The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 234: No Entry
There is a narrow path in the middle of a thousand-foot-high cliff.

More than four years ago, Ying Chengjiao met his brother Ying Zheng here.

Today, it's his turn.

He stood at the foot of Hangu Pass, looking up at Biao Gong on the top of Hangu Pass, the old Qin general who had loved him the most since childhood.

"Are you going to stop me, Mr. Biao?!" He roared loudly with a ferocious look on his face.

The sound echoed throughout the 800-li Qin Mountains, startling the birds in the sky, which chirped countlessly.

Hu felt sorry for his master and took a step forward.

He wanted to tell his master that he could shout on his behalf and that he was good at shouting.

Sword Saint Gai Nie grabbed Hu's arm.

He looked back in confusion and bewilderment.

The Sword Master had no expression on his face and shook his head:
"Not suitable."

The sound circled around Hu's ears and then dissipated in the cold wind.

The cold wind on the top of the city is much stronger than the wind at the bottom of the city.

The old general's white hair fluttered in the air, like the Qin army flag charging into battle:
"Where is Ying Bai's head?"

The veteran asked a second time, without changing a word or tone.

If bandits want to join a gang, they need to kill someone as a token of their loyalty.

Want to enter the pass and fight for the throne.

How can we do this if we can’t take out anything?
If we enter the Pass, we will not fight for the throne… The old general narrowed his eyes slightly, and exerted a little force on his hands placed on the cold blue bricks, making his broad knuckles stand out and turn white.

There is no such possibility.

If you don't want to fight for the throne, don't enter the pass.

This is the king's wish and the veteran's wish.

Someone's identity is here, and someone's influence is spread throughout the Qin State.

As long as someone appears in Xianyang, he is a banner.

A big flag that does not need any leadership; as long as it is erected, it will attract countless people to gather!
"Mr. Bai!" Ying Chengjiao's eyes widened as if they were about to burst: "If I chop off Ying Bai's head! She won't even have a complete body left! Then am I still Mr. Chengjiao!"

People were willing to support Prince Chengjiao and were willing to fight against Prince Chu of Qin for him. The most important thing was Prince Chengjiao's virtue.

Prince Chengjiao is kind and remembers favors.

The ancients attached great importance to the integrity of the corpse.

Ying Chengjiao wanted to chop off Ying Bai's head in order to enter Hangu Pass.

Who would be willing to work for someone so mean and ungrateful?
Bie Gong's hands trembled slightly, his pupils dilated slightly, and he involuntarily took a small step forward.

Fortunately, there was a high enough city wall in front of me, so I didn't fall down.

"So that's how it is..." The old general whispered to Han Feng.

With his head full of white hair standing on end, the old general stretched out his big hand and shouted:
"Bring me the bow and arrows!"

The bodyguard handed over the bow and arrow.

The old general stood on the parapet, put his finger on the arrow, and pulled the bow to the full moon!

Slowly move the bow and aim the arrow at the city!
"Young Master Cheng Jiao." The old general's voice was as powerful and heavy as the beating of a war drum: "You are not allowed to enter the pass."

Ying Chengjiao's eyes flickered, but he did not retreat but advanced, opening his arms:

"I don't believe that deer can shoot"

Before he could finish his words, a sharp sound of breaking through the air was heard!

Ying Chengjiao's pupils suddenly shrank, and he instantly sensed the full breath of death.

If he doesn't dodge this arrow, it will definitely take his life!

He stomped his feet, turned sideways, and tilted his head to the side. The adrenaline in his body made his speed at this moment exceed his previous limits.

He is fast, but there are people who are faster than him.

From the moment he saw the veteran get the bow and arrow, Gai Nie placed his hand on the Chengying at his waist.

When a sharp arrow breaks through the air, a sharp sword also breaks through the air.

The white clothes in the wind are as elegant as a banished immortal, as if walking in the air.

The unusually sharp Chengying appeared and disappeared.

Just listen to a crisp "ding" sound.

