People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 527, Cause and Effect, Heir, Risk
Outside Xianyang, a grand procession headed towards Yongcheng.

Hundreds of guards were positioned at both ends of the procession, while scattered cavalrymen moved back and forth between the front and the middle of the procession. Eunuchs and palace maids respectfully followed around the carriage, and a black bird banner fluttered in the cold wind atop the magnificent and imposing black carriage.

If you look closely, you can see that the black banner is embroidered with golden intertwined dragon patterns.

The intertwined dragon pattern was a design reserved for the feudal lords of various states, symbolizing their ruler. It was only used when the lords paid homage to the Zhou emperor or at alliance meetings. After the death of the Zhou emperor, the intertwined dragon pattern became a symbol for the feudal lords' travels.

Inside the carriage, Xu Qing's face was somewhat somber as he intently stared at the three fortune sticks in his mind.

[When winds and clouds meet, their power is boundless; once they encounter wind and clouds, they transform into dragons. Seeing a dragon in the field signifies good fortune in meeting a great man.]

[A very auspicious sign. The day after tomorrow, you will travel to the East Palace of Qinian Palace in Yongcheng. The vicissitudes of life are not a coincidence; all suffering is the result of one's own actions. Good and evil are clearly understood and cannot be substituted; karma and form are inseparable. This is a second-grade opportunity, concerning your future; choose carefully.]

[A moderately favorable fortune. Proceed to the Lishan camp, await the opportune moment, draw your sword and eliminate the traitors. You may obtain a third-rank opportunity. The journey is fraught with danger, but you will escape unscathed.]

[A medium-to-low fortune: Return to Xianyang, fixed income not offered, fierce competition, sit in the palace to rescue the young emperor, righteous courage shines in history, and may obtain a fourth-rank opportunity.]

After reading the three fortune sticks, Xu Qing's expression turned serious. The fortune sticks were written very straightforwardly, all concerning Lao Ai's rebellion. The only thing worth pondering was the poem in the best fortune stick.

"The arrangement of the heavens is not a coincidence; those who confess all have their own culpability. Does this mean we should understand cause and effect?"

As Xu Qing looked at the poem on the fortune slip, many names flashed through his mind. There were quite a few people in Yongcheng who had connections to him, such as Lao Ai, Zhao Ji, Hei Bai Xuan Jian, Yan Ri Ying Yu, and so on.

After much deliberation, Xu Qing still couldn't figure out who wanted to settle their karmic debt with him this time.

Regardless of who it is, he must go to the East Palace of Qinian Palace, simply because the day after tomorrow is the day of Ying Zheng's coming-of-age ceremony. At that time, Lao Ai will launch a rebellion, and this "cause and effect" hidden in the East Palace of Qinian Palace may be a potential threat, so he must go and see.

Aside from the first fortune stick being a bit unclear, the remaining two fortune sticks were quite simple.

"Going to the Lishan camp, it seems that Lao Ai is sending someone to seize military power, just like in history. I just wonder which unlucky guy will be this time?"

Xu Qing looked at the second fortune slip and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Yesterday, Gai Nie delivered Ying Zheng's edict to the Lishan camp. If Lao Ai's men dare to appear in the main tent to seize military power, Meng Wu, Li Xin, and Wang Ben, these three second-generation military leaders, will show Lao Ai's men what it means to be a scholar encountering a soldier—there's no reasoning with them.

Xu Qing then looked at the third fortune stick, his smile vanished, and he slapped his forehead.

"Damn it, after all this scheming, I almost forgot about Fusu and Queen Mi."

Xu Qing felt a wave of fear wash over him. If it weren't for the fortune telling, he would have almost forgotten about Queen Mi.

Because Queen Mi had not yet given birth, he subconsciously ignored her and the unborn Fusu in her womb.

Once Zhao Xie launches a rebellion in Xianyang, besides controlling the officials, the most important thing will be to capture Queen Mi.

Now that Queen Mi is about to give birth, if the child in her womb is frightened by the chaos of war and suffers any problems, the consequences could be dire.

Ying Zheng, who was resting with his eyes closed, was awakened by the sound of Xu Qing patting his head. He looked at Xu Qing and asked...

"Sir, have you thought of something you forgot to mention?"

Xu Qing lowered his hand from his forehead, turned to look at Ying Zheng, and nodded solemnly.
“Your Majesty, I have indeed overlooked something. The imperial guards in Xianyang are still in Zhao Xie’s hands. If Zhao Xie launches a rebellion, in addition to the ministers, the Queen in the palace and her unborn child will also be his targets, and the most important ones at that.”

Hearing Xu Qing's words, Ying Zheng's initial anxiety subsided, and he spoke calmly.
"Yes, that's the matter. Sir, there's no need to worry. I have already arranged for the Black Ice Guard to protect Ashu. She and the child in her womb will certainly be safe."

“Your Majesty, it is easy to maintain peace when things are stable, and easy to plan when there are no signs of trouble. The Queen and the child in her womb are of vital importance to you and the Qin state. It is always better to be more careful,” Xu Qing said in a deep voice.

If the protection of the Black Ice Platform could truly ensure the safety of Queen Mi and Fusu during this turmoil, then there would be no reason for the divination to be mentioned, let alone given a mediocre result. Moreover, the phrase "dragons fighting tigers" only added to Xu Qing's anxiety.

Fusu's actions in history are lamentable for his lack of ambition, but it is undeniable that his talent and benevolence made him the most suitable candidate for the second-generation monarch of a unified dynasty.

The eldest son of the legitimate wife and exceptional talent—this was the crown prince and heir that almost every emperor dreamed of. Of course, Fusu's blind loyalty and somewhat weak character were indeed frustrating, but this was because the corrupt scholars like Chunyu Yue had taught Fusu wrong, not because Fusu was inherently like that.

