I started on a deserted island and encountered Ying Zheng, who insisted I was an immortal.

The thick, white mutton soup bubbled and boiled in the pot, steam rising from it.

The three people who had just been complaining about being stuffed started growling again as soon as they smelled this aroma.

Wang Ben readily brought over several ceramic plates.

One plate contained lamb rolls sliced ​​as thin as cicada wings and neatly arranged.

The other dishes consisted of sliced ​​potatoes, tender sweet potato leaves, fresh matsutake mushrooms picked from the back mountain, and soaked black fungus.

The plate on the far side contained some dark, finely shredded stuff.

They recognized potatoes and sweet potato leaves, and had seen similar matsutake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms before, but this plate of black shreds was something the three of them had never heard of before.

"Sir, what is this?" Ying Zheng asked, pointing to the plate of black silk.

"Seaweed," Zhang Ying said succinctly.

Wang Ben leaned closer for a look and blurted out, "Isn't this just seaweed used to feed pigs? You can eat this?"

Zhang Ying's eye twitched, and she decided not to argue with this simpleton.

He said casually, "It tastes good whether it's served cold, in soup, or stir-fried."

"Moreover, this substance is also a good medicine. It can soften and disperse lumps, reduce swelling and promote diuresis. It has a remarkable effect on treating goiter."

Meng Yi was taken aback, then pointed to the plate of matsutake mushrooms, somewhat worried: "Sir, these resemble poisonous mushrooms. Is it...safe to eat them?"

Zhang Ying was too lazy to explain further and replied irritably, "Eat it or don't, it's up to you."

He poured himself a glass of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), picked up a piece of mutton that had been treated with egg white with his chopsticks, and swished it around in the boiling broth a few times.

After about eight seconds, the meat slices changed color, and he immediately scooped them out and put them in his mouth.

"Hiss...that feels so good!"

The tender lamb, infused with rich broth, melts in your mouth; paired with a sip of spicy liquor, it's simply heavenly.

Although the three members of the Qin group all knew how to use chopsticks, or "zhu" as they called them, they still looked at each other somewhat bewildered by this way of eating hot pot meat.

Seeing their naive and unsophisticated expressions, Zhang Ying reminded them, "The mutton should be sliced ​​thinly. Just dip it in the pot a few times, and take it out as soon as it changes color. If you cook it for too long, it will become tough and won't taste good."

The three nodded quickly, indicating that they had made a mental note of it.

Following Zhang Ying's example, Ying Zheng picked up a piece of mutton and carefully dipped it in the soup.

Upon entering the mouth, he froze completely.

The tenderness of the mutton was brought out to its fullest potential, with almost no gamey smell and only a faint milky aroma.

"Great! This hot pot with mutton is delicious!"

Zhang Ying picked up a few more strips of kelp and threw them into the pot, saying to Ying Zheng, "Old Ying, judging from your physique, you sit a lot and move around a lot. You should eat more kelp and other vegetables; they're good for your health."

Ying Zheng was also aware that after unifying the six kingdoms, he was busy with countless affairs of state, his body became increasingly bloated, and his physical strength was not as good as before.

He gritted his teeth, picked up a piece of cooked kelp strips with his chopsticks, and took a bite.

The refreshing and crisp texture, with a hint of sea saltiness, caught his eye.

"Snapped!"

He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Delicious! Absolutely wonderful! You should all try it!"

Seeing this, Meng Yi and Wang Ben also started eating.

"What a waste! Absolutely a waste!" Meng Yi pounded the stone table in anguish after finishing his meal. "Such delicious food, and someone actually used it to feed pigs! Such behavior should be severely punished!"

Wang Ben, who was listening nearby, felt a chill run down his spine, shrank his neck, and dared not utter a sound.

Zhang Ying added, "There's plenty of this stuff in the sea. Experienced fishermen can easily catch several thousand kilograms a day. And once dried, it can be stored for more than half a year. Just soak it in hot water when you want to eat it."

The three were even more shocked after hearing this.

Doesn't this mean that the Qin Dynasty has gained another inexhaustible source of food?

