Chapter 20: Ying Zheng: Oh My, It’s All Oh My!

The officials in the great hall stood with their mouths agape, utterly stunned.

"My god! This... an output of 5,000 kilograms—163 shi—per mu? Is this for real?"
"An elixir of longevity? Ten years of life?"

Just as everyone was reeling in shock, a crisp, youthful voice echoed in Ying Zheng’s mind.

【Does His Majesty the First Emperor feel satisfied with these rewards?】

Ying Zheng, who had been trembling with excitement, was startled by the sudden voice. "Who are you? Why are you speaking inside my head?"

【Don't be afraid, Your Majesty! I am Tianbao, the Sky Canopy Sprite, responsible for distributing your rewards! Are you satisfied with the prizes, Your Majesty?】

Once he understood, Ying Zheng laughed. "I’ve won... I’ve hit the jackpot! Satisfied! I am more than satisfied!"

【Shall we claim your rewards, Your Majesty?】

"Wait a moment!" Ying Zheng took several deep breaths, struggling to suppress his mounting excitement, and wiped the sweat from his brow.

He fought to calm himself. Just as he was about to claim the rewards, the court, which had been standing in orderly rows, erupted into chaos. Some stared with wide, disbelieving eyes, while others clenched their fists, their bodies trembling with fervor.

Ying Zheng, feeling no less excited, did not take offense. "Silence! Silence! I am about to claim the rewards!"

The clamor in the hall gradually subsided, and everyone held their breath, watching with intense anticipation. If nothing else, a crop with a yield of 5,000 kilograms per mu was a divine treasure capable of transforming the Great Qin forever!

Ying Zheng took a deep breath and declared, "Claim the rewards!"

In an instant, a flash of light swept through, and three items appeared before him.

【Reward One distributed... Two distributed... Three distributed!】

The voice rang repeatedly in Ying Zheng’s mind. The officials watched this miraculous sight with awe.

Ying Zheng picked up the longevity elixir, which was clearly labeled with the words "Guaranteed Authentic." Beside it sat a detoxifying pill and a map. He immediately tore open the seal on the longevity elixir and swallowed it. After all, it was a divine medicine that could extend his life by a decade; there was no safer place to keep it than inside his own body.

The pill melted instantly upon contact with his tongue. Ying Zheng felt a wave of relief wash over him; his back no longer ached, his legs felt strong, and he felt as though he could climb five stories in one go. The white hairs on his head turned dark, and the wrinkles on his face faded significantly. Feeling these changes, he was overcome with joy and let out a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha... wonderful!"

【Your Majesty... Your Majesty... wake up, stop laughing!】

Ying Zheng, still in the throes of excitement, finally snapped back to reality at Tianbao’s call.

【Your Majesty... please select a suitable location to claim Reward Four!】

Ying Zheng realized with a start—right, there were still 100,000 jin of grain seeds! If they were released inside the great hall, wouldn't he be buried alive?

【Your Majesty... don't just stand there! Find a site quickly, I can't hold on much longer! 10... 9...】

Without caring for his imperial dignity, our Emperor grabbed the world map in his left hand and the detoxifying pill in his right, and took off running at full speed!

Li Si and Zhao Gao felt a gust of wind rush past them. When they turned to look—

*Poof!*

Their Emperor had vanished.

The officials in the hall were dumbfounded; none of them had ever seen the First Emperor like this. He ran so fast that even a rabbit would have been left in his dust. Fusu, standing there with his mouth wide open, was practically petrified. Recovering their senses, the officials and Fusu scrambled to catch up.

"Your Majesty... oh, Your Majesty, please slow down!" Zhao Gao shouted as he ran.

The scene was utter chaos. Emperor Zheng even lost a shoe in his haste, but in the final split second, he burst out of the hall.

"Everyone, get out of the way!"

Before the guards could react, a mountain of potatoes and sweet potatoes descended from the sky. Terrified, the guards grabbed their swords, ready to strike, but Ying Zheng shouted, "Do not draw your blades! Do not! Do not!"

He knew these were divine treasures that yielded 5,000 kilograms per mu; he would have been heartbroken if even one was damaged. Fortunately, he stopped them in time. The guards cleared a large area, providing enough space. Ying Zheng let out a long sigh of relief.

Within moments, two five-to-six-meter-high mounds of potatoes and sweet potatoes piled up in the courtyard. Ying Zheng tucked the pills and the map into his robes, then stepped forward, grabbing a potato in one hand and a sweet potato in the other, his face filled with awe.

Fusu and the officials caught up, breathless. Looking at the mountains of produce, they couldn't help but swallow hard. They finally understood why their Emperor had run so fast; if this had been released inside the hall, the sheer volume would have buried them all! The entire Great Qin leadership might have been wiped out in one go.

While the officials rejoiced, they stepped forward to examine the potatoes and sweet potatoes with intense curiosity.

【Your Majesty... the rewards have all been distributed. I must return now. These are the planting manuals and storage instructions for the potatoes and sweet potatoes! Farewell, Your Majesty!】

"Farewell, Tianbao! On behalf of the people of Great Qin, I thank you!" Ying Zheng said with a solemn expression, bowing toward the sky.

Knowledge regarding how to plant, consume, and store the crops flooded his mind. The more he understood, the more shocked he became. If these could be popularized, the people of Great Qin would never know hunger again.

Holding a potato aloft, Ying Zheng addressed his officials: "My ministers, this is a blessing bestowed upon Great Qin by the heavens. The techniques for cultivation are now in my mind; these two items shall ensure our granaries are overflowing!"

The officials raised their potatoes and sweet potatoes high, shouting with excitement, "His Majesty is wise! Great Qin shall flourish!"

Fusu was so moved he could hardly speak. With these, no one in Great Qin would ever go hungry again. They could achieve the legendary state where every citizen was well-fed. Casting aside his Confucian studies and his disputes with Chunyu Yue, Fusu stepped forward to volunteer: "Father, such divine treasures must be guarded by elite troops. I wish to remain here and keep watch!"

Seeing Fusu's enthusiasm, Ying Zheng nodded. For the first time, he found his eldest son agreeable and, seeing his rare initiative, readily agreed: "Very well! It shall be in your hands!"

Fusu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Father!"

He immediately had his bedding brought out, clearly intending to stay. Outside, the area was surrounded by layers of guards; it was so heavily fortified that not even a fly could enter. The court session was dismissed.

Li Si instructed his aides, "Tell my household that I shall not be returning tonight!" Following his lead, the other officials sent word home, gathering around the mounds of potatoes and sweet potatoes, unwilling to leave. To them, these crops were now their lifeline; anyone who dared to damage them would face their collective wrath.

Ying Zheng returned to his sleeping quarters, took the remaining pill, and then began to study the map. The more he looked, the brighter his eyes shone.

"To think the world is so vast... and Great Qin is but such a tiny speck?"
"Is this merely the tip of the iceberg?"
"No... this, this, and this—they must all be conquered!"
"They are mine! All of them are mine!"