SEAL OF EVIL

Minister, Lu Buwei, ruled as regents. This had its complications as the
Queen mother was previously the concubine of Lu Buwei. The regency
unraveled when Lu, nervous of the Queen Mother’s amorous advances
towards him, smuggled a famously virile protégé of his into the palace
disguised as a eunuch. The scandal that later erupted cost Lu Buwei the
Premiership and later his life when he committed suicide following
receipt of a letter from the King denigrating his contribution to Qin.
From 238 BC onwards Zheng ruled alone.
2. The Unification Campaign
King Zheng launched his unification campaign in 231 BC with an
attack on Han. Han, which had been greatly weakened in previous
wars with Qin, quickly succumbed.
Next was the State of Zhao. Zhao was a powerful military state and
had a superb military commander in Li Mu. In 229 B.C. Qin struck
with two generals Wang Jian and Yang Duan leading two armies to
attack on two sides. Zhao ordered Li Mu and Sima Shang to resist.
After fierce fighting the military situation was deadlocked. Qin then
bribed the Prime Minister of Zhao to slander Li Mu and accuse him of
plotting treason. The foolish King of Zhao had Li Mu replaced and
ordered him jailed and subsequently killed on the false charge of
disobeying his orders. This unwise act against a great military hero of
the Zhao state destroyed the morale of the Zhao Army and Zhao was
soon defeated.
Now the Qin army marched north to the Yi River which bordered the
State of Yan. Yan was a large but weak and thinly populated state far
away from the Central Plains. Its king and his ministers were greatly
dismayed at the impeding danger. Dan, the Crown Prince of Yan, had
previously been a hostage in Qin and was bitter about his poor
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