I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 518 Visiting Xiang Yan in Prison

The news quickly reached the palace. The King of Qin was furious upon hearing it and immediately ordered: "How dare the State of Chu defy Jiayang! Arrest Xiang Yan for me, regardless of his life!"

Xiang Yan had already prepared for the plan to fail, and quickly led his confidants to evacuate the post station. They changed into civilian clothes and headed out of the city in different directions.

Escorted by several guards, Xiang Yan rode swiftly towards the south gate of the city. The rain was pouring down, and the streets were nearly deserted, making it the perfect time to leave the city.

However, less than a mile from the city gate, a troop of Qin cavalry suddenly emerged from the alley and blocked their way.

"General Xiang, why the rush to leave?" the leading Qin general called out. "Our king invites you to the palace for a talk!"

Xiang Yan's face darkened, and he drew his sword, shouting, "Break through!"

The two sides immediately clashed. Xiang Yan's guards fought desperately to protect their master, and amidst the flashing blades, men fell one after another.

"General, run!" a guard shouted, shielding himself from the incoming arrows.

Xiang Yan swung his sword to parry the oncoming spears and charged forward on his horse. However, more Qin soldiers surged in from all directions and quickly surrounded them.

Just then, something even more unexpected happened.

The people of Xianyang rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, and were furious to learn that the State of Chu had sent someone to poison Princess Jiayang.

"We can't let these Chu people go! They dare to harm Princess Jiayang!" an old farmer shouted, wielding a hoe.

“Princess Jiayang is our benefactor! We must not let them harm the princess!” a woman shouted.

Soon, hundreds and thousands of people poured in from all directions, completely surrounding Xiang Yan and his men. Some carried kitchen knives, some held wooden sticks, and even children threw stones at the Chu people.

Xiang Yan watched all this in shock. He never imagined that a ten-year-old princess could hold such a place in the hearts of the people.

With Qin troops in front and civilians behind, Xiang Yan and his men quickly found themselves at a disadvantage. One guard after another fell, and finally, Xiang Yan was cornered with nowhere to retreat.

"Put down your weapons!" the Qin general shouted.

Xiang Yan sighed and threw down his sword. He knew that there was no chance of escape today.

The news spread like wildfire through the palace. Upon hearing it, Ying Wuyou's lips curled into a faint smile: "Xiang Yan has been captured. This time, Chu has truly suffered a double loss."

Seeing this, Cui'er laughed and said, "Your Highness is so perceptive. If you hadn't noticed Qing'er's unusual behavior, I don't even know what might have happened."

As she spoke, Cui'er's eyes reddened slightly, her heart filled with self-reproach. As the princess's personal maid, she was supposed to be constantly vigilant, ensuring the princess's safety. However, this time, she had allowed a treacherous person to infiltrate the courtyard, almost bringing disaster upon the princess, which made her feel extremely guilty.

Ying Wuyou seemed to see through Cui'er's thoughts. She shook her head slightly and gently comforted her, "This matter cannot be blamed on you. You don't need to blame yourself too much. After all, Qing'er's performance had always been good before, and she was forced into this situation by circumstances."

Hearing Ying Wuyou's words, Cui'er felt somewhat relieved. Ying Wuyou thought for a moment and then instructed Cui'er to go find Qing'er.

Qing'er followed Cui'er step by step into the hall. Ying Wuyou sat upright, looking at Qing'er kneeling on the ground, feeling uneasy.

“Your brother has returned safely,” Ying Wuyou said. “But you can no longer stay in Xianyang. I have arranged for you to go to a small border town, where you will have new identities and livelihoods.”

Qing'er sobbed uncontrollably, "Thank you so much, Princess!"

Ying Wuyou sighed softly: "Go. Remember, no matter where you are, stay true to yourself."

After Qing'er kowtowed and left, Cui'er asked in a low voice, "Why doesn't the princess eliminate future troubles?"

Ying Wuyou looked out the window at the gradually clearing sky: "She was just a pitiful person who was being used. If Qin wants to become strong, it cannot rely solely on harsh laws and punishments; it also needs the hearts of the people."

