The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 83 Father, why did you kill my grandfather?

Jingquan Palace.

The palace where the king's coffin was kept after his death.

There is no distinction between halls and rooms inside.

Apart from the four walls in the east, west, south and north, there are no other walls in the middle.

There is no light inside all day long.

There were no windows on the four walls. The palace door was made of two wooden boards carved with wailing black birds. When closed, it fit tightly together, and no light could enter.

The layout is extremely simple.

From the palace gate to the bottom of the wall opposite the gate, there is a long dark red carpet. The color has become dark as if it was stained with blood and left for too long.

There are an indefinite number of brocade cushions placed on both sides of the long carpet.

Some of the walls have a gap in the four directions, and some have a shelf hanging on them.

Within the empty space, on top of the shelf, there were thirty-six bright candles.

The candlelight is dim, as small as a bean, and it never goes out day or night.

It is gloomy all day long and there are few people.

Apart from a few hidden officials who came here to clean every day, there were no palace maids or eunuchs to be seen.

Even the few officials who were cleaning the place would leave as soon as they finished cleaning, in a hurry without stopping at all.

In the first year of Qin Wangzhu's reign, on the 22nd day of the twelfth month, at night.

Jingquan Palace is full of people.

On the right side of the red carpet were Prime Minister Wei Zhe, Minister of Grain Shi Cang, veteran general Bie Gong, veteran general Meng Ao and other important officials of the Qin State.

On the left side of the red carpet were Queen Mi Bushing, Crown Prince Qin Zichu, Weiyang Lord Qin Qi and other relatives of the royal family.

This layout was decided by Qin Xiaogong.

The Qin State respected the right.

Listing civil officials and military generals above maternal relatives shows that Qin's order to recruit talents is by no means a piece of empty paper and that attaching importance to talents is by no means an empty talk.

At the end of the red carpet, there is a coffin.

Inside the coffin, King Qin Zhu was lying with his head and feet three inches away from the coffin, as if this coffin was built specifically for him.

that's the truth.

Except for the king who died suddenly and died young.

The coffin palace, the imperial mausoleum and other items were all built when the King of Qin reached the age of 15.

Before the king died, all necessary items were prepared.

It will only be approved after the king has inspected it and is satisfied.

Beside the coffin, the old chief Qin Fei stood hunched over, leaning on a cane.

He frequently looked towards the gate of Jingquan Palace, remained silent and did not perform any ceremony, as if he was waiting for someone.

"Great-grandfather." Weiyang Lord Qin Qi, who was ranked just below the Crown Prince and the Queen, said, "Isn't the time coming yet?"

Everyone looked sideways at the old clan leader.

As usual, the time for Wang's wake and the time for condolences all had a purpose.

The late king passed away in September, only three months ago, and his coffin did not stay in Jingquan Palace for so long.

The old patriarch closed his eyes slightly, and a hint of sadness flashed across his lowered eyes.

He experienced this scene four times.

The first three times were his father King Huiwen of Qin, his eldest brother King Wu of Qin, and his elder brother King Zhaoxiang of Qin.

Now it was his nephew's turn, why had the situation not changed at all?
The body was still in the coffin and still warm, so they hurriedly urged the ceremony to be carried out.

When a king dies, he immediately loses all his status.

Everyone was waiting for the ceremony to end quickly so that they could move on to the next step.

[It’s really chilling…]
The old patriarch was speaking, his voice hoarse.

"The time has come, but Master Cheng Jiao has not arrived yet."

Qin Wu, the third son of Qin Wangzhu, questioned:
"During the funeral, I only heard about waiting for ministers and important relatives. Cheng Jiao is just a boy, not a minister. Although he is the king's grandson, he is not important enough. Why should we wait?"

"If that guy doesn't come one day, shall we wait here for one day?" Qin Xi, the sixth son of Qin Wangzhu, agreed.

The old patriarch slammed his locust wood cane, and after a "dong" sound, he said angrily:

"This is the king's last words, please stop making noise!"

"The king's last words? Who heard it?" Qin Xiao, the twelfth son of Qin Wangzhu, questioned.

"When the king passed away, the chief of the royal family was not by his side, right?" Qin Zhu, the tenth daughter of Qin Wangzhu, spoke up.

Afterwards, more and more members of the royal family came to ask questions, and it became very noisy.

The civil and military ministers all remained silent.

The number of people who learned of the death of the King of Qin at this time and came to pay their respects was even smaller than the number of people attending the grand court meeting.

These ministers are outstanding talents and are the top priorities of the Qin State. How could they not even have this little bit of patience?

The old patriarch banged his cane several times, but it was unable to stop the boiling noise, and he gasped for breath in anger.

