The Qin and I: A Tale of a wise Yushi

二章 - Chapter Two: The Imperial Quest

  帝国的追求

I found myself frozen in place; it is strange how shock can arise even in moments we may anticipate. It was the greatest of the choices that had become a whirlwind in my mind! Now, my eyes were wide, and my lips would not move.

The man in front of me, holding the scroll, seemed to sense my hesitation and said:

"This, of course, is of the highest duty and honor!"

I knew I had to decide quickly or risk insulting the Emperor and his Empire. I looked towards the dragon-coiled throne upon which The Empire was founded, feeling a sense of awe and humility.

With a deep breath, I spoke with all the confidence I could muster: "I, Li Wei, accept this duty and honor bestowed on me by the Emperor!" I bowed respectfully, feeling the chain that now rested upon me.

My gaze was once again drawn to the grandeur of the throne room's floor—a feature that had captured my attention during my first awestruck entrance into this epicenter of imperial command. The complex mosaic of jade and marble beneath me, which had initially ensnared my admiration, now bore a greater meaning amidst the revelation of my new destiny.

The pattern, which I once saw as a captivating, winding stream of jade, now revealed its true artistry to me in this moment of awakening. The jade was not merely flowing; it was intricately carved into the likeness of two dragons, their bodies entwined in an eternal pursuit towards the throne. This insight hit me with the enormity of the edict still in my grasp, the dragons' complex dance reflecting the intricate weave of fate that had led me to this critical juncture.

These dragons, symbols of power and wisdom, now seemed to chart my course ahead, their perpetual motion a metaphor for the expedition I was about to embark on. As an alchemist summoned by the Emperor, I saw my hopes and fears reflected in their harmonic figures—my ambition to contribute to the Empire's glory, mingled with facing the unknown challenges ahead.

The floor, with its pearl-white tiles forming a backdrop for the jade dragons, was more than an architectural wonder; it was a message, a testament to the balance of might and elegance that the Emperor maintained. In my initial fascination and curiosity, I had celebrated its beauty, but now, standing upon it as one chosen by the Emperor himself, I grasped its true symbolism. The dragons were not merely decorative; they were protectors, their dance a reminder of the harmony and strength that I, too, must embody in my new role.

This realization of the floor's significance mirrored my transfiguring. Just as I had uncovered the hidden layers within the mosaic, so too had I begun to discover the potential within myself, the chance to leave a lasting mark on the fabric of the Qin dynasty. The wonder I had initially felt was now mixed with a sense of solemnity and purpose. I was no longer an outsider looking in on the splendor of the imperial court; I was part of its legacy, tasked with weaving my thread into the ongoing story of the Empire.

As I straightened, meeting the Emperor's gaze again with a renewed sense of wonder. The honor bestowed upon me was a recognition of former achievements and a summons to rise to the future's challenges. The eternal dance of the dragons was now my mandate—a call to blend wisdom with action and innovation with tradition as I stepped into my role as an imperial alchemist.

In the wake of the Imperial proclamation, a surreal sense of displacement enveloped me as though I had stepped through an unseen portal from my erstwhile existence into a realm woven from the very fabric of the extraordinary. There I was, Li Wei, once merely a son of the soil, now anointed with the title of Imperial Alchemist, standing at the precipice of an unknown world, teetering between the humble past and the opulent unknown.