The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 85: The hidden power of Master Chengjiao is like the backlash of a raging flood

In the square in front of Ganquan Palace, the prince's carriage with four horses did not move for a long time.

Mi Huang was lying on the window, looking out, blinking her eyes, which occupied a very large proportion of her body, as she stared at the flapping black bird carved on the carriage.

She rarely saw this pattern.

The black bird is the totem of the Qin State. Only the king, the crown prince, and some young men can use it, not the queen.

After watching for a while, Mi Huang got tired of it.

Children's interest comes quickly and goes away quickly.

"Grandma, the prince hasn't left yet." She shouted as she ran.

He ran through the front hall and pushed open the door of the back room with force.

She heard her grandma's voice before she saw her grandma.

"Close the door!"

"Oh."

She responded, closed the door obediently, and stopped her cheerful steps.

Her great-aunt's short, anxious words made her feel bad and temporarily suppressed her childish nature.

"Grandma, the prince hasn't left yet."

As she spoke, she walked over to her great-aunt and saw that she was pale and shaking all over.

She was so close that she could even hear the chattering sound of her great-grandmother's teeth.

She touched her great-aunt's hand and felt it was even colder than the snow that had fallen a few days ago, and she couldn't help but scream.

"Grandma, why are you so cold? You are shivering. Cover yourself with a blanket."

She climbed onto the bed to find a quilt to cover her great-aunt. The phoenix on the quilt was bathing in flames and singing with its head held high.

Mi Buming put his hand on the phoenix's body and tried his best to put on a smile for his most beloved granddaughter.

"It's okay, Grandma isn't cold."

She touched her granddaughter's still yellowing hair and looked at her face for a long time, which seemed like it would break if she just blew on it or tapped it lightly.

"Before I knew it, my little Huang is getting married..."

Mi Huang lowered her head slightly, pouting her lips, looking uninterested.

"Are you going to marry Mr. Jiao?"

Marriage is a necessary responsibility for children of aristocratic families who are born in and enjoy the blessings of aristocratic families.

Although she was born in a noble family and was young, she knew these things very early on.

Most of her brothers and sisters are like this, they have no autonomy in their marriages.

"Yes." Queen Mi Buming picked up her granddaughter, rested her chin lightly on Mi Huang's head, and murmured, "Don't blame the grandmother..."

The good son Qin Zichu surrounded the Xianyang Palace, and soon the news came that the king had died of illness.

This incident was completely unexpected for Mi Buming, and she is still scared now.

Yesterday she ran to the Xianyang Palace and proposed to King Zhu of Qin that they go out of Xianyang together to welcome the victorious prince.

King Qin Zhu denied it.

She returned to the palace in anger.

If King Qin Zhu had agreed to her yesterday, or if she had not left and stayed in the Xianyang Palace waiting for the prince, how would she be alive now?
When she received the news of Qin Wangzhu's death, she thought it through.

Her son was cold-blooded and ruthless. He even dared to kill his father and the monarch for the sake of profit. He was the same kind of person as King Zhaoxiang of Qin, who had made her live in fear for the first half of her life.

While she was alive, she had the title of queen or queen mother and held power, and the Qin Mi family and the Huayang clan could still be preserved.

When she dies, all these will be settled by her good son.

Now her good son holds great power and has become a big shot, and he is likely to be the next King of Qin.

She can't change anyone.

But she can choose someone else.

"Why is it Master Jiao?" Mi Huang asked in a low voice.

Mi Buming combed his granddaughter's yellow hair.

"The king is dead, and he is the only one who speaks for the king, even though he could be as silent as everyone else.

“As long as he doesn’t say anything, he can continue to be a prince of Qin, and maybe even a crown prince.

"Only if a man like this values ​​friendship over profit, Grandma will feel comfortable marrying Xiao Huang to him."

Mi Huang raised her head and asked in confusion:

“Didn’t Grandma say that Young Master Jiao only relied on the King’s favor?
"As soon as the king died, Master Jiao was imprisoned in Xianyang. He no longer has anyone behind him.

"Should I still marry a man who needs the help of his grandmother to get out of Xianyang Prison?"

Queen Huayang looked at the beautiful nails on her hands.

“Look…

“If only Grandma spoke for him, Xiao Huang would not marry.

"There's no need for him to come out. He can just die in Xianyang Prison."

[Ji Yaoyao, I will wait and see who else will speak up for you...]
Aristocratic families put their own interests first.

I always do things that add icing on the cake, and never do things that provide charcoal in the snow.

