Emperor Zheng of Qin was not overly concerned about the State of Yan’s proposal for peace talks and surrender. After all, with the might of Lin Tian's army, conquering Yan was only a matter of time. However, if Yan were to surrender before that, the situation would change. Yan's surrender would undoubtedly elevate Qin's morale to new heights. Witnessing Yan’s submission, other states might follow suit. The implications of this were obvious.
Furthermore, Jing Ke's arrival with Fan Yuqi's head brought genuine joy to Emperor Zheng. Thus, he wished to examine Fan Yuqi's head and the map of Yan that had been presented.
Seeing Emperor Zheng’s movement, Jing Ke tensed, ready to act at any moment. The instant Emperor Zheng picked up the map and unfurled it, Jing Ke planned to seize the opportunity and strike, assassinating him. For a top assassin, killing someone within close proximity was not difficult. Even knowing that Emperor Zheng possessed some martial prowess, Jing Ke was confident in his ability to succeed.
However, just as Emperor Zheng neared Jing Ke, a voice called out from outside the palace, "Your Majesty, wait!"
"Hm? What sound is that?"
The others found the voice unfamiliar and couldn't fathom who would dare to stop Emperor Zheng at this moment. Before they could even see the person, murmurs erupted.
"Who is that! How dare they shout outside the palace?"
"Who is so audacious as to stop His Majesty now?"
"Who is it? The voice sounds so young!"
Jing Ke's tension reached its peak. Emperor Zheng had been mere inches away, about to open the map in his hands. To have his assassination plan interrupted at this critical juncture infuriated him. Yet, as an assassin, Jing Ke knew he had to remain composed, betraying no weakness. Only then could his assassination attempt possibly succeed.
Therefore, he watched Emperor Zheng, hoping the Emperor would ignore the external voice, dismiss the person, and turn to examine the map. To his surprise, Emperor Zheng not only didn't dismiss the newcomer but seemed overjoyed. While others couldn't identify the voice, Emperor Zheng recognized it instantly. It was Lin Tian's voice. It was his son's voice. It was the voice of the future Crown Prince of Great Qin.
Thus, he walked past Jing Ke, saying with immense delight, "My great general, you have returned!!"
Lin Tian's return brought great joy to Emperor Zheng, who personally descended from the palace to greet him. He paid no further attention to the map or Fan Yuqi's head in Jing Ke's hands. To him, neither the map of Yan nor Fan Yuqi's head was as important as Lin Tian's presence.
Emperor Zheng's words and actions instantly galvanized the courtiers within the hall. They were astonished by the usually imperious Emperor Zheng's unexpectedly affectionate words. Simultaneously, a collective guess formed in their minds, and they knew who had returned.
"General Lin Tian has returned at this moment. This seems… unusual!"
"Unusual or not, His Majesty truly dotes on General Lin Tian. The moment he arrived, everything else was forgotten, not even a glance at Yan's map!"
"In Qin, only General Lin Tian receives such treatment. Even for General Wang Jian, His Majesty is not this affectionate!"
Envy bloomed among them as they regarded Lin Tian. They had never witnessed Emperor Zheng bestow such favor upon a minister before. However, his timely arrival also sparked their curiosity. They wondered why Lin Tian would be in Xianyang at this particular juncture.
Emperor Zheng, too, was filled with curiosity. "General, why are you here at this time? Should you not be in Yan?"
"This humble general missed Your Majesty, and thus traveled alone back to Xianyang!"
"Hahaha! Excellent! Since you miss me, then stay in Xianyang for a few more days. I shall take you on a grand tour!"
If any other general had spoken such words, Emperor Zheng would have ordered their execution. But hearing it from Lin Tian, he was overjoyed. He was already planning where to take Lin Tian during their visit. Afterward, he took Lin Tian's arm and led him into the palace.
"Come, come, you have arrived at the perfect time. Yan has sent their map and the head of the traitorous general Fan Yuqi, intending to negotiate peace and surrender to Qin. I shall show you Yan’s map!"
Under the watchful eyes of the assembled officials, Emperor Zheng and Lin Tian approached Jing Ke. Jing Ke was now exceedingly nervous. From the courtiers' conversations, he had discerned that the young man before him was Lin Tian, the Sword God of Qin. Lin Tian was not only a brilliant commander but also possessed peerless individual combat prowess. With him by Emperor Zheng's side, Jing Ke's chances of assassination had plummeted by more than half.
Yet, even so, Jing Ke did not abandon his plan. Though his heart pounded with apprehension, he maintained an outward air of calm, as if he had come with genuine sincerity. Concurrently, he began to slowly unfurl the map, awaiting the moment to reveal the hidden dagger.
However, just as he started, Lin Tian suddenly spoke. "Is this Yan's map? This general has conquered fifteen cities in Yan and still doesn't know their terrain or troop strength. May I personally examine it?"
Saying this, Lin Tian reached out to take the map. This action, seemingly a breach of protocol, was met with Emperor Zheng’s silent, smiling gaze. Clearly, he tacitly agreed to Lin Tian’s request.
This sent a shockwave through Jing Ke, a whirlwind of thoughts racing through his mind. If Lin Tian took the map from his hands, he would lose his weapon for assassination. Moreover, if Lin Tian fully unrolled the map, the short sword concealed within would be revealed. At that point, even if Jing Ke didn't attempt the assassination, everyone present would know his true intentions.
Thus, Jing Ke's tension became unbearable. Not far from Jing Ke, Qin Wuyang nearly cried out in alarm before collapsing onto the ground with a thud. Lin Tian's unexpected appearance had also caught Qin Wuyang completely off guard. He too had heard of Lin Tian's prowess. The man who could single-handedly kill thousands – an feat utterly beyond Qin Wuyang’s capabilities. He harbored a profound fear of Lin Tian. As Lin Tian moved to take the map, Qin Wuyang instinctively believed their assassination plot had been exposed. He slumped to the ground, resigned to his fate and awaiting death.