Crown Prince Qin Zichu, wearing white mourning clothes and a black jade crown on his head, stood up.

He just glanced at his brothers and sisters with a sharp look, and his voice suddenly became much softer, like pouring a bucket of cold water into boiling water.

Qin Zichu returned victoriously with the merit of destroying the Eastern Zhou Kingdom and bringing the crown prince of Zhao State.

In the eyes of the royal family, his every move was full of majesty, and everyone was convinced.

Qin Zichu didn't put on airs, and just said in a gentle voice as usual:

"I heard it, what do you think?"

Whenever his eyes fell upon a relative, that person would look away and not dare to look him in the face.

Many people looked at Weiyang Jun Qin Qi, who spoke first.

Seeing that his elder brother did not move, he shrank his neck, sat upright obediently, and dared not say a word.

With one word from Crown Prince Qin Zichu, Jingquan Palace returned to silence.

Queen Mi Buming and her brother Huayang Bufei, who was the Chief Justice, looked at each other and saw the caution in each other's eyes.

The prince's prestige is too great...

The candle on the candlestick was changed, and the temperature in Jingquan Palace dropped several degrees.

Finally, a small figure walked into the open palace gate.

Wearing white mourning clothes.

His face looked slightly pale, but not haggard.

Her eyes were long and narrow, with no redness or swelling around them, and no signs of crying.

He stepped into the palace, his footsteps were light but they startled everyone.

Civil officials, military generals, and royal relatives all focused their attention on Ying Chengjiao.

Qin La, the seventeenth son of Qin Wangzhu, had already kneeled until his legs were numb. The moment he turned around, his face was filled with anger, and he blurted out a question:

"How come you're here, boy? I wonder if everyone is waiting for you!"

Before he could finish his words, he heard the sound of footsteps getting louder and louder, and knew that someone was approaching him quickly.

As soon as he finished speaking, he looked in the direction of the sound.

Crown Prince Qin Zichu, who was so thin that his facial bones were clearly visible, walked up to him and slapped him hard.

There was a crisp sound of "pop".

Qin La covered his face and wanted to say something harsh in his heart.

Facing Qin Yiren's fierce eyes, he couldn't say anything no matter how hard he tried.

His father, Qin Wangzhu, was fine yesterday, but when Qin Yiren came back today, he was lying in the coffin...

Qin La looked at his elder brother Qin Qi, wanting his elder brother, who had been competing with Qin Yiren for the position of crown prince, to stand up for him.

Qin Qi looked back, said nothing, and watched in silence.

Qin La knew that no one would help him.

He covered his face and muttered:
"How can you hit someone? It's not right..."

The more he spoke, the quieter his voice became, and he lowered his head.

Crown Prince Qin Zichu looked around, and no one dared to speak.

This slap hit Qin La's face and hit the hearts of everyone in Jingquan Palace, bringing out everyone's excitement.

The prince has finally gained power.

No, not the prince, but the king!
He can destroy foreign countries, control the ministers and ensure the safety of the royal family.

With such a king, why worry about the prosperity of the Qin State? The king should have been replaced long ago!
The old clan leader Qin Fei waved to Ying Chengjiao.

"Cheng Jiao, come here, let my king take one last look at you."

Everyone looked at him with strange expressions and sidelong glances.

This is not in accordance with etiquette.

How can a prince stand before princes and ministers?

"Go, Cheng Jiao." Qin Zichu said in a gentle voice.

The tall and thin prince stood in the middle of the field and told everyone, it's up to him.

Everyone was silent, hiding the strange looks in their eyes, and had no objection.

Ying Chengjiao walked to the coffin on the red carpet that looked like dark blood.

He was just taller than the coffin, and he held onto the coffin and stood on tiptoe to look inside.

His grandfather had a ruddy complexion and looked very healthy. Even his age spots had faded, making him look a lot younger.

Lying quietly in it, as if asleep.

As long as he calls, he will wake up.

"Grandfather..." he called neither lightly nor heavily.

The father didn't move.

"Cheng Jiao, my king has gone." The old monk was bending down and explaining in the young man's ear.

"Cheng Jiao understands." The boy nodded.

Of course he understands.

My grandfather's excellent complexion was due to the undertaker. My grandfather has passed away.

But he just wanted to scream.

The old ancestor patted him on the shoulder and did not ask Ying Chengjiao to leave.

He took two steps to the right, faced the crowd, raised his voice and said:

"Play music!" Long, heavy funeral music sounded, and the ceremony officially began.

Worship, bow, and kowtow.

After all the cumbersome formalities, it was time to agree on the posthumous title.

The civil and military officials on the left and the relatives on the right looked at each other, and no one could say a word.

