I am Zhao Zheng, also known as Ying Zheng. Later generations honor me as Qin Shi Huang.
In the first month of 259 BC, I was born in Handan, Zhao. At the time, my father Yiren, who later changed his name to Zichu, was a hostage in Zhao. Qin and Zhao were frequently at war, and my father suffered constant humiliation. In 257 BC, Qin attacked Zhao again. With Lü Buwei's help, my father escaped alone, and Zhao sought to vent its anger by killing my mother, Zhao Ji, and me. Thanks to help from my mother's family, we hid from place to place and barely survived in Zhao. It wasn't until 250 BC, when Lü Buwei bribed Madam Huayang with a fortune and my father Zichu became crown prince, that my mother and I were sent back to Qin. From then on, I resumed the Ying surname.
I rose from the dust. From childhood, I was taught that unifying the realm was my mission. My youth was filled with power struggles and political scheming. My years as a hostage in Zhao were harsh. I experienced the customs of a foreign land and knew the helplessness and bitterness of a hostage, but those hardships also forged my resolve and strengthened my determination to unite the Six Kingdoms.
After returning to Qin, I prevailed in carefully orchestrated political struggles and seized power. I was not merely a conqueror, but also a dreamer and reformer. I reformed the laws, standardized weights and measures, and established a centralized system of government. Leading an army of thousands across mountains and rivers, I conquered the various states and unified the Six Kingdoms. After founding the Qin dynasty, I proclaimed myself the First Emperor, hoping to establish an empire that would endure for generations. I ordered the construction of the Great Wall to repel invaders, built the Epang Palace to display the dynasty's glory, and cast the Terracotta Army to guard my tomb.
Yet the throne of power was never secure. I faced countless uprisings and rebellions, but never retreated. I won the Battle of Julu and consolidated my rule. But the burning of books and burying of scholars, though intended to unify thought, also left a stain on my reputation...
"The Path of the First Emperor and the Rise and Fall of Empires" is a masterpiece of historical fiction. It uses a unique first-person narration of Qin Shihuang to vividly outline Ying Zheng's magnificent life, and delicately presents his great talents and inner struggles. The book's description of the rise and fall of the Qin Empire is gripping, the plot has ups and downs, and the details show the author's in-depth study of history. The text is full of appeal, as if it takes readers through time and space, and experiences the changing years of the Qin Dynasty, making people immersed in it and unable to extricate themselves. "The Road of the First Emperor and the Rise and Fall of the Empire" tells the legendary life of Qin Shihuang Yingzheng from the first-person perspective, showing his complex image and lofty ambitions, allowing readers to feel his firmness in facing challenges and the wisdom of his decision-making. However, the novel may have the problem of subjective over-interpretation of historical figures and events, and as a serialized work, the coherence and completeness of the plot need to be further observed. Overall, it is a historical novel worth reading. ——Nan Lifuzi (2024-12-12 Thursday 17:31)