Due to the prolonged torrential rains in the land of Huaxia, the three tribes' armies moved extremely slowly, taking almost half a month to enter the territory of Zhao from Yanmen County.

"This heavy rain... it truly deserves it, causing countless members of my three clans to die tragically. How satisfying, how satisfying!" The three clan kings huddled together, their faces bearing slightly manic smiles.

The King of Dongyi chuckled, "Truly, Heaven is on our side! We've just encountered a great calamity, and we refuse to believe that Qin can stop us!"

“My kings, my king has also decided to send 150,000 troops!” Guo Kai, who was standing to the side, quickly spoke up, taking the opportunity to inform the three of Zhao Yan’s decision.

"Very good!" The Xiongnu king laughed heartily. "With the help of the King of Zhao, our three clans will surely avenge our great feud."

Only the Yuezhi king appeared relatively calm. He asked, "Envoy Guo, where do you think we should march from to attack Qin?"

His words drew the attention of the other two tribal kings to Guo Kai. This was their first time standing on Chinese soil. In the past, they had only ever raided the borders and plundered, and were completely unfamiliar with the terrain.

Upon hearing this, Guo Kai immediately perked up. The usually arrogant man pretended to ponder for a moment before saying, "Why don't we head south and enter Taiyuan County of my Zhao State, set up camp on the border of Qi County, and wait for the right time to act?"

"I will send someone back to Handan shortly, and ask Your Majesty to send troops to Qi County to meet up there."

"As soon as Qin is thrown into chaos, we should quickly send our troops into Hedong County, take it down, and then we can go directly to Qin's Neishi County and attack Xianyang."

It must be said that the aura of the God of War Guo Kai was extremely intimidating, so much so that the three kings were infected by his confidence and showed a look of admiration on their faces.

"Envoy Guo is truly a man of great talent; it is a waste of his abilities to be an envoy!" The Yuezhi king's flattery made Guo Kai even more proud.

He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said with feigned humility, “Your Majesties have misunderstood. Guo Kai is not an envoy. He is a senior official in the State of Zhao and holds the position of Right Chancellor.”

"My king attaches great importance to the relationship between the three tribes and my Zhao state, which is why he sent me on this mission in person to show his respect!"

The three kings suddenly realized what was happening and were very pleased with the respect and importance that Zhao Yan showed them.

"In that case, let's proceed according to Prime Minister Guo's suggestion!" The three kings exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

.........

Xianyang, Zhangtai Palace.

Ying Zheng was engrossed in reviewing memorials, while Zhao Gao bowed slightly and served him from the side, making the hall exceptionally quiet.

After finishing reviewing the memorial and closing it, Ying Zheng raised his hand and pinched his throbbing temples. "Zhao Gao, do you think the Grand Commandant's plan this time is against the will of Heaven?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao shuddered, a bitter smile creeping onto his lips. He thought to himself, "Is Ying Zheng trying to kill me?"

That's a really hard question to answer!

Speaking ill of one's husband in front of Ying Zheng, let alone what the husband would do if he knew, Ying Zheng would probably not forgive him.

But if I say nice things, won't I be hated by those tragically deceased souls?

"Grand Commandant, Grand Commandant... how come you get all the good and bad things?"

Zhao Gao sighed inwardly and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I... don't know how to evaluate this."

Ying Zheng suddenly turned to look at Zhao Gao, his expression extremely cold and stern. "Speak when I tell you to! Why are you stammering?!"

Seeing Ying Zheng's anger, Zhao Gao's heart tightened, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and then cautiously probed, "Your Majesty, although the Grand Commandant's plan seems harsh, it is for the sake of the country. If we don't do this, we will have to pay an even greater price to deal with the Three Clans and the State of Zhao."

Earlier, the wicked man sent someone back to Xianyang to report his plot to Ying Zheng. This matter caused quite a stir, shaking the court officials and leading to endless arguments.

Apart from a few civil and military officials, all the other civil officials opposed this plan, believing that any method that was too ruthless would surely invite divine retribution.

Even... many Confucian officials threatened suicide to force Ying Zheng to reject the evil husband's scheme.

Helpless, Ying Zheng had no choice but to personally intervene and execute the Confucian officials who were begging for death, making a firm decision on the matter and bringing it to a close.

However, although he unconditionally supported his husband's suggestion, he was uneasy and didn't know whether he was right or wrong.

Ying Zheng's brows relaxed slightly, seemingly satisfied with Zhao Gao's answer. He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed across the courtyard outside, as if pondering some profound question.

Seeing that he was not angry, Zhao Gao was secretly pleased and hurriedly continued, "Your Majesty, although the Grand Commandant's methods are ruthless, they are for the sake of the Qin state's long-term development. If we want to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible, then sacrifices are inevitable."

Ying Zheng turned around, his expression as firm as steel, yet shrouded in a faint sorrow. "You are absolutely right. All he did was for the sake of Qin, but he will have to bear the weight of this mountain of bloodshed and infamy for the rest of his life."

Zhao Gao was speechless, his admiration for the wicked man surging like a tidal wave. Such an act, which would enrage heaven and earth and arouse the wrath of gods and men, was something no ordinary person would dare to do or bear.

I'm afraid even if Lord Wu'an came, he would be so frightened that he would tremble all over!

"For a ruler to have such a loyal and virtuous ruler is enough for this lifetime!" Ying Zheng sighed deeply, his sigh seemingly transcending time and space, echoing for a long time in the hall.

Zhao Gao was also filled with emotion, muttering to himself, "I have never seen a man like the Grand Commandant before. He holds a high position and wields great power, yet he is so approachable. He is not greedy for wealth or beautiful women. For the sake of the Qin state, he leads from the front and works tirelessly without complaint..."

These words truly struck a chord with Ying Zheng, and even his gaze towards Zhao Gao softened slightly.

Ying Zheng remained silent, and the hall fell into a heavy silence.

After an unknown amount of time, Ying Zheng took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and shouted: "If even a subject is like this, how can the ruler hide behind him?"

"Zhao Gao, draft the imperial edict!"

Zhao Gao hurriedly bowed and said, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty!"

Ying Zheng's expression turned ruthless, and he declared in a resounding voice: "The State of Zhao is hypocritical and righteous, and has allied with the nomadic tribes of the grasslands to attack Qin, causing chaos in China. Their crimes deserve to be punished."

"Although Qin suffered disaster, it never forgot the greater good."

"Let the whole world know that Qin will launch an attack on Zhao today, and will stop at nothing to the death!"

"From this day forward, all soldiers and civilians of Zhao who leave the country will be exempt from prosecution; those who remain in Zhao..."

At this point, Ying Zheng paused, exuding a chilling aura. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, causing Zhao Gao's heart to tremble.

"I will assume they intend to perish with the nation!"

Zhao Gao trembled a few times. He had already anticipated that Ying Zheng would take ruthless measures, but he did not expect that Ying Zheng would personally take charge of the matter.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Zhao Gao quickly dissuaded him, saying, "Your Majesty, please do not act impulsively and fail to appreciate the Grand Commandant's good intentions!"