【Subsequently, six hundred thousand Qin troops under Wang Jian’s command marched south in grand formation to attack Chu. Advancing steadily and pressing forward step by step, they ultimately crushed the main forces of the Chu army and incorporated Chu’s vast territories into their domain.】
【Finally, Wang Ben marched north to attack Yan, defeating the Yan army led by Crown Prince Dan, capturing the city of Ji, and bringing about the fall of the Yan state.】
【By this point, five of the six states had been conquered! Only the state of Qi remained isolated in the east. The ultimate showdown to end the era of division among the six states was about to begin…】
As the narration concluded, the people of Great Qin felt a mix of complex emotions.
The citizens of Qin were naturally filled with pride.
Listening to the account, they learned that their state had never ceded territory or paid indemnities—it had always stood at the pinnacle of power.
In contrast, the former subjects of the other six states felt deeply troubled and helpless.
Hearing the sky screen’s narration, it seemed they were indeed inferior in both skill and statecraft.
Yet the reality was even more disheartening.
【In 221 BCE, the great undertaking of Qin’s unification of the six states reached its final decisive battle.】
【Qin general Wang Ben led his troops in a surprise attack on Qi’s northern border, advancing with unstoppable force. Persuaded by his chancellor Hou Sheng, the King of Qi surrendered without a fight, leading to the fall of the Qi state.】
【Thus, at the age of 39, Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, building upon the achievements of six generations of his predecessors, accomplished the unprecedented feat of unification and established the Qin dynasty—the first centralized imperial dynasty in Chinese history.】
“Mother, your daughter feels somewhat weary,” Ying Qingyue said softly as she rose slowly, her skirt brushing lightly against the floor, her tone tinged with unmasked fatigue.
“Since that is the case, return to your palace and rest promptly. Take care to nurture your spirit,” Madam Zhao replied, lifting her gaze to rest on her daughter’s slightly weary face, her voice full of concern.
“Thank you for your consideration, Mother,” Ying Qingyue said with a slight bow, her voice softening. “Then your daughter will take her leave now and visit you another day.”
“Go ahead,” Madam Zhao nodded, her eyes holding a hidden warmth as she watched her.
【Ying Zheng thus became the first ruler in Chinese history to achieve great unification, ending centuries of feudal division across the land and ushering in an era of centralized imperial autocracy.】
【Claiming that his merits surpassed those of the Three Sovereigns and his accomplishments exceeded those of the Five Emperors, Ying Zheng adopted the title of ‘First Emperor’ (Shi Huang), combining the characters for ‘sovereign’ and ’emperor,’ becoming the first emperor in Chinese history.】
【At the same time, he ordered Li Si to craft the Imperial Seal of the Realm, inscribed with the phrase “Having received the Mandate from Heaven, may the emperor lead a long and prosperous life,” to legitimize the divine bestowal of imperial authority and to pray for the eternal stability of the realm and the endurance of the imperial legacy.He also reserved the term “Zhen” (朕), previously used by anyone, exclusively for the emperor’s use.】
【By this time, Ying Zheng stood at the zenith of power, yet he had also become a true ‘lonely ruler.’】
A lonely ruler?
This was something Li Si and others had not anticipated.
Since the sky screen had declared it so.
Ying Zheng, however, was momentarily stunned before a faint smile tugged at his lips, a glimmer of understanding flashing in his eyes.
【Well, that concludes the first half of this episode.】
【In the next video, we will explore why, after unification, Shi Huang’s governance became harsher than a tiger and why he implemented tyrannical policies!】
【At the end of this video, I leave you with a question: Do you think Qin Shi Huang was a tyrant?】
【Goodbye, everyone~ See you next week~!】 As these words faded, the sky screen abruptly vanished, returning to silence.
Only after a moment did the crowd grasp the implications of the sky screen’s words.
A tyrant? This… this…
The glow of the sky screen completely dissipated above the dome of Xianyang Palace, plunging the hall into a deathly stillness, broken only by the faint crackle of burning candles.
Li Si, Feng Quji, and other court officials stood frozen in place, their eyes darting nervously as they stole glances at the expression of the man before them, terrified that the slightest misstep might provoke the Emperor’s wrath.
This sovereign, who had just been labeled a “lonely ruler” by the sky screen and confronted with the question of being a “tyrant,” now lowered his gaze, fingers idly stroking the dark jade gui pendant at his waist, his expression unreadable.
