Chapter 15: The Great Qin Emperor's Teacher

  Yao Guang was taken to Xianyang Palace by carriage, then changed to a sedan chair, and finally walked on foot. The eunuch carefully pointed out the direction for her and did not go any further.

  Yao Guang walked slowly forward and saw a tall figure at the end of the corridor.

  Wearing a black robe with a dragon pattern, and wearing a crown on his head.

  Yao Guang stopped five steps away from him and bowed his hands in greeting.

  "Your Majesty."

  Ying Zheng stared at Yao Guang for a long time, let out a deep sigh, and walked over with a smile.

  "Mr. Yao Guang is still the same as before, but I have grown old."

  Yao Guang seemed to have understood something, but her face remained expressionless and she didn't respond.

  Qin Zheng gazed at the jade pendant for a moment, then suddenly spoke in a deep voice: "I once said that I would like to share the world with you... Now that you have returned, are you here to fulfill this promise?"

  The word of an emperor is not an empty promise.

  Half of Jiangshan's power and prestige can be grasped with just one word.

  Such temptation is enough to shake anyone, and if there is a trace of wild ambition, it can turn into a prairie fire that burns the entire Xianwang.

  Li Si, who was quietly waiting on the side, was also startled by this promise and broke out in a cold sweat.

  Yao Guang shook her head calmly and replied: "My wish is for peace in the world, not for myself."

  A scene almost identical to this one emerged from Ying Zheng's deep memory, overlapping with the current situation.

  The same her, the same him, the same promise, the same answer.

  At that moment, the person in front of him seemed to be the one who had turned and left years ago, quietly returning and lightly landing by his side.

  The estrangement of over twenty years suddenly became blurred, the residual images of yesterday and today's shadows merged together. The still youthful gentleman made Ying Zheng also have a momentary illusion of returning to the past - at that time he was so young, full of ambition. The young emperor who had just ascended to the throne excitedly showed his emotions to his teacher, waving his hands and saying that he wanted to give half of the world to his teacher...

  It was precisely because his master had no other desires that he wanted to give her the best of everything.

  That was his regret from years ago that he wanted to offer but didn't have the ability to fulfill, this regret after twenty years finally got made up.

  Ying Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing and excitedly walked forward to grab Yao Guang's arm.

  "It's really the master! The master has returned! I want to honor you as 'Imperial Teacher', and let the world know your virtuous name! I have pacified the six states, unified the world, made the world's books and carriages uniform - all that you had wished for in the past, I have achieved one by one!"

  Yao Guang had almost confirmed her own conjecture upon hearing the words from ahead.

  Back then, on that day... all sorts of words, none failed to reveal a fact that shocked Yao Guang.

  It was precisely because the guess was too absurd that she didn't think of it at first, but only after excluding all sorts of possibilities did such a guess float up. No matter how impossible the guess was, when all other possible guesses were incorrect, even the most absurd one would become the answer.

  If all of this isn't a web of lies or just mistaken identity due to similar appearances, then the "True Self of Jade Light" might indeed be oneself, but not the current self.

  This is a dislocation of time.

  In the past, there was a King of Jin who said that looking at it from one perspective, it seemed like an immortal's elixir for longevity, but on the other hand, it could also be seen as the immortal using his great divine powers to freeze time, which is why there are such differences between the top and bottom of the mountain.

  Legends may be unreliable, but they are not necessarily baseless.

  With a fixed time, how can there not be a mysterious and profound power that allows people to travel back and forth through time?

  "Yao Guang at this moment" does not know "Qin Wang Ying Zheng", but "Qin Wang Ying Zheng" knows "Yao Guang at this moment".

  That's because - for Yu Yao Guang, their first meeting was still in the "future", but for Ying Zheng it was already in the "past"!

  Just as Yao Guang was secretly sighing about the mysterious power that was beyond his comprehension, he suddenly heard a few words from the man in front of him who had already reached the highest position in the world.

  "If it weren't for you, Master, I wouldn't be where I am today! These nine provinces and mountains and rivers, only you, Master, have the qualifications to enjoy them with me!"