Inside the cave, the steam from the hot pot filled the air.

The atmosphere was just right.

Ying Zheng suddenly put down his chopsticks, looked at Zhang Ying, and spoke in a low voice.

"Young sir, I have two questions I would like to ask you."

Zhang Ying was holding a potato slice when she heard this and paused, wondering to herself.

Old Ying is getting into character again.

Ying Zheng ignored his expression and continued speaking to himself.

"Firstly, you mentioned the future of the Qin Dynasty last time. How much do you actually know about it?"

"Secondly, in your opinion, how should the surrendered soldiers and convicts from the six states be dealt with?"

Zhang Ying poured herself a glass of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) and drank it all in one gulp.

The alcohol kicked in, and he felt warm all over.

All the pent-up frustration from these past few days finally surfaced thanks to the alcohol.

Acting, right?

Okay, I'll play along with you.

"When the Qin Dynasty unified the six kingdoms, the number of captured soldiers and convicts exceeded one million."

Zhang Ying picked up a piece of mutton and dipped it in the boiling broth.

"Building the Epang Palace, constructing the Lishan Imperial Mausoleum, repairing the imperial highways, and constructing the Great Wall to fight the Xiongnu in the north—each of these required the efforts of hundreds of thousands, even millions of people."

Meng Yi straightened up, quickly spread out the linen paper, picked up the willow twig pen, and prepared to take notes.

Ying Zheng remained silent.

He picked up his wine glass and, imitating Zhang Ying, downed it in one gulp.

The spicy liquor slid down my throat, and my chest felt a burning sensation.

These matters were state secrets of the Qin Dynasty, and only he and a few trusted ministers knew the details.

This young man, who had been stranded on a deserted island for three years, spoke with perfect clarity and without a single error.

The disciples of the immortals are indeed able to see through the secrets of heaven.

Zhang Ying actually admired this emperor who was considered one of the greatest emperors in history.

He ended centuries of war, standardized cart tracks and written language, and laid the foundation for a unified China, an achievement surpassing even that of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

However, he also had many flaws: he was ambitious, oppressive to the people, sought immortality and Taoist teachings, and made a series of foolish decisions in his later years.

However, compared to the emperors of later generations who readily slaughtered their meritorious officials, this emperor at least did not harm the brothers who fought alongside him to conquer the world, which shows he had some principles.

"Of the more than 20 million households in the Qin Dynasty, how many actually cultivate the land?"

Zhang Ying stuffed the cooked mutton into her mouth and asked indistinctly.

"Who feeds these nearly three million soldiers, laborers, and surrendered soldiers who do not engage in productive labor? Who feeds them?

"In the end, doesn't it all fall on the shoulders of those farmers who toil in the fields, barely able to feed themselves?"

He tapped the stone table with his chopsticks.

"The bridge foundation is about to collapse. No matter how magnificent the bridge is, it will eventually collapse one day."

Ying Zheng's brows furrowed into a knot.

"What you say, sir, is something I am well aware of."

"But those million surrendered soldiers are mostly young and strong men from the six kingdoms. If they are released back to their hometowns, they may become a source of trouble. If they are not released, the grain and fodder will be wasted like water."

Wang Ben chimed in from the side, "Yeah, these guys are the most troublesome. You can't control them, and you can't kill them either."

"Divide and conquer."

Zhang Ying uttered four words.

"Those with families, investigate their backgrounds and let them go back."

Ying Zheng was taken aback: "Aren't you afraid they'll cause trouble?"

Zhang Ying scoffed.

"Old Ying, in the laws of Qin, if one person commits a crime, the whole neighborhood will be implicated. When they go home, they have wives and children, a warm bed, and their neighbors are watching them. Who would dare to make a move? Unless they want their whole family, along with the neighbors on both sides, to die with them."

"If the Qin Dynasty could annex the lands of the six states, why couldn't it annex the people of those six states?"

"Wouldn't it be better to let them go home, farm, pay taxes, and transform them from a source of chaos into the cornerstone of the nation?"

"The people of the six states are also the people of Qin."