The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 320: Rebellion is no joke, a life-and-death situation between master and disciple
After King Zheng of Qin finished speaking, he waited patiently for an answer from Lü Buwei, who was not only his teacher, but also his father-in-law and prime minister.

As you wait, your legs begin to send a message of slight numbness and soreness to your brain.

Since Prince Chengjiao invented the chair, there were few people in Qin who could sit upright for an hour or two. Qin Wangzheng was one of these few people. He sat upright like this every day when he was studying in the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall.

Once your mind is elsewhere, it is easy for it to wander.

King Zheng of Qin thought from his numb legs to the unusual warmth in the room. Although it was not as warm as most of the palaces in the Qin Palace which had eight floor dragons, the amount of wood burned to keep the room warm in this weather would not be small.

Qin Wangzheng, who sometimes particularly liked to imitate his younger brother's speech, chuckled, and it was hard to tell whether it was joy or ridicule:

"Commander, your room is short of chairs. Are you going to chop up the chairs and use them as firewood to warm the room?"

Lu Xiang, who had not answered the previous question, immediately answered this one, his eyes revealing a distant look:

"This house is warm not by firewood but by coal."

"Coal?" It was the first time that King Zheng of Qin heard this word.

Knowing that Zhongfu was as wealthy as a country, he thought it was a rare item and said nonchalantly:

"Maybe you can take it and have a look?"

"Bring me a piece of coal." Lu Buwei habitually raised his voice slightly and gave the order.

After giving the order, he realized that there was no one around to help him run errands, so he left unfinished:
"I'm going to get coal for the king."

The ageless old man stood up with some difficulty. His legs were so sore and swollen as he had kneeled for half an hour longer than King Zheng of Qin. They felt swollen and numb when he exerted any effort.

King Zheng of Qin looked at him for a moment, then extended a hand without saying anything. He just silently supported the powerful minister, whom he had killed countless times in his dream, and went to find the piece of coal that he actually didn't care much about.

The two walked to the northeast corner.

In the corner, there was a large woven basket with irregular weaving. It was obvious at first glance that it was not a government product but a crude folk product.

There were many sparse black pieces in the woven basket, which looked like ink.

Some are shiny, some are gray, and most of them are objects seen on the road that can be kicked at most if they are in very good shape.

Lu Xiang picked up a piece and handed it to Qin Wang Zheng:
“These are collected from white phoenixes, and there are countless of them.

"When it burns, it produces thick smoke and lasts longer than dry wood.

“If Master Chengjiao hadn’t mentioned it, I would have passed by it without recognizing it and would have thought it was just an ordinary stone.

“Charcoal is a valuable commodity, used by the nobility.

"Coal is cheap, but it can be distributed to the people to help them get through the cold winter."

King Zheng of Qin said "hmm" but didn't react much. Although he clearly agreed, his expression seemed to show that he didn't.

When Lu Buwei saw this, he was a little disappointed.

She silently pushed away King Zheng of Qin's hand, walked back to the straw mat and sat down alone.

As soon as Fang sat down, he asked the first question that had not been answered for a long time:
"There is no distinction between true and false treason, and there is no such thing as a show. Those soldiers and my retainers are not actors who can be manipulated at will. They can act whatever they want."

So, before he even sat down, King Zheng of Qin realized that his guess was correct. Although this rebellion was hasty and unreasonable, it was true in the end.

He knelt on the straw mat and sat up straight again, no longer thinking about suppressing the person in front of him. He said what he was thinking in a normal manner:
“Rebellion can be divided into true and false.

“Although it is difficult to conceal the fake treason from the old Qin nobles and outsiders, the lives of our commander and our brothers are safe.

"If the commander is really planning a rebellion, there is really no need to worry about what the old Qin nobles and outsiders think. The death of the Bai family is even more reasonable. However, our brothers may really die tonight, and the commander may really become king.

"I know that I have always been disliked by my teachers, that's fine, but what about Cheng Jiao?

"Master, have you ever thought about Cheng Jiao? At least you can tell the Twelve Lords not to harm Chang'an Lord's life."

King Zheng of Qin paused, giving Lu Buwei room to speak in his defense.

Lü Buwei said nothing, so King Zheng of Qin continued:
"Why did Cheng Jiao kill the Bai family tonight? At first I couldn't understand why. I thought that only a person infected with madness could do this. How could my wise brother do this?

"After hearing what Master said, I have some guesses. Let me tell you about it and you can think about it and see if what I said is right.

"Cheng Jiao attacked the Bai family tonight for me and for the master.

“The Bai family was destroyed by Cheng Jiao. If my teacher and I had not intervened in time, and he had killed people and fled outside the pass, Qin would not have tolerated him.

"My throne will be as stable as the 800-li Qinling Mountains, and there will be no rivals. The position left by the Bai family will also be taken by me, and my power will surpass that of my master.

“The commander has always supported the Bai family. The demise of the Bai family is a major blow to the commander’s prestige, much stronger than the Bashu Chamber of Commerce turning against him.

