The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Chapter 213 Eastern Tour - Sand Dunes (1)

The morning of the third day of staying at Wangxiantai.

When the sun shone on the earth, the First Emperor slowly opened his eyes.

He took a green pill from the servant and swallowed it without hesitation.

After a moment, a cool air rose from his dantian and quickly spread throughout his body, making him feel refreshed and energetic.

As the First Emperor took the second green pill, the entire convoy began to reorganize and prepare to set off.

It was the end of summer at the end of August, and the sun in the sky was like a huge fireball, mercilessly scorching the earth.

A heat wave suddenly rolled over the Jianghuai region, making it almost hard to breathe, but this did not affect the First Emperor's interest in traveling at all.

The First Emperor sat upright in the spacious carriage, slightly tilting his head to look out through the window.

The rolling mountains in the distance stretch out like a giant dragon, covered with lush forests.

The magnificent scene before him filled the heart of the First Emperor with endless ambition and he secretly vowed to make the Qin Empire more prosperous.

"Your Majesty, I wonder if you are satisfied with this trip?" Zhao Gao, who had been serving beside him, asked cautiously in a low voice.

The First Emperor's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile as he replied, "This trip has been quite fruitful! First, I fought a fierce battle with the so-called Sea God at sea and successfully shot him dead, and then I was fortunate enough to obtain such a miraculous elixir. This experience is truly a great pleasure in life."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao hurriedly bowed and flatteredly echoed, "Your Majesty is wise and valiant, brave and powerful. All the people of the world rely on your grace to live and work in peace and contentment. Now that Your Majesty has encountered such a fortuitous opportunity, it is truly a blessing for our Great Qin!"

The First Emperor nodded in satisfaction and continued, "However, all this is only the beginning. I want everyone in the world to know how powerful the Great Qin Empire I rule is. Those who dare to oppose me must submit to me, or they will suffer a catastrophic disaster!"

After saying this, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, which made people shudder.

In the golden autumn of September, the touring army came like a long dragon and arrived at the sand dunes, the old site of Zhao State.

As soon as Meng Yi stepped into the palace in the dunes, he felt a chill surge into his heart like a tide.

Although the buildings here are majestic and the environment is pleasant, it seems as if there are countless pairs of eyes watching in the dark, which is creepy.

Kuai Che whispered softly, "General, this sand dune was the summer resort of King Zhou of Shang! Back then, King Zhou built a large-scale construction project here, including wine pools and meat forests. Thousands of palace maids later drowned in the wine pools. This place is extremely gloomy, like the underworld."

Meng Yi looked around, his gaze seemingly traveling through time, witnessing the prosperous scenes of the past, filled with wine and meat. He pondered to himself, "This extravagant life has endured for generations. Wasn't King Zhou of Shang a heroic ruler when he first ascended the throne? Yet, which later dynasty wasn't vibrant and prosperous at the outset, with its people living and working in peace and contentment, ready to be rebuilt? But with the continuous accumulation of power and wealth, class divisions gradually emerged, and the greed, selfishness, and ugliness of those at the top gradually became apparent. Alas!"

Meng Yi couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "A great man once said, 'Where there is oppression, there is resistance.' From the Chen Sheng and Wu Guang uprising, the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Huang Chao uprising, the Li Zicheng uprising, and the Taiping Rebellion—aren't these all true reflections of collusion between the upper and lower classes, the people being overwhelmed by the burden, and the officials forcing the people into rebellion?"

Just as Meng Yi was secretly sighing in his heart, the First Emperor had already stepped onto the platform.

The First Emperor was seen standing steadily on the high platform of the Shaqiu Palace.

The dragon robe he was wearing fluttered gently in the breeze, as if it had merged with the heaven and earth.

The First Emperor looked down from his high vantage point at the magnificent palace and the beautiful gardens below, and a feeling of heroism involuntarily surged in his heart, like the surging waves of the sea, which was difficult to suppress.

"This is indeed a wonderful place!" The First Emperor couldn't help but give a heartfelt admiration.

At this moment, Li Si hurried forward, bowed respectfully to the First Emperor, and then softly reminded him, "Your Majesty, although the scenery here is pleasant, for some reason, I always feel that this place has a faintly strange aura."

When the First Emperor heard this, he was not afraid at all. Instead, he raised his head and burst into laughter.

The hearty laughter echoed in the empty air for a long time, as if it could penetrate the clouds and reach the depths of the sky.

After laughing, the First Emperor said loudly, "I have ruled the world for decades. Why should I fear such strange rumors? I simply want to indulge in pleasure here and let those deceased emperors of past dynasties see who is the rightful ruler of this world!"

As he spoke, his bright eyes flashed with an incomparable confidence, revealing an innate majesty that made people dare not look directly at him.

Yao Jia then quickly approached the First Emperor and offered his sincere advice, "Your Majesty, you are wise and powerful, and naturally you will not fear any evil. However, this place is considered an ominous place, and I am worried that continuing this way will harm your Majesty's health."

Yao Jia's tone was extremely sincere, and his face showed deep worry.

Unfortunately, since the First Emperor started taking the elixir, his originally wise, resourceful and calm personality has undergone a drastic change.

Gradually, he became more and more arrogant, looked down on everyone, and turned a deaf ear to the advice of others.

At this moment, the First Emperor, standing on the high platform, stared at Yao Jia below.

When Yao Jia finished speaking, a hint of displeasure instantly appeared on the Emperor's originally majestic face, just like a dark cloud suddenly floating across the clear sky.

Zhao Gao, who had been observing the situation from the side, saw this and hurried forward. His fair, beardless face was covered with a fawning smile, and his waist was slightly bent, his fawning attitude was clearly visible.

Zhao Gao said to Yao Jia with a chuckle, "Master Yao, you're truly mistaken! Our Majesty has already taken the inestimably precious elixir, and he's naturally protected by immortals. Furthermore, Your Majesty is the supreme ruler of the world, possessing unparalleled authority and glory. Forget a few long-dead ghosts! Even if the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang and the once-awesome King Zhao were still alive, if they were fortunate enough to see Your Majesty's face right now, they would bow down without hesitation and swear obedience!"

When the First Emperor heard what Zhao Gao said, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. The laughter echoed throughout the palace, as if it was going to shatter the tiles on the roof.

However, after laughing, the First Emperor waved his hand gently and said modestly: "Zhao Gao, your words are a bit exaggerated."

Although the First Emperor said this, it could be seen from the slightly raised corners of his mouth and the smug look in his eyes that he actually enjoyed what Zhao Gao said.

After saying this, the First Emperor strode into the palace, ready to enjoy the local customs and joy.