Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

They had witnessed firsthand the power of those otherworldly beings and heard His Majesty's description of their strength and numbers, and their hearts were already filled with turmoil.

Seeing that Ying Shaoyang remained calm, Lü Zhi finally couldn't help but step forward and ask softly.

"Your Majesty, those otherworldly beings are so ferocious, and their numbers are...almost infinite. Can our Great Qin truly cope with them?"

The other women also cast worried glances at them.

Ying Shaoyang put down his jade chopsticks, picked up a silk handkerchief to wipe the corner of his mouth, and smiled calmly.

"You only see their strength, but you fail to see their fatal flaw."

He said slowly.

"Firstly, the beings in this world have no systematic cultivation techniques. They rely entirely on instinct to absorb energy to strengthen their physical bodies. They appear powerful, but in reality, their path to cultivation is cut off, and their potential is limited."

Secondly, they have short lifespans, with most not living past thirty. Although they seem to reproduce very quickly, they are actually like mayflies, living only a day and dying in the evening.

Thirdly, and most importantly, they are spiritually fragile, lack willpower, and are easily influenced by external factors.

His eyes flickered slightly as he continued.

"The fox demons of Qingqiu are most skilled in illusion and soul manipulation. If they were to appear near the stone gate, these seemingly ferocious creatures would be better off killing each other than fighting each other."

Moreover, the location where the stone gate opens is to be decided by me. We can certainly utilize the terrain; for example, we can dig a huge pit to lure them in, causing them to trample and kill each other, filling the pit with their corpses.”

The imperial concubines' beautiful eyes widened in surprise.

They originally thought that Great Qin had little chance of winning against such an enemy, but they did not expect that His Majesty already had several countermeasures in mind, and they sounded... quite effective! It's just that the Qingqiu fox demon sounded rather chilling.

Just then, a clear female voice came from outside the hall.

"Your humble servant, Li Xiuning, requests an audience with Your Majesty!"

Li Xiuning and Shen Luoyan, dressed in smart attire, walked into the hall with a dashing air and bowed respectfully.

Li Xiuning spoke first, her voice firm.

"Your Majesty, my sister Luoyan and I have recently selected strong and brave women from among the palace maids to form two women's guards, each with a thousand members."

Thanks to the unique cultivation environment within the palace, many of them have already broken through to the first level of life cultivation! However… they lack practical combat experience. "This humble woman requests to lead these two guards as Your Majesty's vanguard, to hone their skills on the battlefield!"

Shen Luoyan added.

"Your Majesty, these two guards are equipped with top-tier weaponry provided by the Imperial Household Department. Apart from a slight lack of combat experience, they are undoubtedly top-notch soldiers. If they can be trained, they will greatly benefit the protection of the Imperial Palace!"

They knew this was an opportunity. If they could distinguish themselves in the upcoming war, they and the women under their command could truly gain a foothold in the Qin Empire, rather than relying solely on past reputations or the Emperor's momentary mercy.

Ying Shaoyang looked at the two historically renowned female generals in front of him, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

He had long noticed their actions in the palace and was pleased with them.

"allow."

Ying Shaoyang nodded.

"You two should first go to the Military Council and find Chief Minister Wang Jian to see what countermeasures he and the generals have devised before making a decision. Remember, your units are top-notchly equipped; what you lack is experience in actual combat. If you can gain that experience, perhaps..."

He paused, then said meaningfully.

"It's time to refresh the guards of my palace."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuning and Shen Luoyan were both shocked, and then a surge of immense joy and fighting spirit welled up within them! His Majesty's words meant that if they succeeded, they might even be able to replace some of the Imperial Guards currently guarding the palace! What a trust and opportunity this was!

"Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations!"

The two women responded in unison, their eyes burning with fierce determination.

……

Meanwhile, at the military headquarters.

Wang Jian strode in with a gloomy face, his heavy footsteps echoing in the silent hall.

As soon as he entered the room, before he even had a chance to sit down, he issued a series of commands that sounded like metal striking stone, his voice echoing throughout the entire military headquarters.

"Issue an order! Urgent dispatch! Summon all prefects, generals, and deputy generals of the Qin army. All those responsible for leading troops must arrive in Xianyang within three days! Those who fail to arrive by the deadline will be punished according to military law!"

"Order all county troops and local agricultural troops to immediately enter a state of first-level combat readiness, take inventory of personnel, weaponry, and provisions, and await further orders!"

"Summarize all available able-bodied men nationwide, including all slaves under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department, and register them so that they can be conscripted at any time!"

Orders, like cold snowflakes, flew swiftly from the military headquarters.

Every order sent shivers down the spines of the officers who received it.

