Qingnu had been gone for several days, leaving Ying Zheng in an anxious state.
He had feared that she left because of her dissatisfaction with his decision to send Xu Fu to sea in search of immortality. He had dispatched the Qin army and the Black Ice Platform to search for any trace of her!
Seeing Qingnu return now, Ying Zheng finally breathed a long sigh of relief. He cupped his hands in a bow and said, "Where did Teacher go? You have made Gua Ren search long and hard!"
"Mount Tai!"
Qingnu hopped onto a nearby railing and told a casual lie.
Hearing this, Ying Zheng looked puzzled and asked, "What did Teacher go to Mount Tai for?"
"To pick out a good spot for your Fengshan ceremony, of course!"
Qingnu swung her legs and raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her face as she said to Ying Zheng, "See? I'm quite good to you, aren't I? I even went to scout the location for you in advance. No need to thank me. Just have some beef ready for me later; I'm starving."
"Gua Ren shall have it prepared for Teacher immediately!"
Ying Zheng nodded and promptly gave the order.
Qingnu waved him off and ducked directly into her tent. After plonking herself down, she began to rub her feet.
This snake-girl was used to being wild; she had spent over two thousand years frolicking without shoes.
She stretched her legs and splayed her toes, sighing, "Sigh... I'm tired after just a few steps. This body isn't what it used to be."
Hongluan rolled its eyes and said, 'You've walked over a thousand li since yesterday. It would be weird if you weren't tired.'
"I was afraid he'd get suspicious if I came back too late."
Qingnu flopped onto the blankets.
She rolled over and stared at the ceiling of the tent, suddenly saying, "If I'd known, I wouldn't have promised King Xiaowen of Qin back then."
Hongluan landed beside Qingnu's head and began preening its feathers. 'Chirp! Bird likes that you keep your promises. Whatever you do, Bird will follow!'
"Ah! It seems bringing you down from Kunlun was the right choice after all! Sister Bird, give me a kiss!"
Qingnu laughed, rolled over, and grabbed Hongluan to give it a peck.
Hongluan kicked Qingnu's cheek with its talons and scolded, 'Stupid snake! You got spit on my feathers!'
The whole-cow feast ordered by Ying Zheng was soon served. The cow, which was larger than Qingnu herself, disappeared into the snake's belly in less than an hour. She wiped the grease from her hands and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Sigh... Truly, my needs are simple. As long as there is meat to eat, a snake's life is beautiful!"
Qingnu stood up and stretched her waist.
Despite having eaten an entire cow, her belly showed no sign of bulging; her figure remained perfectly symmetrical.
Seeing this, Hongluan couldn't help but snark, 'I really don't know which stomach you put all that meat into.'
The grand inspection procession arrived at the foot of Mount Tai.
Li Si led men up the mountain, only to find that a flat area had already been cleared at the summit. The earthen base was compacted, and faint footprints were still visible near the edges.
When he reported this, Ying Zheng was completely convinced that Qingnu had indeed gone to Mount Tai solely to choose a site for the Fengshan ceremony.
Under Li Si's supervision, the Fengshan Altar was quickly completed.
Ying Zheng ascended the height to offer sacrifices to heaven.
Standing atop Taiping Peak, Ying Zheng gazed out over the lands of Qi and Lu. The vast plains were boundless, and the feeling of looking down upon the world was particularly vivid. He turned to look at Qingnu, who stood to the side, and asked, "Teacher, if one offers a sacrifice to heaven here, does heaven truly know?"
"Perhaps."
Qingnu didn't know either.
From here, she looked toward the west. In the distant horizon, the golden light was vast, but the powerful fortune over the Xianyang plains had suddenly begun to slowly dissipate.
It was as if it had reached its peak and was now starting to decline!
Qingnu's pupils contracted.
"How can this be..."
She had killed Zhao Gao and ensured Fusu became the Crown Prince, meaning the future Second Emperor would not be Hu Hai. Ying Zheng hadn't consumed any poisonous elixirs either; looking at his state, he could live for many more years. Yet, why was the fortune of Qin still fading?
"Why? Why! Why must it be so!"
Qingnu murmured to herself.
With his back to Qingnu, Ying Zheng was unaware of her current shock. He simply said, "Whether heaven knows or not, it is enough that Teacher knows."
Qingnu remained silent for a long time before sighing and shaking her head. "No... I am not heaven."
"Teacher is higher than heaven!"
Ying Zheng said this with absolute sincerity. Hearing this, Qingnu laughed again with a touch of self-deprecation. She waved her hand and said, "Don't let heaven hear that, or it might strike me with lightning one day! Let's go, let's head down the mountain."
Her tone sounded tired.
The honor guard led the way, with Ying Zheng and Qingnu following behind. Qingnu looked somber, remaining speechless for a long time.
Vines grew from the sides of the path, snagging on the hem of Qingnu's skirt.
Feeling the tug, she froze for a moment and looked down. She saw the vines holding her skirt as if trying to urge her to stay on Mount Tai.
Qingnu leaned down and patted the vines, saying, "I know, but I have to try, don't I?"
One doesn't turn back until hitting the southern wall.
But what if her head was hard enough to break the wall?
As soon as she spoke, the vines released her skirt and fell to the roadside. Qingnu kindly picked them up and tucked them back into the bushes on the side.
Ahead, Ying Zheng glanced back and saw Qingnu crouching. He asked in confusion, "Teacher, what are you doing?"
"Protecting the plants!"
Qingnu called back, standing up to catch up with the group.
The army returned westward in a massive procession stretching for miles, entering the former territory of Han from the land of Qi.
Inside her carriage, Qingnu gazed at the Yellow River flowing eastward. Seeing the reeds swaying and catching a scent in the air, she called out to someone nearby. "What place is up ahead?"
"In response to Teacher, ahead is Bolangsha."
The person replied.
Qingnu's expression turned knowing. She waved him away. "I see. Go back to your duties."
As the carriage reached Bolangsha, it slowed down due to the uneven terrain. Qingnu felt the carriage swaying and counted the time in her head.
After a few moments, a giant hammer smashed directly toward her carriage. With a thunderous boom, it crushed the carriage to pieces!
Hongluan cried out in alarm, 'What happened? Who wants to kill a snake?'
"I should be the one asking that."
Qingnu grabbed Hongluan and stood up to look to the side. In the reed beds, she spotted Zhang Liang hiding within.
It wasn't surprising that Zhang Liang had made a mistake; her carriage was of the same specification as Ying Zheng's, a carriage of six horses befitting the Son of Heaven.
In fact, Ying Zheng had assigned her even more attendants than himself.
Seeing that the person emerging from the carriage was not Ying Zheng but a young woman in green, Zhang Liang's face changed instantly. He turned and fled without a moment's hesitation.
The Qin soldiers captured the strongman who had carried out the assassination, while Ying Zheng rushed toward Qingnu's position.
"Teacher! Are you alright?"
Seeing Ying Zheng's anxious expression, Qingnu waved her hand and said, "Stay here. I'll go have a look."
Hearing this, Ying Zheng hurriedly said, "I will send others. Teacher..."
"No need."
Qingnu declined his request. Like an arrow leaving a bowstring, she vanished into the reeds in the blink of an eye. Her movements were as lithe and agile as a snake; others could barely see her trail, let alone keep up.
Zhang Liang could not run as fast as Qingnu. In just a few breaths, she intercepted him.
"Don't run anymore. You can't outrun me."
Qingnu blocked Zhang Liang's path. Looking at the future Saint of Strategy who would help establish the Han Dynasty over four hundred years, she called out his name.
"Zhang Liang, Zhang Zifang!"
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