novelAbuy Chapter 22 Hu Hai: I desperately want to be emperor! Ying Zheng's expression changed!
Chapter 22 Hu Hai: I desperately want to be emperor! Ying Zheng's expression changed!
The swirling yellow sand, accompanied by a scorching wind, lashed against the wooden window frames of the dune palace.
It emitted a whimpering sound, like the low howls of a vengeful spirit lurking underground.
When the body of the First Emperor Ying Zheng was laid to rest in a pile of salted fish, Ying Zheng clenched his fists again and ordered Zhao Gao to be beaten several more times!
Then, after calming down, he continued looking at the projection!
Inside the inner hall, three figures stood frozen in place, each lost in their own thoughts. The air was thick with a deathly stillness and a turbulent undercurrent of calculation.
The eighteenth prince, Hu Hai, stood to the left of the bed where Ying Zheng had slept, his body trembling slightly.
Zhao Gao, the Chief of the Imperial Carriage Office, stood on the other side of the bed, bowing his head and appearing respectful, but his eyes were filled with sinister and greedy calculations.
His fingers rubbed lightly inside his sleeve, his fingertips trembling slightly—the excitement of his impending success in plotting a rebellion.
Meanwhile, Li Si, the Left Chancellor of the court, stood beside the desk with his hands behind his back, his expression changing drastically several times.
From initial shock to oppressive solemnity, and now to deep gravity.
As soon as he stepped into the inner hall, he was so shocked by the news of Ying Zheng's death that he froze, and there was no body in sight.
Seeing the strange atmosphere between Zhao Gao and Hu Hai, alarm bells were already ringing in my heart.
Seeing that Hu Hai had made up his mind, Zhao Gao immediately stopped hesitating, turned to look at Li Si, who was trying to suppress his shock, and slowly walked forward.
Hu Hai had been so bewitched that he made up his mind, and there was no longer a trace of hesitation in his eyes.
Zhao Gao immediately stopped trying to seduce Hu Hai, slowly turned around, and fixed his sinister gaze on Li Si standing beside the desk.
He knew that without Li Si's approval, it would be all just empty talk to alter the imperial edict and install Huhai as the new emperor.
As the Left Chancellor of the Qin Dynasty, Li Si was in charge of the government and discipline, and he held real power when he accompanied the emperor on his eastern tour.
He enjoyed the complete trust of the First Emperor, and with his endorsement, the rebellion was guaranteed to be foolproof and could be kept secret from the accompanying imperial guards and officials throughout the land.
Zhao Gao walked slowly to Li Si, his steps steady yet carrying a deliberate sense of oppression.
Unlike Hu Hai's panic, every step he took was firmly planted on Li Si's mind.
The flickering candlelight inside the palace cast his long, distorted shadow on the bluestone slabs, giving off a chilling, gloomy aura.
Without any preamble, he went straight to the point, breaking the deathly silence of the inner hall.
His voice was low but each word was clear, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, piercing Li Si's eardrums:
"Indeed, the emperor has been dead for many days."
These words resounded like a thunderclap within the small space of the Sand Dune Palace.
Li Si shuddered violently, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he stared intently at Zhao Gao, his solemn expression instantly turning into extreme horror.
He instinctively took a half step back, his back hitting the cold table with a slight sound, which instantly brought him back to his senses.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty really..." Li Si's voice trembled, filled with disbelief and absurdity.
My mind went blank; I just couldn't accept this fact.
Zhao Gao remained unmoved, merely raising his eyes slightly to glance at the empty bed, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
He then turned to Li Si, his tone suddenly becoming seductive and sinister, and threw out the core bait of this rebellion:
"Now is a golden opportunity. We can put Huhai on the throne without anyone noticing."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Hai stepped forward and blocked Li Si's path.
He looked at Li Si with eagerness and deliberate flattery in his eyes, and his originally flustered gaze now had a hint of obsession.
