Starting with ten elixirs of immortality, I led the First Emperor to rebel against the Qin Dynasty.

In Xianyang City, there is a secluded courtyard.

A dozen or so men and women dressed in plain clothes, their eyes filled with deep-seated hatred, were sitting together.

These people were the remnants of the six states who had escaped by chance after the six states were destroyed and were hiding in Xianyang.

They were once princes and nobles, descendants of generals and ministers, but now they can only hide in the darkness like rats in a sewer, barely surviving.

Zhang Liang was sitting among them.

After rushing all the way, we finally found the secret stronghold of the former six states in Xianyang.

However, his feelings at this moment were extremely complicated.

The words Zhao Huan had spoken kept echoing in his mind.

"Ying Zheng was a great emperor throughout history."

These words overturned his understanding of the world for more than 20 years and planted a seed of doubt in his heart.

Is overthrowing the tyrannical Qin dynasty and avenging Han truly the only correct path?

Just as he was feeling uneasy, a middle-aged man with a sinister face sitting in the main seat slowly spoke.

This man was named Wei Sheng, a member of the royal family of the former Wei Kingdom, and the leader of this group of remnants of the six kingdoms.

"Zifang, you've finally arrived! Was your journey smooth?"

Zhang Liang snapped out of his daze, suppressed his distracting thoughts, and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Wei Sheng.

"We encountered some unexpected events on the way, but fortunately, we are all unharmed. I apologize for keeping you all waiting."

Wei Sheng waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry about it, and then got to the point.

He looked around at everyone present and said in a deep voice.

"Now that everyone has arrived, I'll give you the latest update."

"Our spies have already found out. The Confucian scholars who have been causing such a stir in Xianyang these past few days are here for Li Si."

"I heard that Li Si painted a picture in the court, depicting Confucius as a muscular man carrying a sword, which made Kong Fu, a descendant of Confucius, so angry that he vomited blood and fainted on the spot."

"puff……"

In the crowd, a young man couldn't help but laugh.

But he quickly realized the situation was inappropriate and covered his mouth, his face turning bright red.

The others also had strange expressions.

To depict Confucius as a muscular hunk? Li Si was truly a genius.

Wei Sheng glared at the young man and continued, "Although this matter is laughable, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us!"

"I have received definite information that the group of Confucian scholars, led by Kong Fu and Chunyu Yue, have already devised a plan."

"They dared not directly oppose Ying Zheng, so they planned to concentrate all their forces to spread rumors among the people, completely ruining Li Si's reputation and making him a rat that everyone wanted to kill!"

After hearing Wei Sheng's words, a murmur of discussion immediately arose in the courtyard.

"These pedantic scholars are still as cowardly as ever! They only dare to bite the dog, not the master!"

"That's not how it works. Li Si was Ying Zheng's right-hand man and a representative of Legalism. Taking down Li Si was like cutting off Ying Zheng's arm! This move wasn't too bad."

Wei Sheng raised his hand, silencing the crowd's discussion.

"What you all say makes sense. It is true that Confucian scholars are timid. But it is also true that they are numerous, have a great reputation, and are very influential among the people."

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

"So, I've decided we should lend them a hand!"

"Help them?" Everyone was taken aback.

Wei Sheng sneered, "That's right! Don't the Confucian scholars want to curse Li Si? We'll help them curse him! The more vile the curses, the better! Let the whole world know what a cruel and ruthless villain Li Si is!"

"But!" The tone shifted, becoming even colder, "simply scolding Li Si isn't enough!"

"The Confucian scholars fear Qin Shi Huang, but we don't!"

"They openly criticize Li Si, while we hide in the shadows and add fuel to the fire!"

"We must let the world know that Li Si's cruelty stems entirely from the even more cruel Qin Shi Huang behind him!"

Wei Sheng's words ignited a flame of revenge in everyone's eyes.

"Yes! Brother Wei is right! Let's all curse together! Let that tyrant Ying Zheng be infamous for eternity!"

"We will not only condemn him, but also turn the evil deeds of Ying Zheng into songs, so that all the women and children in Xianyang can sing them!"

