The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 349: Anyone who dares to remonstrate with the Queen Mother again will be killed and have his back pricked by a thorn
"Li Si." Qin Wang Zheng ignored Mi Chen and asked, "What did you advise me the other day?"

Li Tonggu, who was sitting upright like a bell, stood up, clasped his hands, and shouted loudly in the hall:

"S said.

“Governing a country is not in accordance with the ancient ways!

“If the ancient system was correct, there would be no change of dynasties.

"Yu was the Xia Dynasty, Xia was the Shang Dynasty, and Shang was the Zhou Dynasty. The system changed with each succession.

"The Eastern Zhou Kingdom is the last remnant of the Zhou Dynasty, destroyed by the previous king. Judging from past events, it is the will of heaven that Qin should take over the world.

“But if you don’t make progress, don’t change, and just believe in the old system.

"Even a heaven-sent opportunity is unattainable. Our ancestors worked hard to build a good foundation, but in the end, they only made clothes for others to wear!"

A Qin official in the hall got up from his chair and wanted to refute Li Si's words.

King Zheng of Qin did not give them a chance.

Qin Wang Zheng, who had already realized the situation and lost patience with the ministers in the hall, put his hands together and shouted "Cai":
"What Tonggu said really struck a chord with me."

He stood up from the throne and looked down at his ministers, his eagle eyes flashing with cold lightning:

“I have made up my mind.

"If anyone dares to remonstrate with the Empress Dowager again, he will be killed and his back will be pierced with thorns."

Finished.

King Zheng of Qin left, leaving only his back to his ministers.

This was the first time that King Zheng of Qin withdrew from the court not by words but by action.

He was expressing his anger, expressing his determination.

He thought that this would make the group of old Qin nobles who were seeking death behave themselves, and would make the outsiders and relatives who could not see the situation clearly recognize the situation.

There was silence in the hall.

King Zheng of Qin’s last words were too violent.

They were butchered and killed, and their backs were covered with thorns.

This is a more cruel way to die than being torn apart by five oxen. Even the execution of slaves would not be so brutal.

"The king is so cruel that he is even worse than King Jie of Xia and King Zhou of Shang!" Xidi, an old general who was not very famous in the army, roared.

"How dare you!" Chang'an Jun, who was about to get off his chair, shouted angrily, pointing his spear to the west: "Although you are an elder, you are still a subject. How dare a subject criticize the king!"

"Stupid! Lord Chang'an is stupid!" Xidi, who thought Lord Chang'an was a gentleman, was not angry. He looked at Ying Chengjiao with regret: "Your Majesty has imprisoned the Queen Mother in Yongcheng. The next step is..."

The old general was still not satisfied. How could Ying Chengjiao, who was known as the son of Ying, not know this? He understood what he meant, and the anger in his phoenix eyes became more intense:
"How dare you, old thief! Not only did you not change, but you also dared to criticize my king again and again!
"Someone come! Capture him for me!"

"Let's see who dares to move!" Xidi kicked over the chair, stared at Ying Chengjiao with his eyes wide open, and refused to give in.

The two officials outside the hall looked at each other, feeling awkward.

Neither advancing nor retreating.

If this was an order from King Zheng of Qin, they would obey it.

But this was an order from Lord Chang'an, and the one being taken was Xidi, the old patriarch of the Xi family. This...

Ying Chengjiao shouted angrily, "Hurry up and take him down", and murderous intent was unconsciously accumulating in his heart.

If my grandfather were still alive, the West Land would have been taken.

If this happened in Chengjiao Palace, the West Land would have been taken.

The time and place are wrong, which is why this old thief from Xidi can stick his neck out and speak nonsense here.

"Catch the bird!" The old general stood on the ground and pointed at Ying Chengjiao who was standing on the chair: "You bastard! You are just the crown prince! You are not the king yet!"

