Chapter 138 I Don't Know What the Future Will Be Called 50
Although Xiang Yu disliked Liu Bang's pretentious manner, he wasn't stupid and naturally understood why Liu Bang was doing this.
"He wants to seize Guanzhong, and he hasn't left Xianyang yet."
"General, your foresight is uncanny. Liu Bang is currently in Xianyang City, and I've heard he's already staying at the Xianyang Palace."
Someone else said, "This is clearly a disregard for the general!"
"Ahem, disrespecting the King of Chu, Prefect Liu seems to have forgotten that he is merely a prefect, not the King of Qin."
Even without his sympathizers secretly passing him intelligence, Xiang Yu already disliked Liu Bang. However, remembering the man who had defected to him, Xiang Yu still asked him one more question.
"Where is Cao Wushang? He hasn't sent any news about this matter."
Fan Zeng hissed, "Now that the general has said that, it seems there really is no movement from his side."
Xiang Bo's expression changed slightly, and he lowered his head and lowered his eyes so that no one could see the change in his expression.
Fan Zeng then said, "It seems either Liu Bang discovered it, or they have betrayed us again."
The word "again" is used well. Xiang Yu didn't say anything. He nodded and said, "Never mind him. It's normal for such a villain to be fickle."
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This time, Xiang Yu wronged Cao Wushang. Cao Wushang did not betray him again; he was simply betrayed by Ling and then caught red-handed by Liu Bang's men.
On the scene, Qin gloated, "It seems that not all of your subordinates believe you can become king."
Enraged by this sarcastic remark, Liu Bang kicked Cao Wushang, thinking that since he had a convenient scapegoat, he might as well use him.
Liu Bang said to Cao Wushang in a sarcastic tone, "The Duke of Pei wishes to be King of Guanzhong, appoint Ziying as his prime minister, and possess all the treasures." *1
"Should we report this to General Xiang Yu as soon as possible?"
Cao Wushang turned pale with fright and immediately bowed deeply on the spot: "Lord Pei, I...I didn't..."
“You’re right, that’s exactly what I think.”
Cao Wushang was stunned for a moment, not expecting Liu Bang to admit it so openly.
"Get up. You were just stating the facts. How could I blame you?"
Cao Wushang: Huh?
He managed to stand up straight, his head still bowed, not daring to look at Liu Bang's face.
He was still thinking that being too kind was a sign of weakness. After pausing for a couple of breaths, he wondered if there was an even worse outcome waiting for him.
Thinking about it this way, Cao Wushang's face turned even paler.
"Take him away first," Liu Bang waved his hand, ordering his attendants to drag the man away. When facing 'Qin', he immediately changed his expression, smiling as he said, "If it weren't for our ancestors' reminder, we probably wouldn't have been able to delay it. Xiang Yu would be attacking tomorrow."
'Qin' deliberately misunderstood the point, raising an eyebrow at the person: "You mean you defended Xianyang, and the city fell in a day?"
Liu Bang choked: "Of course not!"
"This only means that Xiang Yu is easily angered..." Liu Bang added, "However, even if the messenger is captured, Xiang Yu probably won't wait quietly at Hongmen."
Xiang Yu will attack sooner or later, especially when he abandons his retreat to Ba Shang.
Although in theory he entered Guanzhong first and was therefore entitled to occupy Xianyang and become king, Xiang Yu was not the kind of person who listened to reason. How long could reason suppress Xiang Yu?
Ultimately, this battle was inevitable.
"Bang had long ago ordered the common people outside the city walls to retreat into the city. Although the people outside the city walls are numerous and chaotic and difficult to manage, our ancestors can rest assured that they will not be dragged away by Xiang Yu to become cannon fodder."
"It's fine to just drive them away, but it would be even better if they could be scattered."
Liu Bang understood why Qin thought that way. After all, it was the fusion of the spirits of the seven kingdoms under heaven, and the 400,000 people on the other side were also her "children." She certainly wouldn't want so many people to die at once.
Besides, he also hoped to break them up, so he would have a chance to gradually recruit them. Apart from Xiang Yu's close confidants, the rest were all people he could poach.
In chaotic times, a large population is the best asset.
"Don't worry, Bang knows what he's doing."
Qin glanced at Liu Bang: "I hope so."
"When will you declare yourself king, and when will you declare yourself emperor?"
The topic changed so quickly that Liu Bang didn't react in time. After a moment's thought, he replied, "If we win this time, I can become king in Xianyang. As for becoming emperor... that's still a long way off..."
Considering he's currently just a prefect, and there's still the King of Chu above him, he should try to become a king first.
Qin remained noncommittal about Liu Bang's idea; she never cared about such things. She casually wished him success and then vanished in a flash.
Liu Bang was not surprised by this. Recently, Qin had been spending a lot of time in the palace, mainly in Xianyang Palace. This time, he left the palace on a whim and even caught a spy along the way.
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However, when Liu Bang returned to the palace after inspecting the important matters, he was shocked by what he saw.
