The King of Qin personally set up a tent for me and ordered his army doctor to treat my injuries.

At first, I thought the King of Qin was a warm-hearted person, but upon closer contact, I found his depths to be unfathomable.

He knew I donated thirty thousand taels of inheritance primarily to avoid disaster, yet he disregarded this and had his staff portray my actions as a patriotic act of national donation, planning to publicize it nationwide.

This would easily inspire patriotism among the common people and also pave the way for raising military funds.

Furthermore, I noticed his keen interest in Luan Zhong.

He inquired in detail about Luan Zhong from me, Li Datian, and others.

In his view, Luan Zhong is highly skilled in martial arts, unafraid of the Cheng family's power, and promised to protect me thoroughly, showing himself to be a courageous and fearless individual. The fact that a man of such stature knelt down for my safety proves his ability to adapt and his sense of loyalty and righteousness.

More importantly, he believed Luan Zhong had connections in both the underworld and the legitimate world, with many heroes secretly assisting him even after his misfortune, indicating that Luan Zhong was not an ordinary person.

The King of Qin developed an appreciation for talent.

He was very cautious, first sending spies to secretly investigate the truth of my words in Songyang County.

After confirmation, he selected five hundred elite soldiers and had me rush to Songyang Prefecture.

The entire journey was swift and secretive, only informing the local officials of Songyang Prefecture when we reached the city gates.

To avoid disturbing the people, the King of Qin ordered his men to set up a camp ten miles outside the city, hiding me behind a screen for observation.

I stood quietly behind the wooden screen, peering through the carved cracks to observe outside.

The King of Qin sat on a chair, flanked by several trusted generals and palace officials. With a gesture from him, the guards went out to deliver a message.

Shortly after, the local civil and military officials hurriedly arrived, including Zhou Xuezheng, the father of Zhou Yan, and the magistrate Li who had helped me before.

Leading the group was a man in his thirties, dressed in a bright red robe, exchanging glances with Zhou Xuezheng from time to time – presumably the censor who framed Luan Zhong, Master Chang!

They all showed great reverence and knelt in respect before the King of Qin.