SEAL OF EVIL

the ideal person to execute the kidnap. The Prince readily
agreed.
When Jing Ke was approached regarding the plan he agreed to
it enthusiasitically. He and the Prince began working on a
detailed plan. The Prince had already acquired the famous
dagger of Madam Xu with a considerable sum of money and
had it tempered with poison.
It was, however, going to be extremely difficult to get close to
the King as he was widely detested and was always heavily
guarded. Jing Ke had thought about this and advised the
Prince to send him to see the King with the map of Dukang
and the head of General Fan Yuki. The map of Dukang was
the top military secret of the State of Yan showing the
location of all the state’s fortresses. Jing Ke said to the
Prince:-
“If he receives these two things Ying Zheng will surely be
overjoyed and relax his guard. I can hide the dagger in the
roller of the map of Dukang beforehand. When Ying Zheng
opens the map the dagger will appear at the end of the map
and I will seize him at that instant.”
The Prince accepted the plan and immediately began to
implement it. At the time the state of Qin was in mourning for
the death of the Queen Mother. Many states who were fearful
of the Qin state sent messengers to Qin to express their
132