Chapter 168 Xianyang

Since it had already been decided to investigate the events within the imperial tomb, Xu Shi needed to find an entry point. He pondered, reviewing the list in his hand – names of those who had entered the tomb. His gaze swept across their faces, and soon, his eyes narrowed. He noticed a hidden detail, his hand brushing over a few men with sharp features and restrained glints in their eyes.

These were outward signs of cultivators.

Xu Shi scanned the backgrounds of these cultivators.

"The Langya Wang Clan…"

… … … … … … …

Getting off the high-speed train, Wei Yuan took the First Emperor on a tour of Quanshi, introducing him to the basic knowledge of modern society. It was different from when he had taken Jue, or when Jue had taken Feng Siyu. Jue would watch with a blank expression, while Feng Siyu had a natural sensitivity to food and would sometimes make a fuss.

The First Emperor, however, maintained a calm and silent observation of these novel things.

Wei Yuan was too embarrassed to get two shared bikes for the emperor to ride.

He took a taxi directly back to the Zhenyao Museum.

He ran into Zhang Hao upon returning.

"Curator Wei, the place is fixed."

Zhang Hao, having been temporarily requested by the Celestial Master to bring a group of cultivators to quickly purchase the building next to the museum and renovate it, noticed the First Emperor behind Wei Yuan. Just as Wei Yuan was highly skilled at understanding Zhang Tianshi's feedback patterns, Zhang Hao had accepted it as a law that some unseen senior would always appear next to Curator Wei.

The young Daoist's expression remained unchanged, and he asked nothing.

*This humble Daoist's heart is like still water.*

*No matter who it is.*

*As long as I don't ask.*

*You won't scare me!*

Wei Yuan handed him a bottle of drink, saying, "Sorry to trouble you."

He sighed, "This was a bit of a hassle. I used to have Yellow Turban Warriors do this kind of work."

After all, they were bodies evolved from beans and wouldn't get tired.

Yellow Turban Warriors doing housework?

Zhang Hao and the others were stunned, looking at Wei Yuan with strange expressions. Yellow Turban Warriors, who could be used to protect the altar and subdue external demons, were being used for housework? Was this how highly skilled people were so individualistic? He then realized that they had also been doing housework just now, and immediately felt a sense of melancholy.

*So, we were substitutes for the Yellow Turban Warriors today?*

While sending Zhang Hao and the others away, the First Emperor temporarily entered Wei Yuan's Zhenyao Museum. Shui Gui (water ghost) greeted Wei Yuan, then saw the First Emperor. The war souls next to him looked up, vaguely sensing something, their faces and bodies stiffening.

The lingering spirituality of the red embroidered shoe transformed into a little girl, who had been reading.

She froze, her face paling, and hid immediately.

The two paper dolls directly opened a matchbox, jumping in one after the other.

Then, they reached out and silently closed the matchbox.

All the spirits and demons retreated.

Even the Shang Dynasty bronze jue (wine cup) rarely closed its mouth and remained silent.

Only the water ghost didn't seem to notice the grand and righteous aura.

He came over directly and gossiped, "Oh, a guest."

He elegantly bowed and pulled out a chair, saying, "Please have a seat, guest. Would you like something to drink?"

The First Emperor nodded slightly, saying, "Acceptable."

The water ghost apparently understood the words, magically pulling out a large 2.5-liter bottle of "Happy Water" from behind him. Then, he took out a glass, condensed water into ice, and skillfully sculpted an ice ball slightly smaller than the glass, placing it inside.

Only then did he bow slightly and pour the Happy Water evenly into the glass.

His technique was perfect. "Please try this. This is my latest flavor. It's definitely a taste you've never had before. And you don't have to worry about the flavor degrading. This ice contains a talisman that can perfectly keep the Happy Water at its best taste."

The black drink.

The First Emperor stared at the 'strange' drink.

The water ghost was doing his best to promote it, from the flavor to the appearance to how to drink it to get the best taste.

