The armies of Qin State and the Wei Clan marched together. Once men numbered over ten thousand, they stretched in an unbroken sea to the horizon. Hundreds of thousands of Qin and Wei State troops emerged from Hangu Pass; the army's march alone would take weeks or months.
When they set foot on the soil East of the Passes, countless Qin people felt a sense of freedom.
The Count of Qin met Wei Qing of Jin State. In his heart, the Count of Qin despised this man who had betrayed the Duke of Jin.
Yet he wore a warm smile as he said, "Wei Qing, look at the pines and cypresses swaying across those mountains. Surely they have witnessed your loyalty to the Son of Heaven.
"When you meet the Son of Heaven, you must be respectful. Surely the Son of Heaven will gladly invest you as a feudal lord.
"Then I shall have to address you as the Marquis of Wei."
These words sounded like praise, but they were actually mockery. The ministers and gentlemen serving feudal lords were not qualified to pledge allegiance to the Son of Heaven. Feudal lords called themselves his subjects before the Son of Heaven, while their ministers and gentlemen could only call themselves Outer Ministers.
But Wei Qing failed to hear it, for it was too veiled. All he heard was "Marquis of Wei," and that made him feel comfortable from head to toe.
From antiquity to the present, the pursuit of titles and rank had never ceased.
The rites of the Nine Bestowments and the position of Regional Earl-these empty honors attracted every Lord of the State throughout the Spring and Autumn era. The glory of turning a clan into a state was likewise engraved in everyone's blood.
Suppressing his excitement, Wei