The Six Arts of the Gentleman in the Bright Moon of Qin Dynasty

Chapter 606: The Confession of Sins [Please subscribe*Please vote]

However, when the sun was at its highest point in the sky and the surrounding businesses and restaurants offered food to the silent protesters, Zhao Qingcang refused and chose to go on a hunger strike.

"I don't want to eat it, and I dare not eat it!" Zhao Qingcang said without emotion.

The others also understood that Zhao Qingcang was now their leader. The powerful people in Handan did not dare to come out and confront him, but they might really have poisoned the food.

What Zhao Qingcang did was to force the king to abdicate, using a hunger strike to force the king of Zhao to come out and see them.

If Zhao Qingcang died of hunger strike in front of the Zhao Palace, the entire Zhao State would no longer be able to command the people of Handan, and would be infamous in history books for eternity, bringing shame to his ancestors.

But does Zhao Qian really dare to come out to meet Zhao Qingcang and the people in the city?

He didn't dare, and the court officials in Handan didn't dare to ask King Zhao to move out.

Because they know better what the truth is.

Zhao Qian could say that his extravagant diet was all fictitious.

But what Zhao Qingcang wanted was not only Zhao Qian's diet, but also the tax expenditure bill of Zhao State.

These things are simply impossible to make public and cannot withstand scrutiny.

The chefs in the canteen are not without family members, and they all know what King Qian Zhao’s diet is like.

So, they didn't dare to deny it at all.

Moreover, the Qin army would not give them the time and opportunity to forge evidence.

The latest battle report has been sent back to Handan.

Wang Jian's army has captured Shecheng and is attacking Wuan. It will arrive at the city of Handan soon.

At the same time, the left-wing army of Li Xin and Qiang Wei had already captured Feicheng and occupied Haocheng, and was heading towards Handan.

The Qin army might have reached the city of Handan before Zhao Qingcang even starved to death.

"It's time for us to leave. Otherwise, when Wu'an falls and Li Xin arrives in Xingcheng, Handan will close its gates and defend Handan. Then it will be impossible to go out or come in." Yang Duanhe looked at Yan Yan and said.

If Yan Yan falls into the hands of Zhao, Qin's attack will be in vain.

Yan Yan did not refuse Yang Duanhe's kindness. He followed Yang Duanhe and left Handan City among the fleeing crowd.

Just on the third day after they left Handan and returned to Yecheng to reorganize the army and support the other two armies to march towards Handan together, a shocking news came from Handan.

"It's snowing!" Yan Yan stared at the information secretly sent back from Handan, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses.

Yang Duanhe also looked at the information in his hand in disbelief.

The day after they left, Handan issued a curfew, prohibiting anyone from appearing on the streets that night, and violators would be killed.

And Handan really carried out this order. That night, the Handan camp went to the streets and alleys of Handan. Anyone who did not return to his home that night and appeared in the streets would be massacred by the army.

Zhao Qingcang and other scholars and common people who were sitting in silence in front of the palace gate were also shot and killed by the palace guards, and their blood dyed the ground and moat in front of the palace gate red.

Unable to find a way out of the impasse, Handan chose a high-pressure policy of massacre. The army entered various parts of the city and prohibited anyone from talking about what happened that night. Violators would be killed on the spot.

In addition, Zhao Qingcang’s family, teachers and other relatives were found dead at home the next morning. The school where Zhao Qingcang studied also caught fire suddenly that night. The entire school was burned down and everyone died in the fire.

"What a cruel method!" Even Yang Duanhe felt it was too brutal.

The traitors were only three tribes of the Yi people, but Zhao Qingcang's entire family was wiped out, and even his teachers and classmates were implicated and killed.

This is not the three Yi tribes, nor the nine Yi tribes, but an extinct existence.

From then on, everyone who had anything to do with Zhao Qingcang no longer existed in the world. The State of Zhao did not even give a reason or an excuse for killing Zhao Qingcang, nor did they give any explanation.

Because Zhao Qingcang no longer has any relatives in the world who can seek justice for him.

"It's my fault!" Yan Yan closed his eyes. He didn't expect Zhao Guo to be so decisive.

In the Central Plains War, there has never been such a brutal act.

When Lao Ai rebelled, the Qin State only exterminated three of his clans and did not completely wipe them out.

Although what Zhao Qingcang did was not enough to constitute treason, all the people related to him were completely wiped out from the world.

"Pass on my order. Handan will be destroyed, Zhao will be destroyed, and all members of the Zhao royal family will be killed!"

Ying Zheng and Yan Yan, who also received the news, issued the same order.

Under normal circumstances, Qin Bing's censors would have spoken out to stop it, and all the philosophers would have used this to criticize the two kings.

But this time, Zhao State and Zhao Qian went too far, so no one stood up to oppose.

Ying Zheng, who already had hatred towards the Zhao royal family, originally thought that since Qin and Zhao were of the same origin, some blood would be left for Zhao to prevent it from becoming extinct.

But because of Zhao Qingcang, Ying Zheng no longer intended to allow such bloodline to exist in the world.

China does not need such dirty blood.

Ten days later, the three armies of Qin successfully joined forces under the city of Handan.

It was just because of Zhao Qingcang that no one smiled at all. Although this was their plan, they never thought that it would have such a tragic result.

“After entering the city, try your best to find the bodies of Zhao Qingcang and his relatives, and bury them with the rites of a state hero!” Ying Zheng looked at Yan Yan, then gave orders to all the generals of the Qin army.

"Actually, Zhao Qian doesn't need this!" Ying Zheng looked at Yan Yan.

He also thought about how to break the deadlock if he were faced with such a situation.

Yan Yan nodded, he also thought of a way to break the deadlock.

"In fact, Zhao Qian and the court officials in Handan only need to admit their mistakes and issue an edict to blame themselves. Given the feelings of Zhao Qingcang and these dead Zhao heroes towards Zhao, they will forgive them in the face of the crisis of national destruction. At least they will suppress all their anger before repelling us." Ying Zheng sighed.

This is the solution he came up with.

When he was in Qin State, he often went among the people and experienced their hardships, so he knew that the people were easily satisfied and just wanted an answer. They could accept it no matter good or bad, and all they needed was an attitude from their superiors.

The needs of the people are really easy to meet.

It’s a pity that Handan didn’t understand and King Qian of Zhao didn’t understand.

He pushed himself to the opposite side of the people.

Maybe it’s because they have been on top for too long and are unwilling to bow their heads and admit their mistakes.

Yan Yan looked at Ying Zheng in surprise. He actually thought the same thing as him. However, Yan Yan did not expect that Ying Zheng, an emperor of all ages, would actually think of the method of issuing an edict of repentance.

"The king is also a human being and can make mistakes. It is difficult to admit that you are wrong, and it is even more difficult for a king. But that doesn't mean I dare not admit my mistakes!"

Seeing Yan Yan's surprise, Ying Zheng explained calmly.

"Bing Jun and Bingzhou have admitted their mistakes, but this did not alienate Bingzhou, Bing Jun and the court officials. Instead, it made Bingzhou more cohesive!"

Yan Yan was silent. The strategic mistake in developing the Western Regions was his fault, as well as Bingzhou's. However, they admitted that they were wrong and were willing to make amends.

(End of this chapter)