Qin Yu's heart could not help but surge with emotion.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, to everyone in the Hidden Dragon Continent, represented the highest status. Emperor Qin Shi Huang not only unified the world but also possessed immense cultivation. With both power and cultivation reaching the pinnacle, no one could compare to him and to think that he himself was a descendant of Emperor Qin Shi Huang – how could Qin Yu not be shaken?
"Yu'er, as a descendant of the Emperor, do not forget the glory of the Qin Dynasty. Yu'er, do you know how the Emperor died?" Qin De stared at Qin Yu as he asked.
Qin Yu recalled what he had read in books and said, "Emperor Qin Shi Huang had immense power. It's said that he reached the realm of an Upper Immortal, and theoretically could live for a thousand years. However, he was later killed by a peerless powerhouse, the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, who was also the first Emperor of our Chu Dynasty."
"Exactly, the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu," Qin De's eyes emitted a dazzling light. "The Western Regions Four Prefectures were the stronghold of the Xiang Family; they have been operating there for thousands of years, relying on which they started their conquest of the world. Initially, a master of Upper Immortal level, considered the first among them, was Xiang Yu. The Overlord of Western Chu killed our ancestor. If the Emperor hadn't died, how could our Qin Dynasty possibly have been destroyed? However..."
Qin De sneered, "That Overlord of Western Chu, a year later, was also killed by the combined force of two Upper Immortal experts of the Qin Dynasty. His Golden Core shattered, and he fell into the river and died."
The Chu Dynasty, though founded by the Overlord of Western Chu Xiang Yu, he himself did not enjoy the luxurious peace of an Emperor.
"We, the descendants of the Emperor, must restore the Emperor's glory, but we should not be overhasty. We must choose a target; the first reason for the Qin Dynasty's fall was the Xiang Family. So, our first task is to annihilate the Xiang Family and capture the entire Chu Dynasty," Qin De's eyes emitted a terrifying light.
Annihilate the Xiang Family, capture the entire Chu Dynasty.
At this moment, Qin Yu tried to remain calm; what Qin De said today was too shocking for Qin Yu.
Xiang Yu killed Emperor Qin Shi Huang, destroying the Qin Dynasty. However, the supreme experts of the Qin Dynasty also joined hands to kill the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu. Otherwise, given the terrifying strength of Xiang Yu at that time and the military strength of the Xiang Family, eliminating the other two major forces and unifying the entire Hidden Dragon Continent would not have been impossible. This resulted in the current division into three of the Hidden Dragon Continent.
Qin Zheng rested his hand on Qin Yu's shoulder, and Qin Yu turned to look at his second brother. Qin Zheng gazed solemnly at Qin Yu and said, "Third brother, Big Brother, Father, and I have been working towards this goal for so many years. Remember, we are the descendants of Emperor Qin Shi Huang; we must restore the Emperor's glory."
Qin De, Qin Feng, Qin Zheng, and Xu Yuan beside them all looked at Qin Yu.
Qin Yu, seeing the eyes of his relatives, thought for a moment and finally nodded.
"In five years, everything will be ready. Then it will be time for our Qin Family to act, and by then the Xiang Family must be eradicated, and the entire Chu Dynasty unified," Qin De emitted a faint murderous aura as he spoke, and the light in his eyes was frightening.
Qin Yu furrowed his brows upon hearing this. He was also aware of the entire structure of the Chu Dynasty.
The Chu Dynasty, primarily divided among the Four Major Families, with the Imperial Family Xiang completely controlling the Western Regions Four Prefectures, commanding an army of 800,000. The Xiang Family's Iron Cavalry, numbering 200,000, was especially renowned.
Ranked second is the Qin Family of the Eastern Domain Three Prefectures, commanding a military force of 600,000, including a formidable 50,000 from the Fierce Tiger Army that deters various powers. However, the Qin Family has 200,000 troops stationed at the Black Water Mountain Range to intimidate the world's premier bandit stronghold, leaving only 400,000 troops available.