"Old thief!" Ying Chengjiao jumped off the chair, his eyebrows raised: "How dare you insult me ​​like this? Come fight me outside the palace!"

"I'm not afraid of a guy like you!" Xidi responded with a sneer.

The eyes of the generals in the hall lit up one after another, and their attitude towards Chang'an Jun improved a lot.

Fighting as soon as there is a disagreement is the style of the Qin people. This guy is good!
It's just... a little bit talkative.

What are you talking about? Why are we meeting outside the temple? Just go up and beat me!
The military generals were eager to watch the fun, and the old Qin nobles, who regarded Ying Chengjiao as an ally, could neither sit still nor kneel, and stood up one by one to persuade him.

"Please calm down, Master Xi, please calm down!"

"Don't be impulsive, my lord. Think twice before you act."

"Don't let others laugh at you."

"..."

In the end, the battle did not break out.

Mi Chen, Meng An and other old Qin nobles blocked Chang'an Jun's way and formed a human wall to separate him.

Xishan, the head of the Xi family, took the opportunity to pull his father away effortlessly.

This was the fastest and most chaotic disbanding of court since King Zheng of Qin ascended the throne.

Six days later.

The locust flowers in Xianyang in early summer are like snow, fluttering down under the eaves of the Weinan Jun mansion.

In a large courtyard in the mansion, twelve brass ice jars exuded a hint of coolness. The waiters kept adding ice cubes picked up from the ice cellar to them to resist the rising heat.

When Meng Hua, the old patriarch of the Meng family, was supported by Meng An, the patriarch of the Meng family, and walked into the courtyard, he saw a group of maids holding carved porcelain plates.

The porcelain plate was filled with freshly picked bayberries and cherries, the bright red fruits sparkling in the sunlight.

In the distance, musicians were playing the zither and the clear sound of the strings intertwined with the croaking of frogs by the pond, creating a sense of leisure.

"Mr. Meng is here!" Weinan Jun Jian Jian stood up to greet him personally.

Today, Lord Weinan was dressed in a noble manner, and the clothes he wore were much more exquisite than when he entertained the students of the Imperial Academy.

He was wearing a dark-colored robe with intricate cloud patterns embroidered on it. A set of green-white jade was hung around his waist, which made crisp clanging sounds when he walked.

Behind Jian Jian, there were more than twenty black lacquered food tables arranged in a fan shape, filled with delicacies such as roasted deer, steamed pork, and fish sashimi, as well as newly brewed plum juice and iced chopped wine.

"What a great birthday banquet." Meng Hua's voice could be heard from afar, his eyes sweeping over everyone at the table.

Wang Kuan, the head of the Wang family, was using a sharp dagger to cut the roasted meat on the table in front of his clone. The fat dripped onto the charcoal fire, making a sizzling sound.

Xidi, an old friend who always showed a bad temper, was holding a bayberry and looking at it quietly, which was very rare.

Next to my old friend, my nephew Xishan sat quietly in the corner, tapping the table with his fingertips, as if counting something silently.

"Mr. Meng is joking." Lord Weinan raised his hand and signaled the waiter to pour wine: "How can I call my words good in front of Mr. Meng? The banquet I saw is far inferior to Mr. Meng's banquet. It is an exaggeration to get a word from Mr. Meng."

"Mr. Jian is so humble." The wrinkles on Meng Hua's face were squeezed together and wrinkles appeared when he smiled.

"Hey? You really mean it!" Jian Jian, who was almost the same age as Meng Hua and had the title of a noble, had an obvious look of flattery on his face: "If Lord Meng's birthday banquet had not been over, it would not be my turn to take care of such an important event today."

Jian Jian was afraid that Meng Hua would misunderstand.

This parliamentary session is extremely important, no less important than the last strike of the Qin Noble Parliament.

The last parliament was held under the guise of Meng Hua's birthday party, and this parliament was held under the guise of Jian Jian's birthday party. Jian Jian didn't want Meng Hua to think that this was a sign that the Jian family intended to take a further step.

