Chapter 46: The Lifespan of the Dynasty

"The sad part is..." Jiang Ye's voice suddenly dropped, "When the West began its Industrial Revolution, the emperors of the Qing Dynasty were still dreaming of their Heavenly Empire. By the time the gunboats of the foreign powers shattered the nation's gates, all they knew how to do was cede territory and pay indemnities. Hong Kong, Ryukyu, the Liaodong Peninsula... ancestral lands, piece by piece, handed over on a silver platter!"

The candles within the grand hall flickered violently, casting a cold, stern glow across Ying Zheng's face.

"I can understand why you could remain objective about the dynasties of the past, but the Qing..." He let out a cold snort. "Such a barbarian regime truly deserves every condemnation!"

Indeed.
The crimes of the Qing Dynasty were countless!
Which descendant of China did not harbor hatred? And those who did not were surely wolves in human skin, ungrateful wretches!

"Jiang Ye, tell me, if my Great Qin could endure for a millennium, could it avert such catastrophes?"

Jiang Ye was silent for a moment before speaking softly, "Your Majesty, history has no ifs. But I believe that with Your Majesty's brilliance, you will certainly carve out a different path for China."

Hearing this, the corners of Ying Zheng's mouth curled up slightly.
At this moment, he was no longer merely the emperor who had swept across the six states, but rather a patriarch planning for generations of descendants to come.

"What of the lifespans of the various dynasties?"

Hearing this question, Jiang Ye suddenly felt reluctant to answer.
He had said so much precisely to avoid this very topic, hoping not to deal a blow to Brother Zheng. Yet, in the end... he still failed to escape Brother Zheng's persistent inquiry.

"The length of a dynasty's rule is meaningless," Jiang Ye glossed over evasively.

How could Ying Zheng fail to see through his little trick? "I am not a man of such narrow measure. Just speak."

Since the conversation had reached this point, Jiang Ye had no choice but to honestly give a rough estimate of how long each dynasty had existed.

After he finished, Ying Zheng slowly spoke, "So, you mean to say that my Great Qin was, conversely, the shortest-lived dynasty?"

Jiang Ye comforted him, "That may be so, but as I said before, our Great Qin laid the institutional foundation for China's two millennia. Standardizing the script, unifying the gauge of carts, and standardizing weights and measures—these achievements are unmatched by any later sovereign."

The corners of Ying Zheng's lips curved upward. An interesting little fellow.
Though it sounded like flattery, he could sense that the other party spoke those words with genuine sincerity.

He stood up, walked over to the massive map of the Seven States, and gazed at it for a long time. "Jiang Ye, in your view, what is most crucial for eternity?"

Jiang Ye pondered for a moment. "The people are the foundation of the state. Those who win the hearts of the people win the realm; those who lose the hearts of the people lose the realm. Qin perished by harsh laws and severe punishments, Han perished by relatives of the empress and eunuchs, Tang perished by the separatist regimes of regional commanders... Ultimately, it all comes down to losing the hearts of the people. When the common folk are left with no path to survival, they are forced to rebel in order to live."

Ying Zheng's finger traced slowly across the map, finally stopping at the location of Xianyang. "I understand."

The scorching sun outside the hall shone through the lattice windows, casting a very long shadow of Ying Zheng.

He suddenly turned around, an unusual gleam flashing in his eyes, "Jiang Ye, what do you hope I will change?"

Jiang Ye replied frankly, "I merely state historical facts. How Great Qin proceeds rests entirely upon Your Majesty's sage judgment."

Ying Zheng suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the hall. "Good! An excellent 'statement of historical facts'! If, starting today, I reduce corvee labor and taxes, revise the Qin Code, and establish a 'Public Sentiment Office' to report directly on the sufferings of the common people, what do you think?"

"It rests entirely upon Your Majesty's sage judgment."

He, Jiang Ye, was not a talent for governing the world; he would not blindly issue wild commands or offer reckless suggestions.

Jiang Ye stepped up to the unfurled map, slowly retrieved an item from his robe, unfolded it, and laid it directly over the original map.

Ying Zheng walked forward with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the brightly colored map, his eyes narrowing slightly. "This is?"

"A world map!"

Hearing this, Ying Zheng suddenly laughed out loud.

