“Zhao is a great nation, with cities a thousand zhang high and countless prosperous towns. To defeat Zhao is no simple matter. And the task of defeating Zhao rests entirely on John Grant.” As Samuel Ford spoke, he stood up again and said, “Please, Your Majesty, follow my plan: have William King halt the attack, and send someone with a carriage to respectfully escort John Grant to the palace.”

King Young said helplessly, “I can agree to Uncle Ford, but I have my own conditions.”

“I will order the attack on Zhao to stop, and I will treat John Grant with respect. However, I do not wish for others to witness this matter. I fear such actions may dampen the soldiers’ fighting spirit and shake their resolve to conquer Zhao.”

Samuel Ford shook his head and said, “No, this must be made known to others. Please, Your Majesty, follow my plan.”

“If the plan fails, I ask Your Majesty to punish me.”

King Young hesitated no longer and said resolutely, “Let it be done as you say, Uncle Ford.”

Chapter 011: Vengeance for Every Grievance

John Grant was very afraid.

He was prepared to die on the road.

Zhao sent out five people: John Grant to Qin, Scott Clark to Wei, Brian Clark’s retainer Nancy Hill to Chu, retainer Mark Carr to Yan, and retainer Adam Brooks to Qi. Matthew Long advised the King of Zhao to negotiate peace with Qin, while Arthur Young urged the king to seek aid from the other states. In the end, the King of Zhao adopted both strategies, but John Grant felt that the ruler cared more about his own mission to Qin.

His situation was the most dangerous of all the envoys. Not only because relations between Qin and Zhao were hostile, but mainly because most of his journey would pass through the war zone between Qin and Zhao. Passing through there, he would surely be caught up in the conflict. Moreover, he had sworn on his life to accomplish the great task of negotiating peace between Qin and Zhao. So, before departing, John Grant solemnly bid farewell to his mother, kissed his toddling grandson, gave instructions to his elderly wife at home, and then boarded the carriage, putting life and death aside.

The carriage swayed as it left Handan. At such a slow pace, it was clearly not enough. John Grant had promised his lord that he would fulfill his mission. Thinking of this, he hurriedly urged the driver to speed up. He was determined to rush ahead at all costs, to reach Qin as soon as possible, persuade King Young, and bring an end to the war.

Departing from Handan, he had to pass Mount Ma Fu, then Wuan, then She, and finally reach Shangdang Commandery, which was now in the hands of the Qin. Of course, this was also the most dangerous area.

The driver understood John Grant’s urgency and kept whipping the horses. The steeds, stung by the whip, ran faster and faster. John Grant gripped the wooden edge tightly as the carriage sped along, shaking more and more violently, the wheels groaning constantly. John Grant never once told the driver to slow down. Even if he were thrown out, he said nothing.

It was only when the driver stopped to rest that he realized John Grant was no longer in the carriage. The driver panicked and quickly turned the carriage around. At last, by the roadside in a patch of grass, he found John Grant, who had been thrown out at some point. John Grant was rubbing his forehead. The driver was about to get down and beg forgiveness, but John Grant burst out laughing, and hearing his laughter, the driver couldn’t help but laugh as well.

In a short time, the two arrived at Ma Fu.

John Grant had not wanted to stop, but the horses were truly exhausted, so he had no choice but to rest for the night. The gatekeeper of Ma Fu village, Clark the Doomed, was a diligent and responsible official. He warmly welcomed John Grant, and upon hearing of his mission, praised him repeatedly with admiration. John Grant was very pleased, and after a hearty meal, he suddenly remembered something and said, “I’ve heard that Zhao has a young talent, the son of Lord Ma Fu. I wonder if you could take me to visit him?”

The gatekeeper led John Grant to the courtyard of Charles Clark.

At that moment, Charles Clark was about to rest. After Jack Miller reported, Charles Clark reluctantly opened the door and personally welcomed the envoy from Handan. John Grant sized up the young man before him and was immediately impressed. The youth was tall, handsome, and elegant—truly possessing the bearing of a worthy talent. John Grant dared not be rude. After exchanging formal greetings, the two sat down in the courtyard.

“When I was in Handan, I heard of your reputation, Lord Ma Fu. Now that I am going to Qin to negotiate peace, I wonder if you have any advice for me?” John Grant asked directly.

Charles Clark was surprised to hear this. He didn’t recall Zhao and Qin negotiating peace—could his arrival have changed history? Charles Clark pondered for a long time before saying, “Qin and Zhao are both vast nations with large populations, but the world is not made up of just these two. If Qin and Zhao, like two tigers, fight, both will be wounded, and neither will benefit in the end. I hope that on your trip to Qin, you can explain this reasoning to King Young.”

John Grant was overjoyed and said, “Lord Ma Fu, you are truly talented in both civil and military matters. If this mission succeeds, I will certainly recommend you to King Clark.”