After all, this matter could not be hidden from King Qin.
When Ying Zheng's back was drawn into a single stroke by the clear moonlight, he stepped into the palace.
Baitao was eating the lotus seeds peeled by Rui'er. When she saw him coming, she was slightly surprised and said: "Brother Zheng, why are you here?"
Ying Zheng's eyelashes were covered and he looked at her without saying a word.
Baitao finished stuffing the lotus seeds in her mouth. As soon as she finished stuffing, he stepped over and held her wrist, his narrow pupils full of careful inspection.
Baitao looked at her wrist, then turned her around again, and said hurriedly: "I haven't hidden anything, I really haven't hidden anything. Stop searching. I don't have any private money."
She opened her mouth again and showed him, "Ah - there are only five lotus seeds hidden inside."
After saying that, she smiled obediently, her pink cheeks bulging with the lotus core stuffed in her, like a greedy little hamster.
Ying Zheng touched her hair: "Why are there centipedes?"
Rui'er knelt down and cried: "Your Majesty, this servant made an oversight and failed to protect my little master. I apologize."
"It's okay, it's just a centipede." Baitao said nonchalantly, "Both centipedes and crickets are insects. They are from the same lineage, and there is no difference. Another day, if others fight crickets, I will show you how to fight centipedes."
Ying Zheng: "."
Rui'er's eyes were red: "Little Master."
Ying Zheng said coldly: "Desecrating the duty will give the thieves an opportunity to take advantage of it. Anyone related to this matter, whether inside or outside the palace, will be detained for investigation."
Baitao was stunned.
When Aunt Zhao and Uncle Lu had an affair, he turned a blind eye. When the red-haired snake demon brought trouble to the Qin State, he probably waited for the opportunity to be filled with enthusiasm and cut it off again.
He is usually very tolerant, so how could he not tolerate such a trivial matter?
Still in Baitao's daze, Ying Zheng looked at her: "Taotao?"
His facial features are too sharp, especially when giving orders, his power and status over everyone is pushed to the extreme.
But now when I talk to her, my dignity has faded a lot.
Chew the white peach and chew the lotus seeds, "Yeah, okay. But I'm used to my eldest maid, so I don't need to take her to be tortured, but can I just interrogate her nearby?"
The main reason is that this matter is a matter of supernatural means, which cannot be determined based on ordinary theory, and I am afraid that it cannot be clearly examined.
Ying Zheng is always obedient: "Yes."
Rui'er looked at Baitao with emotion, tears fell, and kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you, my little master."
She retreated.
The King of Qin's side palace began to get busy. The palace people cleaned up the venomous snakes, insects and ants in the middle of the night. The wind lanterns were lit for most of the night. The commotion made the whole Xianyang Palace panic and almost stayed up all night.
There were a few stars twinkling in the starry sky. Also awake was Li Si, the guest guest who was far away outside the palace and received a white peach carrier pigeon.
Li Si was originally from Shangcai, Chu State.
At that time, he was just a small county official, speaking lightly and earning a living. He thought this would be his unchangeable life.
The turning point came when he once saw a rat eating human feces in a dark and dirty corner of the latrine. He also saw him eating a rat in the granary. He said nothing for a long time.
Same for rats.
The rats in the toilet can only eat feces, but the rats in the forage can eat delicacies.
Same as human beings.
Why can he only be a small official who is bullied by others, and why can't he rise to great heights one day?
In this way, taking the rat as his ambition and achieving great fame was Li Si's belief that was instantly nailed to his bones.
Relying on this vague and firm belief, he wandered far away and became a disciple of Xunzi, a master of Confucianism and Legalism, and studied his imperial skills assiduously.
Finally, when the day came for his division to leave, he came to Qin, the leader of the Seven Kingdoms.
But Qin is not a place where as long as you are full of ambition and true talent, you can relax your mind and become a superior person.
Although it is the same for every country in the Seven Kingdoms, Qin's relatives are particularly powerful, which prevents him from serving the king directly.