  Yao Guang was shocked for a moment, and almost revealed it on her face.

  These few sentences...

  The first two sentences can be said to be an excessive expression of gratitude under the madness of reunion, but that last sentence... sounds a bit off.

  The emperor's suspicion and dislike are indeed terrifying, but the emperor's excessive favoritism is equally frightening. In the Great Tang, when she encountered similar situations, she could still pretend to be innocent and escape, leaving the problem to her master Yu Rui, because she believed that her master would handle it properly. However, if she were to escape now, she might have to leave her life behind.

  The emperor, who dominated the world, claimed that "if there was no Mr. Wu, there would be no me today". Even if this statement exaggerated the merits of "Yao Guang True Man", it would not be a reckless remark. The "Yao Guang True Man" of the past could have received such praise, how could she possibly flee in mid-air? In this heavily guarded palace, as long as she showed any suspicious behavior, she would probably ring her own funeral bell.

  A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind, and she struggled to maintain a calm demeanor. She thought about what she would say if the person in front of her was indeed her disciple. As she pondered this, the first thought that emerged was that she didn't even have the qualifications to take on an apprentice - could this guy be an imposter? This notion almost made her laugh out loud at her own inappropriate question.

  In an instant, a thought arose, and Yao Guang's mind suddenly lit up with a snowy brightness.

  Yao Guang really laughed out loud, putting on a calm and collected expression in front of the ordinary disciples at the gate - serene and indifferent with a hint of concern, neither too arrogant nor too casual, too distant then aloof, too close then familiar.

  "I didn't teach you anything."

  Qin Zheng did not get angry because of this slightly rude remark, but instead laughed.

  "Does the master worry that I have already forgotten what I learned in the past, hence this remark? In recent years, I have been busy with government affairs and indeed not as diligent as before, but I have not forgotten who my teacher is... In recent years, I have treated Daoism with great favor, Master should know. The leader of Daoism did not want to enter the court, would rather avoid entering the deep mountains... The Yin-Yang school also actively operated, so I appointed two Yin-Yang scholars as National Protection Masters."

  "School of Yin and Yang..."

  Yao Guang slightly furrowed her brow, recalling the expertise of the Yin Yang family's lineage.

  Ying Zheng took Yao Guang's frowning as a sign of discontent, and smiled immediately, "If the gentleman is dissatisfied, I will let them leave."

  Li Si heard this and not only did cold sweat drip down his back, but his palms were also completely soaked with sweat.

  With his current status and usual calm demeanor, there shouldn't be anything in the world that could make him lose his composure like this, but seeing the Emperor deliberately following "Yao Guang True Person"'s intentions still shocked him to the extreme.

  How much effort did the Yin Yang Master put in to gain Your Majesty's trust, and how much energy did he expend to attain his current status, entering the imperial court as an official, building a magnificent tower, every step of which was paid for with countless heart and soul. The Yin Yang Master has today's status, it can be seen that Your Majesty attaches great importance to the Yin Yang Master, however, Your Majesty can easily say such words... just because of a slightly inquiring tone in the question "Yao Guang True Person"...

  Can't listen anymore.

  Li Si quietly retreated far away.

  He instinctively felt that if he continued to listen, there might come a time when Your Majesty would have no choice but to kill him - just like the day Your Majesty forced Xiang Shaolong to desperation, forcing him to flee in defeat.

  Yao Guang gently shook her head.

  "I'm just a bit unfamiliar with Yin and Yang families."

  Ying Zheng hesitated for a moment, then let out a sigh.

  "Yes, sir is familiar with Mohism and Confucianism, but rarely mentions the Yin Yang school... Does sir blame me for attacking Mohism? In recent years, I have been lenient with Mohism in consideration of Item Taifu's share, but this time the leader was really too uncooperative, I had to take action, unexpectedly... sir would appear among the Mohists."

  What's wrong with you?

  Yao Guang wrote down this title and couldn't help but think whether the "Xiang" in it had the same meaning as the "Xiang" in "Xiang Shao Yu".

