The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

July, 211 BC.

At the Langya County dock, the sun was blazing, scorching the earth. The dock was crowded with people, and the noise was endless. Soldiers were busy carrying supplies, with beads of sweat on their foreheads. Sailors were shuttling between ships, checking ropes, sails and various equipment, making final preparations for the long voyage that was about to begin.

Following General Xin Sheng's order, the fleet slowly sailed away from the dock. The sails gradually swelled, like huge flags fluttering in the wind. The waves gently hit the hulls, making a rhythmic sound, as if seeing the fleet off.

Fusu stood at the bow, his white robe fluttering in the wind. He squinted his eyes slightly, feeling the sea breeze, with a myriad of thoughts in his mind. He didn't know when he would be able to return, nor did he know if he could complete the mission entrusted to him by his father.

There were more than 5000 large and small ships that accompanied Fusu on this voyage, like a huge fleet. There were people, including soldiers and boatmen. Five sailing ships were filled with shi of grain, one ship was filled with other seeds and tools, and two ships were filled with livestock such as cattle, horses, chickens, and ducks. There were also other pots, pans, and other essential daily necessities. These seemingly ordinary items were an important support for life at sea.

The fleet sailed directly to the northeast. In this typhoon-prone season, the sea was rare to be calm, the sun shone on the sea, the waves sparkled, like a beautiful painting. The tense nerves of the crew gradually relaxed, enjoying this brief tranquility.

Ten days later, the fleet arrived at an unknown small island to replenish fresh water. After replenishing fresh water, the fleet turned around and passed through the turbulent strait. Along the coastline, riding the southerly wind and the Tsushima warm current, the fleet sailed quickly and headed north.

However, the good times did not last long. In the following days, Fusu suffered a lot at sea.

During the voyage, storms often come unexpectedly. The wind is howling, the waves are surging, and the huge waves keep hitting the ships, causing the fleet to shake violently in the storm, as if it could be swallowed by the waves at any time. It was not easy to escape the storm under the command of the old boatman.

Lack of water and food was also a major problem. As time went on, the amount of fresh water and food carried by the fleet gradually decreased, and a strict rationing system had to be implemented. The soldiers and sailors lived frugally and endured hunger and thirst. Fusu set an example by sharing the joys and sorrows with everyone.

During the long voyage, the fleet encountered difficulties such as changes in sea currents causing the fleet to deviate from the route and fog making it difficult to discern the direction. Fortunately, because 3,000 soldiers were recruited from Jiaodong County and were familiar with the sea conditions, no one fell ill during this difficult voyage, but 32 people were missing in the storm.

Finally, after going through many hardships and dangers, a month later, the fleet finally saw a "Penglai Fairy Island" similar to the legend.

From afar, the island was shrouded in clouds and mist, like a fairyland. Everyone's eyes were filled with tears, as if they saw the dawn of hope.

The situation here was still not very clear, so Xin Sheng personally led several teams of cavalry to investigate the situation within a hundred miles around.

After an hour's rest, Fusu ordered people to set up camp nearby. The soldiers quickly set up tents, dug trenches, and set up defensive facilities. Their movements were skillful and quick, demonstrating the efficiency and discipline of the Qin soldiers.

The endless fields are like a golden ocean under the sunshine, and the breeze blows, rippling the water. Tall trees reach the sky, with lush branches and leaves, interweaving into a dense green canopy. At the edge of the forest, the clear river flows, like a smart ribbon, sparkling and glittering with silver light. The river water is so clear that you can clearly see the sand and stones at the bottom of the river and the small fish swimming around.

From time to time, a wild deer would suddenly run out of the forest. They were agile and their smart eyes were vigilantly observing the surroundings. Some wild deer had brown fur, while others had white spots. These wild deer ran and jumped in the wilderness, adding a touch of vitality and vigor to this peaceful land.

The knights were divided into several teams and scattered like arrows.

Xin Sheng led his three subordinates and galloped towards the east. Along the way, they saw a large number of wild elks, sika deer and muntjacs. These wild animals shuttled freely between the grasslands and forests, either grazing leisurely or running happily.

