The Final Journey of China’s First Emperor

In the scorching summer of 210 BCE, the imperial procession of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China, trudged across the barren plains. The emperor, who had unified China and proclaimed himself its sovereign ruler, lay dead inside a specially designed “cooling carriage.” But the advanced preservation methods of the Qin dynasty could not stave off decay for long. As the emperor’s corpse began to rot, the stench became unbearable.

To mask the foul odor, the cunning eunuch Zhao Gao devised a gruesome solution: wagons filled with rotting fish and spoiled seafood were placed behind the imperial carriage. The reek of decaying marine life mingled with the stench of the emperor’s remains, creating an unbearable miasma that permeated the entire convoy.

Qin Shi Huang, who had once commanded the construction of the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, could never have imagined that his death would be concealed beneath piles of stinking fish. Yet, as history often shows, the most unexpected events unfold in ways no one anticipates.

A Coup in the Shadows

Upon reaching the capital, Xianyang, Zhao Gao and Chancellor Li Si immediately sought out Feng Quji, the prime minister, to announce the emperor’s death. When Feng Quji asked, “Who is the successor?” Li Si stood frozen, his mind blank. Seizing the moment, Zhao Gao interjected: “The new emperor is Hu Hai.”

Feng Quji, observing Li Si’s haggard and lifeless demeanor, sensed something amiss. This was not the decisive chancellor he once knew. Suspicion deepening, he pressed further: “Why have General Meng Tian and his brother Meng Yi been imprisoned?”

Again, Li Si remained silent, and Zhao Gao stepped in: “By the late emperor’s decree—they are to be executed.”

Feng Quji recoiled in shock. “The emperor trusted the Meng brothers implicitly—how could this be?”

Zhao Gao, now asserting his newfound authority, rebuked him: “Dare you question the emperor’s will?”

Though furious, Feng Quji held his tongue, seeing no ally in the broken Li Si.

Visions from Beyond

That night, Feng Quji awoke from a nightmare. In his dream, Qin Shi Huang appeared before him, drenched and sorrowful, pointing toward the sea and lamenting, “I reek of decay.”

The stench of saltwater and death filled Feng Quji’s chamber, driving him outside in horror. Convinced of foul play, he sought out Li Si, only to be turned away. Desperate, he questioned every official he could find: “How did the emperor truly die?”

The uniform reply: “He passed upon reaching Xianyang.”

Frustrated, Feng Quji muttered, “Li Si… what have you done?”

Unbeknownst to him, Li Si was also haunted. In a trance, he saw Qin Shi Huang—who, despite his ghastly appearance, beckoned him closer. Overwhelmed by the stench, Li Si nearly fainted, but the emperor spoke:

“Do not falter. I have words for you.”

Li Si confessed the conspiracy—how he and Zhao Gao had altered the succession, installing the weak Hu Hai instead of the rightful heir, Fusu. To his surprise, Qin Shi Huang approved: “You acted wisely. Hu Hai resembles me. Serve him well, and Qin shall endure eternally.”

Yet the emperor’s next words chilled him: “But Zhao Gao… your days are numbered.”

Li Si awoke screaming, only to find the spectral emperor still in his room. The vision commanded: “Bury me in Mount Li. Seal the tomb with all who enter. My childless concubines—entomb them with me.”

As the apparition faded, it whispered: “I have not died. I have crossed into another realm, where I rule still. Men fear death only because they do not see beyond.”

The Immortal Legacy of Qin Shi Huang

Though Li Si soon forgot the vision, Qin Shi Huang’s final words lingered: “I shall be eternal.”

And in many ways, he was.

### The Architect of China

Qin Shi Huang unified warring states, standardized writing and currency, and established the centralized bureaucracy that would define Chinese governance for millennia. His territorial expansions laid the foundation for modern China’s borders.

### The Paradox of Tyranny and Vision

His reign was marked by brutality—burning books, burying scholars alive—yet his innovations in law, infrastructure, and administration outlasted his dynasty. Even the failed Qin empire became a blueprint for future rulers.

### The Eternal Emperor

From the Terracotta Army guarding his tomb to his influence on Chinese statecraft, Qin Shi Huang achieved a form of immortality. His belief in transcending death—whether through alchemy or legacy—echoes in China’s enduring identity.

As Li Si stood alone, surrounded by the phantom stench of fish and decay, he grasped a terrible truth: empires rise and fall, but the ambitions of their founders never truly die.