The title 'Your Majesty' was truly only given to Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng.
If he cannot bear this title, then none of the 494 emperors of the past two thousand years of Chinese history deserve it.
Ying Zheng did not reject the title.
With a slight wave of his hand, Shen Lang felt a gentle force lift him up.
"No need for formalities. My Great Qin Dynasty no longer exists, and I am no longer the current emperor." Ying Zheng's gentle voice rang in Shen Lang's ears.
Shen Lang's expression turned serious, and he said righteously, "Even after thousands of years, His Majesty the First Emperor is still the only emperor in the hearts of the Chinese people."
This is not flattery; it is the truth.
The earliest historical records about the Qin Dynasty can be traced back to the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, in Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian".
As is widely known, the Han Dynasty was the era in which Qin Shi Huang was most severely vilified, from the establishment of the Han Dynasty until its fall. Han Dynasty officials consistently smeared Ying Zheng (Qin Shi Huang).
Firstly, because Liu Bang, the former head of the Sishui Pavilion who served as a Qin official and later became the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, was a rebel. If Qin Shi Huang could not be smeared, then the infamy of Liu Bang's illegitimate rise to power would be confirmed.
Secondly, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he suppressed all other schools of thought and exclusively promoted Confucianism. Confucianism and Qin Shi Huang (the First Emperor of Qin) were sworn enemies. Public opinion in the Han Dynasty was entirely controlled by Confucianists. Therefore, Qin Shi Huang, who had burned books and buried scholars alive, naturally did not have a good reputation.
To highlight their own achievements in both civil and military affairs, emperors throughout history have accused Qin Shi Huang of squandering public resources, imposing heavy taxes, and undertaking massive construction projects. They have thus labeled him a tyrant.
But was he really a tyrant?
If he was truly a tyrant, why did he treat the nobles of the six states kindly after conquering them? The massacre of civilians was unheard of in Qin.
Some argue that Ying Zheng did not kill the nobles of the six states for fear of provoking a rebellion by the remaining people of the six states. However, they did not consider that the million-strong Qin cavalry was not afraid of the armies of the six states, so why would they be afraid of the people's rebellion?
Moreover, in ancient times, people only cared about who could feed them. Furthermore, before Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, many people from the six kingdoms had already crossed the border to settle in Qin.
In this new era of advanced internet and freedom of speech, there is increasing controversy surrounding Qin Shi Huang.
All the controversies surrounding Ying Zheng ceased the moment the Qin bamboo slips were unearthed at Shuihudi in Mengyun County, Beihu Province.
It was only then that people realized that building the Great Wall in the Qin Dynasty was not hard labor. All corvée laborers, except for convicts, were paid wages.
Qin law stipulated that each household was only allowed to have one person perform corvée labor.
The reason was that serving in the Qin state not only granted them a status equivalent to a modern-day civil servant, but also provided them with a high salary. An ordinary person serving in the Qin state could receive a monthly stipend equivalent to about 8,000 yuan in today's currency.
Even criminals who served in the military received eight coins a day, which, given the prices in Qin at the time, was more than enough to support their families.
Moreover, the corvée labor was not the decades recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian; each person only needed to go for three to five years.
It was at the moment the Qin bamboo slips were unearthed at Shuihudi that countless stains on Ying Zheng faded away on their own.
Only then did people realize what kind of wise and great monarch Ying Zheng truly was.
In the hearts of countless fans of Qin Shi Huang, he is the emperor whose achievements surpass those of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors!
Looking at the tall and imposing Qin Shi Huang, Shen Lang felt a surge of respect.
Shen Lang was eager to find out the only unsolved mystery surrounding Ying Zheng.
Shen Lang cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty the First Emperor, there is something I do not understand. I would like to ask Your Majesty to enlighten me."
"May I ask?" Ying Zheng asked.
"It concerns the burning of books and burying of scholars alive. Did His Majesty really commit the act of burning books and burying scholars alive back then?" Shen Lang asked bluntly.
This problem had troubled him for a long time.
Ying Zheng nodded without hesitation and said, "This was indeed done by me. I know that you outsiders call me a tyrant."
Shen Lang shook his head and smiled, "Your Majesty, the misunderstandings about you that have persisted for thousands of years have been cleared up. The outside world now holds you in high esteem. European historians, in particular, regard you as a god."
Ying Zheng laughed and said, "They are barbarians, not worth mentioning. They are merely the leaders of an era, and will eventually be overtaken by the Yan and Huang Emperors."
Shen Lang nodded and continued, "I have another question: Why did His Majesty burn books and bury scholars alive?"
Ying Zheng said, "For the sake of the world, for the sake of the people."
"Confucianism divides people into different classes and attempts to govern the country by using morality and hierarchy to keep the people ignorant. This approach goes against my principles of governance."
Ying Zheng looked up at the sky and said, "My ancestors paid a bloody price for reform and innovation. Under the guidance of Shang Yang, we were able to build Qin into a country where everyone is equal and everyone has the opportunity to rise to a higher level."
"The Confucian school joined Qin after its unification. Yet they want to use Confucian thought to govern my Qin and overturn the hard work of our ancestors. This is simply wishful thinking."
At this point, Ying Zheng's voice became slightly louder.
This shows that his hatred for Confucianism was more than just a little.
"What my Great Qin needs is not a method of keeping the people ignorant." Ying Zheng stood up, looked at Shen Lang, and said in a firm and powerful voice, "What my Great Qin needs is for everyone to be like a dragon."
Upon hearing this, Shen Lang felt his blood boil, as if he had returned to the era of the iron-blooded Qin Dynasty, and shouted loudly, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Even Shuang'er, who was still in a daze, was moved by Ying Zheng's voice and followed behind Shen Lang, shouting, "Your Majesty is wise!"
"If Heaven grants me another thirty years, I will surely transform the Great Qin into an era where everyone is invincible and every person is like a dragon."
Ying Zheng's words were full of confidence and domineering.
This was the First Emperor of the Yanhuang Kingdom.
This is Qin Shi Huang.
This is Ying Zheng.
A person who combines domineering yet benevolent rule, and is full of infinite charm.
Wang Xu, standing to the side, sighed helplessly and said, "It's all about timing and fate!"
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng smiled slightly and said in a domineering tone, "I do not believe in fate."
"So-called destiny cannot control me."
Shen Lang felt a surge of adrenaline rush to his head, and he was about to blurt out, "I am willing to be your vanguard!"
The little elf's voice suddenly rang in his mind: "Master, Master. I'm getting too into character."
A cool sensation instantly spread through Shen Lang's mind, gradually calming his boiling blood.
"Hehe! I'm so excited to meet my idol!" Shen Lang replied to the little elf shyly.
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