His hands clenched slightly at the hem of his clothes, his knuckles turning white, and he spoke slowly to Li Si, each word filled with an almost humble longing:
"I don't want to lose this opportunity."
This sentence, carrying Hu Hai's long-suppressed resentment and obsession, was like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples in Li Si's heart.
Li Si frowned, about to reprimand Hu Hai, but was silenced by Hu Hai's next words.
Hu Hai's voice was choked with sobs, yet it also revealed a desperate, madness.
His eyes churned with an intense desire for the throne, along with a hint of barely concealed guilt.
"I know I'm letting down my father and my elder brother, but I want to be emperor so badly, I dream about it, I want it so badly!"
The phrase "I so desperately want to be emperor" pierced Li Si's heart like the sharpest blade.
He looked at the almost obsessive obsession in Hu Hai's eyes, at this prince whom he had always regarded as a naughty child.
Seeing him now showing such a reckless attitude for the sake of the throne, my heart sank.
He knew all too well the weight behind this desire—the dragon throne of supreme power, the power to control life and death in the world.
It was the supreme glory of all people bowing down, but also an abyss capable of destroying everything.
Li Si suddenly took a step back, swung his hands sharply, and straightened his back.
His deathly pale face instantly turned into furious rage as he stared intently at Zhao Gao and Hu Hai.
The voice suddenly rose, filled with extreme resistance and steadfastness, a sharp rebuttal, a resolute attitude, leaving no room for negotiation:
"No, absolutely not, not at all! I swear, I will never let you do this. It's outrageous, it's horrific, it's absolutely appalling!"
His voice trembled, yet it conveyed a steadfast commitment to the principles of loyalty between ruler and subject.
Li Si's eyes widened, and he shouted angrily, his whole being exuding the spirit of a loyal minister:
"Zhao Gao! How dare you! His Majesty has just passed away, his body is barely cold, yet you dare to conceal the imperial edict, plotting rebellion! This is a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of your entire clan and the destruction of your spirit! Immediately send out the edict and welcome Prince Fusu to the throne, without the slightest delay!"
Li Si studied under Xunzi from a young age, was well-versed in poetry and literature, and adhered to the principles of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism throughout his life. He was highly promoted and trusted by the First Emperor.
From a mere strategist to the highest-ranking official, the Left Chancellor, he had long since ingrained the duty between ruler and subject into his very bones.
In his view, altering the imperial edict and plotting rebellion to seize power were heinous crimes that could not be tolerated by heaven and earth, and were evil deeds that would be remembered for eternity.
He could never betray his monarch, abandon the Qin Dynasty, or abandon the principles he had upheld for half his life.
But the next sentence silenced Li Si.
"If my elder brother ascends the throne, then your position, Prime Minister, will be in jeopardy!"
These words were so hurtful that Li Si was speechless for a moment.
It directly exposed the long-standing grudge between Li Si and Fusu and Meng Tian.
Li Si's face flushed red instantly, then quickly turned deathly pale. His close-fitting court robes were soaked with cold sweat, clinging tightly to his skin and sending a chill down his spine.
He and Meng Tian had always disagreed on political views, and their strategies for governing the country were even more diametrically opposed.
Although Prince Fusu was kind and wise, he had an irreconcilable conflict with him because of the burning of books and burying of scholars alive. He repeatedly offered his advice and even publicly opposed many of Fusu's actions.
Once Fusu ascends the throne, Meng Tian will inevitably hold significant military power and become the core of the court.
His position as prime minister, the wealth and honor he had worked so hard for throughout his life, and even the safety of the entire Li family, would all be in grave danger.
Seeing Li Si remain silent, Hu Hai knew he had touched on the other man's concerns and immediately pressed his advantage.
His tone grew increasingly urgent, each word precisely striking at Li Si's weak points. He then looked at Zhao Gao and said urgently to Li Si:
"My elder brother has long been dissatisfied with some of your actions. How did he oppose your burning of books and burying of scholars alive? I'm different!"