It seemed as if nothing had touched it, and the sharp arrow changed direction out of thin air.

It flies obliquely into the sky, heading towards the sun, as if shooting at the sun.

Gai Nie landed quietly and silently.

He raised his head in anger and turned his arms slightly.

The invisible and invisible Chengying Sword hummed in response to its master.

At Hangu Pass, the Sword Master became murderous.

There was a sudden noise from the top of the city.

In just a moment, a Qin crossbow with a flashing cold light was set up on every battlement on the city wall.

Qin crossbows were mounted on the battlements and soldiers stood on the city walls.

On the top of the city wall, there were densely packed soldiers with bows and arrows drawn.

The distance between the two Qin soldiers should have been five steps, but now it is only half a step.

The tip of the arrow shone with a bloodthirsty light in the sunlight.

The sword master's heart stopped and his breathing became unstable.

If he can intercept one arrow, can he intercept ten arrows?
If you intercept ten arrows, what about the hundred arrows?
Even if you can withstand a hundred arrows, what about a thousand arrows? Ten thousand arrows?

Bie Gong pulled up the second arrow, this time aiming not at Ying Chengjiao, but at Gai Nie, the swordsman dressed in snow-white.

"You bastard." Bie Gong grinned, blood seeping from under his teeth: "How many arrows can you pick?"

These words were spoken to both Gai Nie and Ying Chengjiao.

Personal bravery means nothing in front of the country.

The same thing happened to Prince Chengjiao in front of the Qin State.

There was no need to dodge. It seemed that Ying Chengjiao had done nothing. He took a deep look at Biao Gong and said in a deep voice:
"go!"

Gai Nie opened his eyes and looked at the top of the city wall, guarding against the volley of arrows and crossbows from the top, and retreated back to the convoy.

The horses turned around and the convoy slowly set off, returning home.

Bie Gong watched the caravan go away, and waved his hand when he was out of the range of arrows.

There were crossbows under the battlements and the soldiers put away their bows.

The old general swallowed a mouthful of bloody saliva and punched hard on the blue bricks on the top of the city wall:

"Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs! Your Majesty has a cruel heart!"

"Mr. Bie has spoken out of turn." Someone followed up.

The person who spoke took two steps forward and walked from behind Bie Gong into the sunlight. It was Meng Wu, the defender of Hangu Pass who had never appeared.

It turns out that he has always been there.

"What the hell!" Bie Gong growled and punched again: "You know shit! You don't know what happened!"

The veteran's fists were red.

The blood had just seeped out a little, but before it flowed out, it solidified into lumps.

Meng Wu looked around casually and grabbed the old general's fist that was about to hit him:
"Miao Bo, you don't understand."

Bie Gong paused and turned his head slowly like a robot.

Staring at Meng Wu's face, waving his free hand:

"Get out! Stay ten steps away from me!"

The soldiers around the old general moved together.

Seeing this, Meng Wu took a half step closer to the old general and said softly:
"From the first day Bi Bo arrived at Hangu Pass, he should have known this.

“Whether you see Master Cheng Jiao or not, the ending is the same.

"Prince Chengjiao entered the pass with the head of a regular attendant, which chilled the hearts of his subordinates and made him lose the possibility of competing for the throne.

"If Prince Chengjiao doesn't come out of the palace, he won't be able to enter the pass, and he still won't be able to cause trouble in the succession of the throne.

"In the royal family, how can there be any family affection?"

Having said this, Meng Wu paused and remained silent for a moment.

He thought of four years ago, when Prince Chengjiao used the Tiger Tally of Hangu Pass to force him to rescue Crown Prince Zheng, who was not yet a crown prince.

"Maybe... it happened before." Meng Wu looked at the caravan going away and narrowed his eyes. "I wonder if Master Chengjiao regretted threatening Wu."

If Prince Chengjiao had not forced Meng Wu to rescue him at that time, the current Crown Prince Zheng of Qin would have died outside Hangu Pass, and King Wang Zichu of Qin would have only had Prince Chengjiao as his son.

