After the hegemony of the Jin State fell, the countries of the Central Plains were evenly matched, and no one could stand out and become the next overlord. At this time, an inconspicuous frontier weak country in the West was quietly rising, which was the Qin State that later dominated the world.

The Qin State is a branch of the Huaxia people, and the legend about its origin is very oriental, only knowing its mother but not its father's characteristics. Legend has it that the ancestor of the Qin people, named Daye, was born by the granddaughter of one of the Five Emperors and the grandson of the Yellow Emperor, who swallowed the eggs dropped by the Xuanniao in the sky. The son of the great cause is named Da Fei, once assisted Da Yu to control the water and made great contributions, was rewarded by Di Shun, and later Da Fei for Di Shun to tame birds and beasts, after his training, birds and beasts are very obedient and docile, so Di Shun named him Bai Peng, and gave the surname Ying.

At the end of the summer and the beginning of the Shang Dynasty, the Ying clan abandoned the darkness and surrendered to Shang Tang, and Fei Chang of the Ying clan also drove a chariot for Shang Tang in the Battle of Mingtiao in the decisive battle between Xia and Shang, helping Shang Tang win the war. Ying's Meng Opera Zhongyan was reused by Emperor Taiwu of Shang and drove for Taiwu. Since then, the Ying family assisted the Yin Shang Emperor, and all dynasties have made meritorious contributions, and countless noble ministers appeared, and later became princes.

After entering the Zhou Dynasty, the father of the Ying family was favored by King Mu of Zhou because he was good at driving, and drove for King Mu of Zhou in the rebellion of King Xu Yan, galloping thousands of miles in one day, and finally quelled the rebellion in time. In recognition of the achievements of the father, King Mu of Zhou gave Zhao Cheng to the father, and from then on, the family of the father was changed to the Zhao family, which became the ancestor of the later Zhao family.

Fei Zi, who lives in Inuqiu, is another ethnic group of the Ying clan, and he is fond of horses and domestic animals, and is especially good at raising and training horses. Later, someone in Inuqiu told King Zhou Xiao about this, so King Zhou Xiao sent him to the area between Huangshui and Weishui to preside over the work related to raising horses for himself, and under the careful care of Feizi, King Zhou Xiaowang's horses were well rested, and the population was expanded. King Xiao of Zhou was very satisfied with this, so he wanted to reward him, and King Mu of Zhou found Shen Hou, the king of Shen State, and discussed with him to make Feizi the heir of Da Luo State.

Da Luo is the descendant of the Zhao clan of the father, Shenhou's daughter is the wife of the monarch of Da Luo, and her children are the heirs of Da Luo, and Shenhou naturally does not want Feizi who raises horses to replace his grandson as the heir of Da Luo. So Shenhou said to King Xiao of Zhou: "At that time, the woman of my ancestor Lishan married Xu Xuan of the Xirong tribe as his wife, gave birth to Zhongwei, and returned to the Zhou Dynasty because of kinship, and defended the western frontier for the Great Zhou, and the western frontier was thus harmonious and peaceful. Now I married my daughter to Da Luo Guojun and gave birth to an heir, Zhao Cheng. The Shen State and the Da Luo Kingdom, which are related to Xirong, have been married many times, so that the Xirong people are all subordinated to the Great Zhou, and you can be the king. Think again. ”

When King Xiao of Zhou heard this, for the sake of the stability of the western frontier, it was not good to forcibly abolish Zhao Cheng, the grandson of Shenhou, and set up Feizi instead. He had no choice but to say to Shenhou: "Back then, Bo Fei was in charge of animal husbandry for Shun, and there was a lot of livestock breeding, so he was rewarded with land and given the surname Ying. Now that his descendants have also kept horses for me, I have also given him land as vassals of the Great Zhou in accordance with the precedent. So he gave the Qin land to Feizi as a fief, and ordered him to continue the sacrifice of the Ying family, called Qin Huan, and established the foundation of the Qin State for 700 years.

