The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

However, just before Meng Yi made a decision, something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, we received news that a fire broke out in part of the warehouse in Chenliu Warehouse, causing the accounts to be burned.

Fortunately, the food in the warehouse was not greatly affected, but the fire made Meng Yi fall into deep thought.

This incident attracted the great attention of the Dang County Censor, who took immediate action and sent someone to report the situation to the First Emperor at an expedited speed of 600 miles.

At the same time, a strange incident occurred in a village in Puyang County, Dongjun.

One night, a huge light suddenly flashed across the sky, so bright that people could not open their eyes. Then there was a deafening roar and smoke rose into the sky.

The next morning, the people nearby went to check what was going on, filled with fear and curiosity. When they arrived, they found a huge hole in the flat ground.

Experienced elders believe that a meteorite falling from the sky means the death of an important person.

The men began digging the pit, hoping to find more clues. After some effort, they finally unearthed a large, charred rock that was too difficult for several men to lift. Helplessly, the rock was left where it lay, awaiting further processing.

A few days later, the governor of Dongjun County received the news and personally came to investigate. When he saw the large, crooked characters on the meteorite, his eyes widened in astonishment. Those characters read: "When the First Emperor dies, the land will be divided."

The county magistrate's face turned extremely pale in an instant, and a layer of fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The county magistrate said to the censor beside him in a trembling voice, "This...what should we do? This matter must be reported to the court immediately, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous!"

The Supervisory Censor was also frightened to the point of turning pale, and he began to stutter: "My Lord, this... could this have been carved there intentionally?"

The county magistrate frowned, pondered for a moment, and then slowly spoke, "Whether or not this was done intentionally, we must report the truth without concealing anything. Quickly prepare a fast horse and send someone to inform the court immediately."

However, when the First Emperor, who was far away in Xianyang, received the memorial about the fire in Chenliu Warehouse and the meteorite in Dongjun, his originally calm expression suddenly became gloomy, and his entire face was covered like a dark cloud.

He clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves, his eyes flashing with anger and anxiety, as if he wanted to burn the memorial to ashes.

The First Emperor angrily threw the memorial to the ground, making a crisp and harsh sound.

Then, he straightened up and roared at all the civil and military officials in the court: "What is going on? First, there was a fire in Chenliu warehouse and the accounts were burned. Now such a strange thing has happened. Is it God warning me?" His voice echoed in the palace like thunder, deafening and chilling.

After hearing the emperor's roar, the ministers in the hall fell to their knees, trembling with fear, not daring to look up at the emperor. Each of them felt the emperor's deep anger and fear, as if that rage could burn them at any moment.

The First Emperor paced back and forth in the palace, each step carrying a heavy weight, as if the entire palace was trembling. His face was terribly gloomy, and his eyes flashed with complex emotions, including worry about the future and fear of the unknown.

As he walked, he pondered to himself, "What exactly do the words on this meteorite mean? Could it be that an ominous omen has truly befallen the Qin Empire?"

At this thought, a wave of fear welled up in the First Emperor's heart. He knew that the Qin Empire he ruled was powerful, but faced with such mysterious events, he felt powerless and helpless. He worried that these ominous signs would affect the stability and prosperity of the country and even threaten his own throne.

At this moment, the First Emperor realized he had to take action to address this crisis. He needed to find an answer, allay the people's panic, and ensure the peace of the Qin Empire. He paused, turned, and looked at his kneeling ministers, a glint of determination in his eyes.

"Pass on my decree, the censors Xin Sheng and Zhao Gao must go to Dongjun to investigate the matter immediately. Also, order Meng Yi to thoroughly investigate the fire in Chenliu Warehouse and make sure to find out the truth!" The First Emperor's order was as sharp as a cold wind, making the ministers present shudder.

The ministers responded in unison, then quickly stood up and left to carry out the First Emperor's order.

After everyone left, the First Emperor gazed at the distant sky and wondered, could it be that the celestial phenomena really indicated that his life was coming to an end and that the Qin Dynasty would fall apart? Or was this all a deliberate attempt to curse him?

After two days of travel, Xin Sheng and Zhao Gao finally arrived at the meteorite site in Puyang County, Dongjun.

Xin Sheng's face was solemn and his eyes were sharp as a torch. He carefully examined the mysterious meteorite in front of him and exchanged a few words with Zhao Gao from time to time.

"Sir Zhao, look at this meteorite, it is indeed not something from this world." Xin Sheng said in a heavy tone.

Zhao Gao narrowed his eyes, leaned closer to the meteorite, and gently touched the carvings on it with his fingers. "Well, but Lord Xin, these words are obviously newly engraved."

Xin Sheng also noticed this detail. He stared at the incisions, pondered for a moment, and immediately ordered the soldiers around him, "Hurry and go to the nearby village and call the village chief! At the same time, gather all the villagers and question them one by one!"

A few days passed, and the people responsible for the investigation came back one after another to report to Xin Sheng, but they did not obtain many valuable clues or information.

Zhao Gao looked at Xin Sheng, a sly look in his eyes. He stepped forward and lowered his voice to say to Xin Sheng, "Sir Xin, I think it's very likely that these unruly people around here are responsible. If we don't use some tricks, how can they confess?"

Xin Sheng pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "No, His Majesty ordered us to investigate the truth, not to kill innocent people. This matter requires further consideration."

Seeing Xin Sheng's reaction, Zhao Gao's face flickered with a subtle sneer. He stepped forward, leaned in close, and whispered, "Lord Xin, please do not forget His Majesty's order! His Majesty is far away in Xianyang, awaiting news from you and me. We bear such a heavy responsibility, how can we afford to slack off in the slightest? If we let a moment of weakness delay this important matter, wouldn't we be betraying His Majesty's trust and expectations in us?"

After hearing this, Xin Sheng's face turned very ugly. He sighed helplessly, knowing that he could not go against Zhao Gao's wishes.

Although he was full of contradictions and struggles in his heart, he finally followed Zhao Gao's advice and sent people to arrest all the people nearby.

The civilians were driven by the soldiers, like lambs to be slaughtered, and locked up in dark and damp cells. They looked at the wolf-like and ferocious soldiers in horror, completely confused as to why they were suddenly arrested, their eyes filled with helplessness and fear.

Xin Sheng stood outside the cell, looking at the people inside through the window, and a strong feeling of pity welled up in his heart.

These are ordinary people who have done nothing wrong but have suffered such torture for no reason.

However, when he remembered the emperor's order, his eyes became firm again. He gritted his teeth and ordered, "Torture him severely and make sure to find out the whereabouts of the traitor!"

As his order was given, a shrill scream suddenly came from the cell. The sound seemed to come from the depths of hell, making people shudder.

The civilians wailed in pain under the soldiers' torture. Their cries for mercy and their shouts mixed together and echoed throughout the entire cell, which was unbearable to hear.