The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 235: King of Qin, Husband and Wife, Monarch and Minister, Brothers

Prince Chu of Qin held Zhao Yaotiao in his arms and said to Lü Buwei, who had also lost a lot of weight:

"I will trouble you a lot with the affairs of the court, sir."

Lu Buwei cupped his hands and slowly lowered his head:

“I have been looking for three local doctors these days. They are very skilled in medicine and are said to have the ability to bring people back to life.

"I would like to bring these three doctors to see the king and treat him."

Qin Prince Chu sneered:
"The imperial physician who treated me last time said that as long as I take his prescription, I can live at least another six years.

"I am the King of Qin, and I can make the whole world fear me. Being deceived once is shameful enough, how can I be deceived again?
"Death is death, there is nothing to fear."

All the doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau had examined Qin Prince Chu's pulse, but no one dared to claim that they could prolong his life.

If the Qin Imperial Medical Bureau couldn’t do it, how could folk doctors succeed?
The so-called masters are among the common people, but in most cases it is just a joke.

Lu Buwei lowered his head again and bent his waist.

Prince Chu of Qin patted Zhao Yaotiao on the shoulder and whispered in her ear:
"You go back to the palace, I will tell the Prime Minister something."

Zhao Yaotiao hummed, moved gently, and was about to leave.

No twitching.

Qin Wang Zichu held her with his strong arms.

Zhao Yaotiao's ears felt slightly itchy and warm, and a smaller voice followed:

“My queen.

"Lü Buwei's power is so great that even I dare not touch it easily.

"Most of the Nine Ministers were employed by him, and even those usually arrogant generals were very convinced of him.

"I wanted to do it slowly, but I don't have time.

"The lord is young, and the ministers are powerful, so the country is going to be in chaos.

"After I left, you are the person closest to Zheng'er. You must protect Zheng'er."

Lu Buwei was not far behind her. Zhao Yaotiao could not react much and hugged Qin Prince Chu tightly to show her determination.

She broke away from Qin Wang Zichu's arms, her eyes, which usually exuded charm, were filled with determination.

In his eyes, there is the majesty accumulated from being in power for these days.

She nodded slightly and heavily to Qin Wang Zichu.

She turned around, with red eyes, and nodded slightly to Prime Minister Lu Buwei, without any hint of targeting him.

She wiped her tears and walked to the palace gate with unsteady and unrhythmic steps.

He gently pushed the palace door open and walked out into the cold wind.

Prince Chu of Qin sat back on the throne and forced Lu Buwei to come to his side and sit next to the throne.

He said to Lü Buwei, who looked a little terrified:
"Now that Zhao Ji is gone, I can finally speak to you from the bottom of my heart.

“These days, the queen has taken advantage of her illness to expand her power.

“I want to manage it, but I am powerless.

"Now the Lin family has grown so big that they have even extended their influence to the military. This is all my fault.

"When a hen crows at dawn, it means trouble for the family. I know this will cause chaos in the country.

“But as I am about to die, the country cannot afford to endure any more upheavals, so I will have to let the prime minister handle the external relatives.

“If I leave, Zheng’er is still young and cannot be left without his father’s care.

"I will let Zheng'er worship you as his father and call you Zhongfu.

“Sir is Zheng’er’s father, the person closest to Zheng’er.

"Please, sir, protect Qin and Zheng'er."

Lu Buwei's face was filled with gratitude, emotion and excitement.

He knelt on the ground, prostrating himself at the feet of Qin Prince Chu, weeping:

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will do my best to assist the Crown Prince until my death!"

Lu Buwei kowtowed and raised his head.

As he looked up, he suddenly saw a pair of knees falling vertically in front of him.

Lu Buwei, who had a legendary life and experienced countless things, was really stunned this time.

He was full of disbelief and raised his head slowly, bit by bit, like a slide.

Prince Qin Chu gradually appeared in his sight, kneeling.

