Chapter 42: The Balance Has Tipped a Bit Too Much (Part 1)
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“Ding! The second figure in the balancing process:
The Saint Duke Fang La, one of the Four Great Bandit Leaders of the Water Margin: Leadership 89, Martial Strength 92, Intelligence 79, Politics 68, Charisma 85.
His implanted identity is that of a commoner who rose up against the tyranny of the authorities in a certain part of Qingzhou. When he and a group of sworn brothers were wanted by the government, they were rescued by Chai Rong. Deeply grateful for Chai Rong’s kindness, he and his brothers followed Chai Rong into the mountains to join Guo Wei, and together they took to the outlaw life.
He brings sixteen figures with him: Shi Bao, Deng Yuanjue, Gao Yu, Wang Yin, Du Wei, Si Xingfang, Fang Jie, Fang Tianding, Fang Mao, Li Tianrun, Pang Wanchun, Lü Shiniang, Lou Minzhong, Bao Dao-yi, Fang Jinzhi, and Zu Shiyuan.”
Upon hearing Fang La’s name, Li Xiang was somewhat surprised. Fang La’s abilities naturally could not compare with those of the founding emperors who had appeared earlier, but compared with the other great bandit leaders of the Water Margin, he was far stronger. Nor could his followers be considered weak in any sense. It seemed that Guo Wei was about to expand considerably.
One had to remember that the Liangshan army consisted of one hundred and eight commanders. Five had remained in the capital and did not join the expedition, while Gongsun Sheng had departed before the battle. Of the one hundred and two who took part, fifty-nine died in battle, ten died of illness, and one attained liberation through death, making seventy fatalities in all. Another five survived the fighting but left the army, leaving only twenty-seven to return to the capital. By contrast, throughout all the previous wars Liangshan had fought, not a single one of its one hundred and eight commanders had been lost.
Come to think of it, all four of the great bandit leaders from the Water Margin had now emerged. Song Jiang of Liangshan, who had originally possessed the greatest following, was now in the most pitiful position of all. Only two of the one hundred and eight commanders had emerged alongside him.
“Ding! The balancing process will now continue. Host, prepare yourself mentally.”
For some reason, when he heard the words “prepare yourself mentally,” Li Xiang suddenly felt an ominous premonition. Yet before he could ask the system anything more, the balancing process had already begun.
“Ding! The third figure in the balancing process:
The Yuan dynasty’s founding emperor and peerless genius of his age, Genghis Khan—Temüjin: Leadership 101, Martial Strength 97, Intelligence 98, Politics 100, Charisma 98.
His implanted identity is that of a tribal chieftain among the Northern Xiongnu. After years of conquest and slaughter, he finally unified the Northern Xiongnu and renamed them the Mongol people. Once they had recovered their strength, he intended to march south, defeat and once again absorb the Southern Xiongnu. Thereafter, wielding the combined power of the entire Xiongnu, he would annex the whole steppe and turn his ambitions toward the Han lands.
He brings twelve figures with him: the Four Heroes—Bo’orchu, Muqali, Borokhula, and Chila’un; the Four Hounds—Subutai, Jelme, Jebe, and Qubilai; and the Four Sons—Jochi, Chagatai, Ögedei, and Tolui.”
When Li Xiang heard that Genghis Khan had emerged among the Northern Xiongnu, his mood immediately darkened. Genghis Khan’s deterrent power far surpassed that of Wanyan Aguda and Nurhaci. Indeed, Li Xiang would rather face the latter two at once than confront Genghis Khan.
Borjigin Temüjin, khan of the Mongol Empire, bore the honorific title “Genghis Khan,” meaning “the Great Khan who possesses all four seas.” He was an outstanding statesman and military leader in world history. After establishing the Great Mongol State, he repeatedly launched wars of conquest, extending his realm westward into Central Asia and as far as the shores of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe.
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At that moment, Li Xiang felt a wave of relief. He was relieved that, after the previous Battle of Yanmen, his cavalry forces had been too weak to pursue the enemy. He was also relieved that he had failed to complete the mission to assassinate the emperor by killing Wanyan Aguda.
Now that Wanyan Aguda was in command of the Southern Xiongnu, it would not be easy for Genghis Khan’s Northern Xiongnu—or rather, the Mongol people—to swallow them. Even if Genghis Khan ultimately succeeded, he would inevitably require a considerable amount of time. That interval would be more than enough for Li Xiang to accumulate the strength needed to face Temüjin.
