I started on a deserted island and encountered Ying Zheng, who insisted I was an immortal.

The colossal ships were like mountains, blotting out the sky and the sun.

The bronze ram at the bow slammed into the rocks of the shallows, producing a sickening metallic clang.

"Click—"

Several coconut trees growing by the sea were snapped in half by the enormous inertia, startling a flock of seabirds.

Ying Zheng stood at the edge of the beach, the sea breeze ruffling his mud-splattered dragon robe, but it couldn't dispel the fervor on his face.

coming.

finally come.

The black dragon flag fluttered on the mast, and the huge seal script character "Qin" was like a heavy hammer, slamming into his long-wandering heart.

That was the backbone of the Qin Dynasty.

That was a ferocious army that swept across six kingdoms and conquered all corners of the land.

"His Majesty!"

Wang Ben rushed up from behind, still carrying the sword he used to kill chickens, his face covered in undried chicken blood and tears of excitement.

"It's Meng Tian! Those are Meng Tian's warships!"

Wang Ben pointed to the main ship at the very front, which was several meters tall, his voice hoarse and cracking.

"Old Meng is here! We're saved!"

Li Si stumbled and ran at the back, still clutching the roll of toilet paper tightly in his arms, completely unaware that he had lost a shoe in the process.

"May Heaven bless the Great Qin... May Heaven bless His Majesty..."

The three stood side by side on the beach, facing the approaching torrent of steel, their backs straight.

At this moment, they were no longer savages on a deserted island, no longer down-on-their-luck travelers who had to dig potatoes and clean toilets to get food.

They are the rulers of this world.

Zhang Ying strolled over slowly, a spatula in her hand.

He looked up, squinting as he surveyed the magnificent scene before him.

Dozens of replica ancient warships, exquisitely crafted, with even the animal head reliefs on the hulls being lifelike.

The deck was densely packed with soldiers in black armor, their long spears forming a forest, exuding a murderous aura.

"Huo."

Zhang Ying whistled and scratched her head with a spatula.

"This production team has really big budgets."

"This ship, these extras, these props...tsk tsk, how much money did they have to burn?"

He turned to look at Ying Zheng, who was in a state of high excitement.

"Old Ying, did you arrange all of this?"

"To fulfill your emperor dream, you've practically emptied Hengdian's coffers, haven't you?"

Ying Zheng suddenly turned his head.

The imperial majesty he had been carefully cultivated was almost choked off by the word "film crew."

"teacher!"

Ying Zheng pointed at the fleet that was capable of crushing everything, his fingers trembling.

"These are the elite soldiers of Qin! They are my 300,000-strong army!"

"What film crew? What acting?!"

"I am the First Emperor! At this moment, I will no longer conceal..."

"Alright, alright."

Zhang Ying waved her hand impatiently, interrupting Ying Zheng's spellcasting animation.

"Getting too immersed in a role is a problem, and it needs to be cured."

He pointed to the sandy beach beneath his feet.

Tell your extras to moor the boat further away.

"There are drainage pipes buried here. If you damage them, you can't afford to pay for them."

Ying Zheng: "..."

Wang Ben: "..."

Is this person's brain filled with mush?

This is the Qin Dynasty navy, known for its ruthless killing!

He was actually worried about his drainpipe?

Just then.

On the main ship, a horn blast tore through the sky.

"Ugh—!!!"

Immediately afterwards, countless gangplanks were lowered from the ship's side and slammed heavily onto the shallows.

"kill!!!"

The shouts of battle were deafening.

Countless black-armored soldiers surged down the gangplank like a black tide.

The leading general was clad in heavy armor, wielding a long spear, with his beard and hair standing on end.

It was Meng Tian.

He spotted the ragged yet undeniably dignified figure on the beach at a glance.

That was his king.

That was the sky of the Great Qin.

But then he saw the strange short-haired man standing next to the king, holding a strange piece of iron (a spatula) and pointing at His Majesty.