He is not Wang Kuan. He is very satisfied with the current situation of the clan and does not want to take the lead.

Meng Hua smiled even more, and after being introduced by Jian Jian, he sat down to the table and asked casually:

"Everyone is here?"

"Except Yangquan Jun Mi Chen." Weinan Jun helped Meng Hua sit down: "The rest are here."

"Okay, okay." Meng Hua nodded, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

With the arrival of the Meng family, Meng Hua sat down and the banquet officially began. There was a burst of rapid drum beats, and twelve dancers spun into the courtyard to the rhythm.

They were dressed in light, plain gauze gowns with scarlet ribbons tied around their waists.

The dancing sleeves fluttered like lotus flowers blooming in the pond.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is the Lotus Picking Dance performed at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet last year?" Wang Kuan narrowed his eyes and spoke in a subtle tone, picking up a piece of roasted meat and putting it into his mouth.

"That's right." Lord Weinan, who was sitting in the main seat, smiled and said, "Although the king forbade people to talk about the Queen Mother, he did not forbid dancing and music."

Meng An sneered, and the waiter asked for a bottle of iced sour plum soup. He remembered that this was the favorite drink of the old patriarch of the Bai family when he was alive.

Take a sip, the sweet and sour taste spreads on the tip of your tongue, and look into the distance.

The central palace reaches into the clouds, appearing and disappearing under the shade of the nearby locust flowers, like a dormant beast.

"Brothers, uncles." After drinking the sour plum soup, Meng An stood up.

Today, his father is here, so he should speak first and take charge of important matters.

People attending the banquet cast their eyes over, and the dancers paused a little while dancing.

Wang Kuan subconsciously touched the jade pendant around his waist. It was given to him by his son Wang Wan, who said it was a gift from the king.

"The king has imprisoned the queen mother in Yongcheng." Meng An continued, "At the last court meeting, the king made it clear that anyone who dared to speak for the queen mother would be killed."

King Zheng of Qin spoke these words in a very gentle tone, but Meng An spoke them in a very cold tone, causing many people to look angry.

Veteran Xidi suddenly slammed the table and stood up:

"Absurd! The Queen Mother is the King's biological mother, and she is our support!

"This guy is not imprisoning the Queen Mother, he is clearly planning to attack us again!

"This move will cut off our assistance!"

"Brother Xi, be careful with your words." Meng Hua smiled and reminded softly, saying meaningfully: "Be careful, there are ears on the other side of the wall."

He didn't know if there was anyone present who was loyal to King Zheng of Qin, so he took it as a warning.

Wang Kuan's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained normal.

"Bullshit!" Xidi glanced at the many leaders of the Qin clan in the hall and said viciously: "Whoever dares to spread what I said today, I will peel off his skin!"

Meng smiled secretly after receiving his father's signal, and tried to smooth things over:

"Everyone here is an old Qin noble, how could there be a third ear? Father is worrying too much.

"What we said today came out of our mouths and entered our ears. There is no reason for it to be leaked to anyone else."

"Say something useful, how to solve this problem." Wang Kuan coughed lightly and said, "Should we invite Queen Mother Zhao back?"

The last incident significantly raised the status of the Wang family, which was on par with the Meng and Xi families. Therefore, although these words were meant to stab the head of the Meng family, no one thought it was excessive.

A trace of displeasure flashed across Meng An's eyes, and he smiled:

"Brother Wang is so anxious, I believe he has made a plan. May I ask what you think?"

If you are in a hurry, speak first.

If what you think is true, it seems that you are a follower of my Meng family.

If it is different, I will reject your advice and suppress your arrogance, Wang!
"Kuan thinks that this matter needs to be considered carefully." Wang Kuan seemed to be unaware of Meng An's intentions and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty has a strong character. You must keep your word. Don't let us lose our lives in vain."

