Chapter 259: Island Natives Enslaved for Generations, Mining for the Han Dynasty

After crushing the Xiongnu main force, the army, riding the momentum of a great victory, split into multiple columns.

One column, led by Meng Tian, continued to eradicate the remaining enemies in the northern desert and established a Protectorate Office.

Another column, commanded by Han Xin, marched south to pacify the unconquered Baiyue tribes, and firearms proved equally astonishing in forest warfare.

A third column swept the Hexi Corridor, subjugating the small states of the Western Regions.

In just a month, from the great desert in the north to Jiaozhi in the south, from the Congling Mountains in the west to the sea in the east, every known foreign power capable of posing a threat either submitted or was annihilated.

Great Han's territory, guided by the map Gu Shanhe provided, expanded rapidly, covering almost half of Asia.

They hoisted sails and set out to claim lands in the eastern seas.

The fighting on land was lively, and the seas were no idle either.

Gu Shanhe gave Xiao He the Qin dynasty's shipbuilding schematics, including those for armored vessels, and tasked him with organizing craftsmen to build ships along the coast.

At the same time, he pointed to the islands east of the map and said to Liu Bang:

"King of Han, this island holds vast amounts of gold and silver; its people are ignorant and can be used as slave labor to mine the veins, benefiting the state and its people."

Liu Bang, now fully obedient to Gu Shanhe, immediately dispatched Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying to assemble a fleet, bringing along some Qin military instructors and firearms for a cross‑sea expedition.

The island's natives were still in the Stone Age; faced with a Han army armed to the teeth and supported by muskets, they could offer no resistance.

Soon, several large islands were successively "discovered" and "conquered," and the Han‑character flag was hoisted.

Gu Shanhe personally went to "inspect," pinpointing the locations of several large gold and silver mines.

Thousands of captured natives were shackled with wooden manacles, driven to the pits, and began a sunless life of forced labor, "contributing" yellow and white ores to the Han dynasty.

(Here, the island natives refer to a modest daily life ✌︎˶╹ꇴ╹˶✌︎)

The model mirrors what the Qin dynasty did in Fusang, identical in every way.

Endless streams of gold and silver ore were shipped back to the Central Plains, and the Han treasury swelled at a visibly rapid pace.

Alongside military conquest, the basic textbooks on mathematics, physics, chemistry, and engineering principles that Gu Shanhe brought began to circulate among a few scholars and skilled artisans.

Although difficult to grasp, with Gu Shanhe's occasional "guidance," simple mechanical improvements, irrigation works, and textile tools emerged, slowly raising production efficiency.

Liu Bang, after Xiao He's report and his own observations, finally realized that the world he ruled was far larger than he imagined and far more "interesting" than he had thought.

The "immortal master" brought not only weapons but also an entirely new way of viewing and reshaping the world.

At the same time, Liu Bang harbored resentment over the celestial prophecy of "Empress Lü's autocracy."

He had always been wary of Empress Lü, and now he was resolved.

After returning to the capital, he found a pretext, stripped Empress Lü's family of power, and explicitly ordered her to remain content as his queen and not interfere in state affairs.

Empress Lü, though angry, dared not speak further under Liu Bang's dominance and the "immortal master's" deterrence.

Having dealt with these matters, Liu Bang made a decision that left all ministers dumbfounded—he would cultivate to become an immortal!

And he intended to go with Ying Zheng and Gu Shanhe to the Qin dynasty to practice cultivation.

The throne? It will be passed to Crown Prince Liu Ying!

What about me? I'll become the retired emperor, living carefree!

"Liu Ying is not young any more; it's time for some experience."

"With Xiao He, Cao Can, Zhang Liang assisting you, and the statutes left by the immortal master, no great chaos can arise."

Liu Bang blurted out at the court meeting, "You have toiled half your life; now you should enjoy peace and pursue the immortal path!"

"It's settled! Dismiss the court!"

Disregarding Liu Ying's panic and the ministers' objections, Liu Bang swiftly completed the handover and, with a jaunty stride, followed behind Ying Zheng and Gu Shanhe, preparing to "cross time and space for cultivation."

Gu Shanhe also kept his promise, opening a portal that sent one hundred thousand Qin troops (including Meng Tian, the young Han Xin, and others) back to the Qin dynasty's era.

He left behind only a few firearms instructors and books as "technical support."

A flash of light later, Gu Shanhe, Ying Zheng, Liu Bang (and the hundred‑thousand troops) all appeared on the plaza before the Xianyang Palace.

Having received the news, Fu Su had already led civil and military officials here to wait.

"My son, I respectfully welcome you, Father Emperor and Grand Master, back!"

Fu Su, excited, stepped forward to pay his respects.

Having been emperor for a few years, he had become much steadier, exuding imperial bearing, yet upon seeing Ying Zheng, he was still full of admiration.

