Chapter 32 On the banks of the Xiang River, dusk was falling…
On the banks of the Xiang River, dusk was falling. The last embers of fireworks drifted across the gray-blue sky, and the pungent smell of sulfur gradually filled the air.
Lin Fengzhi stood on the mountain path, gazing at the imposing entourage and the inscrutable expression of the First Emperor. The First Emperor's gaze was almost tangible, fixed firmly on her. His eyes held a searching, sharp, and undeniably fervent intensity.
Lin Fengzhi slowly wondered, "Fanatic?" She quickly thought about what she had that could make such a legendary emperor take notice of her.
The air seemed to freeze. Ying Zheng gripped Jiahe tightly, his mind replaying the scene of the black bird crashing into her body. The black bird—the black bird that had guided him for months, the black bird that symbolized his destiny, the black bird that had driven him mad. His heart, repeatedly tormented by the pursuit of power and immortality, pounded violently at this moment.
This is not admiration, but a possessive desire that comes from finally capturing a rare treasure, mixed with awe of unknown power and a desire to control it.
Ying Zheng finally moved. He didn't issue a direct order as he would to his subjects or commoners. Instead, he walked slowly towards Lin Fengzhi with an unprecedented, almost solemn demeanor. He stopped a few steps before her, his tall figure almost completely enveloping her due to his height.
His deep, penetrating voice broke the silence beneath the sky: "The Black Bird descended upon you from the heavens. Heaven's mandate is clear, favoring me and the Great Qin."
His voice wasn't loud, and only Lin Fengzhi heard it clearly. The others followed behind, not daring to step forward without orders.
Lin Fengzhi didn't understand what the First Emperor was saying, but she managed to control her confusion. Generally speaking, in typical, equal interpersonal interactions, the person who needs something from the other is usually the one who initiates the conversation.
In an unequal feudal society, the fact that the First Emperor, who was obsessed with immortality, was the first to ask her questions clearly indicates that the First Emperor needed something from her.
Lin Fengzhi remained calm, quickly going over his words in her mind several times.
The black bird entered her body, but she felt nothing. She glanced subtly at the people behind the First Emperor; perhaps they didn't hear him because his voice was too low, or perhaps they didn't see him—in any case, their expressions were unchanged.
Lin Fengzhi concluded that they could not see the black bird that the First Emperor had mentioned, which might be one of the reasons why the First Emperor was certain that he was favored by Heaven.
Ying Zheng continued, "On the sixteenth of the second month, a black bird appeared in my dream. In your letter, Meng Qing mentioned that you also became a shaman on this day. Before that, you had not shown any extraordinary abilities. Isn't that also a sign of divine favor?"
Meng Qing.
Lin Fengzhi silently pondered the First Emperor's words, thinking about the news that her clan had been sending her these past few days.
After arriving in the territory of the Keluo people, Meng Yi did not deliberately conceal his identity. Although he claimed to be a subordinate of the county magistrate, his demeanor was completely out of place with the county magistrate's actual subordinates.
After all, they are the next generation that the Meng family has devoted all its efforts to cultivating.
His speech, manners, and dining etiquette all spoke of his extraordinary background.
During his conversation with Lin Fengzhi, Magistrate Feng also subtly hinted at Meng Yi's identity.
Lin Fengzhi was initially stunned upon learning Meng Yi's true identity. Logically, while the First Emperor did seek immortality and alchemy as he approached forty, he hadn't reached the near-madness of his later years. Meng Yi, as a close advisor, must have been on the First Emperor's orders to appear during the eastern tour.
Looking back now, Meng Yi's mission must have been to find the Black Bird.
February 16th was a very important day. On that day, the Black Bird entered the First Emperor's dream, and she awoke inside Qing's body.
Lin Fengzhi didn't believe for a second that the hope of returning to the First Emperor wasn't with him.
The First Emperor strode closer and whispered the question that concerned him most: "A black bird warned me of death in my dream, and a salted fish covered my body. What does this mean?"
Lin Fengzhi's mind went blank, and her pupils suddenly contracted.
Good heavens, what have you done, Black Bird?
Someone who so desperately wanted immortality was forced to confront the afterlife, and even had it embellished. No wonder Meng Yi met the First Emperor so soon after arriving.
