12 Gold Men
In Chengming Hall, Xiang Ning's face was flushed red. She had indeed escaped the control of "Female Virtue," but the memory of everything that had happened was still preserved.
Fan Li was also embarrassed. How could he explain when his original self was in the tomb of the last Qin Emperor while his clone was here? It was a big secret.
"Uh... Your Majesty, please let me explain..." Fan Li put down the Overlord Spear and desperately tried to think of some lies.
But Xiang Ning lowered her head, blushing. "You... you don't have to say anything. It's getting late, just go back early..."
This reaction left Fan Li a little confused. What was going on?
Could she still be controlled by "Female Virtue"? How could her conduct differ so greatly from just now?
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Fan Li wanted to go closer to check on her.
But Xiang Ning reacted as if her tail had been stepped on, hastily recoiling backwards. "You, you, you... first go back. We shouldn't do anything inappropriate since we're alone, man and woman. We still want to remain chaste!"
As Xiang Ning finally spoke, raising her head with an aggrieved expression and glaring at Fan Li with tearful eyes.
Hearing her refer to herself as "We" again, Fan Li was at least certain she had regained her senses.
"Then I'll take my leave first." Fan Li turned to exit, but recalled something else to add, "It's not safe for Your Majesty to be alone in the palace. I'll have Wu Gang stand guard over you."
This remark instead angered Xiang Ning into laughing.
Wu Gang was originally Great Chu's guardian sacred beast, protecting the Chu Emperor was its sacred duty. What need was there for him to arrange this?
Seeing Fan Li leave Chengming Hall, Xiang Ning's mind was filled with the silly appearance of herself reciting "Female Virtue."
"Clearly they're my kin, yet they wanted to harm me. Clearly he's a treacherous official, yet he's always helping me. I always wanted to prove myself, but I kept embarrassing myself in front of him... I'm unwilling to accept this!"
***
Tomb of the Last Qin Emperor.
Fan Li's original self exited the large tent, looking as the garrison troops finished tearing down the last section of wall. With the Epang Palace's outer wall gone, the full view of the entire palace architecture was revealed!
"Is this still a human construct...?" Fan Li marveled to himself. It was clearly a palace, yet gave off the visual impact of an enormous city!
The Might of Qin!
Fan Li sincerely praised it. Without the aura of a Son of Heaven, who would dare claim this city. Yet Fan Li also felt it was somewhat strange.
The magnificence and grandeur of Epang Palace didn't seem like something the last Qin Emperor could have built. Only that legendary First Emperor would have the qualifications!
"This palace can only exist in heaven." Cao Cao also appraised.
Fan Li nodded. Perhaps Former Qin's Epang Palace was designed based on the imagined appearance of the heavenly palace.
"The outer walls have been demolished. What do plan to do next?" Princess Chang Le smiled and asked.
The Epang Palace had one main hall with over a dozen annex halls. Even a single annex hall's scale practically exceeded that of Great Chu's entire imperial palace.
Who dared guarantee such a spectacular, majestic palace didn't conceal lethal traps, mechanisms or murderous spell formations?
"Lord Jin, perhaps we could send troops to scout the annex halls one by one?" Cao Cao suggested.
Ensuring the annex halls' safety first. Otherwise, even experts at their level didn't dare rashly enter the Epang Palace's main hall. No one objected to Cao Cao's proposal, also thinking Fan Li would execute it accordingly.
"Pass down the order to demolish all annex halls." Fan Li's response still exceeded everyone's expectations.
At this point, even Princess Chang Le felt somewhat distressed.
"Hey! Don't forget our agreement. You promised to help me obtain the 'Records of the First Emperor.' What if they're stored in the annex halls and destroyed by your troops?"
Fan Li glanced at the princess and calmly said, "No matter if it's the Sword of Qin or the First Emperor's Writings, anything you all consider precious surely isn't ordinary. How could it be so easily destroyed?"
Fan Li was also somewhat annoyed. There was intel not being shared, the princess and three Han envoys were too petty.
Princess Chang Le was unable to refute him, while Cao, Liu and Sun also thought he made sense.
After all, this was an imperial tomb. Naturally, the most valuable burial objects would be placed in the most honored Epang main hall rather than the annex halls. No longer having dissent, the garrison troops' demolition methods still exceeded expectations.
Demolish?
This was practically laying siege!
The troops had brought along a large amount of supplies. Now they took out components of siege weaponry.
"Spirit Aggregation Repeating Crossbow?"
"Lightning Ram Carts‽"
"Earth Spirit Rock Hurlers‽"
Cao Cao looked at Fan Li, his expression full of questions as if asking: Is this necessary?
These expensive devices made by master refiners were important war resources even during national battles. Yet now they were taken out for demolition?
Fan Li smiled, "Chu Nation's winds have been smooth these years with ample state reserves."
Cao Cao's expression was wooden as he nodded, feeling shown up.
Fan Li added, "The three Han envoys have profound cultivation bases, so I'll toss out ideas first for you gentlemen to improve on. If later some frightful thing charges out of the Epang Palace, please take action. With my meager cultivation, I shouldn't embarrass myself."
"Naturally, we wouldn't dare continuously trouble Lord Jin." Liu Bei promptly agreed, representing Han.
"Commence the siege... ahem, demolition!" Fan Li waved his hand, ordering the garrison troops.
For a time, giant crossbows, spirit stones and ram vehicles bombarded the various annex halls of the Epang Palace.
Watching the scene before his eyes, Fan Li suddenly understood that before transmigrating, powerful countries dared provoke incidents everywhere relying on their wealth. Rich people even made wars give off a metallic odor.
After another half hour, all the siege weapons halted. The smoke and dust cleared away. The originally magnificent imperial tomb had shrunk by over half!
Almost all annex halls were razed to the ground, leaving only the flawless Epang main hall.
However, at the ruins of the twelve annex halls closest to the main hall, things still remained.
"Those are... twelve gold men?" The great scholar Yan Yuan cried out, stunned. "The legends are actually true, and they were kept here!"
"What legend?" Princess Chang Le curiously asked.
"The First Emperor collected all weapons in the realm and gathered them at Xianyang, forging them into gold men to display might."
From afar, everyone estimated the twelve gold men were about ten yards tall with sturdy physiques, shaped like ferocious generals and wielding Qin-style longswords.
Fan Li joked, "If these gold men come alive, then I'll have to trouble you all."
Right after his words, the gold men really moved! The twelve gold men simultaneously turned to face the direction of the military tents.
One gold man seemed to be the leader. Raising its sword in one hand, it pointed straight at where everyone was standing.
"Ahem! Everyone, please go ahead." While speaking, Fan Li awkwardly retreated. If he had known he would be so unlucky today, he wouldn't have tempted fate. But just as they thought the twelve gold men would attack, the gold men instead half-knelt on the ground.
"What's the meaning of this?" Fan Li was baffled. Could someone among them have suddenly become the gold men's master? Was he getting the Epang Palace for free?
"There's someone else." Qing Qiu the Sage Ruler suddenly spoke.
At some point, a figure the normal size of a person appeared at the entrance of the Epang main hall. From afar, Fan Li saw it was actually a tattered, withered corpse. The corpse wielded a golden sword. With all white hair yet not a single whisker or brow,
"Who dares trespass upon this abode of His Majesty's immortal Palace?"