My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Zhang Liang was escorted all the way to Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng was looking at his beloved car with a pained expression.

He turned around, his gaze falling on Zhang Liang, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

Who are you?

A flame suddenly ignited in Zhang Liang's eyes.

"I am Zhang Liang of Korea!"

"Zhang Liang of Korea? The Zhang who served as prime minister of Korea for five generations."

Zhang Liang did not avoid his gaze.

"Exactly."

"What courage."

Ying Zheng nodded, his tone neither praising nor sarcastic.

"You failed to assassinate me and were brought before me, yet you still stand so straight. I've seen many assassins, but few are like you."

Zhang Liang said calmly.

"A defeated general has no right to speak of bravery. Now that you've fallen into my hands, you may kill me or torture me as you please."

"Oh?" Ying Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Not afraid of death?"

"I'm afraid," Zhang Liang's answer was unexpected, "but being afraid is useless."

Ying Zheng stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly smiled.

"Interesting," Ying Zheng said. "Then let me ask you—why did you try to assassinate me?"

"You ask me why?"

Zhang Liang said angrily.

"You annexed the state of Han, destroyed my ancestral temples, and killed my father and brothers. My Zhang family has served as prime ministers of Han for five generations, receiving great favors from the King of Han for all time. On the day our country was destroyed and our family perished, my brother died in the chaos of war, and I didn't even have time to bury him!"

His voice grew louder and louder, filled with barely suppressed grief and indignation.

"I, Zhang Liang, live in this world with only one thought—to kill you, restore my kingdom, and avenge this blood feud!"

The strongman, listening from the side, was filled with excitement, his tiger eyes wide open, wishing he could rush forward and fight again.

But Zhang Liang hadn't finished speaking.

"Who do you think you are? You're a tyrant! A despot!"

"You are the enemy of all people! You have swallowed up six kingdoms, whipped the world, and enslaved the people like cattle and horses."

"Building the Great Wall, constructing highways, erecting palaces, conquering the Baiyue tribes—which of these didn't result in countless deaths and widespread resentment?"

"Though the state of Korea has fallen, the spirit of its people will never die."

"You, Ying Zheng, may have trampled the walls of Xinzheng, but you cannot trample the hearts of the Han people!"

"You may kill all of South Korea's soldiers, but you can never erase the hatred that South Korea harbors!"

He finished speaking in one breath, his chest heaving violently.

The surrounding soldiers stirred slightly, and some instinctively tightened their grip on their guns.

The strongman trembled with excitement, his heavy breathing like that of a wild beast.

however--

Ying Zheng was not angered.

He listened quietly, his face showing almost no change in expression.

After Zhang Liang finished speaking, he nodded slightly to indicate that he had heard.

Then he spoke.

"Are you done talking?"

Zhang Liang was taken aback, not expecting the other party to react this way.

Ying Zheng took a step forward, getting closer to Zhang Liang.

Those eyes, at this moment, were as calm as water, yet as deep as an abyss.

"Zhang Liang, I ask you—what was the world like before the state of Han was destroyed?"

Zhang Liang frowned, wondering why he suddenly asked this.

Ying Zheng didn't wait for his reply and continued speaking himself.

"The Zhou dynasty declined, and the feudal lords rose up one after another. In the three hundred years of the Spring and Autumn Period, thirty-six rulers were assassinated and fifty-two states were destroyed. By the time of my ancestors, the seven Warring States were constantly at war with each other, fighting and shedding blood year after year."

Ying Zheng stared at Zhang Liang, his gaze growing increasingly profound.

"The three families of Han, Zhao, and Wei divided Jin, the Tian family replaced Qi, Chu was plagued by internal strife, and Yan was barely clinging to life."

"Your state of Korea, caught between the states of Wei, Chu, and Qin, submits to one today and pays tribute to another tomorrow. Is life easy for you?"

Zhang Liang's expression changed slightly.

Ying Zheng continued speaking.

"I have read your Korean history books. During the reign of King Zhao of Han, the reforms of Shen Buhai were implemented, and the country's power was somewhat restored."

"And then? During the reign of King Xuanhui, the state of Wei defeated them and forced them to cede territory and sue for peace."

"During the reign of King Xiang'ai, the State of Chu once again defeated them so badly that they were utterly humiliated."

He paused, then looked directly at Zhang Liang.

"Your two-hundred-year history in Korea is a history of being trampled on and humiliated. Today you kowtow to Wei, tomorrow you beg for mercy from Chu, and the day after you have to send money and land to Qin. Are the lives of the people of Korea any better than those of the people of Qin?"

Zhang Liang's expression had completely changed.

He wanted to refute it, but found that every word the other person said was true.

But Ying Zheng did not stop.

"You call me a tyrant, a despot. Then let me ask you—how many monarchs throughout Korean history weren't incompetent rulers?"

"How many rulers weren't mediocre? Marquis Zhao of Han was one, but once he died, Shen Buhai's reforms were abandoned."

