Chapter 19 Heading to Pengcheng, the Imperial Guards, mounted on tall horses and clad in armor...

The Imperial Guards, mounted on tall horses, were clad in armor, their horses adorned with ornate yet dignified decorations. Four riders rode side by side, each with a long sword at their waist and carrying ceremonial regalia, leading the way.

Following several chariots were soldiers carrying flags of various colors. The flags were vibrant and varied in design, with the black dragon flag representing the Qin Dynasty at the head, and red and pheasant-tail flags fluttering in the wind, creating a magnificent sight. Closely following them was a band of musicians who played powerful and majestic music on instruments such as drums, flutes, gongs, and chimes, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The armored guards, armed with weapons, stood in neat rows, exuding an imposing aura.

The core of the chariot is the imperial carriage of the First Emperor. The golden chariot is ornately decorated and pulled by six tall, fine horses. Originally, it was driven by Zhao Gao, the head of the Imperial Chariot Office, but he was demoted for recommending Xu Fu. Now, it is driven by Meng Yi, who serves as the First Emperor's attendant.

The First Emperor was reviewing documents and memorials in his carriage; he never slacked off.

The golden carriage was surrounded by numerous court eunuchs and guards in splendid attire, responsible for protecting the First Emperor's safety. In addition to the First Emperor's golden carriage, several other golden carriages of the same size and shape were mixed in with the procession to confuse the emperor and prevent assassination attempts.

Zhang Han rode a horse, inspecting the gold mine workshops. His posture was upright, and his expression solemn. The First Emperor, amidst his busy schedule, noticed Zhang Han and was very pleased.

The empresses, concubines, and the First Emperor's children lagged behind, their carriages either pulled by palace maids or driven by eunuchs, moving slowly. Among them, the palace maids' attire was particularly striking. Their hair was styled in ethereal buns, adorned with five-colored floral patterns, and painted with images of phoenixes and tigers soaring through the clouds. They resembled goddesses and celestial beings.

Although Xu Fu was convicted of a crime, his instructions to the palace maids on how to dress still retained their original ethereal quality.

This change in clothing and hairstyle was quickly implemented in the imperial harem due to the First Emperor's preference, thus setting a trend.

Li Si was getting old, unlike Wang Ben who could still ride a horse and carry a sword, chatting with young generals. He sat in his carriage, lifted the curtain and looked at the receding city walls, his gaze falling on the uninvited guest in the carriage.

What are you doing here?

"Naturally, I would like to ask Prime Minister Li to say a few good words for me before His Majesty."

The visitor was none other than Zhao Gao, who had been demoted due to his involvement in the Xu Fu affair.

“You are well-versed in the law and have won the Emperor’s favor. Why do you need to take the shortcut of the sorcerer?”

Zhao Gao smiled, seemingly very sincere: "Prime Minister Li, you are mistaken. Who doesn't want to have wealth and honor in their hands? Prime Minister Li's sons all married princesses, and his daughters all married princes, and he is as close to His Majesty as family. But I am different. If I don't seize the opportunity and flatter His Majesty, how can I rise from the hidden palace to the court?"

"Didn't Prime Minister Li himself once say, 'The difference between a wise man and a fool is like that between rats; it all depends on where they place themselves!' The most powerful place in the land is right next to His Majesty, and I also want to climb up there. But Prime Minister Li, do you really think your position is as secure as Mount Tai?"

Time has left its mark on Li Si's face, but it has only deepened and refined his wisdom, allowing it to continue to resonate with the brilliance of life. He narrowed his eyes, a cold glint in them: "What exactly do you want?"

Zhao Gao burst into laughter: "Prime Minister Li, Your Majesty is currently in good health and seems to be without any problems. But everyone lives to be a hundred years old. Even the first emperor of Qin did not reach the age of forty. How long will Your Majesty live? After Your Majesty passes away, who will take over this vast empire? Has Prime Minister Li thought about that?"

Zhao Gao's perception of the subtleties of human nature was even greater than Li Si's. Zhao Gao had climbed up step by step from the hidden palace and had faced death directly. He could see through the First Emperor's fear of death and his fascination with immortals and alchemists. Therefore, he boldly offered Xu Fu and ignored the conspiracy hidden behind Xu Fu.