"You audacious madman!"

Meng Tian's eyes turned bloodshot, and he let out a furious shout.

"How dare they kidnap His Majesty!"

"All generals, listen to my command! Charge!"

"Help!!"

Rumbling--

Thousands of vanguard warriors, braving the waves and stirring up dust, charged toward Zhang Ying's location.

The murderous aura solidified, making the surrounding air icy cold.

Wang Ben was greatly alarmed.

"Old Meng! Stop! That's...!"

His voice was instantly drowned out by the deafening shouts of battle.

Zhang Ying frowned deeply as she watched the group of "extras" rushing towards her, yelling.

"Will this ever end?"

"Do you really think this is your backyard?"

He turned around and pulled a black remote control from his pocket.

Press.

"Sizzle—"

Four high-powered loudspeakers, installed on coconut trees around the beach, were powered on simultaneously.

After a piercing electrical hum.

Zhang Ying tucked the spatula into her waistband, pulled out a wireless microphone, and put it to her mouth.

"Hello?"

"The one in the lead, the one wearing the red tassel."

The sound, amplified by the loudspeaker, instantly transformed into thunderous roars that echoed across the entire beach.

The enormous sound wave made the eardrums of the soldiers charging at the front ache, and one of them stumbled and nearly fell.

The charging formation was thrown into disarray.

Meng Tian abruptly stopped, planted his long spear on the ground, and looked up at the sky in horror.

What was that sound?

Like a thunderclap, yet crystal clear.

It sounded like a god roaring in the clouds.

"Stop right there!"

Zhang Ying's voice rang out again, filled with deep displeasure.

"If you take one more step, you'll damage my windbreak, and I won't get dinner tonight!"

The entire room fell silent.

Thousands of Qin warriors remained frozen in place, maintaining their charging posture.

They looked at the short-haired man holding a black short stick.

Fear is spreading.

This person... can actually manipulate the sound of thunder?

Could it really be... an immortal?

Ying Zheng watched this scene, his lips twitching wildly.

He glanced at the imposing Meng Tian, ​​then at Zhang Ying, who was hurling insults into the street with a microphone.

A feeling of utter absurdity welled up inside me.

My Great Qin Iron Cavalry.

He swept across six kingdoms and was invincible.

Surprisingly... I was silenced by a loudspeaker?

Chapter 82

Chapter 82 Don't step on it! That one step would cost three thousand taels of gold!

The sea breeze froze.

Meng Tian's palms were covered in cold sweat as he gripped the long spear.

He had fought countless battles, witnessing the armies of six kingdoms and the wolf pack tactics of the Xiongnu.

But I've never seen anything like this before.

The short-haired man did not cast any spells or summon any mythical beasts.

He simply stood there and said a couple of words to the little black stick in his hand.

The sound descended like divine might, shaking the entire army.

"Demon...demon magic..."

The lieutenant approached Meng Tian, ​​his teeth chattering, "General, this place is eerie, those are sorcerers..."

"Shut up!"

Meng Tian gritted his teeth and forced himself to remain calm.

His Majesty is there.

Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire, or demons and monsters ahead, he must charge forward.

"Archers!"

Meng Tian raised his long spear, his voice resolute.

"Ready!"

wow-

On the warships behind, thousands of archers stepped forward simultaneously.

Qin's crossbow was cocked.

The cold arrowhead was aimed at Zhang Ying.

With just a single command, that short-haired man would be riddled with bullets.

"Holy crap?"

Zhang Ying raised an eyebrow as she looked at the dense array of arrows.

"Are you serious?"

"This prop is really realistic, a metal arrowhead?"

Instead of retreating, he advanced, even taking two steps forward to try and see the crossbow's mechanism clearly.

"Don't move!"

Ying Zheng suddenly let out a piercing scream.

He wasn't shouting at Zhang Ying.

He was shouting at Meng Tian.

Ying Zheng suddenly spread his arms wide, blocking Zhang Ying's path.

No.

