From the time Emperor Qin issued the decree to Lu Chunqiu's suicide, it was only three days, but the entire Qin court was shaken violently.
Lu Chunqiu had been prime minister for many years, and most of the officials in the court were his disciples and old officials. Now that his main supporter had fallen, how could he not panic?
Chang'an City seems to be as peaceful as ever, but privately there are countless officials running around with each other, some are panicked, and some want to go further.
In Yangxin Hall, after Emperor Qin finished approving a basket of memorials, he stretched out his hand again and found nothing. He frowned slightly: "Zhao Gao, why are there so few memorials today?"
Zhao Gao showed a trace of embarrassment on his face and said in a low voice: "Former Prime Minister Lu Chunqiu is not here, and all officials are leaderless, so the number of memorials submitted has been greatly reduced."
Emperor Qin snorted coldly: "The officials I raised are just like this. Without a prime minister, they can't work anymore?"
Zhao Gao stood beside Emperor Qin with his head lowered, not daring to reply easily. Did he want to remind Emperor Qin that many memorials would not reach Emperor Qin without the approval of the Prime Minister? It was not for Lu Chunqiu to exercise power, but one of the Prime Minister's responsibilities was to screen.
Memorials from various places.
After a long time, Emperor Qin said coldly: "Since Great Qin must have a prime minister, then I will appoint another one, Zhao Gao, who do you think is better to succeed this prime minister?"
Zhao Gao quickly saluted and replied: "I am stupid and don't know. Please ask Your Majesty to judge." As he replied, a trace of cold sweat flowed down.
Emperor Qin raised his head and looked at him coldly: "I think you are not stupid, but cunning. If you have any ideas, just speak up. Will I still blame you?"
Zhao Gao quickly saluted and gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I really don't know. Why don't you ask other ministers in the court?"
For Zhao Gao, pretending to be stupid in this kind of matter is the wisest choice. Even if Emperor Qin is slightly blamed, it is better than expressing his own opinion.
First, there are actually only a few people in the entire Daqin who can hold the position of prime minister. At present, it is not clear who wants to be prime minister. Recommending him rashly will only offend people.
Secondly, this is the unique power of the Qin Emperor. It would be bad if he accidentally arouses the Qin Emperor's suspicion. What if the person recommended by Zhao Gao becomes the prime minister and the Qin Emperor is displeased in the end, who knows what will happen.
Will the emperor remember who recommended it to him in the first place?
After a long time, Emperor Qin finally said: "Go and find Mr. Shang. I want to hear his opinion."
Zhao Gao quickly agreed and left as if he was relieved.
Zhao Gao stood at the door of Shang Jun's Mansion, quietly waiting for the door to announce. There was no trace of anger on his face when he was blocked outside the door.
Soon, the door of Shang Jun's mansion was opened, and Shang Jun's eldest son Wei Ling came out with an apologetic look on his face. He saluted Zhao Gao and said, "I have met Mr. Zhongshu Ling. My father suddenly contracted typhoid fever and was bedridden. But...
I apologize for the inconvenience of coming out to greet you."
Zhao Gao narrowed his eyes slightly and felt a chill in his heart. He thought to himself: Although everyone doesn't say it, do they still have objections to His Majesty forcing Lu Chunqiu to die? Otherwise, would a strong person in the Soul Realm still be infected with typhoid fever?
However, Zhao Gao did not give up, but said with a smile: "Your Majesty has an oral order to invite Mr. Shang to the palace. I have been specifically ordered to come and invite you. No matter what, I have to meet you before I can go back to communicate with Your Majesty. Wei Ling, you take me with you."
Let me go see your father."
Wei Ling nodded repeatedly: "Please come to Zhongshu Ling." At his level, he didn't know that his father's actions would bring great hidden dangers to the family. Now that someone can give him some advice, he would be extremely happy.
Zhao Gao followed Wei Ling into Wei Yang's bedroom, only to see him standing there safe and sound, scolding Fang Qiu, moving under the clouds and flowing water, and printed two large characters "Qin Law" on the paper.
Zhao Gao smiled bitterly and said with difficulty: "Shang Jun, Your Majesty invites you to enter the palace. We have important matters to discuss. Why don't you come with me now?"
I saw Wei Yang saying lightly: "Yu Qinlu was not guilty, so why did he die tragically? Why did Master Zhongshu Ling teach me?"
