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

The First Emperor pondered for a long time, his fingers unconsciously stroking his beard. He raised his head, his gaze falling once more on the world map, and an idea suddenly flashed through his mind.

The idea came quickly and suddenly, like a lightning bolt cleaving through the fog in his mind. His eyes lit up, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

Women from the Central Plains, after all, have limited vision. They are gentle and kind, but lack the strategic vision to rule the world. If they could broaden their horizons, perhaps they could find the most suitable candidate for Ying Xuan.

When Ying Xuan came out of the First Emperor's palace, it was already completely dark.

The night wind, carrying the chill of late autumn, blew in from the end of the palace path, causing the palace lanterns under the eaves to sway and their light and shadow to sway on the ground into a blurry golden mass.

He stood on the stone steps outside the palace gate, took a deep breath of the cool air, and let the emotions that had been churning inside the palace slowly settle down.

Coming-of-age ceremony. Crown Prince.

These two words echoed repeatedly in my mind, like two stones thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples upon ripples.

He knew this day would come sooner or later, but when he actually heard his father say it from his own mouth, the heavy sense of reality still made his chest tighten slightly.

However, he didn't dwell on this emotion for long. He changed direction and instead of heading towards the place where prisoners were imprisoned, he walked along the palace path towards the inner palace.

He had to go see his mother first.

News of the rebellion spread faster than the wind, and the inner palace must have been in an uproar. He knew his mother's temperament best; she usually appeared gentle and virtuous, but once his safety was involved, that dignified and composed demeanor would instantly shatter completely.

If he doesn't personally go to let his mother know he's safe, she probably won't be able to sleep a wink all night.

Passing through the many palace gates and corridors of the inner palace, Ying Xuan strode to the palace where his mother resided. The palace door was half-open, and warm yellow light shone from inside. Several palace maids were standing guard under the corridor, trembling with fear. Upon seeing him, they immediately knelt down to pay their respects.

He waved for them to get up, then pushed open the palace door.

As soon as the door was pushed open, a figure rushed out from inside.

"Xuan'er!"

His mother grabbed his arm tightly, her hands were ice cold and her knuckles were trembling slightly.

She wore no makeup, and the fine wrinkles around her eyes were clearly visible under the light. It was obvious that she hadn't bothered to dress up after hearing the news and had been waiting for his message.

"What exactly happened? People outside are saying all sorts of things. Some say Zhao Gao rebelled, some say Hu Hai got involved, and some even say your father..."

As she spoke, something seemed to choke her, and her lips trembled before she could continue, "Your father was taken hostage, and he almost... he almost..."

"Mother concubine."

Ying Xuan grasped her hand in return, his voice low and steady, "It's alright, everything's alright."

He helped his mother sit down on the soft couch in the palace, and then patiently explained the whole story in a simple way.

Of course, he omitted the overly thrilling details, only saying that Zhao Gao and Hu Hai were conspiring against him, and that he had received advance notice and joined forces with his father to wipe them all out.

As for his father's health, he only mentioned it briefly, saying, "He's much better after taking the medicine."

As the mother listened, the tense lines on her face gradually relaxed. After Ying Xuan finished speaking the last sentence, she let out a long breath and finally released the hand that had been gripping his arm.

But as soon as she exhaled, the expression on her face changed immediately.

"and many more."

Her eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had been ignited by something. "You said the rebellion has been quelled? Your father is alright? You've done a great service?"

Ying Xuan nodded.

"Did your father say anything about... establishing a crown prince?"

Ying Xuan paused slightly, then nodded.

The mother stood up abruptly, her face beaming with joy, her smile almost reaching her ears.

She paced back and forth in the hall twice, muttering things like "Great!", "Finally!", and "I knew my son was going to amount to something." Her jubilant appearance was a stark contrast to the panicked woman she had been moments before.

But soon, she stopped walking.

She turned around abruptly, staring intently at Ying Xuan with a fervent look that sent chills down Ying Xuan's spine.

"Now that the matter of the Crown Prince has been settled, the matter of the Crown Princess should also be put on the agenda as soon as possible."

