My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

at the same time

In the main hall of Xianyang Palace.

The incense burner with animal patterns on bronze emits straight blue smoke, while civil and military officials stand on the left and right, solemn and silent.

Ying Zheng sat high on the imperial throne, dressed in black robes and crimson skirts, his crown tassels hanging over his face, his expression unreadable, only a solemn and majestic aura enveloped the entire hall.

"Today, I have acquired several exotic artifacts, which I will share with you all."

As soon as he finished speaking, heavy footsteps sounded at the entrance of the palace.

Several "trained" elite soldiers laboriously carried several heavy objects covered with black cloth, as well as several similarly covered wooden boxes, into the center of the square in front of the palace, and gently put them down.

All the officials turned their gazes toward it, their faces filled with curiosity and doubt.

"I call this thing—the Qin Gun."

Ying Zheng slowly raised his hand and pointed to one of the long, narrow wooden boxes.

The black cloth was suddenly ripped off by Rui Shi!

Sunlight streamed down, and a dozen AK-47 assault rifles lay side by side in the box, their dark wooden stocks and cold, hard metal receivers gleaming.

An aesthetic distinct from the mechanical feel of bronze is striking everyone's attention.

"pistol?"

One of the civil officials whispered in confusion.

"It resembles a crossbow but isn't, without a string or arrow..."

Ying Zheng did not explain, but simply nodded slightly to one of the elite soldiers in charge of the demonstration below the stage.

The soldier took a deep breath, picked up a Qin-style musket, loaded the magazine, and cocked it with a "click."

Then he turned around, knelt on one knee, rested the butt of the gun against his shoulder, and aimed the gun at a wooden human-shaped target a hundred paces away.

All the officials held their breath.

"Da da da da—!!!"

The violent explosion shattered the tranquility of Xianyang Palace without warning.

In the distance, the thick wooden target covered in leather armor looked as if it were being repeatedly struck by an invisible giant hammer.

Wood chips mixed with broken pieces of leather armor exploded in a fan shape.

Almost in the blink of an eye, the entire upper part of the target was completely torn apart.

Only a broken wooden stake remained standing there, with wisps of smoke rising from it.

The gunfire ceased, and the crisp sound of an empty gun hanging in the bay filled the air.

Rui Shi lowered his gun, his arm trembling slightly, whether from the recoil or from overwhelming excitement, it was hard to tell.

Dead silence.

All the civil and military officials, including seasoned veterans like Wang Jian and Meng Tian, ​​stood frozen in place, their faces drained of color, their pupils contracting sharply.

Some civil officials even had so weak legs that they needed to be helped by others.

However, some people, such as the disciples of the Mohist and Gongshu families, were very excited.

More exciting than seeing a stunningly beautiful woman!

What kind of power is that?!

What speed?!

Even a master archer who can hit a target from a hundred paces still needs to draw his bow, aim, and release the arrow, all in a matter of a single breath.

And this "Qin gun" can unleash dozens, even hundreds, of such deadly attacks in a single breath?!

That leather armor was as thin as a cicada's wing in front of it!

Does such a thing exist?

Still using a sword?

Still using crossbows?

Why would we need armor?

Ying Zheng took in everyone's shock and smiled slightly.

"This is the Qin musket. I have made some minor modifications to make it more in line with the spirit of my great Qin Dynasty."

"No need for heavy drawing of the bowstring; even a woman or child could hold it and instantly kill an enemy from a hundred paces away. The arrow... well, this thing fires gunpowder-powered projectiles, swift as lightning, piercing through metal and stone."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the still-shocked ranks of military officers.

"Minister Wang, Minister Meng, if all my elite soldiers were to wield these Qin muskets and form ranks to attack, could the Xiongnu cavalry possibly advance to within a hundred paces of our lines?"

Wang Jian snapped out of his daze, his old face flushed with excitement, his beard trembling slightly, and he stepped forward.

"Your Majesty! If that were truly the case, let alone a hundred paces, the Xiongnu would likely be routed before they even reached two hundred paces from our lines!"

"This is...this is a divine weapon unlike any other in history! Enough to secure eternal peace for the Northern Frontier!"

Meng Yi also excitedly echoed.