If I'm not mistaken, Zhang Liang is playing chess against 'Qin'.
Qin played the black pieces. When Liu Bang entered, Qin picked up a piece and put it down.
Zhang Liang looked up with an expression that said, "I knew it," and said, "I lost."
"It's alright, it's normal for humans to lose to me." It's perfectly normal for humans to lose to systems; humans can't even beat computers, let alone systems.
However, Zhang Liang was unaware of this; he simply felt that losing to Guo Ling was perfectly normal, as the two of them were not on the same level.
With a wave of his hand, Qin sent the black and white chess pieces back into the chess jar.
Upon seeing Liu Bang, Zhang Liang immediately stood up and bowed. Liu Bang smiled and said there was no need for such formalities, as if he did not find anything amiss in the situation. He simply asked Zhang Liang what business he had with him.
Zhang Liang then said, "The news of Xiang Yu's encampment at Hongmen has already spread among the upper echelons. Although the common people below are unaware of this matter and have not caused any unrest, it would be unwise if the old people of Xianyang were to become unruly."
"It's almost feasible on Mr. Weisheng's side. I wonder if we should take them to see it to dispel any doubts."
"What is Zifang's opinion?"
“Taking them along might be a good idea. If they don’t do their best to defend the city, the trouble will be significant, if not major.”
Liu Bang nodded: "Then summon them tomorrow, along with the members of the Ying clan, and have them all go."
Liu Bang knelt down and took Zhang Liang's original position, which was opposite 'Qin', while Zhang Liang consciously knelt down to the side of the man and the spirit.
Zhang Liang didn't know much, but he had his own guesses. What terrified him was whether the spirit of the nation was truly visible to everyone. The fact that she didn't appear in his dream today filled him with fear.
but……
"It's possible this is just a dream," Zhang Liang thought, wanting to facepalm. Given her wicked sense of humor, it wasn't impossible.
It wasn't difficult for her to fall into a dream without realizing it, just like he had experienced several reincarnations in his dreams more than ten years ago, and thought he had been reborn repeatedly.
Qin picked up a chess piece and placed it on the chessboard, saying coolly, "This is not a dream. I'm not that bored."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liang immediately believed her. There was no need for her to lie; fabricating a dream to make him believe he could see her was useless unless he would not forget the dream upon waking. Otherwise, the dream would be completely fabricated.
After watching Qin and Liu Bang play a game of chess and then Qin was assigned a task, Zhang Liang got up to take his leave.
Liu Bang, unable to contain his delight, exclaimed, "It's wonderful that you don't need to appear before others through me!" Of course not.
Qin pretended not to notice Liu Bang's act: "Since you're so happy, then tomorrow you shall introduce me to everyone in Xianyang?"
"Hahaha, how could those people be worthy of seeing the Emperor's face?"
"Don't worry, this won't last long..." 'Qin' placed another black piece, and she looked up calmly and said, "At this moment, I am me, not 'Qin'. What they see is me, not 'Qin'. The future me may be... but not me."
"That's why they can't see..."
"What can't I see?" Liu Bang asked instinctively, voicing his thoughts.
Have you decided on a name for the country?
"No..." The topic changed too quickly, and Liu Bang quickly followed, pausing for a moment. His mind was still thinking about what her future held and what they would never see.
"You see, you haven't figured out what my future name will be, so I don't know who they won't see."
Liu Bang instantly understood what she meant, and was even a little excited.
Of course, after the initial excitement, I understood what she meant and realized that even if I established a country in the future, I would only have this one ancestor. It was impossible for me to be of the same generation as the founding emperor and the national spirit, since the national spirit was inherited from the previous dynasty and was not born from him.
It's truly heartbreaking to hear and see; he'll be stuck being a grandson for the rest of his life.
He could, of course, choose to rebel once, and then she would be free, as a free woman, not as a spirit of unknown name.
Will he get away with it then?
At this time, there were no other national spirits near the Central Plains to save him, so why would the spirits of barbarians further away save him?
Although she didn't say a word, he sensed nothing but threats from beginning to end.
Liu Bang: I've already behaved myself, please let me go. (jpg)
Liu Bang poured wine for Qin with great enthusiasm: "Ancestor, rest assured, I will definitely help you regain your position as the king of the country as soon as possible."
You will always be my ancestor!
Qin looked at Liu Bang, raised his hand, picked up the wine cup, and drank it down: "The taste is so-so, only people like to drink it."
"I'd rather have more patterns on my clothes than this."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bang looked at Qin's clothes. He hadn't noticed before, but now, upon closer inspection, the embroidery threads on her clothes seemed to have lost their color.
Although the color wasn't very noticeable before, it's now so light that it's almost invisible upon closer inspection.
The abstract mountain and river patterns had almost disappeared. He remembered what those patterns represented, and Liu Bang made a vow: "I will make sure that you, my ancestor, have the opportunity to wear two more layers."
Qin asked with a smile, "So confident?"
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Author's Note: *1 From Records of the Grand Historian
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