[If you think differently, then your Wang family cannot be the master of the Qin family.] Meng An's smile this time was more sincere and came from the heart:

"Brother Wang, this is wrong.

“It is precisely because the king is tyrannical that we should unite even more.

"When the Queen Mother was still alive, she was able to restrain the King.

“Now that the Queen Mother is imprisoned, the King will only become more unscrupulous.

"If this continues, the status that our ancestors paid for with their blood will be gone!"

Meng Hua chewed his food and nodded slowly:
“That’s exactly the point.

“The king wants to reform and weaken our power, but the queen mother advocates maintaining the status quo.

“This is the real reason why the King imprisoned the Queen Mother. The King wants to clear away the obstacles to the reform.

"If you do nothing, you will kill yourself."

Wang Kuan hesitated and said:
"It's not that I don't respect Lord Meng, but... the king said it himself that if anyone dares to speak of the queen mother again, he will be killed and his back will be thorned!"

When Wang and Meng confronted each other, the table suddenly became quiet and everyone was silent.

The beautiful dancers, who were dancing to the end, all had sweat on their foreheads and bowed as they left.

The musicians enter.

The Qin war song "Wu Yi" suddenly resounded throughout the courtyard.

As the host, Weinan Jun suddenly stood up, and the jade pendant on his waist jingled:
"Just tell us what to do, Lord Meng. We have been working under his guidance, and his decision has not been missed."

"No one is perfect." Meng Hua smiled bitterly and shook his head. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "I think we should write a joint letter to ask the king to welcome the queen mother back."

Everyone's eyes were focused on Wang Kuan, and they saw Wang Kuan's face change drastically and he stood up suddenly.

Wang Kuan bumped into the table, and a bottle on the table fell down:
"Mr. Meng! The king has issued a clear ban! This..."

"It is precisely because the king has forbidden it that we must do this!" Meng Hua said with a kind face, "No matter how tyrannical the king is, he can't kill everyone. As long as we have enough people, the king will not dare to act rashly."

He looked at the crowd with a sharp gaze:
"Gentlemen, do you agree?"

The clan leaders who had originally watched the Wang and Meng clans compete with each other regained their composure.

No matter how lively it was, they still had to think carefully about the matter. This matter concerned each of them, and they fell into deep thought as they listened to the sound of "Wu Yi".

Your Majesty, can you really kill everyone?
If they could really do that, didn’t they kill everyone during the last strike?

How dare he?

"Let's do it!" The old general Xidi slapped his thigh and said, "As long as there are enough people, that kid won't dare to do it! Does he think he has risen in vain?"

"Then..." A clan leader at the banquet asked, "How many people do you want?"

"As for people, the more the better. The more we have, the safer it is, and the more it can demonstrate our determination. I think everyone here should do this together." Meng Hua said slowly.

Wang Kuan said anxiously:

"If the king really kills..."

"Then let's burn it all together!" Xidi slammed the table, "I want to see how Ying Zheng can govern this huge Qin State without us old Qin nobles!"

Wang Kuan wiped the sweat from his forehead:
“What Xigong said is absolutely true.

"But this move is too... too much force. Why not send a few people to test it first?"

"My dear nephew, have you forgotten what happened to your Wang family in the Court of Justice?" Meng Hua said with a smile, "If all the officials like me had joined forces, your family would not have died."

Wang Kuan looked unhappy.

Meng An continued his father's words and said:
“It’s easier to die when there are fewer people.

“The more people there are, the safer it is.

"Brother Wang, don't be stubborn."

Meng Hua winked at Weinan Jun, and the birthday star Jian Jian once again stood up at the critical moment:

"Mr. Meng has a great idea. I'd like to sign my name on the book!"

"You are so afraid of death!" Xidi looked at Wang Kuan with disdain: "Put my reputation first! If you want to kill someone, kill me first!"

(End of this chapter)