Lu Buwei's mind was confused and he couldn't speak for a while.

When Prince Chu of Qin was still called Qin Yiren, no matter how much he expressed his respect for Lu Buwei, he never knelt before him.

Now he has become a king, the King of Qin, the most powerful king in the world, and he actually kneels before him.

Qin Wang Zichu burst into tears, looking ashamed:
"I thank you on behalf of Zheng'er and the State of Qin!"

Lü Buwei seemed to have just woken up, and hurriedly helped the king up:
"What is this, Your Majesty? What is this?"

He kept mumbling over and over incoherently, and this time he was truly terrified.

Besides the fear, there was also a sense of relief.

He had never thought that the King of Qin would kneel in front of him.

He knew that his king did this on purpose to win his heart.

But he still feels good.

Knowing and doing are two different things.

Apart from Prince Chu of Qin, Lu Buwei had never heard of any other king kneeling to his subjects after becoming king.

Since ancient times, ministers have always knelt before their kings, but kings have never knelt before their ministers.

Lu Buwei left the front hall of Xianyang Palace in a daze, feeling mostly at a loss, but also a little bit... relieved.

Prince Chu of Qin sat on the throne, lying on his back, and breathed a sigh of relief.

A real throne, it’s so comfortable to sit on.

The Qin State's grand court meeting was held in the front hall of Xin Palace, and King Zichu of Qin sat on a straw mat.

During the small political meeting in the council hall, Prince Chu of Qin was still sitting on a straw mat.

In private, Prince Chu of Qin usually sat on a straw mat.

This is not about enduring hardship, but about setting an example.

He used his actions to establish himself as a hard-working person and to set an example of frugality for the Qin State.

Throughout his life, he shouldered the responsibilities of the King of Qin, but did not enjoy many of the blessings of the King of Qin.

Qin Wang Zichu recalled with a slight smile on his face.

If there is any blessing, it was that he enjoyed a little bit of it when Cheng Jiao was still around.

He is frugal, but his boy is not frugal at all.

Chairs, tables, cooking, mahjong, billiards...it's really a one-stop shop for eating, drinking, and having fun, and knows everything except women.

Woman... Yaoyao... Qin Wang Zichu's eyes were stunned.

He only married two women in his life, one was Zhao Yaotiao and the other was Ji Yaoyao.

During the reign of King Xiaowen of Qin, there were countless beauties in the harem.

After Prince Chu of Qin ascended the throne, the city became cold and lonely, and there were even rumors of ghosts.

"If Cheng Jiao succeeds to the throne... with Yaoyao's intelligence and love for his son, there will be no need for Lu Buwei." Prince Chu of Qin looked up at the ceiling of the palace and murmured softly.

About half an hour later, a eunuch came in and announced:

"Your Majesty, Zongzheng requests to see you."

King Qin Chu nodded in agreement.

Footsteps were heard, and Qin Qi, who was given the title of Lord Weiyang and the official position of Zongzheng, entered.

Standing in the audience, Qin Qi had a cold expression on his face:

"Why did the king summon me? Are you going to pass on the throne to me?"

Prince Chu of Qin laughed so hard that tears came out.

He ran down the platform, taking off his crown and robes as he ran.

When he ran in front of Qin Qi, he swung it with all his might.

The crown and robes were scattered, blocking out the candlelight for a moment, and were draped over Qin Qi.

Qin Qi didn't move at all. He looked at Qin Wang Zichu coldly, with a mocking look on his face.

Prince Qin Chu walked around Qin Qi and said with a smile:
"Brother, this robe suits you very well, better than me."

He lowered his head and looked at himself, looking skinny.

Qin Wang Zichu smiled bitterly:

"This dress was tailor-made for me, but now I can't support it..."

Qin Qi sneered:
“It’s all your own fault!
"You who killed my father should be punished!"

"Yes, there should be such retribution." Prince Chu of Qin sighed and pulled Qin Qi to the throne.