As she spoke, she counted on her fingers, "There are quite a few suitable legitimate daughters from the noble families of the Great Qin. Among the military generals, Wang Ben's family has several nieces, and among the civil officials, Feng Quji's family also has several young ladies of marriageable age, as well as Li Si's daughter..."

Ying Xuan opened his mouth, but before he could speak, his mother grabbed his hand and began to speak faster and faster.

"This matter cannot be taken lightly. We must carefully select and examine all the daughters from each family. Their appearance goes without saying; it must be top-notch. Their academic abilities must also be tested; they must excel in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose. Most importantly, their character must be impeccable. They must be gentle and graceful, not too delicate, nor too weak..."

"Mother concubine."

Ying Xuan tried to interrupt her.

But his mother ignored him completely and continued talking on her own.

"...And you also have the skills to manage the household. This is such a large Eastern Palace, and there will be a harem in the future. How can it function if you can't even keep track of the accounts? When I entered the palace, your grandmother taught me that the affairs of the harem are incredibly complex, and without some real skills, it's impossible—"

"Mother concubine!"

His mother was brought back to her senses by his shout and glared at him with displeasure.

"What are you yelling about? Let me tell you, this is a matter of utmost importance. The Crown Princess will be the Empress in the future, a woman who will rule the world. You absolutely cannot just pick anyone to settle for. If you marry the wrong person, not only will you suffer, but the entire Qin Dynasty will lose face."

Ying Xuan felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew his mother's temperament; once she took something to heart, her enthusiasm could last for days. Judging from the current situation, she wouldn't give up until she had thoroughly investigated every eligible noblewoman in Xianyang.

If he doesn't give an explanation tonight, he might not even be able to leave this palace.

He glanced to the side instinctively.

The healer stood quietly in the corner, her hands folded in front of her, her eyes lowered, appearing indifferent. She hadn't uttered a single word since entering, simply following silently behind Ying Xuan, like an orchid that neither competed nor vied.

Ying Xuan's gaze fell on her, and a flash of inspiration struck him.

"Mother concubine."

He suddenly spoke, his tone deliberately solemn, "Actually, I already have a woman by my side who is skilled in medicine. She has been a great help to me lately. If you have any concerns, why don't you talk to her first?"

After saying that, he took a step back without making a sound, exposing the Immortal Physician to his mother's view.

The healer was clearly not expected to do such a thing. His clear eyes widened suddenly, his lips parted slightly, and a thin blush quickly rose on his face.

She instinctively tried to shrink back, but her mother's gaze was like two sharp arrows, pinning her firmly to the spot.

"This young lady is..."

The Empress Dowager scrutinized the Physician from head to toe, her eyes filled with a critical gaze. From the tips of her hair to the tips of her shoes, from her clothing to her every gesture, she scrutinized every detail. The Physician felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze and quickly curtsied, his voice barely audible.

"This humble woman greets Your Majesty."

"She is quite pretty."

The Empress nodded, then slowly strolled around the Physician, like a seasoned matchmaker inspecting merchandise. "Her figure is alright, just a bit thin. How old is the young lady this year? What does your family do? How did you meet Xuan'er?"

A barrage of questions rained down on him, making the healer's face turn so red it was almost bleeding.

She stammered as she answered, "My parents have long since passed away," "I have been learning medicine from my master since childhood," and "I met you by chance on the way." With each sentence, her voice grew softer until it was almost inaudible.

Seeing the physician's helpless expression, Ying Xuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. With the physician in front of him, his mother's attention was finally diverted from him.

He quietly took a step toward the palace gate.

They moved another step.

The mother was holding the physician's hand, asking him all sorts of questions, completely unaware of his actions.

third step.

Ying Xuan had already retreated to the palace entrance. He squeezed through the crack in the door, his robe flashing, and he disappeared silently into the night outside.

Once outside the palace gates, he continued walking briskly through the corridors until the incessant chatter behind him could no longer be heard, at which point he slowed down.

A night breeze brushed his face, carrying the chill unique to late autumn. He raised his hand to straighten his sleeves, which had been ruffled by the wind, and the calm and composed expression returned to his face.

However, as soon as he turned a corner, he caught a very subtle change in expression out of the corner of his eye.

