"What should we do? How should we deal with this?!" Upon learning of Ying Zheng's great joy and the arrival of envoys from all nations, King Yan of Zhao was filled with terror.
By now, the Qin state has risen to power, having successively destroyed Wei, Han, Qi, and Yan, and he no longer knows how to resist the invasion of the Qin army.
In the past, the State of Zhao only bordered the State of Qin on one side, and it only needed to station troops there. However, now, apart from the north, the State of Zhao can attack from the other three directions at will, making it really difficult to defend against.
Some time ago, Sima Shang was dispatched to respond to the Yan state's strategy of forming alliances, but unexpectedly, the entire army was wiped out, which made the already scarce military strength in the country even worse.
Not a single official in the court dared to respond. Seeing that the Qin state was growing stronger day by day and the Zhao state was merely struggling on its death throes and could be destroyed at any moment, they were too lazy to put in any more effort. They would rather consider how to continue to enjoy a comfortable life under the rule of the Qin state in the future.
Crown Prince Qian stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Father, I have a plan that can alleviate the pressure of Zhao's lack of troops."
"Oh?" Zhao Yan's eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at his son and said, "Tell me quickly, I want to hear it."
Crown Prince Qian bowed slightly and spoke calmly: "Father, after these few battles between Zhao and Qin, the state's strength is already insufficient for further fighting. We are now powerless to directly resist the Qin army. However, if we can squeeze out as much of Zhao's 'remaining value' as possible to buy some breathing room, we may be able to preserve a sliver of hope."
Zhao Yan was confused: "What do you mean by that?"
Crown Prince Qian's expression was solemn as he slowly said, "Father, have you ever considered that as long as we still possess something that can tempt the King of Qin, we might be able to temporarily stall him and prevent him from resorting to arms?"
"If our Zhao state can use this time to reorganize its internal affairs and massively recruit able-bodied men for military training, there might still be a chance. On the contrary, once the Qin army presses in, I'm afraid there won't even be a chance to negotiate peace."
Zhao Yan frowned and pondered, "It's easier said than done. Qin is not short of wealth now. What else could Ying Zheng want but not be able to obtain?"
His Highness and his ministers exchanged glances, none daring to offer any advice. After all, Qin already held most of the world in its grasp, and if they could get Ying Zheng to "name his price," it might not be a bad thing. But what did Zhao have that could attract Qin's interest?
At this moment, Crown Prince Qian stepped forward again, gritted his teeth, and seemed to have made up his mind: "If Father is willing to trust me, he can grant Qin a portion of its famous mountains and rivers and precious mineral veins. Qin is currently searching for various mineral veins, so I think they will definitely agree."
Upon hearing this, the entire court was in an uproar.
"This is outrageous! Giving up mountains and mineral veins is no different from ceding land!"
"No, this method is too humiliating. How much territory will my Zhao state have left?"
"Your Majesty, please think carefully! We cannot easily cede our ancestral lands!"
"Since we're going to die anyway, we might as well fight them to the death. Do you think the people of Zhao have no integrity?"
However, Crown Prince Qian seemed to have anticipated the public outrage, and he raised his hand to signal everyone to calm down.
Seeing Zhao Yan's increasingly ashen face, Crown Prince Qian continued to persuade him, "Father, our Zhao state is no longer able to resist Qin. When the time comes, we can simply select some mineral veins and mountains located in remote, desolate areas on the border for them."
"First, we should feign surrender to gain an opportunity to show goodwill and weakness. Once he accepts our land, the court will not be able to use it as an excuse to start a war, and we will have a chance to catch our breath."
As Zhao Yan listened, his expression shifted between anger and uncertainty: "You want to use this 'fat meat' to overwhelm Qin and make them temporarily spare Zhao? But how long can this last?"
Crown Prince Qian took a deep breath: "I won't say much more. I can guarantee that within three years, the newly recruited soldiers will be ready for battle, preventing Qin from launching a surprise attack and gaining more time. Anyway, those mines are useless to us. It's better than Qin's army pressing in, right?"
Someone in the court sneered, "Our Zhao state has suffered defeat after defeat. Even if they destroy us, the Qin state won't be the sole culprit. Why would they do this? They're risking everything for a small gain. Do they think the King of Qin is a fool?"
Some whispered advice: "What the Crown Prince said is not without reason... Although whether we can delay depends on whether the other side is willing, if we remain indifferent, once the Qin army is at the border, there will be no chance to negotiate peace."
Zhao Yan watched the turmoil in the court, his heart filled with irritation. The jade pendant in his hand kept tapping against the table. He looked at Crown Prince Qian and said in a low voice, "My son, do you understand? If Ying Zheng doesn't appreciate our efforts and sends troops on his own, how can our Zhao state possibly resist?"
Crown Prince Qian gave a bitter smile: "Is there any other way?! Father, why don't you send an eloquent person with a map of mountains and mineral veins to present to Qin? If the King of Qin accepts it, we will gain a breather; if the King of Qin is still determined to destroy Zhao, then it will be a fight to the death, a battle with our backs to the wall."
The entire court fell silent for a moment. After a long while, Zhao Yan finally nodded slowly: "Alright, if we can really gain a glimmer of hope, it's better than sitting here waiting to die. Good, go and select people now, act quickly, and set off for Xianyang within three days."
Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Qian secretly breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, replying, "Yes, Father. Your son will certainly not fail in his mission."
Having said that, he immediately retreated outside the palace and summoned his confidants and guards to prepare a list of gifts to be presented and to select negotiating envoys overnight. He was well aware that the current situation was extremely unfavorable to the State of Zhao, and if they did not take this gamble, they could only watch as the State of Zhao was destroyed by the Qin army.
After the Crown Prince had gone far away, Zhao Yan felt as if all his strength had been drained away. He slumped back onto his throne and muttered to himself, "If... if even this doesn't work, then I... I'm afraid I really will have to hold the jade pendant and die for my country."
The court was eerily silent, save for the howling wind outside the window, which seemed to tell of the helplessness and sorrow of a weak nation struggling in this chaotic world.
...
Three days later, the Zhao envoys hurriedly packed their bags and set off for Xianyang, carrying a full load of treasures, maps of mountains and rivers, and many precious gifts.
At the same time, within the Zhao state, under the pretext of preparing for border troubles, they quietly began to recruit more young men in various cities and urged all regions to quickly manufacture military equipment in preparation for any eventuality.
Whether it succeeds or not, this will be the last chance for the State of Zhao!
In fact, in order to ensure a last-ditch effort, Zhao Yan directly ordered the transfer of Li Mu and his 100,000 soldiers stationed at the northern border back to Handan to protect the city.
Upon receiving the transfer order, Li Mu knew that he had reached a critical juncture of life and death. Coupled with the blood feud with Sima Shang, he immediately summoned his soldiers and ordered the army to return to Handan.
As for the northern lands, they can only be abandoned for the time being.
For more than a year, he seemed to be just passing the time on the border.
Fortunately, the wicked man had previously committed atrocities on the grasslands, causing immense suffering to the three tribes. In addition, the internal strife over the throne also resulted in many deaths and injuries, so the barbarians simply did not have time to invade Zhao.
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