The Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum is the resting place of Xuanyuan Huangdi, the progenitor of the Chinese nation, hailed as the foremost mausoleum under heaven and the first imperial tomb of China.
While commanding the Chu army to march towards Guanzhong, Roy secretly left his troops behind and came to this sacred site with Yu Ji.
Located at Qiaoshan Mountain, the mausoleum was surrounded by dense ancient cypress forests—the largest and best-preserved grove of ancient cypresses in the Huaxia lands, boasting over eighty thousand trees, most of which were millennia-old.
Roy rode on Wuzhui with Yu Ji seated before him, her graceful back leaning against his chest. His arms encircled her fragrant shoulders, resting gently against her soft bosom as his hands clasped her delicate wrists. They strolled leisurely through the cypress grove.
To any observer, they appeared like a couple enjoying a spring outing, completely at ease.
Though the name "Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum" sounded grand, during this late Qin period, it was simply an ancient cypress forest without any mystical qualities or visible remnants from Huangdi's era thousands of years prior.
The many artifacts found at the mausoleum two thousand years later were actually left by emperors of subsequent dynasties who came to pay homage—none of those ancient relics had any true connection to the Yellow Emperor.
"These ancient trees have weathered centuries. It's no longer suitable for riding here."
Roy gazed at the towering ancient trees ahead. Though Wuzhui could easily traverse this terrain, doing so might cause unnecessary damage to the ancient grove.
Roy had no intention of harming these historic remnants associated with the Yellow Emperor.
He dismounted first, then helped Yu Ji down. Though she didn't need assistance like other women might—given her capabilities—she smiled sweetly when Roy insisted, placing her jade-like hand in his large palm as he lifted her down.
"Wait here," Roy instructed Wuzhui. The warhorse, created through immortal arts and remarkably intelligent, nodded in understanding. It could have spoken, but Roy had modified this function to render it mute.
Then, hand in hand with Yu Ji, Roy ventured deeper into the forest.
"My King, why did you bury those three hundred thousand Qin soldiers alive?"
They walked at a leisurely pace, as if sightseeing.
The Beauty Yu asked curiously. She wasn't distressed by the mass burial—merely puzzled by Roy's choice, since it seemed entirely unnecessary.
"Could it be... my King was helping Liu Ji again?"
"You're right, my Beauty Yu. Had I not buried those three hundred thousand Qin soldiers and let them return to Guanzhong, the region would have suffered little loss. Though the Qin state has fallen, there remain many defeated generals and royal relatives. Had they rallied these troops, we'd have faced an formidable army again."
"...These three hundred thousand troops are battle-hardened and not so easy to deal with, especially since Zhang Han is still alive. He holds great prestige among the Qin army and could easily rally another large force. If I were to kill Zhang Han, the remaining soldiers would revolt out of shared grief, like mourning rabbits when the fox dies. Combined with the deep resentment the feudal lords hold against the Qin army, this would give me the perfect opportunity to easily bury all three hundred thousand Qin soldiers alive."
"With these three hundred thousand Qin soldiers dead, though Zhang Han bears the title of King of Yong, he would receive no further support. If he hadn't surrendered, how could these three hundred thousand soldiers have perished? One could say Zhang Han's spirit is now completely broken—this man poses no threat anymore. With insufficient troops left in the Guanzhong region to rebel, Liu Ji can easily occupy it."
After a pause, Roy smiled and said, "...Lady Yu, don't be upset. The reason I'm helping Liu Ji like this is to ensure human civilization thrives and follows the correct path."
In truth, replacing Han with Chu wouldn't be difficult for Roy, but what would he do afterward? Without the Han dynasty, future historical developments would veer onto an entirely different track—one Roy couldn't foresee at all. It would be best if history could continue along its original course. If any deviations occurred midway, this world line might be pruned.
Roy dared not remain here either. If he stayed, given his lifespan, he could become the emperor of Chu for centuries. He couldn't guarantee what he might do, but one thing was certain: he would inevitably interfere with human civilization through his personal power. When human history is no longer chosen by humans themselves but by a "god-like being" like Roy, that world line's human civilization would undoubtedly reach a dead end. Humanity would inevitably lose its potential and bring about its own destruction.
Actually, human history has no distinction between right and wrong—the difference lies only in whether it's humanity's own choice or a choice made under the influence of certain "gods."
Replacing Han with Chu—Roy didn't know what the future would hold. But with Han replacing Chu, humanity's future development would be very clear, as long as no mystical forces interfered with human civilization again.
When the known path is clear and correct, yet one insists on choosing the unknown—if Roy truly did this, it could only be called sheer foolishness.
As the saying goes: "Heaven's gate stands open wide, yet you choose the path to hell."
"Your Majesty underestimates your concubine too much. How could I be such a resentful woman?"
Seeing that Roy still cared about her feelings, Yu Ji smiled faintly, pressing her lips together.
As they walked, stopping occasionally, Roy and Yu Ji came before an enormous ancient tree. With Roy's knowledge, he could easily determine the tree's age—he could tell at a glance that this ancient tree was at least 2,500 to 3,000 years old.
One could say this ancient tree represented the history of China—it was the world's oldest cypress!
Upon seeing the tree, Yu Ji wore an expression of reminiscence and said, "...This tree was planted by the Yellow Emperor himself."
"Hmm?"
Roy froze for a moment, then looked at the beauty beside him and tentatively asked, "...You've met the Yellow Emperor?"
"Emperor Huang was a figure from about three thousand years ago, so of course I've met him... In fact, I was already born when humans were still fighting wild beasts."
After saying this, Yu Ji felt a wave of awkwardness, wondering if she might seem too old.
Upon hearing this, Roy immediately realized that Yu Ji's birth must date back at least ten thousand years or more.
He joked, "...So you're already Granny Yu now? My deepest respects!"
Yu Ji pouted coquettishly, "...Does my lord think I'm too old?"
"How could that be? Someone as beautiful as you—if you're considered old, then the rest of the world must be filled with mere mediocrity."
Roy took Yu Ji's hand and held it tightly in his palm.
"Since you've met Emperor Huang, what kind of person was he?"
After a moment of contemplation, Yu Ji replied, "...By human standards, he was a sage. He was incredibly wise and taught humanity many skills. Even I learned much from him. In those days, this land was brimming with magic and mystery, home to many powerful beings—perhaps even gods. At the time, Emperor Huang was at war with the leader of the Jiuli tribe. My powers were still intact then, and he even asked for my help in battle."
Hearing this, Roy studied Yu Ji carefully. According to legend, many deities participated in the great battle between Emperor Huang and Chi You, including the legendary Nine-Heaven Mystic Maiden. If Yu Ji had truly taken part in the Battle of Zhuolu three thousand years ago, she might well have been one of those mythical gods—perhaps even the Nine-Heaven Mystic Maiden herself.
Though in the legends, the Nine-Heaven Mystic Maiden supposedly taught Emperor Huang military strategies. What kind of tactics could Yu Ji have taught him? The "charge headfirst" approach? Hmm, that actually seems plausible.
But legends are just legends—mere conjectures of later generations. Only those who were there truly know what happened three thousand years ago.
"Though this is Emperor Huang's mausoleum, he did not die. As the rumors say, he left this world—likely either for the world beyond or the planet's inner sea."
Yu Ji sighed wistfully, her ancient weariness showing through as she reflected on the history she had witnessed.
"I just don't know if that fox is still here guarding the tomb. If she is, my lord must be careful. If there's any danger, we should leave immediately. With my current strength, I'm no match for that fox!"