Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

If Zhou Wenqing hadn't already pointed out the direction, Zhao Gao would never have imagined, no matter how hard he racked his brains, that the ant he could easily crush, the one he had long regarded as dust and forgotten, would dare to cause such a huge disaster behind his back.

Since the king had issued a strict order for a thorough investigation, Zhao Gao dared not conceal anything. He immediately trembled and revealed the whole story in detail, including his private dealings with the young eunuch. He simply waited quietly for the king's final accountability.

At this moment, Ying Zheng's casual question had directly struck at the very spot he dared not touch.

Doomed.

Zhao Gao was completely exhausted and collapsed heavily onto the cold palace bricks. Cold sweat soaked through his robes, mingling with the scarlet blood from his forehead, which trickled down his cheeks.

He was utterly powerless to argue, only able to bang his head against the ground, his hoarse, broken sobs echoing desperately in the deathly silent hall.

"Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, I am guilty! I failed to judge people properly, I was incompetent in managing my subordinates, and I even harbored the selfish desire to silence witnesses and avoid disaster, which led to the villains turning against me, leaking secrets, alarming the Zhou Inner Historian, and almost ruining Your Majesty's overall plans... I deserve to die ten thousand times over!"

The dull thud of foreheads striking gold bricks echoed louder and louder, lingering in the empty hall for a long time.

The sound was dull and heavy, as if something was being shattered inch by inch—the bone and blood of Zhao Gao's forehead, and his last pitiful dignity and self-respect.

Ying Zheng looked down at the wretched figure lying on the ground, his eyes showing no emotion, only a deep, unfathomable coldness.

Vicious dog.

He slowly rose, his black dragon robe brushing against the edge of the throne steps. He stepped down steadily, each step like a heavy hammer striking Zhao Gao's heart and spine, pressing down on his chest and almost suffocating him.

"Zhao Gao, I have been too lenient with you."

The king's tone was calm as still water, revealing no trace of joy or anger, yet it instantly froze Zhao Gao's blood.

"You shouldn't have, you absolutely shouldn't have, let my sword fall into someone else's hands and be used to stab my people."

"Your Majesty, I know my crime, I know my crime, I deserve to die ten thousand times."

Zhao Gao frantically banged his head against the ground, blood mixed with tears streaming down his face, his eyes filled with pleading and despair, as he roared:

"Your Majesty, please have mercy on me, considering my many years of unwavering loyalty and that I never interfered in this matter, only failing to notice it for a moment!"

injustice!

He truly felt wronged!

He truly had no instructions or knowledge of this matter, yet in the end, he was bitten by the very dog ​​he had raised, leaving him bleeding profusely and utterly ruined.

How laughable, how pathetic.

Ultimately, those who harm others will harm themselves; all their scheming and plotting will only cost them their own lives.

But how could Zhao Gao accept this?

He painstakingly studied the law, proceeded step by step, and endured for many years before finally coming to the king's side. He hadn't even... hadn't yet gained the immense power second only to the king, hadn't yet crushed those who trampled on his head, so why did he die so hastily?

But what can you do if you're unwilling to accept it?

Zhao Gao prostrated himself on the ground, his vision suddenly colliding with the tip of the King of Qin's shoe, and his roar abruptly stopped.

He kept his head down, frozen in place like a clay sculpture whose soul had been taken away, even his breath was stagnant. He was afraid, afraid that his blood would soil the king's clean shoes.

Like a dog with its spine broken.

"What did you do with that eunuch?" Ying Zheng suddenly asked.

Zhao Gao was startled, then suddenly came to his senses, shaking his head frantically as if grasping at the last piece of driftwood, his voice trembling and out of tune:

"Your Majesty only ordered me to investigate this matter thoroughly. Without Your Majesty's command, I would never dare to act rashly and alert the enemy. I will only keep them under close surveillance and await Your Majesty's decision... I beg Your Majesty to make the wise decision!"

"We haven't touched him yet."

Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze falling upon him with an almost tangible intensity, speaking each word with a chilling, oppressive force:

"Is it that they didn't have time to act, or... they didn't dare to act?"

Zhao Gao opened his mouth, but his throat was dry and tight, and he couldn't utter a single word.

How dare he?

With shadow guards lurking around him day and night, watching him intently, he had to think twice before even breathing, so how could he dare to make any rash moves?

Moreover, he knew better than anyone else that he was nothing more than a knife in the king's hand, a handy tool.

A knife can be used to kill, but it must never conceal or hide anything from the king when he investigates matters.

otherwise--

Once selfish thoughts arise, it is no longer a knife, but a root of trouble that must be uprooted...

"Your Majesty..." He bowed his head again, his forehead pressed against the cool gold brick, his voice so low it was almost inaudible, "Your subject... dares not."