The words spoken before the sky screen vanished had struck like a boulder crashing into still waters, stirring tumultuous waves in everyone’s hearts.
The term “tyrant” was something they dared not even contemplate, yet now it had been publicly raised, becoming a topic of discussion throughout the land.
Li Si’s throat moved as he prepared to step forward and smooth things over, but then Ying Zheng suddenly lifted his eyes. Those profound orbs held no anger, instead bearing a faint, enigmatic trace of amusement.
“Tyrant?” Ying Zheng’s thin lips parted, his voice soft yet resonating clearly in the silent hall. “The sky screen dares to speak boldly.”
The man turned slowly, the beads on his black Crown with Dangling Beads swaying gently, unable to conceal the sharp, domineering intensity in his eyes. “If conquering the six states and unifying the realm, ending centuries of warfare, makes me a tyrant—”
“If standardizing writing and measurements, building the Great Wall to defend against foreign threats, also makes me a tyrant—”
“Then this title of tyrant, I shall bear.” As his words fell, he turned to gaze at the twilight sky, his silhouette solitary yet unyielding.
Let the world judge as it may; history would render its own verdict.
Li Si and the others hurriedly dropped to their knees, exclaiming in unison, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
“Rise, all of you.”
“Fusu, come with me.”
…
Back in her chambers, Ying Qingyue dismissed all the maids except Qinghe, then lifted her eyes, signaling for her to speak.
“Master, news just came from Zhangtai Palace. When the sky screen first appeared, His Majesty immediately summoned the Eldest Prince to his side, and they watched it together throughout,” Qinghe whispered rapidly, her eyes filled with concern.
“I see.” Ying Qingyue walked to the window, gazing at the bamboo shadows swaying in the night breeze in the courtyard, her tone neutral and unreadable.
But Qinghe could not contain herself. She stepped forward, hesitating before clenching her teeth and saying, “Master, the appearance of this sky screen is truly peculiar. Now that His Majesty has summoned only the Eldest Prince to his side, could it… could it affect your position?”
“What effect could it have?” Ying Qingyue countered.
“His Majesty has always valued the Eldest Prince. With the sky screen’s appearance, might he immediately name an heir? And that Zhaosheng Emperor shown on the sky screen—could it be…?”
Could it be the Eldest Prince Fusu?
Ying Qingyue lightly tapped the windowsill with her fingertips. After a moment of silence, a faint understanding flashed in her eyes.
Who could know?
As for His Majesty’s regard, who was unaware?
Precisely because of that regard, her father-emperor’s feelings at this moment must be most complex.
“Father… naturally values Eldest Brother,” she said slowly, her voice as cool as ever, but the unconscious shallow mark her fingertip traced on a bamboo slip betrayed her inner caution.
She lifted her gaze, as if seeing through the palace walls to that imperial father and son in Zhangtai Palace.
“Father possesses great talent and bold vision, wholly dedicated to establishing a foundation for Great Qin that will last ten thousand generations. Eldest Brother being named heir is only natural.”
Qinghe murmured softly, “Then, Master… how should we respond?”
Ying Qingyue walked to the enormous map of the realm hanging in the hall, gazing up at the vast territory Ying Zheng was determined to control.
“Remain still,” she uttered two words.
“Remain still?” Qinghe couldn’t help but lower her voice, voicing the unspoken concern: “…Would this allow the eldest prince to gain more advantage before His Majesty?”
“Advantage?” Ying Qingyue’s tone was calm, yet carried a penetrating serenity, “The sky screen hangs above, witnessed by all common people. What it displays is an unprecedented sight—who can say whether it brings fortune or calamity?”
This was not some generous gift from Father to anyone, but a double-edged sword suspended above everyone’s heads, one that no one could grasp.
Though Elder Brother stays closer to the King Father’s side, seeing more clearly.
But the closer one watches, the more clearly every word and action is exposed to the King Father’s gaze, leaving no room for concealment.
Where fortune lies, disaster lurks. Proximity at this moment may not necessarily be a good thing.
“Investigate thoroughly,” Ying Qingyue returned to her desk and sat down with composed grace, “After the sky screen appeared, how have various factions in Xianyang city reacted? Particularly those usually silent imperial clansmen and veteran ministers.”
Her gaze drifted toward the window, where the sky had returned to tranquility yet remained indelibly etched in every heart. A faint, sharp glint flashed deep in her eyes.
“The storm is gathering… we shall wait and see how events unfold.”