Attention, travelers: the train is about to arrive at the Great Qin Station.
At first, this was simply a lighthearted, zany journey through a wild premise spanning past and present.
Until one late night, Ying Zheng asked Xie Linzhou:
“Can you, all by yourself, turn Great Qin into the prosperous age of later generations?”
I was speechless. In that instant, I finally understood.
One person can never shoulder an entire era.
And so, the tone of this journey quietly changed.
The story moved away from a lone protagonist and opened into an epic ensemble spanning a thousand years, centered on the times and the land.
Here, you will see
When the First Emperor performs the Fengshan sacrifices on Mount Tai, the ceremony is broadcast around the world. Countless modern people make their way to the foot of the mountain, gaze up at the emperor offering sacrifices to Heaven, and sing praises to their country;
When a thousand-year Qin-Han family banquet begins, emperors of every era cross the ages to gather around one table, raise their cups in celebration, and discuss the long history of Huaxia;
When the railway reaches the frontier at Shuofang, Huo Qubing rests his fingertips against the train window and sees with his own eyes the peace of later generations stretching for thousands of miles;
When ordinary people from ancient times board a modern train, a sip of cool, sweet water lets them taste the peaceful comforts of life today.
I often gaze at the mountains and rivers from a high-speed train and think:
How wonderful it would be if the sages of old, who traveled far and wide to defend their homeland, could see how peaceful and prosperous the country is today.
And so, this story came to be.
This is a slow-burn story of past and present intertwined, an ensemble of historical figures, and a heartfelt love for the country and its people.
It is not perfect, nor can it claim to be dazzling.
But every word comes from the most sincere and heartfelt place in me as I’ve written this story.
Thank you for opening this book and being willing to understand what’s in my heart.
I hope you’ll stay.
