"Damn these rabble, always plotting against Brother Zheng! Don't they know that walls have eyes and ears? Do they think no one will see or hear them just because they say it out loud?"
"More than a billion of us Chinese are watching! So those Confucian scholars have lost their horses!"
"Praise, praise, praise!"
"Pedantic Confucians!"
Hearing the Confucian scholars whispering among themselves, the netizens were filled with righteous indignation.
Brave Niu Niu spoke disdainfully. "What right do they have to represent Heaven? Why do they think Heaven won't acknowledge Brother Zheng?"
"The only ones who can represent Heaven are unknown gods, right? Can they just speak for the gods on their own?"
As soon as those words were spoken, they instantly won the approval of a huge number of people.
"Exactly, exactly!"
"Add your ID number~"
"Agreed!"
After mocking those presumptuous Confucian scholars, some netizens suddenly became confused.
"What is the significance of the Feng Shan Ceremony at Mount Tai?"
"Why Mount Tai?"
Some people expressed their confusion.
Very quickly, netizens began explaining.
"It's simple."
A netizen named Shiyi explained, "Ancient people worshipped the east, the heavens, the sun, and lofty mountains."
"Mount Tai was also the foremost of the Five Sacred Mountains and the tallest mountain in the eastern Central Plains. From there, one could be the first to see the sunrise, and it also allowed the emperor to communicate with Heaven at close range."
"Those Confucian scholars believed it was the tallest mountain in the world, so the highest ruler among men should also go to this highest mountain to worship the supreme Heaven, the Heavenly Emperor, and the Lord Above."
"In order to gain Heaven's recognition and prove that he was Heaven's son, the one representing Heaven in governing all under heaven—in other words, that imperial authority was ordained by Heaven and sovereign power was bestowed by the gods!"
"When the Qin Emperor went up Mount Tai, he probably wanted Heaven's recognition so he could tell the people of the realm that his imperial authority was reasonable, legitimate, and authoritative!"
With Shiyi's explanation, countless people who had not understood before suddenly came to realize the meaning of the Feng Shan Ceremony at Mount Tai.
The significance of proving oneself the Son of Heaven?
Netizen Shiyi continued, "Of course, not just anyone could conduct the Feng Shan Ceremony at Mount Tai."
"Mount Tai was regarded by ancient people as a place leading directly to the Emperor's throne. It became a sacred mountain worshipped by the common people and used by emperors to offer prayers and sacrifices. There was even a saying: when Mount Tai is secure, the four seas are secure."
"During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Huan of Qi, who convened the feudal lords nine times and restored order to the realm, wanted to perform the Feng Shan rites, but the famed minister Guan Zhong stopped him, saying that since no auspicious omens had appeared, the Heavenly Emperor did not acknowledge him. The Ji clan of Lu also made a pilgrimage to Mount Tai, only to be mocked by Confucius."
"This showed that they were not qualified. The Feng Shan Ceremony wasn't something that could be held casually! But the Qin Emperor was obviously qualified, hehe~"
After he said that, the netizens all laughed.
"Haha, that's true."
"That's right~"
In their eyes, Qin Shi Huang, who had unified the realm and become the first emperor, truly possessed those qualifications. If even he did not, then who in later generations could?
As they discussed the matter heatedly, Ying Zheng, who had dismissed the Confucian scholars, revealed a helpless look in his eyes.
He discussed it further with the civil and military officials, but seeing that no one could still offer a concrete procedure...
"My ministers..." Ying Zheng hesitated before asking, "Since there is no established procedure, how about we proceed according to the Great Qin rites for sacrificing to Heaven?"
Li Si, Meng Tian, and the other ministers were first stunned, then came to understand.
Since they could not choose a specific plan and still needed to show solemnity, this method would indeed work.
The ministers nodded repeatedly, then under Li Si's lead, shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Having gained the approval of his ministers, Ying Zheng called out in a loud, imposing voice, "Attend me..."
He issued his orders, sending people to prepare the matters for the Feng Shan Ceremony while also notifying the local officials to construct a road up Mount Tai for carriages.
Everyone began mobilizing.
Time passed, and night fell.
Inside a grand residence, in a brightly lit hall, Ying Zheng, dressed in black robes, knelt behind a low desk with a bamboo slip in hand, seemingly reading memorials.
The netizens began discussing it.
"Qin Shi Huang is so diligent. He was even reading memorials while traveling?"
