Chapter 7

Then, Ying Zheng flicked his sleeve, turned around, and walked toward his bedchamber.

However, before leaving, his peripheral vision caught sight of what Young Start Qin Lan had drawn, and he couldn't help letting out a soft exclamation of surprise.

What was drawn on the paper was a sword! It was precisely the Netherworld Sword, ranked first on the Famous Swords Ranking.

The sword body was as black as ink, straight, and covered from hilt to tip with lifelike diamond-shaped patterns. It felt as if sword qi was already overflowing from it, sweeping across in all directions. Every single stroke and line contained a majestic and formidable momentum.

"If Lan'er had drawn this sword a few days ago, it certainly would have given Us a great shock." Ying Zheng thought to himself with a silent sigh.

In his view, Qin Lan's ability to depict the Netherworld Sword was merely a matter of copying its appearance from the Famous Swords Ranking. But if it had been drawn before the Golden List ever appeared, that would be rather intriguing. This might imply that Qin Lan had once seen the Netherworld Sword with his own eyes. Yet, Ying Zheng quickly cast this thought to the back of his mind.

Once the crowd dispersed, the scions finally dared to stand up and leave. However, their speed in getting up was unusually swift; after all, nature calls, and having consumed a fair amount of tea, they could hold it in no longer.

As Qin Lan stepped down the stairs and prepared to walk out of the main hall, Gai Nie's steady voice sounded from behind him.

"Young Master Qin Lan, might I have a moment of your time to converse?"

Wait, the Sword Saint? What important business does he have with me? Although Qin Lan felt a twinge of doubt, he still paused in his tracks.

Turning back, he asked in surprise, "Sword Saint, is something the matter?"

Gai Nie smiled gently and said, "Young Master, I have a few questions I'd like to ask for your guidance on."

"Oh? Guidance from me?" Hearing this, Qin Lan laughed with a hint of amusement. "Gai Xian Sheng, surely you aren't joking with me? You are a master of the Heavenly Gang Realm; I can't imagine what you could possibly need to ask me about."

In this world of the Great Qin State, swordsmen and martial artists were classified according to realms. From lowest to highest, they were the Postnatal Realm, Xiantian Realm, Earth Fiend Realm, Heavenly Gang Realm, and Myriad Phenomena Realm, with the legendary Divine Void Realm lying even further above. As things stood, the Sword Saint was already a swordsman at the Mid Heavenly Gang Realm—considered a top-tier powerhouse across the entire realm under heaven.

"You misunderstand, Young Master. It is not a matter concerning swordsmanship." Gai Nie explained.

Qin Lan raised an eyebrow. "Then what kind of matter is it?"

"What I wish to ask you about is music!" Gai Nie stated directly.

A chuckle escaped— Upon hearing these words, Qin Lan almost burst out laughing.

"You want to ask me about music?" Qin Lan confirmed once again.

From his perspective, the only hobby the Sword Saint seemed remotely interested in was playing the zhu. The zhu was a zither-like instrument with thirteen strings and bridges beneath them. When played, the left hand pressed the strings while the right hand struck them with a bamboo plectrum. During the Warring States period, this was an immensely popular instrument. How could the Sword Saint possibly be interested in other types of music?

Just as doubt filled his mind, Gai Nie nodded. "You heard correctly, Young Master. I truly wish to seek your instruction on music." "To be more specific, I hope you might compose a piece filled with passion for me—though it needn't reach the heights of 'Ambush on Ten Sides'."

His tone was sincere and earnest, filled with profound admiration for Qin Lan's musical composition abilities.

Seven years ago, the Qin State intended to destroy the Zhao State. At that time, the strength of the Zhao State was not to be underestimated either. The armies of Qin and Zhao had engaged in warfare with alternating victories and defeats. Just as Qin and Zhao reached a stalemate, the then ten-year-old Young Master Qin Lan put forward a brilliant strategy named "Ambush on Ten Sides". Building upon this strategy, he also used the guzheng to compose a musical piece of the same name. This piece, "Ambush on Ten Sides", possessed a magnificent and awe-inspiring momentum. After the Qin army lured the Zhao forces into an encirclement, over a thousand musicians played the tune simultaneously. The notes shook the heavens and the earth, causing the mountain forests to roar and weapons to hum in resonance. The soldiers of the Great Qin seemed imbued with divine strength, charging bravely and slaying the enemy with fearless abandon. Before long, the Zhao army was utterly routed. It was precisely this battle that laid a solid foundation for the First Emperor, Ying Zheng, to unify the Six States.

