The ambitious King of Qin, the central political figure of the era. He had recently purged the Lao Ai and Lü Buwei factions, consolidating his power. Seizing on Zheng Guo's exposure, he issued an edict to expel foreign retainers as a pretext to clean the court. Upon Li Si's remonstrance, he reversed the edict, demonstrating flexibility. He ordered Li Yi to investigate Zhou Wenqing after he missed the summons. When hearing of the allicin, he acts quickly to test it and sees its potential for public relations. He intends to both use the formula for propaganda and eventually have Zhou brought to Xianyang. He is shrewd, patient, and calculating, waiting three months for Zhou’s recovery.