In the era of King Li of Zhou, due to the lack of the Son of Heaven and the darkness of the government, some princes rebelled. Xirong took the opportunity to rebel, attacked the border of the Zhou Dynasty, and destroyed the Great Luo Kingdom of Inuqiu. After King Xuan of Zhou ascended the throne, he named Qin Huan's great-grandson Qin Zhong as a doctor and ordered him to go to conquer Xirong, but Qin Zhong was killed by the Rong people instead. King Xuan of Zhou ordered Qin Zhong's eldest son, Zhuang Gong, to gather his five brothers and send them 7,000 soldiers to go on a crusade against Xirong, this time finally defeating the Rong people, and also annexing the land of Dog Hill in the Great Luo Kingdom, becoming the doctor of Xitui.

Although the Qin state defeated the Rong people, they did not kill their leader, so Zhuang Gong's eldest son, Shifu, vowed: "The Rong people killed my grandfather, and I must kill the Rong king to avenge it, otherwise I will never go home." The father gave up the crown prince to his younger brother Xianggong, and prepared to attack the Rong people. Xianggong was different from his father, he clearly understood that in order for the Qin State to develop, it must have a stable and peaceful external environment, so he had to turn enemies into friends with Xirong and settle down in his own position. In order to show goodwill to Xirong, Xianggong even married his sister Mu Huan to King Feng of Xirong soon after he ascended the throne.

However, the Xijon people did not seem to be satisfied, and they coveted the land of Qin more than they coexisted with Qin, so they sent troops to besiege Inuqiu the following year. Obviously, tolerance towards the enemy is cruelty to oneself, and the father of the world has no blood, but he does not have enough strength, he hurriedly led his troops to fight against the Rong people, but was captured and released more than a year later.

A few years later, King Zhou You abolished the elders and played tricks on the princes, which finally led to the rebellion of the princes, the world fell into chaos, and the people suffered misery. Xirong and Inurong colluded with their in-laws, the monarch of Shen Guo, to attack the border of the Zhou Dynasty, and drove all the way in, killing King You of Zhou at Lishan. Qin Xianggong was in this troubled era, and he knew very well that this was a good time to change his fate and promote the rise of Qin. So he personally led the army to the capital of the Zhou Dynasty to support, and the battle was very brave and effective, and he made many meritorious achievements.

In order to avoid the attack of the dog Rong, King Ping of Zhou decided to move the capital to Luoyang after his accession to the throne, and Qin Xianggong personally led the troops to escort him, making great contributions to the protection of King Zhou and the revival of the royal family. Therefore, King Zhou Ping personally made Qin Mugong a prince, gave all the land west of Qishan to Qin, and promised: "Rong has no way, invade my Qi and Feng land, Qin can attack Rong, that is, there is a land!" King Zhou Ping made an oath with Qin Mugong and gave him a knighthood, and since then Qin has become a real vassal state, exchanging envoys with other princes, exchanging gifts of appointment, and Qin Xianggong also enjoyed the same treatment as other princes.

Later, Qin Xianggong's son Qin Wengong led his troops to attack the Rong people, defeated the Rong people and fled, so Qin Wengong took the people of the Zhou Dynasty who occupied the land according to the promise of King Zhou Ping before, and the territory also expanded to Qishan, and the land east of Qishan was dedicated to the Zhou royal family. After driving out the troubled people, the Qin State finally got a peaceful and stable external environment, and the military and civilians were finally able to recuperate, and the Qin State embarked on the road of prosperity and strength.

After that, through the hard work of several generations of monarchs such as Ninggong, Wugong, Degong, Xuangong, and Chenggong, the Qin State successively defeated the Zhurong tribes, wiped out the surrounding small countries, advanced the territory all the way to the east, and moved the capital to Yongyi (now Fengxiang, Shaanxi). By this time, the Qin state had already occupied a large part of Guanzhong's territory and had become a newly rising western power.

