219 BC!
The Xianyang Palace!
“Your Majesty, all the young lords have arrived.”
Standing there was a slender eunuch holding a horsetail whisk. His face possessed an alluring, almost bewitching charm, with eyes hiding a nearly uncanny magnetism.
This man was none other than Zhao Gao, the Administrator of the Central Carriage and a close confidant of the First Emperor.
“Today, I have summoned all of you here to inspect how well you have been keeping up with your studies lately.”
The figure upon the Dragon Throne slowly opened his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the gathering below.
“Imperial Father, are we expected to write an essay, or something else?”
A young lord of exceptionally refined and graceful demeanor bowed slightly toward the throne.
He was handsome with clear, sharp features, glowing like jade. Yet, beneath his scholarly elegance lay an indescribable air of keenness and authority.
This was Fusu, the Crown Prince of Great Qin!
“I don’t care whether you write an essay or compose a poem—do as you please.”
“You have complete freedom to showcase your talents!”
“Begin!”
The princes hurried back to their prepared desks and began writing furiously.
Among all the imperial sons, however, one sat frozen in his seat, hesitating and refusing to pick up his brush.
“Qingye, why haven’t you started writing yet?”
As he looked up, someone was standing right before him.
Phoenix eyes, a high-arched bridge of the nose, and a voice deep, magnetic, and booming. He stood roughly six-foot-five, and the sword at his waist was easily over five feet long.
Good grief!
Was the man wearing Cao Cao by his side?
Clad in a dark dragon robe, every movement he made radiated the absolute aura of supreme authority. Naturally imposing without even showing anger!
Is this really my charming ancestor?
“What did you say?”
Ying Zheng looked down at his fine, outstanding son with a puzzled expression.
“Ah… nothing, nothing at all!”
Ying Qingye, the Fifth Prince of Great Qin.
As to why that phrase about his “charming ancestor” had slipped out, any reader with half a brain could figure it out: someone had transmigrated.
His soul had crossed over into the body of Ying Qingye.
As for how he crossed over, don’t worry about the logistics—the point is, he was here.
Thrust into the Qin Dynasty, he was completely bewildered. Originally a man of the 21st century, waking up in ancient times was bound to be a shock.
In his past life, he was a wealthy second-generation heir. His father was a high-ranking government official, and his mother was the richest person in the country.
Naturally, life was an absolute breeze filled with top-tier sports cars and beautiful women. Aside from playing around, his days were spent moving effortlessly among gorgeous companions—life couldn’t possibly get any more comfortable.
Yet now, having crossed into the Qin Dynasty and become the son of the First Emperor, he felt zero excitement.
Sure, he had read plenty of web novels in his past life where protagonists transmigrated to another world, used modern knowledge to make a fortune, surrounded themselves with beauties, and reaped both fame and wealth.
But that was other people, not him. He was just a pampered playboy.
What did he know about math, physics, or chemistry?
Surrounded by beauties? Didn’t his past life already have plenty of that? That wasn’t something he lacked!
Money? His mother was the richest person alive; he wasn’t lacking that either!
Power? What on earth was the point of wanting that?
With immense power comes inescapable burdens—how could it ever compare to the carefree, dashing life of a good-for-nothing playboy?
Even if he was now the son of the First Emperor, any literate person in China knew a simple truth:
The Qin Dynasty didn’t last long!
The moment Ying Zheng passed away, the vast Qin Empire would be instantly driven to total collapse by Hu Hai.
All the hard-earned might accumulated across six generations of ancestors couldn’t withstand a single Hu Hai.
Worse still, after ascending the throne, Hu Hai ruthlessly slaughtered every single one of his own brothers and sisters without exception!
Being a prince in Great Qin was a high-mortality profession!
No way!
I have to find a way back. Getting to see Ying Zheng, the First Emperor through the ages, means this trip wasn’t wasted. I’m satisfied!
But how on earth do I go back?
He had arrived here completely by accident and had not the slightest clue how to return.
Just as Ying Qingye was sinking deeper into despair, a familiar yet unfamiliar chime rang out in his mind:
[Ding!]
[Host’s bloodline is pure, meeting the binding criteria.]
[System initialization commencing…]
[1%… 26%… 67%… 89%… 100%]
[Ding! System binding successful.]
It was finally here! The mandatory golden finger for every transmigrator!
On the outside, Ying Qingye kept his expression completely composed, but inside, he was ecstatic. Fortunately, unlike those web novels where protagonists wait ten or twenty years for a system to arrive, his had shown up the exact moment he transmigrated.
“System, are you omnipotent?”
Ying Qingye suppressed his mounting excitement and began communicating with the system in his mind. Having read plenty of online novels in his past life, he naturally knew how systems worked.
“Host, this system is naturally omnipotent.”
“And far more awesome than any other system you know of!”
Hearing this, Ying Qingye became even more excited.
“Quick! Take me back to the 21st century!”
“No problem!”
“Huh? Wait!”
“What did the Host just say?”
The system was momentarily stunned!
“I said, take me back to the 21st century!”
“I’m sorry, Host, I cannot take you back!”
“What the??? Didn’t you just say you were omnipotent?”
“You can’t even do this tiny little thing?”
“What do I even need you for?”
Ying Qingye furrowed his brows. Was this thing just bragging earlier?
“Host, I am here to assist you.”
“Do you not want to gain fame and fortune, surrounded by beauties?”
“Do you not want your name recorded in history to be remembered for eternity?”
“I don’t!” Ying Qingye refused without the slightest hesitation.
Who didn’t know how short-lived the Qin Dynasty was? Besides, as a modern man, he would never be able to adapt to life back here.
The entertainment options were pitifully scarce, and there was a strict nighttime curfew. To a playboy like him with no nightlife, what was even the point of living?
The food was even worse—there weren’t even any woks for stir-frying, so he’d never get used to the cuisine. Sports cars and the internet? Forget about it. The Qin Dynasty didn’t have any of that stuff.
“System, are you really unable to take me back?”
“Unable!”
“Tch, what a piece of junk system. Unbind yourself, then!”
“What’s the use of having you?”
At that moment, the system felt deeply insulted.
[Ding! System unbinding initiated…]
[Ding! System program corrupted…]
A harsh static noise suddenly buzzed inside Ying Qingye’s head, sounding just like the snow-static on an old television set from his childhood.
[Ding! System attempting restart…]
[Restart failed]
[…]
[Restart failed]
[…]
“You dog of a system, don’t die inside my brain!”
“Don’t drag me down with you!”
“Get lost and die somewhere else!”
Driven by the primal human fear of death, Ying Qingye began to panic. Dang! Is my head going to suddenly blow up? What kind of miserable way to die is that?!
[Ding! System restart successful!]
[System is issuing a mandatory quest: Make a name for yourself and ascend the imperial throne.]
[Reward: Unknown]
[Failure penalty: Send the Host’s soul back to its original plane.]
(Note: The Host’s fate is now bound to Great Qin. If Great Qin perishes, the Host is obliterated. If the Host dies midway, it counts as a quest failure, and the soul will be sent back to the original plane.)
There was such a wonderful thing as this?!
Ying Qingye’s eyes instantly lit up. If he weren’t standing right inside the grand hall, he would have let out a couple of cheers. Finally, he had a way back!
“System, does that mean as long as I die, I can go back?”
“In principle, yes!”
Hearing this reply, Ying Qingye felt as though he had swallowed a reassurance pill. All his previous terror of death vanished instantly, replaced entirely by pure excitement!
A wonderful life—here I come back!