After the rain, a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the golden tiles of the princess's residence, making them gleam.

Ying Wuyou picked up the bamboo slips on the table and returned to his official duties.

On the other side, Xiang Yan sat alone in a corner of his cell, staring blankly at the flickering lamplight on the stone wall. This former general of Chu had shed his usual majesty, now dressed only in prison clothes, his hair disheveled, his expression dazed.

Steady footsteps sounded outside the cell door, and a guard dressed in black, with a long sword at his waist, stopped in front of it. The jailer quickly opened the cell door, and the man stepped into the cell, his expression cold and stern.

"General Xiang, my name is Zhou Xun, the commander of the guards under Princess Jiayang." The man's voice was steady. "I have come to speak with you on the princess's orders."

Xiang Yan glanced at the uninvited guest and sneered, "What, does Qin need to send a guard to humiliate me before it can kill or punish me?"

Zhou Xun didn't take it seriously and sat down opposite Xiang Yan: "General, do you know what kind of poison the King of Chu gave you?"

Xiang Yan remained silent.

"The poison is called 'Fleeting Beauty,' and it kills instantly upon ingestion, with no chance of survival." Zhou Xun's eyes were piercing. "The King of Chu never intended for the princess to live even a moment longer, nor did he ever intend for the general to return to Chu alive."

Xiang Yan's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure: "Once I have taken this action, I have already disregarded life and death."

Zhou Xun shook his head slightly, took out a scroll of silk from his bosom and unfolded it: "General, please take a look. This is what the princess ordered me to bring."

The silk scroll contained a detailed map, outlining the proposed expansion of the Qin-Chu border economic zone. Xiang Yan couldn't help but scrutinize it intently.

“The princess established these economic zones to avoid war,” Zhou Xun said calmly. “She said that Qin and Chu are both sons and daughters of China, so why should they kill each other? These special zones allow merchants from both countries to trade freely and exchange goods. In just six months, the lives of people on the border have improved by more than 30%.”

Xiang Yan was stunned; he had never heard of these measures before.

Zhou Xun continued, "Over the years, the princess has improved transportation by building cement roads, spread knowledge through papermaking, popularized classics through printing, selected talent through the imperial examinations regardless of background, and established academies to cultivate talent. A few years ago, she invented the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove), which kept people warm in winter; the method of composting fertilizer made the land fertile; and the curved plow greatly increased farming efficiency..."

Xiang Yan was increasingly shocked as he listened. He had heard of these innovations before, but he did not know that they were all the work of that ten-year-old princess.

“The princess often says that the world is vast, not just the Central Plains.” Zhou Xun’s voice suddenly became deep and resonant. “Our Qin’s naval fleet set sail eastward three months ago to explore a wider world. The princess hopes that one day, the general can also go and see the vast ocean, instead of being confined to the struggles within this small area.”

Xiang Yan remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Princess..."

Zhou Xun's lips curled slightly: "The princess asked me to tell the general: 'General Xiang is a hero of our time, and should not be trapped by power struggles and schemes. If the general is willing, he can set his sights on a wider world. The Qin fleet needs talents like the general; exploring the unknown world is more meaningful than wasting one's life in internal strife.'"

Xiang Yan was jolted; these words exploded in his heart like a thunderbolt. He recalled his childhood dream—to gallop across battlefields and expand territory, rather than be entangled in court intrigues.

"Why...did the princess say these things to me?" Xiang Yan's voice was hoarse.

“Because the princess values ​​talent.” Zhou Xun looked directly into Xiang Yan’s eyes. “She believes that the general should not become a sacrifice in the power struggles of the Chu court. The King of Chu sent the general to assassinate him, and regardless of success or failure, the general will be used as a pawn. If successful, the general’s head will appease the anger of the Qin state; if unsuccessful, the general will be dead and it will have nothing to do with Chu.”

Xiang Yan closed his eyes, and he finally understood the meaningful smile of the King of Chu before his departure.