The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 329: Thunder in the rainy night, the king's power is like a sword. Pingyang Ancient Roa

Chapter 329: Thunder in the rainy night, the king's power is like a sword. Pingyang Ancient Road, Wang He shed blood
Next to the Council Hall, the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall where Qin Shi Huang studied when he was young has a new plaque with the words "Fengtian" on it.

It rained heavily today.

Fengtian Temple.

The brass lamp shining with golden light swayed violently in the draft, stretching the figure of King Zheng of Qin on the hall wall with the newly painted black bird totem.

In the Qin State, if there was a painting of the Xuanniao or the word "Xuanniao" written on a place, that place would be of top importance.

The flickering candlelight and the interweaving of light and shadow made Qin Wangzheng's face, which had been stern since yesterday, even more sinister.

The young emperor was bent over his desk reviewing bamboo slips. His red brush drew sharp marks on the silk. Even before the ink dried, an unquestionable murderous aura was revealed.

Do these old ministers, the ones passed down from the great-grandfather the king, think that he is weak and can be bullied just because he doesn't kill people?
How presumptuous!

Outside the hall, the autumn wind blew the fallen leaves against the black lacquered pillars, making a rustling sound.

The eunuchs stood on both sides of the palace gate with their heads bowed, and even their breathing was deliberately light, for fear of disturbing the king who had just been bumped by the veteran general Wang He.

Although the sound of rain and the palace door blocked their way, King Qin Zheng could not hear them even if they whispered and laughed.

The rain curtain is like a hanging curtain, and a black bird lives in the curtain.

Chang'an Jun's unique carriage with four horses galloped to a stop in the square in front of the Council Hall not far away.

A figure broke through the rain and broke into the Council Hall. The word "brother" could be faintly heard in the wind and rain.

Soon, the figure ran out of the Council Hall and hurried to the Fengtian Hall, and the voice became clear.

"Brother!"

Ying Chengjiao walked into the hall quickly, his clothes were soaked and dripping with water. There was also a fine layer of sweat on his forehead, but no one knew it except him.

Zhao Gao received a signal from King Zheng of Qin and made a gesture to the attendants in the palace.

The eunuchs and palace maids in the hall waited for a moment, and seeing that the king did not say anything, they bowed slightly and tactfully retreated to the outer corridor one by one.

In the old hall with the new plaque, only two brothers were left, one standing and the other sitting across a table.

"The commander died, Duke Meng died, Fan Yuqi and Teng died in rebellion, and last year Duke Bie died." Ying Chengjiao's voice echoed in the empty hall.

Echoes mingled with the voices:
"Scouts from the six nations are appearing frequently in the interior of the country, and you, brother, are currently carrying out a major blood transfusion in the country, taking action against all the old Qin nobles.

"Removing Wang He at this time is inappropriate and would be like cutting off one's own arm."

Behind the desk, King Zheng of Qin slowly raised his head.

Under the candlelight, his eyes were as deep as a cold pond:

"Don't I know what you are saying?"

"..."

"I know everything!" King Zheng of Qin suddenly waved his sleeves, and the bamboo slips on the table were swept to the ground with a "clatter".

The red brush rolled down, leaving a glaring red mark on the silk. The king, who had endured it for a day and a night, burst out in front of the person closest to him:

"Do I want to dismiss Wang He from his post?

"It was this old man who came to me and said that I was mean and ungrateful! He said that he could not serve me! He took the initiative to resign!

"He called me a scoundrel, saying that I was stubborn and self-willed, and cursed me for not being able to sit firmly on the throne!
"He dares to be so presumptuous, isn't it because of what you just said? Isn't it because I can't do without him right now?

"I just gave him a higher title! I just said in front of all the ministers that I hope to give him a title of nobility, and he treated me like this!

"He broke into the palace late at night, cursing the emperor and the king. Wang He is so arrogant! Does he think he is a teacher?!

"He thinks that I can't live without him, and Qin can't live without him! I'll let him see whether I can live without him, and whether Qin can live without him!"

King Zheng of Qin was panting like an angry tiger.

Ying Chengjiao swallowed secretly and his head started to hurt again.

He didn't know the details of the conversation between Wang He and his brother, nor did he know that the conflict between the two had been so intense.

Given my brother's temperament, it was already a favor for him to deal with Wang He in such a low-key manner.

"It's really too much..." Ying Chengjiao agreed with his brother's words.

If you want others to listen to you, it is easier to start by agreeing with their opinions. Ying Chengjiao used his conversation skills in front of his brother.

The young man smiled bitterly and said:
"But you know, brother, that all military commanders have stubborn tempers.

"Wang He is already so old, and his only bloodline is on the run, so he speaks without thinking.

"Brother, please don't bother with him as he has fought for the Qin Dynasty for thirty years.

"For the sake of the greater good, can you revoke your order?"

"It is precisely because of these that I did not punish him." Qin Wangzheng sat back in his chair and said coldly, "I even retained his title and did not stop his salary. Isn't what I have done enough?"

The boy was about to speak.

