The Young Man from the Great Qin

Chapter 22: Storms Rise in the Court

"Search." At Liu Cangcheng’s command, all the soldiers began their search.

Xiao Ren lightly tapped his armrest, his expression one of casual indifference. Mo Yuan’s face had turned ashen, but he followed instructions, unrolling a bamboo slip in the center of the table and pressing it beneath the bronze scale used for weighing chrome salts.

Liu Cangcheng, accompanied by more than a dozen guards in black armor, surrounded the artisans. Amidst the rising dust, his eyes scanned the room like a falcon, finally locking onto the bamboo slip on the table.

"By order of the Zhao residence, we are searching for contraband," Liu Cangcheng said, his smile not reaching his eyes. He reached out to seize the bamboo slip.

Xiao Ren spoke up then. "The Qin Code states that anyone who** moves military blueprints shall have their left toe cut off. This records the whereabouts of the ten thousand sword blanks ordered by General Meng. If a single entry is missing, which official’s foot does Councilor Liu intend to sacrifice?"

Liu Cangcheng’s hand froze. He glanced at the bamboo slip, noting the neat small seal script detailing the intake and output of iron materials. Snatching it would be defying the imperial decree and slapping General Meng Tian in the face.

"Search the rest of the place!"

Half an hour passed. Aside from the pungent smell and piles of ore mountains, nothing was found.

"It seems someone filed a false report," Xiao Ren said, rising to adjust his robes. "Councilor Liu has worked hard. This granary is fully compliant, and General Meng’s orders are being expedited. Please report back to the Zhao residence."

Liu Cangcheng’s face darkened. He shot Xiao Ren a resentful, venomous glare before flipping his sleeves and storming out.

As the workshop doors closed, Mo Yuan’s legs gave way and he collapsed to the floor. "That display just now... it scared me to death..."

Xiao Ren comforted him. "He didn't dare look closely. Suspicion breeds ghosts. That was the best cover we could ask for."

Three days later, in the Grand Hall of the Xianyang Palace. The Nine Ministers stood in formation, civil and military officials separated.

Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, sat on the high platform, his expression grim.

Below, Chancellor Feng Quji, holding his tablet, spoke with a voice like a bell. "Your Majesty! I have heard that in the West Granary, a youth named Wang Wu is actually a wandering rogue. He confuses the military mind with strange tricks and**, secretly smelting unknown substances with sinister intent! Furthermore, rumors claim he can forge 'rust-proof swords.' This is heresy! Can iron truly not rust? Can water flow upstream? Anything that violates the natural order must be demonic sorcery! If not severely punished, it may shake the very foundation of the Great Qin's legal system!"

The ministers whispered among themselves. Many old-school officials nodded in agreement. In this era that revered Legalist rigor, "strange tricks and**" was enough to condemn a man to death. Zhao Gao stood beside the throne. Xiao Ren stood at the rear of the military**, dressed in coarse hemp clothing, his head slightly bowed. A wooden box hung at his waist, standing in stark contrast to the brocade and fine silks surrounding him.

"Wang Wu, do you have anything to say?" The First Emperor’s voice was low.

Xiao Ren stepped forward and knelt. "Your subject has nothing to say. However, he has an object for Your Majesty to inspect."

"Present it."

Xiao Ren rose, removed the wooden box, and two eunuchs took it, placing it on the imperial desk.

Zhao Gao approached and opened the box. Inside was not a short sword, but a crossbow mechanism of peculiar design. The arm was pitch-black, the bowstring taut, radiating a cold, killing intent.

Feng Quji sneered. "Just a mere crossbow, what is there to marvel at? Our Great Qin's artisans forge a million weapons annually. Is any of them not made of fine steel?"

Xiao Ren did not answer. Instead, he turned to the Langzhong Ling standing nearby. "May I ask, sir, do you wear leather armor?"

The Langzhong Ling blinked, instinctively touching the three layers of rhinoceros hide armor covering his chest protector. This was the standard issue for palace guards, exceptionally tough and difficult to pierce with ordinary swords.

"Let me borrow your leather armor," Xiao Ren said, then knelt before the Emperor again. "Your Majesty, allow your subject to demonstrate."

The Emperor nodded. When Zhao Gao handed the crossbow to Xiao Ren, his eyes held a trace of amusement.

Xiao Ren was startled inwardly but showed nothing on his face. He held the crossbow with one hand, without drawing back or fancy movements. With a slight flick of his wrist, he pulled the trigger.