"What else do the rest of them do besides eating, drinking, having fun, and fighting for power?"

"How much land do your Korean nobles own? How much rent and tax do they collect?"

"How much of the people's wealth have your ministers embezzled? Your Zhang family has served as prime ministers of Han for five generations, enjoying high status and prestige. Don't you know the ways of the world?"

Zhang Liang's lips moved, but he couldn't utter a word.

Ying Zheng suddenly laughed, a laugh full of mockery.

"You say I treat my people like cattle and horses. Then let me ask you—when you in Korea built city walls and dug moats, who were you employing?"

"When you Koreans were fighting wars, who died on the battlefield? When you Korean nobles were indulging in pleasure, who starved to death?"

"I unified the six kingdoms and built highways so that the world could be one family and merchants could travel freely."

"I built the Great Wall to defend against the Xiongnu and protect the people in the north."

"My conquest of the Baiyue is to expand our territory and give our Chinese people more land to cultivate."

"I have collected all the weapons in the land and cast them into golden statues, so that there will be no more war in the land, and that the people will no longer die from swords!"

Ying Zheng's voice remained calm.

"You call me a tyrant. Then let me ask you—during the five hundred years of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, did those 'benevolent rulers' and 'enlightened rulers' truly bring a good life to the people?"

Zhang Liang fell completely silent.

"You people keep talking about 'restoring the country'."

"But what kind of country are you restoring? A Korea that's been pinned down and is oppressing its own people!"

"Even if you restore your kingdom, then what? Two hundred years later, will you continue to wage war, continue to die, and continue to displace people?"

Zhang Liang suddenly raised his head.

"So you think you can make decisions for everyone? You think you can destroy all the countries, ruin all the homes, and kill everyone who refuses to submit?"

Ying Zheng looked at him, his gaze as deep as an icy pool.

"I did not make the decision for the people. I merely ended a five-hundred-year-long nightmare for them."

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the feudal lords were divided and fought every year, resulting in death every year.

"My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, generation after generation, spent over a hundred years to finally end all of this."

"Now, the world is unified, the written language is standardized, the gauge of carts is standardized, and weights and measures are standardized."

"You can travel the world as long as you can speak Mandarin, you can communicate with people. When you do business, you no longer need to worry about different currencies. When you travel far away, you no longer need to be exploited at every checkpoint."

"This is what I have given to the people of the world—a world without war, without separatism, without deceit and treachery. A world where the people can live in peace and security."

His voice was calm.

"You call me a tyrant. I admit it. But I'd rather be this tyrant than see those 'benevolent rulers' wreak havoc on the land and make the people suffer."

Zhang Liang remained silent for a long time.

He finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

"And what about the people of South Korea? Are they willing to accept this?"

Ying Zheng looked at him, a cryptic smile playing on his lips:

"Did you ask them on their behalf?"

Zhang Liang was taken aback.

Ying Zheng continued.

"You, Zhang Liang, a nobleman of the state of Han, whose family has served as prime minister for five generations, have lived a life of luxury since childhood, with servants at your beck and call. Have you ever seen the lowest-ranking people in Han?"

"Do you know what kind of lives they lead? Do you know whether they'd rather continue to be exploited by you nobles, or follow me and live a few days in peace?"

Zhang Liang's expression changed completely.

He wanted to refute, to say that the South Korean people's hearts are with their homeland, to say that the will of the people can be relied upon, to say...

But he suddenly realized that he really didn't know.

From childhood to adulthood, he was surrounded by nobles, scholars, and officials. Had he ever met any ordinary Koreans?

I've met them. But does he know what they're thinking?

do not know.

He thought he was speaking out for the people and avenging the Korean people.

But do those people really want him to restore the country?

Ying Zheng looked at the changing expressions on his face and suddenly laughed.

"Zhang Liang," he suddenly spoke, his tone softening, "you are a man of courage and integrity. In that respect, I admire you."

Zhang Liang raised his head, his gaze complex.

"But there's something wrong with your thinking, though it's not a big problem."

"I originally intended to send you to the penance camp."

"But now I've changed my mind."

Ying Zheng paused, his tone carrying a profound meaning:

"Follow me and take a good look at this world. See if it is as you say, a land full of suffering. Also see if what I do is for the sake of the people, as I say."

"As for your South Korea..."

He tilted his head slightly, revealing half of his profile.

"One day, you'll understand—some things, once they're gone, are best left gone."

After saying that, he stepped forward and got into the black Qin car.

The car doors closed, isolating the inside from the outside.

Zhang Liang stood still, not moving for a long time.

The strongman leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

"Young master... what does he mean by that?"

Zhang Liang didn't answer, he just stared blankly at the black car.

a long time.

He sighed softly.

An elite soldier walked up to Zhang Liang and said in a deep voice.

"Please."

Zhang Liang glanced at him, then at the convoy, and finally at the vast Bolangsha Desert.

He suddenly smiled and said to Li Shishi.

"Let's go, I want to see what this so-called change of his really is!"