"A New Nation"
Is this why they called everyone together?
In the eighth year of the future Shi Huangdi's reign,
a major literary work, compiled by Lü Buwei over many long years,
was finally completed.
"Lüshi Chunqiu"
The Lüshi Chunqiu.
"Master Lü's Spring and Summer Annals":
a compendium of writings on history, thought, and science.
"Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter" "The 12 Almanacs"
Its greatest invention, one that persists even today,
is the idea of a year being divided into 12 months.
Attention, all and sundry!
An official notice from Chancellor Lü Buwei!
The Lüshi Chunqiu is most often known
"One Letter, One Thousand Gold"
for its "one letter, one thousand gold" anecdote.
This book is a record of all things under heaven, past and present!
If there is anyone at all
who can add even one letter to this volume,
they shall receive a thousand gold on the spot!
Master Cai Ze!
As though anyone would find fault with your work.
Please--head down below and peruse my doggerel.
I've already read it.
You certainly are a great man, Chancellor Lü Buwei.
In a world at war, you'll leave your mark as a man of letters, too.
I thank you.
Still,
your masterwork comes at quite an awkward time.
The Inner Palace faction?
Am I mistaken?
How unexpected.
No, no--it's terrible, to be sure.
"Xianyang"
What?! We still don't know who this Lao Ai is?
And we don't know what he's after! Why Shanyang?
Where's the chancellor?
Celebrating his book's completion!
At a time like this...
We have word that the Queen Dowager
has entered Shanyang with the royal families!
What?!
Looking to solidify their influence there?
Li Si!
Why didn't you stop them?!
Does this mean the Inner Palace faction has severed their ties with you?
That's none of your concern.
Lord Changping.
Sire.
Is there any confusion among the ranks at front-line Shanyang and Zhuyong
now that there's a new director in charge?
Any weakness could invite an enemy attack.
Wei still lacks the power for a full-force assault.
But we must be wary of Zhao, where Li Mu is.
I believe there is some confusion on site, as you say.
I've already dispatched Jie Yi to Shanyang.
He'll calm the troops--
and, knowing Jie Yi, pick up on something he can bring back.
Why tell His Highness as much?
Li Si. Has your investigation ended in failure?
This isn't one-and-done.
You may use your spies to investigate matters
to new depths.
The Inner Palace has money.
Give them free rein out in the world and it will only cause trouble.
"Zhuyong"
What?! You're takin' 10,000 of our troops?
Like hell you are!
You just took 10,000 the other day!
What's goin' on?
Don't look at me!
Shanyang has a new director--
he's revamping the troops' deployment.
But this is where they're most needed!
What's Shanyang going to do with another 10,000?
I told you, I don't know!
Although...
This time it's different. They're not going to Shanyang.
Huh? Then where?
Let's see...
Past Biandou, and then... um...
Huh?
To Taiyuan.
What?!
People are gathering up north in Taiyuan?
Yes. Some 10,000 troops from Sheguan, Beili, and even Zhuyong
have left for Taiyuan.
Zhuyong, too?
And not just troops--
I hear lots of refugees from all over are moving north as well.
Another odd message, Jie Yi, sir.
What is it?
The director of Shanyang, Lao Ai, has left for Taiyuan
with the Queen Dowager.
What is it?
What's happening in Taiyuan?
"Qin" "Tunliu" "Zhuyong" "Shanyang" "Wei"
Taiyuan was far to the north of Shanyang and Zhuyong,
"Qin" "Tunliu"
even beyond Tunliu, site of the Cheng Jiao incident earlier that year.
"Taiyuan" "Zhao"
It was key to defending Qin's northernmost borders,
but otherwise went unnoticed.
War horses go further in! Let them rest up!
Glad you made it!
You'll be fed, clothed, and sheltered. Work worry-free!
Now let's assign jobs!
Don't leave any gaps.
We raise the southern wall by two stories--today!
Rebuild the lookout! Tear it down!
Weapons have arrived from Yǒuqiu and Maqiu!
That line is crazy. I can't see the end of it!
We have arrived, Lao Ai.
This is Taiyuan.
"Ai"
What...
What is this?
U-Urgent message from Taiyuan in the north!