The third family, the Mu Family of the Southern Domain Three Counties, also has a 600,000-strong army. The fourth family is the Shangguan Family from the Western Regions Two Prefectures, totaling 400,000 troops.
This was initially decreed by the Imperial Family Xiang, restricting each county to recruit only 200,000 soldiers. The entire Chu Dynasty's Twelve Counties were thus partitioned among the Four Major Families, yet the other two major families adjacent to the Xiang Family have good relations with them.
"Father, if we are to eliminate the Xiang Family, won't the other two major families interfere? Moreover, even if they don't interfere, once we have destroyed the Xiang Family, couldn't the other two major families take advantage of our weakened state to destroy us instead?" Qin Yu immediately saw the crux of the issue.
Qin De smiled slightly.
However, Qin Zheng said to Qin Yu, "Third brother, don't worry about that. Those two major families, the Mu Family is very loyal to the Xiang Family. But the Shangguan Family from the Northern Domain Two Prefectures is like a fence-sitter, which should be easy to win over. Moreover… our Qin Family, after so many years, surely isn't just limited to the apparent 600,000 troops."
Qin Yu, however, shook his head and said, "No, second brother, since the Xiang Family is part of the Royal Family, they definitely have an intelligence department overseeing the nation. If our Qin Family, with its 600,000 army, wants to recruit more troops, even if it's just an extra 100,000, the resources needed for food, armor, weapons, and the like are tremendous, making it too difficult to evade the scrutiny of the Xiang Family's intelligence department. Moreover, the Mu Family's loyalty to the Xiang Family adds up to seven counties under their control. The Shangguan Family being fence-sitters doesn't guarantee their allegiance to us. After all, we are still inferior to the Xiang Family in power."
Qin Yu was somewhat skeptical about his own family's capacity to unify the entire Chu Dynasty.
"Furthermore, the Black Water Mountain Range hosts the largest stronghold of bandits, who officially claim to be 200,000 strong, but the exact number is unknown to outsiders. We need to keep our 200,000-strong army there to deter them. Otherwise, if these bandits swarm into the region like locusts, the Eastern Domain Three Prefectures would be in chaos. Thus, we only have 400,000 troops available for deployment. Even with an additional hidden 100,000, it totals only 500,000. How can we fight against the Xiang Family? Our Fierce Tiger Army is formidable, but 50,000 of them could match 230,000 at most. The Xiang Family's 200,000 Iron Cavalry aren't pushovers," continued Qin Yu.
Qin Yu quickly identified many problems.
"Moreover, with a great war within the Chu Dynasty, can the Han Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty really remain passive? Once these two dynasties intervene, it will truly be chaotic," Qin Yu added, finding it hard to envision how his family could unify the entire Chu Dynasty.
Qin De, Qin Zheng, Qin Feng, and Xu Yuan all looked at Qin Yu with approving smiles.
"Well done, Yu'er, you have an excellent grasp of the overall situation to have considered so much in such a short time. However, war is not as simple as you think; it's not just a matter of plain strength comparison. Logistics and strategy are also very complex. And the four major families of the Chu Dynasty aren't as they appear on the surface. Rest assured, our Qin Family has been preparing for hundreds of years, with all sorts of plans already drafted. Wait five years, and see how we'll eliminate the Xiang Family," Qin De firmly declared.
Qin Yu looked at his father in confusion.
He didn't understand — with the Mu Family and Xiang Family together, and the Shangguan Family's allegiance still uncertain, on what basis did his father possess such tremendous confidence. Hundreds of years of preparation, how could that turn an army of 600,000 into 800,000? Moreover, the troops stationed at the Black Water Mountain Range couldn't be moved, or else the situation in the Eastern Domain Three Prefectures would worsen considerably given that it's their home base.
"Don't worry, your father has foreseen everything," Qin De said with a smile.
Although Qin Yu had no insight into his father's thoughts, from his own perspective, the task of unifying the entire Chu Dynasty seemed daunting for the Qin Family, especially since the Han Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty were significant contenders. Yet, seeing his father's assured expression, Qin Yu felt considerably more at ease.