In addition to these, there are also wild beasts such as bears. Occasionally, you can hear the roar of a bear coming from the depths of the forest. The sound is low and powerful, making people shudder. There are also countless hares and roosters.

"General! We've found something!"

"General!!"

A shout broke the silence of the wilderness, and a team of knights galloped along the marks left by Xin Sheng along the way, their horses' hooves raising clouds of dust.

A quarter of an hour later, Xin Sheng and his group followed the knight to the edge of a primitive tribe.

The tribe is surrounded by a simple fence woven with branches and vines. The houses in the tribe are also very simple, mostly built with wood and thatch, and are scattered in an open space.

The knights dismounted, crouched down and hid, carefully observing this primitive tribe. They could see that the men and women in the tribe were wearing simple animal skin clothes, with messy hair and strange patterns painted on their faces.

On the top of a mountain not far away, there stood a strange building. This building was completely different from other houses in the tribe. It had a strange shape and was made of huge stones with some mysterious patterns and symbols engraved on it.

A group of savages were kneeling in the open space in front of the building, and a strange tune could be heard from afar. The sound was low and melodious.

The knights listened quietly, their hearts full of doubts and curiosity. They didn't know what these wild men were doing, nor did they know what this strange building meant.

Xin Sheng frowned and signaled the knights to keep quiet and not act rashly.

"General, what should we do?" a knight asked softly.

Xin Sheng pondered for a moment and said, "Observe the situation first and don't alarm them."

The knights nodded and sat quietly on their horses, observing every move in the tribe.

As time went by, the savages' ritual seemed to continue. Their bodies trembled slightly, and they muttered something, as if they were praying to the gods. The strange tune echoed in the air. I don't know if it was my illusion, but Xin Sheng actually felt that he could understand some of the words.

Xin Sheng suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and continued to watch the savages praying. He didn't know what these savages were worshipping, nor did he know what the strange building was for. So he decided to send a knight back to report the situation here to Fusu, and let others continue to observe.

“Woohoo! Roar!!”

The knights waited nervously, their eyes fixed on the wild men in the tribe. Suddenly, a wild man raised his head, as if he had noticed their presence. His eyes were full of fear, and he immediately stood up and alerted the other wild men.

The savages stood up one after another, picked up their weapons, and looked at the knights vigilantly. Xin Sheng's heart tightened, he knew that the situation had become complicated.

"Get ready for battle!" Xin Sheng whispered.

The knights immediately drew their swords, ready to respond to possible attacks. Although they were nervous, they knew that as knights of the Qin Dynasty, they could not retreat. The barbarians gradually approached, holding a variety of weapons in their hands, including stone axes, wooden sticks and spears, and their eyes were full of hostility.

Xin Sheng raised his hand, signaling the knights not to act rashly. He tried to use gestures and expressions to show the savages that they had no ill intentions, but the savages did not seem to understand.

At this moment, the door slowly opened with a heavy friction sound, and a man in strange clothes walked out. His appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention.

The man's clothes were completely different from what everyone had seen before. They were made of an unknown fabric, colorful yet dignified. There were all kinds of mysterious patterns embroidered on the clothes, some of which looked like ancient runes, and some like strange animals, which made people guess the meaning behind them.

With the appearance of the man, the surrounding savages immediately knelt on the ground, their faces filled with awe.

The man waved his hand slightly, his movements were graceful and natural, like a king commanding his subjects. The group of savages immediately understood his meaning and dispersed in all directions, moving quickly and orderly.

Xin Sheng and others looked at the man in front of them in surprise, their hearts full of doubts.

The man's eyes fell on Xin Sheng, and he looked him up and down at his clothes. The moment the man spoke, Xin Sheng and the others were surprised. The man actually spoke in authentic Kanto dialect. The familiar language sounded in this strange land, making them feel both familiar and surprised:
"Are you from Qin?"

Xin Sheng quickly bowed and replied, "I am the Great Qin Guard Commander Xin Sheng. Following the order of His Majesty, I am here to escort the young master to search for the elixir. I wonder where the elixir master is from and why he speaks Qin language?"

The man nodded slightly, with a smile on his face: "So it's General Xin... I'm Gong Xi. This is a long story. Please come in, General. I'll tell you slowly."

