The thousand-year-old family began with King Wu's conquest of King Zhou.

Chapter 42 The Kirin Child

Since Bai Qi was killed, the Qin army seemed to have lost its soul, and the other six states were now confident enough to fight the Qin army head-on.

Ying Ji was depressed for a while after this, but his determination to unify the world never wavered.

After Fan Ju ousted Bai Qi and Zhang Ruotuo, his power was not as secure as he had imagined. Instead, he was punished for the two people he had recommended, and was dismissed from his position as prime minister.

In 256 BC, Ying Ji appointed Zhang Ruotu as commander, and they successively conquered large swathes of land in the states of Han and Zhao, capturing and beheading more than 100,000 people. This battle made the six states realize that although Bai Qi was dead, Lord Jingning was still alive. No matter what, this man was ultimately Bai Qi's disciple.

Then, Ying Ji set his sights on the Zhou royal family, which had long since become a mere shell of its former self.

At this time, the Zhou emperor was so poor that he could barely maintain his palace. Zhang Ruotuo captured Luoyi with almost no effort and took King Nan of Zhou, Ji Yan, prisoner. When Ji Yan saw that it was the Zhang family who led the army to conquer Luoyi, he was furious: "You are a descendant of King Wen and King Zhao, how can you disobey the emperor's orders for the sake of Qin?"

In the same year, Ji Yan died.

The Nine Tripods, symbolizing the world, were moved back to Xianyang, which was meant to tell the world that the Zhou dynasty's fate had run out and that the mandate of heaven belonged to Qin.

At this time, Ying Ji was already over seventy years old. He knew that his days were numbered and that the great cause of unifying the world could only be completed by future generations.

Thus, he transformed from a pioneer into a road paver. He ceased launching large-scale wars of annihilation and instead began to recuperate and build up Qin's resources. He continued to implement Shang Yang's policies emphasizing agriculture and also promoted numerous water conservancy policies. Politically, he continuously improved the prefecture-county system and ruthlessly and precisely targeted any royal nobles who posed a potential threat.

Zhang Ruotuo also understood this principle, so after conquering Luoyi and capturing the Zhou emperor, he told Ying Ji that after years of fighting, he had suffered numerous injuries, and he had a premonition that his days were numbered. He asked the king to allow him to relinquish all his duties and live out his remaining years in peace.

Ying Ji readily agreed and even bestowed upon him many treasures.

After returning to his own residence, Zhang Ruotuo claimed to be ill and refused to see anyone who came to visit.

Five years later, in 251 BC, time quickly passed.

"Father, the World Father has arrived."

Inside the Zhang family residence, Zhang Ruotuo was reading "The Book of Zhou Gongyuan Gui" when he suddenly heard the voice of his son, Zhang Ling, outside the door.

He stood up and looked outside, only to see an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a moon-white robe, following behind Zhang Lingzhi.

"Shifu" means elder brother, Zhang Ruotuo's elder brother, named Zhang Huai.

Back then, the Zhang family ancestors, the brothers Zhang Jujiu and Zhang Mengtan, one commanded the army and the other governed the state, firmly establishing the Zhang family's foundation in the Qin state.

By the time of Zhang Ruotuo's generation, the two brothers each inherited his mantle: he followed Bai Qi in his campaigns and became the Lord Jingning of Qin, while his elder brother took over the Hanzhong Academy and became a renowned Legalist master.

Since returning from the campaign against Zhao and closing his doors to visitors, Zhang Ruotuo has not stepped out of his residence for several years.

He had lost contact with most of his old acquaintances in the court, and even rarely saw members of the Zhang clan.

But Zhang Huai was different.

Zhang Ruotuo placed the "Zhou Gongyuan Gui" on the table, stood up, and walked to the corridor.

Zhang Huai stood under the old locust tree in the courtyard, his hands behind his back, looking up at the old locust tree planted by his grandfather.

Autumn was deep, and the locust leaves covered the ground, their branches gnarled and twisted like iron. Hearing footsteps, he turned around, and the two looked at each other across the fallen leaves.

"Cong Shi, it's been many years." Zhang Huai's voice was a bit lower than he remembered, but the clear and bright tone that was unique to the academy's chief priest was still there. "Your courtyard is much quieter than when I last came here."

Zhang Ruotuo invited his elder brother to sit down in the corridor and instructed Zhang Lingzhi to bring a pot of warm water.

