At the beginning of Mao Shi, the First Emperor's car began to slowly drive westward again.
During the period when the First Emperor was seriously ill, the emperor's car departed at the beginning of the morning and stopped at the end of the hour every day; it started at the beginning of the afternoon and stopped at the beginning of the hour, and the journey lasted about four hours every day. This was the travel schedule set by Prime Minister Li Si. For this reason
This allowed the emperor to have more time to rest and avoid the scorching midsummer sun.
None of the ministers had any objections to this. Although it was a little slow, for the emperor's condition, there was no other way. No one would find out what was hidden here, and no one would make random guesses about the emperor.
How long can it last?
Not long after the car started driving, the First Emperor suddenly woke up and turned around. After passing Pingyuanjin, the Emperor felt dizzy and woke up from time to time with no pattern at all. He ate less and less. He didn't know when to sleep, when to wake up, and when to eat.
Zhao Gao didn't know what was going on, so he just kept messing around. Today was an even weirder day. The emperor usually didn't wake up until noon.
"Xiao Gaozi, I want to drink some soup." The First Emperor struggled to sit up.
No response.
"Xiao Gaozi..." Such a thing has never happened in more than 40 years, and the First Emperor was a little strange.
"Oh, Your Majesty, Zhao Gao is here." Zhao Gao, who was standing not far away in a daze, replied listlessly.
In the past half month, Zhao Gao had been working hard for days and had lost weight. His originally well-fitting robe seemed to be hanging on a pair of bamboo poles, leaving only his eyes that continued to scatter cold light outwards.
"What's wrong with this little Gaozi today? He looks distracted? Also, he calls himself Zhao Gao? After decades, when did he call himself Zhao Gao in front of me?" The First Emperor looked confused and thought to himself.
road.
"Xiao Gaozi, I want to drink some soup!" the First Emperor repeated again, already a little angry.
"Oh, Xiao Gaozi will do it right away. Your Majesty, forgive me." Zhao Gao, who had come back to his senses, hurriedly responded, and then hurried away. The cold light in his eyes dissipated, replaced by the original pious look.
The First Emperor gasped slightly and leaned on the pillow. This time he woke up from his drowsiness and felt that his mind was unusually clear. He felt that all the bits and pieces since he could remember had appeared in his mind. Looking at his five years,
After the journey he has taken in the past ten years, he believes that he is worthy of the world. Although some people call him a tyrant, he does not care. The merits and demerits of right and wrong will be judged by future generations.
The only thing that the First Emperor regretted and couldn't figure out was why he insisted on going north when he was constantly getting sick. Why did he insist on going north to Xianyang first? After his illness was cured, couldn't he go north? Or, after returning to Xianyang, couldn't he support Su Mengtian and go south to serve the imperial edict? Now, wouldn't it work?
Is there really any power in the Xianyang court that can stop him, the emperor, from setting up a heir apparent to deal with the aftermath? No. It was all a false illusion of his own paranoia. But why did he think that he had to go north to Jiuyuan at that time? It was obviously ridiculously paranoid.
, but must persist like this, Ying Zheng really doesn’t understand himself.
Now that I think about it carefully, there can only be two reasons: one is that I have been sick many times, and my mind is no longer as clear-headed as usual; the other is that I once saw the possible huge harm of not establishing a heir for many years, and my spirits were heavy.
My thoughts are too heavy under pressure, and all judgments are abnormal. How else can I explain myself? If I hadn't been in a coma for many days, and then I truly realized how short and precious life is when I woke up, I would probably still be deeply paranoid.
You can't help yourself. Fusu is already the most popular candidate for the crown prince, but you still think it's not enough, and you still need to improve it in many ways. Fusu and you, the emperor, have differences over the incident of perverting Confucianism, and you feel that Fusu still needs to improve.
Okay. You think you have great judgment and insight. Why can't you think that this is Fusu's valuable and independent nature, but you think you don't understand the essence of the empire's rule of law? If you had established the throne ten years earlier, or even three years earlier, there would have been
Were you so embarrassed afterwards? God gave you nearly thirty years of opportunities. You, Ying Zheng, wasted away in endless training year after year. Can God still give you a chance? If God will give you endless opportunities.
Endlessly only thrown at you, are there any changes in the world between heaven and earth?
God, is it true that my life as Ying Zheng has come to an end? Suddenly, an inexplicable state of mind suddenly emerged. Ying Zheng instinctively had a premonition that his life was about to end. The clarity at this moment may be the last trace of God's care for him.
Favored him and taught him to properly arrange his death... A trace of cold tears climbed up his cheeks, and Ying Zheng's heart throbbed violently. Thinking about it, it was impossible to see Fusu. However, he must leave a trace for him.
Edict. However, how to write this edict must be cautious and cautious...
Just when the First Emperor relied on his last sobriety to figure out how to cautiously issue an edict, Zhao Gao, the commander of the CRRC Mansion, did not do it himself as usual. Instead, he randomly called a maid to arrange the soup for the First Emperor, and then talked with the First Emperor.
In the outer hall, which was only separated by a screen, he thought about his own thoughts. He had been thinking about this matter since the emperor became seriously ill.
Having been by the emperor's side for forty years, Zhao Gao understood very well the endless mysteries, difficulties and dangers of temple power. Even in the temples of the Qin Dynasty, there were dark corners. These dark corners were the deepest feelings in the human heart.
