Sky Curtain: A Review of Historical Foes and the Secrets of Ministers

Upon hearing this, Li Er offered his comments.

"Xiang Yu's massacre of 200,000 surrendered soldiers, though caused by food shortages and the instability of the surrendered troops, was a desperate measure born of necessity..."

Li Er's tone shifted, filled with disdain, "But this precisely proves that Xiang Yu was indeed a brainless brute. He couldn't even handle logistics and appease surrendered generals; what kind of Hegemon-King of Western Chu was he?"

"Back in the day, I conquered most of the world, and captured more than 200,000 soldiers and generals. Not only did I not kill them, but I also brought the Turkic Khan, Jieli, to dance for me. If you don't even understand this basic principle of governing people, you can only be called a king."

On the Ming side, Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, exuding a violent aura.

"Two hundred thousand surrendered soldiers? If they were in our hands, who would dare to disobey? We'd just pick out the leader and behead him! The rest would be scattered and used as cannon fodder in the charge!"

Old Zhu's tone was cruel: "Instead of thinking about how to solve the problem of running out of food, and because the surrendered troops were unstable and couldn't be controlled, he just buried them all alive? This guy is a complete brainless brute. Two hundred thousand able-bodied laborers have been wasted like this."

In the picture, Zhang Han stands with his hands on his hips and points his thumb at his nose.

"That's not all. Xiang Yu let me go back to Guanzhong and made me the King of Yong. A king my foot!"

"Every household in Guanzhong is in mourning. Every family has a son who died in Xin'an. They wish they could eat my flesh alive. I have to sleep with one eye open."

"We finally managed to hold out until that old Liu Bang attacked, guess who he sent to fight me?"

"Han Xin!!!"

"They pulled off a clever ruse, using the feint to flood my ruined city of Ruins."

"You be the judge! I was originally just a tomb-building contractor! In the first half of my life, my opponent was Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu. In the second half, my opponent is Han Xin, the strategist genius!"

"Throughout the late Qin and early Han dynasties, I've encountered two of the most formidable monsters! Why, when they're fighting, do they have to drag a mere construction foreman into it? Why?!"

"Emperor Qin Shi Huang, open your eyes and look at the good successor you chose! If I could do it all over again, I'd rather spend my whole life carrying bricks at Mount Li. Oh, and that damned eunuch, he loved calling a deer a horse so much, may he be reincarnated as a horse in his next life, to be ridden every day."

The scene abruptly ends there.

An eerie silence fell over all the myriad realms and timelines.

"Your Majesty—!"

Zhao Gao, who had just left,

Suddenly, an immense force erupted from somewhere, and he slid back onto his knees, completely on the verge of collapse.

He finally understood that Zhang Han had come for his entire family today.

How come he never noticed before? Zhang Han looked like an honest fool, but now he seems to be a beast in human form.

"Your Majesty, Zhang Han is trying to kill me!" Zhao Gao kowtowed frantically while pointing at Zhang Han and shouting his curses.

Zhang Han, who had just managed to stand up, was so shocked by the shout that his legs went weak and he knelt down again.

Zhang Han was completely numb. He looked at the sky in horror, then at the furious Zhao Gao.

"I'm innocent! I know nothing!" Zhang Han cried out, on the verge of tears.

He started cursing in his mind, wondering if the person up there was really him.

How did I end up digging my own grave? How did I become a king? And what's this about surrendering leading to the massacre of 200,000 Qin soldiers?

But at this moment, what terrified Zhang Han most was not the prospect of surrendering and being buried alive, but rather the final roar echoing across the sky—

successor?

Although Zhang Han had never heard of such a straightforward term in later generations, could this "successor" mean the heir or the crown prince?

Ying Zheng ignored Zhao Gao's wailing and slowly walked up to Zhang Han.

"Successor..." Ying Zheng looked down at him, his eyes icy. "What do you mean by that? Are you referring to the Crown Prince of Qin?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." Zhang Han trembled like a leaf, his mind blank.

Ying Zheng suddenly leaned down, staring intently into his eyes. "Let me take a good look at the successor I've chosen. Zhang Han, tell me, what are your grievances against Fusu?"