Lin Fengzhi was pondering the most crucial question: How should she treat the First Emperor? Should she feign the Black Bird? But she wasn't a true deity; the First Emperor sought immortality, and she couldn't truly prolong his life. Should she not pretend? This was indeed a good opportunity; she was even thinking of visiting the First Emperor's unfinished tomb.
Thinking of this, Lin Fengzhi finally spoke up: "Your Majesty, I am not a god, nor do I have the ability to summon wind and rain. I am just a mortal."
The First Emperor grunted in agreement, but his expression did not show belief.
"I cannot grant Your Majesty immortality. Even my own body will eventually return to dust." Lin Fengzhi stared into the First Emperor's eyes, emphasizing a few words: "Humans cannot live forever."
Ying Zheng felt as if he were in a dream. For a moment, he was anxious and angry about not being able to live forever, but he quickly calmed down.
What does "this body" mean? "Humans cannot live forever." Is it enough to just change bodies or species? With the Black Bird entering his body, the First Emperor thought he had grasped the key.
In an instant, he seemed to understand something. He narrowed his eyes and recounted the scene from his dream in detail: "...In that case, I beg the immortal master to enlighten me."
Lin Fengzhi pondered, unsure whether the black bird was kind or cunning. It hadn't told him the most fundamental reason for the First Emperor's death, so it was no wonder the First Emperor was so anxious. Even ordinary people would be worried and afraid if they dreamt of their own death, let alone an emperor who wanted to control everything.
The First Emperor was the first emperor of the feudal era, daring to do what others dared not. He was both a powerful ruler who swept across the land and a mortal trapped in the maze of life and death; he possessed the political wisdom to establish systems, yet also the cruel obsession to trample on humanity. This contradiction is likely one of the reasons why he has attracted countless people to his adoration.
He regarded her as some kind of deity, and rather than letting him devote his energy to the pursuit of immortality and being alienated by power, he would rather look down at the people of this land beneath his feet.
But she couldn't say it so obviously; the First Emperor was too clever.
"In Your Majesty's dream, the key to deciphering the secret lies outside the carriage. As for how to decipher it, it depends on whether Your Majesty can comprehend it. Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed." A rustling sound came from behind. Lin Fengzhi turned her head and saw the clansmen coming down the mountain after the sacrificial ceremony.
They saw the unfamiliar man in front of the high shaman and immediately went forward.
Meng Yi quickly led his soldiers forward.
The two groups separated Lin Fengzhi and Ying Zheng.
Lin Fengzhi and Ying Zheng looked at each other across the crowd. Lin Fengzhi glanced at An, Yong and others beside her, and said loudly to the First Emperor, "Your Majesty, it is getting late. We will entertain Your Majesty again tomorrow."
Ying Zheng lowered his eyes in deep thought, and after a moment waved his hand to signal his men to make way.
Lin Fengzhi remained calm and led the group through the Qin army in black armor, their soldiers wielding weapons and their expressions cold and stern.
"Your Majesty," Meng Yi, who hadn't heard their conversation clearly due to the distance, stepped forward now, fearing that Lin Fengzhi might do something inappropriate that would anger the First Emperor: "This woman is a great shaman of the Keluo people. I have been here for over a month, and even if she is not the extraordinary person Your Majesty is seeking, she possesses irreplaceable abilities."
"The grains in Your Majesty's hands are rice ears harvested yesterday. Last year, the yield of rice ears here was less than 100 catties, but now it can yield 213 catties per mu. If this can be promoted, it can save countless lives."
"Not to mention the Xiangjun cloth and steel sword that I sent earlier, and the fireworks just now, if they could be put to practical use, they would be a terrifying fighting force."
Fireworks. Ying Zheng gazed at the dim, gray sky. The colorful light that had just burst forth had vanished. Weren't those dazzling, deafening fireworks also auspicious omens?
The battle-hardened Wang Ben was indeed thinking about whether he could use this weapon. He believed it would become a powerful weapon on the battlefield, no less effective than a steel sword.
"Why worry, Meng Qing? Such talent will surely be of use to our Great Qin. What we should be thinking about now is how to make such talent stay in Great Qin willingly."
