Starting with ten elixirs of immortality, I led the First Emperor to rebel against the Qin Dynasty.

Xianyang Palace, Qilin Hall.

Morning light streamed through the high windows, illuminating the dust swirling inside the hall.

The civil and military officials stood in solemn rows, but the atmosphere was not as stern as usual; instead, it was filled with a tense, oppressive atmosphere. Everyone knew that His Majesty had been furious yesterday, imprisoning all the palace sorcerers and even punishing the usually favored Zhao Gao with a beating. This morning's court session was sure to be filled with a violent storm.

However, when Ying Zheng, dressed in a black dragon robe, walked steadily onto the throne, the courtiers were all stunned.

His Majesty actually had a smile on his face.

This made the officials in the hall feel even more uneasy than if they had seen His Majesty get angry.

"My lords, rise." Ying Zheng's voice was loud and clear, resonating throughout the empty hall.

The ministers rose as instructed, but none dared to speak first, all trying to fathom the emperor's intentions.

"Yesterday, I dealt with a group of charlatans who had deceived the emperor," Ying Zheng said, and the hearts of his ministers immediately jumped to their throats.

"However, I have also gained something." Ying Zheng changed the subject and clapped his hands.

Two eunuchs struggled to carry a heavy sack into the hall and placed it on the ground with a thud.

The burlap sack was untied, and some yellowish-brown tubers of various shapes rolled out, still covered with a little soil.

The courtiers craned their necks, their faces full of confusion.

What is this? It looks unremarkable, and I've never seen anything like it before.

"This thing is called a potato." Ying Zheng stood up, walked to the sack, bent down to pick up a potato, and weighed it in his hand.

"It is a divine object bestowed upon our Great Qin by Heaven."

His voice reached the ears of every minister clearly.

"Its yield can reach three thousand catties per mu!"

"boom!"

The uproar exploded like a tidal wave.

"Three thousand catties per mu? Your Majesty, this... how is this possible!"

"Unheard of! The harvest of millet and wheat in the best fields is only a few bushels. What does three thousand catties mean?"

"Has Your Majesty perhaps been bewitched by those sorcerers?"

Right Chancellor Feng Quji stepped forward from the crowd, bowed, and said: "Your Majesty, the claim of a yield of three thousand catties per mu is far too alarming. Since ancient times, the essence of agriculture has been meticulous cultivation. Even with favorable weather and land conditions, the harvest is only a few shi. If this crop truly yields such a quantity, it defies common sense. I urge Your Majesty to investigate carefully and not be misled by false rumors."

Feng Quji's words represented the sentiments of everyone. This was not a questioning of the monarch, but rather the duty of a subject to not allow the monarch to be misled by absurd and unfounded remarks.

Ying Zheng observed the reactions of the courtiers and officials. This was quite normal; if he hadn't seen and heard it with his own eyes and ears, even he himself wouldn't have believed it.

He did not get angry; he simply put the potatoes back into the sack, glanced at the assembled officials, and finally fixed his gaze on an old general with white hair and beard and a slightly hunched posture at the front of the line.

Marquis Tongwu, Wang Jian.

"Minister Wang," Ying Zheng said.

Wang Jian stepped forward, his voice aged yet steady: "Your subject is here."

"You followed my father and grandfather in destroying Zhao, pacifying Yan, and defeating Chu, making unparalleled contributions to the Great Qin. Although you are now old, your achievements have never been forgotten by me or the Great Qin."

Wang Jian knelt on the ground: "It is my duty to expand the territory of the Great Qin, and I dare not claim credit for it."

Ying Zheng descended the steps and personally helped Wang Jian up, his voice carrying an unprecedented gentleness: "Today, I will bestow upon you immense wealth and honor."

He returned to his throne, picked up the brocade box that had been prepared beforehand from the table, and slowly opened it.

Inside the box lay a pill the size of a longan, golden in color. Under the light of the hall, it emitted a faint glow, and a refreshing fragrance wafted out.

"I hereby grant you immortality!"

Immortality!

These two words are more impactful than "3,000 jin per mu".

The entire Qilin Hall was deathly silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the pill, their breath catching in their throats.

The idea of ​​immortality has existed since ancient times, but who has ever truly seen it? Isn't it just the unfounded and delusional talk of alchemists?

Ying Zheng took in the shock of his ministers; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

"Meng Tian".

"Your subject is here!" Meng Tian stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell.

"You tell the assembled officials what this is."

