Night.
Great Qin.
Xianyang Palace was still brightly lit.
Zhao Gao was reporting the results of the investigation into Jiang Hao to the First Emperor.
The First Emperor listened with narrowed eyes.
"Jiang Hao's origins cannot be traced. He first appeared in the forests of Pei County, where he rescued Duke Lu's family and shot thirteen bandits dead with a bow."
"At the time, he claimed he had just come down from the mountains, having previously cultivated there under a master named Hong Lü. He called himself a Daoist. This servant has investigated, but no such person as Hong Lü appears among notable Daoists."
"After arriving in Pei County, an epidemic broke out. The physicians could not cure it, and Duke Lu's youngest daughter contracted the plague. Jiang Hao drew a talisman to save her, summoning moonlight and causing a great sensation. The next day, Duke Lu's youngest daughter recovered."
"Jiang Hao passed on a medical prescription for treating the epidemic and established measures for preventing it. He told the other physicians that the epidemic was caused by living things invisible to the naked eye, which he called 'germs,' tens of millions of times smaller than dust."
"Refugees outside the city had become a problem, troubling the county magistrate. Jiang Hao proposed Work Relief, raising donations within the city to build a 'Daoist temple' on the barren mountains outside, where Daoist ancestors could be worshipped. The people of Pei County responded enthusiastically."
"That day, some hooligans caused trouble. Jiang Hao immobilized them with talismans, which he called Body-Fixing Talismans. The hooligans were unable to move for a long time and begged Jiang Hao to release them."
"Two days ago, Jiang Hao held a ritual and began construction of the Daoist temple. The sky was overcast with thick clouds at the