Less than an hour after Chengjiao Palace was sealed, a sense of desolation began to gradually grow.

The people are still the same as before, but they all seem to have lost their vitality and life, like zombies repeating their behaviors in life.

The prince's carriage with four horses drove into Chengjiao Palace. The prince in the carriage turned a blind eye to everything, as if it was not his fault.

The carriage moved slowly.

Whichever palace you go to, the palace officials, palace maids, and eunuchs of that palace will cast their eyes upon you.

Chengjiao Palace has been sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter or leave except the crown prince, who is in charge of the king's affairs and power.

The carriage stopped in front of Li Yigong.

The prince got off the carriage, opened the door, and walked into the second son's bedroom.

In addition to the waiter who should be here, he also saw his wife, Ji Yaoyao.

"You shouldn't be here."

Ji Yaoyao sat on the chair, gently rocking the small rocking chair next to him, as if his son was still sitting on it.

"Where should I be then?"

"Ganquan Palace." Qin Zichu strode forward and stood in front of the lady, saying, "I don't know how you convinced the queen, but since you did it, you should seek her protection."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here." Ji Yaoyao was wearing mourning clothes. The white color made her look even prettier and her fragile beauty increased. "I promised Jiao'er that I would wait for him here. Jiao'er must be very sad when he comes back and doesn't see me."

Qin Zichu grabbed Ji Yaoyao's wrist and forced her to look at him.

"That was yesterday! Why didn't you wait for that brat yesterday? Why didn't you stop that brat?"

Ji Yaoyao smiled gently.

"Why stop him? That's what he wanted to do.

"He is my son, not my slave.

"As his mother, the only thing I can do is to find a way out for this impulsive child.

"He can settle the things he can settle, and I, Ji Yaoyao, will settle the things he can't settle."

Qin Zichu tried his best to suppress his anger.

"After the king passed away, I became the supporter of that bastard!

"The reason why they continue to be respectful to that brat is because of the throne that sits under my butt!

"If he gets into trouble, I will be his escape route!
"He has wronged me, so where is his escape route? Who dares to be his escape route?
"Who would want to offend me, the future King of Qin, for a seven-year-old child who has no support and has completely lost his power?
"You are fair, why are you fair?

"Rely on your motherland that only knows how to plot and scheme?
"If South Korea dares to shout, I will destroy it in an instant!"

Ji Yaoyao's left wrist was in pain after being grabbed. She frowned and pushed Qin Zichu's hand away with her right hand.

Looking closely, there was a circle of red on the wrist, with a faint bluish-purple tint.

She rubbed her wrist, looking nonchalant.

"Since you think you can control everything, why do you come to me? You are not thinking about sex, are you? Then you should go to your other wife Ji."

With raised eyebrows and squinted eyes, she looked like a fox spirit that had been practicing for thousands of years.

“The Zhao people are much more fun in bed than the Han people.

"You said so, my dearest, King Qin."

"Yaoyao, don't force me." Qin Zichu's eyes flashed with pain, and he said, "Tell me what you did, and we can still be like before."

"So what if I force you!"

Ji Yaoyao, who was rubbing her wrist the previous second, suddenly stood up without any warning and bumped into the prince, forcing the unsuspecting prince to retreat three steps.

"Before I asked you to bring King Zhaoxiang of Qin to see Jiao'er, I told you that this was the first time I would use Jiao'er, and it would also be the last time.

"Qian'er is my bottom line, you already know that!

"You will soon know what I have done. Before you meet Jiao'er, you and I are destined to be strangers!"

Raising her snow-white swan-like neck, Ji Yaoyao extended her right index finger and gently stroked her throat.

"How about killing me?"

"You know I won't kill you." Qin Zichu took a breath and said, "You are the person I trust the most. I will leave all the internal affairs in your hands."

"Don't say that useless bullshit. I'm not Lu Buwei! You should go to the next place." Ji Yaoyao said impatiently, "You haven't sent Zheng'er to the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall today, why don't you go quickly."

Ying Zheng has always lived in Chengjiao Palace.

Chengjiao Palace is closed and no one is allowed to enter or leave.

Without Qin Zichu coming to pick him up in person, Ying Zheng could not leave.

"Given their brotherly love and your interference, it is not difficult for me to guess what Zheng'er will do. Strike a class, right?" Qin Zichu did not wait for his wife to give an answer and continued, "I have ordered Ying Bai to pick up Yaotiao."

He turned and looked out.

"Guess, will Zheng'er listen to you, his adopted mother, or Yaotiao, his biological mother?"

The palace gate opened and Qin Zichu was about to walk out.