Addressing his assembled officials, Meng Tian said in a deep voice, "My colleagues, this is an elixir of immortality! I was fortunate enough to consume one a few days ago by His Majesty's grace. After taking it, not only were all the hidden injuries from years of warfare completely healed, but my physical strength and spirit returned to their peak, even surpassing them!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Tian drew his sword from his waist with a clang. The long sword emitted a deep hum, and a sharp sword aura wafted out, causing the robes of the surrounding civil officials to flutter and involuntarily take two steps back.

This momentum is far stronger than when Meng Tian was at his peak!

Most of those present were military officers, who could naturally see through the trick and were all shocked.

All eyes were on Wang Jian.

Wang Jian was old and covered in injuries. He had planned to submit a petition to retire and return to his hometown after this morning court session to live out his remaining years and await his fate. But now, hope was right in front of him!

Ying Zheng walked up to him and handed him the brocade box.

"Wang Qing, take it."

"This old minister...this old minister thanks Your Majesty for your divine grace!"

Wang Jian knelt down again, this time prostrating himself completely.

Ying Zheng gestured for Zhao Gao to hand over the brocade box.

With trembling hands, Wang Jian took the brocade box and, under the watchful eyes of the entire court, without hesitation, put the longevity pill into his mouth.

The elixir melted upon entering the mouth, transforming into a warm current that flowed into the limbs and bones.

A miracle happened before everyone's eyes.

Wang Jian's already somewhat hunched back straightened up slowly and noticeably. The wrinkles on his face seemed to be smoothed out by an invisible hand, becoming much less pronounced.

He closed his eyes, feeling the changes in his body. The old wound on his chest, left from his early campaign against Zhao, which had tormented him year after year on rainy days, now felt warm, and the pain vanished. His arm, which had once been so heavy that he couldn't lift it, was now full of strength.

Wang Jian suddenly opened his eyes, which were no longer cloudy, but had regained their sharpness like a hawk's.

He felt twenty years younger! No, he felt like he had returned to the peak of his energy when he destroyed Chu!

"Your Majesty!" Wang Jian knelt again, this time his voice booming with power, "May Heaven bless Great Qin, and may Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"

This shout ignited the entire imperial court.

The entire court of officials has gone mad.

They witnessed a miracle firsthand!

"May Your Majesty live ten thousand years! May Heaven bless the Great Qin!"

"Your Majesty is truly a ruler ordained by Heaven! A divine being!"

The group of Confucian scholars, led by the scholar Chunyu Yue and Shusun Tong, had completely forgotten about the saying "The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits." They knelt on the ground and shouted louder than anyone else until their voices were hoarse.

Immortality! Who wouldn't want that!

Ying Zheng looked at the enthusiastic courtiers below and raised his hand in satisfaction.

The bustling Qilin Palace fell silent once more.

"Regarding today's events, whether it's potatoes or elixirs," Ying Zheng's voice turned icy, "if even a single word leaks out of the palace and reaches the ears of the remnants of the six kingdoms, I don't care who it is, I will exterminate their entire family!"

The chilling murderous aura sent a shiver down everyone's spine, calming their frenzied minds.

"Furthermore," Ying Zheng abruptly changed the subject, "the magistrate of Lantian County neglected his duties and deceived his superiors. The Court of Justice is ordered to investigate this thoroughly; there's no need to report it."

These words sent a chill down the spines of many officials. They knew that this seemingly casual remark was the key point of today's morning court session. Lantian County was precisely the place where the miraculous potato originated.

Ying Zheng looked at Zheng Guo, the Minister of Agriculture. As one of the Nine Ministers in charge of the nation's grain and wealth, his opinion was of paramount importance.

"Zheng Qing, how do you think we should promote these potatoes?"

Zheng Guo had already recovered from his shock and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that we should first select fertile land in Guanzhong to test the crop, with agricultural officials in charge of recording its growth. Once its characteristics and yield are confirmed, it can then be promoted throughout the country."

"Alright." Ying-Zhao-Zheng-Zheng nodded, then added, "There is one more thing. I have made a discovery in my business dealings: the reason why pig meat is so fishy and muttony is because its genitals have not been removed. If it is castrated when it is young, the meat will be plump and delicious, and there will be no more unpleasant smell."

The courtiers once again expressed their admiration.

"Your Majesty is wise! We have never heard of such a detail before!"

"Your Majesty not only receives divine gifts, but also such benevolent policies; truly, it is a blessing for all people!"

Listening to his ministers' flattery, Ying Zheng felt perfectly justified in claiming the credit for himself.

What belongs to the son is also his own, isn't it?

He then looked at Li Si and said, "Issue my decree that the Imperial Household Department and the Court of Imperial Studs should work together to compile this method and the method of potato cultivation into a book and distribute it to all counties and prefectures."

Li Si bowed and accepted the order: "Your subject obeys."