Zhao Gao was speechless, and a Confucian saying suddenly flashed in his mind: "If the king wants his minister to die, he will have to die." This was probably the case.
When Wei Yang saw that Zhao Gao did not answer, he was too lazy to wait. He picked up the calligraphy he had written and said to Zhao Gao: "Let's go, I will enter the palace with you. This question should be asked to Your Majesty."
After saying that, he strode outside.
Zhao Gao hurriedly followed behind him and advised: "Why should Mr. Shang be stubborn? He has passed away. Mr. Shang should put the overall situation first."
Wei Yang became angry, raised the copybook in his hand and said, "The overall situation? This is the overall situation."
Zhao Gao remained silent.
Zhao Gao led Wei Yang to Yangxin Hall and retreated voluntarily, not daring to have any involvement.
After Wei Yang saluted Emperor Qin.
Emperor Qin asked: "There is a vacancy in the imperial court. Is Mr. Shang interested?"
Zhao Gao was shocked. No wonder Merchants came here. It turned out that he wanted him to be the prime minister.
However, Wei Yang shook his head and said: "I am already old, but I am not suitable for the position of prime minister."
"I think you are getting stronger and stronger, so you are quite suitable."
"I'm sorry that I can't do anything."
…
Emperor Qin just looked at him coldly: "Do you have any objections to me?"
"Old minister, I don't dare."
A trace of anger flashed across Emperor Qin's face. It was because he didn't dare, not because he didn't. However, Emperor Qin didn't want to argue the matter, so he said calmly: "Just step back."
However, Wei Yang stepped forward and saluted: "Old minister, I have one more thing to ask of Your Majesty."
"you say."
"Since I have reached an advanced age, I have requested to resign from Your Majesty and relinquish my title as Lord Shang. I would like to return to my hometown to take care of myself during my lifetime. I hope Your Majesty will grant me your permission."
Emperor Qin had a sneer on his face and suppressed his anger and said: "Okay, okay, I agree, please step back."
Wei Yang saluted: "Old minister, I retire."
When Wei Yang left the hall, Emperor Qin finally couldn't help but kicked over the table in front of him and said angrily: "This is simply outrageous."
Then I was shocked, why have I become a little irritable recently? Is it a sequelae of the secret method?
Wei Yang felt the movement behind him and sighed in his heart: "I wish you and I, the king and my ministers, can start well and end well."
In his mind, he still recalled the scene of the young Emperor Qin, the two of them discussing state affairs and sleeping together.
It really is like "the clothes are not as good as new, and the people are not as good as before."
After failing to make Wei Yang his prime minister, Emperor Qin was thinking about suitable candidates: Gongsun Qi, Wei Liao, and Wang Jian were all warriors and not suitable.
Suddenly, the scene of Li Si taking the lead in saluting that day appeared in Emperor Qin's mind. Emperor Qin nodded secretly and called Zhao Gao: "Pass on my decree to make Li Si the prime minister."
After experiencing Wei Yang's incident, Emperor Qin no longer wanted to ask his ministers for their opinions, and directly issued an imperial edict.
Soon the decree left Xianyang Palace and reached Li Si's hands. Soon the door of Li's house was filled with people, and everyone came to congratulate him.
Only Li Si, holding the imperial edict in one hand, sighed: "Whether it is a blessing or a curse, we still don't know yet."
Then Li Si entered the palace to thank Emperor Qin.
Emperor Qin was actually very kind to the new prime minister, encouraged him a few times, and finally said in a vague way: "I think some of the atmosphere in the officialdom of Qin is not good. Some people are slacking in political affairs. The prime minister should take care of it."
"Nuo" Li Si accepted the promise, but he felt like a mirror in his heart. Now that Lu Chunqiu is gone, it is time to clean up his party members in the court. Emperor Qin maintains his own identity and cannot do such things, so he can only do it.
.
After Li Si took office, half of the officials in the Zhongshu Province were removed from their posts for investigation and investigation. The Tingwei Mansion fully cooperated. In the end, "the evidence was conclusive" and the lighter cases were exiled and the worst cases were executed.
After the turmoil in the Great Qin Dynasty, things returned to normal.
At this time, Wei Yang led his tribe back to the fiefdom quietly.