There was a loud "crash" sound.

There were seventeen eunuchs and palace maids inside the gate.

Outside the gate, there were twenty-four Langguan and one Zhonglang.

Forty-two people knelt down in front of him and kowtowed to the ground.

"Please, Prince, release the young master!"

The pounding of heads continued and the shouting never ceased.

Qin Zichu turned around and looked at his wife, a mocking smile flashing across his lips.

"Are these the people you found as the escape route? How ridiculous."

"I find it ridiculous too." Ji Yaoyao said with a smile, "But, I didn't arrange these people."

The prince's smile disappeared.

He listened silently to the shouting around him until the voices became hoarse.

Looking at the officials, palace maids and eunuchs with blood coming out of their foreheads.

He shook his robe and left quickly.

“No, Yaoyao, I was wrong again.

"This guy has won the hearts of so many people without making any noise..."

Ji Yaoyao didn't look at the prince's back. She sat down and continued rocking in the rocking chair.

"True love is only a burden in the royal family."

She smiled tenderly at the rocking chair, with a few red handprints on her face.

"Qiao'er is really amazing. Mother is waiting for you to come back."

The palace where Ying Zheng lived was very close to Li Yi Palace, and Qin Zichu arrived there in less than half a minute.

Before going in, he cast a questioning look at the Junior Attendant Ying Bai at the door - Has the Madam arrived?

Ying Bai nodded, indicating that Ji Yaotiao was already inside.

Qin Zichu breathed a sigh of relief.

The training of a successor monarch is as important as national affairs.

He adjusted his mood, opened the door and walked in.

"Zheng'er, your father..."

Qin Zichu took a quick look and saw only palace maids and eunuchs cleaning the front hall, and did not see Zhao Ji and her son.

So he went around to the back room and pushed the door open.

"Father is late. I should go to the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall... What happened to Zheng'er?"

He saw his eldest son lying on the bed, and his wife sitting beside the bed, holding one of his hands.

This scene seems like the eldest son is sick.

He frowned slightly, but was not too worried and walked over slowly.

The eldest son was fine in Jingquan Palace yesterday. He was only ill with a minor illness like a cold.

"As my husband can see, Zheng'er is ill." Ji Yaotiao lamented.

Qin Zichu stood by the bed and observed his eldest son.

The eldest son had his eyes closed, his face was rosy and he looked in very good spirits.

[This doesn't look like a disease.]
He took the eldest son's wrist from his wife's hand and gently placed three fingers on it.

"The pulse is beating strongly and regularly." Qin Zichu's face turned cold, and he swung his eldest son's wrist fiercely: "How dare you pretend to be sick in front of me! Why don't you get up and go study!"

The eldest son suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes were bright and lively.

Qin Zichu saw health, resentment, and even hatred in it...

Those emotions gradually faded away.

Ying Zheng sat up, leaned against the wall, and said in a deep voice:

"Please, father, let my brother go."

Qin Zichu had already anticipated his eldest son's strike, so he looked at his wife, waiting for her to persuade him.

If he forced his eldest son to do it and tied him up to study in the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall, it would probably backfire. This can be seen from the fact that the eldest son was playing wildly before he recognized his ancestral roots. The eldest son was very opinionated.

While the eldest son was having fun, he would send the gold, silver and jade he won to his wife's bedroom every day.

He knew that in the eldest son's heart, the mother who depended on him for everything was far more important than him, the crown prince, his father.

Ji Yaotiao smiled like a flower and held Qin Zichu's hand.

"Husband, don't be angry. Zheng'er didn't lie to you. He is indeed ill."

Qin Zichu's heart sank.

Although he had only a rough understanding of medical skills and could not cure diseases or prescribe medicine, he was still able to tell whether a person was healthy by taking his pulse.

The eldest son is clearly not sick.

"What disease?"

Ji Yaotiao put two slender fingers on Qin Zichu's arm and walked up like two little human legs.

"This disease is a little difficult to talk about, husband, please come closer."

This action made Qin Zichu doubtful. He wondered if his medical skills were not good enough and he couldn't give a diagnosis, so he put his ear close to the patient.

Ji Yaotiao licked her husband's ear like a kitten.

In the ear of the alert husband, the charming voice said:
"lovesickness."

Qin Zichu's blood rushed up.

Not desire, but anger.

It's not like he hasn't seen people who are lovesick before, and this is not the case at all.