I doubt he would dare.

His absolute loyalty to me is the only reason he can continue to exist.

The hall fell into a deathly silence once again.

Ying Zheng looked at his figure lying on the ground.

After a long while, he slowly turned around, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and looked at the dark, bottomless sky outside.

"Since you haven't started yet, I'll take care of it for you."

Ying Zheng finally spoke, his tone calm but decisive, leaving no room for negotiation: "Execute by slow slicing."

Zhao Gao trembled again.

"As for you—"

Ying Zheng did not turn around; his aura of power was so intense that it seemed to sink into the abyss and merge into the darkness.

"You harbor selfish motives, secretly plant spies, spy on important officials, and intend to frame them. Although you did not personally take action, the disaster was caused by you."

"But I will not kill you."

Zhao Gao suddenly looked up, a look of disbelief and fear flashing in his cloudy eyes, mixed with a tiny, pitiful glimmer of hope, as he stared intently at the back of the king standing by the window.

But Ying Zheng's next words crushed his last glimmer of hope.

The king slowly turned his head, his cold gaze like a blade, piercing straight into the wildest ambition in his heart:

"From this day forward, I will erase your name, strip you of your identity, destroy your records, and remove your mark."

"There will never be another Zhao Gao in this world."

Every word he uttered shattered his soul.

"I want you to have no official rank, no title, no name, no surname, no trace to be found, and no light to rely on."

"Since you love doing such filthy things, then you are only fit to live in the shadows, hide in the darkness, be a shadow under my feet, a dead machine without a soul, without a heart, without selfish thoughts."

Ying Zheng lowered his head slightly, his voice extremely low:

"I will spare your life, but if you dare to harbor even the slightest disloyalty, resentment, or selfish thought—"

He paused slightly, then his imposing aura suddenly pressed down:

"I will still keep you alive, but I will make you wish you were dead, until even your shadow will disappear."

boom--

Zhao Gao's vision went black, and he almost fainted.

For him, this punishment was more painful than death and more vicious than being cut in half at the waist.

Strip him of his name, erase his existence, strip him of the power and glory he pursued his entire life, and crush him into the deepest darkness, never to rise again.

He lay prostrate on the ground, trembling violently, trying to struggle, wanting to die, wanting to cry out, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy!"

But his throat felt like it had been cut open, with a cold, sharp wind blowing through it, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

Ying Zheng didn't look at him again, but turned around, walked back behind his desk, sat down, picked up his teacup, and took a sip:

"roll."

Zhao Gao closed his eyes tightly, kowtowed again, and finally managed to get up, staggering as he crawled away.

The palace doors closed slowly behind him, the soft sound as if shutting out all the light.

Silence returned to the hall.

Ying Zheng sat behind his desk, staring at the tightly closed door. After a long while, he gently exhaled.

Outside the window, the night breeze gently blows, swirling up a few fallen leaves that disappear into the boundless darkness.

------

In the early part of the eleventh year of Qin's reign, Zhao launched an attack on Yan.

Meanwhile, General Wang Jian and others were also diligently training their troops and preparing for battle. The Zhili Neishi Temple was already fully prepared with ample supplies, ensuring the safety of the rear.

It was another day off, and Zhou Wenqing was basking in the sun under the eaves, with a plate of freshly roasted chestnuts beside him, steaming hot.

Ah-Zhu sat opposite, carefully peeling pine nuts with a small knife. The two chatted casually, and the warm sunlight shone down, creating a particularly cozy scene.

Zhou Wenqing peeled a chestnut and popped it into his mouth, squinting his eyes. He was about to sigh with relief that the last scene was finally over, everything had settled, and he could enjoy a moment of peace—

A series of unusually steady footsteps came from outside the courtyard.

Zhou Wenqing's expression changed, and the chestnut shell in his hand fell into the dish with a "thud".

He sat up abruptly, raised his foot to run into the house, and hurriedly gave the following instructions:

"Ah-Zhu! If anyone comes, tell them I'm not here, you hear me!"

Ah Zhu was still holding half a pine nut in his hand when he saw his master rushing into the house: "Master, but..."

"No buts! Just remember that!"

Zhou Wenqing didn't even turn his head; before he finished speaking, he had already disappeared behind the door.

Ah Zhu blinked, looked up at the figures that had appeared in front of the courtyard gate, and then looked down at the half pine nut in his hand.

Forget it.

I've gotten used to it these past couple of days.

Since they've already heard it, why would they ask me again?

If he doesn't say anything, and I don't say anything either, let the gentleman handle the rest himself.

Ah Zhu silently put the half pine nut into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and pretended that nothing had happened.