“If anyone wants to join our master’s school again, they will think carefully about the destruction of the Hundred Families, and at the very least they will hesitate.

"If one person hesitates, it's for his own sake. If hundreds of people hesitate, it's for the sake of momentum. The commander's momentum is weak, but his momentum is strong. Although the commander will not have the same chance of turning things around as Cheng Jiao who left for Qi, the difference is not far off.

"The commander has been very powerful in the past six months. If he had the same royal blood as me, Qin would have been the commander's kingdom long ago.

“But the commander didn’t.

"The commander's surname is Jiang Lu, not Ying Qin.

"Without this title, it will be difficult for the commander to recover once he falls. With the strategy shown by the commander, the rare goods are worth a lot of money, and each word is worth a thousand gold. It seems that they are all gamblers who risk everything on their family fortunes. In fact, they are cautious, cautious, and confident big businessmen. They will definitely give up the unprofitable business of rebellion.

"Cheng Jiao has been refusing to believe that the commander would rebel tonight. It's not that he can't accept his own failure, but he doesn't want to believe that the commander would choose a dead end where either we die or the commander dies. In any case, one side will die.

"I can detect the abnormality. Cheng Jiao's wisdom is a thousand times greater than mine. I think he should have detected the abnormality a long time ago.

"Cheng Jiao sacrificed himself to choose a way for me and my commander to live together. My commander was grateful but not grateful. He hastily started a rebellion to cover up Cheng Jiao's mistakes, but he did not tell his men to spare Cheng Jiao's life.

"I have been here for such a long time, but the commander has not even asked whether Cheng Jiao is safe or not.

"Cheng Jiao loves me and his teacher, but does his teacher really love Cheng Jiao?"

Lü Buwei, who looked old despite his age, had a hint of anger between his brows, and his specially grown beard trembled like the roar of a frightened beast:

“Did I make him love me?
"He loves me more than he loves the people, and his small love is more important than his big love. He might as well die!

"If you two die tonight, it means you are too incompetent! You are so incompetent that you are not worthy of ruling Qin and ending this world. It is better for me to do it myself!

“Love, huh.

"His intelligence and wisdom were all used on the gains and losses of people and things.

“He could see the general trend of the country and the future thousands of years, but he could not let go of the present which was destined to pass.

"His commotion is only to buy you and me twenty or thirty years of coexistence, but it will cost us a thousand or even ten thousand years of people's livelihood.

"Will I not grow old and die? Won't you grow old and die?
"No one can live forever. Peng Zu lived to be eight hundred years old, which is the maximum for a human being.

"If I have to live through another eight hundred years of this chaotic world, I don't want to!

"Confucius said: 'Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.'

"What you want for yourself is what others hate. Forcing others to do what you want is not a good thing, but a great evil!"

Prime Minister Lu, who hadn't been so angry for a long time, spoke harshly and his eyes were as hard as steel.

Rebellion is a violent uprising in which everyone must die.

If Ying Chengjiao died in the rebellion he hastily launched, he deserved it!

Born in troubled times, the incompetent should die, there is no reason to talk about it.

If he hadn't died, he would have left a deep lesson in Ying Chengjiao's heart and forced Ying Chengjiao to change.

Ying Chengjiao's attack on the Bai family disrupted all of Lü Buwei's plans, because it was irrational and a variable that Lü Buwei had never imagined. Lü Buwei's hasty rebellion was also irrational, and it created a variable for Ying Chengjiao, making all of Ying Chengjiao's painstaking plans go to waste.

Both of them are telling each other through their actions that no one can calculate everything.

Both of them are practicing the path in their hearts.

The path ahead for Ying Chengjiao is to survive together with his teacher and brother.

Lü Buwei did not look at what was in front of him, but rather gazed at the road a hundred steps away. He could sell everything he had now in exchange for his grand plan, including his own life and Ying Chengjiao's life.

Prime Minister Lu, who had sold King Xiaowen of Qin, King Zhuangxiang of Qin, the head of the Bashu Chamber of Commerce, Prince Dan of Yan... and finally sold Prince Chengjiao, sold his own feelings, and even sold himself, was breathing heavily, trying his best not to let his personal feelings show.

To achieve great things, one must be able to give up small things.

This does not mean that you cannot have small love when you want to achieve big things, but that when big things and small love are placed on both sides of the scale, you can decisively choose big things.

Lu Buwei never asked about Ying Chengjiao's safety.

When King Zheng of Qin entered his room, he could sit down and discuss philosophy with him and ask him questions, and he already knew the answers.

If Ying Chengjiao was really dead, could King Zheng of Qin, who had mobilized half of the troops from the five palaces in Xianyang overnight for his brother, just come up and make a few sarcastic remarks and then let go of his grudge and seek a solution?
Haha, at that time, what was feared was not only King Zheng of Qin, but also King Sword of Qin.

Even though he knew it, he still wanted to confirm it in person.

He held back.

He doesn't ask.

Leave the trouble.

This trouble not only comes to Ying Chengjiao, but also to... King Zheng of Qin.

His disciple was not just Ying Chengjiao, but also King Zheng of Qin.

