Chapter 56: The King of Han Has Already Fled!

It has come to this.

There are no other options left.

Either fight or surrender.

Yet Han Fei still wants an hour to consider?

What is he planning?

Could they still have some hidden trump card?

"Han Fei."

"Do you think this general is a fool?"

Li Teng stared at Han Fei, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"I will give you only the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. After that, my army will trample the royal palace, leaving nothing alive—not even a dog or a chicken," Li Teng barked coldly, his voice brookng no argument.

Hearing this!

Han Fei clasped his hands in a respectful salute but said nothing more. Instead, he turned and walked toward the royal palace.

Li Teng did not order an attack; he simply watched quietly as Han Fei returned to the palace.

Now that the situation was completely clear, there was no need to rush.

The ones who should be anxious were the people inside the palace.

"General."

"Why give them time? Let us deploy the troops and level this palace immediately," a deputy general suggested.

"I said one stick of incense, and that is what it will be," Li Teng waved him off, unconcerned.

Inside the Great Hall of the Han Royal Palace!

The throne atop the high dais sat empty.

King Han An was not present.

Nor was the hall full.

Of the former civil and military officials, fewer than half remained. Where had the others gone?

The answer was obvious.

They had long since fled.

When a nation is on the brink of collapse, not everyone can coexist with its fate—especially the nobility who hold wealth and power. They would find ways to transfer their riches and flee to other states to continue living in luxury.

And now.

Not only had most of the officials fled, but even the King of Han had vanished without a trace.

While tens of thousands of Han soldiers were fighting a desperate battle against the Great Qin, the King had actually slipped away in silence, without even his officials knowing.

"Young Master."

"What is the situation?"

As soon as Han Fei entered the palace, the remaining Han officials immediately looked toward him.

"In the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, the Qin army will attack."

Han Fei let out a long sigh.

"The King has already fled."

"What are we to do?"

"There are barely twenty thousand troops left in the palace, and their morale is completely broken. It is impossible to stop the Qin army."

"Must we truly surrender?"

The officials in the hall began to argue amongst themselves, filled with resentment, but even more so with fear of the Qin army.

"Our King has already fled."

"If we do not surrender, what else can we do?"

"I, Han Fei, can perish with the state, and you gentlemen can as well."

"But what reason is there to let these tens of thousands of soldiers die in vain?"

"We forged the royal decree for troop mobilization precisely to prevent these soldiers from being sacrificed pointlessly," Han Fei said with a bitter smile.

"If we surrender, how will the Qin army treat us?" one minister asked anxiously.

"How else?"

"We will only become prisoners," Han Fei replied with a bitter smile, but he did not hesitate.

Instead, he raised his head to look toward the Great Hall.

He looked at the throne.

Han Fei walked up slowly and opened the box containing the royal seal—the Seal of the State of Han.

"Ancestors of every generation, hear me."

"Ancestors of Great Han, hear me."

"I, Han Fei, am incompetent."

"I could not save the fate of our nation."

Carrying a sense of guilt and a resolve to face death, Han Fei lifted the royal seal.

"Gentlemen."

"The time for the incense is almost up."

"Let us leave the palace!"

Han Fei spoke with a voice full of profound grief.

Then.

Holding the royal seal with both hands, he walked toward the palace gates with heavy steps.

Watching Han Fei's silhouette, the Han officials in the hall followed him out one after another.

Outside the palace!

Li Teng stared at the palace gates.

At that moment!

"Reporting to the General."

"The time for the incense is nearly up," a deputy general announced loudly.

"Mm."

Li Teng nodded, and a murderous intent gradually rose in his eyes.

In the next moment.

Li Teng slowly raised his hand.

The surrounding Qin generals all had burning gazes, filled with killing intent.

They waited only for the command.

A rain of thousands of arrows would instantly cover the entire palace.

The elite Qin soldiers would smash through the gates and charge in.

But just then.

The tightly closed palace gates suddenly made a sound and swung open rapidly.

"They finally made a decision."

Seeing this, a flash of a smile crossed Li Teng's eyes.

Anything could happen in the chaos of war; it would not be a good thing if the King of Han died in the fray. Surrendering without a fight was the best possible outcome.

Consequently.

Li Teng lowered his raised hand.

He watched intently.

The gates opened.

Han Fei emerged slowly, holding the Han royal seal, followed by the many civil and military officials of Han.

But seeing this.

Li Teng's brow furrowed.

"Han Fei of the Han royal clan, leading the officials of the palace, surrenders to Great Qin."

"We hope the General will show the virtue of Heaven, which loves life, and refrain from bloodshed, sparing the lives of the palace soldiers."

Holding the seal, Han Fei bowed deeply with a look of sorrow.

But at this moment.

Li Teng stood atop his war chariot and asked coldly, "Since Han is surrendering, where is the King of Han?"

"My King has long since fled; his whereabouts are unknown," Han Fei said with a bitter smile.

"What did you say?"

Li Teng's brow furrowed, and anger surfaced on his face. "Where did he flee to?"

"When our King fled, we did not know at all."

"As for where he is now, we know even less," Han Fei shook his head with a bitter smile.

This was no lie; it was the truth.

The King had fled without telling anyone, not even his nominal uncle, Han Fei.

Li Teng said nothing, instead staring into Han Fei's eyes, as if trying to see if he was lying.

But there was no ripple in Han Fei's eyes, only the bitterness of a fallen nation.

Behind Han Fei, many of the officials were filled with terror.

"The Young Master is a gentleman renowned throughout the world; he would not lie."

"I believe you," Li Teng said slowly.

"Then, can the General accept the surrender of the palace soldiers?" Han Fei raised his head and asked loudly.

"Lay down your weapons, and you shall live!" Li Teng shouted back.

"Very well."

"Han Fei thanks General Li," a relieved smile appeared on Han Fei's face.

He stepped forward slowly, held up the royal seal, and offered it to Li Teng. "From this day forth, Han no longer exists!"

Li Teng reached out with both hands to receive the seal.

"I hope the General keeps his promise and causes no more slaughter to the people of Han. Han Fei thanks you," Han Fei spoke slowly once more.

Then.

Han Fei took a step back.

He suddenly drew the sword from his waist.

"Presumptuous!"

The surrounding elite soldiers immediately raised their crossbows and aimed them at Han Fei.

"Do not strike!"

Li Teng barked immediately.

Only then did the soldiers lower their weapons.

Holding the sword, Han Fei brought it directly toward his own throat with a look of grief. "The fate of Great Han has perished. As a prince of the royal clan, I shall perish with my country!"

As he spoke.

Han Fei moved to slit his own throat.

Li Teng's expression changed instantly, and he shouted urgently, "Han Fei! If you dare die, I will massacre the entire Han palace!"