King Zheng of Qin stood up, holding the table, and the hook of his jade belt hit the bronze table with a clanging sound.

He took a few steps closer to his brother, his young face slightly distorted with anger:
"I spoke first, and his grandson disobeyed my order later.

"Is it not right that his grandson died?

"Wang He insulted me in the court, and even spit on my face. Do you want me to bear his spit and wait for it to dry?
"I don't try to establish my authority, but my dignity and face cannot be trampled on by anyone at will. Wang He doesn't have the qualifications.

"You have.

"Now that you are here, I can take back my decision and give him a chance.

"At the next court session, as long as this old man kneels down and confesses his guilt, I will reinstate him.

"Otherwise, let him go back to Pinyang with his pride! Let him see what will happen to the country under my rule!"

Suddenly, a loud thunder exploded outside the palace, and heavy rain poured down in an instant.

The rain fell along the eaves, splashing a mist on the bluestone slabs.

Amidst thunder and lightning, the young man left the Fengtian Hall.

King Zheng of Qin lowered his eyelids.

My brother is gone, but the water marks are still there. He came in such a hurry...

Only his younger brother can make him instinctively protect him even in his rage.

Even when he was most angry, King Zheng of Qin did not say that he killed Wang Yan in order to leave the palace and save his brother.

Huxiongfang, commonly known as Jiangjunfang.

Today, a general who fought in the Battle of Changping is leaving.

Inside Wang He's mansion, servants were silently packing up military books and armor.

The old locust tree in the courtyard swayed in the wind and rain, and the fallen leaves mixed with rain soaked the bluestone steps.

Wang He was standing in the corridor, carefully wiping a Qin sword and wrapping it with burlap in circles.

This is the sword given to him by his old friend Meng Ao, and it is the most ordinary Qin sword.

The sword is worth very little.

The sword is worth its weight in gold.

The inscription of the word "龁" on the sword was crooked and ugly, and it glowed coldly under the lamp.

The characters were carved by Meng Ao himself.

Back then, Wang He called Meng Ao a birdman because the character "龁" was too ugly, saying that he was insincere and stingy. Not only was the sword not expensive, but he was reluctant to hire a craftsman to carve a word on it.

There were a few tiny cracks left on the blade, and the blood from the cracks had already seeped into the sword and could not be wiped off.

"My lord, Lord Chang'an is here to visit." A retainer came to deliver the message.

The veteran paused and continued wrapping the cloth:
"Just say that the old man is not feeling well."

Outside the mansion, Ying Chengjiao's brocade robe was soaked by the rain.

After learning the report, the young man saw the busy courtyard in the rain through the gate and knew that he could no longer be polite.

He pushed aside the guards who were blocking his way, rushed straight into the inner courtyard, and shouted at the old figure in the corridor:

"Old General, are you really going to abandon the Qin Empire?!"

The old general who heard the shout slowly raised his head.

Ying Chengjiao's heart skipped a beat as he approached.

This iron-blooded veteran who once participated in the massacre of 400,000 Zhao soldiers now has sunken eye sockets like dry wells, and the scar on his forehead looks even more hideous under the reflection of lightning.

The eyes beneath the scar were lifeless, as if they were taken from a recently dead body.

"You bastard! I'm Sun Yin!" the old general raised his voice.

He didn't finish his words, he just stopped talking in an instant.

The young man in front of him looked like a drowned rat, without any trace of the elegance of a prince.

"Forget it..." The old general sighed dejectedly: "Biao Gong is dead, Meng Ao is dead, you don't want to die. You must live well, and it's best to stay away from the King of Qin." The old general took out a piece of bamboo slips from his arms, held it in his hand and showed it to the young man.

A bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the crooked writing on the bamboo slips:

[Accompanying the king is like accompanying a tiger]

The handwriting is exactly the same as the character "龁" on the Qin sword in Wang He's hand, and it was written by Meng Ao.

The heavy rain hit the bluestone slabs, and Wang He's voice mixed with the sound of rain:

"Shang Yang was torn to pieces by chariots.

"Wu Anjun ordered death.

"Mr. Biao ordered him to be put to death.

"This Xianyang is even more cannibalistic than his mother's Changping."

Ying Chengjiao opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was dispersed by the sound of rain. He swallowed a mouthful of rain water and felt that he had never seen Wang He like this before.

Like a trapped beast that has been cornered...

At night, at three o'clock in the morning, there is a curfew.

An inconspicuous carriage stopped at the side door of the Meng family mansion.

Wang He, wearing a cloak, walked into the mourning hall.

The white flags fluttered in the night wind, and the candlelight cast a long shadow on Meng Ao's spirit tablet.

Meng Tian knelt in front of the coffin in mourning clothes, his broken arm particularly eye-catching.

"Prince, are you...really going to leave?" Meng Tian raised his head, his bloodshot eyes swollen like peach pits.

Wang He did not answer.

The old general put his hand on the coffin and said nothing.

a long time.

He suddenly pulled Meng Tian up and stuffed an object into the young man's one-armed palm:
"Take it!"

"This is..." Meng Tian hesitated.

