Hostage

If you have been following recent Chinese Xianxia dramas, you might be familiar with the character of Tan Tai Jin, known as the Devil God. Tan Tai Jin was originally a prince from the neighboring Kingdom of Jing. He grew up unloved and served as a diplomatic hostage in the Kingdom of Sheng. Despite his difficult upbringing, he eventually ascended the throne of Jing and brought prosperity and stability to his people. Tan Tai Jin implemented policies to unify the kingdom and showed kindness and equality to the refugees from Sheng. In ancient China, a similar young man existed in a faraway time. In the year 259 BCE, Ying Zheng was born as the son of a hostage in the state of Zhao. Since his birth, he lived as a hostage. During his childhood, Zhao suffered a devastating defeat in the Battle of Changping against the Qin army. The Zhao soldiers were mercilessly slaughtered, resulting in a loss of 450,000 lives. To make matters worse, the victorious Qin army pursued Zhao and pushed deep into its territory. The people of Zhao, already depleted of resources and unable to fight back, held deep hatred towards the people of Qin and wished…