As for the possibility that Wanyan Aguda might be defeated with ease by Genghis Khan, or surrender without a fight, Li Xiang was not worried in the slightest. If Wanyan Aguda were truly so fragile, he would not be the Jin emperor who had established the Jin dynasty with only a few thousand armored horsemen.
At present, Li Xiang only hoped that Wanyan Aguda would move faster and act more forcefully, eliminating Yufuluo as soon as possible and successfully becoming the leader of the Southern Xiongnu.
After Genghis Khan had been produced by the balancing process, Li Xiang assumed that no other formidable figure would emerge. He never imagined that his nightmare had only just begun.
“Ding! The fourth figure in the balancing process:
The First Emperor, Ying Zheng, the greatest emperor throughout the ages: Leadership 92, Martial Strength 90, Intelligence 99, Politics 104, Charisma 102.
His implanted identity is that of a surviving descendant of the Qin imperial house. After the fall of the Qin dynasty, this branch changed its surname to Qin in order to evade persecution by the new dynasty. They went into hiding in Youzhou, secretly gathering strength while awaiting the opportunity to accomplish great things. Because Ying Zheng revered the First Emperor, he changed his given name to Zheng, becoming Qin Zheng.
He brings fifteen figures with him: Wei Liao, Ying Fusu, Lü Buwei, Li Xin, Feng Qubing, Feng Jie, Chunyu Yue, Shu Sun Tong, Sima Xin, Dong Yi, Zhang Han, Ying Yiren, Ying Ziying, Ying Jianglü, and Ying Chengjiao.”
When Li Xiang heard that the First Emperor had emerged, he nearly blurted out an oath in shock.
The pressure exerted by Genghis Khan had already been overwhelming, but the deterrent power of this man surpassed even Genghis Khan’s. What was more, the First Emperor had been implanted in Youzhou. Li Xiang’s base in Bingzhou bordered Youzhou, whereas Genghis Khan was at least separated from him by the Southern Xiongnu.
The First Emperor of Qin was a renowned statesman, strategist, and reformer in Chinese history, as well as the first iron-fisted ruler to complete the unification of the Chinese realm. He established the first centralized, multiethnic state and created the title “Emperor” by combining the “August” of the Three August Ones with the “Emperor” of the Five Emperors. He was the first monarch in history, both in China and abroad, to bear the title of emperor.
At the center, the First Emperor established the imperial system and instituted the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers to administer state affairs. In the provinces, he abolished the feudal enfeoffment system and replaced it with commanderies and counties. He standardized the written language, unified the width of roads and axle lengths, and established uniform weights and measures. Beyond the borders, he drove back the Xiongnu in the north and campaigned against the Baiyue in the south. He built the Great Wall, constructed the Lingqu Canal, and linked the river systems. He ushered China into an age of unity and opened a new chapter in the creation of a centralized autocratic state. His influence on Chinese and world history was profound, and he laid the foundations for the basic structure of China’s political system for more than two thousand years. Truly, he deserved to be called the greatest emperor throughout the ages.
A poem once praised him:
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“The King of Qin swept across the six realms—how mighty was his tiger’s gaze!
He brandished his sword and cleaved the drifting clouds; the feudal lords all came west.
With heaven’s inspiration, he judged with perfect clarity; his grand designs surpassed all men.
He gathered the weapons and cast them into golden men; the Hangu Pass opened eastward.
He engraved his achievements upon Kuaiji Ridge and gazed afar from Langya Terrace.
Seven hundred thousand convicts raised the earth along the foot of Mount Li.
Still he sought the elixir of immortality; bewildered, he left his heart in sorrow.
With repeating crossbows they shot at fish in the sea, where monstrous whales rose high.
Their brows and noses towered like the Five Sacred Mountains; waves surged, spraying clouds and thunder.
Their fins and manes darkened the blue sky—how could one ever behold Penglai?
Xu Fu carried Qin maidens aboard his ship; when would the tower vessels return?
All that could be seen beneath the Three Springs was a golden coffin buried in cold ashes.”
Moreover, the First Emperor himself was terrifyingly powerful. Two of his five attributes exceeded one hundred, while the other three were all above ninety, and even his intelligence was nearly perfect.
The figures he brought with him were likewise far too formidable. Setting aside Zhang Han, the last great Qin general who had almost single-handedly rescued the Qin dynasty, and Lü Buwei, the man who had acquired a rare commodity in the form of a future king, the mere presence of Wei Liao—one of the Four Sages of Military Strategy—was frightening enough. His Leadership and Intelligence were certain to be astonishingly high.
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