"Oh, composition!" Qin Lan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Composition is no problem at all, but you must at least tell me what this piece is meant to be used for, right? Or rather, why this piece needs to be created?"

Composition was a mere trifle to him, something he could accomplish with a flick of his wrist. In his past life, he had been exposed to countless musical pieces; casually pulling out even one would be enough to leave people utterly astounded.

The Sword Saint was silent for a moment before speaking honestly, "The Famous Swords Ranking has appeared in the world, and my junior brother and I have each obtained a sword technique. Given my junior brother's temperament, once he masters this sword technique, he will undoubtedly come to challenge me. And I have already promised His Majesty that if such a day should come, I would certainly invite His Majesty to come and watch." "A duel between swordsmen, yet I have a particular fondness for music. If there is no musical accompaniment, it always feels as though something is lacking." "After repeated consideration, I realized I could not find a suitable piece of music, and thus I thought of you."

Every word he spoke was filled with sincerity, completely devoid of falsehood.

Hearing this, Qin Lan readily agreed. "Alright, no problem. Leave this matter to me."

Upon hearing this, the Sword Saint said excitedly, "Many thanks, Young Master."

"Don't thank me just yet." Qin Lan waved a hand to stop him. "I'll compose the music for you, but shouldn't you also help me with a small favor in return?" "As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch."

The Sword Saint smiled apologetically. "What the Young Master says is true. It was an oversight on my part. I wonder what the Young Master requires me to do?"

Qin Lan held up a single finger. "It's very simple. I only need you to make me a promise."

"What promise?" asked the Sword Saint.

Qin Lan narrowed his eyes and said word by word, "Never betray the Great Qin State."

In his memory, it was precisely because Jing Ke's son defected to the Great Qin that the Sword Saint had left his original place. As a prince of Qin, such a thing must never be allowed to happen. He knew the Sword Saint's temperament very well. Whatever he promised, he would undoubtedly fulfill.

Upon hearing these words, the Sword Saint looked slightly surprised. Yet he quickly recovered his composure and readily agreed. "Why would the Young Master say such a thing? But I assure you, I will never betray the Great Qin."

His tone was firm and resolute.

Qin Lan smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this and raised his fist. "It's a deal."

"A promise is hard to break even for a team of four horses." The Sword Saint clenched his fist in response and lightly bumped it against Qin Lan's hand.

With this, an agreement was reached between the two parties.

As the two conversed, they had already walked outside the main hall. At this moment, numerous civil and military officials had gathered outside the grand hall, quietly waiting for the time of the morning court session.

Yet this night was fraught with strange occurrences. Shooting stars falling? The Golden List manifesting in the world? The Famous Swords Ranking bestowing rewards. What was even more astonishing was that Qin Lan had given Zhao Gao a severe beating! Any one of these events taken alone would be sensational enough to cause a stir, yet now they had all appeared simultaneously. This gave the civil and military officials an inexhaustible topic for heated discussion.

"Who do you think the Sword God, ranked number one on the Famous Swords Ranking here in Xianyang City, actually is?" "Who knows? To be able to rank above His Majesty is unprecedented. What sort of divine sword could possibly overshadow His Majesty's Tianwen Sword?" "The Famous Swords Ranking... what other lists do you suppose will appear hereafter? If there were a civil and military officials list, I wonder if we could make the cut... Haha!" "Have you heard? Tonight, Young Master Qin Lan beat Zhao Gao until his face was bruised and swollen, and even made him use his own clothes to wipe the floor. The Young Master truly possesses extraordinary courage." The civil officials who mentioned Qin Lan couldn't help but give a thumbs-up, full of deep admiration for him.

"It is still best to be cautious in what one says. Zhao Gao seems to have a mysterious force backing him; it is said this power was once controlled by Prime Minister Lü before being passed down to Zhao Gao!" "That's right, I've heard about this matter as well, but the fact that Young Master Qin Lan dared to beat Zhao Gao is enough for me to admire him." "Let's not speak of this anymore. It is said His Majesty sent people to search for the Sword God, only for them to return empty-handed. I wonder what His Majesty's mood is like right now!" ...