He knew that the two brothers had a deep bond, but it was definitely not this kind of bond!
In order to save Han Ji's son, Zhao Ji actually made such a lame excuse and performed such a ridiculous play. Wasn't she tired of being an actress in Zhao State? !
He pulled Ji Yaotiao out of the back room, closed the door, walked into the front hall, and said in a suppressed anger:
"What did Ji Yaoyao say to you!"

Ji Yaotiao was about to cry, holding up her wrist which was still tightly held by Qin Zichu, and said:

"My husband hurt me."

As she spoke, tears began to fall, as crystal clear as pearls.

Coupled with the white mourning clothes that he had not taken off, it made people feel violent and want to ravage him.

Qin Zichu was indeed very violent in his heart.

Ever since he issued the edict, everything has gone wrong!

Queen Huayang did not negotiate with the emperor, and the virtuous wife Ji Yaoyao openly defected, so Ying Zheng, who had high hopes for him, went on strike and refused to attend the class.

Now, even Zhao Ji, who originally disliked a certain young man, has joined in and supported the young man to oppose him.

"Yao Tiao, you should understand." He sorted out his thoughts and tried to persuade his wife: "That bastard is in prison in Xianyang. I only have Zheng'er as a son. After a hundred years, the throne will belong to Zheng'er. I really don't understand why you are pleading for that bastard."

Ji Yaotiao wiped her tears, threw herself into Qin Zichu's arms, and sobbed:
“I know, I know it all.

“What else can I do?

"In this world, there is no cure for lovesickness."

The veins on Qin Zichu's forehead were throbbing.

Suddenly I remembered that after Zhao Ji and her son were assassinated, when Lu Buwei reported back to him, he wrote that Zhao Yaotiao called his second son "little husband".

Qin Zichu became more and more convinced that the lady in his arms did it on purpose, as this was what she was best at.

He felt his clothes being lifted on his chest, and it felt wet and itchy.

He pushed Ji Yaotiao's arms up with both hands, and saw that Ji Yaotiao's eyes were misty, her tongue licking her pink lips, and her face was as rosy as a peach.

I heard Ji Yaotiao call coquettishly:

"Husband~
"I can't help myself when I see you, and the same is true when Zheng'er misses that boy.

"If we don't let that brat out, how will Zheng'er study and practice martial arts?"

As she spoke, she was about to undress Qin Zichu.

Qin Zichu remained unmoved, frowned, stared at his wife's eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"I told you to stay away from Yaoyao.

“She is a Korean among Koreans, and she is the best at using conspiracy and trickery!

"Do you remember the group of people who assassinated you outside Hangu Pass?
"I said I would not investigate, but knowing that someone wanted to kill my wife and children, how could I tolerate it? I have been investigating secretly.

“I kept those assassins alive and tortured them to extract confessions. Today, I have finally made some progress.

"A prisoner couldn't bear the punishment and told the truth.

“When I came here, I just learned that the person who assassinated you and your son outside Hangu Pass was Ji Yaoyao!

"She wants to kill you and your son, but you still want to save her son!"

Zhao Yaotiao's charming face suddenly froze.

Her face changed from a charming smile to one of disbelief, and then to resentment, like a female ghost seeking revenge.

She screamed and grabbed her husband's left and right arms.

“It’s this bitch!

"Kill her, kill her immediately! I won't be able to sleep or eat unless I kill her!
"And Lu Buwei! Kill them together!"

Qin Zichu breathed a sigh of relief, but his face was very serious.

“I promise you.

"But Ji Yaoyao is my wife, and she has Korea behind her. If you want to kill her, you need to be cautious. I have already imprisoned her in Li Yi Palace. There will be plenty of time to slowly deal with her in the future.

"Lü Buwei is my first retainer and the first hero who helped me become king. Everyone is watching how I treat him, so I cannot be too hasty in killing him.

"You persuade Zheng'er first. I'll take him to class. We'll discuss killing these two people later."

Ji Yaotiao nodded obediently, and said with hatred on her face:

“Just as my husband said.

“I also want Zheng’er to study and learn martial arts as soon as possible so that he can inherit the throne in the future.

"Please, my husband, go and release that bitch's son!" Qin Zichu:...

"Yao Tiao." He held his wife's arms, shook them vigorously twice, and said with a hint of disbelief: "Ji Yaoyao wants to kill you and your son, but you want to save her son?"

Ji Yaotiao shed tears again and said while wiping her tears:
"Zheng'er has fallen in love with that boy, what can I do?

“Love is like this, I don’t know where it comes from, but it’s deep and lasting, just like when you and I were in Handan.

"The hatred of our generation should not be passed on to the next generation."

Qin Zichu: ...

