Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Since Ying Jing paid homage at the ancestral tomb that day, the situation in Qin not only did not improve, but deteriorated further.
Years of natural disasters and man-made calamities, corruption and malfeasance among officials, and constant rebellions on the frontiers have made this once-powerful empire teeter on the brink of collapse.
The Zulong Mausoleum was shrouded in darkness.
In the silence, inside the Ancestral Dragon Mausoleum, the long-sealed coffin suddenly emitted a slight sound.
The coffin lid slowly slid open, and a figure sat up, supported by a hand on the edge.
"I..." he murmured to himself, looking around to adjust to the darkness, "Where am I? A tomb? Could it be that I am already..."
Memories flooded back like a tide: the death sixty years ago, the burial, and the long sleep—everything appeared clearly in my mind.
"I actually... came back to life?" Ying Zheng looked at his hands in surprise. They were hands that were strong and vigorous, not the withered hands of an old man.
He got up and stepped out of the coffin, stretched his limbs, and felt the power within his body.
Although this body was no different from his life, it was full of incredible vitality, as if he had returned to his prime.
Ying Zheng pushed open the stone door of the mausoleum and stepped into the night.
The early summer night breeze brushed against my face, bringing a long-lost coolness.
More than sixty years have passed; I wonder what the Qin Dynasty is like now...
Before he could finish his thoughts, Ying Zheng suddenly noticed movement at the Wu King's Mausoleum not far away.
The stone gate of the tomb slowly opened, and a tall figure walked out.
"A wicked husband?" Ying Zheng exclaimed in surprise.
The man turned around at the sound, and in the moonlight, it was none other than the wicked husband of King Wu from back then.
"Your Majesty?" The wicked man was equally surprised and hurried over. "You too..."
The two exchanged a smile and nodded in tacit agreement.
"It seems we've all returned," Ying Zheng remarked with emotion.
The wicked man looked around, frowned, and said, "Your Majesty, what's going on? I clearly remember already..."
"I don't know either," Ying Zheng shook his head, "but since you've returned, there must be a reason. Let's go, let's go to Xianyang and see."
The two walked out of the cemetery side by side and headed towards Xianyang City.
Along the way, they found that the countryside was deserted, the fields were abandoned, and the occasional farmhouses were dilapidated.
"This scene..." the wicked man said gravely, "It seems the situation in Qin is dire."
Ying Zheng nodded: "The systems we established back then should have ensured the long-term stability and prosperity of Qin. It seems that our descendants have failed to uphold them properly."
Halfway there, the two encountered a group of refugees.
These people were ragged and emaciated. When they saw Ying Zheng and his wicked husband, they were first frightened, and then they knelt down and kowtowed.
"Please, gentlemen, have mercy on us!" an old man pleaded.
Ying Zheng stepped forward and helped the old man up: "No need for formalities. Why are you fleeing?"
The old man wiped away his tears and said, "Your Excellency, there was a civil uprising in Xianyang City. Government troops suppressed it, resulting in countless deaths and injuries. We feared being caught in the crossfire, so we fled the city."
"A popular uprising?" the wicked man exclaimed in surprise. "What caused it?"
"Natural disasters have struck year after year, taxes remain unchanged, and the government levies exorbitant taxes, making it impossible for the people to survive!" the old man said sorrowfully. "Furthermore, the barbarian tribes of the Western Regions and the remnants of the Xiongnu in the north have taken the opportunity to cause chaos, forcing the court to wage war on all fronts, leaving the people in dire straits!"
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng and his wicked husband exchanged a worried glance.
"Western Region barbarians? Remnants of the Xiongnu?" The wicked man frowned. "Back then, I implemented a plan to exterminate foreign tribes, but I did leave behind some subjugated slaves and civilians. Could it be them?"
The old man nodded and said, "That's right! Back then, the late emperor was benevolent, and many foreign slaves were able to survive. Later, because of their merits, the late emperor Fusu allowed some of them to return to their ancestral lands."
"Over the years, they have slowly recovered and are now powerful again, beginning to encroach on the border once more."
Ying Zheng sighed deeply: "We spared them to demonstrate the magnanimity of the Qin Dynasty, but they have become a scourge today."
The wicked man said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the most urgent matter is to go to Xianyang first and find out the true situation."
Ying Zheng nodded in agreement, then said to the old man, "You should find a safe place to take refuge for now. We will return to our hometowns to settle down after we have quelled the chaos in Xianyang."
The old man, tears streaming down his face, saw that the two men had no money, so he stepped aside.
Ying Zheng and his wicked husband continued on their way, their pace becoming even more hurried.
As they approached Xianyang, the scene they witnessed became increasingly worrying.
The roads were filled with fleeing people, and countless makeshift tents had been erected outside the city, housing homeless disaster victims.
"Your Majesty, the situation is worse than we imagined," the wicked man said gravely.
Ying Zheng nodded, a resolute glint in his eyes: "No matter what, we must enter the city as soon as possible."
The two changed into two sets of ordinary clothes, mingled with the refugees, and headed towards the city gate.
However, the city gates were tightly closed, and the garrison was on high alert, not allowing anyone to enter or leave.
"I heard the riots in the city have been going on for three days now, and the palace is almost breached," a refugee whispered.
"It should have happened long ago! For years, the government has been exploiting the people, causing them to suffer. It was bound to erupt sooner or later!" another person said angrily.
Ying Zheng and his wicked husband became even more anxious upon hearing these discussions.
"We must find a way into the city," the wicked man whispered.
Just as the two were pondering a solution, a commotion suddenly broke out on the city wall.
The defenders looked around in panic, and then deafening shouts of battle and cries of agony erupted from within the city.
"Something's happened in the city!" the defending general shouted, and immediately rallied some soldiers to rush into the city.
In the chaos, the city gates were flung open, and Ying Zheng and his wicked husband seized the opportunity to sneak into the city.
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