Li Si thought carefully and tried his best to work under Lu Buwei.
But Lu Buwei's demeanor was admired by everyone, and those who joined him were like carps crossing the river. Moreover, he was not a pure Confucian, which was contrary to Lu Buwei's political ideology.
No matter how many clever tricks Li Si tried to adapt to the situation, there was nothing he could do. All he could feel was infinite frustration and obstacles.
In terms of talent, how many talented people are there in Qin?
In terms of erudition, he is just a monk halfway.
In terms of ability, he is just entering the officialdom for the first time.
Therefore, being cautious and self-contained is the most appropriate thing for a student who comes to a foreign country to apply for a job with no background.
But Li Si also clearly understood that he could not do this for a long time.
The current undercurrents surging between Lu Buwei and Jun Shang are like blowing up a black storm. In this black storm, countless forces are intertwined and raging underground.
Not only did he have to survive this storm, but he also had to let the young and cold-faced Lord notice him first, so that he would have a chance.
So he focused on the weak point, Baitao's mistress, who lived deep in the palace, and laid out his first way out. He thought it was perfect, but he was discovered so quickly.
Li Si grabbed the crumpled letter and closed his eyes.
He underestimated the people here. He thought he was smart, but in fact others thought he was a fool.
Li Si walked around, lifted up his robe and sat on the desk. He raised his pen with his wrist hanging, and then quickly put it down.
Unable to search for himself, he focused his eyes on the letter on the case, shook his hand, unfolded it, and the black and white handwriting came into view.
He said every word with a stagnant tone: "Yesterday's abyss, today's shallow talk."
The abyss of yesterday, the shallow talk of today.
He has walked through the abyss, and now that he sees the way out, should he still retreat?
Taking the lead will inevitably lead to disaster, but how can we not create an opportunity to seize chestnuts from the fire?
How can Li Si, the rat official, never get ahead?
*
Early the next morning, it was soon time to go to court.
Stepping up the white jade steps, Li Si held a fluorene board in his hand, a book knife at his waist, a white pen on his ear, straight official robes and official belt on his head, and he was meticulously organized.
He walks alone, looking rather rigid and without a sense of presence.
Not far away, the gentle Prime Minister Lu Buwei was surrounded by many officials.
Their faces were covered with a glimmer of morning light, indicating flattery and flattery. Lu Buwei's temples were gray, and he sighed occasionally, while other officials followed his rhythm and talked and laughed.
"Good morning, Prime Minister."
"Good morning, early, I had a drink yesterday, come back another day."
"Xiang Guo looks really strong and strong."
Lu Buwei didn't say anything, but the lines in the corners of his eyes were still smiling.
Li Si glanced out of the corner of his eyes for a few times, then continued to look at the path under his feet. He stepped up one step, and when he climbed up another step, he felt a little dizzy and drifting for no reason.
What if one day, even Li Si, who is white in body, can have such prosperity and power? What if one day, he is the one who sits in the prime minister's position with overwhelming power.
But now these were beyond his wildest dreams. Li Si took back his steps, quickly put his mind to rest, and walked in at the end of the queue following the officials from the previous court.
"Long live your Majesty! Long live your Majesty!"
"Long live your Majesty! Long live your Majesty!"
The mountains roared and the tsunami kowtowed, and then kowtowed again, the young King Qin's cold tone echoed in the hall, "Everyone loves you."
"Thank you, sir——"
This was the beginning of the morning dynasty. Officials reported political affairs to the King of Qin in an orderly manner.
But everyone knew very well that the King of Qin was still a young man and had not yet been crowned. Their main purpose was to report it to Lu Buwei. Lu Buwei was sitting at the bottom left. Although he was half-old, he was suppressing him as steadily as a Mount Tai.
However, the occasional remarks made by the sharp and unruly King Qin above him already meant that the days that Mount Tai could suppress them were numbered.