He put his hands on Qin Qi's shoulders, pressed Qin Qi onto the throne, and smiled:
"Brother, how does it feel to be on the throne?" Qin Qi leaned back, put his arms on the armrests of the throne, and said unceremoniously:

"Very good."

"If it weren't for me, this position would have belonged to my eldest brother." Prince Chu of Qin sighed again.

"Qin Zichu! Stop pretending!" Qin Qi slapped the armrest, his eyebrows and eyes turned upside down, pointing at Qin Zichu and shouting: "If you really think you have stolen my throne, then don't pass it to the prince, give it back to me! Will you give it back?"

Prince Chu of Qin remained silent, lowered his head, and shook his head slowly.

Qin Qi sneered, and his straightened body collapsed again:

"I knew it.

"Put away your clumsy tricks.

"I'm not moved, I'm just disgusted!"

"I didn't give it back to you, brother, because the court wouldn't allow it." Qin Zichu spoke slowly, looking directly at Qin Qi: "Prime Minister Lu Buwei is Zheng'er's teacher, the largest Zhao clan relative Lin is Zheng'er's maternal family, and the Queen Mother Huayang personally arranged playmates for Zheng'er. Brother, under such circumstances, how can I give the throne back to you? If I give it back to you, wouldn't that be harming you?"

Qin Qi laughed out loud, and the louder he laughed, the louder he laughed.

He slapped his thigh and pointed at Qin Zichu who looked serious:
"Qin Zichu, ah Qin Zichu! You are still pretending to be a brother when death is imminent?"

Lord Weiyang suddenly jumped up and grabbed the Qin Prince Chu by the collar.

The crown and robes on his body could not keep up with his violent movements and slipped off the throne.

Qin Qi gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words:

"There are only two of us here! Who are you acting for now? Huh?
“You killed your father for the throne.

"It's ridiculous that a beast like you is worried that the throne will cost me, Qin Qi's life!"

Qin Wang Zichu broke free, took two steps back, reached out and took out a roll of animal skin from his arms, and handed it to Qin Qi:

"After father died, didn't my eldest brother ask me for an explanation? This is the explanation."

Qin Qi did not answer:

"What is this?"

"Brother, you will know it at a glance." Qin Wang Zichu shook his hand, and the animal skin also shook: "Brother, don't you dare to accept it?"

Qin Qi snorted coldly, snatched it away, and opened it suddenly.

With just one glance, his expression changed drastically and he closed the hide more violently than when he opened it.

He looked at Qin Wang Zichu as if he was looking at a madman.

"You..." Qin Qi took a long time to squeeze out the next sentence: "Are you testing me and want to kill me?"

He held up the hide:
"Is this palace filled with assassins and axemen?

“As long as I walk out with this royal decree, my head and body will be separated, and I will die of illness like my father.

"Qin Zichu, if you want to kill me, there's no need to go through so much trouble!"

Qin Wang Zichu looked helpless:

"My elder brother is the head of the Qin family and the leader of the royal family, why would I want to kill him?
"Ministers such as Lü Buwei, Meng Ao, and Duke Biao all harbored ulterior motives and put their own interests before those of Qin.

"External relatives such as Zhao Yaotiao and Mi Buming are even more unreliable, and they are always trying to usurp the Qin family and establish the Lin family or Huayang family.

"The only people who truly care about the Qin State are the royal family."

Qin Wang Zichu held his chest with a sincere look on his face:
"Brother and I both have Qin's blood flowing in our bodies, and the royal family is one.

"If I don't trust my elder brother, who else can I trust?

“My elder brother’s talent is ten times greater than mine.

"If Zheng'er is capable of being used, please assist him, big brother.

“If Zheng’er is not capable of success, please, my elder brother, after you have dealt with the court and the relatives, you can declare yourself king.

"The Three Families divided Jin, and Tian Chen usurped Qi. This must not happen in my Qin State!"