Trillions of lives? Hundreds of millions of first-level beings? Although the exact numbers are strictly confidential, the mere mention of "all generals," "all soldiers," and "conscripting able-bodied men and even slaves" is enough to make anyone understand that the Qin Dynasty is about to face an unprecedented war of unimaginable scale that concerns the fate of the nation!
Since the founding of the Great Qin Dynasty, thanks to Your Majesty's virtue and power, the people have lived in peace and prosperity, and there has been an endless stream of people voluntarily joining the army. The military government has even been troubled by how to accommodate the large number of soldiers.

But now, judging from what General Wang is saying, he is going to take the initiative to conscript soldiers on a large scale, and even make use of slaves!
"Quick! Quick!"

Countless figures in military uniforms soared into the sky from all parts of the military pavilion, transforming into streaks of light that carried the highest-level military orders and flew to all corners of the Great Qin.

The entire military headquarters instantly entered a state of high alert. The grim-faced soldiers stood like javelins around the walls, their eyes sharp as eagles; anyone or any animal attempting to approach, or even an untimely breeze, would be ruthlessly dispersed or shattered.

An oppressive atmosphere, like the calm before the storm, quickly spread from the military pavilion throughout Xianyang and was about to engulf the entire Qin Empire.

Everyone understood that the peaceful days were over.

Inside the council hall of the military headquarters, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable. Wang Jian sat at the head of the table, his white eyebrows furrowed, his face solemn. Yang Duanhe, Qi Jiguang, and other senior military officials, along with a group of core imperial guards generals, sat on either side, all with grim expressions.

Wang Jian took a deep breath, breaking the silence. His voice, deep yet clear, reached everyone's ears. "Your Majesty was prepared. Using the remains of those thousands of ancient dragons, Your Majesty has secretly created over a dozen top-tier cultivation realms. And from the entire army, Your Majesty has selected a million warriors who are absolutely loyal to Your Majesty and to the Great Qin, possessing both strong bodies and unwavering wills!"

He glanced at everyone and continued.

"These million soldiers ate dragon meat day and night, tempered their bodies with dragon blood, and cultivated diligently in the secret realm."

Many of them have now broken through and reached the first level of life! They are the sharpest blade in the Great Qin Dynasty!

Upon hearing this, the generals were all invigorated! A legion composed of a million level-one life forms! What terrifying power this was! It almost overturned their previous understanding of the composition of an army.

"Of course!"

Wang Jian abruptly changed the subject, his voice becoming even more somber.

"These million elite dragon-blooded warriors, though the backbone of our Great Qin, are no match for the trillions upon trillions of enemies in that new world, including hundreds of millions of first-level beings! A million of them, thrown into the fray, would be like a drop of water in the ocean, unable to turn the tide! This is the greatest problem we face right now!"

The thought of that overwhelming, seemingly endless green tide, and the countless powerful individuals mixed within it, instantly replaced the initial excitement with immense pressure. The sheer number, the absolute disparity in numbers, weighed on everyone's hearts like an invisible mountain.

Just then, a glint flashed in Qi Jiguang's eyes, and he stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said.

"General Wang! This humble general has an idea. His Majesty once said that the size of the stone gate can be controlled by him, and it can be as wide as several thousand meters! In that case, why don't we dig one or even several huge pits in front of the stone gate beforehand, and fill them with flammable materials such as kerosene!"

"Once Your Majesty leads that otherworldly enemy army in, we will attack them with fire! Even if we cannot annihilate them all, we will surely burn their vanguard, disrupt their formation, and blunt their morale, giving our army the initiative and a chance to regroup!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jian suddenly looked up, his cloudy old eyes flashing with a piercing light as he stared intently at Qi Jiguang. After a moment, he slammed his hand heavily on the table.

"Excellent! General Qi's ability to utilize the stone gate itself, rather than merely limiting himself to a battle of soldiers against soldiers, demonstrates his talent as a commander, far surpassing that of ordinary generals! This strategy should be the first one to employ in dealing with the enemy forces from another world!"

He immediately ordered his clerk to record this "fire pit trap" strategy in detail and classify it as a top-secret document.

Afterwards, Wang Jian's expression did not relax; instead, it became even more serious, even carrying a hint of chilling resolve.

"As you all know, His Majesty's tribulation was celebrated by heaven and earth, with heavenly flowers raining down, creating tens of millions of people in our Great Qin who possess unparalleled internal strength. This is a blessing from heaven for Great Qin, which has greatly increased the strength of our Imperial Guards. Now, those with unparalleled internal strength are not uncommon in the army."

He changed the subject.

"However, most of these people who suddenly gained powerful internal energy were not familiar with the methods of battle and combat. Even if they entered the army, they were still in training."

Moreover, those who contracted smallpox were not all young and strong; many were... elderly people.

Upon hearing this, Yang Duanhe, Qi Jiguang, and the others seemed to realize something, and their expressions changed slightly.

Wang Jian's voice was as cold as iron, each word spoken with utmost sincerity.

