"Yes and no."
"Why?"
"Your Majesty, over the past two thousand years, dynasties have come and gone, and the world has always been divided and united, and united and divided. Countless brilliant individuals have appeared in this long history, and with just a few strokes of the pen, they have made a magnificent life. In this two thousand years of history, there are two figures who can even stand shoulder to shoulder with you and be called the greatest emperors of all time."
"The greatest emperor of all time? Will future generations truly judge me in this way, rather than as a tyrant?"
"You unified the six kingdoms, established the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, abolished the feudal system, established the county system, standardized currency and weights and measures, implemented a unified script and a standard wheel gauge, defeated the Xiongnu in the north, took Henan, and built the Great Wall, the Lingqu Canal, and the Qin Straight Road, which remain wonders of the world more than two thousand years later. Your achievements are endless, and the most important one is..."
"Most importantly, you planted the seeds of great unification in the hearts of all of us, the descendants of Yan and Huang, the descendants of the Chinese nation. Of course, for a long time, there were still some people who firmly believed that you were a tyrant, cruel and inhumane, burning books and burying scholars, carrying out large-scale construction projects, and imposing excessive corvee labor. Even if historical records were found to vindicate you, some people would still not believe it."
"But so what? You are the most undisputed emperor of China in thousands of years." After saying this, Gu Can looked at Ying Zheng with shining eyes.
Passion, sincerity, respect, admiration, and closeness.
Ying Zheng saw so much in those eyes. He had endured a difficult childhood, and along the way, everyone feared and hated him. Yet, this person from the future was so genuinely respectful, without a trace of flattery or any desire, as if he were truly her ancestor, and she was simply excited to meet him.
"So, I am not alone. There are still two who can stand shoulder to shoulder with me. So if I become immortal, will they disappear? Is this why you came to see me?"
"This is just one of the reasons. One move can affect the entire body, let alone you. In fact, it's not just me, but many, many, many people as well. I hope you can live forever, realize your ambition, and unify the world. The entire earth will be Chinese territory."
"But you hesitated."
"In the past two thousand years of history, there have not only been brilliant figures, but also the suffering of the people. When a country prospers, the people suffer; when a country perishes, the people suffer. If you unify the world, perhaps there will be fewer wars, and the people can live a better life. Naturally, that would be great."
"Then the first one is not a reason."
"Yes, the most important thing is that human hearts are unpredictable and desires are insatiable. If Your Majesty lives forever, it will tell the whole world that immortality is real and seeking immortality is feasible. At that time, everyone will seek immortality and seek immortality. What will the world become like?" Gu Can thought of King Mu of Zhou, Queen Mother of the West, Wang Canghai, Qiu Dekao, and even Zheng Ge was a living example.
"It's just a vague possibility. For thousands of years, countless people have been searching for this secret. Even Your Majesty has done so, let alone others. If everyone knew that immortality really existed, then Your Majesty, no matter how great your reputation is, you wouldn't be able to suppress the vast army and millions of people."
"You're right. At that time, even I would be powerless to reverse the situation. I don't need to consider others. If I knew that there were people in this world who were immortal, I would do anything to save them. Just now you said you could help me achieve immortality. I have already thought of hundreds of ways to control you and make you hand me over."
"But your majesty did nothing."
"Yes, because you asked me why I wanted to live forever. I wanted to live forever just so that I could give my people a truly peaceful life. Life is short, and I have so much to do. But now I think about it, desires are insatiable. If I could truly live forever, I would also demand greater power and start more wars. This world is so vast, how can my people rest and recuperate?"
Looking at the Qin Shi Huang in front of him, he was indeed Brother Zheng. He knew that he was about to die and that immortality was right in front of him, but he still thought of the people first.
"His Majesty."
Ying Zheng waved his hand to stop Gu Can from speaking.
"In my life, I was a wanderer in my youth, ascended the throne at thirteen, took power at twenty-one, and conquered the six kingdoms. Now, only fifty years have passed. To be remembered so fondly by future generations is already a regret. Even if there were a way to achieve immortality, I would not force it."
"Your Majesty, I sincerely hope that you will live forever, and I have the ability to grant you immortality. The reasons I just gave are not the real reason for my coming. It is because if that happens, the friends and family I care about deeply may no longer exist."
"And thirdly, if you live forever alone, you'll spend countless years watching your loved ones grow old and die, leaving you all alone. The endless loneliness will overwhelm you. So I hesitated. I didn't know what to do."
"If a girl like you can be raised in the future, I believe the emperor at that time will be one of those who can be compared with me." Seeing Gu Can sad, Ying Zheng smiled.
"That's not the case. We no longer had an emperor back then. The last feudal dynasty collapsed, foreign invaders invaded, and the country was shattered. Then a great man emerged, leading a group of ordinary people with faith to fight against foreign enemies and quell the civil war. On the day China was founded, the people became the masters of the country. I was born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze. I am very lucky."
"A great man, to be called such, must be a hero. How does he evaluate me?"
"Great, a good emperor, no one is better than him. He has mentioned you at different stages of his life. Of course, not all of his words were good." Gu Can cleared his throat.
"As a historical figure, Qin Shi Huang deserves a balanced assessment. His progressive role in the development of history must be affirmed, but after unifying the six kingdoms, he lost his progressive side. He became complacent and indulged in pleasure, seeking immortality, building palaces, and cruelly oppressing the people. He was completely bored."
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