"Since I am the descendant of the Overlord, then I am also the heir of the one who overturned your dynasty. Why would you bring me here?" Chu Lian had always wondered about this. In her mind, those who wished to see him should be kneeling in humility before being granted an audience, shouldn't they?
"You see? Again you're letting history cloud your eyes, imagining that I am such a man. To win the hearts of the people and to claim the world—this truth is not known only to wise kings. It was I who ended centuries of chaos and brought about a unity never before seen. Do you think I would be so incompetent? Moreover, I long ago resolved to set aside this world. What does it matter to me whose hands the empire falls into now?" He shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I only called you here to see an old acquaintance once more. Everything else is incidental." Swirling the wine cup, he fixed his gaze into Chu Lian's eyes.
"Oh? I don't believe that for a moment. Say it—what do you want? Or rather, what do you want me to do for you?" Chu Lian pursed her lips, not at all swayed by his words, instead pressing him directly.
"Haha, as expected, I cannot hide anything from you. But I never intended to. Whether you agree or not makes no difference to me. Yet if you do, the benefits to you will be immense." Setting down the cup, Ying Zheng rose to his feet, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed out the wooden window.
Hearing this, Chu Lian's curiosity was piqued. No benefit to him, but many to herself? Could this really be Qin Shi Huang? "You're not some impostor pretending to be Ying Zheng, are you? The man I've read of would never be so easy to deal with—handing over benefits already in his grasp. It's far too strange."
"Ahem. I am Ying Zheng. I've told you already—you keep measuring me against the Qin Shi Huang of the history books. Of course it doesn't match." For the third time, he repeated this. Why was she still so foolish, always looking at him through the lens of written history?
"Where there's smoke, there's fire. If history wrote it that way, then surely it had a reason." Chu Lian stretched lazily, replying airily. "I know you're not the same as the man in the books. But I just don't believe it. What are you going to do about it, bite me? Hmph."
Having been dragged into this place, teased, plied with wine, and left to sleep—it was all rather vexing. But with that single huff, her mood unexpectedly lifted.
"Girl, do you not realize such words should not be spoken lightly?" What she had tossed off carelessly in mock arrogance, the man suddenly took seriously. In a blur, he appeared before her, lifting her chin with two fingers, gazing into her face. "If I truly took you here and now, what would you do?"
"Me? I would devote myself to you completely—and then one day, in the future, I would find my chance to kill you." Chu Lian met his gaze without fear, her eyes calm as still water, a faint smile upon her lips.
"Soft in appearance, yet with a will of iron. Truly worthy of being the Overlord's heir—you have at least seven parts of your ancestor's spirit." With a laugh, he lowered his hand once more, clasping his arms behind his back again as he admired her faintly smiling face with a sigh.
"I don't know whether Xiang Yu is truly my ancestor. But I do know this—I will never yield. Whatever he was, this is my nature: few whom I like, and many whom I despise." She was not speaking of this life, but of the person she had been in the last one. In this moment, her thoughts once again returned to him of that past life.
"Haha. Whatever others may say, I truly like this nature of yours. Were it not for the bond I bear to your ancestor, perhaps I really would have resolved to keep you as my consort." Ying Zheng's eyes grew strange, his tone subtly changed.
Sensing the atmosphere shifting, Chu Lian quickly turned the subject. "You wanted my help, didn't you? Then say it—what exactly do you want me to do?" Her words had been sharp, but in truth, if he dared disrespect her, she would erupt at once—whether she could win or not, she would strike back immediately, never endure in silence. Besides, she had no desire to linger in this place. It was far too stifling.
"Very well…" Ying Zheng turned away, no longer looking at her, and said: "Help me find the descendants of Liu Bang's line. Once you find them, simply tell me. Upon them lies something left behind by your ancestor, from the moment she took her life at the Wu River. Because of this relic, your clan was forced to hide its name. If it can be reclaimed, perhaps the might of the Overlord could be revived, swallowing the world once again."
"What use do I have for such a thing? This is an age of science, not of strength. No matter how powerful, no one can take the world by force anymore." Chu Lian pressed down the stirring of her heart, belittling the item with her words.
"Haha, you know well enough yourself, I need not spell it out. If you wish to find them, there are three things you must know." Ying Zheng laughed freely, unconcerned by her pretense, and explained how she might seek the Liu descendants.
