Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 325

"Is that so?" To Zhao Gao's surprise, Ying Zheng was not interested in the matter of the Confucian rebellion. Instead, he opened the box containing the Yinghuo Stone in front of him and interrupted him, saying calmly, "Meng Yi will take care of this matter. The Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) need not investigate any further."

"This Yinghuo Stone was brought back from Dongjun by the Yin-Yang School. Take a look."

As Ying Zheng finished speaking, two elite shadow guards silently emerged from the shadows, respectfully bowed their heads, placed the box in front of the kneeling Zhao Gao, and then retreated outside the door.

This behavior seems to be an attempt to cover something up...

However, Zhao Gao couldn't care less about these strange occurrences. His mind was in turmoil, because with just a glance, he had already noticed the oddity surrounding 'Hu Shiba'...

'His Majesty wants to kill me?'

Chapter 405 The Death of the First Emperor (Part 4)

'No, it's Lu Wei who's forcing me!'

Zhao Gao knew all too well who had handled the inscription on the Yinghuo Stone; he himself had taken the initiative to approach the farmer to discuss the matter.

Only the farmers had the resources to be the first to find the stone in Dongjun and carve the inscription. Then, the Yin-Yang School was responsible for bringing it back, and their experts removed the traces of human carving.

The person sent by the Yin-Yang School this time is Da Siming. Her skull blood handprint is a yang technique, which is perfectly compatible with the Yinghuo Stone, so she can use her internal energy to corrode the edges of the inscription.

Lu Wei deliberately engraved "Hu Shiba" to tempt His Majesty to re-incorporate the Luo Wang organization, then feigned an "obscure imperial star" to lure him into the trap. Therefore, to survive, he would have to actively rebel against the empire...

A ruthless glint flashed in Zhao Gao's narrow eyes. This ruthlessness was directed not only at Ying Zheng, but also at Lu Wei: these two hypocritical scoundrels, one in the court and the other in the martial world, were both his enemies!

"Your Majesty, this may be the work of human hands."

Zhao Gao, gritting his teeth, still wanted to struggle a bit: Ying Zheng naturally trusted the will of Heaven because of his search for immortality, and the clues in reality made him think that if he really believed that the Yinghuo Stone was the will of Heaven, Hu Hai's fate would be hard to predict, and he himself would no longer be able to live parasitically in this empire.

The words on the Yinghuo Stone were definitely carved later. Even if it was flawlessly polished by the Yin-Yang School, a fake is still a fake, and a careful investigation will definitely reveal the truth.

Even now, Zhao Gao still dared not directly reveal that this was the result of collusion between the Farmer School and the Yin-Yang School, because the Farmer School truly possessed the secret of his rebellion, and he would not be able to escape after the Farmer School was destroyed.

On the contrary, the worst-case scenario right now is that he could simply lead the Luo Wang out of Qin and join the anti-Qin alliance. In that case, he would need Lu Wei's help even more. So, no matter what the outcome, he cannot betray the peasants, even if Zhao Gao's current situation is due to the peasants' framing... This is something he must insist on as long as Ying Zheng is alive.

Those who recklessly expose themselves and perish together are fools; Zhao Gao was a 'rational' ambitious man who could associate with anyone.

"The word-combination trap of the Yinghuo Stone is ingenious yet simple; it is unlikely to be the work of an immortal, but rather the ambition of a thief!"

“The Eighteenth Prince has always been clever and obedient, and I am also wholeheartedly devoted to the country. That is why His Majesty chose me to be the Prince’s Qin Law teacher. I am deeply grateful for His Majesty’s great grace and dare not slack off in teaching the Prince. I only hope to help the Prince serve His Majesty.”

"Young Master Fusu was framed for an assassination attempt at a banquet and was demoted to the northern frontier. Now, the Eighteenth Prince has been framed by the Yinghuo Stone. The villains' aim is straight for the center of the empire. This must be thoroughly investigated!"

In order to avoid taking the final step immediately, Zhao Gao even unusually expressed that Fusu was also being framed, just to get through today's situation first.

"Your Majesty, please send Minister Meng to investigate this matter."

"..."

However, Ying Zheng remained silent for a long time.