He could also see the fatal weakness of the seemingly unshakeable Chancellor Li Si—his lust for power. Everyone knew that the First Emperor was unwilling to relinquish his power; was Li Si willing to do so? The two of them were the most similar ruler and minister.

He knew that he could not sway Li Si's mind at this moment, but he still risked leaving a seed in Li Si's heart for the future.

Li Si stared at Zhao Gao's face, his mind processing Zhao Gao's words. After the First Emperor's death, which of his sons was most likely to succeed him? Without a doubt, it was his eldest son, Fusu. Li Si didn't believe that Prince Fusu would remove him from his position as prime minister. But with each new emperor came a new court, and the core power center only had a few positions. Prince Fusu leaned towards Confucianism; would he really give him, a representative of Legalism, such a high position?

"This is not something a subject should discuss. I will pretend I never heard these words today. Take care of yourself."

This was a rejection, but Zhao Gao was not discouraged. If Li Si had truly no intention of accepting it, he would have already been captured by executioners and handed over to the First Emperor.

But just as Li Si saw him, the people around the carriage had already been quietly replaced by Li Si's trusted confidants.

"Prime Minister Li, it seems that Prince Fusu is getting quite close to the Meng family." Zhao Gao lifted the carriage curtain and left with the words, "I am here on His Majesty's orders to teach Prince Huhai the law, so I will not keep you company any longer."

Li Si didn't even blink, only sneering inwardly, "What a cunning fox! He's subtly trying to get Hu Hai to help him, without considering that Hu Hai is still young and whether he can even establish himself is another matter entirely."

A princess, around ten years old, died during the eastern tour.

A trusted aide brought up a stack of bamboo slips: "Prime Minister, these are the memorials His Majesty has just reviewed. They await your processing."

Li Si felt relieved and hummed in agreement: "Leave it."

The carriage curtain swayed, revealing half of Langya City. He saw the newly appointed governor of Langya still watching the First Emperor's procession from the city wall.

Li Si thought to himself, "With the First Emperor so energetic and his ministers united, it's a long way off for Zhao Gao to plot for Huhai to seize the throne."

The newly appointed governor of Langya silently watched the long procession of ceremonial guards. The Qin emperor was setting off for Pengcheng, and he too would begin his battle in Langya.

The prefect's heart was filled with boundless ambition; he would not let His Majesty down.

-

The journey from Langya to Pengcheng required traversing the hills of southern Shandong and the plains of northern Anhui, a rugged route. Fortunately, Wang Ben had previously ordered local officials to repair the imperial road during his scouting trip. The counties and prefectures along the way had also prepared palaces, provisions, and other gifts to welcome the emperor.

Kaiyang County, under the jurisdiction of Donghai Commandery, was located at the confluence of the Yi River and the Fang River, and was a necessary passage for those traveling south by land. The First Emperor made a brief stop here to rest.

While enjoying the scenery along the way with his civil and military officials and listening to the scholars recount local anecdotes and interesting stories, the First Emperor also summoned local officials to hear their reports.

The prefects and magistrates along the way anxiously awaited his summons, reporting to the First Emperor on matters such as taxation, household registration, and public security. The First Emperor listened without comment, and the officials assumed he would be lenient with them.

Before long, the details of the rewards and punishments for the various officials were revealed.

The magistrate of Dongwu County was granted a first-rank title, while the magistrate of Kaiyang County was dismissed from his post and exiled.

No one dared to underestimate the First Emperor's control over the government. He never neglected his duties in local government, the appointment of officials, and the review of laws and regulations, even when he was traveling.

When the First Emperor summoned him, the magistrate of Kaiyang County remained silent about the defensive measures taken for the Yi River embankment in the county, only saying that the rammed earth of the imperial road was very hard and met the standards of the Qin system.

Unexpectedly, the Yi River embankment had not been repaired. It was the turn of spring and summer, a rainy season, and the magistrate of Kaiyang County failed to discover the potential flooding, which constituted dereliction of duty. Even the imperial road that he boasted about was repaired by conscripting laborers after Wang Ben's visit.

The First Emperor then dismissed him from his post and exiled him.

Officials who held positions without performing their duties lived in fear, terrified that they would be next.