He staggered back two steps, feeling that the lady in front of him was suffering from madness.

Ever since his second son scolded him last night, everyone he saw acted as if they were suffering from madness.

Was it that all men were afflicted with madness, or was it just he himself who was afflicted with madness?

He looked around and saw a teapot and teacups on the table against the wall.

He hurried over, grabbed the largest teapot and smashed it on the ground with all his might.

With a "crack" sound, the teapot was smashed to pieces, and some of the splashing debris bounced onto Qin Zichu's legs.

The sharp sound of breaking and the touch on his leg made the unreality of this world in his heart fade away a little.

He staggered out of the room and got into the carriage with the help of Ying Bai.

Ji Yaotiao leaned against the door and looked out, gently wiping her face with a wet handkerchief.

“My husband, Ji Yaoyao assassinated me for her son.

"Why did you agree? Isn't Zheng'er your son?
"If you don't nod, she will use your head to stab you. You gave up on me and Zheng'er twice."

Hehe, she chuckled lightly, without any coquettish look.

"I asked you to kill Ji Yaoyao, but you didn't.

"I asked you to kill Lu Buwei, but you refused.

"You, just like Ji Yaoyao said, you only have yourself in your eyes, and you only love yourself."

She held a wooden door in each hand and gently closed them.

“Ji Yaoyao.

"Your nonsense of 'If I can kill your son today, I can kill my son tomorrow' won't fool me. Although I, Ji Yaotiao, am not as obsessed with political schemes as you, I am not a fool who doesn't understand political schemes.

"If your son dies, my son will be the only heir apparent and the future king.

"The reason I saved your son is because he spoke for the deceased King of Qin, even at the cost of being imprisoned and giving up everything.

“After this incident, I am finally sure that he saved us mother and son with no ulterior motives, and he was sincere and truly cared about Zheng’er.

"The Zhao people are not as cunning as you Han people. We have always been clear about gratitude and hatred.

"Favors must be repaid, revenge must be avenged.

"Just a few words cannot repay your son's life-saving grace.

“Even if I slap you, I can’t avenge the fact that my mother and I almost died.

"You and I will just walk on and see what happens in the future..."

With a bang, the wooden door closed tightly, temporarily isolating all grudges and hatreds.

Junior Attendant Ying Bai wanted to take Qin Zichu back to the palace to rest and asked about the Crown Prince.

Qin Zichu refused and insisted on going to Jingquan Palace.

He said yesterday that he would stay here to accompany the Qin King's coffin, so he should stay here when he is not doing business.

The royal decree was issued at dawn, and it was not yet noon.

In just a few hours, the palace became unfamiliar to Qin Zichu, and everyone he saw was speaking for that despicable boy.

Qin Zichu was truly exhausted and wanted to quickly return to Jingquan Palace to lean against his father's coffin and have a good rest.

The matters of the two ladies and two sons can be put aside for the time being. The most important thing is that the queen refuses any discussion, and he must find a way to remedy the situation.

Queen Huayang was not just a figurehead in later generations who was only in charge of the inner court.

Thanks to the good example set by Queen Dowager Xuan, Queen Huayang had great power.

Not only does he have his own private seal, but this seal can even be used to mobilize palace officials like the crown prince.

With the testimony of the Queen who had gone to Qin, Prince Qin Zichu was the legitimate heir to the throne.

If the queen does not bear witness, it means that she is suspicious of the old King Qin's death. If Qin Zichu ascends the throne, it will give people with ulterior motives to accuse her and give other countries an excuse to attack her.

To start a war, you must find a reason to justify it.

The same applies to ascending the throne, everything must be present, complete and perfect.

As soon as the carriage stopped and Qin Zichu had not yet got out, he heard a heavy sound of footsteps coming closer and closer.

He had just launched a mutiny and was most sensitive to this.

His face became serious, and his originally loose body immediately tensed up, like a bowstring stretched to the full moon.

He placed a finger under the car curtain and gently lifted it up, creating a tiny gap and peeking out.

He saw three veteran generals in the court: Bie Gong, Meng Ao and Wang He.

We also saw an old veteran in the opposition, Wu Dafu Wang Ling.

Apart from these four, there were no others.

He calmly put down his finger and looked outside, but he couldn't see the curtains moving at all.

He stepped out of the carriage, pretending to have just seen the four veterans, and exclaimed:
"Why are you here, Mr. Si?"

Bie Gong clasped his fists and bowed his head, and replied:
"I came here just for Master Cheng Jiao!"

Qin Zichu couldn't describe the feeling in his heart.