If we only talk about teaching, he taught King Zheng of Qin much more than he taught Ying Chengjiao. He said more than once that King Zheng of Qin was more suitable to be king than Ying Chengjiao.

The old prime minister picked up the bamboo slips on the table and smashed them hard on Qin Wangzheng:
"Not knowing the truth, you mobilized the troops of the five palaces and went there in person as the king. How absurd! Is this what I and your teachers taught you?
“You can sit here peacefully.

"My soldiers were unable to kill you, and your people were also unable to kill you. It's not because you, King Zheng of Qin, are capable, but because you are lucky!

"Ying Chengjiao is very calculating and relies on calculations for everything. If his calculations fail, he will be in a state of confusion and there is no way to remedy the situation.

"You never plan for anything, and always think that being a king is something great. Your noble birth makes you look down on everything and despise power. You are not as good as your brother.

"Do you think that your words are God's decree based on the blood flowing in your body? You disdain to use the imperial mentality of the previous king. Was the Qin State so chaotic when the previous king was alive?
"The previous king was able to suppress me, and I can suppress you. Why don't you reflect on yourself? Do you think your luck will always be this good?
"You are sitting in front of me now. If I want to kill you, you will die. Why do you think I don't kill you? Is it because of your last name?"

At this point, Lu Buwei, who had just needed help to walk, suddenly attacked and flipped over the table like a nimble cheetah!
The fox fur cloak danced in the air, hiding the figures of the two people.

When the clothes fell to the ground, the aging Prime Minister Lu was already riding on Qin Shi Huang, pinching Qin Shi Huang's neck with one hand and exerting force with his five fingers.

Qin Shi Huang's face quickly became red, and he wanted to resist but his hands and feet were out of control.

The brain cannot issue commands if it is deprived of blood.

People who hang themselves do not die from suffocation, but from cerebral ischemia. This process is extremely fast and there is no way to save themselves.

As long as you hang them up, even someone who can do a hundred pull-ups will not be able to pull them up, and someone who can hold his breath for five minutes will die within half a minute.

One breath, two breaths... In less than ten breaths, King Zheng of Qin was on the verge of losing consciousness.

When he woke up again, he felt like a lifetime had passed. It really felt like a lifetime ago.

He was absolutely certain that he would not wake up in ten more breaths.

He struggled to get up, holding his neck.

The commander seemed not to have moved, sitting behind a small table, wearing a fox fur coat.

Everything that just happened seemed like a dream.

Qin Wangzheng coughed heavily, and his throat hurt when he spoke. He endured the pain and said with difficulty while coughing:

"How long has it been?"

"Less than thirty breaths." Lu Buwei clenched his empty fist to his mouth and coughed lightly twice.

A heavy cough and a light cough sounded at the same time, and Lu Buwei lowered his eyes:

"You have the upper hand and are already the winner.

"Whether you are seeking knowledge or wanting to show off your kingly demeanor by being alone with me, this is the behavior of a fool.

"Qin Zheng, I have just killed you. You have died once. Your luck has run out, and your status as a noble is gone.

“The teacher has a message for you.

“You, you must plan things.

"Cheng Jiao, you can't trust all his plans."

After a long time, the heavy coughing sound disappeared.

"Disciple, I will accept your instruction." King Zheng of Qin bowed his head.

"Yeah." Lu Buwei nodded, with worry flashing in his eyes. He wondered if King Zheng of Qin had heard it.

He couldn't tell whether King Zheng of Qin had listened or not, he had long since lost track.

It's a good thing that Prince Zheng of Qin is shrewd, but it makes him a little worried now.

"Cheng Jiao... Commander, go and tell him in person." King Zheng of Qin took a deep breath and couldn't help coughing twice.

In the face of Lü Buwei's incredulous eyes, Qin Wang Zheng raised the corners of his mouth:

"Master, you killed me, so I will give you your life.

“Wei Zhe can be the Duke of Huangshi.

“Lü Buwei can also be Lord Li or Lord Zhang.

"Father's heart can accept Wei Zhe's rebuttal, so why can't I?"

"Wei Zhe did not rebel, I did." Lu Buwei's chest heaved like the wind.

He spoke each word with emphasis:

"Wei Zhe's confrontation with the late king was something that had been agreed upon with the late king long ago, and it was for the late king to regain power.

“I am plotting rebellion to usurp the throne and seize power, and to kill you to become king.

“You don’t kill me.

“One day I will be recognized, and the whole country will know that you have pardoned a treasonous man.

"The sound of rebellion will never cease."

"Then kill them all." Qin Wangzheng's eyes were filled with confidence, and his words were as cold as a knife: "If you rebel, you will be killed. Let them know that Qin Jian will not fall on the master, not them."

"You brat!" Lu Buwei shouted.

Xiao Ji was overwhelmed by his figure. He pressed on Qin Wang Zheng again and strangled Qin Wang Zheng's throat tightly.

"Since you won't listen, then go to hell!" Lu Buwei's neck muscles bulged, and his five fingers were like iron hooks, exerting force.

(End of this chapter)