How to determine this?
Prince Zhu of Qin had been on the throne for less than four months and had never been in charge of state affairs, which were all handled by the crown prince.

Beautiful posthumous title?

Qin Wangzhu did nothing good.

Bad posthumous title?

King Zhu of Qin did not do anything evil.

Ping posthumous title?

The meaning of "Ping" is to do things in a proper manner, not to not do them.

Everyone looked at the prince, and the meaning was very simple.

Prince, what posthumous title do you want? Just give it to me! Anything is fine!
Qin Zichu knelt in front of the coffin with tears in his eyes, banging his head on the ground.

"Wen! My father should be posthumously named Wen! Future generations should call him King Wen of Qin!"

An invisible storm swept through Jingquan Palace, and everyone was shocked and looked at each other.

They thought that the prince would give Qin Wangzhu a beautiful posthumous title, but they never expected that he would give him the word "wen".

The posthumous title “Wen” is so good.

In later generations, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, who was full of martial virtues and invincible bravery, told his ministers when he was alive that he wanted the posthumous title "Wen". After his death, he was posthumously named Emperor Wen of Tang.

Prime Minister Wei Zhe, who originally didn't want to speak, took a breath.

If it were any other beautiful posthumous title, it would be fine, but the posthumous title "Wen" really cannot be given. This is the most beautiful posthumous title among all beautiful posthumous titles.

He pursed his lips and said:

"Those who have been given the posthumous title of 'Wen' include King Wen of Zhou, who accumulated the foundation of the Zhou Dynasty and laid the foundation for the demise of the Shang Dynasty; Duke Wen of Wei, the founding monarch of the State of Wei, who created hegemony and appointed talented people; and Duke Wen of Jin, who dominated the Central Plains and led the State of Jin to its peak.

"The so-called 'Wen' posthumous title.

"The criterion of heaven and earth is called Wen, morality and broad knowledge is called Wen, learning diligently and asking questions is called Wen, loving the people is called Wen, caring for the people and benefiting the people is called Wen, and bestowing titles on the people is called Wen...

"My king's reign was short, and he died before he could do any of the above. If the crown prince were to force the posthumous title of 'Wen' on me, I think it is inappropriate. This would completely confuse the posthumous titles, and it would be difficult for future generations to use appropriate posthumous titles.

"It will also make the other nations that already laugh at our Qin being barbaric laugh at our Qin not even knowing how to take a posthumous title. This move will greatly undermine our Qin's dignity, and make our Qin further away from the Central Plains culture, making it difficult for us to achieve hegemony.

“I know the prince is filial and wants to give my king a beautiful posthumous title.

"The word 'wen' is too much. Let's change it."

All the ministers added their voices and agreed repeatedly.

Ying Chengjiao, who had once threatened to name his grandfather "You", listened to everyone's confident words and extremely serious tone, and thought of Kangxi's posthumous title.

He leaned against the coffin and spoke softly to his sleeping grandfather, sharing interesting stories with him.

"Father, how about calling you Qin Hetian Hongyun Wenwu Ruizhe Jingjian Kuanyu Xiaojing Chengxin Gongde Dachengren Wang?"

The father did not respond.

No one responded.

Although everyone was discussing the posthumous title of Qin Wangzhu, no one paid attention to the king in the coffin, but only the crown prince.

Crown Prince Qin Zichu insisted on giving the posthumous title "Wen" to his father.

Most of the ministers planned to obey.

What's the truth? Although Han Wenhou of Han was stronger than Qin Wangzhu, what he did was not worthy of the posthumous title of Wen.

There were only a few people who said no, and the leader was Prime Minister Wei Zhe.

Wei Zhe stiffened his neck and said that a great country must have the dignity and appearance of a great country, and the rules of conduct must not be disrupted. If they are disrupted, it will be harmful to the country. Not only will it be difficult for the country to progress, but it will also bring disaster to future generations.

At this moment, Lu Buwei, the chief secretary of the prime minister, stood up.

"To comfort the five ancestors is called filial piety, the ancestor of the five generations.

"Love for one's relatives is called filial piety, love for one's clan is called filial piety.

“The king respects and cherishes the memory of his ancestors, and he always travels to Yongcheng for every grand sacrifice.

"The lower class cares for and takes care of the clan members and their children. After they pass away, they still miss their clan members. If one of them is missing, the sacrifice ceremony cannot be performed.

"Such words and deeds are the most filial, and he should be posthumously named 'filial'.

"Plus, the prince thinks that the king can be regarded as a 'wen' character.

"And the Prime Minister thinks that the reason why I cannot be a 'wen' is because the king died young, and he is on the road to 'wen', and he has not done enough.

