The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day of the grand court.

The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, and the city of Xianyang was full of prosperity.

In front of the Changle Palace, all the civil and military officials, dressed in official uniforms, walked into the palace in an orderly manner. Their expressions were solemn and their steps were steady, showing the majesty of the Qin officials.

Inside the palace, carved beams and painted buildings showcased the heritage and majesty of the Qin Dynasty. The First Emperor sat atop a lofty dragon throne, clad in a dark red dragon robe and a crown with twelve tassels. His face was solemn and majestic. Beside him, palace maids gently waved feather fans, providing a touch of coolness.

When the ministers entered the palace, they knelt down and saluted, shouting in unison: "Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Great Qin!" The sound resounded throughout the palace and echoed in the air for a long time.

The First Emperor nodded slightly, signaling his ministers to stand. He scanned the entire room with a sharp and resolute gaze.

With the first emperor's order, the court officially began. The ministers came forward one by one to report on the situation and achievements of various places.

Li Si walked to the center of the palace with firm steps and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, I have something to present to Your Majesty for your review." After that, he respectfully took out the written memorial.

Seeing this, the eunuch beside the First Emperor hurriedly took the memorial from Li Si and carefully placed it on the desk in front of the First Emperor.

The First Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly opened the memorial, and began to read it carefully. As time went by, his facial expression gradually changed, from initial confusion to relief.

The First Emperor thought to himself, "This Li Si is truly remarkable! After I unified the six kingdoms, he proposed a series of important suggestions, including the county system and the title of emperor. Now, he's even proposed replacing soldiers with terracotta warriors in the mausoleum. He's truly farsighted!"

The First Emperor raised his head, glanced at the ministers in the hall, and then asked, "Li Qing proposed using terracotta figurines instead of burying soldiers alive with the dead. What are your opinions on this?"

After hearing what the First Emperor said, the ministers all lowered their heads in thought, and for a moment the entire hall fell silent. They knew the sensitivity and complexity of this issue and that it required careful consideration.

Suddenly, a young man emerged from the crowd. It was Gan Luo, who, at the tender age of twelve, had already risen to the rank of Nine Ministers. He bowed and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I believe this proposal is excellent. Terracotta figurines are durable and long-lasting. Not only will this reduce the use of manpower and resources, but it will also allow more of our people to engage in agricultural production, thereby increasing grain production. This will ensure the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the nation will prosper. It truly achieves multiple goals at one stroke."

Chunyu Yue, however, held a different view. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, burying a terracotta figurine with the deceased may save a lot of trouble, but it is ultimately not as grand as burying a real person. Your Majesty is an emperor of all ages. How can a terracotta figurine be worthy of your mausoleum?"

At this time, Li Si spoke again, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the terracotta figurines are exquisitely crafted and lifelike, rivaling real people. Burying them with the dead can avoid the cruel practice of burying living people alive with them."

Zhao Gao was shocked when he heard this. He quickly said, "Your Majesty, I believe that burying living people with the dead has been a practice since ancient times. It has been practiced by emperors and nobles throughout history. Your Majesty, of noble status, should also follow this practice."

Wang Ben could no longer hold back. After all, the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers were at stake. He quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Prime Minister Li and Internal Affairs Minister Gan are right. Since everyone is arguing endlessly, why not have Prime Minister Li bring the terracotta figurines he created into the palace so that everyone can be convinced?"

The First Emperor pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, "Marquis Tongwu's words make sense. In that case, pass on my order to bring the terracotta figurines to the palace."

Soon, a group of soldiers carefully carried several life-size terracotta figurines into the hall. These figurines were made with great care and were lifelike, just like real soldiers.

Seeing this scene, the ministers gathered around curiously, their faces filled with amazement. They had never seen such human-shaped pottery figurines before, and they couldn't help but feel a strong interest in it.

Seeing this, the First Emperor couldn't help but step down from his throne and walk to the center of the hall, carefully examining the lifelike terracotta figurines before him. Overwhelmed with emotion, he turned to Li Si and exclaimed in admiration, "Mr. Li, you truly are worthy of being the Prime Minister of the Great Qin. You are a man of great talent in governing the country, and yet you have come up with such a wonderful idea."

However, when Feng Quji, who was standing aside, heard what the First Emperor said, a hint of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Li Si quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this is not the work of me alone. It is the result of the idea of ​​Meng Yi, the Minister of Works, and the hard work of Gong Shuyang and other craftsmen."

Upon hearing this, Meng Yi also quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I believe that your unification of China, achieving a unified script, a standardized wheel gauge, a standardized system of measurement, and a reformed currency, is truly an unprecedented achievement. Your Majesty has already walked at the forefront of the world, creating countless firsts. I am merely following in your footsteps, making slight modifications."

The First Emperor's face showed joy, and he said in a firm tone: "A minister who has made contributions must be rewarded. My dear minister, what reward do you want? Even if it means reinstating your official position, it will be fine."

Upon hearing the First Emperor's words, the people in the hall had different reactions. Fusu, Xin Qiliu and others were delighted, while Zhao Gao, Hu Hai, Chunyu Yue and others were filled with resentment.

Meng Yi hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, if Your Majesty wishes to bestow rewards, please give these terracotta figures names!"

The First Emperor nodded slightly in agreement, then said, "In that case, the merit will be recorded for now. The imperial mausoleum is buried with not only soldiers, but also horses and chariots... Well, then we will call it the Terracotta Army!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the ministers shouted like a tide: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Upon seeing this, the First Emperor spoke in a voice as resounding as a bell: "My dear ministers, do you now see the exquisiteness of these terracotta figurines? Burying terracotta figurines with the dead not only avoids the cruel practice of burying living people with the dead, but also allows the Qin Dynasty to have more soldiers guarding the borders and more people engaged in production, while also ensuring the eternal stability of our Great Qin Empire. This is the good intention of Li Si, Meng Yi, and others!"

At this moment, those ministers who originally held opposing opinions had no choice but to shut up and remain silent.

Upon seeing this, the First Emperor immediately issued an order: "From now on, the practice of burying living people with the dead will be abolished in the imperial mausoleum. All burial objects will be replaced by terracotta warriors. In addition, Li Si will be in charge of supervising the production of terracotta warriors, and Meng Yi will be responsible for speeding up the production of terracotta warriors to meet the needs of the imperial mausoleum."

Li Si bowed respectfully and accepted the order, and the heated debate finally came to an end. His suggestions were recognized and implemented.

After the grand court meeting, Li Si returned to his residence and discussed the matter with Meng Yi. He then went to the Shaofu Mansion, quickly summoned the craftsmen, and encouraged them to work even harder on the Terracotta Army.

In the days that followed, the workshop was bustling with activity as Gong Shuyang led numerous craftsmen to work busily on the Terracotta Warriors. They meticulously crafted every detail, making the figures appear lifelike.

Li Si and Meng Yi shuttled back and forth in the workshop, carefully checking the progress of the production of the pottery figurines.

Inside the workshop, neatly arranged terracotta figures of various shapes and forms resemble a vast and magnificent army. These figures not only demonstrate the majesty and bravery of ancient soldiers, but also reflect the Qin Dynasty's powerful military might and superb craftsmanship.