  She thought for a moment and shook her head, "The trend of the world is to unify, in order to have peace, there can't be two kings. No matter how cruel the process of unification is, these bloodsheds are inevitable. It's more likely that one wise king will bring about a peaceful and prosperous era than 'everyone governs the world'. People can't walk in two directions at the same time, nor can they listen to two commands at the same time? Mozi's wish is too idealistic, can equal distribution of wealth really calm people's minds? Not working or eating can indeed temper one's will, but if everyone is farming, who will plan for the world? A wise king makes people exert their talents, thinkers seek knowledge, debaters seek truth, warriors go to war... how can people be generalized? Mozi's strength lies in argumentation, not in governing the world. At most, they can only govern a city of Mozi's disciples."

  The faint gloom that had been suppressed between Qin Zheng's eyebrows gradually dissipated with these words, and in the end, he burst out laughing loudly.

  "Sir is always sir. Sir, take a look, how many points are left in my swordsmanship?"

  Qin Shi Huang drew his sword Tianwen and began to dance with it.

  Yao Guang retreated in time, and the more he looked, the more shocked he became.

  Even with guesses, she still couldn't help but feel surprised when she saw Ying Zheng use the Three Talents Sword Technique passed down by the Pure Yang Palace's Sword Sect.

  The same set of swordsmanship, used by different people, will have different effects. Some people use it with every move correct but extremely rigid, having only the form without the spirit. Others use it with frequent changes according to their heart's desire, yet the essence remains unchanged, deeply grasping its three flavors. This set of Three Talents Swordsmanship is almost a required learning for everyone in the Sword Sect, but truly able to wield it well are only about ten or so people, because this swordsmanship subtly contains the meaning of Tao. If one's cultivation of Tao is not enough, they will ultimately fall into lower levels, and although the swordsmanship's power may be present, its essence will not be.

  The swordsmanship that Ying Zheng uses is shaped with nine parts while the spirit only has two parts - compared to the carefree and elegant intent that Lü Chunyang infused into his sword, Ying Zheng exhibits more of an overbearing aura that swallows mountains and rivers.

  Yao Guang's gaze gradually shifted from Ying Zheng's body to the sword in his hand.

  From the moment Qin Zheng drew his sword, she had a rather subtle feeling, as if this sword was connected to her own qi.

  Yao Guang concentrated his mind and looked carefully, and after a while, he couldn't help but widen his eyes.

  If she hadn't been dazzled, the intricate patterns on the sword's back that occasionally reflected light would have revealed - her name!

  This is the sword she forged!

  Ying Zheng finished using the Three Talents Sword Technique and walked over to Yao Guang's side, handing her the long sword with a smile after slightly catching his breath.

  "Does the master still remember? This is the sword that the master forged in the past. After I destroyed Chu, I brought it back."

  Yao Guang took over the long sword.

  As soon as the sword was in hand, the feeling of connected auras became even more pronounced.

  This sword had a natural affinity for her, like a child to its parents. Moreover, she felt a hidden, deeper attraction that drew her in deeply.

  "Ask the Heavens..."

  Heaven's Questions

  What?

  Why ask?

  Heaven...ask...

  Yao Guang saw a person climbing in the misty mountains, but never reaching the top. The figure circled around the mountain path, wandering in the fog... She closed her eyes, and the vague thoughts in her mind seemed to clear up a bit. Since Yu Qing's departure, the idea that had been lingering in her heart became more intense than ever before. Without much thought, she followed the call of her heart and spoke out loud.

  "I want to forge a sword."

  Can a sword be repaired without a sword?

  After experiencing life and death separations, vicissitudes of life, Yao Guang's state of mind is vastly different from before. The Taoist heart she has been pregnant with for many years finally reveals its appearance, now the Jade Purity that was unbroken may no longer be suitable for her.

  Jade Light understood the profound meaning of Master's gift, but now she needs a sword that is more in tune with herself. Even if the path to cultivation is fraught with difficulties, she will overcome them with one effort!

  This chapter is Chapter 15 of Da Qin Emperor. If you think this chapter is not bad, please don't forget to recommend it to your friends on QQ group and Weibo!