157: Chapter 157 The First Flight of the Hot Air Balloon!

"Indeed!"

Zhao Fusu admitted it candidly.

Everything he did was to learn from the Western powers, intending to use their own methods against them.

If there were no opportunity, that would be one thing, but now that he had this chance, if he didn't retaliate, how could he settle the thick ledger of accounts from modern history?

"Father."

Zhao Fusu said, "Look at this palm-sized cake."

"If we eat this entire cake, we've still only eaten a cake the size of a palm."

"But when this cake is made as large as a table, even if we only occupy ten percent of it, the portion we eat is far greater than the entire cake we had before."

"This!"

Hearing Zhao Fusu's persuasion, the First Emperor was stunned. From this perspective, it truly was the case.

Zhao Fusu continued, "The strength of our Ying Clan is limited, as is the strength of the Qin Nobility. We suffered indigestion just from swallowing the Six Kingdoms and were pushed back by their nobility, let alone trying to conquer the entire world and the vast territories of the seven continents and four oceans."

Many people in later generations believed that if the First Emperor saw a world map, he would set out to conquer it.

In reality, if the First Emperor saw a world map, he would likely be just like a modern person, sighing and marveling at how big the world is.

He couldn't even withstand the counterattack of the nobility of the Six Kingdoms, let alone conquer the entire world.

Zhao Fusu continued, "We must summon the courage of our ancestors, dare to be the first in the world, implement a constitutional monarchy, carry out a Great Industrial Revolution, and allow the people of the Great Qin Empire to stand up, be liberated from the land, vigorously develop industry and commerce, and gradually step into industrial civilization!"

"Is my opposition effective?"

Qin Shi Huang asked with a bitter smile.

"Ineffective!"

"Not only is your opposition ineffective, Father..."

Zhao Fusu said firmly, "But the opposition of the people of Great Qin is also ineffective!"

A window of historical opportunity lay before him, giving him the chance to settle the accounts recorded in modern history with the Western powers one by one; how could he possibly give that up?

The First Emperor remained silent for a long time.

"Sigh!"

The First Emperor sighed and said, "I cannot help you much more. I will hand over control of the Black Ice Platform and its ten thousand Shadow Guards to you."

As the First Emperor spoke, he prepared to take out the token for mobilizing the Black Ice Platform.

Zhao Fusu took it.

He used the Thought Steel Seal he had obtained earlier through a sign-in, making the ten thousand Shadow Guards of the Black Ice Platform absolutely obedient to him.

Only then did Zhao Fusu breathe a sigh of relief.

With this, Xianyang City had completely fallen under his control.

Zhao Fusu said to the First Emperor, "The Black Ice Platform will be incorporated into the Ministry of State Security, but you will still be responsible for its mobilization, Father."

As he spoke, he returned the mobilization token.

The First Emperor did not refuse and took it back.

Then, looking at Zhao Fusu with a strange gaze, he asked, "Did you use some other means to gain control of my Black Ice Platform?"

Seeing that Zhao Fusu could mobilize the troops in Guanzhong without his permission and had produced so many inventions, the First Emperor felt that Zhao Fusu's situation was likely not as simple as just dreaming about things from two thousand years in the future.

"Of course not!"

Zhao Fusu said without the slightest hint of guilt.

"Two thousand years later, is there an elixir of immortality?"

The First Emperor suddenly asked.

"No."

Zhao Fusu shook his head.

The fairest thing in this world is that everyone dies.

Whether you are a prince, a general, an emperor, a president, or the richest man in the world, you must die just like ordinary people.

The First Emperor looked as if his spirit had been drained away.

Zhao Fusu shook his head slightly.

The First Emperor had already enjoyed supreme power; for him, there was no longer much to pursue in it.

Instead, he wanted to live forever.

Seeing the First Emperor so dejected, Zhao Fusu comforted him, "Our physical bodies will die, but our spirits will not."

"What do you mean?"

The First Emperor didn't quite understand.

Zhao Fusu said, "Even if we die, we will transmigrate to other worlds and start new lives."

"Is that so!"

The First Emperor looked at Zhao Fusu with an expression that said, 'I'm not well-read, so don't try to fool me.'

"It is so."

Zhao Fusu nodded.

"Hahaha, hahaha!"

The First Emperor suddenly burst into laughter.

Pointing his finger at Zhao Fusu, he said, "I actually need a junior like you to enlighten me!"

"Uh!"

Zhao Fusu was stunned; I'm telling you the truth, and you think I'm tricking you.

He shook his head slightly; when that day came, the First Emperor would know for himself.

"What have you come up with now?"

The First Emperor asked, looking at the kerosene pressure lamp on the table.

"It's for lighting."

Zhao Fusu replied, "It's very bright."

"However, it hasn't been fully developed yet."

"Oh."

The First Emperor said, "Then once you've finished developing it, send one to me."

"Alright."

Zhao Fusu agreed.

"Father..."

Zhao Fusu invited him, "Would you like to see the Hot Air Balloon again?"

"The first manned flight vehicle in our Great Qin's Tiangong Series, the Hot Air Balloon, is about to have its maiden flight!"

"If the two of us take the first flight, we will surely be recorded in the annals of human flight history!"

"Sure!"

The First Emperor agreed readily.

If his son dared to ride that Hot Air Balloon, and he, the father, didn't, he would be a laughingstock!

"Can it really carry people in flight?"

This was what the First Emperor was most curious about.

"Of course."

Zhao Fusu nodded and replied, "It can fly several hundred meters high!"

Hearing this, the First Emperor fell silent; had he agreed too quickly?

If something went wrong with the Hot Air Balloon and someone fell from several hundred meters, they would be scattered in pieces.

"Father, there's no need to be afraid."

Zhao Fusu smiled and said, "Hot Air Balloons are very safe. As long as we take off at noon, there won't be any issues."

"Me, afraid?!"

The First Emperor said with a proud huff, "Back then, when Jing Ke tried to assassinate me, I wasn't scared for a moment."

"Is that so?"

Zhao Fusu said, "Didn't you even forget you were wearing your sword?"

"Silence!"

The First Emperor's face darkened slightly.

"Let's go!"

"Let's go see that Hot Air Balloon thing."

He put his gauze hat back on.

The First Emperor did not intend to expose the fact that he had faked his death.

"Alright."

Zhao Fusu took the First Emperor to the Great Qin Empire Academy of Sciences.

The Tiangong Series Hot Air Balloon was researched by Gongshu Chou leading the elites of the Gongshu Family.

After their research during this period, they first completed a small-scale Hot Air Balloon.

Once they fully understood the technology, they scaled it up proportionally, creating a Hot Air Balloon that was thirty to forty meters long.

The most difficult part of this Hot Air Balloon to manufacture was the main body made of asbestos.

For such a massive Hot Air Balloon, besides using a large amount of asbestos to weave the balloon's envelope, natural rubber had to be applied to the surface to improve airtightness and reduce fuel consumption.