174: Chapter 174 It's either us killing them, or them killing us!

Zhao Fusu was not particularly surprised by this.

The brightness of a kerosene pressure lamp is comparable to a three-hundred-watt incandescent bulb of later generations.

This kerosene pressure lamp sells very well on Taobao, and many camping enthusiasts enjoy using it for outdoor lighting.

"This is called a kerosene pressure lamp."

Zhao Fusu said, "Did you remember the instructions I just gave?"

The First Emperor and He Zhi looked at each other.

Seeing their expressions, Zhao Fusu knew they hadn't yet remembered how to use the kerosene pressure lamp.

Thus, Zhao Fusu taught them once again.

"Oh, oh."

The First Emperor and He Zhi nodded, seeming to understand yet not quite.

Their minds might have learned it, but whether their hands could follow was another matter.

Under Zhao Fusu's careful explanation, the First Emperor and He Zhi finally understood how to use the kerosene pressure lamp.

Like children, they kept playing with the lamp, extinguishing it and then lighting it again, over and over, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Once the First Emperor had played enough, he finally set the kerosene pressure lamp aside to provide light.

They went to the dining room.

Servants had already laid out a sumptuous dinner on the table.

The round table the First Emperor used now was produced by the Woodworking Workshop of the Imperial Workshop.

The chairs they used were also high-backed chairs.

Zhao Fusu and the First Emperor sat down, talking as they ate.

"You came today not just to give me that kerosene pressure lamp, but also to bid farewell before heading north to attack the Xiongnu people."

The First Emperor asked, "Is that right?"

"Father is wise."

Zhao Fusu offered a bit of flattery.

Then, he spoke, "This time, I intend to conquer them completely to ensure the safety of the Hetao Plain, so I can grow grain there in peace."

The First Emperor nodded. "If you want to develop the Hetao Plain, it is indeed a risk if the Xiongnu people to the north are not cleared out."

"Especially since you aren't building a Great Wall, they could head south at any time without our knowledge to plunder our grain and violate our women."

The First Emperor respected women and promoted female virtue.

There are hundreds of tons of mercury in the underground palace of the First Emperor's tomb.

The First Emperor's ability to obtain so much mercury was inseparable from a woman named Ba Qing.

Ba Qing was a famous female entrepreneur of the Qin Dynasty, who became incredibly wealthy through her cinnabar mining business.

Qin Shi Huang held Ba Qing in high esteem. In her old age, he granted her the special privilege of "sitting beside him" to discuss affairs as equals, an extremely rare honor in ancient times when men were considered superior to women.

Ba Qing remained chaste for decades and never remarried; Qin Shi Huang built the "Huaiqing Terrace" to honor her chastity.

Qin Shi Huang recognized and promoted traditional feminine virtues such as chastity and loyalty. He gave high respect and rewards to women with outstanding achievements or noble character, reflecting that he did not judge a person's value solely by gender but rather by a comprehensive assessment of their talent and conduct.

The hundreds of tons of mercury in the First Emperor's possession were obtained from the Widow Qing, transported from Bashu to Xianyang via Ancient plank roads using human and horse power.

The First Emperor stared fixedly at Zhao Fusu with an unfriendly gaze, extremely dissatisfied with Fusu's refusal to build the Great Wall.

Zhao Fusu said, "That is why I want to conquer the Xiongnu people and make them a part of our Great Qin."

"That way, they won't harass our Great Qin; instead, they can become Great Qin's mobile Great Wall, resisting the eastward expansion of Western powers."

"Western powers..."

The First Emperor's expression froze for a moment, then he recalled, "Are you referring to those Western nations whose national strength is no less than our Great Qin's?"

"Exactly."

Zhao Fusu nodded. "Living in the same Global Village, we will clash with them sooner or later. Either we kill them, or they kill us!"

"There's only so much food on the dining table. If I eat more, you eat less, Father."

"By the same token, if you eat more, I eat less."

The First Emperor nodded.

"Fusu..."

The First Emperor said with a heavy expression, "It is easy for our Great Qin to defeat the Xiongnu people, but conquering them is not so simple."

"Before our Great Qin, the Great Zhou and the Yin Shang Dynasty fought with the Beidi for two thousand years."

"The Beidi and today's Xiongnu people are both remnants of the Xia Dynasty."

"They were originally people of the Central Plains, driven by us into the grasslands."

"We have been mortal enemies for over two thousand years."

"After developing on the grasslands for over two millennia, they have become a nation on horseback, coming and going like the wind."

"It isn't even easy to find them on the grasslands."

The First Emperor looked directly at Zhao Fusu and asked, "Have you thought of a way to conquer them?"

"Naturally!"

Zhao Fusu said with absolute confidence.

"Oh?"

Seeing Zhao Fusu's confidence, the First Emperor's interest was piqued. He couldn't help but say, "Let's hear it."

"Guess!"

Zhao Fusu said playfully.

A large cross-shaped vein appeared on the First Emperor's temple.

Seeing that the First Emperor was about to explode, Zhao Fusu quickly said, "Don't be angry, don't be angry. I was just lightening the mood."

He Zhi shook his head slightly to the side; truly, only Young Master Fusu dared to speak to His Majesty the First Emperor like that.

Normal people, upon seeing the Ancestral Dragon's majesty, would be terrified and trembling, unable to speak.

After rolling his eyes at Zhao Fusu, the First Emperor asked again, "How much do you know about the Xiongnu's current intelligence?"

Zhao Fusu really didn't know too much about the Xiongnu Kingdom, but he wasn't completely ignorant either.

He said, "A very powerful figure has emerged among the Xiongnu, apparently called Modun."

"Correct."

The First Emperor said, "In the two years since being defeated by Meng Tian, the Xiongnu have been continuously consolidating their forces on the grasslands and have even established a complete military and political system."

The First Emperor narrowed his eyes and remarked, "He is a remarkable figure."

"Fusu, you must not underestimate the enemy!"

The First Emperor's tone grew increasingly solemn as he told Zhao Fusu, "The Xiongnu of today is absolutely not the same Xiongnu of two years ago!"

"Our Great Qin was able to defeat the Xiongnu so easily before because they hadn't consolidated into a single entity and fought individually."

"Also..."

The First Emperor's deep eyes stared at Zhao Fusu as he said, "Our Great Qin only defeated the Chanyu Court and drove them away."

"The overall strength of the Xiongnu people remains powerful."

"According to intelligence sent back by the Shadow Guards of the Black Ice Platform who infiltrated the grasslands, after consolidating the various Xiongnu tribes, the Xiongnu Chanyu Court annexed the Donghu to the east, expelled the Greater Yuezhi to the west, and swallowed the Dingling people to the north. Even the Western Regions Kingdoms follow his orders, allowing him to gather four hundred thousand cavalry."

"This Modu Chanyu is young, yet he achieved this in just two years. Even if you didn't go on a northern expedition, he would eventually lead four hundred thousand cavalry south!"