Th-The Queen Dowager and Lao Ai have entered Taiyuan,
and as of two days ago...
they have declared the Taiyuan area to be the nation of Ai!
"Zhuyong"
R-Ridiculous!
A mere battalion commander?!
Lieutenant Yuan's being pushed back!
Commander Tian Yǒu, too!
Only the captain and Lieutenant Qiang Lei are holding their ground!
What did I tell you?
Send 10,000 troops to Taiyuan and Wei will attack!
Wh-What now? We're even running out of reserves!
Have Yuan's unit withdraw to the stronghold for now.
It may be unfinished, but it'll serve its purpose.
--Go! --Right!
A-A message from General Teng!
From the general?!
It-it's unrelated to battle!
The director of Shanyang has sparked a revolt in Taiyuan,
declaring it a new nation!
What?!
"Xianyang"
Is there no official envoy from the Queen Dowager?!
On what grounds are they saying it's a nation?
The cities around Taiyuan are acting suspicious, too!
In any case, this is clearly treason!
We must see to it that they are appropriately punished!
The Queen Dowager will never submit to that!
True enough...
Lord Changwen, did my mother respond to our envoys?
Well, Sire, ah...
H-His Highness and the Imperial Court are infuriated!
Explain yourselves!
No--first rescind this "nation" declaration!
Don't get so upset.
The nation of Ai was created as a convenience--for ease of governance.
If they don't like it, we'll drop it at once.
Will... will you really?
And the next time they have something to say to me,
tell them to send Zheng or Lü Buwei.
Wha--?!
The chancellor is one thing, but expecting His Highness himself to go?
She's pompous even for a Queen Dowager!
You idiot! The same goes for Lü Buwei!
There are no signs of Ai withdrawing.
They were never going to entertain it in the first place.
Right. We keep sending over more envoys,
but they're being turned away.
It's shameful!
It's not like the jumble of primitive nations five centuries ago, either.
For one faction to establish an independent nation here and now,
within the great kingdom of Qin?
It's nothing but a disgrace.
We're most certainly the other nations' laughingstock.
It's ridiculous that they've created a nation by putting people in power
with no consideration of their experience or lack thereof;
still, we cannot wait for them to self-destruct.
If we can't negotiate, we can only crush them with the force of our army.
Another civil war?
You'd rebel against the Queen Dowager?!
But the battle in Tunliu was only half a year ago!
That alone was a remarkable blow to our resources!
As the one holding the purse-strings, I have the biggest bone to pick!
Reports indicate a fair number of people are already in Taiyuan.
If we really want to take on Taiyuan...
It all depends on their morale,
but the battle will likely be bigger than Tunliu.
So if we're going to do this, we'd better be good and ready.
But there's something we must do first.
Placing an army up north can exert some pressure, even with no orders.
But apart from that,
we must find the intent behind the Queen Dowager's wild actions.
What made her come up with this so suddenly?
Where is her finish line?
Exactly right.
It wasn't only Xianyang's Imperial Court;
the other heads of state, too,
"Taiyuan"
dismissed Ai as a nation-by-proclamation that would go nowhere.
But the nation of Ai...
Troops, fall in!
Time for drills!
...gave shape to its attitude as an independent nation,
developing further day by day.
--Long live Ai! Long live Ai! --That's the Queen Dowager!
And Lao Ai!
"The Imperial Court at Ai"
Xianyang must be beside themselves right about now!
We'll just buy capable officials from other nations.
With royal standing and enough gold, you can make your own country!
No, madam, that's not the case.
We're not capable of the politics necessary
to turn a remote city into a nation with no groundwork.
Ai only exists today thanks to the work of one man:
Zhao Gao, the genius who singlehandedly laid its framework.
I won't deny that.
If the great Zhao Gao weren't a eunuch,
he'd have climbed the ranks to minister in a year at most.
Y-You flatter me...
This is where it gets serious.
Xianyang won't sit idly by as we grow stronger and stronger.
It's time to mobilize our army.
Zhao Gao?
We... we already had a secret pact in place before we entered Shanyang.
"Le"
Where's Father's army?
On its way as we speak.
We stand firm till they arrive! Positions!
Long time no see, Qin monkeys!
It's finally payback time for that coalition army mess!
