Ying Zheng returned to the military camp, but did not return to his own tent. He went directly to Princess Nansu's tent.
The two princesses Nansu and Hu Yu were always on Ying Zheng's mind. Having just chosen a concubine and taking her on a trip, Ying Zheng felt somewhat guilty.
The reason why I always visit Princess Nansu first is because Nansu is more delicate than Hu Yu.
"Did you have a good rest last night?" Ying Zheng looked at Princess Nansu and asked.
"Fortunately, the king doesn't have to worry about Nansu." Princess Nansu said.
"I just came to Qin from the Chu State. Before I had any rest, I went out with the others again." Ying Zheng said softly, "How can I not worry about it?"
Princess Nansu said rather shyly: "It is Nansu's blessing to have the king worry so much."
After saying that, Princess Nansu bowed lightly.
The two chatted passionately. They talked about the music played by Nansu that day, the types of Chu Qin, and also about the Chu State’s sacrificial methods and hunting locations.
After coming out of Nansu's tent, Ying Zheng immediately went to Princess Hu Yu's tent.
"I remember, you said before that you wanted to perform riding and shooting for me." Ying Zheng said to Princess Hu Yu with a smile.
"Of course." Princess Hu Yu said, "My little girl's performance has not been completed yet."
"Then how about riding and hunting with the others tomorrow?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Okay." Princess Hu Yu said playfully.
After chatting with Princess Hu Yu for a while, Ying Zheng returned to his tent.
Meng Tian is waiting for Ying Zheng in front of the tent.
Seeing Ying Zheng return, Meng Tian raised his hands and saluted: "Your Majesty."
"Go in and talk." Ying Zheng stepped into the tent.
"Your Majesty, the sacrificial utensils and livestock are all ready." Meng Tian said, "It's just..."
"Just what?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Is the blood pool enabled?" Meng Tian asked.
"Put some cattle and sheep's blood in. If you put human blood in, how many lives will it cost?" Ying Zheng said, "Prisoners of war and slaves are human beings too, and they have the right to live."
According to tradition, the blood pool used for heavenly sacrifices should be filled with the blood of living people. Slaves, prisoners of war, and prisoners became victims of blood sacrifices.
Ying Zheng thought for a while and then said: "The past customs should be changed. When the world is pacified, the oppressed slaves must regain their freedom and respect."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I would like to express my gratitude to your Majesty on behalf of the people of the world." Meng Tian said sincerely.
"The people are my subjects. Only when the people live a good life can I be worthy of being a qualified monarch." Ying Zheng said.
"I hope the world can be at peace as soon as possible." Meng Tian said, "Your Majesty, what are your plans in the past few days before the heavenly sacrifice."
"Let the army be in good health." Ying Zheng said, "After the sacrifice, we will go to Qishan. We will take advantage of these few days to replenish more food and grass. By the way, I will select some good horses for me. I will accompany two people these days. Princess, take some time to relax."
"Follow the king's order." Meng Tian bowed and exited the tent.
February 15th, when the moon is full, is the day of heavenly sacrifice.
Ying Zheng completed every step of the sacrifice meticulously, with great concentration, for fear of making any mistakes.
It gives the impression that Ying Zheng is no longer the monarch of a country, but the leader of a clan, leading his people in the most pious worship.
Suddenly, a faint white light flashed across the sky.
Because it was daytime, the light flashed by and was not obvious, but it was seen by several people.
"It's a meteor!" someone shouted.
"Yes, there." Another person pointed with his finger in the direction where he saw the light beam just now, leaving only a faint afterimage there.
"Can you see clearly?" Ning Gong, the elder of the clan who presided over the sacrifice, asked.
"It's absolutely true, a meteor just passed by in that direction." Ying Cheng pointed in that direction and said.
Ning Gong looked at the direction where the meteor streaked across the sky, slowly knelt down and said with trembling lips: "During the heavenly sacrifice, the meteor appears prominently, which is a good sign that God will bless our Qin Dynasty for everlasting prosperity."
After saying this, Ning Gong kowtowed to his head three times.
Everyone immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
Ying Zheng looked in that direction and seemed a little confused, but he also knelt down and worshiped.
After everyone stood up, Ning Gong said again: "My king Yingzheng is really a king blessed by God. He will definitely strengthen the country, govern the world, and benefit the people."
Ning Gong knelt down to Ying Zheng again and kowtowed to his head three times.
Everyone also knelt down and worshiped.
Ying Zheng looked around at the clan members, important ministers, guards, and palace attendants who were kneeling before him, and raised his hand to signal everyone to stand down.
Ying Zheng turned around, came to the ancestral throne, lifted his clothes and knelt down to worship.
"My ancestors are above all, and my descendants, Ying Zheng, have been given the destiny of God's blessing, and they will bring blessings to the world." Ying Zheng said and kowtowed.
Raising his head, Ying Zheng continued: "Since it is God's blessing, Ying Zheng will work hard to bring peace to the world in his lifetime, unify the nine states, bring peace to the world, and realize the last wishes of his ancestors."
After saying that, Ying Zheng kowtowed again.
"May our ancestors and ancestors bless our Qin Dynasty for everlasting prosperity, and may Ying Zheng fulfill his wish." Ying Zheng kowtowed three times.
Everyone worshiped and shouted in unison: "Bless the Qin Dynasty together, and may the world be prosperous forever!"
Ying Zheng didn't know whether the shooting star was a coincidence or a blessing from God.
But how could Ying Zheng let go of such a good opportunity to win over people's hearts?
