The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After a long month, Liu Bang and County Lieutenant Tian Song, leading 300 soldiers, finally arrived outside the Imperial Mausoleum of Mount Li. They had been escorting 1,500 heavily convicted criminals, and after a tiresome journey, they were nearing completion.

Standing at the foot of Mount Li, Liu Bang and Tian Song looked up and saw the majestic and magnificent Mount Li towering into the clouds, shrouded in clouds and mist, like a fairyland. The two could not help but marvel at it, and a feeling of reverence welled up in their hearts.

Liu Bang exclaimed, "Brother Tian, ​​this Mount Li is truly magnificent. No wonder His Majesty chose to build the imperial mausoleum here."

Tian Song echoed, "Yes, Brother Liu, I'm afraid only His Majesty can be so bold and courageous on this scale."

Meanwhile, Zhang Han was busy handling various matters within the imperial mausoleum. Ever since Li Si arrived at the Mausoleum of Mount Li, he had praised Zhang Han highly and put him in charge of the overall coordination of the construction of the Mausoleum of Mount Li.

At this time, Zhang Han was standing on a high platform, his eyes sharp, supervising the soldiers below to receive and count the prisoners escorted in from all over the country. His figure was tall and straight, giving people a sense of majesty.

Zhang Han shouted, "Everyone, be alert! Receive and count these prisoners carefully. There must not be any mistakes!"

The soldiers below responded in unison: "Yes, sir!" Their voices were so uniform and loud that they seemed to shake the entire valley.

Zhang Han nodded with satisfaction, his eyes continuing to observe the reception and counting of the prisoners intently. He knew that this mission was of great importance and he had to ensure that every step was correct.

Liu Bang and Tian Song led a group of prisoners and walked slowly to the entrance of the camp.

Liu Bang took the lead and walked forward a few steps to the high platform. He bowed to Zhang Han and said loudly: "Sir, we have come from Sishui County and have brought 1,500 prisoners here."

Zhang Han also bowed in return and said, "I am the Stone Chamber Commander Zhang Han. I have been entrusted by Prime Minister Li to oversee the overall management of the Imperial Mausoleum. Thank you for your hard work."

At this time, Tian Song also stepped forward and performed a standard greeting: "I am Tian Song, the county lieutenant of Pei County, and I pay my respects to Lord Zhang." His movements were standardized and rigorous, showing his professionalism and respect for his superiors.

Seeing this, Liu Bang hurriedly followed and saluted, saying, "I am Liu Bang, the Sikong of Pei County, and I am honored to meet you, Lord Zhang." His attitude was sincere and humble, hoping to leave a good impression on Zhang Han.

Zhang Han returned the greeting and said, "You two have come a long way and must be thankful for your hard work. There is a place for you to rest in the camp, but you can only stay one night at most and must return tomorrow."

Tian Song and Liu Bang both bowed their hands and thanked him, "Thank you, sir."

Liu Bang took the opportunity to ask again: "I have something I would like to ask for your advice!" He tried his best to make his tone sound respectful and humble.

Zhang Han looked at the two men before him, their expressions sincere, and thought to himself that they didn't seem like those officials who were good at flattery. So, he slowly said, "What do you want to ask, Liu Sikong? Feel free to ask."

Liu Bang said cautiously, "Lord Zhang, you have lived in Xianyang for a long time. Do you know where Lieutenant Meng Yi's residence is?" There was a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Zhang Han looked puzzled, but said nothing. He only looked at Liu Bang and Tian Song carefully with a sharp gaze, as if he wanted to read some clues from their expressions and eyes.

Seeing this, Liu Bang quickly explained, "Your Excellency, you may not know that Lieutenant Meng and I are brothers-in-law, and my wife and Lieutenant Meng's wife are sisters. Before I left, I was asked by my father-in-law to bring letters and other items to Lieutenant Meng and his wife."

Zhang Han's heart was stirred upon hearing this. Since these two men were Meng Yi's relatives, he thought, they could be accommodating. Furthermore, he was deeply curious about Meng Yi and had always wanted to see what he looked like. He had recently heard that Meng Yi had created the Terracotta Army and petitioned His Majesty to abolish the unacceptable practice of burying living people in imperial mausoleums, which instilled in him even greater respect for him.

Thinking of this, Zhang Han spoke up, "I guess you two don't know, but Lieutenant Meng has been transferred to the position of Junior Official in Charge of the Imperial Works, responsible for supervising the construction of the Lishan Imperial Mausoleum, by order of His Majesty. He should be in the Junior Official's Office now."

Zhang Han paused, then continued, "However, the Minister of Works has been busy in the workshop lately and I'm afraid he won't be coming to the imperial mausoleum. How about this! I'll arrange for a guard, and you two will accompany him."

Liu Bang and Tian Song were overjoyed when they heard this and quickly bowed to express their gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your help, sir!"

Zhang Han waved his hand and said, "You're welcome. Just go and come back soon." After that, he turned and left.

Liu Bang and Tian Song were moved to tears and kept thanking the guard. Then they followed him to Xianyang City.

After galloping all the way, they arrived at the city of Xianyang.

This was a bustling city, with shops lining the streets and people bustling about. The guards led them through the bustling streets towards the royal city.

Liu Bang secretly felt lucky that he met Zhang Han this time, otherwise he really didn't know how to find Meng Yi.

As he walked, he observed the surrounding environment and secretly marveled at the prosperity and magnificence of the city.

The buildings here were tall and magnificent, the streets were wide and clean, and the people were dressed in gorgeous clothes. Compared with Pei County, it was a world of difference. Liu Bang couldn't help but feel a desire to become a part of this city and enjoy its prosperity and glory.

He saw the bustling streets and alleys, heard the hawking of merchants and the laughter of passers-by, and every detail made him feel the prosperity of the city.

As the three of them walked slowly along the street, Liu Bang's eyes were drawn to a towering palace. Its walls, built of massive stone, were magnificent and sturdy. The roof was covered in golden glazed tiles, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. The palace's gates were tightly closed, but the light filtering through revealed the opulence within.

The guard pointed to the majestic palace before him and said, "This palace is the Afang Palace."

They continued walking forward, passing through the bustling streets, and arrived at a bustling market. The place was bustling with people, full of life and energy.

The market is filled with a wide variety of goods, which is dazzling.

There are colorful silks, exquisite ceramics, precious jewelry, fresh fruits and delicious food, etc.

Merchants enthusiastically solicited customers in front of their stalls, loudly advertising their wares; artists performed wonderful skills on the streets, attracting the attention of many people; children played and ran among the crowd, their laughter echoing throughout the market.

Liu Bang saw a silk merchant whose stall was filled with silk of various colors and patterns. Liu Bang walked over and touched the silk, feeling its softness and smoothness.

Liu Bang couldn't help but sigh: "This is Xianyang City! It's so prosperous!" His eyes revealed a hint of desire and yearning.

Tian Song also agreed: "Yes, the prosperity here is far beyond our imagination. Pei County is really too small."

Both of them were shocked by the scene before them.