Zhao Gao dared not raise his head, and gritted his teeth, saying, "This servant is willing to hand over the net, so that they may assist Minister Meng in investigating everything."

However, Ying Zheng remained silent...

Lu Wei, who walked in from outside the hall, casually glanced at Zhao Gao's obsequious and servile appearance, a smile on his face but no sound. After only glancing at the Lord of the Heavenly Net who was lying on the ground, he boldly met the gaze of the majestic king in the hall, who was wearing a black dragon robe with gold patterns.

Ying Zheng was tall, a fact easily discernible even as he sat cross-legged: it was said that Ying Zheng was eight feet six inches tall, which, converted to modern measurements, would be nearly two meters, slightly taller than Lu Mouren.

The First Emperor had a resolute face with distinct features, exuding an aura of authority without anger. His eyes were deep and sharp, as if they could see into people's hearts, making ordinary people afraid to meet his gaze.

His nose was high and straight, his lips were tightly closed, and his fingers, placed on the table, were long and strong, as if he were about to grasp the power of the world at any moment.

He was indeed an extraordinary figure, but unfortunately, this extraordinary emperor was in very poor health, which was hidden beneath his outward appearance.

Ying Zheng's response to Zhao Gao's words was not that he didn't want to speak, but that he couldn't. As for Lu Wei, the stranger who brazenly barged into the hall, Ying Zheng wasn't blind to him, but that even if he saw him, he couldn't move.

The effects of the accumulated toxins over the years, guided by the last poison pill, kept the First Emperor healthy for a full three-quarters of an hour. After this prolonged period of lucidity, Ying Zheng felt an almost insurmountable emptiness that made it difficult for him to breathe.

Before unifying the seven kingdoms, the idea of ​​immortality had already entered Ying Zheng's mind. After unifying the world, this idea led him to pay a huge price for it.

But the strange feeling emanating from his body made him suddenly realize that he was indeed going to die, and the cause of death was probably related to the young man who was boldly staring at him from behind Zhao Gao, who was kowtowing incessantly.

Ying Zheng no longer needed to guess the young man's identity: the complex information of the past two days could easily lead one astray, but it was precisely at this moment that he realized this person must be the 'Lord Jing' who organized the rebellion in the two counties.

Traitors who intend to overthrow the Qin Dynasty!

Ying Zheng felt a surge of anger again at this thought. He was unable to move, but he was unwilling to be defeated in his confrontation with the traitor. So, the unwavering determination in his eyes almost burst forth, as if he wanted to memorize Lu Wei's figure.

However, in Lu Wei's view, that indomitable spirit was merely a light woven from deep weariness and endless longing, the afterglow of the setting sun.

"My name is Lu Wei, the leader of the Farmer's Clan, a rebel who has wanted to overthrow your so-called eternal empire since I was twelve." Emulating the Daoist art of telepathic communication, Lu Wei connected his consciousness with Ying Zheng and said with a faint smile, "Now, I have succeeded."

Ying Zheng's response was silence.

His finger, which had once pointed to and conquered the capitals of six kingdoms in Shandong, now helplessly released them, letting go of this world...

"His Majesty?"

Even in the quiet stillness, Zhao Gao, still bowing his head, couldn't help but look up. He couldn't sense Lu Wei turning away from behind him; he only saw the unprecedented movement of this empire's master as he collapsed to the side...

At the same time, the eunuch who rushed to report the discovery of the Six Sword Slaves' corpses brushed past Lord Xia Kui and then saw the corpses of two elite Shadow Guards lying at the entrance of His Majesty the Emperor's palace.

The seaside palace will certainly not be too lively tonight. Without Ying Zheng's suppression, Zhao Gao will control everything and, according to Lu Wei's plan, hand over the empire to him later.

------

When Lu Wei returned to the ship at sea, there were two more people on board: the eldest young master Siming.

He was not surprised. The Grand Master of Fate had just been hiding in the main hall of the palace. Ying Zheng had arranged for the two of them to deal with Zhao Gao's risky actions. However, when Lu entered the main hall, the two Masters of Fate realized that what was going to happen next was none of their business, so they simply ignored the emperor's orders and left the palace through a side gate in advance.

