Chapter 128 My Charming Ancestor 2
[Ding! 'Invisibility Charm' effect is being simulated...]
[Ding! The 'Divine Descent' outfit (Soft Light Effects Collector's Edition) has been equipped.]
[Ding! 'Descending' airflow has been deployed. Please manage your facial expressions.]
A series of system notifications rang in Zhou Jue's mind, and she was already silently suspended in the clouds above the summit of Mount Tai.
She looked down.
On the mountain path, the densely packed Qin soldiers and civil and military officials had recovered from their initial astonishment and were now immersed in a near-frenzied worship and joy.
"May Heaven bless the Great Qin! May His Majesty live ten thousand years!"
"Your Majesty is chosen by Heaven! Your achievements surpass those of the Three Sovereigns and your virtue is superior to that of the Five Emperors!"
The cheers were deafening, wave after wave, almost shaking the clouds in the sky.
Those Confucian scholars and alchemists who had previously cried out that "misfortune has befallen the heavens" were now flushed and shouting more excitedly than anyone else. It was as if the person who had just advised the emperor to quickly find a cave to take shelter from the rain was not themselves at all.
There's no shame in being a person.
Zhou Jue's gaze passed through the excited crowd and finally landed on the ancient pine tree.
Ying Zheng remained standing there.
He didn't kneel or shout like the others. He just stood there, upright, silently gazing up at the flock of cranes circling in the golden light.
His face showed neither joy nor anger.
He slowly withdrew his gaze from the crane and turned to Li Si, who was so excited he was about to faint.
"Prime Minister."
His voice was still deep and slightly hoarse, yet it possessed an undeniable authority.
"Your Majesty!" Li Si was startled and quickly bowed, his voice trembling, "Your subject is here!"
"Continue the Fengshan ceremony."
Ying Zheng only said these four words.
There was no explanation, no emotion, as if the earth-shattering phenomenon just now was nothing more than ordinary.
"only!"
Li Si responded loudly, his awe of the emperor deepening even further.
What is an emperor?
He remained unmoved even when a mountain collapsed before him, and his eyes did not blink even when a deer ran past on his left.
Auspicious omens descended from the heavens, and the world rejoiced, but he was only concerned with his unfinished Fengshan ceremony.
The Fengshan ceremony began anew in a strange atmosphere that was a mixture of fervor and solemnity.
Dressed in his imperial robes, surrounded by his ministers, Ying Zheng stepped onto the altar leading to the mountaintop.
His steps were steady, each one precise and powerful.
This man, no longer young, still stood ramrod straight, as if he were to shoulder the entire empire's sky with his own spine.
Zhou Jue remained hidden in the clouds, watching quietly.
She watched as Ying Zheng personally and respectfully placed the jade tablet recording his illustrious achievements into the golden box and stone casket, sealed it with earth to form an altar, and offered sacrifices to Heaven.
She watched the emperor, on the altar, praying for the empire behind him and for the people beneath his feet.
There was no mention in later historical records of those selfish desires for immortality.
What he prayed for was favorable weather, national prosperity and peace, and that "my empire shall be passed down for ten thousand generations."
At that moment, Zhou Jue's heart was filled with an indescribable emotion.
A bittersweet feeling, a sense of pride, and a touch of...heartache.
Who can truly understand the loneliness and pressure that this ancestor, who has been misunderstood, smeared, and even cursed by countless people in later generations, bears as he stands at the pinnacle of this era?
He unified the six kingdoms, ending centuries of war and allowing the people of the world to recuperate and thrive.
He standardized cart tracks, written language, and weights and measures, laying the foundation for this nation's enduring legacy for two thousand years.
His achievements will be remembered for generations to come.
But what he received was the infamy of being a "tyrant".
Even when he wanted to report his work achievements to the heavens, a rainstorm would disrupt his plans, and the Confucian scholars would make up a joke about him being "unworthy of his position and thus condemned by heaven."
On what grounds?
Zhou Jue's fists clenched unconsciously.
"Brother Tong," she whispered to herself, "Are you ready?"
[Host, everything is ready. Just give the order, and I guarantee you'll be the coolest kid on the block.]
Zhou Jue took a deep breath.
"The moment he turns around after the ritual is over."
...
The ritual of offering sacrifices to Heaven was elaborate and lengthy.
As the last ceremony concluded, Ying Zheng slowly turned to face the vast sea of civil and military officials below the mountain, and his million-strong army.
The sunlight gilded him with a golden edge, and the mountain wind blew his wide robes, making them flutter.
At that moment, he was the only god in the world.
Down the mountain, everyone held their breath, waiting for their emperor to say something.
However, at this very moment...
Mutation, rebirth!
Suddenly, the once clear sky was filled with colorful rays of light, accompanied by melodious music, as if countless immortals were singing and dancing in the clouds.
The flock of cranes that had been circling seemed to be guided, and they all let out a clear, melodious cry, then lined up on both sides and respectfully lowered their proud heads.
To everyone's astonishment.
A figure, dressed in a long white dress that shimmered with a faint glow, slowly drifted down from the depths of the clouds.
Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, unbound by any hairpins, yet it moved with the wind without appearing disheveled.
Her appearance was unlike that of an ordinary person; it seemed to gather all the beauty and charm of heaven and earth, making people dare not look directly at her, yet unable to resist wanting to explore her.
She walked barefoot through the void, step by step, from heaven to earth.
Finally, she stopped on the altar, less than ten steps away from Ying Zheng.
"boom!"
The entire Mount Tai was completely devastated.
If the clearing of the sky after the rain and the cranes flying together were considered "auspicious omens," then...
So what we are witnessing is a "miracle"!
They were living, breathing gods who had descended before their very eyes!
"A deity! It's the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden descending to earth!"
"My God! What am I seeing! A god has descended to earth!"
"Quickly pay homage! Quickly pay homage to the immortal!"
Thump! Thump!
On the mountain path, whether they were battle-hardened veterans or high-ranking officials, they all went mad, prostrating themselves on the ground, their foreheads pounding against the wet stone steps, not daring to even breathe.
Li Si, Zhao Gao, and others trembled violently.
In their hearts, half was the fear of mortals seeing gods, and the other half was an uncontrollable ecstasy and ambition!
A deity has descended to earth to personally support His Majesty!
What immense wealth and glory this is!
The Qin Dynasty will last forever, it's secure!
However, some people thought of another reason, and their faces instantly drained of color.
"An immortal... an immortal descending to earth, could it be... to guide His Majesty to ascend to heaven?"
Upon hearing this, many ministers felt their hearts sink.
Yes, His Majesty's achievements are unparalleled; even the gods have descended to greet him. If he were to leave with the gods, what would become of them? Who would rule this vast empire?
In an instant, a mixture of emotions spread among the crowd.
At the very center of everyone's attention was the altar.
Faced with this sudden scene.
Ying Zheng remained standing.
He was the only person standing in the entire room, besides that "immortal".
His pupils did indeed contract to their maximum size the instant the figure appeared. His heart did indeed skip a beat.
But that's all.
He neither knelt nor shouted.
He simply stared at Zhou Jue in front of him, countless thoughts flashing through his deep eyes.
God? Immortal? Ghost? Monster?
Or perhaps... a more sophisticated illusion concocted by some sorcerer?
He slowly raised his hand, stopping the guards behind him who were about to rush forward.
Then, meeting Zhou Jue's gaze, he spoke in a tone that carried a hint of scrutiny.
This was the first dialogue between God and the King.
"Who are you?"
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