"Faced with an enemy numbering in the trillions, conventional tactics offer little chance of victory. We must unleash the full power of our Great Qin and employ... extraordinary measures!"

He glanced at each of the generals present and spoke slowly.

"If we were to reverse the flow of qi and blood in those who possess profound internal strength but are old and frail, or who are unable to adapt to military formations, and perform that... self-destruction method! Then, we would have them wear specially made iron armor covered with spikes and leap into the densest part of the enemy ranks..."

He didn't say anything more, but everyone present instantly understood what a tragic and terrifying scene it would be! A master with unparalleled internal strength, reversing his blood and qi to self-destruct, the power of which was already astonishing, if coupled with shrapnel from his armor... a single burst could have a kill radius of hundreds of meters! This was simply a humanoid weapon of mass destruction!
The imperial guards generals, including Yang Duanhe and Qi Jiguang, felt their scalps tingle and their hearts pound.

They looked at the white-haired old general at the head of the table, their eyes filled with immense shock and... profound respect! For the sake of Great Qin, this old commander had already considered such a drastic and brutal battle tactic! He was putting every ounce of potential strength on the table!

……

Meanwhile, in Jiujiang Prefecture, the First Emperor's temporary palace.

Thanks to the various rare and precious medicines that Ying Shaoyang constantly sent, the First Emperor Ying Zheng's strength was increasing day by day, and his aura was becoming more and more profound.

On this day, Ying Shaoyang quietly appeared outside the palace. After being announced by a palace attendant, he slowly walked in.

After exchanging greetings, Ying Shaoyang didn't engage in much small talk and went straight to the point.

"Father, nowadays, I entrust most of the affairs of the Great Qin to the cabinet, and use the Inner Study to coordinate and suppress them to form a balance, so as to prevent powerful ministers from becoming too powerful."

However, the position of Grand Secretary is of paramount importance, requiring the ability to oversee the entire situation and a vision for the future in order to guide the Great Qin towards stable development amidst the current complex circumstances. I observe that the current Grand Secretary, Wang Guan, is diligent and conscientious, but… his abilities are limited, and he is no longer fit for this heavy responsibility.”

The First Emperor, being such a figure, immediately guessed Ying Shaoyang's intentions. He put down the bamboo slip in his hand and looked at Ying Shaoyang with lightning speed.

"Oh? Do you have a suitable candidate in mind? Li Si? Or perhaps Zhang Juzheng?"

Ying Shaoyang said frankly.

"Li Si is indeed talented, proficient in law, and good at planning, but he is too self-serving and his overall vision is somewhat lacking. Zhang Juzheng is determined to reform, skilled in finance, and honest in his official duties, but he has not been in the cabinet for long, lacks seniority and prestige, and... is too weak and may find it difficult to subdue the arrogant and fierce generals in the army."

The First Emperor nodded slightly, acknowledging his analysis.

"So, while Zhang Juzheng is slightly better than Li Si, he is not a perfect choice either. Since you have come here in person, you must already have a plan in mind?"

Ying Shaoyang pondered for a moment, then raised his head and calmly uttered three earth-shattering names.

"I intend to appoint Liu Bang, Yang Guang, and Li Yuan. May I ask, Your Majesty, given their character and abilities, if one of them were to be chosen as the Grand Secretary, who... would be most likely to establish an unshakeable foundation for our Great Qin Dynasty?"

"what?!"

Even with the composure and shrewdness of the First Emperor Ying Zheng, upon hearing these three names, especially the name "Liu Bang," his expression changed drastically, and he abruptly stood up from his seat!

An overwhelming imperial aura spread uncontrollably. His eyes widened as he stared intently at Ying Shaoyang, his chest heaving violently, his fingers trembling slightly as he pointed at him. He was so angry that he couldn't speak for a long time and almost choked on his breath!
"You...you actually dare...you actually consider these three people?!"

The First Emperor's voice was filled with disbelief and rage, as if he had heard the most absurd and unacceptable thing in the world.

Liu Bang, the village head of Pei County whom he once regarded as an ant, yet who ultimately overthrew the Qin Dynasty! Yang Guang, the incompetent ruler who squandered the Sui Dynasty's foundation! Li Yuan, the treacherous minister who usurped the Sui Dynasty's throne!

Ying Shaoyang actually wants these people to take charge of the Qin Dynasty's government?! This is an immense irony and desecration of him and the vast Qin Empire!
The First Emperor's voice was filled with disbelief and rage, as if he had heard the most absurd and unacceptable thing in the world.

The air within the Chu King's Palace in Jiujiang Prefecture seemed to freeze instantly. The oppressive imperial aura caused the eunuchs and palace maids standing at a distance to tremble, almost collapsing to the ground. Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, his chest heaving violently, his eyes burning with fury as he stared intently at the calm Ying Shaoyang before him. (End of Chapter)