The First Emperor treated them equally, giving them generous gifts upon their departure and exile.

During his tour, in addition to meeting with officials, he also met with many common people to understand their sentiments and opinions.

Only after conscripting laborers to repair the Yishui River embankment did he leave with his team.

Along the way, some common people even kowtowed to him in gratitude.

Ying Zheng was surprised. It turned out that the magistrate of Kaiyang County had been too coercive towards the people under his jurisdiction, and he, the emperor who punished the evil leader, had become the people's benefactor.

Did he actually win some public support?

Ying Zheng seemed to be deep in thought.

That night, the newly recruited alchemist presented Xia Wuqie with the newly refined elixir in his lifeless eyes.

Xia Wuqie remained silent.

Your Majesty! I thought you had changed! What happened?! How could you do this!

Ying Zheng also explained to Xia Wuqie: "Wuqie, I have seen the prescription for this elixir, and there is no problem with it. Master Han also said that his master has been taking it for forty years and lived to be ninety, with his hair and beard still black. He is still in very good health."

Xia Wuji:......

You, me, sigh!

Xia Wuqie's vision went black, and he refused to speak.

-

Perhaps out of excitement, the First Emperor dreamed of a black bird again that night.

The long tail feathers of the black bird streaked across the dark sky, and the First Emperor saw himself in his dream.

His entourage arrived at the banks of the Si River in Pengcheng. The Imperial Guards stood guard over him, and several soldiers occupied the high points within the city.

On the banks of the Sishui River, countless people watched. In the middle of the river, a boat was carrying something, with thick ropes submerged in the water. People on the bank and those in the river were working together, seemingly trying to salvage some enormous object.

Looking around at the bustling scene, the First Emperor became interested. Knowing it was a dream, he wasn't afraid of getting hurt and plunged into the water.

Finally, I could see what was happening in the water.

There were nine bronze tripods, their bodies engraved with patterns of mountains, rivers, gods, and monsters, though these were obscured by ropes binding them. The patterns on the bronze tripods were exquisite, each one unique, even the patterns on the handles, legs, and inside the bellies differed.

Kui dragon pattern, phoenix pattern, coiled dragon pattern, animal face pattern, Fei Yi pattern... and so on.

Ying Zheng remembered what it was.

Legend has it that after Yu the Great successfully controlled the floods, he divided the land into nine provinces and ordered each province to contribute bronze to cast nine tripods. The tripods were engraved with patterns of mountains, rivers, gods, and monsters from each province, symbolizing the unification of the nine provinces and the supreme power of the king. Subsequently, the nine tripods became the national treasures of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, representing the legitimacy of the "Mandate of Heaven."

During the Zhou Dynasty, the Nine Tripods were publicly displayed as symbols of royal power. When the Zhou royal family declined, the vassal states repeatedly "asked about the tripods," intending to seize the throne. The phrases "asking about the tripods in the Central Plains" and "establishing the tripods under heaven" both originate from this period.

The Qin Dynasty rulers also had a close relationship with the bronze tripod.

King Wu of Qin, Ying Dang, opened up the road to Luoyang and personally went to Luoyang, the capital of Zhou, to see the Nine Tripods. He then tried to lift one of the tripods himself, but was crushed to death by it.

Because King Wu of Qin, Ying Dang, had no son, the political power structure of the Qin state changed, and the royal power passed to King Wu's younger brother, who was also Ying Zheng's great-grandfather—King Zhaoxiang of Qin.

Legend has it that when his grandfather destroyed the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, he also transported the Nine Tripods back to Xianyang.

Ying Zheng had reigned as king and emperor in Xianyang for many years, and had never seen the Nine Tripods. It was all news spread by his great-grandfather as the legitimate successor and the Mandate of Heaven.

The true Nine Tripods have disappeared without a trace.

It turned out to be hidden in the Sishui River.

Ying Zheng was delighted. If he could retrieve the Nine Tripods, who could question the legitimacy of the Qin Dynasty's replacement of the Zhou Dynasty?

Just then, the Si River began to surge with turbulent currents, and the ropes tied to the bronze cauldron suddenly snapped, causing the cauldron, whose handles were already exposed, to sink into the water.