The two brothers sat facing each other across an old table, speechless for a moment. Zhang Huai smiled and said, "You really haven't left the house much these past few years."

Zhang Huaiwen said with a smile, "I heard from the patriarch that since you stopped getting involved in politics, you have closed your doors to visitors and refused to see even your own clansmen. They were very worried about you, so they sent me to check on you."

"What are you worried about me for?" Zhang Ruotuo's voice was indifferent, revealing no emotion.

Zhang Huai smiled slightly, said nothing, and instead focused his gaze on the boy in the courtyard.

"It's time for Lingwen to settle down and start a family."

Lingwen is Zhang Ling's courtesy name, meaning "good reputation"; Lingxi Chengfu Shuwang means "having a dignified demeanor that inspires respect." It also means having a good reputation and virtue that inspires admiration and emulation.

Zhang Ruotuo followed his brother's gaze.

My son was carrying a ceramic plate as he walked across the corridor. He was tall and straight, and his features bore a resemblance to my younger self, but he was more composed and less menacing.

The child lost his mother at the age of three and grew up with him in the military camp. Later, when he fought in battles in the south and north, he entrusted his son to the school and had him looked after by his elder brother.

"No rush," Zhang Ruotuo said calmly, withdrawing his gaze.

"You're not in a hurry, but I am." Zhang Huai placed the pottery cup on the table, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction. "Your son is almost of marriageable age, isn't he? You're just dismissing his own son's most important matter with a simple 'no rush'?"

Zhang Ruotuo remained silent.

He looked down at his hands. He understood what his elder brother meant. It was indeed rare for someone who was still unmarried at the age of twenty in a family like the Zhang family, which had been noble families for generations.

Even in the whole world, few have heard of it.

There has probably been talk about it in the clan for a while, but because of his status, no one dares to bring it up to his face.

"He said, 'If you haven't achieved anything, how can you have a home?'" Zhang Ruotuo finally spoke, his tone devoid of emotion.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huai's dissatisfaction subsided considerably.

He was silent for a moment, then picked up the ceramic cup and slowly took a sip of the warm liquid, his tone softening: "Since you say so, let's wait and see."

Then Zhang Huai beckoned to Zhang Lingwen: "Lingwen, come here, come here."

"Father, Father," Zhang Lingwen put down the pottery plate, walked up to the two men, and bowed to Zhang Huai and Zhang Ruotuo respectively.

He was almost as tall as Zhang Ruotuo, and standing next to the world-renowned Lord Jingning, he did not have the sharp and fierce air that was common among the sons of military men. Instead, he looked more like a Confucian scholar who had come from an academy.

Zhang Huai looked him up and down, his gaze holding both the scrutiny of an elder and an undisguised satisfaction.

"I've heard," Zhang Huai said gently, "your father just said that you said, 'How can I have a home if I haven't accomplished anything?'" He placed the pottery cup on the table. "Is that what you yourself meant?"

Zhang Ling glanced at his father, but Zhang Ruotuo didn't look at him; he just kept his head down and flipped through the book "Zhou Gongyuan Gui" in his hands.

The boy withdrew his gaze and said frankly, "Father, it was your own idea."

"Achievements," Zhang Huai slowly uttered these two words, then suddenly smiled. "I wonder what kind of achievements you wish to accomplish?"

"To gallop across battlefields, to exact swift revenge, in times of chaos, a true man should wield a three-foot sword and achieve unparalleled feats!"

Zhang Ling's words were resounding, and the youthful spirit burst forth from his brows.

Zhang Huai laughed heartily, stroked his beard, and nodded.

……

Name: Zhang Ling

Age: 20

Positioning: Bangshi

Schools of thought: Military, Confucian

Intelligence: 100

Mindset: Wisdom

Policies: The art of war is deception; the nine variations of strategy; the six secret teachings and three strategies; inner sagehood and outer kingship.

Abilities: All's fair in war, surprise attack, martial prowess, and the world.

Events: Training troops, managing the army, writing books, and stabilizing the situation.

Looking at Zhang Ling's panel, Zhang Zhao couldn't help but gasp in amazement. This panel was practically grandfather-level! Zhang Ling was the only descendant of the Zhang family since him to possess four policies, four abilities, and four events!

He can truly be called the Zhang family's prodigy!