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

Although the dark brown spots on the back of my hand have not completely disappeared, they have faded considerably and are no longer as alarming as before.

The changes in his face were even more pronounced. His previously sunken eye sockets bulged slightly, and most of the bluish-black color around his eyes had faded. His cheekbones were still high and prominent, but the ashen, lifeless look on his cheeks had vanished without a trace, replaced by a healthy flush.

The dry, cracked skin on her lips peeled off piece by piece, revealing the new, pale pink skin underneath.

The most noticeable change was in his eyes.

Before taking the medication, those eyes were still sharp, but deep within their pupils always lurked a hint of unconcealed turbidity and weariness, like a bronze mirror covered in dust. Now, the dust has been wiped away.

The moment the First Emperor opened his eyes, the light in them was sharp as a knife, even more piercing and intimidating than before. The flames of the eternal lamp were reflected in his pupils, as if two inextinguishable flames were burning deep within his eyes.

He slowly stood up.

The movement was slow, yet it carried an aura of unwavering composure. His body crackled as he straightened, the sound of his bones stretching and rejuvenating after regaining their vitality.

He looked down at his hands, then looked up at everything in the palace, a very complex expression appearing on his aged yet resolute face.

His expression contained shock, ecstasy, anger, and a chilling murderous intent that came from finally waking up after being deceived for many years.

"I... understand completely."

The First Emperor's voice was no longer hoarse and weak, but had regained its metallic quality. Every word that came out of his throat carried a heavy weight, echoing in the empty palace.

“Everything Ying Xuan said is true.”

He turned around, his gaze falling on Ying Xuan, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"It is indeed because I have been taking the elixirs made by that traitor Xu Fu for a long time that I have become so weak and even on the verge of death."

His voice was deep, yet every word carried a chilling undertone. "Every pill I have taken over the years was personally refined and presented to me by him."

Every time I felt incredibly energetic after taking the medicine, it was like I was being pushed step by step towards the gates of hell.

He paused for a moment as he spoke, his chest heaving violently.

"If Ying Xuan hadn't returned in time and saved me, I would probably be meeting the former kings of Qin by now."

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the palace suddenly turned icy cold.

The First Emperor exuded a suffocating killing intent. It wasn't the killing intent released by martial arts masters during combat, but a higher level of imperial majesty and rage.

He stood there, his thin, bony body casting a long shadow in the candlelight, the outline of which was so striking that one dared not look directly at him.

His voice was soft, yet it sounded like two pieces of metal colliding, each word carrying a hard, teeth-grinding quality.

"Issue my decree."

As soon as those four words were uttered, the eunuchs standing in the palace all knelt down, their foreheads pressed against the cold blue stone floor tiles, not daring to even breathe.

“The entire Yin-Yang School was labeled as traitors.”

The First Emperor's voice was deliberate and clear, as if carved into a stone slab. "I order the entire empire to do everything in its power to apprehend them. You must bring Yunzhongjun Xu Fu and Donghuang Taiyi to justice. I will have them executed by slow slicing."

When he uttered the words "death by a thousand cuts," the murderous aura almost solidified. Everyone present had no doubt that if the Yin-Yang School members stood before the First Emperor at this moment, the emperor would not hesitate to personally cut them into a thousand pieces.

Just as the eunuchs were about to receive the decree and leave, Ying Xuan spoke up.

"Father, wait a moment."

His voice remained calm as always, like a breath of fresh air amidst the murderous aura filling the hall.

The First Emperor turned his head, his gaze as sharp as a knife landing on Ying Xuan's face. If anyone else had spoken up at this moment, the First Emperor would probably have kicked them. But it was Ying Xuan who spoke, his most valued son, the future crown prince of Qin.

So he suppressed his anger and simply asked a question coldly.

"You're going to plead for them?"

Ying Xuan shook his head.

"Your subject is not trying to plead for them."

His tone was calm and unhurried, as if he were stating a judgment that had been carefully considered. "Your subject believes that it is not advisable to make a big show of arresting the Yin-Yang School people now."

He paused, met the First Emperor's piercing gaze, and continued speaking.