"Boy, you are even more of a jerk than your father." Biao Gong struggled to break free, rubbing his wrists with both hands, his voice colder than the wind: "As a general, you don't think about how to win the battle, but think about these jerkish things every day. This is what I despise most about your father!"

Meng Wu said nothing. He didn't want to think about these trivial matters.

but.

If I don’t want to, I won’t be able to survive.

No matter how good you are at winning battles, can there be anyone as capable as Wu'an Jun?
Those who are good at military affairs often die outside of military affairs.

Looking at the convoy, whose outlines he could only see but not the specific carriages and horses, Bie Gong said abruptly:

"Have you considered everything, Your Majesty?
"What if I send a rider out of the pass now, catch up with the Second Young Master, and bring him back into the pass?

“After the death of Wu Anjun, this old man still remembered a few words.

"When a general is away from home, he may not obey the orders of the sovereign.

"If the Second Young Master hadn't brought Ying Baitou with him into the country, what would have been the outcome?"

Meng Wu placed his palm on Bie Gong's back and applied a little force:
"Then Bi Bo would fall from the top of the city wall and die."

Bie Gong was stunned for a moment, then turned his head, his eyes like bronze bells, his face full of anger.

He shook off Meng Wu's arm and slapped him hard in the face.

The old general grabbed Meng Wu by the collar and brought him closer. White air came out of his mouth, and there was a smell of blood:

"What did you say? Say it again!"

Meng Wu had no expression on his face:

"The king did not give Bi Bo the Hangu Tiger Tally. What does that mean? Doesn't Bi Bo know it?
"My boy, keep silent. Bi Bo can issue orders from Hangu Pass.

"Speaking boy, apart from the dozens of personal soldiers of Bei Bo, Bei Bo will see who else listens to him."

The veteran's anger became more obvious:

"You bastard! How dare you lie to me!"

Duke Biao was ordered to lead a large army to attack Han, and all the troops gathered at Hangu Pass, waiting for food and fodder.

The reason for waiting at Hangu Pass was that it was the only checkpoint on the east side of the Qin State.

Although it is still Qin territory if we go further out, we will not be able to hide our troops, and it will arouse the vigilance of other countries.

This was often the case when Qin sent troops.

According to convention, the army should have stationed at Hangu Pass.

This time, Meng Wu allowed only veteran generals and dozens of his personal soldiers to enter the pass, claiming that the Hangu Pass had been in disrepair for a long time and could not accommodate so many soldiers.

Although Bie Gong and Meng Ao called each other old birds, this was one of the ways for military generals to express their friendship, and the two had a close relationship.

The Biao and Meng families have been friends for three generations since the generation of the two old men, so they can barely be called old friends.

When Meng Wu was a child, he often ran in front of Bie Gong, but Bie Gong had no guard against Meng Wu at all.

The veteran had been in the country for four days, but had not explored the environment.

Meng Wu's throat was pinched, he was a little breathless, and his face became a little redder.

He did not struggle and said in a normal tone:
"For a general, fighting comes second, loyalty comes first."

"During the Five Kingdoms Incident, it was you who escorted the Second Young Master to Xianyang." The old general relaxed his grip slightly.

If Meng Wu had not had the experience of defying the will of the Qin generals and safely delivering Prince Chengjiao to Xianyang.

If it weren't for his close friendship with Meng Ao, he would have watched Meng Wu grow up since childhood.

Although the veteran acted rashly, he would not be so reckless as to say such things to others.

Meng Wu said nothing and raised his head slightly.

The late king’s kindness was repaid that time and again.

Besides...if the late king were still alive, he would not want Prince Chengjiao to enter the pass, right?
Biao Gong shook off Meng Wu and shouted angrily to his personal soldiers ten steps away:

"The whole army is entering the pass!"

Meng Wu did not stop him.

Prince Chengjiao has already left, and now is the right time for the army to enter the pass for rest.

He adjusted his collar and said in confusion:

"Mr. Bi, why did the Second Young Master insist on entering the pass?

