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

These fruits are cherry tomatoes, also known as small tomatoes, that he grew on the island.

Small in size, sweet and sour, it's an excellent way to beat the summer heat when chilled.

That ice, of course, was made by pounding saltpeter.

A cool, sweet and sour aroma, mixed with the sea breeze, instantly filled the deck.

He looked up and saw a girl's figure flash past behind the mast, seemingly trying to avoid him.

She is Wang Ruoshu, the daughter of Wang Ben.

"Feed," Zhang Ying called out.

Wang Ruoshu stiffened, slowly moved out from behind the mast, lowered her head, and dared not look at him.

"Come here." Zhang Ying beckoned.

Wang Ruoshu shuffled over, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands.

Zhang Ying used a sharpened wooden skewer to pick up a small tomato covered in honey and ice crystals, and handed it to her.

"Try it, this is a new snack."

Wang Ruoshu hesitated for a moment, then opened her small mouth and took a small bite.

The icy juice bursts in your mouth, a sweet and sour flavor with an indescribable delicate fragrance.

She was completely stunned.

What kind of magical fruit is this?

"Is it delicious?" Zhang Ying asked with a smile.

Wang Ruoshu's face turned red, and she nodded vigorously, making muffled "hmm" sounds.

"What other ingenious ideas does the gentleman have?"

Ying Zheng's voice came from behind. He had appeared behind Zhang Ying at some point, holding the sleeping little white wolf in his arms.

Without waiting for Zhang Ying's reply, he reached into the basin, picked up one, and popped it into his mouth.

"Well……"

Ying Zheng paused for a moment.

This sweet and sour flavor is appetizing and refreshing, making it an unparalleled treat in the sweltering summer.

"Good stuff!" he exclaimed.

Meng Yi and his guards around him were on tenterhooks.

His Majesty actually... actually ate this fruit of unknown origin without even tasting it.

This level of trust is simply appalling.

"Hey, what's this good stuff? Let me try some too!"

Wang Ben's loud voice rang out, and his large, fan-like hand reached directly towards the ceramic basin.

"Snapped!"

Zhang Ying lightly flicked the back of his hand with a wooden stick.

"Go wash your hands," Zhang Ying said expressionlessly.

Wang Ben was stunned. He looked at his own dark, grimy hands, then at Zhang Ying, and his old face turned a deep purplish-red.

"I...I just touched the anchor..."

"Pfft."

Wang Ruoshu, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but laugh.

The atmosphere on the deck instantly became much more relaxed.

Wang Ben had embarrassed himself in front of his daughter. He scratched his head in embarrassment and slunk away to fetch water to wash his hands.

Zhang Ying held the ceramic basin, ignoring the few big shots who were eagerly waiting.

His gaze fell on the soldiers who were being exposed to the scorching sun.

"Old Ying, let the brothers try this too."

He pointed to the Xuanwu Guards standing guard.

"Sailing in the sweltering heat can easily lead to dehydration. Eating this can replenish fluids and also refresh you."

Ying Zheng glanced at the soldiers who looked exhausted and slowly nodded.

"Can."

Zhang Ying added, "And send some of the laborers and convicts down to the cabin as well."

"If they fall ill or die from heatstroke, who will transport the supplies when they arrive in Nanyang County?"

In the corner, Li Si, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them.

He stood up, walked to the front of the crowd, and bowed deeply to Ying Zheng.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Li Si's voice was dry and sharp.

"These auspicious celestial objects are a gift from Heaven to Your Majesty, how precious they are! The soldiers in the army, who protect their homes and country, are consuming them, it is Your Majesty's grace."

He abruptly changed the subject, his voice turning icy.

"But what lowly are those laborers and convicts? Half of them are remnants of the six former states, harboring treacherous intentions!"

"To have enough millet to eat and to survive in this world is already an act of boundless grace from His Majesty. How could we, how could we be worthy of enjoying such auspicious omens!"

His words were like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's heads.

Those soldiers who had initially looked expectant all silently lowered their heads.

Yes, they are soldiers, His Majesty's personal guards. But those people are prisoners, slaves of a conquered nation.

The two are worlds apart.

Zhang Ying looked at Li Si and smiled.

"You must be Lord Li Si?"

He slowly walked up to Li Si.