Because Qin Cheng had not long been in the country, although he had seven sons when he died, they were all very young, and in order to avoid the suspicion of the lord and the young kingdom to cause civil turmoil, he was even attacked by other countries. After the death of Qin Chenggong, he did not set up his son to succeed him, but ordered his younger brother Ren Hao to ascend the throne as the king, which is the famous Qin Mugong in history.

When Qin Mugong ascended the throne, the Qin state was in an unprecedented prosperity and strength, but its political, economic, cultural and other aspects of development still could not compete with the vassal states of the Central Plains. Whether the Qin State is in a corner of peace, satisfied with being a Western power, or seeking development, aiming the spearhead at Guanzhong and the world, this road is at the feet of Qin Mugong.

After Qin Mugong ascended the throne, in order to close the relationship between Qin and the Central Plains power and enhance the influence of Qin, he sent people to ask Jin Xiangong for marriage. Jin Xiangong saw that the Qin State was developing rapidly and the national strength was thriving, and he also wanted to have a good relationship with this strong neighbor, so he married his daughter-in-law, the sister of the crown prince Shensheng, to Qin Mugong. This marriage not only allowed Qin Mugong to marry a beautiful wife, but also formed an in-law relationship with the powerful Jin State of the Central Plains, and also made Qin Mugong unexpectedly gain a famous virtuous minister Baili Xi who assisted him in further pushing the Qin State to the top.

Baili Xi is the doctor of Yu State, Jin Xiangong borrowed the road from Yu State to destroy Yu State after returning to the army to destroy Yu State, Baili Xi was captured with the monarch, so Baili Xi became a slave from a country doctor. After Jin Xiangong agreed to Qin Mugong's marriage proposal, he prepared a large number of dowries for his daughter in accordance with the etiquette system at that time, including not only exquisite and expensive treasures and utensils, but also many male and female slaves, and Baili Xi was used as a dowry slave and was sent to Qin with the marriage procession.

Baili Xi was humiliated and fled quietly on the road, but at this time Baili Xi was already in his old age and had difficulty moving, and when he walked to Wandi (now Nanyang, Henan), he was caught by the peasants of Chu and became a slave of Chu again. King Chu Cheng didn't know that this old slave turned out to be a virtuous minister with a big hill in his chest, but he heard that Baili Xi was good at raising cattle, so he asked him to raise cattle for himself.

After Jin Xiangong's daughter married to the Qin State, Qin Mugong heard that one of the dowry slaves was a virtuous minister who was captured by the Yu State, but he had already escaped and was caught by the Chu State and sent to raise cattle, so Qin Mugong wanted to redeem Baili Xi with a lot of money. But after thinking about it, the people of Chu don't know that Baili Xi is a virtuous minister now, so they let him raise cattle, and if he really spends a lot of money to ransom him, it will attract the attention of the king of Chu. If the king of Chu understood that Baili Xi was a rare virtuous minister, I am afraid he would not have sent him back to Qin.

So Qin Mugong sent an envoy to the state of Chu and said to King Cheng of Chu: "My wife's dowry slave Baili Xi has fled to your country, please allow me to ransom him with five black ram skins." "Five black ram skins were a relatively normal price for buying and selling slaves at that time, and the people of Chu did not suspect him, so they generously gave Baili Xi to Qin, who was already over seventy years old at that time.

In order to deceive the people of Chu, the envoys of Qin imprisoned Baili Xi like a slave, and when the group arrived in Qin, Qin Mugong personally untied him and talked about state affairs. Baili Xi's life was full of ups and downs, and he was reduced to a slave in his twilight years, and he was already disheartened, so he said: "The minister is a person who has lost the country, and he is the king of the country who asks!" Qin Mugong said firmly: "If the monarch of the Yu Kingdom does not listen to your advice, this will lead to the destruction of the country, and the destruction of the Yu Kingdom is not your fault." Then he inquired about state affairs three times, and Baili Xi saw that Qin Mugong was very sincere and did not despise himself, so he told him one by one.