After kneeling down and worshiping, the heavenly sacrifice continues, and there are still a few steps to be completed.
And everyone's faces were obviously more solemn than at the beginning.
After the ceremony, Ying Zheng passed down the order to slaughter all the remaining cattle and sheep from the sacrifice and reward all the soldiers.
The sky darkened, the bonfire was lit, and the soldiers were busy. Some slaughtered animals, some skinned and cut the meat, some collected firewood and made fires, and some carried wine and distributed it.
Since ancient times, sacrifices have not been made because of festivals, but every sacrifice has been like a festival. The fixed time of sacrifice every year has formed a festival over time.
This heavenly festival, which has not been held for many years, is even more of a large-scale festival.
Accompanying Ying Zheng were naturally the two princesses Nan Su and Hu Yu.
With a beautiful woman as his company, Ying Zheng couldn't help but drink a few more drinks.
The soldiers chatted and drank happily, and many danced hometown dances.
The next day, Ying Zheng ordered the entire army to repair for a day.
Not all participants in the Sky Festival go hunting. The elders of the royal family and some civil servants do not need to participate in hunting. Ying Zheng asked some people who did not participate in the hunting to return to Xianyang first. And five thousand troops were allocated for escort.
On the third day, after bidding farewell to Queen Mother Zhao Ji, Ying Zheng led a group of people and others to set off towards Qishan.
Throughout the ages, most of the royal family's large-scale hunting activities have been carried out in Qishan. Since such a famous mountain in China is within the territory of the Qin State, it is of course necessary to hunt here. You must know that this is the royal tradition of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
The journey is not very far, but the road is not easy to walk.
The tender green grass buds have emerged from the ground, and the branches are dotted with leaf buds. The breath of spring is much stronger.
After a long winter, animals and birds come out of their holes to look for food. This is the best time for hunting, but most of the things hunted are very thin.
At first, Ying Zheng rode forward on horseback. After walking for a while, he sat back in the carriage and called Li Si over to ride in the same carriage.
"Sir, are you tired from this trip?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Go back to the king." Li Si said with cupped hands, "The common people have traveled around the world and don't feel tired."
Ying Zheng nodded and asked, "Sir, have you ever been to Qishan?"
Li Si smiled and said: "The grassroots have indeed been here several times."
"Oh?" Ying Zheng said, "I have never been here before. Could you please sir, a foreigner, tell me, a native, about the situation in Qishan?"
"The king has never been here?" Li Si asked.
"My daily hunting is almost all around Xianyang." Ying Zheng said, "I have indeed never been to Qishan."
"Your Majesty, does your Majesty know why the ancestors of the Ying family decided to use this mountain as a hunting place?" Li Si asked.
"Whenever I ask you a question, you ask me back." Ying Zheng shook his head and said with a smile.
Li Si said: "The royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty arose in Qishan, and later overthrew Shang Zhou and established the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the hunting tradition was also preserved in Qishan. After the Qin State conquered Quanrong, it continued the hunting tradition of the Great Zhou Dynasty. .”
"These few people know it," Ying Zheng said.
"Does your Majesty know that Qishan Mountain is known as the Holy Mountain of China?" Li Si asked.
"Oh? Holy Mountain." Ying Zheng had obviously never heard of it.
"Yes, this name is obviously well known." Li Si said.
"Why does it appear that someone knows about it?" Ying Zheng continued to ask.
Li Si said: "According to legend, the birthplaces of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang were both in this mountain. The two grew up and prospered in this mountain. Without these two people, today's China might not be a country, and there would be no country. The concept of the descendants of Yan and Huang."
"I have heard of this," Ying Zheng said. "Is this why Qishan can be called a holy mountain?"
"Your Majesty, you can think about the reason carefully." Li Si said, "Emperor Yan was good at using fire, so he was called Emperor Yan, the first of the five emperors. Another saying is that Shennong and Emperor Yan are the same person. He searched for food and medicinal materials all over the world, and taught the How the world planted and picked changed the world's living conditions of eating hair and drinking blood. His "Hundred Herbs Classic" is a unique work, but it is a pity that there are only a few fragments left in the world."
Ying Zheng listened carefully and had questions in his mind, but did not interrupt Li Si.
Li Si continued: "As for the Yellow Emperor, he was good at fighting and using people. Even the descendants of Emperor Yan were no match for him, thus uniting all the tribes in China. Huang Emperor's research on people themselves also reached a level unimaginable by the world. Only fragments of the Yellow Emperor's Sutra remain in the world, which has benefited generations of doctors."
"Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang are the fathers of China, but they are also strange people." Ying Zheng said with emotion.
"In the eyes of ordinary people, it is not as simple as a strange person." Li Si said.
"Oh? What do you mean, sir?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Does the King still remember to discuss the Nine Cauldrons with the common people?" Li Si said leisurely, "Since the Nine Cauldrons may be celestial beings, who can say that Shennong and Huangdi have not come into contact with heavenly beings or celestial beings?"
A rhetorical question left Ying Zheng speechless.
Yes, who dares to assert such a thing.
"The ordinary people feel that the talents and knowledge of Shen Nong and Huang Di are definitely not obtained by their own understanding, and the two classics alone are absolutely extraordinary." Li Si said firmly.
"You mean, there was an expert's guidance?" Ying Zheng asked in surprise.
"In this Qishan Mountain, it is not impossible to encounter adventures." Li Si said, "Few people know the secrets of this place, so it must not be a mountain."
Ying Zheng nodded, looking in the direction of Qishan, and his thoughts drifted there.