"Rise."

Ying Zheng looked at this son who had governed Great Qin so orderly that the people praised him, his eyes showing satisfaction as he patted his shoulder.

"Well done."

Fu Su then turned his gaze to Gu Shanhe, once again bowing solemnly:

"Fu Su pays respects to the Grand Master; are you well?"

"I am fine, thank Your Majesty for your concern." Gu Shanhe smiled and nodded.

At that moment, Fu Su only then noticed the old man looking around behind Ying Zheng.

"Father Emperor, who is this…"

"Oh, him."

Ying Zheng casually gestured toward Liu Bang.

"Liu Ji, that's the founding emperor of the Han, Liu Bang. Brought him here for fun."

Fu Su: "!!!"

"Han High Ancestor Liu Bang?!"

"The emperor who founded the Han that replaced Great Qin?"

"Just brought back like this by the Father Emperor?"

"And 'brought for fun'?"

Fu Su felt his brain was a bit insufficient.

But he quickly calmed down and bowed his hands to Liu Bang:

"So you are the founding emperor of Great Han, I've long admired you. I am the second emperor of Great Qin, Fu Su."

Liu Bang promptly returned the salute, a smile plastered on his face: "Ah, so it is His Majesty Fu Su! Truly a remarkable talent, with an extraordinary bearing!"

"Zheng brother is so fortunate! My unremarkable son cannot compare, cannot compare!"

In the following days, Liu Bang's horizons were truly opened.

He rode in an "Iron Car" (an early steam locomotive) that runs without a horse, wandering inside Xianyang City;

He watched the night market illuminated by "Electric Lamp" (improved large gas lamps) as bright as daylight;

He toured the "Heavenly Workshop" that roars day and night, capable of forging fine steel;

He even saw in the "Institute of Investigating Things" someone attempting to make an "Iron Bird" (a glider model) larger than a house take flight…

All of this left the ancient man dumbfounded, exclaiming in amazement.

"Good… Zheng brother, your Great Qin… has truly become a fairy realm…"

Liu Bang envied him so much his mouth watered.

Ying Zheng twirled his mustache smugly and smiled.

Gu Shanhe accompanied them, taking a brief tour of the scenery across Great Qin.

After unifying the world, Great Qin indeed displayed myriad phenomena, vibrant life, yet orderly, far surpassing the current level of the Han dynasty.

……

That day, Gu Shanhe found Ying Zheng and Liu Bang engaged in a game of chess.

"Your Majesties."

Gu Shanhe spoke, "The matters here are settled, and the Han dynasty has also entered the right track."

"Next, I would like to take the two of you to another interesting time-space to see."

"Oh? Where to this time?" Ying Zheng set down his piece, intrigued.

Liu Bang's eyes also lit up: "Master Immortal, is there again some entertaining descendants of later ages?"

"Which emperor this time? Is it that… Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che?"

Gu Shanhe nodded and smiled: "Exactly."

"Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che, in the history of the Han dynasty and all of Huaxia, is regarded as a generation of a sovereign with great talent and strategy."

"He struck north against the Xiongnu, expanded borders, establishing the Han spirit. Yet his later years were filled with many regrets."

"Does the Han king not wish to see with his own eyes, you outstanding descendant, how you wield the empire and command the winds of fate?"

"Perhaps we could also lend a modest effort to help him remedy some of those regrets."

"Want! Too eager!"

Liu Bang stood up excitedly.

"That boy Liu Che, I saw him on the celestial canopy and liked him instantly! He fought the Xiongnu with great pleasure!"

"Let's go! Master Immortal, let's go right now! Zheng brother, shall we go together to take a look?"

Ying Zheng's curiosity was also piqued.

He had also heard the name Emperor Wu of Han on the celestial canopy; indeed he is a formidable figure.

To see the golden age of another powerful dynasty and meet its ruler of that era seems… rather interesting.

"Fine." Ying Zheng nodded.

Gu Shanhe said no more, and at the open area of Xianyang Palace, he focused his mind on the communication system.

"System, activate a directional time-space gate, target: Western Han, early reign of Emperor Wu Liu Che, Jian Yuan era, near Chang'an City, safe zone."

【Command received. Consumed 800,000 emotion points. Time-space gate constructing…】

A familiar oval light gate, its edges streaming white light and its interior deep and swirling, appeared again before the three.

Ying Zheng adjusted his robe, his expression calm.

Liu Bang was both excited and a bit nervous, rubbing his hands, muttering:

"Boy Liu Che… I have come to see you! Don't be frightened…"

Gu Shanhe stepped forward first: "You two, please."

The three figures entered the light gate one after another, vanishing from sight.

The light gate slowly contracted, finally turning into a speck of fleeting light and disappearing.

And so, the three traveled to the plane where Emperor Wu resided.