"The Yin-Yang School is proficient in unpredictable secret arts and has extraordinary skills. In particular, Donghuang Taiyi sits on the star chart and never shows his true face to anyone. Even I dare not make a conclusion about the extent of his cultivation."

Even if all the ordinary soldiers of the Empire were to come out in full force, they might not be able to deal with these people, and would only alert them.

As he spoke, he slightly raised his chin, his gaze meeting that of the First Emperor in mid-air.

"Why not entrust this matter to your son? Your son guarantees that he will give Father a satisfactory answer."

Upon hearing this, the First Emperor narrowed his sharp eyes slightly. He stared at Ying Xuan for a long time, his gaze seemingly weighing the weight of those words.

After a while, a very faint smile suddenly appeared on the corner of his mouth, a smile that was neither a smile nor a smile, carrying an indescribable meaning.

"Are you perhaps feeling sorry for the young master who was given away as a reward, and worried that she might be accidentally harmed?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the palace relaxed a little.

Ying Xuan chuckled and shook his head.

"Father is joking."

His tone carried a hint of helplessness, but no panic. "Your subject is thinking of the greater good. The Yin-Yang School has been operating in the Empire for many years and has deep roots. If we act rashly, it may cause even greater turmoil."

"It would be better to keep them calm for now, and after I have a clear understanding of their situation, we can wipe them out in one fell swoop."

As the First Emperor looked at Ying Xuan's open and honest face, the playfulness in his eyes gradually faded. He put away his joking manner and once again became the deep and majestic emperor he once was.

He walked slowly through the palace with his hands behind his back, the hem of his robe trailing on the bluestone bricks, making a soft rustling sound.

He stopped, turned around, and looked at Ying Xuan with a meaningful gaze.

"I admit that although most of the old Confucian scholars are ignorant, they did say one thing correctly."

His voice was deep and slow, as if he were savoring the weight of each word.

"A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall."

After he finished speaking, his gaze became even more profound. He looked at Ying Xuan as if he were looking at his most prized work, or as if he were looking at a rough gem that still needed further polishing.

"I know your martial prowess is unparalleled in the world. You cleaved Fu Nian in two at the city gate, you roamed the martial world on horseback, and you repelled the Xiongnu in the northern frontier. I have witnessed every single one of these feats." The First Emperor's tone became serious. "I know you don't take any of the warriors in the world seriously. I also know that with your abilities, you certainly have the right to disregard them."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming more forceful.

"But what I want to teach you is not how to be an invincible warrior. What I want to teach you is how to be a qualified monarch."

He raised his hands, which, though still thin, had regained their stability and strength. He held up three fingers and counted them one by one.

"The lower classes of laborers. Those farmers who till the fields, laborers who carry stones on construction sites, and soldiers who charge into battle on the battlefield—they earn their living by selling their labor. These people are very important; without them, the foundation of Great Qin would not exist."

But they can only be driven by others.

He bent his second finger.

“The middle class relies on their intellect. Those civil officials who handle government affairs for me, those strategists who advise me, and those scholars who calculate the calendar for me, they earn their living with their brains. These people are a grade higher than the lower class, but they still have to obey others.”

He bent his third finger.

"The superior people are busy with other people's affairs."

His voice paused heavily on those three words.

"A true leader must be adept at recognizing, utilizing, and managing people. You must be able to distinguish between truly talented individuals and those who are merely all show and no substance. You must know what kind of person is suitable for what kind of position."

You need to have the means to make those smarter than you willingly work for you, and those braver than you wholeheartedly serve you. Only by managing these intelligent people well, and assigning them their respective roles, can you be invincible.

After saying these words, the First Emperor fixed his gaze on Ying Xuan.

"The thing I am most proud of in my life is not conquering the six kingdoms, not unifying the written language and cart tracks, not building the Great Wall and the Lingqu Canal. The thing I am most proud of is that I have been able to make good use of the talents in the world."

Wang Jian, Meng Tian, ​​Li Si, Wang Wan, Feng Quji—weren't they all exceptionally talented? Yet they all willingly served me. This is the way of the emperor.

His voice became earnest and meaningful.

"I understand that you are doing everything yourself now. The Great Qin is indeed in turmoil and needs someone to step forward and use absolute power to suppress the surrounding forces. But you can't do this forever."