"Let them, father and son, ruler and subject, be nailed to the pillar of historical shame!"

Everyone was ignited by Wei Sheng's plan.

Only Zhang Liang remained silent, his brow furrowed.

In his mind, on one hand, there was the deep hatred of the destruction of his country and homeland, and on the other hand, there was Zhao Huan's resounding and grand discourse.

Two voices were fighting fiercely in his mind.

They stirred up the world, plunging the Qin Dynasty into turmoil, and then what?

The restoration of the six kingdoms?

Then, should we return to the days of endless wars between nations, with people displaced and homeless?

He suddenly felt a little lost.

Wei Sheng noticed Zhang Liang's unusual expression and asked, "Zifang, you seem to have a different opinion?"

Zhang Liang took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind.

I know now is not the time to hesitate.

In any case, disrupting the rule of the Qin state was ultimately a good thing for these former people of the six states.

As for what to do next...

Perhaps, only when the world truly descends into chaos will we be able to see things clearly.

Zhang Liang shook his head at Wei Sheng, his eyes regaining their resolve.

"No, I have no objection."

"Brother Wei's plan is brilliant, killing two birds with one stone. It can both utilize the Confucian scholars and strike at Ying Zheng. I second that plan."

"However, this matter must be handled with utmost secrecy. Our words are a hundred times more dangerous than those of the Confucian scholars. If they are discovered by the Qin's henchmen, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Wei Sheng nodded approvingly: "Zifang is absolutely right. I will personally arrange this matter and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

"good!"

"That's what we'll do!"

In the days that followed, undercurrents were stirring in Xianyang.

"Then came Li Si, the Left Chancellor of the Qin Dynasty, who was originally a lowly granary official in Shangcai, Chu. He had no great abilities, but was adept at scheming! He saw rats in the latrines, eating unclean food, living near people and dogs, and constantly terrified; yet he also saw rats in the granary, eating stored grain, living under the eaves, and undisturbed by people or dogs. Suddenly, he realized that the difference between a wise and foolish person is like that of a rat—it all depends on where they place themselves!"

The storyteller gestured wildly and made exaggerated expressions, imitating the sleazy appearance of a rat, which made the surrounding audience burst into laughter.

"So he abandoned his wife and children, fled to the State of Qin, and with his silver tongue that could talk the dead back to life, he gained the king's trust and climbed to the high position of Left Chancellor!"

"Gentlemen, do you think that once he becomes an official, he will stand up for the people? Wrong! Utterly wrong!"

"Once he gained power, he became incredibly arrogant! To consolidate his position, he slandered the king and enacted laws more vicious than tigers and wolves! If one person broke the law, the entire neighborhood was implicated! Beheadings and dismemberment were common occurrences! This created widespread fear, and the people dared not even speak out!"

"And then there are the heavy taxes and endless corvée labor! All the able-bodied men, instead of farming, are dragged to build that useless Great Wall and those luxurious palaces! Is this any way for a person to live?!"

His words were delivered with great emotion, and the surrounding crowd was filled with righteous indignation, clenching their fists.

"So this is why life is so miserable—it's all because of this treacherous minister named Li Si!"

"That bastard! No wonder my son was taken to repair the straight path and we haven't heard from him since!"

"Down with the treacherous minister Li Si!"

Among the crowd, several young men dressed in Confucian robes saw that the time was ripe and immediately took the lead in shouting.

Immediately, public sentiment was agitated, and the air was filled with deafening curses.

Similar scenes were playing out simultaneously in every corner of Xianyang City.

Inside the restaurant, several scholars and writers drank wine while vehemently criticizing Li Si's distorting of the classics and his humiliation of the sage.

In the teahouse, groups of merchants sighed and complained about the harsh laws that made it difficult for them to do business. All of this was, of course, thanks to Li Si.

Even in the vegetable market, two middle-aged women were exchanging "secret stories" about how ruthless Li Si was and how he persecuted loyal officials.

The entire city of Xianyang seemed to have been reduced to a single theme overnight—cursing Li Si.

Beneath this mainstream discourse, an even more dangerous undercurrent is quietly brewing.