The Scholar’s Dilemma: Preparing for a Fateful Mission

After returning from Luoyang’s royal city, Su Qin secluded himself in his study, deeply contemplating his strategy for approaching the powerful Qin state. The weight of his impending diplomatic mission pressed upon him as he meticulously planned his approach to the western kingdom that would determine his future—and perhaps the fate of the warring states.

When he finally emerged, confident in his preparations, Su Qin found his entire household bustling with activity for his departure. His younger brothers Su Dai and Su Li had prepared a large wooden case filled with the finest writing implements—brushes, ink, knives for bamboo slips, and even precious parchment. His elder brother, returning from business travels, had commissioned craftsmen from Luoyang to restore the royal chariot bestowed by the King of Zhou to its former glory. The women of the household—his efficient sister-in-law and reserved wife—had packed his clothing with meticulous care, filling another large chest with garments for all seasons.

The Weight of Family Expectations

The scene revealed more than mere preparation—it demonstrated the crushing expectations placed upon Su Qin’s shoulders. His sister-in-law’s words cut to the heart of the matter: “This time, you’re going to secure a high position and bring honor to our family.” The unspoken truth lingered—their merchant family’s social advancement rested entirely on Su Qin’s success in the treacherous world of interstate diplomacy.

Su Qin’s laughter masked deeper anxieties. “If I fail to secure an official position, dare I even return?” he joked, though the question held genuine concern. The Warring States period offered no guarantees, even for talented strategists. His sister-in-law’s quick dismissal—”You’ll surely return in glory with a grand carriage and fine robes”—only emphasized how much rode on this single journey.

A Fateful Reunion with Zhang Yi

The arrival of Su Qin’s friend and fellow strategist Zhang Yi provided welcome relief from family pressures. Their meeting at the Thunder and Tile Academy revealed much about the competitive yet supportive relationship between these two rising stars of political strategy.

Zhang Yi, still smarting from his humiliating rejection by the King of Wei, found solace in Su Qin’s analysis: “Within a month, Zhang Yi’s name will shake the world.” Su Qin recognized that Zhang Yi’s public debate with the venerable Mencius, though ending in dismissal, had actually enhanced his reputation as a formidable intellect. This insight demonstrated Su Qin’s keen understanding of how reputation functioned in their political world—sometimes failure could breed greater fame than quiet success.

Their all-night conversation, continuing until dawn, covered profound strategic ground. Both men understood they stood at the threshold of their life’s work, with Su Qin heading west to Qin while Zhang Yi would travel east. Their poignant farewell at the rustic suburban pavilion included a solemn pact: “Should we find ourselves serving opposing states on the battlefield, we will fight with full commitment… but afterward, we will support each other through hardship.” This agreement between future adversaries revealed the complex personal bonds underlying the era’s ruthless political competition.

Family Farewells: The Personal Cost of Ambition

Su Qin’s domestic preparations revealed the personal sacrifices demanded by his political ambitions. His visit to his father’s simple hut in the woods demonstrated their strained but respectful relationship. The elder Su, a shrewd merchant who had invested heavily in his sons’ education, offered practical advice about travel funds—100 gold pieces rather than the proposed 1,000—showing his understanding of maintaining scholarly dignity while practicing financial prudence.

More emotionally charged was Su Qin’s awkward farewell with his wife, a woman he barely knew despite years of marriage. Their arranged union, orchestrated by his dying mother, had remained unconsummated in all but name. The encounter in her impeccably maintained but emotionally cold quarters revealed the human cost of Su Qin’s single-minded pursuit of greatness. Her quiet acceptance of his neglect—”At home, we only seek peace and health, without extravagant hopes”—both disappointed and relieved him, confirming his choice to prioritize political achievement over domestic ties.

The Journey Begins: Symbolism on the Road to Qin

Departing Luoyang in his splendid chariot—a gift from the King of Zhou restored by his family—Su Qin cut an impressive figure on the road to Hangu Pass. The gleaming bronze vehicle drawn by magnificent horses symbolized his transition from scholar to statesman, though he wisely refused additional trappings like a driver or attendants that might appear ostentatious to the pragmatic Qin people.

His approach to the formidable Hangu Pass, the gateway to Qin territory, allowed Su Qin to observe the strict efficiency of Qin’s border controls—a marked contrast to the lax administration in eastern states. The disciplined soldiers refusing merchants’ bribes while proclaiming “Qin’s laws tolerate no corruption” offered his first tangible evidence of the legalist reforms that had strengthened Qin under Lord Shang’s policies.

An Unexpected Encounter: Lady Yan’s Intervention

At the pass, Su Qin’s journey took an unexpected turn with the appearance of Lady Yan, the former palace official from Zhou’s court who had once captured his imagination. Now revealed as a bride being escorted to her marriage with the Duke of Yan, their meeting at the Weifeng Inn became a pivotal moment.

Lady Yan’s subtle critique of Su Qin’s overly ornate chariot—”Your carriage is too luxurious, might you leave me one horse?”—prompted him to exchange vehicles for something more modest. Their night-long conversation over Zhao country wine ranged widely, with Lady Yan extending an open invitation should Su Qin ever consider serving Yan. Though committed to Qin, Su Qin appreciated her strategic insight and the genuine connection they shared.

Their parting at dawn, after Lady Yan sang the melancholic “Southwood” ballad about unattainable love, acknowledged the roads not taken—both personally and politically. As Su Qin passed through Hangu Gate in his new chariot, he carried not just his carefully prepared political strategies, but also the complex web of relationships and expectations that would shape his historic mission to transform Qin—and through it, all under heaven.

The Historical Significance of Su Qin’s Journey

Su Qin’s departure for Qin represents more than personal ambition—it embodies the fluid intellectual landscape of the Warring States period. Talented commoners like Su Qin and Zhang Yi could rise through persuasion and strategy, selling their political blueprints to competing rulers. The elaborate preparations, family dynamics, and chance encounters along Su Qin’s route reveal how personal relationships and state interests intertwined in this formative era of Chinese statecraft.

His subsequent failure in Qin and eventual success forming the anti-Qin alliance would make Su Qin one of history’s most famous traveling strategists, but this initial journey captures the moment before destiny unfolds—when all possibilities remain open, and one man’s wit and words might yet change the course of history.