To be precise, it was the sweet potato field that was blocking Zhang Ying's way...

"Stop! All of you, stop right now!"

Ying Zheng charged toward Meng Tian like a madman, so fast that even Wang Ben couldn't react in time.

"Don't fire arrows!"

"Anyone who dares to fire an arrow will have their entire family executed!"

Meng Tian was dumbfounded.

The archers were dumbfounded.

Your Majesty... has been bewitched by a sorcerer?

Why use the dragon's body to protect that demon?

"His Majesty!"

Meng Tian knelt down in the sea with a splash, tears streaming down his face.

"Your Majesty, I have arrived too late to save you! I have caused you suffering!"

"Your Majesty, please step aside! I will shoot this scoundrel and escort Your Majesty back to the palace!"

"Shoot my ass!"

Ying Zheng rushed up to Meng Tian and kicked Meng Tian's breastplate.

"You're blind as a bat!"

"Look who's that!"

Ying Zheng pointed to Zhang Ying behind him, and then to the ground beneath Zhang Ying's feet.

"That's...that's the Qin Dynasty's granary!"

"That's an auspicious sign of a yield of 10,000 jin per mu!"

"This volley of arrows you unleash won't just kill people, it will destroy the eternal foundation of the Qin Dynasty!"

Meng Tian was kicked into the water, looking completely bewildered.

granary?

Auspicious omen?

He looked up.

Apart from the strange man with the black stick, there was only a wasteland overgrown with weeds behind him.

Where are the granaries?

"His Majesty……"

Meng Tian got up and tried to persuade him again.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Ying Zheng snatched the long halberd from Meng Tian's hand and planted it fiercely on the beach.

"Issue my decree!"

"The entire army shall retreat thirty zhang!"

"Take off all your shoes!"

"Go ashore barefoot!"

"Anyone who dares to step on a blade of grass or kill an insect..."

A ruthless glint flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes, a cruelty unique to emperors.

"I'll chop him up and feed him to the pigs!"

The entire army was in uproar.

Take off your shoes?

barefoot?

This is a landing operation!

How can you fight a war barefoot?

But the emperor's decree was hard to disobey.

Although Meng Tian was full of doubts, he could only grit his teeth and wave his hand when he saw Ying Zheng's murderous eyes.

"Remove your armor! Take off your shoes!"

A series of clanging metallic sounds rang out.

The most elite soldiers of the Qin Dynasty began to collectively remove their shoes at the enemy's doorstep.

The scene was very embarrassing.

Zhang Ying, holding a microphone, watched this scene and couldn't help but complain.

"Old Ying, you revised the script pretty quickly."

"A ruse? Or is it a barefoot immortal descending to earth?"

He turned off the microphone, walked over to Ying Zheng, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, stop messing with your extras."

"They look so pitiful."

Ying Zheng froze.

He turned his head and looked at Zhang Ying's hand that was patting the dragon robe.

He then glanced at the 300,000-strong army standing dumbfounded in the distance.

An unprecedented sense of division was tearing at his nerves.

On one side was the supreme imperial power.

On one side is the "divine being" who can make the Qin Dynasty immortal for all eternity.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the sense of absurdity in his heart.

"gentlemen."

Ying Zheng forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"They...are hungry."

"Since you're here, how about... we grab a bite to eat together?"

Zhang Ying was stunned for a moment.

I looked at the sea of ​​black heads.

There must have been at least several thousand people logging in.

"Have a meal?"

Zhang Ying pointed to the pot in the yard.

"I just made a chicken."

"How am I supposed to feed these thousands of people?"

"Am I supposed to follow Jesus' example and eat five loaves and two fish?"

Ying Zheng didn't understand anything about Jesus.

But he understood the rejection.

No.

We absolutely cannot displease this great deity.

What if the master gets angry and takes all the potatoes and sweet potatoes back?

"Meng Tian!"

Ying Zheng turned around and roared at Meng Tian, ​​who had just taken off his shoes.