"The tiger seal, the Pinyang tiger seal, the Pinyang tiger seal that can be mistaken for the real thing." Wang He's voice was hoarse like gravel grinding against each other: "If one day the King of Qin cannot tolerate the Meng family, he will take his family to Pinyang."

Meng Tian was horrified and dropped his hand. He said in horror:
"Lord! How dare you... The King will kill you!"

The young man did not say the rest of the words.

Forging a tiger talisman is a capital crime! The entire clan can be exterminated!

"He can't kill me." Wang He sneered, the wrinkles on his face were as deep as knife cuts under the candlelight: "How long has it been since the border troops knew that the king has arrived?"

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely not allowed! It must be destroyed!" Meng Tian picked up the Pinyang Tiger Talisman on the ground and wanted to destroy it.

The veteran grabbed Meng Tian's arm with one hand and took the tiger talisman back with the other:

“You are just like your great father, loyal to the Qin family and devoted to the country.

"In that case, I won't give it to you."

Before turning to leave, Wang He took one last look at Meng Ao's spirit tablet. His voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible:
“Your father’s mistake was being too loyal.

“And this old man… was too stupid.

"If Wu Anjun has something to do, he should change."

Bai Qi's residence.

As the night rain approached, Ying Chengjiao tried every possible means, including emotional and logical appeals, just to ask Bai Qi to meet Wang He.

Wang He was an old subordinate of Bai Qi and once served as Bai Qi's deputy general.

The young man could tell from the old general's words that the old general's biggest concern about the Qin Dynasty was not the death of his grandson, but the death of Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an.

When the old general sees Bai Qi, he might not leave.

Bai Qi stood still like a mountain and resisted.

"Don't you think I've met too many people?" Bai Qi said coldly.

It's a secret that he is not dead.

When there are many people, there are no secrets.

"Mr. Bai, Lord Wu'an, Grandfather." The young man did not bother to change into the dry clothes that Bai Wuxia had given him, and kept saying in his wet clothes: "Just meet the prince! If you don't meet him, you will have to meet more people when the foreign troops come."

"Boy, those old Qin nobles are not as simple as you think." Bai Qi's eyes were emotionless: "If you don't keep it secret, you won't succeed. The danger is not only abroad, but also at home. Think about how I died."

Half a month later, Pinyang Ancient Road.

The spring sunshine lazily shines on the loess official road.

Wang He rode alone and slowly, following the ruts like an old horse that knew the way.

He took off his court robes and wore only a thick long gown, looking no different from an ordinary old man.

The crows on the cliff were suddenly startled and flew away, and Wang He reined in his horse.

Almost at the same moment, three crossbow arrows flew through the air.

The old general swung his sword with his backhand, and the Qin sword given by his old friend drew a cold light in the air, and the arrow broke with a sound.

"get out!"

Hundreds of black-clad warriors jumped off the cliff.

They moved as swiftly as wolves, but the standard marks on their weapons were deliberately removed.

Wang He narrowed his eyes, hid his head and tail, and dared not reveal where he came from?

That ruthless king was even more ruthless than he had imagined! He had no sense of responsibility or dignity as a king!

You actually sent someone to assassinate me!
"The Ying family crest?" He caught a glimpse of the dark pattern on the hilt of an assassin's sword while blocking, and suddenly laughed, "It's indeed the son of Ying Zheng!"

During the bloody battle, Wang He was hit by an arrow in the back.

The arrow was obviously poisoned, and the veteran's movements began to become slow.

The aged veteran still managed to kill seven people in a row, and blood splattered wherever the sword passed.

"Did the king send you here?" Wang He panted heavily, supporting his body with the tip of his sword against the ground.

The leading assassin sneered:

"So what? A dying man, how can you be so talkative!"

A spear suddenly pierced Wang He's chest from behind.

The old general fell to his knees, his blood quickly soaking the earth beneath him.

When he was on the verge of death, he vaguely saw the scene when he first joined the army forty years ago.

The young Yingji patted him on the shoulder and said:
"The great Qin dynasty depends on loyal and brave men like you!"

"Loyal and brave..." The old general coughed up blood foam and used his last bit of strength to insert the Qin sword given by his old friend into the loess.

Until his death, his body never fell down.

The mountain wind whimpered as it swept across the ancient path, blowing down a few young leaves that covered the old general.

In the distance, the outline of Xianyang City was looming in the twilight.

A few days later, in a mansion in Xianyang.

"Is he confirmed dead?" asked the old man in fancy clothes, stroking his jade belt hook.

"It's absolutely true." The man in black knelt on one knee and said, "I saw him die with my own eyes."

Several people at the table exchanged glances and smiled at each other.

Fengtian Temple.

Ying Chengjiao stood at the bottom of the stairs, holding the blood-stained fragment of Wang He's linen clothes in his hand.

Raindrops dripped down his hair, forming small puddles on the bluestone slabs.

It is raining today too.

The palace door suddenly opened wide.

"Dead?" King Zheng of Qin's voice came from the darkness, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.

"Yes."

"Check." The young king only said this one word, but it made all the servants tremble.

(End of this chapter)

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