Ying Zheng’s mind buzzed incessantly, while everyone present stood frozen in place, dazed and uncertain of what to think.
[Now let’s examine capitalism in other European and American countries, where ordinary people who never rise above their station can only labor for capital until death, with class mobility being even more difficult to achieve.]
European and American countries?
What kind of places were these?
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, having never heard of these European and American nations.
Where exactly were they?
But Ying Zheng’s thoughts ran deeper. He speculated that beyond the yellow earth of Great Qin, there might exist many other barbarian states…
Recalling the sky screen’s recent words, Ying Qingyue narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly.
Basic well-off and content standard of living for common people?
How could this be possible…
Only a truly utopian world could fulfill what the sky screen described.
This would be absolutely impossible under the feudal dynasty’s order.
Unless…
[In 247 BCE, Ying Zheng’s father, King Zhuangxiang of Qin, passed away suddenly. The 13-year-old Ying Zheng ascended the throne, historically known as King Zheng of Qin.]
[As a young monarch, political power was controlled by Chancellor Lü Buwei and his mother, Empress Dowager Zhao. The relationship between these two gradually became subtle and complex…Ying Zheng could only immerse himself in diligent study within the deep palace, researching the methods of governing and stabilizing the nation used by emperors throughout history, quietly awaiting his opportunity to assume personal rule. Meanwhile, Lü Buwei extensively recruited talented individuals, amassing three thousand retainers who enriched Qin’s talent pool. Li Si was among them.]
Hearing his own name, Li Si felt his breath catch slightly.
He quickly lowered his head further, using this movement to perfectly conceal the uncontrollable, suddenly ignited brilliance in his eyes.
To leave a name in history!
These simple four characters represented the ultimate dream pursued by countless scholars throughout their lives!
He, Li Si, who had risen from being a commoner in Shangcai, Chu – all his painstaking efforts, all his exhaustive planning, even all the schemes and strategies not fit for outsiders’ ears – weren’t they all meant to transcend life’s brevity and leave an immortal mark upon this world?
Now, this dream had received “divine” confirmation in such an unimaginable way!
His gaze involuntarily, and extremely quickly, swept across the tall, straight-backed figure before him.
If His Majesty was the eternal emperor, then he, as the assisting Chancellor, the most crucial cornerstone of this great enterprise – wouldn’t he also leave his name in history?
This thought nearly made him dizzy.
Li Si forcibly suppressed his surging emotions, took a deep breath, stepped forward, and with perfectly measured excitement and utmost reverence in his tone, bowed deeply toward Ying Zheng’s back, his voice steady and powerful:
“Your Majesty! Heaven’s will is clearly revealed, confirming Your Majesty as the Eternal Emperor! This is Hao Tian’s favor upon Great Qin, the divine endorsement of Your Majesty’s achievements!”
“Your subject Li Si congratulates Your Majesty! Your Majesty’s accomplishments shall undoubtedly shine through the ages, admired by countless generations!”
[Later, Lü Buwei also compiled the eclectic masterpiece “Lüshi Chunqiu,” which synthesized the strengths of various schools of thought. This book, as you’ve likely heard, provided important theoretical support for Qin’s future unification of the empire.]
[The book’s content is vast and profound. Historically, Lü Buwei even posted notices claiming that anyone who could add or remove a single character would be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold – this being the origin of the phrase “one word worth a thousand gold.”]
[On this point, it must be said that Lü Buwei truly possessed intelligence and talent—no wonder he rose to the position of Chancellor entirely through his own capabilities.]
[As time passed, Lü Buwei, seeking to extricate himself from his ambiguous entanglement with Empress Dowager Zhao while consolidating his own power, disguised Lao Ai as a eunuch and sent him into the palace to become the Empress Dowager’s male favorite.]
[Leveraging the Empress Dowager’s favor, Lao Ai gradually became involved in politics and was later enfeoffed as the Marquis of Changxin.]
[Suddenly possessing vast territories and immense wealth, Lao Ai amassed tremendous influence and a multitude of followers, his power nearly rivaling that of Lü Buwei, who had spent years building his base.]
[This Lao Ai had become a malignant tumor in the Qin court.]
The voice from the sky screen was cold and objective, yet it acted like an invisible key, instantly unlocking the sealed floodgates of memory on the high platform of Xianyang Palace—memories steeped in bloodshed and shame.
The air seemed to freeze.
The guards, eunuchs, and even lower-ranking officials standing behind Ying Zheng instinctively held their breath, wishing they could shrink into shadows.
That palace scandal and rebellion, involving the Empress Dowager, powerful ministers, and even shaking the royal authority, was a forbidden topic buried deep in the hearts of all who knew of it, something they dared not touch.
Ying Zheng lowered his eyelids, making it impossible for others to discern his thoughts.
Perhaps even he could not understand: why, after relying on his mother for survival in his childhood, did she cease to love him once he grew up?
[In 239 BCE, Ying Zheng’s half-brother, Lord Chang’an Chengjiao, seeing the chaotic state of the court, launched a rebellion in Tunliu in an attempt to disrupt the situation and seize the throne.]
[But how could our Emperor Shi Huang be someone easily manipulated?]
[With decisiveness and wisdom, he employed forceful measures to quell Chengjiao’s rebellion, consolidating his own kingship.]
[However, the illicit affair between Lao Ai and Empress Dowager Zhao, and the two sons they secretly bore, remained like a sharp dagger hanging over Ying Zheng’s throne, posing a significant obstacle on his path to personal rule.]
[Meanwhile, Lü Buwei’s influence had grown excessively large, posing a serious threat to the imperial authority.]
[By 238 BCE, the 22-year-old King of Qin, Ying Zheng, formally assumed personal rule. Just as he was holding his capping ceremony, Lao Ai stole Empress Dowager Zhao’s seal and launched a rebellion.]
[In an attempt to assassinate the king and seize the throne, this event became known as the Lao Ai Rebellion.]
[Yet, all of this was within Ying Zheng’s grasp.]
[He swiftly mobilized troops and crushed the rebellion with overwhelming force, successfully capturing Lao Ai and sentencing him to death by dismemberment by chariots.]
[His followers were also rounded up and eliminated.]
At this point, Shi Jin grew enthusiastic and began to explain to everyone:
[Some netizens might not know that dismemberment by chariots was an extremely cruel punishment in ancient China, commonly known as “tearing apart by five horses.”]
[This punishment first appeared during the Zhou Dynasty and was quite prevalent during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. For instance, Qi once executed Gao Qumi by dismemberment, and Qin executed Shang Yang in the same manner.]
[The method involved tying a person’s head and four limbs to five chariots, harnessing horses or oxen, and then pulling in five different directions simultaneously, tearing the body apart into five pieces.]
As she spoke, everyone saw Shi Jin on the sky screen blink and sigh with emotion: [This punishment was far too cruel. Fortunately, the Zhaosheng Emperor later abolished it, and no one was executed in this manner after Lao Ai.]
Ying Zheng cast a disapproving glance at Fusu—this was indeed the kind of thing Fusu would do.
Fusu felt somewhat perplexed by the look, but he thought the abolition was quite justified.
Meanwhile, Ying Qingyue’s thoughts began to drift.
She wasn’t particularly moved by the punishment of tearing a person apart by chariots.
Instead, she felt that some people should simply be executed outright. Why go through all these flashy and elaborate methods, wasting manpower and resources? It would be better for them to die early and be reborn sooner.