Chapter 156: The Valiant Warrior, Shihuang

The man's eyes were filled with confusion. He looked Meng Di up and down, yet still failed to recognize him.

"Your Excellency must be mistaken. I have no recollection of you whatsoever, nor am I any sort of warrior."

As he spoke, he seemed to recall some unbearable past events, and his expression grew somewhat desolate.

Seeing his expression, Meng Di guessed the reason to some extent and said in a low voice, "I was once a subordinate of General Wu Hei. In the grand camp, I saw a fierce warrior by the Prime Minister's side. If I am not mistaken, that should be Your Excellency. Only, I do not know your name, nor why you have fallen to such a state."

Hearing that Meng Di was a fellow comrade from the old Chu army, the man's expression dimmed somewhat. At this moment, the merchant he was accompanying also showed a curious look in his eyes, wanting to step closer and listen.

Judging by the present situation, this fierce warrior who had served by Nang Wa's side was concealing his identity for a reason and must have unspeakable hardships. Therefore, Meng Di respected his wishes and did not expose him on the spot, instead saying to the merchant, "I am an old acquaintance of your retainer, so he cannot return with you this time. I will dispatch men to escort you on your journey back."

These words were spoken in a rather domineering manner. The merchant, who frequently traveled far and wide, was naturally observant. Upon hearing this, he knew that Meng Di's status was not insignificant, and hastily said, "He is not my retainer. It was simply that when he was on the verge of starvation, I gave him some food, and so, to repay me, he has been acting as my bodyguard. May I ask your name, my lord?"

Hearing this, Meng Di did not reveal his true identity, as he did not yet wish for people to link Huai City with him. Thus, he replied, "I am on good terms with the lord of this city. If you need any assistance, you can come directly to the Lord's Manor to find me. I will be staying here for some time."

The merchant expressed his gratitude profusely. Meng Di made a gesture welcoming them inside, and the burly man beside the merchant hesitated for a moment before following.

Bai Gui had already received the news and came out from the manor to welcome them. After bowing, he smiled and said, "I did not expect the Lord to arrive so quickly. Huai City is gradually taking shape now. Although it is somewhat crude, the commercial taxes collected daily alone amount to a considerable sum. I wonder if the Lord has any dissatisfaction with Huai City?"

"I think it is quite good. Judging by the current situation, maintaining the status quo in Huai City is also fine. Perhaps we should subsequently choose another city specifically for stationing troops. Looking back now, the area I enclosed when building the city wall was still a bit too small."

Hearing Meng Di's words, Bai Gui smiled and gestured for Meng Di to enter.

Overhearing their conversation, a look of profound shock appeared on the burly man's face. He never expected that a general of the state of Chu could be addressed as "Lord" by the master of Huai City. This seemed utterly unbelievable.

Upon entering the main hall, Meng Di invited the burly man to be seated as well. By this time, Bai Gui also realized that Meng Di held this man in high regard, though he did not ask questions aloud, merely observing him with curious eyes.

Only then did Meng Di reveal his own identity.

"I am Meng Di, and I am now the master of this Huai City. Can Your Excellency now tell me your true name?"

Hearing this, the man did not hesitate, a look of melancholy washing over his face. "In the past, I served as the chariot guard beside the Prime Minister, and my name is Shi Huang. After the Prime Minister was defeated in battle, I originally intended to fight to the death to repay his kindness in recognizing my talent, but I never expected to be heavily wounded yet survive on the battlefield."

"I was rescued by a passerby, and afterward I became his retainer. I originally intended to conceal my name and live in obscurity from then on, never expecting to be recognized by Your Excellency today."

This reminded Meng Di of the time when Wu Zixu and Sun Wu led troops to attack the state of Chu, and he could not help but sigh. Although Nang Wa held the high position of Prime Minister of Chu, he lacked the discernment to recognize talent and did not know how to adopt good counsel. Consequently, in his eagerness to claim glory, he was caught off guard by the Wu army, and in the end fled to the state of Zheng where he was forced to commit suicide. It was simply a pity that those soldiers of Chu had died in vain. Thus, with a sense of emotion, he said, "When the state of Chu was defeated back then, I had no choice but to wander and eventually drift to the state of Lu, becoming a senior official there. Now I am considered settled. I wonder if you would be willing to follow me from now on and forge a great career?"

At this moment, a look of shame appeared on Shi Huang's face. He lowered his head and said, "As a man defeated in battle, I dare not speak of bravery. Although I possess some brute strength, I was unable to assist Prime Minister Nang Wa in achieving victory on the battlefield, nor was I able to follow my lord to fulfill loyalty and righteousness, instead merely clinging to life in this world. How could I possibly have the face to serve Your Excellency?"

Hearing this, Meng Di shook his head and said in a very sincere tone, "The fact that you still chose to fight to the death after Nang Wa's defeat is enough to demonstrate your loyalty and valor. That you miraculously survived is a manifestation of Heaven's grace, intending for you to meet me today and thereby achieve great accomplishments. If you are willing, please become my general."

Upon hearing these words, Shi Huang clenched his fists tightly. After a moment of silence, he raised his head.

"Since Your Excellency puts it thusly, I am willing from this day forth to guard Your Excellency's side and willingly serve as your hawk and hound."

Hearing this, Meng Di was overjoyed. He untied the sword from his waist and walked up to Shi Huang.

"It is my honor to obtain a warrior like you today. Although this sword is not some peerless, legendary weapon, it has accompanied me into battle and killed the enemy several times. Today I bestow it upon you, hoping that hereafter you will rely on this sword to build your own achievements."

Shi Huang hurriedly stood up and received it with both hands. His eyes were already somewhat red, and he said in an emotional voice, "This subordinate greets the Lord, and thanks the Lord for the sword."

With that, he dropped directly to his knees and performed a deep bow. Meng Di did not reach out to stop him, but waited until he finished the ritual before helping him to his feet.

"Since you have become my subordinate today, we must still show some proper reward to that merchant."

Saying this, Meng Di turned his head and said to Bai Gui, "Securing Shi Huang today is like acquiring a priceless treasure. I ask Mr. Bai to retrieve gold from the treasury to reward that merchant."

Naturally, Bai Gui understood that Meng Di wished to express his high regard for Shi Huang through this gesture, thereby letting the world know of Huai City's eagerness for talented individuals, so that even more people would flock to it.

Therefore, he immediately ordered someone to bring over a plate of gold. Meng Di then said to Shi Huang, "The grace of receiving help should be repaid like a gushing spring. Although this gold is not much, it represents my sincere sentiment. Please take it back and present it to that merchant. At the same time, escort him directly back, and then return to Huai City."