The Great Qin Dynasty: The egg of the Black Bird was revered as a national guardian beast.

the next day.

The First Emperor's royal entourage was about to leave Xianyang.

The Imperial Carriage Office has prepared all the carriages and horses, including those for the princes and princesses, as well as some ministers.

but,

All the officials and princes and princesses had boarded the carriage, but the First Emperor was nowhere to be seen.

Why is this?

But there wasn't time to think about it carefully.

They did not receive the First Emperor's presence or orders.

However, an envoy arrived before Zhao Gao with an imperial edict from the First Emperor, and said...

"His Majesty issued an oral decree instructing the Imperial Carriage Office to prepare another carriage for the Black Bird of Heaven to ride."

Soon, they received the First Emperor's order and dared not delay.

Zhao Gao immediately found a carriage, removed the roof, and placed only a bronze tree on it.

Soon, the First Emperor appeared.

A long cry rang out, and the minister who had previously boarded the carriage stepped down, stood on the ground, and looked up.

The princes and princesses also lifted the curtains on the carriage.

He stuck his head out and looked in the direction the sound was coming from.

At that time, only a black dot could be seen, but as time went by, that black dot grew bigger and bigger.

Finally, the figure gradually became clearer.

Although its entire body is covered in black feathers, it shimmers and glows under the sunlight.

Its wings blot out the sun.

It fluttered slightly and finally landed on the bronze tree.

Amid a gasp of surprise, the First Emperor calmly ascended his royal carriage and waved his hand.

"Let's go!"

At the order, the massive convoy set off, and the First Emperor, accompanied by numerous entourage, left Xianyang.

The procession was enormous, with carriages and horses following one after another.

Banners fluttered, and spears and halberds stood like a forest.

This setup doesn't resemble a simple trip; rather, it's like an expedition to punish injustice!

The First Emperor lifted the curtain and hung it up.

Looking at the subjects seeing him off outside the carriage, and looking at Xianyang, the First Emperor felt somewhat desolate and lonely.

He vaguely remembered his first time visiting Xianyang.

At that time, the master of Xianyang was still his father, King Zhuangxiang of Qin, Ying Yiren.

I myself am only nine years old.

Since birth, he had never left Handan, and had always lived as a hostage, suffering endless humiliation and abuse.

If it weren't for my mother...

He feared that he had already been killed by the Zhao people to vent their anger.

But after arriving in Qin, his first impression of Xianyang remained the coldness of the bricks in front of the Xianyang Palace.

It's so cold, much colder than winter.

Although he is now the First Emperor, the supreme ruler of the world, he can never forget, or rather, dare not forget.

Even if he were to return to Qin, it wouldn't be so easy for him to acknowledge his ancestors and become Prince Zheng of Qin instead of Zhao Zheng!

Empress Dowager Xia did not recognize him and hoped that Cheng Qiao would succeed to the throne.

Empress Dowager Huayang did not recognize him because his mother was not from Chu. If he succeeded to the throne, how could the power of the Chu foreign relatives continue?

But he wasn't afraid!

No matter how difficult it is, can it be as difficult as when I was in Handan?

He knelt before the Xianyang Palace for a day and a night, hoping to be recognized as a member of his clan.

Fortunately, it was finally recognized.

He was incorporated into the royal family, transforming from an illegitimate child into the rightful eldest son of the King of Qin.

But what awaited him next was...

But the struggle for the crown prince is far more perilous!

In the end, he won and became the crown prince, while Cheng Qiao failed and became a traitor.

"Jade that is not carved cannot become a useful object!"

"Compared to the suffering I endured back then, is it because Fusu has lived too comfortably and has never experienced hardship?"

The First Emperor pondered quietly.

He then used his hand to remove the bead pendant, and looked at what was in front of him.

In front of his royal carriage was the chariot of the Heavenly Mandate Black Bird, followed by a Black Bird Guard to protect him on both sides.

Following behind his royal carriage were the princes.

As the eldest son, Fusu's carriage was very similar to that of the First Emperor, sitting not far behind him.

The First Emperor closed his eyes and exhaled.

"Fusu."

........

Ganquan Mountain

It is located north of Yunyang County.

It gets its name from the clear spring in the mountain, and even in the height of summer, June, the climate remains cool.

Therefore, the First Emperor built a detached palace here.

Every year, unless there were major events, the First Emperor would travel from Xianyang to Ganquan and return to Xianyang at the end of September.

Soon, the First Emperor's massive entourage entered the Lin Guang Palace in a grand procession.

The carriages and horses came to a stop.

The First Emperor stepped down from the carriage.

He looked around, then waved his hand, and the physician in charge of guarding him ordered the soldiers to scatter and take up positions in various places.

Others went on patrols to various places.

To prevent thieves from hiding there and attempting to assassinate the king.

"Father."

At this moment, the princes and princesses dismounted one after another, walked up to the First Emperor, and bowed.

The person in the lead was none other than Prince Fusu!

The First Emperor had many children.

Apart from his first few children, whom the First Emperor paid attention to, he did not pay much attention to the rest.

Since Hu Hai's birth, the First Emperor rarely visited the harem or even set foot in it.

It would be even more difficult to see them.

Now, as she grows up and establishes her own residence outside the capital, the other princes and princesses only appear at banquets hosted by the First Emperor.

Perhaps, that's the only way we'll be able to meet.

Before I knew it, I had grown up so much.

Looking at them, the First Emperor sighed inwardly, "Time flies so fast."

The First Emperor raised his hand and waved it outwards.

"Okay, go down."

But then, the First Emperor seemed to add, "You shall all accompany me on this winter hunt."

"Those who achieve outstanding results will be rewarded by me."

"Yes, Father Emperor," the princes replied, and then left quickly in groups.

Except for Fusu, they were all afraid of their father, the emperor.

The First Emperor stood with his eyes closed for a long time.

Then the accompanying ministers dismounted from their carriages, approached the First Emperor, and bowed.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects."

The First Emperor opened his eyes, and after a long while, he slowly raised his hand, indicating that he should dispense with the formalities.

This time, I went to Linguang Palace to escape the summer heat.

He was accompanied by only three people: Li Si, the Left Chancellor; Meng Yi, the Senior Minister; and Feng Jie, the Imperial Censor.

.........

On the other side, aboard the carriage.

The princes and princesses who had originally left now gathered around a carriage, pointing and whispering.

"Is this the Celestial Bird of Destiny?"

"Wow, these feathers are so beautiful! Can I pluck one to use as decoration?"

"No." A gentle voice came from behind him. Prince Fusu stepped forward, looked at a princess, and said solemnly.

"How dare Ying Yinman disrespect the Heavenly Mandate Black Bird?"

Although he said this in a stern tone, Prince Fusu breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

Fortunately, if we had arrived a moment later...

Wouldn't we be watching the tragedy of Hu Hai repeat itself?

"Brother." Ying Yinman lowered her head and called out. This was the first time she had been reprimanded by Fusu.

Her eyes were slightly red, then she squatted down and buried her head in her arms.

"This...this..."

Fusu was stunned for a moment, standing there at a loss. His voice was a bit loud, but it shouldn't be that loud.

The other young masters looked at each other.

In the end, the other princesses stepped forward, knelt down beside her, and comforted her.

But in the next moment, suddenly, the surroundings became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Then I heard the footsteps of my sisters walking around me.

Puzzled, Ying Yinman slowly raised her head and saw a handsome bird.

He just stood there in front of him, looking at her.

Between its long, slender, and sharp beak, it held a feather, which shimmered in the sunlight.