The new generation of generals in Qin State has not yet produced any capable and independent general who is good at fighting. These are the four veteran generals who are from the same generation as Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an.

Most of the soldiers in the Qin army were led by these four people.

Once more than half of these four men are killed, the other countries will immediately attack Qin.

The person who allowed these four veterans to meet together was his second son, Ying Chengjiao.

"Four Lords, please come into the palace and have a chat."

In Jingquan Palace, Qin Zichu knelt on the table, looking at the four old men kneeling opposite him, and asked casually:
"The four gentlemen did not obey the imperial edict, but stopped my car and forced a meeting with me. I wonder whose idea was this?"

The four old men looked at each other and no one said anything.

Qin Zichu smiled slightly, and the tense atmosphere in the palace relaxed.

"I am asking you, Sir, whose idea was this?

"Could it be that the four gentlemen came to the outside of Jingquan Palace separately and met by chance?

"There has to be someone who brings it up, right?"

The veteran general Meng Ao dared to take responsibility and bowed his head with his fists clasped.

"Your Majesty, Prince, it was Ao's idea."

"It turned out to be Lord Meng." Qin Zichu nodded, still smiling: "Lord Meng, do you know what that boy has done wrong?"

The Junior Attendant Ying Bai, who was serving behind the Crown Prince, cast his eyes on Meng Ao, waiting for this veteran general with outstanding military achievements to speak.

As the prince's confidant, she knew very well that the prince was testing her.

Everyone present could guess why Prince Chengjiao was imprisoned in Xianyang, but no one could say it out loud.

Speaking it out is tantamount to breaking the law knowingly.

Knowing what Master Chengjiao had done wrong and still pleading for him, it means that he at least has a little recognition for Master Chengjiao in his heart, which is understandable.

Any recognition of Prince Chengjiao is a sign of disapproval of the Crown Prince.

Anyone who dares to say this is either a brainless idiot or someone who is dissatisfied with the prince.

Anything less than complete loyalty is equal to disloyalty.

"I don't know." Veteran General Meng Ao shook his head.

This shake of the head made everyone present feel relieved, including Qin Zichu.

Qin Zichu relaxed a little more, pointed at the other three people, and said to Meng Ao teasingly:

"Oh? Lord Meng didn't know what that bastard had done, so he asked the other three lords to intercede for him... OK?"

Qin Zichu smacked his lips and raised his palm upwards, signaling Meng Ao.

"Please speak, Lord Meng."

Meng Ao responded with a "Yes" and said in a deep voice:
"Please, Prince, give me the sword of the King of Qin, so that Ao can kill himself."

Qin Zichu: ...

The unreality of the world comes flooding back. You've gotten sick at your age, haven't you?
He forced a smile.

"Why can Lord Meng say such a thing? Why?"

Meng Ao raised his buttocks, changed from sitting to kneeling, and clasped his fists towards Qin Zichu.

“Everyone in the world knows that I, Meng Ao, am the deputy general of Wu’an Jun, and all my skills were taught by Wu’an Jun.

“After Wu Anjun died, I did not commit suicide but followed him because Wu Anjun died for not obeying the king’s order.

"I am loyal to the Qin State and to my king before I am loyal to Lord Wu'an.

“But now, I can’t even save the only child who spoke up for Wu Anjun after his death. How can I still have the face to live in this world?

"Please give me the sword of the King of Qin that was used to kill Wu'an Jun, so that I can follow him."

This answer greatly changed Qin Zichu's impression of Meng Ao.

He originally thought that military generals were all rough and tidy people, but he didn't expect that there were some sophisticated ones too.

Meng Ao said that loyalty to the emperor and loyalty to the country come after loyalty to the emperor and loyalty to the emperor, but Qin Zichu is not a king now, but a prince.

Not only did he have a legitimate excuse to plead for Prince Chengjiao, but he also showed his loyalty to him.

Qin Zichu didn't have time to respond to Meng Ao's words.

The veteran general Wang He, who had also served as Bai Qi's deputy general under Wu'an Jun, also stood up from his knees, clasped his fists and said:

"Same with the tuna!"

Qin Zichu's tears suddenly flowed down. He walked over, supported the two veterans one by one, and cried inconsolably.

"My father passed away long ago. How could I, Qin Zichu, deserve such respect from you two?"

This expression of true feelings made Bie Gong and Wang Ling, who were still kneeling, feel a little uncomfortable.

Standing up and showing loyalty together is too deliberate and too flattering.

Sitting still would seem disloyal and not taking the prince seriously.