The two of them met a bosom friend and talked together for three days, and Qin Mugong thought that Baili Xi's policy of governing the country was very suitable for Qin, so he entrusted him with the country's major politics and named him a doctor. Since Baili Xi was redeemed with five black ram skins, and the black ram skins were called "羖" at that time, Baili Xi was called "Wu 羍 Doctor" in the Qin State.

Baili Xi said to Qin Mugong: "The minister's talent is not as good as the minister's friend Uncle Jian, and no one knows Uncle Jian's virtuous ability in the world. I traveled between countries to seek officials, and when I encountered difficulties in the Qi country, I could only beg and walk, but it was Uncle Jian who took me in. Therefore, I wanted to stay in Qi as an official, and the king who served Qi was ignorant, and Uncle Jian persuaded me, so I was not affected by ignorance later. Later, I raised cattle for Prince Zhou, so as to gain the trust of Prince Decade, and when I was about to be reused, it was Uncle Jian who prevented me from letting me leave, so I was not killed with Prince Decade. ”

"Later, when I arrived in Yu Kingdom, Uncle Jian persuaded me to leave, although I knew that the king of Yu State did not listen to the advice, but I still stayed for the status of Juelu. I listened to Uncle Jian twice and was spared, but this time I didn't listen to him, and I was killed, so I know that Uncle Jian is a rare sage. Qin Mugong listened to Baili Xi's words, and really sent someone to greet Uncle Jian with a generous gift and named him a doctor.

It is said that when Baili Xi was young, he had to separate from his wife Du Shi in order to travel around the world to seek officials. After Baili Xi was reused by Qin Mugong, he had his own mansion and often feasted with his colleagues. Once, a banquet was held in Baili Xi's mansion, and there were singers singing during the banquet, and the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras came far away. At the end of the song, I saw the housekeeper leading an old woman forward and told Baili Xi that she was good at singing and hoped to sing a song for him.

The more Baili Xi looked at it, the more he felt that the old woman was like his wife, but after all, the husband and wife had been separated for many years, and they didn't dare to recognize each other rashly, so they agreed to let her sing a song. The old woman stroked the strings and sang in the hall:

Baili Xi, five sheepskins. When I remember to say goodbye, I cook the female, cook and cook, and today I am rich and forgetful;

Baili Xi, when I first married me, there were five sheepskins. Cooking suckling chicken when parting, now is suitable for wealth and selflessness;

Baili Xi, Baili Xi, the mother is dead, buried in Nanxi. The grave is covered with tiles, covered with firewood, licking Huang Li, and ambushing chickens.

West into Qin, five skins, today rich and noble donate me!

After listening to this sad and complaining song, Baili Xi no longer doubted, and immediately got up and recognized Du Shi at the moment. It turned out that after Baili Xi left, his wife Du Shi found out that she was pregnant, and later gave birth to a son for him, named Shi, the word Meng Ming. Due to the poverty of the family, Du worked hard every day, taking care of his parents and raising his young son for Bailixi, and after Bailixi's mother died, she could not afford to bury her, so she could only bury her very simply.

Many years later, Du Shi heard that Baili Xi had gained glory and wealth in the Qin State, so he brought his son Meng Mingshi to join him. But how could she, a poor woman with an aging face, easily see Bai Lixi, the upstart of Qin Mugong and the senior doctor of Qin State? Du Shi was even more worried that Baili Xi would forget her after being rich and noble, and he was unwilling to recognize her. In order to find an opportunity to talk to Bailixi in person, Du Shi tried to stay in Bailixi's house and became a laundry servant. This time there was a banquet at Baili Xi's mansion, and she found an opportunity to compile her past experiences into lyrics and sing them to attract Baili Xi's attention and recognize her.

Baili Xi got the trust of the monarch and the opportunity to show his strength in the Qin State, and found his wife and son again, and lived a very satisfied life. From then on, he did his best to give advice to Qin Mugong, help Qin increase its national strength, and expand to the Central Plains.