*Thud.* A muffled sound. The bolt flew like lightning. *Thwack.* The sound of the blade piercing armor was clearly audible.

The entire hall fell silent. The Langzhong Ling’s face turned pale, cold sweat instantly soaking his back. He looked down to see that three layers of thick, half-inch rhinoceros hide armor had been pierced by a single arrow. The arrowhead was embedded deep into the stone pillar behind him, its tail feathers still trembling violently. The cut was smooth, with not a single frayed edge.

Xiao Ren retracted the crossbow and spoke. "This crossbow requires no frequent calibration, does not rust in rain, and remains functional in severe cold. It allows ordinary soldiers to possess the power to pierce heavy armor."

He looked up, staring directly at Feng Quji. "May I ask, if this demonic sorcery can keep a Great Qin soldier alive on the battlefield for fifteen extra minutes, should this sorcery be preserved?"

Feng Quji opened his mouth but found he could not speak. Zhao Gao’s expression grew somewhat grave; he had not expected Xiao Ren to be so brazen in the imperial court. If the entire army were equipped with this, Xiao Ren’s status would be unshakable.

"Your Majesty," Zhao Gao suddenly spoke, his voice sharp yet soft. "Although this crossbow is sharp, if the technique is controlled by a private individual, it may lead to**. It would be better to hand it over to the Shaofu for unified supervision and production. This ensures quality while preventing the leakage of technology."

Xiao Ren cursed inwardly: *This eunuch is ruthless, throwing out heavy blows one after another.* He wanted to strip me of control and reduce me to just another artisan in the Shaofu.

The Emperor’s gaze shifted between Xiao Ren and Zhao Gao. Xiao Ren sneered inwardly; fortunately, he had prepared for this. He pulled a memorial from his robe and presented it with both hands. "Your Majesty, your subject has drafted the 'Regulations for the Mass Production of New Weapons.' Your subject will personally control the core technology, while the Shaofu will assist with raw material procurement and artisan deployment. Your subject is willing to sign a military pledge: deliver ten thousand finished products within three months. If delayed by a single day, your subject voluntarily accepts the punishment of being torn apart by chariots."

The ministers erupted in murmurs. The punishment of being torn apart by chariots was an extreme penalty. This youth was betting his life. Feng Quji wanted to object, but the Emperor raised his hand to stop him.

Ying Zheng picked up the crossbow. He thought of the Iron Cavalry of the Xiongnu in the northern borders and the muddy campaigns against the Baiyue in the south. If such a formidable weapon truly existed, it would be a significant advantage for the Qin army.

"Granted." One word, heavy as a thousand jun.

"Wang Wu, I give you three months to forge ten thousand crossbows. As for management authority..." The Emperor looked at Zhao Gao, then at Xiao Ren. "Wang Wu will take the lead, with the Shaofu assisting. In case of any dispute, Wang Wu’s decision shall prevail."

Zhao Gao’s face darkened instantly. Wang Wu takes the lead? After just one audience, this kid had acquired power independent of the Shaofu. He harbored deep resentment but dared not show it.

Xiao Ren bowed his head. "Your subject accepts the decree."

As he walked out of the grand hall, the sunlight was blinding. As Feng Quji passed by Xiao Ren, he said coldly, "Boy, don't get too cocky too soon. The battlefield is no child's play. Your crossbows may not withstand the test of blood and fire."

Xiao Ren stopped and turned his head to look at him. "Rest assured, sir. By the time your crossbows are stained with blood, you will thank me."

Feng Quji flipped his sleeves and left, his back rigid.

Returning to the West Granary, Mo Yuan came rushing forward. "Sir, did it work?"

Xiao Ren nodded and drew a new blueprint from his sleeve. "Notify all artisans to work overtime tonight. We are modifying the furnaces. The previous temperature was insufficient. I want to increase the toughness of the crossbow arms by another thirty percent."

Mo Yuan sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Increase it further? The current temperature is already at the limit."

"Then break the limit," Xiao Ren said, his eyes cold. "Zhao Gao wants to swallow us whole; we’ll make him break his teeth."

A personal guard ran over hurriedly, handing over a secret letter. "Sir, this was sent by Lord Zhang Han."

Xiao Ren opened the letter and smiled broadly after just one glance. It contained only one sentence: *Xu Fu will enter the palace tomorrow to present the elixir. The Emperor has agreed.*

Xiao Ren held the letter to the candle flame, watching it turn to ashes.