Just when the two were feeling very uncomfortable, the prince wiped away his tears and bowed to apologize.

"Zi Chu was rude and neglected you two, please forgive me."

Biao Gong and Wang Ling said they dared not do so.

The four of them sat down again. Qin Zichu, with tears still on his face, asked Bian Gong with a smile.

"Then, what did Mr. Biao know about the boy's mistake?"

Biao Gongbiao was a bit arrogant, but he was not stupid. He shook his head and said:
"I don't know."

"Then who did Biao Gong come for? I don't remember Biao Gong ever being the deputy general of Wu'an Jun."

"I'm not doing this for anyone, I just want to repay Master Cheng Jiao for his kindness!"

Qin Zichu laughed loudly and exaggeratedly, pointing at Bian Gong and said:
"Is Mr. Biao telling me a joke?

"That boy is only seven years old, and he's this tall."

He raised his right hand and pointed at the chest of the fox.

"He doesn't even reach Biao Gong's chest, and he doesn't know how to deploy troops. He knows nothing about fighting. How could Biao Gong owe that guy a favor?"

The laughter gradually faded, but the smile was still on his face, and his left and right fingers drew a big circle in the air.

“Still, such a great love.

“Very few people who were sent to Xianyang Prison came out alive.”

Biao Gong bowed slightly towards the prince.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience."

He pulled out his legs, sat on the ground, lifted up the robe on his legs, and exposed his long, black-haired legs to the sun.

Bie Gong stretched out his right leg and pressed his calf with his fingers, leaving a small indentation with each pressure.

"Please come closer and take a look, Prince."

Qin Zichu leaned over and looked down.

The hair on the legs of the fox was too thick, and the small pits were hidden among the hair. Qin Zichu looked aimlessly and saw nothing.

"What does Mr. Bie want me to see?"

Duke Bie let the prince try it himself by pressing his calves with his fingers.

This time, Qin Zichu discovered as soon as he started that after pressing down on Bian Gong's leg, the skin rebounded slowly and the dents were extremely obvious.

[It’s nothing…]
The prince thought to himself, with great concern on his face.

"I didn't know that Lord Biao had been suffering from this serious illness. This is my negligence. I will immediately call the imperial physician to treat Lord Biao."

Bie Gong knelt down again and bowed to express his gratitude.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I have already seen the imperial physician. He said it was swelling and that my spleen, lungs, and kidneys were not in good condition. He said a lot of nonsense, and I didn't remember it, but it was not a serious illness.

"But if I kneel for a long time, my legs and feet will swell and turn purple, and it will take several days for the pain to subside. The pain is not that severe, but the numbness is unbearable. I can't eat or sleep.

"It is thanks to Prince Chengjiao's chair that I can attend court as usual and help the Qin State with my broken body. This chair may not mean much to others, but it is a great blessing to me."

Qin Zichu sighed and said:

"I never thought that the boy's chair could be used in such a wonderful way, saving a great general for the Qin State.

"It seems that I have no choice but to let this man go."

The four veterans showed joy in their eyes and were about to express their gratitude in unison.

Qin Zichu changed the subject and looked at the last veteran.

Wang Ling, a fifth-rank official who was once a senior minister, was stripped of his official position.

“The prince has been away from the court for many years, and Zichu rarely sees him.

"I am lucky to see you today. Zichu would like to hear your reasons."

His eyes moved downwards to look at Wang Ling's legs.

"Is the prince also swollen with water?"

Although Wang Ling was old, he sat upright.

"The common people do not suffer from bloating."

"So you are here because of Wu'an Jun? Zichu remembers that Wang Gong, like Biao Gong, has never served as Wu'an Jun's deputy general."

"Yes and no."

"This is strange." Qin Zichu clapped his hands and laughed, "What is right and what is wrong? Please give me some advice, Your Majesty."

The fifth official, who had not appeared in the court for eight or nine years but still had considerable influence, breathed a sigh of relief.

“I have never been the deputy general of Wu’an Jun, and this is my regret.

"Who among the soldiers in Qin State does not obey Wu Anjun?
"In the Battle of Yique, 240,000 soldiers of the Han-Wei coalition were beheaded.

"In the Battle of Yan and Ying, the Chu capital Ying (now Jingzhou, Hubei) was captured, the Chu ancestral temple was burned, and hundreds of thousands of Chu soldiers and civilians were drowned.

"In the Battle of Huayang, 150,000 soldiers of the Wei-Zhao coalition were beheaded.

"In the Battle of Xingcheng, we captured nine cities including Xingcheng of the Han State and killed more than 50,000 Han soldiers.