An ambitious king, who must he eradicate first if he wants to take power?
Li Si was thinking in his mind, and now he was looking forward to the changes in the situation and the game between the old minister and the young master.
But the first thing he has to solve is the game that the little master in the harem pushed him out of.
After finding a gentle stall, Li Si stepped forward holding the wat board and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Before Ying Zheng could speak, Lu Buwei was a little surprised by this well-behaved young official who came out from under him. He waved his sleeves and said, "It's Li Si. Tell me what you have to report."
All the officials' eyes were focused on Li Si.
Li Si lowered his head, receiving the probing gaze of King Qin above him, "It's about the news that went viral in Xianyang City yesterday. It was said that Gang Chengjun's granddaughter openly spent three thousand gold to buy five dyed white pigeons on the streets of Xianyang City. But even though it's just a mere
It's such a small thing, but many people are questioning why Tsunade-kun is so knowledgeable."
Three thousand gold to buy five thousand white pigeons?
As soon as these words came out, the courtiers who had never heard of it were in an uproar.
Gangchengjun's cheeks trembled, "Foreign Minister Li Si, please don't make random arrangements in the court. The old man and his daughter are well-behaved and careless. How can they be the kind of people who spend money and spread rumors on the streets?"
Li Si took his time.
He is a thoughtful person and knows how to make mistakes.
In a big country where dangers are everywhere and the Qin laws are strict, he has already anticipated the reaction of Tsunagi-kun, who is getting older and more irritable.
He said calmly: "There are so many simple and simple Qin people in Xianyang City. Their eyes can see and their mouths can speak."
"Things like this are not something that Li Si, a small official, can fabricate out of thin air."
"It would be fine if I asked Sun to spend a few hundred gold to buy pigeons, but that is a full three thousand gold."
"Not to mention in the big city of Xianyang, even in the big city of the Central Plains, it is unheard of. It has never been seen before. Now there are so many poor people in Guanzhong who don't have enough to eat. Sun's squandering behavior is really heart-breaking."
Tsunade-jun gritted his teeth and cursed in his mind: Your mother is a thief. Even if my granddaughter buys a few pigeons, how dare you, a petty official, to interfere with your grandfather?
The ministers looked at each other, their eyes flickering.
They were all well aware of the conflict of interests between Lord Gangcheng and Prime Minister Lu Buwei.
Lu Buwei, who had just arrived in Qin, had to deal with Lord Gangcheng. Later, Lord Gangcheng resigned from the position of prime minister in an extremely flattering manner under the eyes of the late king.
It's a bit of a business dispute, which is normal.
Three thousand gold, for Gangchengjun, was several years of salary, but for Gangchengjun, who had attached himself to Lu Buwei to go into business, three thousand gold was just a small amount.
But someone actually dared to say it openly and participate in the performance in front of the King of Qin. The courtiers looked at each other for a while and were already preparing the manuscript.
Ying Zheng asked Gang Chengjun coldly: "Is there such a thing?"
Gang Chengjun couldn't say no, but he couldn't just admit it. He glanced at Lu Buwei out of the corner of his eye. Lu Buwei was just drinking tea leisurely.
"Yes! Your Majesty, my granddaughter is still young, but she is just..."
Tsunade-kun gritted his teeth and wanted to say more.
Lu Buwei said, "Your Majesty, I have seen you in person. You are a bit naughty, but you need to discipline and discipline them well. The three thousand gold coins are just empty talk. No one has seen it, and no one can explain anything. Gangcheng Jun, you,
But don’t follow what others say.”
What a sophisticated trick!
With just these few words, the most taboo thing for a king to be the king of a country is the formation of cliques and private interests.
Lord Tsunade hurriedly said: "Yes! I will discipline that incompetent granddaughter as soon as I go to court."
Li Si did not give in, he handed over his hand solemnly, "Old Qin people are simple and simple, but Gang Chengjun's granddaughter is so lavish, which ruins the nature of the old Qin people and makes the old Qin people feel cold in their hearts. This is one of them."
