Chapter 901 The Elegant Queen Kim Hee-sun

Chapter 901: 901 The Elegant Queen Kim Hee-sun

Kim Hee-sun, bewildered, was led into the palace by the soldiers. She saw the palace maids and eunuchs being herded together.

Unless there was resistance, they would not be killed.

She was somewhat shocked. Were these people sent by the Han Dynasty?

"Everyone, don’t move. Stand still."

Even knowing she might face mistreatment, Kim Hee-sun forced herself to remain calm.

She knew the Han Dynasty was a land of propriety, a great power. Great powers have their manners; as long as she maintained decorum, she believed she could speak with their commander.

With Queen Kim Hee-sun speaking, the panicked palace maids and eunuchs calmed down considerably.

At least in their confusion, someone had come forward to guide them, telling them what to do, preventing them from collapsing.

The shouts of battle outside gradually subsided, followed by soldiers forming a carpet-like formation, searching for any potential resistance.

Lu Ming finally entered the palace. Though called a palace, it was actually only slightly larger than an ordinary prefectural residence.

Moreover, it lacked gold, relying heavily on wood and brick construction, giving it the feel of a slum’s mansion.

"So-called barbarians. Nothing more than this."

Lu Ming stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the so-called Hanseong Palace. Koreans are just Koreans; they can’t even copy them properly.

Taking down Goguryeo wasn’t difficult for him. Previously, attacking Goguryeo required fighting in the mountains.

Unfamiliar with the terrain, and with the advantage of fighting on home soil, the results in Liaodong were almost the same as those in Goguryeo; Liaodong simply underestimated its advantage.

This advantage wasn’t significant and couldn’t be translated into a decisive victory.

Now, bypassing the mountains, he could directly attack Hanseong by sea.

The plains were flat and indefensible. Civilians along the way were either killed or bound. Even outside the city, the Goguryeo soldiers found nothing.

Then came the infiltration and infiltration, the capture of the city gates, and the subsequent assault by the army outside the city.

Once the city gates fell, the defending forces lost their advantage.

Faced with the Qin army, whose individual soldiers were several levels superior, being killed was only to be expected.

Lu Ming’s arrangement of military merits was actually an inheritance of the Qin military merit system from the Warring States period, but with some modifications.

The Qin army’s military merits during the Warring States period were based on heads, only counting the dead, not the living. This led to the famous Battle of Changping, where 400,000 surrendered soldiers were buried alive.

Bai Qi’s killing of surrendered soldiers was multifaceted. First, considering the Qin state’s national situation, Qin had been in a state of constant warfare since the Spring and Autumn period.

Qin had a vast territory but insufficient resources, requiring territorial expansion to acquire more.

Therefore, Qin invested enormous energy and resources in its military.

Under these circumstances, although the 400,000 Zhao soldiers had chosen to surrender, how to deal with them became a problem.

For the Qin state, already at its limit, feeding and maintaining 400,000 surrendered soldiers was a considerable expense, and any misstep could lead to a mutiny.

Secondly, considering the situation in the Zhao state, since losing the Dai state during the Warring States period, Zhao had been in constant danger.

Faced with Qin’s overwhelming superiority, from the Zhao ruler to ordinary soldiers, there was immense hatred towards Qin.

These surrendered Zhao soldiers, if given the opportunity to escape, would pose a significant threat to the Qin army.

For Qin, these 400,000 surrendered soldiers were Zhao’s vital fighting force. Annihilating them would mean eliminating a threat from Zhao.

From Bai Qi’s war strategy, he was a highly pragmatic general.

For him, using the massacre of Zhao soldiers to create fear, thereby influencing other states, would weaken their resistance and reduce their ability to fight, ultimately lowering the cost for Qin to unify the six states.

This unparalleled achievement was incredibly tempting for Bai Qi.

But the most crucial point was that the Qin state at that time placed great emphasis on military merit.

During the Qin Dynasty, only soldiers and generals who achieved victory in war and earned military merit could receive it, thereby gaining a certain social status and honor.

Under the military merit system, defeating the enemy, capturing enemy heads, and contributing to victory were all ways to obtain military merit.

At that time, Zhao had suffered 50,000 casualties, leaving at least 350,000 survivors.

If Bai Qi chose to spare these 350,000, it meant that the Qin soldiers would not receive any of their heads.

The Qin-Zhao war had already been going on for several years, and 50,000 heads alone meant there wouldn’t be enough for both soldiers and officers.

Bai Qi had won a single battle, while his soldiers had fought tirelessly for years without receiving the rewards they deserved. Would he really be able to lead troops in the future?

Military merit meant land, titles, fame, and even the lives of one’s family! Military merit could offset murder! This was the final straw that broke Bai Qi’s back.

If you can’t even manage your own soldiers, then don’t expect to achieve any more merit.

Now, Lu Ming has re-established the Qin state. He still uses the military merit system, but it’s much more detailed now. Even with the same result—capturing many soldiers—it can be counted as military merit.

Even healthy, intact soldiers are more valuable than dead ones!

The more people, the more slaves.

After all, in the early stages of industrialization, a large population is needed to fill the gaps.

And enemies who oppose you are clearly objects you can control at will!

Lu Ming wasn’t compassionate, but he wasn’t so ruthless as to indiscriminately kill innocent people either.

There are plenty of ways to get slaves. Goguryeo has plenty, and there are also so many Japanese on the other side—they’re good slaves too.

Before that, he would cultivate some spineless cowards, because traitors were often a hundred times more ruthless than real Japanese soldiers!

Pushing open the door, Lu Ming saw Kim Hee-sun seated in the main seat. Her oval, fair face featured large, always smiling eyes, delicately drawn eyebrows, a high, straight nose, pink lips, and pearly white teeth. Her long, cascading black hair was casually tied back—a picture of a virtuous wife and loving mother.

Even in the Central Plains, she would be considered a beauty. He couldn’t help but glance at her a few more times.

"Who are you?"

"I am Kim Hee-sun, wife of King Yeon Gaesomun of Goguryeo, and the current Queen! May I ask your name?"

Kim Hee-sun remained composed and dignified, even in a subordinate position, exuding royal elegance.