Zhang Han stood at the corner of the corridor with his hands hanging down, his shoulders trembling slightly, and his lips tightly pursed, clearly trying his best to suppress something.

But his eyes were clearly full of laughter, a kind of laughter that was not the serious and rigid one he usually wore in the army, but rather one that carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Ying Xuan stopped.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping coldly over Zhang Han's face, before he spoke.

"Zhang Han".

Zhang Han was startled and immediately straightened his back.

"Your subordinate is here."

"Are you enjoying watching it?"

Zhang Han's smile froze instantly. He knelt down on one knee with a thud, his head bowed low, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"This humble general dares not."

Ying Xuan snorted, walked up to Zhang Han, and looked down at him for a moment. Zhang Han knelt on the ground, not daring to move, and deliberately suppressed his breathing, for fear of provoking trouble again.

However, Ying Xuan didn't really pursue the matter. He withdrew his gaze, flipped his right hand, and a pill the size of a longan appeared between his fingers. The pill was entirely reddish-gold, with a faint luster flowing across its surface, and a rich medicinal fragrance instantly spread out.

He casually tossed the pill at Zhang Han.

"then."

Zhang Han instinctively reached out and caught it, then looked down and froze.

"This...this is..."

"The Great Rejuvenating Elixir".

Ying Xuan's tone was as calm as if he were talking about an ordinary candy, "After consuming it, you will gain fifty years of internal energy."

Zhang Han's hand trembled violently, and he almost dropped the pill on the ground.

Fifty years of experience.

These four words exploded in his mind like a thunderbolt. He was now at the mid-stage of the Grandmaster realm, a position he had held for several years.

Having reached his level in martial arts cultivation, every step forward is incredibly difficult, and some people spend their entire lives without ever breaking through that bottleneck. He estimated that even if everything went smoothly, he would need to cultivate diligently for at least several more decades to reach the threshold of the Grandmaster's peak.

But now this small pill can save him from decades of arduous cultivation.

"Son..."

His voice was somewhat hoarse, "This elixir is so precious, this humble general—"

"You've fought alongside me all the way through the martial world, and you've contributed a lot in the Northern Frontier as well."

Ying Xuan interrupted him, his tone indifferent and matter-of-fact, "Loyal people naturally deserve rewards, and hardworking people naturally deserve compensation. Take what's yours, and stop talking nonsense."

Zhang Han took a deep breath and suppressed his surging emotions.

He didn't say anything more about his gratitude, because he knew Ying Xuan didn't like empty words. He carefully held the pill in his palm, then sat cross-legged on the ground, tilted his head back, and put the pill into his mouth.

The medicine takes effect very quickly.

Almost the instant the pill slid down his throat, a massive surge of life energy exploded within his body. That energy was scorching and boundless, like a flame igniting in his dantian, then spreading wildly along his meridians to his limbs and bones.

The drug's effects caused his blood to surge rapidly, and the veins under his skin bulged, the sound of his blood flowing clearly audible in the still night.

Zhang Han dared not delay and quickly activated his cultivation technique, guiding the massive amount of primordial energy to circulate through his meridians. This force stirred the energy of heaven and earth, forming a visible vortex around him.

The strong wind swept up the fallen leaves on the ground, blowing away all the dust within three feet of him.

The rock-solid barrier within his body became as fragile as a thin sheet of paper under the impact of this powerful medicinal force.

The first wave of impact caused cracks to appear in the barrier.

The second impact caused the cracks to spread rapidly.

The third wave of impact shattered the barrier.

Zhang Han's aura surged dramatically at that moment, breaking through from the mid-stage of the Grandmaster realm all the way to the late stage, and that momentum showed no signs of weakening, continuing to climb upwards. His vital energy surged and roared through his meridians, like an unstoppable flood bursting its banks.

He gritted his teeth, desperately trying to calm himself, and gradually brought the surging power under his control.

After an unknown amount of time, the violent medicinal power finally subsided and flowed into his dantian, merging with his original internal energy.

Zhang Han slowly opened his eyes.

He looked down at his hands; they were still rough, still covered in calluses, but he could clearly feel that the power contained within this body was completely different. (End of Chapter)