"Then why not give him the posthumous title of 'Xiao Wen'?

"The word 'filial piety' comes first, and the word 'culture' comes second. 'Filial piety' is the main thing, and 'culture' is the secondary thing. It means that filial piety is complete, but culture is not. What do you think?"

Everyone looked strange, this excuse was really awkward...

However, Crown Prince Qin Zichu nodded first to express his agreement.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Wei Zhe also nodded, thinking that although the posthumous title "Xiao Wen" was still excessive, it was much more low-key than the single word "Wen".

Finally, Queen Mi Buming looked at the prince with a cold face and said:

"You have already made your decision, why are you still looking at me?"

Qin Wang Zhu's coffin was not sealed, but his posthumous title was decided to be Xiaowen.

Known in history as King Xiaowen of Qin.

No one ever asked for Qin Wangzhu's opinion during his lifetime.

After Qin Wangzhu passed away, no one cared about his opinions anymore.

Everyone continued the ceremony according to the ancestral rules until it came to an end.

According to the rules, the crown prince should observe mourning for the king until the first day of October next year, and then change the reign title and take the throne.

After King Zhaoxiang of Qin died, King Zhu of Qin did the same thing and handed over state affairs to the queen and the crown prince.

But this time, most people were unwilling to follow their ancestral traditions.

Both the Qin State and they need a strong king.

Lu Buwei, the chief secretary of the prime minister, knelt down first and respectfully invited the prince to succeed to the throne.

Queen Mi Buming, who had been waiting for this moment, stood up immediately and did not give Lu Buwei a chance to speak.

"I am grieving and sad here, feeling depressed, and will follow my king in the next moment.

“Although this is also my wish, for the sake of Qin and my king’s last wish to strengthen Qin, I can only remain a useful person with sorrow.

"I really can't stay here any longer. You guys just follow the ancestral rules."

The queen left the stage abruptly, ignoring the requests of her ministers and relatives to keep her.

Lu Buwei looked at his lord and asked whether he should proceed according to the plan.

Although he could succeed to the throne of King of Qin without the witness of Queen Huayang, the succession would not be perfect.

If it is not perfect, then its name is not correct.

If the name is not correct, the words will not be correct.

Qin Zichu cried out in pain:

"My mother mourns, so how can I not mourn?

"Grandfather, can the ceremony continue tomorrow? Zichu wants to stay with father in Jingquan Palace for one more day."

The old patriarch is asking for everyone's opinions.

Everyone said that the prince was extremely filial and that this was a blessing for the Qin State and that he should be followed.

The old clan leader followed suit and ordered everyone to disperse, leaving only the prince and a few servants.

One by one, figures in white and mourning clothes walked out of Jingquan Palace. Soon, only the Crown Prince, the Junior Attendant, and Young Master Chengjiao were left.

The prince wiped his tears and patted his son's head.

"Cheng Jiao, go back and come back tomorrow."

Ying Chengjiao did not move, his back to his father. His words flowed like a gentle stream.

"Father, I want to talk to you in front of my great grandfather."

The boy looked at his grandfather's calm and gentle face and saw the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

The undertaker's skills were so high that the boy couldn't even imagine what his grandfather looked like when he was dying.

"Father, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hesitated."

The boy slapped himself hard.

He once thought about playing deaf and dumb and pretending that he hadn't noticed anything.

As long as he kept silent and ignored everything like everyone else, he would be the son of the King of Qin, a more noble prince of Qin than his original status.

Judging from the fact that the ceremony was not held until he arrived, and that his father stood up for him and allowed him to walk in front of his grandfather's coffin, as well as the way father and son got along in the past.

Although his father was strict, he could still be described as being very good to others.

The wealth and glory he obtains will not be less, but more.

He took his brother to court to listen to government affairs. His father, who had obviously made his choice, would no longer force him to study or practice martial arts. He could live a childhood that everyone dreams of.

When his elder brother Ying Zheng grows up and succeeds to the throne, given their relationship and Ying Zheng's historical performance, the favor he will receive will only increase to a higher level.

It is not good?

The future is bright.

My grandfather is dead, but the living must continue to live.

The boy slapped himself again, and when he was about to slap himself again, his hand was caught by his father.

Qin Zichu asked with red and swollen eyes:

"What did you do?!"

The young man did not answer, still looking at his great-father, Qin Wangzhu, in the coffin.

"My grandfather is so good to me, how can I ignore him?

"If I don't speak for the Father, no one will speak for the Father.

"Father, listen to me."

The young man turned his head, and his eyes, which had never shed tears, were clear and reflected Qin Zichu's tearful red pupils.

"Father, why did you kill my grandfather?"