Chattering endlessly.

The Shang Dynasty bronze jue had already shut down.

Suddenly, as he approached, the water ghost staggered, his hand losing strength. The Happy Water sprayed out, the black color, the suddenly stimulated foam, and the 'strange' sound of the foam bursting.

The First Emperor, who had lived as a hostage in Handan as a child, narrowed his eyes.

The environment became quiet for a moment.

Two Qin soldiers in armor suddenly appeared in the void.

The water ghost, who had received a wisp of Wuzhiqi's Huai River power, had no power to resist.

Two war spears covered with the Great Qin Black Bird pattern locked the water ghost from the left and right. Then, two tall Qin terracotta warriors appeared, forking the water ghost up from the left and right. Just as the bewildered water ghost was about to be pushed out to be beheaded, a hand stopped the Qin soldiers.

Wei Yuan had just returned and saw this scene. His head ached a little, saying, "Your… your Majesty, there's no poison in it."

"It's a modern drink."

He reached out, picked up the Happy Water from the water ghost's hand, and poured himself a cup.

Then, he finished it in one gulp, indicating that it was not poisonous.

Ancient people, even emperors, would have misunderstandings about the modern world in some areas.

The First Emperor nodded, and the four Qin terracotta warriors, who had appeared in an unknown way, disappeared.

He picked up the novel drink and took a sip.

His eyebrows rose slightly as he commented, "Too sweet."

"Tea will suffice next time."

He still remembered the tea he had drunk in that shop.

After all, the tea now and the tea back then were completely different drinks.

… … … … … …

Wei Yuan introduced the First Emperor to the permanent residents of the Zhenyao Museum.

Of course, he hid his identity. According to Ying Zheng, he came to see this era from the perspective of the common people, so there was no need to make a big fuss. Wei Yuan naturally had no objection. At this time, Wei Yuan also learned that Yu Ji had left this old street some time ago.

It seemed that something had happened, and she hadn't returned yet.

Wei Yuan taught the First Emperor how to use the computer. With the latter's knowledge as a divine-era emperor, he quickly understood how to use it. He also had to thank modern technology for being able to convert simplified characters into Qin seal script, so the First Emperor had no difficulty reading.

In the following days, the people who often came to the museum also understood the character and behavior of this senior cultivator. Apart from being a little unaccustomed to this era in terms of habits, he was surprisingly easy to get along with in other aspects.

He had great magnanimity and acted openly.

He would also ask questions about things he didn't understand.

The first thing he did after getting the computer was to search for legal provisions.

Then came history.

He traced history from the modern era backward, so he could see how modern things had evolved more easily. When he saw the history of the Qin Dynasty, the heroic and dignified emperor obviously froze. His deep pupils almost briefly lost focus.

Then, he quickly returned to normal at a speed that was almost imperceptible to ordinary people.

"Qin... perished in the second generation."

That day, there were rare guests in the Zhenyao Museum. Or rather, when the First Emperor was sitting in Wei Yuan's usual seat searching for information, Wei Yuan suddenly sadly discovered that his Zhenyao Museum, which had always had few people, suddenly seemed to have turned its luck around and gradually had guests.

Hearing the words, a guest who had intended to communicate with the First Emperor interjected, "After all, the Qin Dynasty's laws were very brutal."

The First Emperor swept over the online reviews of Qin law, all of which were inseparable from the word "brutal." He frowned slightly, saying, "Brutal... how so?"

The guest said, "Well, isn't this something everyone knows?"

"For example, collective liability. Isn't that too cruel?"

"Just because I'm his neighbor, if he commits a crime, I'll also suffer. Isn't that too harsh?"

The First Emperor said calmly, "Indeed, for theft and other crimes, those living together should be punished. If someone commits a crime, those who live with that person should naturally be punished. But Qin law also stipulates, 'If a husband steals a thousand coins, and the wife hides three hundred, if the wife knows the husband stole and hides it, she should be charged with stealing three hundred; if she does not know, it is considered receiving stolen goods.'"