By the time the people on the shore reacted and went into the water to search, the nine tripods in the water may have been swept away by the undercurrents and disappeared without a trace.

Ying Zheng's face was ashen.

Now that the Black Bird had shown him the location of the Nine Cauldrons, he would never let them slip away from his grasp.

The Mandate of Heaven is with him, the Mandate of Heaven is with Qin!

The rightful successor is him, the rightful successor is Qin!

-

Liu Jisheng was an open-minded and sociable man who often frequented the taverns of Pei County.

As the head of a pavilion in Pei County, Sishui, he often went out for drinks with a few friends after his shift. Sometimes, he'd go even before his shift ended.

Even though he has just married Lü Zhi, he has not been able to change his temperament.

He's still never home.

The same is true today.

He often frequented the taverns run by Wang Ao and Wu Fu, drinking and often running up his tab. He enjoyed making friends, was knowledgeable, and frequently recounted interesting tales. His visits to Wang Ao and Wu Fu always boosted their business, so they tacitly allowed him to buy on credit.

He went directly to the dog meat shop run by Fan Kuai to drink.

He had learned some important news. Discussing it in a tavern would be too noisy and chaotic, so it would be better to go to Fan Kuai's house. Fan Kuai was not only his brother-in-law, but he would also be treated to food and drink.

When he arrived, Xiao He, Cao Shen, and others had already filled their cups with wine and were sipping and eating some roasted dog meat.

As soon as Liu Ji entered, he snatched the wine from Xiao He's hand, which Xiao He hadn't yet drunk, and downed it in one gulp. He then looked around at everyone present and asked, "Guess what news I have here?"

Fan Kuai shrugged and said, "Come on, I'm not guessing."

Xiao He, however, was quite interested and not angry that Liu Ji had taken his wine. Seeing Liu Ji's excited expression, he pondered for a moment and said, "Is the First Emperor coming?"

Liu Ji shook his head, picked up a piece of dog meat, and said excitedly, "Not only that, I've heard that the First Emperor wanted to retrieve the Nine Tripods that the Zhou Dynasty left behind in the Si River. How many years do you think boats have been coming and going in the Si River? Is it really possible to retrieve the Nine Tripods?"

"I don't think so," Fan Kuai said bluntly.

"The First Emperor's eastern tour has undoubtedly dealt with countless officials and planted numerous spies in the State of Qi. His attempt to seize the Nine Tripods is likely just a pretext; perhaps he intends to use this as an excuse to purge officials in the State of Chu," Cao Can said, frowning.

"Not necessarily. The First Emperor has already fasted and offered sacrifices in Pengcheng, and has also mobilized a thousand people to prepare for retrieving the cauldron tomorrow."

Xiao He looked up in slight surprise: "Just retrieving the cauldron?"

"It's just retrieving the cauldron." Liu Ji nodded firmly, rubbing his hands excitedly as he spoke: "I'm planning to go see the First Emperor's carriage tomorrow; you've never seen the Emperor before."

Fan Kuai said directly, "Why don't you just go to Sishui and participate in the cauldron retrieval? You might even get some reward money if you manage to retrieve the nine cauldrons."

Liu Ji laughed loudly: "How do you know that's what I think?"

He tilted his head back and downed a cup of turbid wine, then looked around and asked, "Would you all like to come with me?"

A note from the author:

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Qin Shi Huang, a fan of immortals, often ordered his palace women to style their hair in celestial buns, adorn them with five-colored flowers, and paint them as phoenixes and tigers soaring through the clouds. (From *Zhonghua Gujin Zhu*)

*A princess died during the eastern tour. (From *The Biography of Qin Shi Huang* by Ma Feibai)

*The record of Liu Bang's drinking comes from the "Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Gaozu": "When he grew up, he tried his hand at being an official, becoming the head of the Sishui Pavilion. He was familiar with and disrespected all the officials in the court. He loved wine and women. He often borrowed wine from Wang Ao and Wu Fu, and when he was drunk and asleep, Wu Fu and Wang Ao saw a dragon above him, which they found strange. Whenever Gaozu bought wine and stayed to drink, the amount owed was several times the original price. After they discovered this strange phenomenon, at the end of the year, these two families would always cancel their contracts and abandon their debts."