned emperor.

He didn't want to work as hard as his brother Zheng, spending his days holed up in the palace reviewing mountains of memorials, regardless of whether it was a chaotic or prosperous era.

Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle. Other kings, if not living in a life of debauchery, at least indulged in pleasure.

Looking at Ying Zheng, considering his age and status, he should have been at the age where he needed to take concubines, have children, and become a father long ago!

However, his arrival brought him endless political entanglements, so much so that even after ascending the throne and taking power, he has not taken a single concubine.

Fusu, the eldest son, has not yet been born. If this continues, he might be unable to resist being reborn elsewhere.

"Now that this matter is over... it's time to go back and find some wives for Brother Zheng." The wicked husband revealed a lewd smile and muttered to himself.

He also had high expectations for Fusu. Ying Zheng had previously appointed him as the tutor of the crown prince, and he would surely be Fusu's teacher in the future.

He wanted to see if Fusu, whom he had personally trained, would still be indecisive.

"Grand Commandant, do you want... to find a wife?" Zhang Ke suddenly asked timidly.

The wicked husband snapped out of his daze, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. It wasn't that he wanted to find a wife; women would only hinder his grand ambitions and the speed at which he could draw his sword.

"You misheard me. How can you have a home when the great cause is not yet accomplished?"

"I will not consider starting a family until the world is unified."

The wicked husband quickly shook his head, giving Zhang Ke the feeling that he was afraid of women like tigers.

Zhang Ke smiled but remained silent, secretly wondering: Could it be that the Grand Commandant is indeed as rumored, fond of homosexuality, and has... a relationship with the Prince of Qin?