A Mysterious Visitor in the Warring States Era

On a cold winter evening in ancient Qin, Chancellor Zhang Yi had just finished his meal when his gatekeeper announced an unexpected visitor – a merchant named Yinghua requesting an audience. What began as a seemingly ordinary meeting would soon reveal itself as a pivotal moment in Qin’s intelligence operations during the turbulent Warring States period (475-221 BCE).

Zhang Yi’s servant Feiyun rushed out to greet the guest, who entered the courtyard dressed in elegant white robes. The two men exchanged warm greetings, with Zhang Yi addressing his visitor as “younger brother,” hinting at their prior acquaintance. Their playful banter about hunting tigers and conducting business masked deeper undercurrents – Yinghua was clearly no ordinary merchant.

The Revelation of True Identity

The conversation took a dramatic turn when Zhang Yi directly questioned his visitor’s identity: “Might you actually be of the Ying clan rather than the Ying family of Song?” This probing question unveiled a startling truth – Yinghua was actually Ying Hua, a member of Qin’s royal family. But the revelations didn’t stop there.

In a moment that left both Zhang Yi and Feiyun astonished, Ying Hua removed his outer robe and headband, revealing himself to be not just a royal prince, but a princess in disguise. This young woman had been moving through political circles with remarkable effectiveness, her true gender concealed from all. After demonstrating her ability to switch between male and female appearances at will, she made the company swear secrecy about her true identity.

The Proposal That Changed Qin’s Intelligence Operations

Ying Hua then presented her bold proposal to Chancellor Zhang Yi – the creation of a covert operations unit called the “Black Ice Terrace” (Hei Bing Tai). Her vision was clear: “To divide the six states, we must find pro-Qin spokesmen among their powerful ministers. For such people, there are only two methods: gold to buy them or daggers to threaten them.”

This proposal reflected the ruthless pragmatism of Qin’s approach to unification. Ying Hua suggested establishing a dedicated organization for clandestine operations abroad, offering herself as its leader. She revealed that King Huiwen of Qin had already established a small network of about a hundred spies scattered through the six eastern states, which she had been managing secretly.

Philosophical Debates on Statecraft and Espionage

Zhang Yi expressed serious reservations about creating such an organization, voicing concerns that mirrored Legalist philosophy: “For a state to follow the proper path is an extremely difficult achievement. The smallest crack could destroy its foundations.” He drew parallels to historical assassinations that had destabilized states, warning against the dangers of “using culture to disrupt laws and using violence to violate prohibitions” – the twin evils that Legalist reformers like Shang Yang had sought to eliminate.

The chancellor’s apprehension centered on maintaining Qin’s reputation for rule of law and transparent governance. He feared the Black Ice Terrace could become “an uncontrollable monster” that might eventually damage Qin’s foundations if not properly constrained.

The Compromise and Official Establishment

After thoughtful discussion, Zhang Yi agreed to present the proposal to King Huiwen with specific safeguards. The next day, an imperial conference including Chancellor Zhang Yi, Grand Tutor Ying Qian, General Sima Cuo, and Right Chancellor Chuli Ji established the Black Ice Terrace with multiple layers of oversight:

1. It would operate under the Chancellor’s Office of Foreign Affairs
2. Funding would be separately administered by Right Chancellor Chuli Ji
3. Personnel selection required approval from Grand Tutor Ying Qian and General Sima Cuo
4. All appointments would bear the “Iron Eagle Token” for validation
5. Nobility titles could only be granted through royal decree
6. Knowledge of the organization would be restricted to these five officials

This careful structuring ensured the Black Ice Terrace would serve exclusively for foreign operations without threatening domestic political stability.

Inside the Secret Headquarters

Ying Hua later led Zhang Yi and Feiyun on a covert journey to the organization’s hidden mountain headquarters north of Xianyang. Their trek through a waterfall-concealed entrance revealed an elaborate facility including:

– An underground stable with ingenious feed and water systems
– A command center containing military authorization tokens (the rare “Phoenix Seal”) and unlimited funding access through golden command arrows
– A treasury holding most of Qin’s royal heirloom treasures, repurposed for state needs
– An armory stocked with specially treated weapons, including the famed Feng Huzi daggers from Chu

The location’s natural defenses and sophisticated hidden mechanisms demonstrated meticulous planning. Ying Hua explained this was her childhood discovery while herb-gathering, transformed into an ideal operational base superior to any urban compound.

The Strategic Context of Qin’s Intelligence Operations

The establishment of the Black Ice Terrace occurred during critical developments in the Warring States power struggle. As Zhang Yi received news that Su Qin was organizing a six-state alliance to retake lands west of Hangu Pass, Qin’s need for sophisticated intelligence and covert capabilities became increasingly urgent.

Ying Hua’s proposal represented a strategic innovation in Qin’s approach to defeating the horizontal alliance (he zong) of opposing states. By systematically cultivating pro-Qin factions within enemy governments through a combination of bribery and coercion, the Black Ice Terrace would complement Qin’s military and diplomatic efforts.

The Legacy of Ancient China’s First Formal Intelligence Service

The Black Ice Terrace represents one of history’s earliest documented formal intelligence organizations, predating similar institutions in other ancient civilizations by centuries. Its establishment reflects several key aspects of Qin’s statecraft:

1. Systematic Approach to Intelligence: Moving beyond ad-hoc espionage to create a dedicated organization with specialized personnel, training facilities, and operational protocols.

2. Legalist Philosophy in Action: The careful constraints placed on the organization demonstrate Qin’s commitment to maintaining domestic rule of law while employing more flexible methods abroad.

3. Pragmatic Utilization of Resources: The repurposing of royal treasures for state operations illustrates Qin’s utilitarian approach to governance.

4. Gender and Capability: The unlikely figure of Princess Ying Hua leading this operation challenges conventional assumptions about women’s roles in ancient Chinese politics.

The Black Ice Terrace model would influence Chinese statecraft for millennia, with later dynasties establishing similar organizations for intelligence gathering and covert operations. Its careful balance of effectiveness and constraint offers enduring lessons about managing the inherent tensions between security needs and governance principles.

As the first snow of winter began to fall on Xianyang, Qin had taken a decisive step toward perfecting its state machinery for the coming unification wars – one that would combine military might, administrative reform, and now, sophisticated intelligence operations in its relentless drive to conquer the warring states.