"Good! I know all of you are true brothers, having fought through countless hardships! But from this day on, you'll follow me—no matter what, I won't have my brothers doing senseless, foolish things! We must always act within our means and preserve our strength! Isn't that right, brothers?" The words of Gao Liang struck a chord with the brothers, who immediately responded with enthusiasm: "The elder's words are absolutely spot-on! We'll follow the elder and the young lady—our prospects are bright!" The scene then shifted to the Xianyang Palace, in the Grand Hall of the Imperial Court, where Qin Shi Huang was reviewing a stack of thick official documents—written on bamboo slips—and began to feel a bit drowsy. He massaged his forehead, noticing the hall was now empty except for the eunuch Zhao Gao, who stood respectfully waiting. Qin Shi Huang turned to Zhao Gao and said, "Zhao Gao!" "Your Majesty! I am here!" Zhao Gao immediately bowed low. "Have you extracted the elixir of immortality yet?" Qin Shi Huang asked. "Yes, Your Majesty! Just now, we've recruited thirty-six alchemists from all over the country Zhao Gao reported the matter faithfully. "Excellent! Excellent!" Qin Shi Huang clapped his hands in approval. He immediately issued the decree: "Send my message forth! Quickly prepare the elixir of immortality! It must be completed within seven days. For in seven days, I shall ascend the Immortal Platform, take the elixir of eternal life, and then live as long as heaven and earth, shining alongside the sun and moon! Hahaha!" Qin Shi Huang laughed heartily. "Your Majesty's command is duly received!" Zhao Gao, kneeling to accept the decree, immediately set about his duties. Upon Zhao Gao's departure, Qin Shi Huang prepared to return to the imperial palace for rest. At that moment, however, a ceremonial official rushed in from outside, kneeling before the emperor and saying, "Majesty! Chancellor Li Si requests an audience!" "Summon him!" Qin Shi Huang granted the request immediately. This time, he hoped to dispatch Li Si to Zhao to investigate the extraordinary person capable of withstanding 600,000 Qin troops—or to learn of any further developments. Soon after, Li Si entered the hall. "Your Majesty! I present this precious jade Li Si’s first words upon entering were to present the Biantian jade. Qin Shi Huang was deeply interested in gathering treasures from across the land, and immediately invited Li Si in. The ritual official placed the Biantian jade on the emperor’s desk and then stepped back to the side. Whenever Qin Shi Huang met anyone—no matter how close the relationship— he maintained a certain distance. This was because so many people had attempted to assassinate him; he could never trust anyone easily. Ordinary people usually stayed at a distance of about a hundred paces, and even his closest associates remained no closer than thirty paces. Even Li Si himself was at most thirty paces away. When Qin Shi Huang saw the Biantian jade, he exclaimed in astonishment: “The Heshi jade! The Heshi jade!” He clapped his hands enthusiastically on the desk. “Reward! Li Si, receive your decree! For successfully recovering the Heshi jade, he is granted one thousand taels of gold and a grand residence!” Qin Shi Huang praised Li Si on the spot, and Li Si was overjoyed. After receiving his appointment and leaving, a Qin soldier at the outer hall reported: “Your Majesty! A message has arrived from the Lia "We've achieved a great victory!" Qin Shi Huang pounded the imperial table, exclaiming, "Excellent! Excellent!" "Your Majesty! This is the royal letter from the King of Gao-li, expressing his willingness to submit to the great Qin Empire. In addition to sending annual tribute, he offers His Majesty the stunning, breathtaking Princess Yuzhu, the most beautiful woman in Gao-li! The King has already set off, and is expected to arrive in Xianyang within a week. Furthermore, Princess Yuzhu is now beginning her journey, escorted by General Meng!" The Qin general reported faithfully. Qin Shi Huang expressed his enthusiasm, gazing at the portrait of the beauty—indeed, the foremost beauty of Gao-li (today's Korea and Korea). Though Qin Shi Huang had an imperial harem of three thousand noble ladies, and even with the construction of the Afang Palace, which brought together the consorts and princesses from the six states, totaling over ten thousand women, he still rarely visited the Afang Palace. To him, women were merely tools for pleasure—except when they truly captured his heart. Yet the Princess Yushu of Gao-li, this foreign beauty, deeply captivated him. "I shall bestow upon her the title of Lì Feng!" Emperor Qin announced immediately. To be named a consort upon her very departure and to be granted residence in Xianyang Palace—a rare occurrence in the Qin dynasty—clearly demonstrated the Emperor's deep affection for her. However, Emperor Qin was unaware of the true condition of the Gao-li kingdom. When his general Meng Tian led 100,000 Qin troops to launch a vigorous assault on Gao-li, the capital city of Songyue was captured, and King Wang Jianyuan was taken prisoner. Meng Tian had originally intended to execute the Gao-li king, but when Princess Yushu, only sixteen years old, drew a precious sword and, before Meng Tian's very eyes, declared her intent to take her own life for her father, Meng Tian was utterly astonished. Upon closer inspection, he was struck by her extraordinary beauty. Indeed, this time, the mission entrusted to Emperor Qin—sending 100,000 elite troops to conquer Gao-li—was aimed at bringing the kingdom under Qin's suzerainty. While humbly submitting, if encountering a breathtakingly beautiful lady or a rare treasure, he collected them all. Immediately, Meng Tian addressed Princess Yushu: "As long as you accompany me to Qin and become a consort of the King of Qin, I will release your father." To save her homeland and prevent her father from being killed, Princess Yushu agreed. Thus, Meng Tian had her portrait carefully painted and dispatched a swift message to Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who was deeply enchanted by the beauty depicted. With a single stroke of his pen, the Emperor issued a decree: "Born with natural grace and fragrance, she embodies the beauty of a nation. I hereby bestow upon her the title of Lady Li. Summon her immediately to the Palace of Xianyang!" As a loyal general of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Meng Tian, in order to ensure a smooth departure for Lady Li, specially escorted King Wang Jianyuan of Goryeo to Xianyang ahead of time. This move was surely well-considered: first, the sovereign ruler of Goryeo, visiting the imperial court of Qin, symbolized genuine submission. Second, Princess Yushu, the daughter, is not only a beautiful woman with a broad-minded outlook but also a deeply filial daughter. When her father departed for Xianyang, he naturally felt uneasy and thus decided to accompany him. From the distant Goryeo kingdom, through Liaodong, then to the original territory of the Yan state, onward to Shanxi, and finally to Xianyang in Shaanxi—this journey was both exceptionally long and deeply arduous. The scene now shifts to our male protagonist, Gao Liang. Gao Liang, together with Zhang Yuping, Zhao Erhu, Zeng Erniu, and his team of over a hundred companions, dressed as merchants. Gao Liang himself continued to portray a young nobleman, while Zhang Yuping, still in male attire, served as one of his male servants. Zhao Erhu, Zeng Erniu, and their group of brothers took on the roles of hired freight workers, transporting goods from Handan in a grand procession to the Qin capital, Xianyang. The journey proceeded smoothly, and throughout the route, inspections by Qin soldiers revealed no significant issues. Zhao Erhu led more than ten people ahead as pioneers, while Zeng Erniu escorted a group of over ten behind, with the brothers in the middle transporting goods. Gao Liang's carriage was positioned between Zhao Erhu and the cargo. Along the way, they observed the local customs and scenery, enjoying a most pleasant journey. Gao Liang waved a feather fan, appreciating the pleasant landscapes unfolding along the route. As for Zhang Yuping, she sat at the front of the carriage, guiding the horses. With the bright sun shining overhead, Zhang Yuping felt the heat rising steadily.