Gong Xi bowed and gestured, revealing a refined temperament.

With curiosity and expectation, Xin Sheng and others followed Gong Xi into the mysterious stone house. The interior of the stone house was simple and quaint, with some strange patterns carved on the walls and a layer of hay on the ground, which made a slight sound when walking on it.

Gong Xi asked everyone to sit down, and then slowly said: "I am originally from Qin. I was ordered by His Majesty to go out to sea with Xu Fu to search for elixirs. That day, our fleet was sailing on the vast ocean and suddenly encountered a huge storm. After the storm, we lost our way and I don't know how long we drifted..."

Gong Xi's eyes revealed a hint of reminiscence, as if he had returned to that moment full of danger and uncertainty:
"Just when we were in despair, the goddess appeared."

"Goddess? Have you seen the goddess?" Xin Sheng looked at Gong Xi in admiration and asked impatiently.

Gong Xi nodded slightly and continued, "Yes, I have seen the goddess. Her beauty and mystery are beyond description. She was dressed in a white robe, her long hair cascading down her shoulders, and her eyes revealed an otherworldly wisdom. The goddess brought us to an island, and later brought me here, ordering me to stay and educate the natives. I have only been here for a few months, and have been working hard to complete the task assigned to me by the goddess."

"What about Xu Fu and the others?" Xin Sheng asked anxiously.

Gong Xi showed a solemn look on his face and replied, "Xu Fu angered the goddess and was killed. The rest of them are on the fairy island thousands of miles away from here. The goddess told us that only by passing her test can we find the location of the fairy island."

Xin Sheng fell into deep thought. Their journey to find immortals seemed to become more complicated and difficult.

"Gong Xi, do you know how to pass the test of the goddess?" Xin Sheng asked.

Gong Xi shook his head and said, "I don't know either. The goddess didn't tell me the specific content of the test, but just said that I would know when the time comes. I have been waiting for that time to come."

Xin Sheng and others had been expecting to get more clues about the path to immortality from Gong Xi. However, when they heard that Xu Fu had been killed by the goddess and they had no idea how to pass the goddess' test, they were suddenly filled with disappointment and the atmosphere became a little solemn.

Xin Sheng frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then communicated with Gong Xi again: "Master, think about it carefully, do you have any other more specific information about this island and the goddess?"

Gong Xi also fell into deep thought, trying to recall every detail related to the goddess. After a while, he slowly spoke:

"Since I came here, I have been educating the natives. However... the goddess comes here once a month. In total, the goddess will come here in half a month."

Gong Xi's words were like a thunderclap, which startled Xin Sheng and others, and a glimmer of hope instantly ignited in their eyes.

"Gong Xi, are you sure the goddess will come once a month?" Xin Sheng confirmed again.

Gong Xi nodded solemnly. "In the few months since I came here, the goddess has visited this island in person about once a month. Every time she appears, she brings some changes and instructions."

Xin Sheng's face was full of excitement, and his eyes were full of eagerness and anticipation:

"If the goddess really comes in half a month, then we may have a chance to see her! This is a rare opportunity."

Xin Sheng's voice trembled slightly.

After a short pause, he fixed his eyes on Gong Xi, his eyes full of sincerity and eagerness: "I have to go back and report the situation here to the Master first. Master, are you willing to go with me to see Master Fusu?"

………………

When Xin Sheng brought Gong Xi back to the camp, they saw a bustling scene in the camp. The setting sun shone on the earth, covering the entire camp with a layer of golden light.

A temporary camp has taken shape, with a solid wooden fence rising from the ground, tightly enclosing all the tents. Each wooden stake has been carefully selected and processed, and firmly inserted into the ground.

In the camp, the soldiers were busy in an orderly manner. Some soldiers were cleaning the rabbits they had hunted, skinning them and cleaning their internal organs with skillful movements. Other soldiers were processing the deer they had hunted, which were larger in size and required more manpower and time. They carefully cut the deer meat into small pieces for storage and cooking. Some soldiers were also cleaning the fish they had hunted.

There was a faint smell of blood and fireworks in the air.

(End of this chapter)