Now that he serves as a bridge between Qin and Confucianism, there is no need for Fusu, the eldest son, to become a disciple of Confucianism and thus win over Confucianism for Qin.

Therefore, Fusu absolutely cannot fail, because if a new successor to the Qin state is chosen, no one can guarantee that this person will be able to lead the Qin state well.

As for Queen Mi, in the original novel, Ying Zheng did not appoint anyone else as queen, nor did he appoint an empress after becoming emperor.

While it is uncertain what caused the queen's untimely death, no one can guarantee that she did not die during this rebellion.

If Queen Mi were alive, even if Fusu were affected by the betrayal of Lord Changping, Xiong Qi, the impact would be minimized because of her presence. Therefore, Xu Qing could not allow anything to happen to Queen Mi or the unborn Fusu, as this concerned the future of Qin and even the entire world.

Seeing Xu Qing's serious expression, Ying Zheng also put aside his disdain, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Then I will arrange for some more people to protect Ashu, or let her go to the Right Chancellor's residence for refuge first, and return to the palace after this is over. What do you think, sir?"

To Xiong Qi's residence?
Although Xiong Qi has no intention of revealing his identity, Xu Qing dares not gamble. What if something happens?

Xu Qing shook his head slightly and said with a serious expression.
"It would be better to send the Queen to the Marquis of Wenxin's residence than to the Right Chancellor's residence. The Marquis of Wenxin has many retainers, including many skilled individuals who can protect the Queen."

"Is it on your father's side?"

Ying Zheng hesitated, not because he suspected Lü Buwei of taking advantage of the situation, but because Lü Buwei was also one of Lao Ai's targets. In that case, the number of rebel soldiers facing the Marquis of Wenxin's mansion would be no less than that facing the royal palace.

“Once Zhao Xie and his men rush into the palace and find no Queen, they will surely suspect that she may be hiding in the Right Chancellor’s residence. And since Marquis Wenxin still appears to be at odds with you, Zhao Xie and his men will never suspect that the Queen is hiding in Marquis Wenxin’s residence.”

Seeing Ying Zheng hesitate, Xu Qing continued to persuade him.

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng pondered for a moment and decided to follow Xu Qing's suggestion. Although the risks were high on Lü Buwei's side, they also had more manpower.

Putting everything else aside, even if the five top-tier assassins from the Luo Wang organization under Lü Buwei's control couldn't quell the rebellion, they could still guarantee Mi Shu's safety.

"Alright, then let's do as you say, and let Ashu secretly go to Zhongfu's mansion to take refuge."

As he spoke, Ying Zheng took out several bamboo slips from the bamboo slips on the table, preparing to write a secret edict and have the Black Ice Guard carry out the decision.

Xu Qing watched as Ying Zheng prepared to put down his pen, and suddenly spoke up.

"Your Majesty, why not have Elder Gongyang take a few disciples to the Queen's palace? If Zhao Xie and his men really intend to harm the Queen, they can implicate them as well."

"At the same time, let Dongjun of the Yin-Yang School and my three wives accompany the Queen to the Marquis of Wenxin's residence. It will be good to have them there to look after her."

Ying Zheng paused abruptly, a look of confusion on his face. He could understand sending Dongjun, Yanlingji, Tianmi, and Jingni to accompany the Queen to seek refuge, but he didn't understand why Gongyang was sending people to the Queen's palace.

"Sir, Elder Gongyang is getting on in years. Even if we really need to arrange for someone to set up a maze, we can't let him go. If something goes wrong, our Qin state will lose a great talent," Ying Zheng said with some worry.

“Your Majesty need not worry. Old Master Gongyang is not so fragile. Sending him to the Queen’s palace is just in case. Sitting still for long periods of time is not good for the health of the elderly. It’s time for Old Master Gongyang to move around.”

Xu Qing's lips curled up slightly, her eyes gleaming, and her words betrayed a hint of a smile.

The Confucian school is not limited to Xunzi, who claimed to be a scholar who did not know martial arts. Gongyang Di was no less impressive. Moreover, Xu Qing also wanted to know who was trying to harm Queen Mi and Fusu.

The divination indicates that someone who can rival him in a fierce battle is certainly not an unknown figure.

Seeing Xu Qing's appearance, Ying Zheng knew that his teacher, who always claimed to be loyal and righteous, was about to trick people again. So he didn't ask any more questions and picked up his brush to start writing the edict.

Before long, the secret edict was written. Ying Zheng knocked on the carriage door, and a eunuch came in.

"Secretly send the edict to Twenty-One and instruct him to act according to the instructions," Ying Zheng said.

"promise."

The eunuch took the secret letter and then got out of the carriage.

Xu Qing watched as the carriage door closed again, and his worries subsided. The eunuch from earlier was an assassin from the Black Ice Guard, and the Twenty-One mentioned by Ying Zheng was the current commander of the Black Ice Guard.

"Sir, do you have any other concerns?" Ying Zheng asked Xu Qing.

Xu Qing reviewed his arrangements: Yan Lingji and the others in the manor would go to Lü Buwei's place with Queen Mi; the Black Ice Guard was in the palace; and he had also made arrangements for Zhao Gao.
"No more," Xu Qing said, shaking his head.

Ying Zheng nodded slightly and said no more, continuing to close his eyes to rest and adjust his mindset.

Xu Qing glanced at Ying Zheng and then closed his eyes to rest.

"I hope everything goes smoothly. What's the cause and effect of the Qinian Palace incident? Let me see what exactly happened!" Xu Qing thought to himself.

(End of this chapter)