"First, during the chaos of the Three Kingdoms, the Liu clan, for the sake of survival, chose as your Xiang clan did—to abandon their name and merge with the common folk. Yet because they held the treasured heirloom of Han and the sacred relic of Xiang, their line would never have withered. By now, they are likely among the most powerful hidden families in the world."
"Second, their downfall was in the north, so if they concealed themselves, it would surely be in the south—especially in Jiangnan. And to ensure survival, they would compromise with rulers of every dynasty, choosing a role heavy with responsibility, one that none would dare to disturb, yet one that allowed their growth. Thus, the greatest possibility is that, like me, they became guardians of Otherside gates or rifts."
"Third, because they hold the great treasure of the Xiang clan, there will be a subtle bond between your lines. When descendants of Xiang and Liu meet, the Liu heir will inevitably fall under your sway. This cannot be avoided. So if you encounter someone strangely obsessed with you, take note."
He spoke each point clearly, and Chu Lian committed it all to memory. Gradually, a figure surfaced in her mind. Her pupils narrowed, and she whispered, "Is it you…?"
"Oh? You already have someone in mind?" With his immense power, Ying Zheng easily heard her soft murmur. His curiosity stirred, he asked with interest.
Chu Lian shook her head, unwilling to name the person. "I can't be sure. Perhaps there's someone more fitting I have yet to meet. Maybe I'm just overthinking it."
"I am not concerned you won't find them. What I fear is that you may grow attached. Though you claim to like women, I'm not so certain." Ying Zheng's words cut like a blade, stabbing into her heart—and instantly driving her into fury.
"You're the one who likes men! Your whole family likes men! I only like women—women, women, women! Men are disgusting creatures, they should stay far, far away from me! If one even touches me, I feel sick. I'd rather die than ever choose a man. Never!" Her near-shouted outburst left Ying Zheng momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected such a violent reaction. At once, he realized he had inadvertently struck a forbidden chord in her heart.
Yet he did not rebuke her disrespect. Instead, he offered an apology: "I'm sorry. I spoke without thought. That was my fault. For this, I shall punish myself with drink." Not knowing how else to show his sincerity, he did what he had never done for anyone else—save this little girl before him, who alone could make him act so out of character.
Pouting, Chu Lian sat back down, watching him drain cup after cup until the wine pot was empty. Much of her anger faded. She knew he hadn't meant it. After all, she herself understood—another "Chu Lian's" soul would have been normal. Unlike her, once a man and then turned female, never quite shedding those original traces.
To like the opposite sex was a woman's natural state. What came after—romantic bonds with women—was shaped by society. So her fit of rage had come from nowhere, without true cause.
"Enough, your anger has passed. The time for me to appear today is nearly over. Return now. Do not forget these words, and do not forget your lineage." Setting down his cup, Ying Zheng gazed into her eyes for a long moment, then waved his hand.
At the instant his words fell, the space around Chu Lian turned into a blazing white, and she herself was swallowed by the light, vanishing completely.
"Big Sis, you're awake? It's almost six o'clock—we need to gather now." As her eyes opened, Chu Lian heard Chu Chu's voice. Narrowing her eyes, she saw the three girls all leaning against her, their eyes upon her together.
"Lian, let's go." Inori reached out and took her right hand.
"This time we really can't be late, Chu Lian. Otherwise the teacher will definitely want a heart-to-heart with you." Li Xiu'er's timid voice sounded in front of her as well.
Looking at this scene, Chu Lian felt a sense of having lived another lifetime. Had the hours she just spent with Qin Shi Huang truly been nothing more than a dream? Why had it all felt so real?
In her ears, that man's voice still lingered, each word as clear as if whispered beside her even now: "This is not a dream. It is not false."
Ugh, fine. So he really was speaking just now. Maybe it was only her melodramatic side acting up, making her overthink.
She waved her hand beside her ear, scattering the phantom sound, and gave the girls a gentle smile. "If you're rested, let's head back. Tonight we still have a flight to Tai'an. I'm so sleepy, mm~"
Hearing her words, Inori smiled faintly, holding her hand as they started forward. Chu Chu and Li Xiu'er finished tidying up their things and followed behind.
Once they stepped out of that space seemingly cut off from the world, their figures finally returned to the sight of others. Many looked on curiously, wondering why the girls had appeared so suddenly. But they paid no one any mind, slowly walking away.
Another journey had begun. At least for Chu Lian, it was truly a strange one…