coobybook Chapter 617 Qi State Surrenders
Chapter 617 Qi State Surrenders
On April 25th, news of the fall of the Yan state reached Linzi.
King Jian of Qi was struck dumb; his last glimmer of hope was shattered. With Yan surrendering, could Qi possibly survive alone?
He summoned his ministers, this time without hesitation.
"My mind is made up: I will submit to the State of Qin." King Jian of Qi's voice was soft but firm. "Prime Minister, draft a letter of surrender."
"Your Majesty is wise!" Hou Sheng was overjoyed.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Tian Chong and the others knelt down and pleaded.
"There's no need to persuade me any further," King Jian of Qi said wearily, waving his hand. "I cannot allow Linzi to be reduced to ashes, nor can I allow the people of Qi to perish with me. Surrender, and at least... the ancestral temples and the people can be preserved."
Tian Chong knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face: "Your Majesty! Your subject... Your subject is unwilling!"
"I am also unwilling," King Jian of Qi said with a bitter smile, "but this is fate. The Qi Kingdom has lasted for eight hundred years, and now it's over. Gentlemen... take care."
That night, Tian Chong committed suicide in his residence. Before his death, he left a letter written in blood: "Born a general of Qi, I will die a ghost of Qi. Tian Chong is incompetent and unable to protect the country. I have no choice but to die to atone for my sins to the world."
The news sent shockwaves throughout the country. King Jian of Qi, upon hearing the news, wept bitterly.
On April 28, Li You, representing the Qin state, signed the Treaty of Submission of Linzi with the Qi state.
The treaty stipulates that: the King of Qi will relinquish his title of King and be granted the title of "Marquis of Donghai," relocate to Xianyang, and enjoy a fief of ten thousand households; the ancestral temple of Qi will be converted into the Qi State Ancestral Temple, which will retain its sacrificial rites; Qi nobles will be granted franchise rights according to their rank; the Qi navy will be reorganized into the Qin East Sea Fleet, and its commanders will be retained as appropriate; Qi will be exempt from taxes for one year, and granaries will be opened to distribute grain.
The terms were so generous that they exceeded everyone's expectations.
King Jian of Qi's hand trembled as he signed the document. But after he finished, he breathed a sigh of relief. The huge weight that had been pressing on his heart had finally been lifted.
On April 29th, the Qin army took over the defenses of Linzi. There was no resistance, no bloodshed, and the handover was peaceful.
Standing atop the city walls of Linzi, Wang Jian gazed upon this city that had flourished for eight hundred years, overwhelmed with emotion. He had fought for thirty years, conquering countless kingdoms; this was the easiest victory he had ever faced.
"Director Li, you've done a great job," Wang Jian said to Li You beside him.
Li You shook his head: "It is the princess's brilliant strategy and the king's benevolence that inspired me. I... was just carrying out the orders."
“If you execute it well, that’s a great achievement.” Wang Jian patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s go, it’s time to report the victory to the King.”
On the third day of the fifth lunar month, good news reached Xianyang.
The six kingdoms were unified, and the world was brought under one rule.
King Ying Zheng of Qin stood in front of Zhangtai Palace, gazing at the rising sun, remaining silent for a long time.
He had dreamed of this day since the day he ascended the throne. Now that his dream has come true, he feels an unusual sense of peace.
“Jiayang,” he said softly, “I have finally done it.”
Ying Wuyou stood beside his father, gazing at the man's profile. At this moment, he was not the King of Qin, but simply someone who had fulfilled his lifelong dream.
“Father, this is just the beginning,” Ying Wuyou said. “Unifying the world is easy, but governing it is difficult. Next, we will establish an unprecedented unified dynasty, so that the people of the world can live a good life and the Chinese civilization can be passed down for ten thousand generations.”
The King of Qin nodded, his eyes regaining their light: "Yes, this is just the beginning. Issue an edict: grant a general amnesty and exempt the entire realm from taxes for three years! Let the whole world rejoice!"
The bell rang, its sound echoing throughout Xianyang and across the world.
A new era has begun.
In mid-May, at Zhangtai Palace in Xianyang.
The debate over the Qin King's claim to the throne has lasted for over a month. The three alternative titles presented by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of History—"Emperor," "Heavenly Emperor," and "Tai Emperor"—have sparked an unprecedentedly heated debate in the court.
Today's grand court assembly is attended by all officials, including Xiang Yan, who has just returned from Liaodong, and Li You, who has just returned from Linzi. The atmosphere in the hall is heavy; everyone knows that a decision must be made today.
