Ji Yanran's words had also sparked Fang Zheng's interest in playing at civilization, but exactly when to begin was quite a difficult question for him.
Judging by the current course of history, Fang Zheng could either launch an uprising during the Warring States period and imitate Qin Shi Huang by sweeping through the Six States to unify the realm, or imitate Liu Bang by making his move during the peasant uprisings at the end of Qin and founding an entirely new Han dynasty.
If he wanted excitement, the former would naturally be more satisfying. But after mulling it over, Fang Zheng felt the latter was better.
Although the title of Qin Shi Huang as the emperor of the ages was indeed tempting, he had paid a heavy price for it. What Qin Shi Huang did laid the political foundations for China in later generations, but it also brought him plenty of trouble. Standardizing writing, standardizing axle widths, burning books and burying scholars—these were all things he had no choice but to do for the sake of unification. If Fang Zheng took Qin Shi Huang's place, he would probably only be harsher, not more lenient.
The same went for his massive construction projects. Apart from the Epang Palace perhaps being somewhat excessive, building imperial roads and the Great Wall were both beneficial to the nation and its people. The story of Meng Jiangnu weeping at the Great Wall had been passed down for ages, but without the Great Wall, Meng Jiangnu would not even have had the chance to cry. She would have long since been carried off by some Xiongnu raider as war booty.
Emperor Yang of Sui was the same. The Grand Canal he built strengthened transportation between north and south and likewise benefited the nation and its people,