In the Mirror Immortal Realm, by the jade pool behind Lingxiao Hall, Zhao Gao carefully attended to them.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant went to the Thirty-Third Layer of Heavens, Douluo Palace, and found some elixirs, all refined by Xu Fu back then. Please feed them to Her Majesty the Empress," Zhao Gao offered a purple gourd.
"You have served well, we are very satisfied," Fan Li replied perfunctorily.
Princess Chang Le's complexion was rosy, her vitality abundant. Although still unconscious, she only seemed to be immersed in sweet dreams, indeed much better.
Fan Li was just waiting for her to wake up before discussing their next move. For now, he still worried that Zhao Gao might suddenly go mad and no longer recognize him as the so-called Qin Emperor.
"Thank you for praising this slave, I am willing to serve Your Majesty for life after life!" Zhao Gao knelt down and paid Fan Li another extremely devout kowtow. But after knocking his head, he hesitated to withdraw.
"Do you have other matters?" Fan Li asked helplessly.
"Yes... your slave... your slave dares to ask a reward from Your Majesty..." As Zhao Gao spoke, he reached to rummage around in his tattered sleeves.
Fan Li felt somewhat troubled, afraid that whatever Zhao Gao took out, he wouldn't be able to cope with it pretending to be the Qin Emperor.
"What's this?" Seeing the item clearly in Zhao Gao's hand, Fan Li was greatly surprised.
It turned out to be an imperial edict! Ancient enough that the silk was somewhat faded, but the edict's dragon patterns and auspicious clouds could still be clearly seen.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, back then your slave committed an unpardonable crime, and was thus punished by His Majesty the First Emperor to guard this mausoleum, living forever without reincarnation... Your slave dares to ask that Your Majesty alter this edict to allow your slave to reincarnate!"
So that was it?
No wonder Zhao Gao had the appearance of neither man nor ghost, and was restricted within the mausoleum, unable to leave. However, Fan Li did not take the imperial edict, afraid that he might reveal himself by accident.
Seeing that he did not take it, Zhao Gao also felt it reasonable. "Your Majesty, I understand. As the First Emperor's descendant by blood, you naturally don't wish to alter the edict of your ancestor. But please take a look at this edict. If not for Heaven granting your slave an opportunity, I would not have dared to trouble you."
With the words spoken to this point, Fan Li knew he couldn't refuse to take it. Biting the bullet, he accepted the edict from Zhao Gao's hands. Fortunately, there was no abnormal reaction from the item left by the First Emperor.
Unfurling the edict, a passage in small seal script entered his eyes.
"Minister of the Palace Chariot Bureau Zhao Gao, pointing at deer and calling them horse, deceiving the ruler and controlling power, damaging Our imperial successor; his crimes pierce the heavens. We now decree to sever his immortal path, cut off his reincarnation, confine him to the mortal realm, guard Our mausoleum for ten thousand years..."
Towards the end, the ink on the edict grew fainter.
Especially for the last 'ten thousand years', only the character for 'years' could still be considered clear.
Fan Li couldn't help but gasp!
‘What's going on? The First Emperor's edict actually mentioned Zhao Gao pointing at deer and calling them horses, damaging the successor? And 'sever his immortal path, cut off his reincarnation', what kind of immortal technique is this?’
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Fan Li wanted to inquire in detail but was afraid of exposing himself.
Fortunately, Zhao Gao took the initiative to explain. "His Majesty the First Emperor was the only emperor through the ages. Back then, he brought the entire nation to ascend to the Immortal Realm, achieving the grand feat of the Heavenly Emperor. As for the mortal Great Qin, it was merely an inheritance the First Emperor left behind."
The simple few lines unexpectedly resolved Fan Li's doubts. He had heard long ago that the legendary sage kings who unified the realm in antiquity and established everlasting dynasties had legends about bringing the entire nation to ascend.
Among current emperors, Emperor Jiajing also harbored ambitions to bring the entire nation to ascend. But since they brought the entire nation to ascend, how did they still perish?
Take Former Qin for example. Its last emperor was Fu Jian. After Qin's downfall came the divided realm between Chu, Han and Ming.