"Secondly, there are many traders who have poured into Xianyang City. They sell at high prices in Xianyang City, and they work together with the officials to monopolize the goods wantonly. The profits they make out of it are unspeakable."
"In the past, the Qin State was surrounded by crises. Only through the efforts of the whole country and hard work could it become the first-class power it is now."
"But now that money is being made in Xianyang City and officials are interfering with each other, wouldn't the whole country be in a downturn and be in danger?"
Lu Buwei's face changed slightly.
Other courtiers who couldn't escape the idea of making money and planning goods were cursing secretly in their hearts and at the same time typed up their drafts again.
Li Si said seriously: "Third, the embankment of a thousand miles collapsed in an ant nest. Officials can still take the lead in this way, but they don't know what kind of lies, drunkenness, decadence and decay Xianyang City will be in the future!"
"What you see in the prosperous Xianyang City will always be what you see now, but what about the other people who are suffering in the fields?"
"What good does monopoly and squandering do to them?!"
"You have lost the support of the people. Do you want the Qin State to end up like the Chen State that perished because of its extravagance?"
Li Si Tong knelt down and said sonorously, "Only by taking history as a mirror can we understand the gains and losses. Why can't today's small things contribute to tomorrow's big things? Your Majesty, please be bold, Your Majesty, sweep away this extravagant trend that is corrupting the country and changing customs, and thoroughly investigate and rectify it."
Officials rule!”
An official couldn't help but said: "It's not as serious as what Li Si said."
"This trivial matter is just a junior's nonsense. It's a bit inappropriate to stir up a lot of people."
"However, over the past few years, the door has been opened to convenience, and businessmen from the six countries in Shandong have frequently flowed into our Qin country to enjoy themselves. I can't stand this kind of custom anymore."
"Yes, Mr. Shang has a saying. If you are rich, you will be promiscuous. If you are promiscuous, you will have lice. If you have lice, you will be weak. When governing a country, you should make the poor rich, the rich poor, the poor rich, the country will be strong, and the rich will be poor.
The official is free from lice."
"Your Majesty, now we should reward farming and fighting, and we should not let the people get infected with this extravagant habit, which will lead to lice infestation!" an old minister said loudly.
Others are still waiting and watching.
What is certain is that the simplicity of the old Qin people will gradually change with the flow of business travel, day after day, year after year, and Xianyang will definitely change drastically.
Li Si was still kneeling.
From the time Lord Gangcheng ordered his grandson to buy pigeons, to the current harm to the Qin State.
Then to rectify the officials.
Li Si knelt with his back straight and his chest confident. Although his current behavior was regarded as a thorn in the flesh, it also established his prestige and image in the court.
In the eyes of others, he was just a guest minister who devoted himself to Qin and cared for the people.
In the eyes of King Qin Yingzheng, who was sitting high on the gold and iron throne, he also seized the opportunity to establish power in Li Si, which was to summon all the officials and prefects to come together for routine rectification and respect.
King's order.
Ying Zheng said: "Yes - Li Si, I will teach you how to deal with this matter. Make sure to give me a good answer."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Si felt dizzy in his head, and then he felt clear after the dizziness.
He made the right bet.
Yes, what he was betting on was not Lu Buwei's reaction and obstruction, but the full-fledged King Qin's eagerness to take power.
Li Si kowtowed: "I am fortunate to have lived up to my command——"
When the young bishop in the palace asked him to impeach Lao Ai, Li Si also completed it quietly. Lao Ai, the Marquis of Changxin, built a large-scale construction project in Yongcheng, supported his retainers, and built a palace.
If we want to rectify it, we must start with him first.
Not only did he establish his prestige, but also gain the favor of King Qin, and gain the trust of the young master in the palace.
No matter how many risks you take, they are insignificant in front of Li Si who has stolen the fruits of victory at this moment.