The gaze he cast upon Jiang Ye grew increasingly gentle. "In the future, I must trouble Jiang Ye to accompany me and see what kind of new path this world can walk!"

"Agreed!" Jiang Ye consented.

At this moment, two men separated by a millennium shared an indescribable bond and promise.

Outside the hall, the warm early summer sun gilded the pillars of the Xianyang Palace corridors with a layer of gold.

Qiao Wenbai and three others huddled in a corner, their heads almost touching.

"What do you suppose Director Jiang is talking about alone with the First Emperor?" Wu Jie's eyes darted from time to time toward the tightly closed hall doors.

Geng Cang shrugged. "No way to guess! But I can sense it must be a major matter, otherwise they wouldn't have blocked everyone else out."

"I suspect..." Qiao Wenbai paused, darting a quick look around before deliberately lowering his voice, "They're talking about *that*."

"What?" Feng Yiming hadn't quite caught on.

Geng Cang and Wu Jie, however, understood immediately and looked toward Zhao Gao and Li Si.

Seeing the three of them grasp the meaning, Feng Yiming grew somewhat anxious. "Well, speak plainly then."

Wu Jie rolled his eyes and brought his mouth close to the other's ear. "The history of the Qin Dynasty's fall."

Feng Yiming suddenly understood.

On the other side, Zhang Huaiming and the other five stood seemingly calm by the corridor, but in reality, they were also conversing in low tones.

The content of their discussion was much the same as Qiao Wenbai's, except that the six of them were wise men who didn't need it spelled out; they had roughly guessed it.

"What do you think the First Emperor will do after little Ye finishes telling him?" Zhou Xingfu asked.

Zhang Huaiming shook his head. "I am not a statesman, so I cannot judge. But the one thing I am certain of is that he will inevitably embark upon a completely new path."

"I am quite looking forward to seeing what kind of path the Qin Dynasty will forge," Lin Ru said with a smile.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the corridor pillars, the figures forming the true center of power in the Qin Dynasty stood in silent anticipation.

Li Si stood stroking his beard, his gaze deep and profound; Feng Jie stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the sky as if letting his mind drift; Meng Yi stood as straight as a javelin, his expression solemn. Though the three appeared calm, their tightly clenched jawlines betrayed their inner turmoil.

They were far more curious than Qiao Wenbai and the others about what Jiang Ye might have said.

In truth, they had already guessed a portion of it, and it was precisely because they had guessed that they felt all the more curious and apprehensive.

A breeze swept past, causing the bronze bells under the eaves to jingle softly.

Suddenly, a hearty laugh from Ying Zheng echoed from within the hall.

Everyone outside the hall exchanged glances.

Qiao Wenbai: What on earth is going on? Hearing that the Qin Dynasty's reign is so short and its descendants' fate so tragic, how can he still laugh?

Geng Cang: Could it be we guessed wrong?

Wu Jie: That shouldn't be!

Feng Yiming: Perhaps your guess was off.

The four of them communicated effortlessly with their eyes.

Not only were they exchanging glances, but the six executives led by Zhang Huaiming were likewise communicating with their eyes, filled with a confusion that vanished almost as quickly as it arose.

Inside the hall at that moment, having finished discussing the historical progression, Jiang Ye had not forgotten his touring mission.

"Your Majesty, I have an unbefitting request."

Ying Zheng's demeanor remained relaxed. "Speak freely."

"Aside from presenting a small token of our appreciation, our group of ten wishes to witness the grandeur of the Qin court's music and dance. I wonder if Your Majesty might grant this favor?"

Hearing this, Ying Zheng was slightly startled, then burst into hearty laughter. "And here I thought you were going to speak of some momentous affair!"

He waved a grand sleeve. "Zhao Gao!"

The hall doors opened in response, and Zhao Gao entered with hurried, measured steps, bowing to await orders.

As the doors opened, everyone outside could clearly see the scene within. They beheld the hand of the Emperor through the ages resting familiarly upon Jiang Ye's shoulder.

This sight delivered quite a shock to the group waiting outside.

"F***! What on earth did Brother Jiang do? Why does it feel like Ancestral Dragon has grown exceptionally fond of him?" Qiao Wenbai exclaimed in amazement.