chapter 49 : tears

I am Zhang Han, once a loyal general of the great Qin Dynasty, and I bear witness to the darkness that befell our once-proud empire. 

Upon the death of oldest son Fu Su, our beloved prince, chaos descended upon the royal courts, and from the shadows emerged Zhao Gao, a man driven by ambition and greed.

With cunning and deceit, Zhao Gao wrapped his tendrils of influence around the heart of our empire, manipulating the young and impressionable Hu Hai, the eighteen son of the First Emperor. 

The royal family, once a symbol of unity and strength, was torn apart, their bonds shattered by suspicion and fear.

As Zhao Gao's power grew, he began to purge the courts of anyone who might threaten his position. 

Scholars, officials, and even military commanders were accused of treason and executed, their lives snuffed out to serve the whims of a madman.

The very institutions that had once protected and served our people were twisted to enforce his will, and our once-proud empire descended into darkness.

Prince Hu Hai, now Emperor Er Shi, was little more than a pawn in Zhao Gao's machinations, his power a mere facade to maintain the illusion of imperial rule.

But even as the Qin Dynasty crumbled from within ,its enemies gathered at the gates.

Rebel forces, led by Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, swept through our lands, exploiting the chaos and discord sown by Zhao Gao's reign of terror.

The once-invincible armies of the Qin were no match for the fury of the people, who saw in the rebels an opportunity to cast off the yoke of oppression.

The fall of the Qin Dynasty was swift and brutal, as the flames of rebellion consumed the empire and reduced our grand capital to ash. 

Thus, the glory of the Qin Dynasty, the legacy of our great First Emperor, was extinguished, consigned to the annals of history as a cautionary tale of ambition and hubris.

In the midst of this turmoil, I found myself unable to bear the burden of my failure; the weight of my guilt was a constant reminder of my inability to protect the dynasty I had sworn to serve. 

In a moment of despair, I took my own life, hoping to find solace in the embrace of death.

Yet, as my spirit departed my mortal shell, I was granted a call from The true heir to the Emperor

a glimpse of the hope and free from suffering that would befall our people after the reign of Zhao Gao continue unchecked. 

In that moment, I understood the true purpose of my existence and the responsibility that lay heavy on my shoulders.

As my body crumbled to dust, I found myself reborn as a skeletal , bound by duty to protect the remnants of our fallen empire. 

And there, amidst the ruins of our once-proud capital, stood the oldest son, beacon light of hope in a world consumed by darkness.

As I kneeled before him, I felt the weight of my past lift from my shoulders, and in its place, a newfound sense of purpose took root.

I swear to the gods up in the sky that each passing day, I will stood by his side, guiding and protecting him as he sought to restore the honor of the Qin Dynasty.

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As Zhang Han's somber tale unfolded, Long Su found himself captivated by the weight of the words and the echoes of a past that seemed both distant and achingly familiar. 

The chaos and tragedy that befell the Qin Dynasty reverberated within him, a haunting reminder of the fragile nature of power and the devastating consequences of betrayal.

With each revelation, Long Su felt a growing connection to the people who had been caught in the vortex of ambition and deceit.

The memories of Fu Su, intertwined with his own, began to stir, their shared pain and loss rising to the surface as the ghosts of a bygone era demanded acknowledgment.

As the image of Qin under Hu Hai , the ruthless puppet of Zhao Gao's machinations, was conjured in vivid detail, Long Su's heart was gripped by a sudden and overwhelming anguish.

Long Su, his voice trembling with fear and anticipation, summoned the courage to ask the question that had been gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. 

"And my little brothers and sisters, what became of them?" Each word felt like a shard of glass, cutting through the silence that hung heavy between him and Zhang Han.

The skeleton Zhang Han, bowed his head, his empty gaze fixed on the ground beneath him.

With a deep, sorrowful breath, he began to recount the tragic fates that had befallen each of Fu Su's siblings. 

Huhai was a weak and ineffective ruler who came to power after the death of his father, Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China.

His reign was marked by instability, and he often relied on the counsel of ambitious advisors who sought to manipulate him for their own gain.

One of the most significant events during Qin Er Shi's rule was the systematic elimination of his siblings, which was orchestrated by the influential eunuch Zhao Gao.

Fearful of potential threats to Qin Er Shi's power, Zhao Gao convinced the young emperor to execute his brothers and sisters, effectively eradicating any competition for the throne.

With each word, Long Su felt his heart shatter anew, the pain of their loss almost too much to bear.

He remembered their smiles, their laughter, and the future planning where they had once shared, now lost to the unforgiving march of time. 

Blood streamed down his face, each droplet a testament to the love he bore for his fallen kin and the anguish of their untimely demise.

As Zhang Han's voice trailed off, Long Su's heart swelled with a tempest of emotions—grief, rage, and a newfound resolve that coursed through his veins like molten steel. 

The blood tears streaming down his face served as a visceral reminder of his tragic past, fueling the fire that blazed within him. 

The once gentle and compassionate prince had been forged anew by the crucible of loss and betrayal, tempered into an instrument of retribution.

With eyes ablaze and a voice imbued with the weight of his suffering, Long Su uttered words that seemed to reverberate throughout the chamber, each syllable laced with a seething 

hatred and an undeniable authority: "General Zhang, hear my order."

Zhang Han, taken aback by the transformation that had come over Long Su, 

kneeled before him, bowing his head in deference. "Please, Your Majesty, give your orders."

Long Su's lips curled into a cold, vengeful smile as he surveyed the solemn assembly before him. "I bequeath the authority of this city to you, General Zhang. Fortify its defenses and forge an army the likes of which the world has never seen. Spare no expense, for you have the full might of our resources at your disposal."

"As you command, Your Majesty!" Zhang Han replied, his voice unwavering despite the gravity of the task that lay before him.

Zhang Han was shocked as he struggled to reconcile the imposing figure before him with the once-gentle prince he had known. 

Yet, there was no denying the aura of command that now radiated from Long Su, a testament to the transformation that had taken place within him.

As Long Su dismissed the assembly, 

He was left alone with his turbulent thoughts. 

The man he had once been—Fu Su, the compassionate prince—had been forever lost to the currents of ' him '. 

replaced by a hardened ruler willing to do whatever it takes to avenge his fallen family and protect the remnants of his shattered dynasty.

The conflict that raged within him was akin to the violent clash of steel on steel—the dissonance between his past and present selves—a cacophony that threatened to consume him.