"I have a question for you."

"Are they even human?"

Li Si frowned deeply: "He is a man, but not a good man of my Great Qin!"

"Oh?" Zhang Ying raised an eyebrow. "So you mean, even if His Majesty conquers the six kingdoms and unifies the world, in the end, there will still be people from Zhao, Chu, and Yan in this world?"

Li Si's expression changed.

Zhang Ying's voice suddenly rose, each word like a knife.

"Your Majesty, what is the purpose of standardizing cart axles, unifying the written language, and standardizing weights and measures?"

"It's all for this world, and it has only one name: Great Qin!"

"It's all for the sake of all the people under heaven, who have only one identity: citizens of the Great Qin!"

"In your eyes, Li Si, they are remnants of the six states, lowly convicts. But in my eyes, since they live on this land, they are subjects of Qin!"

"Are you really this harsh on the people of Qin?"

"Or are you saying, Li Si, that you don't even care about His Majesty's achievement of unifying the world?"

"You!" Li Si trembled violently, pointed at Zhang Ying, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

To destroy their spirit!

This is a blatant attack on the heart!

He was actually outmaneuvered and killed by a man who had implemented the very national policies he had dedicated his life to promoting!

The entire deck was deathly silent, save for the howling sea wind.

Wang Ben had just returned after washing his hands when he was so frightened by the scene that he dared not move.

The bamboo slip in Meng Yi's hand had slipped to the ground at some point.

Ying Zheng held the little white wolf in his arms without saying a word, and no one could see his expression behind his crown.

Zhang Ying stopped looking at Li Si, whose face was ashen.

He picked up the bowl of chilled tomatoes and shouted at the nearest Xuanwu Guard squad leader.

"You, come here."

The squad leader hesitated, glancing at Ying Zheng and then at Li Si.

"What are you standing there for? This is my stuff. I can give it to whomever I want."

Zhang Ying simply shoved a tomato into his hand.

The squad leader held the red fruit in his hand as if it were a red-hot iron, caught in a dilemma.

Ying Zheng's face beneath his crown revealed no emotion.

But the temperature of the air around him suddenly dropped.

Under the whole world, could it be the king's land.

Within the borders of the land, all are subjects of the king.

For many years, no one has dared to say "my things" in front of him.

"Sir, you are kind-hearted, but you are just outspoken and have no other intentions."

Meng Yi stepped forward, standing between Zhang Ying and Ying Zheng, and bowed deeply to Ying Zheng.

His back was soaked with cold sweat.

"Your Majesty, the gentleman is kind-hearted and cannot bear to see his soldiers suffer; this is the heart of a benevolent person."

Li Si also realized what was happening, but instead of backing down, he took another step forward.

"Your Majesty, the Minister is mistaken!"

"It is not that I am stingy with this item, but rather that it is of paramount importance!"

"The ships are home to tens of thousands of soldiers, laborers, and convicts. This bowl of fruit is a drop in the ocean; how can it be distributed?"

"If the spoils are not distributed evenly, it will only breed resentment and undermine morale!"

"Moreover, each of these divine fruits could potentially become a new auspicious plant. If we were to consume them all, wouldn't we be severing the roots and causing the species to become extinct? This would be an act of utter waste!"

Li Si's words were well-reasoned, well-supported, and watertight.

It not only points out the difficulties in practical operation, but also elevates the issue to the level of preserving the auspicious foundation of the Qin Dynasty.

Wang Ben, listening from the side, also felt that what that old fox Li Si said was right.

Zhang Ying laughed, a laugh like a fox stealing a chicken.

"Li Xiang, have you never eaten a tomato before?"

Li Si was taken aback.

"The seeds are all inside the pulp of this thing."

Zhang Ying picked up one, broke it open, and revealed the dense clusters of tiny yellow seeds inside.

"After you finish eating, just take out the seeds, wash them clean, let them dry, and then you can plant them, right?"

He then pointed to the scorching sun in the sky.

"Also, this thing is very delicate. In this humid and hot environment, it will rot in less than three days."

"Instead of letting it rot in the pot, let the brothers have a taste and get some moisture. It's a good way to make the most of it."

Zhang Ying looked at Ying Zheng: "Old Ying, don't you think that makes sense?"