“Does he really want to be king?
"The king is just seriously ill, he is not dead yet."

To be a king, one must kill his father and brother... Meng Wu considered this possibility from his own contact with Prince Cheng Jiao and the rumors he had heard.

Bie Gong had a cold face and went down from the city wall:
"You know nothing!"

A few days later, the army set out to attack Han.

Four days later.

Xianyang, Beigong, Xianyang Palace, Front Hall.

Prince Chu of Qin sat on the old throne, and he could vaguely smell the fishy odor of semen and blood.

His father, King Xiaowen of Qin, died happily in this old palace, which was once the most important palace of the Qin State.

And he, Prince Chu of Qin, drew his sword and killed all the beauties involved.

That day, the ground was covered with red blood, with a few white and yellow spots floating on it.

Qin Wang Zichu leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The last time was when my father died.

This time, it's his turn.

In the front hall of Xianyang Palace, there was no one else except Prince Chu of Qin and a group of serving palace maids and eunuchs.

There were two people standing in the audience - Prime Minister Lu Buwei and Queen Zhao Yaotiao.

Lu Buwei was on the right and Zhao Yaotiao was on the left.

In Qin, the right is respected, with important ministers of the country sitting on the right and relatives of the royal family sitting on the left. This is an old tradition of the Qin State.

The two of them waited quietly, with their heads down, and even their breathing was adjusted from automatic to the lowest gear of the automatic gear.

"Gorgeous." Wang's voice suddenly sounded from above and fell downwards.

Zhao Yaotiao's heart trembled and she responded.

"Raise your head." Wang's voice was gentle: "Let me take another good look at you."

Zhao Yaotiao slowly raised her head and tried her best to control her body from shaking.

In the abundant candlelight, she could clearly see that her husband's usually thin face had become even thinner and unrecognizable.

"Your Majesty..." Zhao Yaotiao called softly with her lips pursed, tears streaming down her face.

Affection is expressed on the face and in the words.

Qin Wang Zichu thought it was funny, so he laughed:

"Why are you crying? Are you reluctant to leave me?"

He leaned forward, the gleam in his eyes more dazzling than the candlelight, not like a dying man at all:
"Well, would you like to go with me?"

Going together means being buried alive with him.

Zhao Yaotiao looked directly at her husband, the king, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

She couldn't control her body and started sobbing.

Her body trembled, her head nodded, and tears fell one by one.

She seemed unable to suppress her sadness, and responded with tears, saying only an affectionate "OK".

Prince Chu of Qin walked down the platform step by step and came in front of his queen.

He scratched the queen's nose and wiped away the tears from her eyes with his thumbs:
"I am teasing you?"

"Your Majesty!" Zhao Yaotiao threw herself into the arms of Qin Prince Chu and burst into tears.

Prince Chu of Qin gently embraced the queen:
"How can I bear to see you die? You must live well and live my life to the fullest.

“Zheng’er is still young, he can’t be left alone.

"I will grant you the power of regent.

"Before Zheng'er comes of age, you must assist him well..."

Prince Chu of Qin spoke gently, and his last words sounded like love words.

Zhao Yaotiao's heart slowly settled down and her body stopped shaking - she survived.

She didn't know that Prince Qin Chu suffered from a hidden disease that could cause him to die suddenly at any time, and she had always thought that she would die.

Lin Xiangru's favorite granddaughter, the most famous lady in Handan, Zhao State.

How could a woman who was able to live with Ying Zheng in Handan, the capital of Zhao, for eight years after the Battle of Changping not understand politics?

Ever since Qin Wang Zichu stopped touching her, she began to feel a sense of crisis.

Then Prince Chu of Qin allowed her to be regent and even told her that she could find a man in private.

The sense of crisis reached its peak and she thought she would not survive - the King of Qin wanted to eliminate the interference of foreign relatives and kill the mother and save the son.

She didn't expect that it was not her who died, but the king.

(End of this chapter)