From these two people, the four women, including the Moon Goddess Ji Yan, knew in advance that the plan was going smoothly. So when they arrived at Lu Wei's place, none of the women asked any more questions, and the ship returned to the mirage along the same route.

Although Ying Zheng was dead, Zhao Gao also lost his Six Sword Slaves, and his sense of security remained lacking.

Next, Zhao Gao dared not delay and would definitely try every means to get the emperor's entourage back to Xianyang as soon as possible and then support Huhai's ascension to the throne.

The bloodshed within the empire is about to begin. Tomorrow, Meng Yi will be the first to bleed, and then the entire city of Sanghai will be in danger. The Mirage will be a rare safe haven.

I'll steal a few days of leisure before heading back to Dazeshan to prepare for the peasant uprising!

"The earth nourishes all things, Shennong is immortal. Are generals, ministers, kings, and nobles born with their titles?" Muttering these simple, agrarian principles, Lu Wei's gaze swept over the diverse figures on the boat, and he began tonight's selection of concubines with renewed enthusiasm...

Chapter 406 Controlling the Imperial Palace

The corpses of the Six Sword Slaves and their famous swords were laid out before him. Zhao Gao, who had been suppressing the news of Ying Zheng's death and temporarily controlling the Binhai Palace, knew from the traces on the corpses that Lu Wei had been there.

He knew that Lu was very strong and could kill the six sword slaves who had gathered together silently in the heavily guarded palace, which was still far beyond Zhao Gao's imagination.

Moreover, Ying Zheng actually did indeed 'fall from grace and become emperor,' just as he had said. He died in front of Zhao Gao and underwent a thorough examination by Xia Wuqie. There were no signs of external injury or poisoning, indicating that he died suddenly.

When Zhao Gao saw the inscription on the Yinghuo Stone half an hour ago, he initially thought it was just a lie that Lu Wei had forced him to tell him...

But now, having been the first to obtain this information, he quickly gained control of the entire situation and had a whole night to plan the next move of the Net. It seemed that the power to control the entire empire had suddenly fallen into his hands. Such a gift was truly...

Suppressing his surging emotions, Zhao Gao's hands trembled slightly. He still needed to think about what Lu Wei's purpose was in doing this.

After all, the fact that Lu Wei was able to break into the palace and kill the Six Sword Slaves meant that he was capable of breaking into the palace again tomorrow or the day after and killing him.

Furthermore, he must have known that Ying Zheng was dead. If Lu Wei had spread the news of the First Emperor's sudden death throughout the land before Luo Wang supported Hu Hai's ascension to the throne, Luo Wang might not have been able to smoothly advance its plan...

Therefore, even though he controlled the Binhai Palace, he was still subject to the peasants and Lu Wei. Only by returning to Xianyang as soon as possible could he truly control the world.

"This is the best choice for the Luo Wang (Net of Law), and I'm afraid it's the choice Lu Wei wants me to make." Zhao Gao muttered to himself. He knew that the uprising in the two counties of Chu in the south was a scheme by the peasant family, and he also knew how deeply the peasant family had infiltrated Qi. Therefore, Lu Wei wanted to force him to leave Sanghai and return to Xianyang to clean up the court, and his purpose could only be to let the peasant family control the lands of Qi and Chu!

This is a deal, a deal that Zhao Gao wouldn't refuse!

"If merely ceding Qi and half of Chu would grant me power in Qin, Lu Wei, you will regret it!" Zhao Gao believed he had guessed Lu Wei's intentions. A former deserter from Zhao wanted to establish a kingdom and become king by relying on the power of farmers. It must be said that Zhao Gao, who also came from humble origins, admired this ambition.

However, Qi and Chu were two defeated states. As long as the Luo Wang (a powerful military organization) could completely control Qin, conquering these two places again would simply be a repeat of history.

Even if the Qin state was unable to send troops to attack, Zhao Gao could still hold a position of great power within the Qin state.

In any case, the worst outcome would be the restoration of the six states and the retreat of Qin to Hangu Pass: as long as he could be the king of Qin, he could accept the size of Qin, which he had served as a eunuch for most of his life.

