"Are you willing to follow me forever?" Jiang Hao asked, looking at them.
Ji Bu, Lu Xin, and Han Zhong hesitated not at all. They stood, stepped back a few paces, and dropped to one knee before Jiang Hao in unison.
"We swear to follow our lord unto death, no matter to the ends of the earth." Their voices rang out together, as though they had rehearsed it beforehand.
At that moment, Lu Zhi, standing beside Jiang Hao, also knelt. She pressed her hands to her forehead and bowed deeply, her palms resting on the mat. In a soft yet resolute voice, she said, "This humble wife will follow my husband through life after life. In life and death alike, I will always be my husband's woman."
It was an exceptionally weighty oath—no regrets through life or death, not even across a hundred lifetimes.
"Get up. I have something to tell you."
The three hurriedly rose. Jiang Hao gazed ahead and slowly said, "I am preparing to leave Great Qin, to leave this land and seek a place overseas. I have already spoken with the First Emperor. I will be heading overseas in search of immortals and medicine. Once I leave, I fear I may never return to Great Qin for the rest of my life."
They were deeply shocked. They had not expected their lord to make such a momentous decision, but they merely listened in silence.
"His Majesty will assign three thousand guards to me. I intend to divide them into three units. The three of you will each command one thousand men from now on."
Ji Bu, Lu Xin, and Han Zhong bowed again. "We will properly manage the guards and soldiers."
Han Zhong and Lu Xin had both commanded troops before. Ji Bu had not, but