Left Chancellor Kui Zhuang stepped forward first: "Your Majesty, I believe 'Taihuang' is the best title. Tai means great, safe, and as stable as Mount Tai. Huang means ruler or sovereign. The title Taihuang not only signifies nobility but also implies the stability of the country. Moreover, it has existed since ancient times and conforms to the rites."
The Imperial Censor Feng Jie, however, said: “I believe ‘Heavenly Emperor’ is better. Heaven means supreme and supreme; Emperor means supreme monarch. The title of Heavenly Emperor demonstrates the divine right of kings and the mandate of heaven. In the past, among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the Heavenly Emperor was the first, which is in line with Your Majesty’s great cause of unifying the world.”
The two prime ministers each held their own opinion, and the court officials echoed their views.
Li Si remained silent until the debate subsided, at which point he slowly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that 'Emperor' is the best title."
All eyes of the officials were on him. Although Li Si had been demoted from Minister of Justice to Clerk, his influence remained, and as a representative of Legalism, he was also a man of great literary talent, making his opinions highly significant.
"Please explain in detail, Minister Li," said the King of Qin.
Li Si cupped his hands and said, “‘Huang’ means great, beautiful, and sovereign; ‘Di’ means the title of the ruler of the world. Combined, ‘Huangdi’ not only shows the supreme and noble status, but also establishes an unprecedented new system. Your Majesty has unified the world and established a foundation for ten thousand generations. It is only natural to use an unprecedented title to show the intention of innovation.”
He paused, then continued, "Moreover, the word 'Emperor' is concise and powerful, and easy to spread. People all over the world, whether literate or not, can pass it down by word of mouth. 'Taihuang' is too old, and 'Tianhuang' is too abstract; neither is as substantial as 'Emperor'."
This made sense, and many court officials nodded in agreement.
But Chunyu Yue immediately retorted: "Li Wenshu is mistaken! How can governing a country be about seeking novelty alone? The inheritance of rites and systems is fundamental. The title 'Taihuang' has existed since ancient times and conforms to the rites of Zhou. If we use 'Huangdi' (Emperor), wouldn't we be cutting ourselves off from ancient systems?"
"Ancient system?" Li Si sneered. "The ancient system that Dr. Chunyu speaks of, is it the Zhou system? The Zhou system is gone, and the world is about to be unified; naturally, there should be a new system. If everything follows the ancients, how can there be reform? How can there be a powerful Qin?"
"You!" Chunyu Yue was so angry that his beard trembled.
Seeing that another argument was about to break out, Ying Wuyou stepped forward.
The twelve-year-old princess stood among the officials, her figure still somewhat immature, but her demeanor composed: "Father, I have something to say."
"speak."
“Your subject believes that what Li Wenshu said is absolutely right.” Ying Wuyou’s voice was clear and bright. “Father has unified the world and created an unprecedented great undertaking. He should be given an unprecedented title. The word ‘Emperor’ is just right for this purpose.”
She turned to Chunyu Yue: "I understand that Master Chunyu values ancient systems. But does Master Chunyu know that the Duke of Zhou established rites and Confucius revised books to adapt to the times? Now the times have changed, and the world is about to be unified, so the rites must naturally change as well. If we blindly stick to the old ways, we are truly going against the way of the ancient sages."
This was a clever remark, both affirming the contributions of Confucianism and pointing out the necessity of change. Chunyu Yue opened his mouth, but was speechless.
Ying Wuyou continued, "Furthermore, the title 'Emperor' has a deeper meaning—'Huang' means great and bright; 'Di' means ruler and law. An emperor is a monarch who governs the world with bright laws. This is exactly in line with Father's governing philosophy of ruling the country by law and governing the people by virtue."
A look of approval appeared in the King of Qin's eyes. His daughter's words had struck a chord with him.
“Furthermore,” Ying Wuyou added, “the title ‘Emperor’ can be broken down into ‘Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.’ The Three Sovereigns are the Heavenly Sovereign, the Earthly Sovereign, and the Human Sovereign; the Five Emperors are the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu, Emperor Ku, Yao, and Shun. The title of Emperor inherits the virtues of the Three Sovereigns and continues the achievements of the Five Emperors, encompassing the past and present, which is in line with Father King’s great cause of unifying the world.”
These words moved even the most conservative senior officials. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were the progenitors of the Chinese nation, revered as sage kings by all. For the King of Qin to inherit such titles would indeed be the highest honor.