Just when the important matter of the enshrinement of Zen was discussed in the court, the First Emperor ordered the Prime Minister Wang Wan, the imperial censor Feng Jie and various Confucian doctors to discuss the eastward patrol route, prepare the matter of the enshrinement of Zen, and send envoys eastward to inform the counties along the way.
A piece of news spread back to Xianyang, shocking both the government and the public.
A famous general who made great achievements in unifying the world for Qin.
Wang Jian, the Marquis of Wucheng, passed away (hong).
This is the fifth day after Zhao Tuo returned to Xianyang.
Even after the emperor received the news from Zhao Tuo that Wang Jian was critically ill two days ago, he sent the best imperial doctor Xia Wuji to Pinyang overnight, but he could not save the life of Wucheng Hou Wang Jian, which made countless people aware of the news.
He sighed sadly.
When Zhao Tuo heard the news in his mansion, he was stunned for a long time, but he felt relieved again when he thought of what Wang Jian said to him on the couch.
At the end of his life, this world-famous general was very calm about life and death, and even a little optimistic.
At the end, Wang Jian gave some advice to Zhao Tuo based on his own life experience.
“Only by retreating bravely from the rapids can we gain the end.”
"But sometimes if it recedes, the rushing water may turn into a torrential wave, which will submerge everything, and eventually no bones will be left."
Zhao Tuo sighed lightly.
If he didn't know the ending of the empire in history, he might choose to listen to Wang Jian's words. But now that he knows, he can't really retreat at this time.
History was changed a lot by Zhao Tuo, but what he did, upon closer inspection, was the icing on the cake for the emperor's rule.
Inventing giant cannons and the three treasures of cavalry made the Qin army stronger; producing fertilization, plows, and wheat made Qin's national strength stronger; defeating the Xiongnu in the north and attacking the Yuezhi in the west, so that there would be no more troubles on the empire's frontiers...
But none of this can solve the real problems in this empire.
If he left it alone, based on the character and actions of the First Emperor, I am afraid that this country would also slowly slide into the abyss.
"Let's take a step and take a look."
Zhao Tuo sighed again and looked in the direction of Qin Palace.
The death of Wucheng Marquis Wang Jian may have slightly delayed the First Emperor's plan to tour the east to enshrine Zen, but the emperor's steps would not stop for this.
…
When Wang Jian died in Pinyang, the First Emperor temporarily stopped his eastward tour plan and went to Pinyang in person to attend Wang Jian's funeral.
This approach was enough to show that the emperor attached great importance to Wang Jian's death, and he seemed to be clearing his own suspicion.
In one month, two marquises of Da Qin, one fell seriously ill and the other passed away, which shocked people's hearts and made it hard not to think of something.
But no matter what, the funeral of the prince was very grand and luxurious.
The entire Pinyang County was in mourning for Marquis Wucheng.
In the Marquis Mansion, a seven-foot inscription with Wang Jian's name on it stands under the eaves and on the west steps, dancing in the wind.
Taiwei Wang Ben, wearing the garb of beheading, with a sad face, took his young son Wang Kai to greet the guests.
Naturally, the martial arts lord Zhao Tuo also attended the funeral.
He saw Wang Jian again, or to be precise, it was the body of Marquis Wucheng.
The elder has passed away, and all the conversations and laughter in the past can only be turned into memories and hidden deep in our hearts.
Wang Jian was over 60 years old and passed away peacefully without any regrets.
If so, it is probably because Zhao Tuo sometimes remembered that Wang Jian tried to fake a fall, but ended up falling to his death, and he felt dumbfounded, secretly sighing at the strangeness and unpredictability of this fate.
After experiencing the rituals of summoning souls, assisting in mourning, paying homage, serving meals, setting weight, small gatherings, large gatherings, and funeral ceremonies.
The guests began to disperse, and the First Emperor also got into his chariot, preparing to return.
Zhao Gao, the commander of CRRC who was driving for him, keenly noticed that the emperor's expression was always not right.
If he saw it correctly, he seemed to see the First Emperor trembling when he stepped onto the chariot.
The car was bumpy all the way, and when we returned to Qin Palace, it was almost dusk.
However, the First Emperor did not hesitate and directly ordered: "Pass on my edict to let the alchemists Lu Ao and Han Zhong enter the palace."
"only."
Zhao Gao took the order and retreated.
Before leaving, he seemed to see the emperor's figure stooping slightly.
…
As night falls, lights are burning everywhere in the Qin Palace, and the light reflected is as bright as day.
In a glorious palace, Qin Shihuang sat on the imperial couch and looked at the two people in the palace.
"The three sacred mountains are named Penglai, Abbot, and Yingzhou. They float in the sea and are not far away. Someone who has visited once said that the utensils and animals on the sacred mountains are all white, and the palaces are made of gold and silver. They are really not human.
Scenery. On the sacred mountain, there are immortals who are at ease and at ease. What the immortals plant with their hands will become the elixir of death."
The old man with white hair and white beard in the palace was waving his sleeves and using his magnetic voice to describe something that seemed not to exist in the mortal world.
The First Emperor closed his eyes and seemed to be able to imagine the scene on the Three Gods Mountains that Lu Sheng had mentioned in his mind.