"If one does not know, they are innocent."

"Neighbors with mutual guarantee responsibilities should also distinguish between knowing and not knowing. Those who are away and do not know are innocent."

"Only the officials responsible for public security will be punished."

"Moreover, my Qin law stipulates that those who do not report treason will be cut in half at the waist."

"Those who report treason will be rewarded the same as those who behead enemies, and those who hide treason will be punished the same as those who surrender to the enemy."

"With the laws of Lord Shang, lasting for a hundred years, those who are collectively liable are only those who know and do not report it. Moreover, those who knowingly report treason will be rewarded with the same war merits as beheading enemies in my Great Qin. Even those who commit crimes and repent will receive lenient treatment. Since it is so clear, how can it be brutal?"

Under the First Emperor's peaceful gaze and questioning, the person felt that he didn't know what to say.

He opened his mouth, saying, "Isn't it too harsh to be cut in half at the waist for not reporting it?"

The First Emperor pondered, scrutinizing him, "So, you would hide criminals?"

The guest didn't know what to say.

The First Emperor said calmly, "Governing the country with laws, light offenses with heavy punishments, because it is obviously not worth it to commit a small crime and receive a much heavier punishment. Therefore, the people will not commit this small crime. This is the deterrence of the law. This is also the idea advocated by Han Fei and Li Si."

Another guest said, "...Isn't Qin law harsh and unkind? Is it very good?"

The First Emperor pondered, saying, "Compared to the laws now, some are indeed not perfect enough. But two thousand years ago, not to say very good, it was at least enough to secure the country."

"...In the Great Qin laws, if a child is born and then abandoned or killed, the person will be tattooed and made a city-wall builder."

"If someone is killed or injured in the market, those who do not help within a hundred steps will be punished."

"If someone breaks into a room and kills or injures someone, and the four neighbors, the warden, and the elders all hear but do not help, they will be punished."

"If the four neighbors, the warden, and the elders are all out and do not exist, or do not hear the cries of robbers, then this will not be the case."

"My Great Qin laws have gone through several generations and are extremely strict. Compared to later emperors who governed by men, Great Qin emphasized governing by law. Xunzi also saw my Great Qin laws and said, 'Qin has won for four generations, not by luck, but by fate.' I think he should see it more clearly than later generations."

One of the guests was rendered speechless by this calm tone, grumbling, "You... you say it's right, so it's right?"

"Isn't this just your own point of view? It doesn't represent Qin law."

Ying Zheng didn't deny it and didn't answer.

Another person retorted, "But Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were only going to be beheaded for being late, so they rebelled against Qin..."

Ying Zheng said, "It's impossible to receive such a heavy punishment just for being late."

His voice paused, as if he had thought of something.

Wei Yuan happened to be contacting Yu Ji, but couldn't reach her. He came back and saw the First Emperor communicating with people from this era. Because it was a rare event, he didn't interrupt. But at this time, he had to stand up. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Unless the Qin law has been changed..."

"That era was during the time of the Second Emperor, Prince Huhai."

Wei Yuan sent all the guests out. The First Emperor finished reading Qin history and closed his eyes. Even a wise and ambitious emperor would have complex feelings at this moment. The achievements he was proud of were destroyed, and the legal system he believed to be "Qin's victory for four generations, not by luck, but by fate" collapsed because of his young son.

And the reason for all of this was something he had never expected.

His eldest son, whom he had taught with the famous scholars of the world and sent to the border to guard against the Xiongnu, to establish merit, and to whom he had almost handed over the absolute elite of the thirty thousand Great Qin soldiers and the unparalleled general of the world, Meng Tian, had actually committed suicide.

"Fusu..."

ps: Today's first update...

The First Emperor's explanation of Qin law is based on the "Yunmeng Qin Bamboo Slips," which are the Qin laws of a basic official during the First Emperor's era.