In the past, when Wei Liao entered Qin, he proposed a strategy to Ying Zheng: to bribe the powerful ministers of the six states with 300,000 gold coins to break up the alliance. To retain Wei Liao, Ying Zheng treated him with the same courtesy, sharing his clothing and food, showing him the utmost respect. Wei Liao, seeing through Ying Zheng's ruthless and treacherous nature, attempted to flee, but Ying Zheng, noticing this, resolutely stopped him. Ying Zheng adopted his strategy and, based on his proposal, gave him 300,000 gold coins. Wei Liao lived up to expectations, successfully dismantling the alliance of the six states.
There was also the famous Zheng Guo Canal incident, which turned the "plan to exhaust Qin" into the "foundation for strengthening Qin," and incidentally gained the capable minister Li Si.
For those talented individuals who caught his eye, such as Wang Jian, he was able to set aside his imperial dignity to apologize; towards the state of Zheng, he could transcend his hatred for spies; towards Wei Liao, he could use his position as Grand Commandant to retain a strategist. His magnanimity and grasp of power were extremely rare among emperors.
Meng Yi hurriedly bowed and apologized.
Ying Zheng helped him up: "What crime has Meng Qing committed? You have traveled all the way for me. Without you, how could I have seen her sooner? Tell me about the personality and temperament of that great shaman."
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The next day.
The First Emperor, accompanied by his civil and military officials, visited the land of the Keluo people, where Lin Fengzhi personally welcomed him.
Meng Yi took the initiative to take over the guard and patrol duties for the First Emperor's inspection tours, placing personnel on duty at various important locations. Everyone who came to work had to be inspected by the Qin army to ensure they were not carrying any dangerous items.
In addition to Magistrate Feng, the Prefect of Cangwu Prefecture also rushed over overnight, following behind the other officials.
Lin Fengzhi was astonished to find that the gentle and beautiful maids accompanying her and the First Emperor were accompanied by handsome men. Even the middle-aged officials following behind the First Emperor possessed an air of vigor and vitality.
In short, everyone was very pleasing to the eye.
Lin Fengzhi exclaimed "Wow!" in her heart every time she saw one.
Meng Yi, who handled everything, kept his merits and fame hidden.
How ridiculous! If you don't observe more carefully, you've wasted your time in the land of the Koruo people. Lin Fengzhi likes good-looking people. Don't you see that Qu He, Sheng Kuan, Qi, Xiao Shui, and Chi Su all have good looks?
Although she didn't say it aloud, her unconscious behavior completely revealed it.
While leading the First Emperor on a tour of their sizable weaving workshop, Lin Fengzhi couldn't help but think, "Welcome to the nation's supreme leader, Ying Zheng, to visit and inspect Qingcaoshan."
The taste changed immediately.
Ying Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, watching the neat rows of slanted looms in the weaving room. The weavers skillfully separated the warp and weft threads and operated the looms. Amidst the clatter of the shuttles, an inch of cloth was woven in no time. Compared to the speed of cloth production in the official workshops of Xianyang, it was indeed a significant advantage. An He and Xiao Shui moved among them, immediately resolving any problems that arose.
The Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of the Imperial Household nodded in agreement, and they would occasionally gather to exchange their opinions.
"Your Majesty, when I first created this slanted loom, my intention was to enable more people to have enough to eat and wear. I fear that with this slanted loom in my hands, it will be impossible to promote its use throughout the country for three to five years. I am willing to present it to the Great Qin so that everyone in the Great Qin can have clothes to wear."
Ying Zheng was still pondering the deciphering of the chariot last night when he was suddenly caught off guard by such a move that was so beneficial to the people and the country.
Ying Zheng suddenly recalled the conversation between the two of them last night. What was outside the chariot? Inside the chariot were two people complaining about his corpse, or rather, commoners.
Suddenly, Ying Zheng had a moment of clarity, a stroke of genius. The words from a book he had read years ago suddenly came to mind: "The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important." He had initially dismissed this statement, but now, he wondered if it was the answer he was searching for.
The Black Bird governs this land with benevolence, seeking neither fame nor fortune, but striving to improve the lives of the local people and caring for their hardships. It has a compassionate heart.
Is this also a means of seeking immortality?
Ying Zheng's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
The room was completely silent except for the sound of the loom.
"Of course." Ying Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, looking deeply into her eyes, as if making some kind of promise or vow: "I and the Great Witch will work together to ensure that everyone in Qin is well-fed and clothed."
Lin Fengzhi smiled.
In the eyes of the First Emperor, she was comparable to a celestial maiden descending to earth.
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Author's note: Countdown to heading to Xianyang.
Building Daqin
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