Students of Chinese history know that Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor and the founder of the Qin Dynasty, ended the Warring States Era and unified China in 221 B.C. But unification by the Kingdom of Qin could have, would have, and maybe should have happened four decades earlier. After launching a massive campaign in 262 B.C. against the neighboring Kingdom of Zhao, the Qin laid siege to the Zhao capital. It was poised to win dominion over the Central Plains.
But, in that moment, three men--a butcher, a doorman, and a prince--faced the inexorable tide of history and said: "Not today."
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The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History Podcast