Upon hearing this, Prince Fusu, who was standing to the side, was kind and gentle. Seeing that Zhang Han was almost scared to death by the emperor, he quickly stepped forward to try to calm him down.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The matter of the Heavenly Curtain is too strange. Prefect Zhang has been supervising the construction of Mount Li for many years, and he is utterly loyal. He would never have any improper thoughts. There must be some misunderstanding involved. I beg Your Majesty to investigate and help Prefect Zhang..."

"Shut up!"

Ying Zheng whirled around, his anger turning into a mocking laugh. "Didn't you hear what they were saying on the screen just now?! They were pointing their finger at me, telling me to take a good look and see if I'm even fit for this position!"

Fusu was so enraged by Ying Zheng's roar that he staggered back half a step, his face turning pale instantly.

Successor... The nation perished after only two generations...

Fusu's mind began to replay the tragic scene of the Qin Dynasty's disintegration, and a deep sense of self-doubt welled up in his heart.

Could it be... that I really did something wrong? Fusu was filled with confusion and pain.

Why is it that as soon as I ascended the throne, those Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, whom I've never even heard of, were able to lead troops to attack?

Even the court officials are questioning me, and it has even forced a junior official to lead troops into battle.

Is it really true that my benevolent governance is ineffective in managing this vast country?

The heavens have descended in divine wrath, issuing a warning. Am I truly... that sinner for all eternity?

Seeing that Fusu not only failed to deliver the fierce rebuttal expected of the heir to the Qin Dynasty, but instead fell into deep self-doubt and looked utterly dejected.

Ying Zheng, who had been relatively calm, was now so angry that he could hardly speak.

How could I have given birth to such a thing that can only reflect?

"Enough!" Ying Zheng suppressed the urge to draw his sword and pointed at Fusu, shouting, "Go back to your residence and give me a good rest!"

Fusu's eyes reddened slightly, and he bowed deeply with a face full of guilt, "Your subject...yes."

Watching Fusu's dejected figure depart, Ying Zheng took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his anger.

He turned to look at the ranks of military officers, his voice chillingly cold, "Meng Tian!"

"Your subject is here!" General Meng Tian immediately stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

"Immediately mobilize the Imperial Guards and thoroughly search the entire palace! Find and bring to justice anyone suspicious!"

"promise!"

"The rest of you, disperse. Without my decree, no one is to step out of the mansion!" Ying Zheng waved his sleeve.

The officials, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, wiped away their cold sweat, bowed, and left Xianyang Palace.

Soon, only Ying Zheng and Li Si, who had been standing silently with his head bowed, remained in the vast square in front of the palace.

Ying Zheng looked at the dimming light screen in the sky and spoke slowly.

"Li Si, what do you think of all this?"

Li Si stepped forward, his brows furrowed, and after a moment of contemplation, he spoke frankly.

"Your Majesty, I believe that such methods do not seem to be the work of sorcerers. There are no sorcerers or sorcerers in the world with such great abilities."

Ying Zheng nodded slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, acknowledging Li Si's judgment.

"I think so too. But that's the problem. What's described here is clearly something that will happen in the future."

So, is this true or false?

Li Si lowered his head, not daring to speak recklessly; even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to respond.

Ying Zheng sneered and continued in thought, "Xiang Liang? I do know a thing or two about him. He's the son of Xiang Yan, a general of Chu. Hmph! These remnants of the six states truly deserve to die!"

"As for that so-called military genius Han Xin, and Liu Bang who sent him to fight Zhang Han..."

A cold glint flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes. He turned his head slightly and gave an order to someone in the shadows.

"Send word to Yao Jia. Let him investigate and he'll find out."

"promise!"

Yao Jia is a high-ranking official in the Qin Dynasty and also the deputy commander of the Black Ice Guard, the most mysterious intelligence agency in the Qin Dynasty.

Under its command were "sixteen captains," and its secret agents were spread like a spider web throughout every corner of the Qin Dynasty.

As for who the rightful leader of the Black Ice Guard is,

The true leader sits on the dragon throne.