"In the Battle of Changping, 450,000 Zhao soldiers were buried alive.

“Everyone present here has led troops to fight in battles. The prince just destroyed the Eastern Zhou Kingdom, and everyone knows what this achievement means.

“Just saying this makes my heart tremble.

“If I had not fought alongside Wu Anjun and conquered cities, I would definitely have thought that this was a case of killing innocent people to gain credit.

"This is not something a human can do! Even Sun Zi and Grandfather Wang Fusheng can't do it!"

The old man spoke excitedly, clapping the ground.

"But such a great military hero, Wu'an Jun, died at the hands of a villain like Fan Ju!

"This is not Wu Anjun's shame, but you! You! You!"

He pointed at Meng Ao, at Bian Gong, at Wang He, and finally patted his own chest.

"It's a shame for us, all of us Qin's generals!

"In a strong country, civil officials should die for their advice and military generals should die in battle.

"We can die as a bunch of idiots, but we can't die like this!
"On the battlefield, when the enemy holds a knife to your neck, whoever recognizes a bear is considered a slave's adopted son.

"But his mother, Naigong, was fighting desperately in the front, and a pen flew from behind and stabbed Naigong to death through the chest. What kind of a deal is this?
"I failed to conquer Handan, Wang Ling, and the former king took my position, but I didn't say a word.

"After all, if I lose, I lose. It's only natural for you to chop off my head. There's no need for so many bullshit reasons.

"If you take the tiger talisman, you are going to win the battle. Who the hell doesn't know how to fight a losing battle?"

"But the prince, Wu Anjun, he, he, he has never been defeated..."

Wang Ling's old eyes were filled with tears, his voice was trembling, and he could not control his emotions.

"I, Wang Ling, have lost five armies of soldiers, but the birds are still alive. Wu Anjun, why are you dead? Why?!"

Qin Zichu also had tears in his eyes.

Without caring about himself, he wiped Wang Ling's tears first.

Wang Ling smiled at the prince shyly, let out a long sigh, and said:

“The common people are disrespectful.

“These words have been in my heart for a long time.

“When the late king was alive, I wanted to say it but didn’t dare. Now that the late king is gone, who can I tell it to?

"I came here for no other reason than to ask Master Chengjiao to speak a fair word for Lord Wu'an in front of the late king!

"I, Wang Ling, have been honored as a general of Qin. I will accept this favor and will not let him die!

“Whatever they were talking about, such as child prodigies, chairs, cooking, mahjong, or playing cards, I, Wang Ling, didn’t pay any attention to them.

"He is full of strange and lewd tricks, playing tricks and harming the country. I have long said that he is a coward and cannot be king.

"But I can't just watch this guy die.

"This kid has offended the Crown Prince. As long as it is not a serious crime of treason, I, the commoner Wang Ling, will take advantage of my seniority and ask the Crown Prince to release him.

"If the prince doesn't want to see him, then he should be expelled from the ancestral temple, demoted to a commoner, and placed next to my royal mausoleum. I am in need of a grandson."

The four veterans knelt down and kowtowed together, saying loudly:
"Please, Prince, release Master Cheng Jiao!"

Although Qin State had other generals such as Yang Duanhe, Fan Yuqi, Huan Xi and others, they were all sons or nephews of the four veteran generals.

Although the Qin State had a military merit system, there were very few people who could climb up from the bottom to the level of general without any background.

The only one who climbed to the position of Shangqing was Bai Qi, a powerful man, and he did so with the help of Wei Ran, the younger brother of Queen Dowager Xuan.

Looking at the four white heads around him, Qin Zichu seemed to see the Qin army across the country.

He closed his eyes and began to reflect.

He was the crown prince of Qin and was about to become the most powerful King of Qin in the world.

He destroyed the last trace of the Zhou Dynasty's bloodline in this world and cut off the Zhou Dynasty's destiny.

When he returned triumphantly, everyone in Xianyang cheered and many people shouted "Your Majesty" to him.

He wanted to ascend the throne yesterday, and no one opposed it except the queen, so he was the popular choice.

Everything is developing for the better.

But why, after that bastard was imprisoned in Xianyang, did everything go wrong?

The problem with the queen is only a problem in name only.

If there is a problem with the four veteran generals, it will actually be a matter of military power.

Didn't he launch the mutiny just for the military power?

[That brat, where did he get such great power...]
Qin Zichu opened his eyes and said softly:

"If I say no today, will Jingquan Palace be used again?"

(End of this chapter)