Chapter 356

But… how could he be willing to accept it!

How could he possibly be willing to accept it!

Gulp!

He downed a mouthful of tea, stood up, and went to court!

Even if he was suppressed again, he still had to attend court!

Only by attending court could he find a chance to counter Zhuge Liang and the others

But… just as he had barely arrived at the court, someone reported a matter!

"Zheng He has returned!"

"He is about to reach the Weihe now!"

157. Population exceeding a hundred million? Shocking! Ying Zheng was utterly stunned!

"Who?"

"Zheng He?"

The moment those words left his mouth, many people were taken aback!

They could not help but begin searching their minds for the name Zheng He!

And some were utterly dumbfounded.

They simply turned to one another and began asking those beside them:

"Zheng He?"

"Who is Zheng He?"

"What official post does he hold in the imperial court?"

Right!

Even now, hardly anyone in the imperial court knew who Zheng He was!

Even though Facing Ying Su had once introduced Zheng He to many people back then.

But!

Nearly a year had passed since then; no one had ever mentioned him, so who would still remember Zheng He!

Everyone carefully searched their minds!

But suddenly, someone slapped their thigh!

"Going to sea!"

"Back then, Facing Ying Su sent him to sea and asked all of us to go to the ferry to see him off, but none of us paid it any heed!"

At last, someone recalled the matter.

Moreover, a man from the Inner Palace Bureau spoke up: "At the time, going to sea required large ships, and it was so urgent that I had no way to handle it. Under Facing Ying Su's coercion, I had twenty large ships transferred from elsewhere for him!"

Everyone chimed in, one after another.

Very soon, everyone recalled this matter!

They recalled that Zheng He had wandered about Xianyang City and all over Great Qin, collecting all manner of things!

Memory after memory!

At last, many of them remembered!

But… even after remembering, they still shook their heads!

"I was wondering who it was—it's just some fellow who went to sea, that's all! So what if he's back!"

At that moment, many spoke up!

And the implication of their words was that they felt this matter was nothing significant!

To put it plainly, such a trivial matter is worth reporting in court?"

At that moment, many felt bored!

Some even prepared to report other matters!

But… before they could speak, Seeing Ying Zheng's face darkened and he shouted directly:

"Convey my decree: all civil and military officials of the court are to proceed to the ferry to welcome Zheng He!"

"What?"

"All civil and military officials, everyone to the ferry?"

"To welcome… welcome Zheng He?"

At that moment, everyone's head was buzzing.

They simply could not understand why this was!

Just a Zheng He—neither a noble nor the scion of any great house, holding not the slightest post in court—and they were to welcome him?

Just because he made one trip to sea? 28

But Great Qin had not lacked people going to sea!

Seeing Ying Zheng alone had sent several batches of people overseas to search for the Longevity Pill!

Yet no one had ever seen Seeing Ying Zheng welcome them!

Everyone was baffled!

But Seeing Ying Zheng's eyes were shining brightly!

Zheng He!

At first, like everyone else, he too had not taken Zheng He seriously!

He thought, was it not just a matter of going to sea?

But… upon thinking it over carefully, he sensed something fishy in this!

The timing is wrong!

Ying Su has gone mad! On the very day of his accession, he sent Zheng He out to sea?

For Zheng He's voyage, he even sent the entire court to see him off!

In the end, even though no one in the court paid any attention, he and Li Si went to see him off personally!

Although he did not know what tricks were involved, yet... instinctively, he felt something was amiss!

There must be something!

How could there be nothing if that rebellious son valued it to such an extent?

Zheng He's voyage must have brought back something good!

Moreover, it must be something Ying Su has been longing for!

Something he has been longing for?

Could it be... the Elixir of Immortality?

Ying Zheng's eyes lit up brightly. Without any delay, he directly began to ask for the exact arrival time and location!

"We have now entered the Yellow River. Following it northward, we pass through Sanchuan Commandery, Yingchuan Commandery, and Fengling Ferry. We are expected to arrive at the Weihe Ferry in two days!"

"Good!"

"Issue the edict: Now, everyone return to prepare. Accompany me on the journey to the Weihe Ferry and wait there!"

"Li Si, you prepare the relevant matters!"

After he spoke, his eyes shone brilliantly!

Li Si, of course, had nothing to say and bowed down immediately!

Zhuge Liang and Zuo Zuo Zongtang had even less to say!

Because... the person reporting this matter was someone they had promoted!

And the reason for the report was to have the entire court welcome Zheng He!

For this, they had even prepared a whole host of arguments!

They had also prepared Ying Su's edict for this very purpose!

If Ying Zheng disagreed, and the entire court of officials disagreed.

Then bring out Ying Su's edict and force everyone to welcome Zheng He!

In Ying Su's words, Zheng He worked hard on the sea voyage, risking his life, facing nine deaths and one life, to bring back something that could truly strengthen the nation and enrich the people, and lead Great Qin toward prosperity.

What's wrong with us, a group of Masters, going out to welcome him?

Furthermore, he verbally conveyed a death edict!

Whoever it may be, once the words are made clear, anyone who disobeys the edict shall be executed immediately for resisting the edict!