"Unload all the military rations from the ship!"

"Dried meat! Drinks! Bring everything down!"

"today……"

Ying Zheng glanced at Zhang Ying, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Today, the Great Qin Dynasty is hosting a banquet!"

"Please, sir... do me the honor!"

Meng Tian was completely dumbfounded.

His Majesty not only did not kill this sorcerer.

Should I treat him to a meal?

Do we still need to use military rations?

What kind of magic does this island possess?

Just then.

A powerful fragrance, carried by the sea breeze, wafted into everyone's nostrils.

That's the unique aroma of braised chicken with potatoes.

It's a blend of the fiery kick of chili peppers, the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the freshness of chicken, and the smooth, creamy texture of stewed potatoes.

Gudong.

Meng Tian swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

The thousands of soldiers behind him swallowed hard.

This taste...

It was more enticing than any delicacy they had ever tasted.

"It smells so good..."

Meng Tian subconsciously took a step forward.

"Don't move!"

Ying Zheng let out another scream.

He pointed to an inconspicuous little grass at Meng Tian's feet.

"Those are chili seedlings!"

"That kick cost three thousand taels of gold!"

"Get out of my way!"

Chapter 83

Chapter 83 That's not a pot, that's the fate of the Qin Dynasty!

The sun completely sank below the horizon.

Hundreds of bonfires were lit on the beach.

What was once a tense battlefield has now turned into a bizarre open-air banquet.

The Qin soldiers walked barefoot and carefully on the beach, afraid of stepping on the "priceless" weeds that His Majesty had mentioned.

They sat around the campfire, gnawing on the hard, rock-like dry rations they had brought, but their eyes were fixed on the table in the center.

There.

Zhang Ying was holding a spoon, adding food to the huge stainless steel basin.

The red oil is bubbling.

The chicken nuggets are golden brown.

The potatoes are soft and tender.

Wide gluten.

"Come on, come on, don't be shy."

Zhang Ying placed a large bowl of braised chicken in the center of the table.

"It's impossible for everyone on the film crew to receive perks."

"This amount is barely enough to fill a few of our teeth."

Ying Zheng, Wang Ben, Li Si, and Meng Yi sat around the table, chopsticks in their hands, their eyes gleaming with greed.

Meng Tian stood aside, at a loss for what to do.

He was wearing an undergarment (his armor was off), barefoot, and carrying a jar of Qin wine that had been taken down from the ship.

Looking at the group of big shots wolfing down their food, he felt like an outsider.

"Old Meng, have a seat."

Wang Ben, his mouth full of potatoes, mumbled his greeting.

"These potatoes... are amazing! They taste even better than meat!"

Meng Tian frowned.

Potato?

Those yellow patches?

Is it edible?

"His Majesty……"

Meng Tian looked at Ying Zheng, attempting to offer some advice.

"This substance is of unknown origin. Your Majesty's precious body should not be allowed to ingest it so casually..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Ying Zheng picked up a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth.

Close your eyes.

chew.

He looked completely absorbed.

"Meng Tian".

Ying Zheng swallowed the chicken and pointed to the stool next to him.

"sit."

"Try it."

"That's an order."

Helpless, Meng Tian could only sit down.

He took a pair of disposable chopsticks from Zhang Ying and cautiously picked up a piece of potato.

I held it under my nose and smelled it.

Fragrant.

It really smells good.

But he still hesitated.

Could the things made by this sorcerer be poisonous?

"Eat!"

Wang Ben got impatient and snatched the potato from Meng Tian's chopsticks, throwing it into his own mouth.

"If you won't eat it, I will!"

Meng Tian: "..."

He was enraged.

He picked up another piece and stuffed it into his mouth with a death-defying resolve.

next second.

Meng Tian's eyes widened suddenly.

soft.

Glutinous rice.

sand.

In that instant, the sweetness of the starch melting in his mouth, mixed with the salty and savory flavor of the broth, was like a bomb, blasting open his taste buds.

