Wang Ben's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong.
His Majesty has never looked at him like that before.
Could it be that His Majesty saw his smug expression just now, and that angered him?
He immediately became serious.
They waited respectfully for the First Emperor's next questions.
"Wang Ben? You think this is really the mythical beast Qilin? Hmm?"
"Your Majesty, it took me a tremendous amount of effort, with the help of Taoist Master Xu Fu, to finally subdue this mythical Qilin!"
"Master Xu Fu?"
The First Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. At this moment, the chief priest of the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai was none other than Xu Fu.
At this time, Xu Fu was not yet in dire straits as he would be three years later, when he led three thousand boys and girls of the First Emperor to Fusang to escape the First Emperor's pursuit and punishment.
Now, he is thriving in various ways, and can be considered the most favored person in front of the First Emperor.
Therefore, Ying Zheng did not pursue the matter further.
After all, in his eyes, Xu Fu was an envoy who could communicate with the gods, and he could not easily offend him.
But at that moment, Li Lin's inner thoughts suddenly echoed in his mind again.
[What? Master Xu Fu? Could it be that Xu Fu who tricked the First Emperor into consuming mercury for ten whole years? Sigh, the First Emperor is good in every way, except he's too trusting! What skills do these charlatans have? The elixir made from mercury has excessive levels of heavy metals—that's a deadly poison! No wonder His Majesty is going to die in three years. Sigh, I'd better find a chance to run away as soon as I get back today.]
Ying Zheng's expression, which had just softened, instantly became even more serious.
It wasn't that he was angry when he heard Li Lin say that he would die in three years; rather, it was the huge discrepancy between his anger and the fact that the elixir Xu Fu had given him was poison that caused him to become extremely unbalanced.
He trusted Xu Fu so much that he gave him whatever Xu Fu wanted.
At this moment, Li Lin thought to himself that Xu Fu was a big liar and that what he had given him was poison, not an elixir of immortality. Who could accept such a reality?
Could he be talking nonsense?
After a moment, Ying Zheng's gaze swept coldly over them.
The ministers were so frightened that they dared not even breathe.
The majesty of the emperor instantly filled the entire summit of Mount Tai.
"Your Majesty... everything I've said is true! I would never dare to deceive Your Majesty. This is the Qilin divine beast that Master Xu Fu personally confirmed! Otherwise, even if I had the audacity of a dog, I would not dare to bring such an auspicious object to deceive Your Majesty!"
"this......"
[Heh, you, Wang Ben, wouldn't dare deceive His Majesty, but that doesn't mean Xu Fu wouldn't! Isn't this golden leopard from Fengxian County? Then let the villagers of Fengxian County identify it. The locals definitely know what it's called. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that the local villagers have been bribed. But this is the best method right now.]
The First Emperor's eyes lit up, and he already had some plans in mind.
If this is indeed the golden leopard that Li Lin described, then it means that Xu Fu is a fraud, and conversely, Li Lin is, as he previously imagined, a talented person who can be put to good use.
Since that was the case, he naturally followed Li Lin's idea and did as he was told.
"I don't recognize the appearance of a Qilin either, but you all say that this auspicious Qilin comes from Fengxian County. I wonder if you have brought any local officials and villagers from Fengxian County with you today? Let them come into the palace so that I can ask them in detail?"
"That's excellent!"
Wang Ben's eyes lit up, and he immediately showed a joyful expression. He then ordered all the officials, big and small, from Fengxian County who had accompanied the auspicious "Qilin" to be summoned.
He also had local villagers come forward and present them with a petition from the people, expressing their simple admiration for the First Emperor's great achievements.
This series of actions left Li Lin completely dumbfounded.
The ancients were not as simple-minded and trembling as he imagined. Their flattery tactics were so intricate and sophisticated that they were truly astonishing.
Is the next step just to provide a "mass umbrella" for the people?
Then what about the bizarre move of erecting a shrine to the living?
"Your Majesty's virtue surpasses that of the Three Sovereigns and your achievements exceed those of the Five Emperors. We, the eighty-one officials and villagers of Fengxian County, hereby respectfully wish Your Majesty a long life!"
"Alright, alright! Everyone, please rise and dispense with the formalities!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"I have summoned you here because I have a question for you: Is this divine beast truly a Qilin?"
"this......"
The middle-aged officials in the lead hesitated, looking at each other, seemingly hesitant to step forward and answer.
However, the white-haired village elders seemed to have come prepared, and they all looked at the First Emperor with smiles on their faces, making up many stories about the mythical Qilin beast.
The First Emperor was secretly amazed upon hearing this, and it seemed that his trust in Li Lin had diminished considerably.
But just then...
Li Lin's inner thoughts echoed in his mind again, but this time in a rather lazy tone: "Flattery will get you everywhere. These people's flattery skills are truly first-rate. I don't know what's wrong with the First Emperor. How could such a wise and powerful man become so arrogant and give that 'auntie laugh' after hearing so much flattery?"
What?
Li Lin, what nonsense are you spouting?
When did I become arrogant and self-willed just because I listened to flattery?
Haven't I always been so wise and powerful?
And "auntie smile"? What does "auntie smile" mean?
Why is the First Emperor looking so serious again? Could it be that this old man's flattery has backfired again? Indeed, serving a ruler is like walking on thin ice; if one says something displeasing, the emperor might get angry, and I'd be dead! No, this guy is too cruel! I can't let this capricious First Emperor kill me before the Qin Dynasty falls! I must run away from here on out!
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