"Your Majesty, with this divine weapon, the Great Wall's beacon towers can serve as a supplement. Our Qin warriors, wielding this, can launch attacks, and the grasslands beyond the Great Wall can become our pastures!"

Ying Zheng nodded in satisfaction, signaling Rui Shi to unveil another, even larger black cloth.

What was revealed this time was a PKM general-purpose machine gun.

"This thing, I call the 'Broken Army Cannon,' is the leader of the 'Qin Cannons,' and is dedicated to suppression and sweeping away."

Ying Zheng gave a brief explanation, and then gestured to the elite soldiers below.

Immediately, another group of elite soldiers set up the "Broken Army Gun" and aimed it at a dense array of straw figures simulating a military formation further away.

"Thump thump thump thump thump—!!!"

After a series of gunshots, the officials fell silent.

Before this thing, all bravery becomes a joke.

Even if one has practiced martial arts since childhood, has extraordinary physique, can lift a giant cauldron, or is the bravest in the army, so what?

In the face of this thing, one is as vulnerable as a child.

What?

You think he can handle this thing?

Could it withstand the 120mm main gun on the T-64?

Can it penetrate 205mm of composite armor?

Ying Zheng chuckled.

If someone is truly that powerful, then he should rule the world.

He stepped down and picked up a "Qin gun".

The gun barrel seemed to sweep casually in the direction of the ministers in front of the hall.

The faces of everyone who was pointed at did not change.

The reason is simple: the dark muzzle of the gun was simply too frightening.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!"

Several ministers were on the verge of tears, their foreheads covered in cold sweat.

In the face of this thing, all court intrigues and the foundations of powerful families appear utterly fragile.

Ying Zheng took in everyone's reactions and chuckled again, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

He skillfully removed the magazine, ejected a few bullets, and walked to the front of several important officials and several Mohist and Gongshu craftsmen who had been specially summoned.

"Gentlemen, look..."

Several ministers cautiously stepped forward and respectfully picked up a bullet with their fingers.

It felt heavy in my hand; the copper casing was cool and smooth, the bullet was sharp, and the structure was incredibly ingenious.

They looked at it over and over, trying to understand the little copper lump.

The disciples of the Mohist and Gongshu families completely forgot about etiquette at this moment.

The moment their eyes caught sight of the bullets and the broken military gun in the distance, a terrifying light flashed within them.

"Wonderful...wonderful!!! How was this made?"

An elderly Mohist with gray hair almost pressed his eyeballs against the wall.

"This...is amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

Meanwhile, the younger descendant of the Gongshu family stared intently at PKM in the distance, his lips moving rapidly as if he were silently calculating something.

"The firing continues unabated, bullets raining down... an exquisite masterpiece! Absolutely an exquisite masterpiece! It's a hundred times more ingenious than the most complex repeating crossbow mechanism of my Gongshu family!"

Ying Zheng looked at the craftsmen's absorbed expressions and a glint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

This is exactly what he wanted!

Having weapons alone is not enough; there must be people who can understand, imitate, and even improve upon them!

"It seems that the wise men of the Mohist and Gongshu schools have already recognized some of the wonders of this object."

Ying Zheng spoke slowly, his voice pulling everyone back from their thoughts.

The old Mohist suddenly awoke, realizing his rudeness, and quickly bowed.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! This old man... this old man was truly delighted by what he saw. The exquisite craftsmanship of this creation is beyond comprehension, a masterpiece of nature! If only I could study even a little of it..."

"I grant you permission to consult on this matter."

Ying Zheng interrupted him, his tone resolute.

"Not only must you study it, but you must also build it for me! Build it even better!"

He turned around and walked back towards the imperial steps, his steps steady and powerful, his black robe sleeves fluttering.

"There's something else too."

Everyone was taken aback.

besides?

Ying Zheng did not explain, but simply gave a wink to one of the trusted elite soldiers standing beside the prince.

The commander understood immediately and quietly withdrew from the hall like a ghost.

Not long after, a faint tremor came from the ground.

The slight shock that had just faded from the faces of the officials reappeared, even more intensely.

Before they could even guess, the answer burst into view with an overwhelming force.

Looking at the steel behemoth parked at the entrance of the main hall.

"hiss--!!!"