Especially those strange-looking elixirs.
After Lu Sheng finished speaking.
Han Zhong, who was standing nearby, said: "I heard that the Three God Mountains are the residence of immortals, so ordinary people can easily see them. Before they arrive, they look like clouds; when they arrive, the Three Gods Mountains live under the water.
Therefore, the wind will often lead you away, but you will never arrive. Only saints with great achievements and great virtues can win his favor."
"In the old days when the Qi State was powerful, King Xuan thought that his achievements were very great. He once sent envoys to the sea to seek for him. He looked at the image of the sacred mountain in the distance. However, he was unable to reach it due to heavy storms and waves, so he could only return in despair. King Zhao of Yan also restored the Yan Kingdom.
He drove the barbarians more than a thousand miles to the north and defeated seventy Qi cities in the south. He thought he had done a great job and sent envoys to the sea to ask for him. When he met an immortal, he told him that Yan Zhao's achievements were not enough and his virtues were not high, so he retreated."
Having said this, Han Zhong and Lu Sheng both bowed their hands and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty now rules the country, his achievements far exceed those of ancient and modern times, and his kindness spreads to the world. He is the saint with the greatest merits and virtues in the world. After practicing Zen in Mount Tai, if
Send envoys to the sea to seek immortality, or perhaps climb the Three God Mountains to win the favor of the immortals and obtain the elixir of immortality."
Hearing this, the First Emperor breathed a little heavier.
He opened his eyes and stared at the two alchemists who advised him to seek immortality and medicine.
"Do you know the consequences of deceiving me? That Hou Bin is still on the bank of Ba River."
Facing the threat from the First Emperor, Han Zhong turned slightly pale, but Lu Sheng's expression remained normal.
He stroked his beard and smiled and said: "Immortal life is the power of immortals. How can it be refined by mortals? Hou Si wanted to use gold and stone to refine medicine to seek immortality. This was originally a futile and wasteful thing, so he refined the poison.
It is very appropriate for Your Majesty to kill his clan."
"As for us, what Your Majesty said about the three sacred mountains, the immortals, and the elixir are all due to Yan. Countless people in Qi have said it for hundreds of years, and many people have seen it with our own eyes on the sea. Even Qi Wei
The king, King Xuan of Qi, and King Zhao of Yan sent envoys to the sea to prove it. How can it be said that it is false? I hope your Majesty will investigate this matter clearly."
Lu Sheng held his head high and spoke with certainty, as if he was talking about common sense.
The First Emperor nodded slightly, a gleam of hope blooming in his eyes.
Yes, compared to Hou Sheng's method of refining strange medicines with gold and stones, and finally seeking immortality, the words of overseas immortality that Lu Ao and Han Zhong often talked about sounded more reliable.
For people in this era, gods exist, immortals exist, and elixirs naturally also exist.
The only difficulty is probably the vastness of the sea. Can the process of finding the Three God Mountains, finding the immortals, and obtaining the elixir be realized in it?
This is also the reason why the First Emperor killed Hou Sheng and other alchemists who were refining medicine before, but it did not affect Lu Sheng and others. In addition to the fact that the alchemists did not make medicine, it was also because what they said was possible, and it was one of the First Emperor's
hope.
The First Emperor leaned his head forward, stared at the two people, and asked again: "If you can get the elixir of death, can you really make me immortal?"
Lu Sheng smiled and said: "Immortal and live as long as heaven and earth."
The First Emperor breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand: "Go down, you go find the Prime Minister and ask him to arrange the corresponding route. After I am enshrined in Zen, I will go to the east and see the sea with my own eyes."
"only."
Lu Sheng agreed, and he and Han Zhong slowly retreated.
Watching the figures of the two alchemists disappear outside the door.
The First Emperor was still sitting on the couch, with a rare look of fear in his eyes.
Wang Jian is dead.
Wang Jian, who stood at the top of the Qin Empire's title list, fell and died.
This made the First Emperor sigh, but he could not suppress the fear of death in his heart.
He is already forty-one years old. Although he is in the prime of life and in the prime of life, he is actually getting closer to death. It is time to think about the future.
It is common sense that people are born, old, sick and die.
Even if he is the emperor and the only master in the world, he cannot escape the shadow of death.
But he doesn't want to die.
"I want to live forever!"
"I want to live forever!"
"I will rule this world for tens of thousands of years, tens of thousands of years!"
In the shadow of the flickering candlelight, the First Emperor whispered, full of longing for immortality.
…
Outside Qin Palace.
Lu Sheng and Han finally walked out of the palace.
Lu Sheng paused and turned back to look at the majestic Qin palace.
At this moment, the tall palace, which represented the imperial power, seemed to be shorter in his eyes and no longer looked so great.
"The death of Marquis Wucheng has helped us. The emperor longs for immortality. During this eastward tour, as long as the emperor sees the vastness and mysteriousness of the sea, and makes people talk about the elixir of immortality, he will surely be able to help him.
We enter the sea to seek immortality."
Lu Sheng said softly, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Han Dian nodded and said: "It seems that we should contact the prescription doctor so that we can receive the emperor."
Lu Sheng nodded and said: "I remember Xu Shi from Langya is very good. You can contact him for a while."