Thinking this through, Zhao Gao understood his bottom line for what he should do next: eliminating those within Qin who threatened his power would not anger Lu Wei, and he needed to make it clear as soon as possible that he was returning to Xianyang!

In Sanghai City, Li Si and Meng Yi were unaware of what had happened at the Binhai Palace.

As the prime minister, Li Si had drafted the order for Ren Xiao to send troops to quell the rebellion, as ordered by His Majesty the Emperor the day before. This important matter needed to be carried out as soon as possible after His Majesty had made up his mind. Therefore, he put the decree into the black dragon scroll that Ying Zheng had given him in advance and immediately sent an envoy to deliver it as soon as possible.

The subsequent allocation of resources to the south and north is a long-term strategy and cannot be rushed.

On the other side, Meng Yi discovered the bodies of the Shadow Guard members who had been sent to monitor the farm last night. From the reports of his professional subordinates, he learned that the murderer's swordsmanship was so sharp that only the top martial arts masters could do it.

There is no doubt that their deaths were closely related to the farmers.

Meng Yi wanted to use this opportunity to capture Lu Wei, but he didn't expect that the farmhouses in the city were deserted and the farmers had moved away overnight.

With a slight frown, Shangqing Meng Yi felt a sense of unease about the peasant family's choice: the strongholds in the city could be withdrawn, but Dazeshan had no way to escape. What was Lu Wei trying to do?

Sang Hai couldn't find anyone for the time being, and Da Zeshan couldn't immediately hold anyone accountable. After pondering for a while without success, Meng Yi had no choice but to make a note of the matter and prepare to report it to the emperor before taking any further action. The peasants were quite suspicious, but the Confucian and Taoist schools couldn't be overlooked either. He didn't waste any time and was just about to visit Xiaoshengxianzhuang when the emperor's summons forced Meng Yi to stop what he was doing.

Li Si was also summoned along with Meng Yi. Neither of them were surprised, but they wondered what else, after the rebellions in the two counties, could have prompted the Emperor's urgent summons to the coastal palace...

...

Zhao Gao, who forged an imperial summons, decided to kill one and spare the other, as well as Li Si and Meng Yi.

Meng Yi had to die. Whether it was his personal feud with Zhao Gao or the Meng family's consistent support for the eldest son, Fusu, it was clear that he could not survive.

Moreover, the Shadow Guard led by Meng Yi was another obstacle to Zhao Gao's attempt to keep the news of Ying Zheng's death secret. Meng Yi and this organization were both loyal subjects of Qin, but unfortunately, they were destined not to be used by the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven).

As for Li Si, Zhao Gao believed that this person could be of great help to the Luo Wang plan.

Although Li Si, as the prime minister, was always relatively timid in front of Ying Zheng, he was authoritative and commanded the authority of other ministers in the court.

To establish that Ying Zheng was still alive, it would have been extremely difficult to travel all the way from Sanghai back to Xianyang without Li Si's help. After all, Zhao Gao was of low status and his influence in the court was minimal. However, with the Prime Minister present, this deficiency could be perfectly compensated for.

Later, when Li Si was pushing for Huhai's accession to the throne in Xianyang, he was also able to persuade the ministers to settle important matters first.

As for the outcome after the decision is made, he will no longer be needed.

And most importantly, there is a very high probability that Li Si will cooperate with the Net Plan, which is the premise of everything above!

Zhao Gao had led the Net of Strategists in the Prime Minister's residence for many years and knew the Prime Minister well: he was highly capable but overly self-serving.

Li Si once used secret means to imprison Han Fei out of jealousy for his senior fellow apprentice, fearing that Han Fei would replace him if he joined the Qin state. This example has long demonstrated how vicious Li Si could be when dealing with enemies who might threaten his power.

Fusu got along well with the Meng family, and although Meng Tian came from a military family, it was not uncommon for him to become prime minister. Li Si must have understood this.

The prime minister, still in the prime of his life, would never want to relinquish his position and retire now. Moreover, the thought of him standing behind Meng Tian or even Meng Yi, who should be behind him in court, would be a humiliation for Li Si.

The character of this former minor official of the State of Chu was part of Luo Wang's plan from the very beginning.