While the ministers were discussing animatedly amongst themselves, a hearty laugh rang out from behind Qin Lan. Following the sound, Meng Yi walked over at a leisurely pace. As he passed the other ministers, the crowd parted to make way, cupping their fists in salute and saying, "Greetings, Lord Senior Minister." "Greetings, Lord Senior Minister!"

At this, Meng Yi gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. He quickly arrived before Qin Lan and cupped his hands together. "Meng Yi pays his respects to Young Master Qin Lan."

Qin Lan hurriedly stepped forward to support Meng Yi. "Uncle Meng, why be so polite? There's no need for so many formalities even within the palace."

Meng Yi had grown up alongside Qin Lan's father since childhood, so addressing him as uncle according to the rules was a matter of course. Moreover, he got along exceptionally well with Meng Yi and Meng Tian in private! It was just that Meng Tian spent year after year stationed abroad leading troops to pacify the remnants of the Six States and the Wolf Tribe on the borders of Great Qin. Consequently, opportunities to meet were few! Yet every time Meng Tian returned to Xianyang and finished handling his official duties, he would invariably seek Qin Lan out to drink to his heart's content. This showed that the relationship between the two ran deep!

"This is the imperial palace, after all; court etiquette must still be observed." Meng Yi said with a smile.

The rules within the imperial palace were strict, and even as a Senior Minister, he had to abide by them. Qin Lan naturally understood this principle and nodded in agreement.

At this moment, Meng Yi gave Qin Lan a gentle nudge with his elbow and teased in a low voice, "Tell me, how on earth did you teach that eunuch a lesson!"

Regarding this, Qin Lan had no intention of keeping it hidden. Thus, he recounted the whole sequence of events in detail. During the narration, especially the parts about thrashing Zhao Gao, Meng Yi laughed so hard his mouth couldn't close.

Time passed swiftly! The hour of Mao had arrived. A sharp and shrill voice echoed from inside the hall. "To court!"

Creak, creak, creak... As the voice fell, the heavy doors of the Black Dragon Hall slowly opened. Subsequently, the court officials lined up in orderly fashion, proceeding in two parallel columns into the interior of the hall. Qin Lan led the way, followed by the other scions, as they walked slowly forward. Reaching the center of the grand hall, the group came to a halt.

At this moment, Ying Zheng emerged from the side door, ascended the steps, and seated himself upon the dragon throne, whereupon the civil and military officials bowed in unison.

"We subjects pay homage to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty boundless longevity and the Great Qin ten thousand generations of prosperity." "We subjects pay homage to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty boundless longevity and the Great Qin ten thousand generations of prosperity." "We subjects pay homage to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty boundless longevity and the Great Qin ten thousand generations of prosperity."

Echoes reverberated endlessly within the hall, wave upon wave of sound rising and falling. Reaching outside the hall, the guards likewise dropped to their knees, raising their voices in a simultaneous cry. In an instant, the sound filled the entire Xianyang Palace.

Inside the hall. Ying Zheng, draped in a black robe, slowly raised a hand to signal them. "Rise, ministers." Though his voice was low, it clearly traversed both inside and out, displaying his profound cultivation.

"Thanks to Your Majesty!" The ministers rose and stood solemnly, quietly awaiting the imperial decree.

At this moment, Ying Zheng wore a stern expression as he looked down upon the officials below. "Last night, the stars fell and the Golden List manifested. The Famous Swords Ranking announced the famous swords of the world along with their rankings, paired with corresponding rewards." "What are the views of all the ministers regarding this?"

Silence... The grand hall instantly plunged into an eerie stillness, so quiet that one could practically hear a pin drop! The ministers looked at each other in dismay, each waiting for someone else to speak first. Who lacked opinions? Yet the crux of the matter was that the First Emperor had failed to find the Sword God and had not obtained the Nine-Turn Longevity Pill. Today, His Majesty's moods were unpredictable, so no one dared to comment rashly, fearing they might provoke the wrath of the Son of Heaven.

Suddenly, the Eighteenth Prince, Hu Hai, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said softly, "Imperial Father, this child believes this is a rare opportunity for our nation to rise!"

"Oh?" Seeing Hu Hai speak up first, Ying Zheng said with growing interest, "Go on."

"Imperial Father, the Famous Swords Ranking is merely a part of the Golden List. In days to come, more lists will appear one after another, and with the appearance of each list come rewards."