Deploy to either side!
"Xianyang"
The Chu army, come to breach our border?!
Meng Wu and Meng Tian are intercepting them!
Wh-Why did it have to be now?
We should assume Chu is connected to Taiyuan!
Correct.
Now we can no longer send a large army to the north.
D-Did Taiyuan pay for Chu to attack?
Just how much money do they have?!
It works out for Chu as well.
"Ai" "Qin" "Chu"
If a new nation really can be established in the north of Qin,
Chu can trap Qin from the north and south.
Of course, it's not necessarily bad news for the other nations, either.
And in the extreme case,
if other nations recognize it-- even if Qin does not--
Taiyuan will become the Middle Kingdom's eighth nation, Ai.
W-We can't have that!
We must stop this Taiyuan-- this Inner Palace run amok!
Yes, but...
How?
"The Nation of Ai (Taiyuan)"
Queen Dowager!
That gentleman has arrived as a Xianyang envoy!
So this is the nation of Ai.
"Handan (21 Years Earlier)"
All these flowers... wow!
A tall gentleman said they were for you.
For me? Who could it have been?
Look!
Those jewels scattered throughout!
Think we can have some?
Begging your pardon. This was all I could manage in time.
Ah, yes--this gentleman.
Huh?
From now on, I shall adorn your stage with blooms.
Although even that would hardly compare
to the radiance that you yourself bring.
I am Lü Buwei, a merchant who serves three nations.
I'm honored to meet you,
Jewel of Handan.
All right, I've cleared the room. State your business,
Chancellor Lü.
--Out with it. --It's your thorns.
They've kept on pricking you,
and your luminous face from our first meeting 21 years ago
is lost to that pain.
The Jewel of Handan is long gone.
Who the hell do you think you are?!
Don't shift the blame.
In this age, the weak and foolish are devoured,
men and women alike.
But if you so wish,
I would remove those thorns of yours, one by one--
given I'm the one who put them there.
Don't make me laugh.
And enough of your self-importance.
There is nothing I would ask of you--certainly not now.
That's why I left Xianyang and created the nation of Ai.
I can live here and do as I please with the man I love.
I've had it up to here with Zheng's face and yours.
That's the man you love?
That's right.
He's a hundred times kinder than you ever were.
And spectacular down there, too.
Now you're making me laugh.
Compared to the ardent passions we two once shared,
your little elopement is nothing but childish nonsense.
See, this is what I've been talking about!
I'm sick of it!
Enough! State your envoy business, Lü Buwei!
I have none.
I leave it to others to handle matters of state.
I came to speak of something more important.
Which is?
Two lovers, parting ways.
This may well be a true farewell.
What's this? Why now?
Regardless of where your heart may lie...
...my heart has always been with you.
When I presented you to King Zhuangxiang;
when I abandoned you to die in Zhao;
when I frowned at your scandalous transformation.
The truth is, my glorious lady...
Ever since I saw you on the stage and sent you flowers,
I have always loved you with a steadfast love.
You once were and ever will be...
...the only woman who truly stole my heart.
You...
How dare you!
My beauty...
Farewell.
May you spend the rest of your life here in peace.
Lü Bu--
Who--
Who does he think he is?!
Damn it all!
This may be goodbye,
but I will love you to the very end, my lady.
Even if you only grow to resent me more in the time to come.
Qin, rocked by Ai to the north and the Chu army to the south,
didn't want a confrontation with Wei to rock their center.
They decided to hold a simple, yet official awards ceremony in Zhuyong.
Well, this is sudden.
No, not really.
Given his capability, it should have happened sooner.
But shouldn't we be doing this stuff in Xianyang?
They're in a hurry.
Even with all this internal fuss.
high commander Lord Changping has an awfully keen eye.
If we're looking to guard the understaffed Shanyang and Zhuyong...
It's our best option.
Still, I'm a little surprised
that he's agreed to accept it.
Yeah.
Now, then!
Given his great victory in Zhuyong
and his subsequent showing in fortifying and defending it,
General Teng
is hereby named Qin's second great general,
joining General Meng Wu!
I thank you.
"The Man Who Was Nothing"
Next on Kingdom: "The Man Who Was Nothing."