The food in the Qin Dynasty was mostly roasted, boiled, or stewed.

The seasonings were scarce; apart from salt and Sichuan peppercorns, there was basically no flavor.

And this...

This rich sense of layering.

This is a taste I've never experienced before.

"this……"

Meng Tian stared in shock at the yellow chunks in the bowl.

"What is this?"

"Potato."

Zhang Ying poured herself a glass of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) and said slowly.

"The one with a yield of 10,000 jin per mu."

puff--!!!

Meng Tian spat out a mouthful of potato.

It sprayed right onto Li Si's face.

Li Si calmly wiped his face, scraped off the potato bits, and ate them.

Waste is shameful.

"How much yield per mu (unit of land area)?"

Meng Tian doubted that he had heard correctly.

"Ten thousand catties."

Ying Zheng put down his chopsticks, his expression solemn.

He looked at Meng Tian and pointed to the mountain of potatoes in the distance.

"Meng Tian".

"Do you know why I forbade you to fire your arrows?"

Do you know why I made you take off your shoes?

Meng Tian looked at the small mountain that was faintly visible in the night.

Shortness of breath.

Heart beating wildly.

As a general in command of troops, he understood the importance of supplies better than anyone else.

Why did the Qin Dynasty build the imperial highways? To transport grain.

Why did the Qin Dynasty struggle so much against the Xiongnu? Because transporting grain was difficult.

if……

If there were grain yields of 10,000 jin per mu...

"His Majesty!"

Meng Tian suddenly knelt on the sand and kowtowed heavily to the pile of potatoes.

"Your Majesty... I deserve death!"

"I almost became a sinner against the Qin Dynasty!"

He finally understood.

His Majesty is not protecting that sorcerer.

They are protecting the lifeline of the Qin Dynasty!

What we are protecting is the livelihood of the people!

"Alright, alright, let's eat, why are you kowtowing?"

Zhang Ying couldn't stand it anymore.

These extras are so immersed in their acting.

"Eat quickly, and then wash the dishes."

"Oh, right."

Zhang Ying pointed to the soldiers who were watching.

"Tell your brothers not to just stand by and watch."

"There are still several hundred kilograms of sweet potatoes in the cellar."

"Let's take them out, bake them, and divide them up."

"Consider it... a service fee."

Ying Zheng's eyes lit up.

sweet potato!

That amazing thing that's even sweeter than a potato!

"allow!"

Ying Zheng waved his hand.

"Meng Tian, ​​go!"

"Distribute the sweet potatoes!"

"Tell the soldiers."

Ying Zheng stood up and raised the wine cup (a plastic cup) in his hand.

His voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the surrounding area.

"Tonight."

"I will share in this auspicious occasion with you all!"

"After eating this meal..."

"Every potato, every piece of paper, every bottle on this island..."

Ying Zheng looked at Zhang Ying, his eyes filled with predatory light.

"Take them all back to Qin!"

Zhang Ying paused in her drink.

He looked at Ying Zheng's eyes, which seemed to want to empty his family's coffers.

Suddenly I felt something was wrong.

This script...

Why does this feel like a home invasion robbery?

"that……"

Zhang Ying asked timidly.

"You're not going to take my toilet with you, are you?"

Ying Zheng turned his head and thought about it seriously for a moment.

"What if that toilet is also a divine object..."

"move!"

"We have to move!"

The image freezes at this moment.

The campfire flickered.

Meng Tian knelt on the ground, holding a bowl of potatoes, tears streaming down his face.

Ying Zheng stood by the table, surveying the landscape with an air of triumph.

Zhang Ying, holding a wine glass, looked completely bewildered at the group of "robbers" who were about to empty his house.

And behind them.

Everything was reflected in that huge floor-to-ceiling glass window.

It also reflects...

A bright moon is slowly rising over the distant sea.

And under the bright moon, the Great Qin Dragon Banner fluttered in the sea breeze.