He pointed at the animal skin in Qin Qi's hand and said:

“A copy of every decree issued to the king is kept in the palace for reference to prevent forgery.

“After I die, I will give the right of care to my eldest brother.

"Brother, you must not let anyone steal another royal decree.

"Otherwise, this animal skin given to my elder brother to clear out the entourage and establish a new ruler is not a royal decree, but a death warrant."

"Keep pretending." Qin Qi sneered.

He waved the animal skin in front of Qin Wang Zichu's eyes, almost hitting him in the face.

"Want to kill me? Are you afraid that I will rebel after your death and clear obstacles for your son?" Qin Qi put the animal skin in his arms, strode towards the palace gate, and shouted: "I'll give you this chance! Come and kill me!"

The palace gate opened, the cold wind blew in, and Qin Qi disappeared at the door.

After closing the palace door, Qin Qi took a breath of cool air and scanned the officials around him with his sharp eyes.

The official did not move.

Qin Qi's expression did not improve, but became even gloomier.

He strode out, ready for an arrow to pierce his head or chest at any moment.

The wind howled like a ghost crying and a wolf howling.

Qin Qi's heart was pounding.

Even if one is not afraid of death, it is difficult for him to maintain normalcy when facing an unexpected death.

What is more difficult than death is waiting for death.

He walked and walked, and walked out of the Xianyang Palace...

Two moments later, the door of the front hall of Xianyang Palace opened with a bang!

Qin Qi turned back and broke into the house.

The eunuchs who were unable to stop Qin Qi knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly to Qin Prince Chu to apologize.

Prince Chu of Qin waved his hand, signaling the eunuch to go down.

In this situation, the eunuch simply said thank you and hurried out of the palace and closed the door.

Prince Chu of Qin sat back on the throne, with the crown symbolizing supreme dignity pressed down on his buttocks, and said in surprise:
"Why are you back again, brother?"

"Qin Zichu, you win. You are indeed more suitable to be king than me!" Qin Qi pulled out the animal skin from his arms and threw it on the ground.

Turn around and leave.

"Go and die in peace!" The voice was distant and filled with anger.

Prince Chu of Qin stared at the roll of animal skin on the ground for a long while.

He waved gently.

Then a palace maid walked to the center of the hall, picked it up, and respectfully handed it to Prince Chu of Qin.

Qin Wang Zichu slowly unfolded:

【Qin Xi, a member of the royal family, is equal to me in rank. If there is any inconvenience, please do as you see fit.】

He looked at his handwriting for another long while.

wave.

The palace maid came with a candle.

Prince Chu of Qin rolled up the animal skin and slowly inserted one end into the candle wick.

Fire starts as a seed and turns into a snake.

It spit out its tongue and rushed up violently.

Prince Chu of Qin gently threw the burning animal skin away, and the flames floated in the air, illuminating his face, which became brighter and brighter.

"Call the prince." He said in the light.

The Central Palace, Chengjiao Palace, and Liyi Palace.

Prince Zheng of Qin has been staying in this palace for the past month.

There were candles on the tables in the palace, and chairs next to them.

Prince Zheng sat on a chair, flipping through the most fundamental book on Qin's governance - The Book of Lord Shang.

He flipped through the pages very quickly, and couldn't concentrate...

His father was about to die, how could he concentrate on reading?

There was a knock on the door.

Prince Zheng roared in anger:
"Enter!"

A man who was not dressed as a eunuch entered, moved in front of Crown Prince Zheng, and knelt without saying a word.

Prince Zheng frowned:
"Zhao Gao, what have you done wrong?"

Zhao Gao kowtowed, his hands trembling, and handed over a bamboo slip:

"Prince, I am a villain."

Prince Zheng's eyes lit up, and he snatched the bamboo slips without waiting for Zhao Gao to finish speaking, without hearing what Zhao Gao said next.

He held the bamboo slips and read them under the candlelight:

[I believe in my brother, does my brother believe in me? ]

(End of this chapter)