"Mm, I heard Brother Zheng had to read all the memorials sent to him every day—one hundred and twenty-one jin's worth. He wouldn't rest until he finished them. I even wonder whether Brother Zheng worked himself to death?"
"Damn, just doing a little homework annoys me to death. Brother Zheng is incredible, seriously!"
A flood of admiring comments appeared.
But at that moment, someone noticed that Ying Zheng's expression was somewhat off.
Unlike his imposing and composed expression during the day, alone in the empty hall, his brows were tightly furrowed. His face faintly showed hesitation and unease, as though he were pondering something.
At that moment, he was so lost in thought that he had even forgotten to read the bamboo slip in his hand.
"Huh, what's wrong with Brother Zheng?"
"No idea..."
Some netizens guessed, "Could it be because of what happened during the day?"
The other netizens were stunned, but after thinking about it, that really was possible.
"Looks like Brother Zheng wasn't as unconcerned as he seemed during the day. He appeared to settle the Feng Shan Ceremony casually, but he actually cared about it deeply."
A netizen named Elementary School History Graduate said this.
"What do you mean?" some netizens asked in confusion.
Elementary School History Graduate explained, "There is a record from later generations regarding this Feng Shan Ceremony. It says that all the rites used in the Feng Shan Ceremony were kept secret, so later generations could not record them."
"Simply put, all the rituals used in the Feng Shan Ceremony were concealed from beginning to end and could not be recorded."
"Clearly, here in the Qi-Lu region, Brother Zheng had lost some of his usual confidence. He was worried that the Great Qin rites for worshipping the Heavenly Emperor would not meet the requirements of the Feng Shan Ceremony or gain the recognition of scholars across the realm."
"He was probably also worried about whether Heaven would acknowledge his sacrifice."
Hearing this, the netizens selectively ignored the issue of Heaven's acknowledgment and focused on gaining the recognition of scholars across the realm.
Some netizens were confused. "Do you mean those Confucian scholars?"
"What do those Confucian scholars have to do with it?"
Another netizen explained, "Of course it has something to do with them. In the eyes of those Confucian intellectuals, the Feng Shan ritual was a political act that only sages who had unified the realm and performed great deeds could undertake. Its significance was enormous."
"And once the Feng Shan ritual was held, it could make those intellectuals recognize that Great Qin was the one favored by Heaven's mandate, helping stabilize the hearts of the people throughout the realm."
"For example, although the six states had clearly been unified, there were still some stubborn people below who had not sincerely submitted."
"If people's hearts were stabilized, perhaps those people would give up on rebelling!"
Afraid the others still did not understand, he added, "Mm, I mean that group from The Legend of Qin."
"Damn, now that you put it that way, I instantly get it."
"666, understood in seconds!"
The netizens suddenly understood.
"I originally thought Tianming and the others were pretty righteous, but now it suddenly feels strange."
"Same, plus one!"
At that moment, Elementary School History Graduate asked curiously, "Speaking of which, the most fundamental reason the Qin dynasty fell was because it was hollow within and had no troops available to deploy, right? Was that related to the million-strong army guarding the frontier against the Xiongnu and other foreign tribes?"
"I once heard some claims of uncertain truth that made my blood boil!"
"It is said that Qin Shi Huang once gave General Wang Jian an order: no matter what crisis Great Qin faced, he was not to return to the capital to rescue it, nor withdraw troops from the frontier, lest the Xiongnu seize the chance to invade Huaxia?"
"Qin may perish, but Huaxia must not?!"
"And Qin Shi Huang's final words before his death..."
"I, in the name of the First Emperor, swear here: while I live, I shall defend our lands and expand our borders, sweep away the four barbarian tribes, and establish the foundations of my Great Qin!
"Even if I die, I shall become a dragon soul and bless Huaxia with eternal prosperity!"
"Let the sun and moon bear witness to this oath, let Heaven and Earth observe it, and let immortals, demons, ghosts, and gods all hear it!"
As he spoke, the netizens' faces were moved and their hearts shaken. Though they did not know whether the news was true, their blood still surged with fervor.
With complicated feelings, they looked at the hesitant, uncertain, and uneasy Qin Shi Huang and could not help feeling regretful.
"What a pity. Seeing Brother Zheng's expression, I really want to comfort him and tell him that he had already done well enough, and that later generations are doing well too."
"Yeah, what a pity. What we're watching is ultimately just the past. We can't change anything."
They felt deeply regretful.
Looking at Qin Shi Huang, who seemed faintly lost beneath the lamplight, the netizens wished they could rush into the movie, have a proper talk with him, and comfort him.
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