"The Former Qin recorded in ancient texts wasn't the true Great Qin, merely one branch of inheritance the First Emperor left behind?"
Fan Li felt his entire body's blood vessels expand, even strangely excited. Merely one branch of succession that still left behind the legend of 'Powerful Qin' in the human world.
Then how magnificent and majestic was the true Great Qin?
How many more examples were there of ancient great unified dynasties ascending to the Immortal Realm?
Fan Li couldn't help but crane his neck, wanting to glimpse the carefree Immortal Realm that ordinary people imagined high above. Could there really be countless immortal kingdoms and celestial dynasties there?
A group of the mightiest and greatest founding emperors, could they truly remain peaceful in the Immortal Realm?
"Back then, His Majesty the First Emperor brought the entire nation to ascend, but left your slave behind in the mortal realm to continue assisting the Second Emperor of Qin."
"Your slave couldn't attain immortality, thus harbored resentment and lost loyalty."
"Afterwards, your slave committed evil acts in succession. I didn't expect to actually catch the attention of His Majesty in the Immortal Realm! His Majesty was furious and sent down an edict from the Immortal Realm, turning your slave into the current state..."
Fan Li was astonished. Someone who had already ascended to the Immortal Realm could actually still interfere in the mortal world?
The original Fan Li was also well-read in poetry and books, knowledgeable in the classics, yet never read any similar records in the classics.
"Can people from the Immortal Realm come and go freely between the Immortal and Mortal Realms?" Fan Li asked.
Zhao Gao shook his head. "Usually not, but His Majesty the First Emperor's divine might penetrated the heavens. How could your slave imagine the extent of his methods? But from your slave's knowledge, sending down an edict from the Immortal Realm was also unprecedented through the ages."
Fan Li contemplated and felt this made sense. If the First Emperor could freely descend to the mortal realm, how could his Qin nation left behind possibly perish?
Still kneeling on the floor, Zhao Gao spoke with utmost piety, "Many strokes on His Majesty's edict have faded away over time, leaving only empty space. If Your Majesty rewrites the edict, just slightly modifying the intent would free your slave..."
So this was what Zhao Gao wanted. Fan Li's gaze fell upon the spot with 'ten thousand years'. The ink there had nearly vanished, just right for modifying.
"You're certain that if I rewrite the edict of the First Emperor here, it will take effect?"
"It will! It definitely will! Your Majesty has the destiny of the Son of Heaven and also possesses the First Emperor's Nation Establishing Seal. Your writing will be an imperial edict! After you modify the edict then reapply the seal, the First Emperor's will can definitely be altered. Then your slave will be able to reincarnate and be reborn!"
Zhao Gao was extremely emotional, even his voice carried sobbing tones. It was a pity his current form was a dried corpse, otherwise tears should be streaming down his face now.
"But for me to tamper with the First Emperor's will..." Fan Li deliberately voiced difficulty. He certainly didn't wish to try. Failure would definitely bring Zhao Gao's retaliation.
Zhao Gao naturally thought he didn't dare go against their ancestor. He continuously kowtowed, knocking his head on the palace floor loudly.
"Your Majesty! Your slave already knows his wrongs and is willing to live forever loyally serving the Ying clan as a slave for Great Qin, never daring to rebel again."
"Your slave only wishes to become human once more. After rebirth, I will definitely continue loyally serving Great Qin!"
"I implore Your Majesty to show mercy and let your slave reincarnate..."
In one hand Fan Li held the edict, in the other the Nation Establishing Seal, remaining silent. Suddenly, in the waters of the jade pool, Princess Chang Le sat up. She leaned against Fan Li's shoulder, and he looked at her in astonishment.
"Your Majesty, I also believe we can forgive this servant." Princess Chang Le, resembling a queen, snuggled closer to Fan Li.
"Let him do a few more tasks, we'll consider it opportunities for him to redeem himself. Then, we can allow him to reincarnate... Don't worry, you can trust me."
The princess's final words were whispered into Fan Li's ear. Her voice was gentle and soft, audible only to the two of them.