You need to learn to delegate, to let go, and to take a vantage point and oversee the whole situation, instead of always rushing to the front lines to fight.

Ying Xuan's expression turned solemn after hearing these words.

He took a step back, straightened his robes, and then bowed deeply. His manners were impeccable, and every movement revealed heartfelt respect.

"Your subject has learned your lesson."

He straightened up, met the First Emperor's gaze, and stated his considerations.

"Your Majesty's teachings are etched in my mind. However, Your Majesty understands the current situation of the Empire better than I do."

His tone remained calm, yet carried a weighty undertone. "Those江湖人士 (jianghu figures) are all armed and defy Qin laws. The Agriculturalists and Mohists, together with the remnants of the Xiang clan from Chu, have formed an anti-Qin alliance, eyeing us covetously."

These men were indeed difficult for ordinary Qin warriors to contend with.

As he spoke, he paused slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"The only way to govern the martial world is through the martial world itself."

These six words were spoken with absolute certainty.

"And among all those in the empire who can use absolute power to suppress the world, there is only your son, Your Majesty."

Ying Xuan's tone was devoid of pride or arrogance; he was simply stating a fact. "That's why I do everything personally. It's not that I'm unwilling to let go, but rather that it's not the right time to do so yet."

He raised his head, and his gaze met that of the First Emperor.

"Once my trusted subordinates have been trained to be capable of undertaking important tasks, I will focus on staying by Father's side to learn the art of governing the country and bringing peace to the world. At that time, I will no longer be Ying Xuan, who always rushes to the forefront, but a respectful student by Father's side."

After hearing these words, the First Emperor remained silent for a long time.

He looked at Ying Xuan, his eyes swirling with an extremely complex expression. There was relief, pride, heartache, and a hint of indescribable emotion. He had more than twenty sons in his life, but the only one he could truly be proud of was the one standing before him.

This son is brave and resourceful, capable in both fighting and planning. He possesses both the ambition to look down upon the world and the composure to assess situations, as well as a sense of responsibility that is selfless and tireless.

These things cannot be taught.

The First Emperor nodded, his movements slow but carrying an unprecedented solemnity.

"I understand."

He paused, then added.

"What you said is true."

These four words, spoken by him, carried immense weight. Qin Shi Huang rarely acknowledged the truth in others' words; for him to utter these five words, "What you say is true," was an extremely high level of recognition.

Seeing that his father's attitude had softened, Ying Xuan seized the opportunity and put forward his long-planned suggestion.

"Father, I have an idea."

He took a step forward, his voice lowered but clearer and more powerful.

"Your subject believes that a department should be established to manage people from the martial arts world."

He raised his hand and made a vague gesture in the air.

"The martial world has never been a gentle place. Those who possess martial arts skills all carry sharp weapons and are naturally inclined to kill. This may sound harsh, but it is the truth. Even if an ordinary person is furious, at most they will just throw a punch and fight; nothing serious will happen."

But if a martial artist harbors murderous intent, a single sword strike can claim several lives. The gap between ordinary people and them is too vast, so vast that it's simply impossible to manage them.

His voice grew increasingly solemn.

"Most of the local officials in the imperial court are scholars. They are adept at handling taxes, adjudicating land disputes, and supervising water conservancy projects. But asking them to deal with a martial arts master from the Jianghu is asking the impossible."

Even a second-rate expert could fight his way in and out of the county government office seven times, let alone first-rate experts and grandmasters.

"Therefore, the only long-term solution is to recruit or cultivate highly skilled individuals and use them to govern others."

Otherwise, even if I were to wipe out the remnants of the six states and the rebels of the Hundred Schools of Thought in the future, as long as martial artists exist in this world, a new batch of ambitious individuals will emerge, using their martial skills to defy the law.

As he said this, his tone suddenly changed, taking on a sharp edge.

"The Shadow Guards are, in essence, just the Emperor's personal guards. They are loyal and skilled in martial arts, but each has their own specialty. The Shadow Guards excel at protection and assassination, not management or checks and balances. They are still inadequate when dealing with martial arts practitioners." (End of Chapter)