The Qin Dynasty perished after only two generations? My Great Qin also needs an Emperor Taizong!

It should be understood that the fundamental principle of Qin's succession system for more than a hundred years was nothing more than "choosing the virtuous and establishing the heir without distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children." Whether in accordance with the old system of the Qin royal family or the laws of Qin, the selection of the heir must extend to all the descendants of the former king. Regardless of whether they were born of the legitimate or illegitimate children, all princes and grandsons of the same generation were eligible to participate in the selection of the heir.

Only in extremely special circumstances, such as when the throne is urgently vacant or the country is in peril, can the throne be passed on by special decree without prior examination.

However, Your Majesty is now in the prime of life, and the world is at peace with no threat to the nation's stability. Therefore, Your Majesty should follow the old system and the law, and widely select virtuous and capable members of the royal family to establish a crown prince.

Prince Fusu is gentle and mild-mannered. Although he likes Confucianism, the King of Qin has already sent him to the northern army for training. Isn't this a clear indication that the King of Qin intends to establish him as the heir apparent?

Could it be that this young master Mu...? Li Si's mood worsened.

"May I ask how many years Young Master Mu has been studying under the old general as a junior tutor?"

"Mu'er is precocious and exceptionally talented, unlike any other. The King of Qin has ordered her to serve by my side for two years now," Bai Zhong replied softly, stroking his beard.

Li Si had anticipated this, but he still couldn't help but sigh inwardly: If the King of Qin really intended to change the Confucian system, then what would become of the Legalist scholars?

Upon realizing this, Li Si's emotions surged like a tidal wave, becoming difficult to contain.

Bai Zhong led Li Si into the main room on the north side. As soon as the two sat down, the steward brought over a pottery pot and bowls and placed them on the table in front of them. The pottery pot was tilted, and warm, clear liquid was instantly filled.

"We only have rice wine, please forgive us, sir," Bai Zhong said calmly. "This rice wine was just brought by Mu'er. She said it quenches thirst and soothes the stomach, and is quite delicious. I wonder if the Chief Secretary will find it palatable?"

Li Si, regaining his composure, thanked him and said, "I am preoccupied with state affairs and dare not drink too much; rice wine is just right."

"That's good then, Chief Secretary, please."

Li Si, in a daze, raised the earthenware bowl. "Old General, please."

Bai Zhong laughed heartily, raised the pottery bowl, and showed it to Li Si.

The two men raised their bowls to face each other, but Li Si only took a small sip, letting the sour taste linger on his tongue, while carefully observing the white-haired old general opposite him.

Bai Zhongman drank a large bowl of rice wine before stopping.

Li Si took a big gulp of wine, barely managing to gather his scattered thoughts, and then looked at General Bai, asking, "Does General Bai know the young General Wang Ben?"

"The young general is a tiger cub from the Wang family, a military clan. Before the new year, he led 30,000 elite cavalry to raid Chu, capturing ten cities in ten days. How impressive! And now, he has destroyed Wei in one battle. Who in the world does not know him?" Bai Zhong paused in wiping his beard, then continued, "Moreover, General Wang Ben spoke up for my father's injustice and petitioned the King of Qin. This is a great favor."

"General, this is a misconception."

"What are your thoughts, Chief Secretary?" Bai Zhong frowned.

"What insights are there to speak of? It's nothing more than some facts." Li Si cupped his hands towards the direction of the royal city and said, "If the King of Qin had not long intended to exonerate Lord Wu'an, how could General Wang Ben have made such a decision so easily? General, to be honest, I came here to act as an envoy for the King of Qin."

Before Bai Zhong could speak, Li Si placed his fingers interlaced on the table and said urgently, "In early summer this year, Generals Li Xin and Meng Wu were ordered to attack Chu, but our army suffered a crushing defeat, losing over 80,000 men in a single battle, and all our supplies and provisions were lost. General Wang Ben, though brave, is required to guard Ji City, which is surrounded by the remnants of Wei and Zhao. In Xinzheng, the former nobles of Han are also stirring. General Wang Ben has only 100,000 men, and he is already stretched thin. Now that our army has suffered a great defeat, if the Chu army takes advantage of the situation to advance westward, the remnants of Han, Wei, and Zhao will surely move at the first sign of trouble. At that time, the alliance of the six states will be rekindled, and if the six states attack Hangu Pass, Guanzhong will be shaken. This is a perilous situation."

