Li Teng bowed deeply, his face filled with guilt. "I await the General's punishment!"
For this offense, Li Teng had no grounds for argument.
"His Majesty has already issued a decree," Wang Jian stated. "This sin will be noted for now. You are to remain in your position under observation. If you make another such mistake during future campaigns, the two offenses will be punished together."
"I thank His Majesty for his grace!" Li Teng said loudly, bowing in gratitude.
"Stand up," Wang Jian said with a wave of his hand. "Now tell me, what is the status of the campaign?"
Li Teng immediately replied, "General, I have deployed 80,000 troops, split into four forces, to hunt down the Han army and clear the road to the Han capital. I am confident we can fully secure the path and stand before the capital within one month."
"Haste makes waste," Wang Jian cautioned. "I'm giving you time, but you must advance steadily. Absolutely no more errors are allowed. Within two months, Han must fall."
His tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. This imposed enormous pressure on Li Teng.
"I will give my all to accomplish this mission," Li Teng promised.
"Qin has been campaigning against Han for three months now," Wang Jian continued. "Han is small in territory and weak in strength, but it has Zhao and Wei as allies. Although their ties have loosened in recent years, they still share a common interest. The King of Han has already sent envoys to Zhao and Wei. If Zhao sends troops, Wei will inevitably follow."
"Han must be defeated quickly. If we prolong this campaign, reinforcements from Zhao and Wei will surely arrive," Wang Jian said, his expression serious.
The key to conquering the Han lay in a swift campaign.
While Han was weaker than Qin, it still had a population of several million and an army of over 100,000. Though heavily weakened by Qin, its national strength remained.
Conquering a nation that had stood for over a century within just five months would be an unprecedented achievement a crucial step for Qin's eastern expansion and eventual unification of the realm.
"I understand, General," Li Teng replied with a firm nod.
After giving his instructions, Wang Jian scanned the crowd before asking, "Is Zhao Feng present?"
"General," Li Teng replied immediately, "Zhao Feng is in the camp but not currently here."
Wang Jian nodded, his gaze lingering for a moment before shifting to Wang Yan.
"Everyone else, wait outside the hall. Wang Yan, stay," Wang Jian ordered.
"Yes, General."
The officers stood, bowed respectfully, and exited the hall, leaving only Wang Yan and Wang Jian inside.
A Father's Dilemma
"Yan'er," Wang Jian began, his tone affectionate as he looked at Wang Yan. "Have you thought things through?"
Wang Jian had one son and one daughter, and he adored his daughter deeply, even allowing her to disguise herself as a man to join the military.
"Father," Wang Yan said with a touch of resignation, "do I have no say in choosing my future?"
Wang Jian sighed and stepped closer.
"Yan'er," he said gently, "we are not an ordinary family. We are a military household. I hold command over the army, and your brother wields significant military power as well. Our family is destined to be viewed with suspicion, to be under the watchful eye of the throne."
"Your marriage isn't for me to decide. It lies entirely in the hands of His Majesty," Wang Jian said with a bitter smile.
At his level of power, there were few avenues left to advance further. Political marriages were one of them, serving as a means of consolidation, balance, and royal control.
The higher the position, the greater the constraints and the more dangerous a single misstep could be.
"But… is there truly no way to change this?" Wang Yan asked, her expression tinged with despair.
Wang Jian shook his head slowly.
"I've heard some rumors," he said. "His Majesty intends to marry the Princess of Liyang to your brother. As for you, there is talk in court of a proposal to betroth you to Prince Fusu."
Wang Yan fell silent, her eyes filled with helpless sorrow.
"After you relinquish your armor this time, return home immediately," Wang Jian advised. "Although there is talk of this, the state of the kingdom takes precedence for now. His Majesty is unlikely to address the matter in the short term."
Wang Yan said nothing more. She turned and walked out of the hall, her movements heavy with resignation.
"Ah," Wang Jian sighed deeply before following her out. By the time he stepped outside, his earlier vulnerability was gone, replaced by his usual commanding and stern demeanor.
Surrounded by officers, Wang Jian made his way to the military camp.
The Marksman's Challenge
At the training grounds, thousands of elite soldiers were still drilling. Many had gathered around the archery range, where Zhao Feng stood, holding a bow with three arrows nocked at once.
As he drew the bowstring, it creaked under the strain.
Thwack!
The bowstring released, sending three arrows flying in unison.
Fifty paces away, all three arrows struck the bullseye, piercing clean through the target.
"Bravo!"
"Amazing, absolutely incredible!"
"Zhao Tuan Leader is truly exceptional!"
"Six days ago, it was his first time shooting a bow, and now he's hitting bullseyes at fifty paces with triple arrows. Unreal!"
"If the target were farther, I bet Zhao Tuan Leader could still hit it, given his strength!"
Cheers erupted among the soldiers, their admiration for Zhao Feng evident.
"Zhao Tuan Leader," said Zhang Han with a smile, "your skill is impressive. Care to challenge a target at a hundred paces?"
"In our camp, those who can hit a target at a hundred paces are called sharpshooters."
Hearing this, Zhao Feng laughed. "Since you've asked, how can I refuse?"
Excited, Zhang Han turned to the soldiers. "Set up a target at a hundred paces!"
Several soldiers quickly carried a target to the designated distance.
Meanwhile, Wang Jian and his entourage arrived at the camp.
Spotting the crowd around the archery range, Wang Jian asked, "What's happening here?"
"General, shall I gather the soldiers?" Li Teng offered.
"No rush," Wang Jian replied, his curiosity piqued. "Find out what's going on."
"Yes, General."
Li Teng sent a guard to summon a nearby officer.
"General, I greet you!" The officer saluted Wang Jian promptly upon arrival.
"At ease," Wang Jian said. "What's all this commotion about?"
"General, it's Zhao Tuan Leader practicing archery. He's attempting to hit a target at a hundred paces," the officer reported.
"Zhao Tuan Leader?" Wang Jian's eyebrows rose in interest. "You mean Zhao Feng?"