Evil desires are the various knots at the intersection of power, the ruthless struggle between all parties when the storm comes, and the deep secrets behind the heavy curtains. In Zhao Gao's life, he did not know how many times in his life he was ordered by the emperor to handle secret matters. Zhao Gao secretly attacked
After killing the empress dowager and Lao Ai's two illegitimate sons who were most hated by the emperor, after conquering Handan, they secretly killed all the powerful families and people in the market who had despised and bullied the empress dowager's family and the young Ying Zheng; as for spying on the royal family elders and powerful officials
Secret, deploying maid swordsmen into the Black Ice Platform to secretly monitor diplomatic assassinations under the control of Yao Jiadunruo, etc., there are countless more. Zhao Gao has always lived in a dark world throughout his life. Zhao Gao was proficient in Qin law, but he never
He has never truly believed in Qin law. In Zhao Gao's mind, no matter how strict and solemn the rule of law is, it is controlled by the king who sets the law; the highest point of power in the temple is the blank point of all laws. Among all the storms of power, only the highest
The emperor's power determines everything; the emperor can change the law, but the law may not change the emperor; as long as the emperor is willing to change his mind, even if the law is as strict as Qin's, there is nothing he can do. For this reason, Zhao Gao, who has repeatedly committed serious crimes against the law, escaped again and again.
Qin Fa's sanctions relied on the huge umbrella of power opened for him by the First Emperor.
But now the First Emperor is about to leave this world forever. Zhao Gao estimates that the emperor will only be there for a few days. Once the emperor dies, Zhao Gao really can't imagine how he can survive with his little CRRC order.
Survive well in the new temple structure. Zhao Gao knew very well that after the death of the First Emperor, the most likely person to ascend to the throne would be the eldest Fusu. If Fusu ascends the throne, he, who has always advocated lenient governance, will definitely not reuse Li Si
, and Meng Tian is definitely the best candidate to be the next prime minister due to his relationship with Fu Su, who is also his master and father. By then, Meng Tian will be the prime minister, Meng Yi will be the doctor, and there will be a cold-blooded iron face who only recognizes Qin Fa.
How could there be a place for Zhao Gao, the court captain Yao Jia, who does not recognize people? He has violated the law many times, and Meng Yi has long been murderous. If His Majesty the First Emperor had not shown mercy to him again and again, Zhao Gao would have died long ago.
How many times, by that time, as a personal servant of the deceased emperor, even if the new emperor did not want to be buried for the first emperor himself, Zhao Gao would just be a fish on the anvil waiting for Meng Yi to settle old scores.
I think that I, Zhao Gao, have been following the emperor for decades since childhood, going through life and death, and repeatedly saving the emperor in danger. To be fair, if His Majesty the First Emperor had not intentionally suppressed his ministers, in terms of merit and talent, I, Zhao Gao, would not have been able to fulfill such a small position as the official of the CRRC.
Si? In the final analysis, I, Zhao Gao, have gained a firm foothold in front of the majestic First Emperor through meritorious service and talent! What is the difference between Zhao Gao and other ministers through meritorious service? Why should I, Zhao Gao, "serve as a swordsman for others and as a fish for me"?
.No, I won’t just grab and kill them without any help. Ants are greedy for life, how much more so for me?
Zhao Gao kept circling in the outer hall, his eyes flashing with a vicious and bloodthirsty light from time to time while his thoughts were racing. Finally, Zhao Gao seemed to see a glimmer of light in the long dark night, that is, he wanted to
To survive, he must get as close as possible to or even control the king's highest power. Because he knows that only the highest power is the magic weapon for his protection, so that he can continue to do whatever he wants. Although Zhao Gao also knows that his chances of success are slim, but in order to
To be able to save his wealth and life, Zhao Gao has decided to do it "without hesitation" for the sake of the dazzling aura of power...
"A small amount is not a gentleman, and a person who is not poisonous is not a husband!" This was the last thought that came to Zhao Gao's mind on the morning of July 17, the thirty-seventh year of the First Emperor's reign.
After tinkering for nearly half an hour, the soup that the First Emperor wanted finally arrived.
When Zhao Gao presented Tang Jin to the emperor expressionlessly, the anger in Emperor Ying Zheng's eyes gradually grew stronger. However, when he saw Zhao Gao's numb body and haggard face, the anger slowly dissipated.
, replaced by deep pity.
"Xiao Gaozi, I, after I leave, you, you go back to your hometown to take care of your old age. You have been tired for the past few decades and it's time to take a good rest." Emperor Ying Zheng took a few sips of the soup and then ordered
Zhao Gao. In addition to pity for Zhao Gao, Emperor Yingzheng seemed to have an inexplicable guilt. Now that he felt that his end was approaching, he felt that life was even more precious, so he wanted to leave a way for Zhao Gao to survive. But he didn't
Knowing why, he who had always been meticulous and decisive in killing didn't have the slightest doubt about Zhao Gao's inexplicable changes today.
"Your Majesty, you are in the prime of life, why do you say this! Little Gaozi is not going anywhere, little Gaozi will stay with Your Majesty all his life!" Zhao Gao was so frightened that he hurriedly knelt down on the ground and faintly said
There was a choking sound.
Zhao Gao seemed to be moved to tears by Emperor Ying Zheng's words, but he was thinking to himself: "It's so dangerous, the emperor almost saw the clues. It seems that the emperor is not sick yet, these days
It’s better to be more careful in God’s dealings.”
"Little Gaozi, come on, come on. Why are you crying?" Seeing Zhao Gao's sadness, Ying Zheng felt sad again and hurriedly called Zhao Gao to get up.
"I'm a little tired and want to take a nap. You should go and rest too." Ying Zheng continued.