General Bai understood. "Chief Clerk, is your purpose in coming here to request that I don my armor again?"

"Exactly."

"Then please return, Chief Secretary," Bai Zhong waved his hand and said, "I have been living in seclusion in Xianyang for many years and have long since ceased to concern myself with military affairs."

Li Si's heart tightened, but his smile remained unchanged. He retorted softly, "The general may not have heard, but I have no choice but to speak."

"Chief Secretary, you are overthinking it. General Wang Ben's 100,000 men are more than enough." Bai Zhong put his hands in his sleeves and squinted, saying, "Moreover, there is General Wang Jian in the court, and then there are Meng Wu and his son, the Feng brothers, Li Xin, Zhang Han, Yang Duanhe, Xin Sheng... aren't all these people skilled warriors? Why would we need this old man's crippled body?"

"General Wang Jian was indeed a pillar of the nation..."

Li Si leaned forward slightly and said in a low voice, "The Wang family's achievements are too great. Even if their loyalty is beyond question, they will inevitably attract unwanted attention. If the credit for the destruction of the country is entirely attributed to the Wang family, it will not be a blessing for the nation."

Li Si sighed inwardly... In his view, if this were not the case, why would the king not use a seasoned general like Wang Jian, but instead risk appointing the young general Li Xin to attack Chu?

Bai Zhong swallowed the last mouthful of warm wine, shook the empty can, and remained silent.

Li Si paused, seeing that the old general remained unmoved, and then stopped talking about court and military affairs: "Shangdang is the place where Lord Wu'an made his name. His Majesty has decided to build a shrine in Changping, Shangdang, to worship Lord Wu'an's spirit in heaven. As Lord Wu'an's eldest son, if you could be stationed in the Central Plains afterward, firstly, it would deter any thoughts of restoration from Han and Zhao; secondly, it would allow you to look after Lord Wu'an's shrine nearby; and thirdly... can you really be at ease watching the Qin empire, which Lord Wu'an fought so hard to win, fall into turmoil once again?"

Li Si finished speaking in one breath, feeling his emotions running high.

However, this enthusiasm did not affect Lao Baizhong. The old man remained silent for a moment before slowly getting up, walking to the window with his hands behind his back, and looking at the ancient bronze cauldron in the courtyard.

"Old General—"

Li Si rose and followed the old man, earnestly advising him, "General, since you have already agreed to become a retainer of the Prince of Qin, aren't you worried about the Bai family's descendants? Going further afield, aren't you thinking about your future generations? If you truly have any difficulties or needs, you can certainly speak them out!"

These words struck a nerve with Bai Zhong, and the old general fell silent again, staring blankly out the window.

"I understand the old general's meaning..." After a long silence, Li Si's eyes gradually showed disappointment. He breathed heavily and bowed slightly to the old man's hunched back.

"I'll take my leave."

"The Lord of Wu'an had a few words before his death, does the Chief Clerk know them?" Just then, Li Si heard the old man's voice suddenly coming from behind him, and he stopped in his tracks.

Li Si suddenly turned around and saw that the old general's hunched back seemed to straighten up.

"His knowledge is shallow; he is unaware of the words of Lord Wu'an in the past."

"I deserve to die. In the Battle of Changping, hundreds of thousands of Zhao soldiers surrendered, and I tricked them and buried them all alive. That is enough to warrant my death."

Bai Zhong slowly closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and then opened them again, his eyes filled with complex emotions, a mixture of reminiscence and remembrance: "My father's spirit is ultimately bound to the Qin state, to the mountains and rivers beyond Hangu Pass. I am old, yet every midnight I dream of the sounds of drums and gongs echoing through the mountains of Shangdang, as if my father's iron cavalry were still patrolling... That land of Shangdang is where my father's spirit rests, and I will not allow those cowardly rats of the old Zhao to lay a finger on it!"

Li Si's pupils contracted, but he still didn't quite understand what it meant, so he kept looking at Bai Zhong.