The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 318: Master and Disciple, Prime Minister and King

When all the imperial guards from the five palaces of Xianyang arrived at Zhangtai Street, the night was already as dark as ink.

Torches swayed in the night wind, reflecting the cold light of the imperial guards' leather armor on the rammed earth walls on both sides of the street, like a flowing river of stars.

The patrolling guards had already retreated, and only a few night owls were squatting on the eaves, watching the silent torrent with their amber eyes.

When King Zheng of Qin stepped into the street, the hem of his black robe swept across the bluestone slabs that had not yet dried, making a slight friction sound.

His fingers unconsciously stroked the jade pendant at his waist, but the warm touch could not smooth out the wrinkles between his brows.

Zhangtai Street connects to the Zhangtai Palace in the Central Palace. The shadows of the locust trees on both sides are baring their fangs and claws under the light of torches, as if they are going to devour this murderous team.

Just now, when he led the imperial troops and horses to gallop out on horseback, he was walking on this street.

The memory of the sound of horse hooves is still ringing in my ears. At that time, they were galloping past the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion. The gilded door nails on the dark black gate were shining coldly in the twilight.

At that time, he did not notice anything different about the Prime Minister's Mansion tonight.

Under Yang Duanhe's order, the imperial guards quickly spread across Zhangtai Street. The sound of their boots tapping the ground was like thunder rolling over the spine of Xianyang City.

The gauntlet of a young imperial guard accidentally hit his sword, and the crisp sound of metal collision awakened the contemplative king.

King Zheng of Qin let out a long breath, and the white mist he exhaled quickly dissipated in the cold night. His eyes flashed with complex light under the reflection of the torches.

Joy is like the melting snow in early spring, confusion is like the fog covering a cold river, anger is like sudden thunder, and sorrow is like the falling autumn leaves.

All the emotions in the world appeared in his eyes one after another, but in the blink of an eye they returned to the calmness of a deep pool.

The curtain of the four-horse carriage found in Bai's house swayed slightly, and King Zheng of Qin's fingertips tapped a silent beat on his knees.

He thought of the dead Meng Yi, his childhood friend's last look full of disbelief.

Teng and Fan Yuqi, two of Qin's most capable generals, were thinking of betraying the country.

Thinking of his father-in-law Lu Buwei who had always suppressed him, the scent of agarwood that always lingered in the study of the former prime minister's mansion suddenly became so clear.

All mysteries will be revealed later.

Dawn will eventually break through the darkness.

The imagined sound of fighting did not appear, only the whimpering of spears and swords in the night wind.

Yang Duanhe's voice came very quickly, much earlier than King Qin Zheng had expected.

"Your Majesty." The voice coming from outside the car window was a little depressed, as if he was forced to swallow a mouthful of muddy wine, "Prince Wang He has led his army to capture the Xiangbang Mansion and is just waiting for Your Majesty to arrive."

It is rude to call someone by their surname directly, but adding a respectful title after the surname makes a distinction.

The Qin State had two capable princes, Wang Ling and Wang He.

King Zheng of Qin raised his eyebrows slightly, and this subtle expression caused the twelve jade beads on his forehead to gently collide.

Wang He... This name is actually very brilliant. Qin Wangzheng had heard of it as early as when he was in Zhao State. He was the first general of the Battle of Changping and a fierce man who suppressed Lian Po.

However, this name, which had once terrified the State of Zhao during the Battle of Changping, now had a somewhat absurd meaning.

He chuckled silently, and the curve of his mouth was fleeting, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Instead of going to Bai's house to support the king, he attacked the prime minister's mansion.

The veteran's choice was like an unexpected move in the game of chess.

King Zheng of Qin won, this is a brilliant move.

The defeat of King Zheng of Qin was caused by this foul play.

Didn’t Wang He expect that he would lose?

This was the first loyal minister King Zheng of Qin met, and he would not be the last.

"The prince is old, so don't let him work too hard." King Zheng of Qin's voice suddenly became unusually gentle, as casual as if he was discussing tomorrow's court meeting.

His slender fingers brushed across the delicate cloud patterns on the curtains, and he continued:
"Pass on my order. Please return to your residence to rest. General Yang will lead the imperial guards to take over the Prime Minister's residence."

Outside the car, Yang Duanhe's gloomy expression disappeared.

The general's armor clanged cheerfully due to his rapid breathing, and the "wei" sound was so loud that it startled the jackdaws perched on the nearby treetops.

When he turned around, his scarlet clothes fluttered in the night wind like a victory flag.

The king's intention in this sentence is very clear. He does not trust the veteran general Wang He and only trusts Yang Duanhe.

Although I didn't have the merit of disfiguring his appearance this time, and therefore cannot be granted a title of nobility or lordship, it is enough to gain the king's trust.

Yang Duanhe is still young, and he will surely be granted the title of king or marquis in the future based on his military achievements!
Yang Duanhe rode to meet Wang He and expressed the king's intentions in a sincere manner. He kept his eyes on the old general and was ready to be beaten if the old general got angry.

He has less qualifications and less military achievements than others, so he deserves to be beaten.

Wang He listened quietly, said "hmm", and left with a group of servants in compliance with the king's order and returned home to sleep.

Yang Duanhe was dumbfounded by this behavior. Lord Wang, won’t you give me a beating?

The veteran general who had made great contributions neither asked to see the king nor to consolidate his victory.

The veteran had not intended to take credit for this. To be more precise, he did not realize that there was any credit for disfiguring his appearance.

It was Xiong Wen who worked in the Xiangbang Mansion who intercepted him on the way and told him that the outcome at the gate of the Bai family had been decided and the imperial army had killed all the rebels. The king was going to attack the Xiangbang Mansion next, so he could go first.

Wang He just came.

The veteran doesn't particularly care about Yang Duanhe's eager credit.

It’s good to have merit, but it’s okay if you don’t.

It’s good if the king trusts you, but it’s also okay if the king doesn’t trust you.

The imperial guards quickly changed their guard and took control of every corner of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

With such a big event happening in Zhangtai Street, all government offices were as silent as death.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Chief Censor of the Imperial Censorate all seemed to be completely unaware of what was happening.

King Zheng of Qin got off the carriage in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion and glanced at Zhangtai Street which was lit by torches. The flames formed two balls of flame in his eyes.

After dawn, all those who remained silent tonight will be loyal subjects of the Qin State and loyal subjects of King Zheng of Qin.

His eyes glanced somewhere among the imperial guards, where stood a man with an imposing bearing, an old acquaintance of his - Prince Dan of Yan.

When he was a hostage in Zhao State, Prince Dan of Yan was also a hostage in Zhao State.

But compared to his misery, Prince Dan of Yan was treated much better.

At that time, he envied Prince Dan of Yan very much, and Prince Dan of Yan felt sorry for him and helped him.

The person is still the same person, but the matter is no longer the same.

King Zheng of Qin did not feel much better when he saw the flattering face of Prince Dan of Yan. Instead, he felt a little uncomfortable.

He had no opinion on Yan Taizi Dan personally, but was very grateful to him. When Yan Taizi Dan first arrived in Qin as a hostage, he went to meet Yan Taizi Dan in his capacity as the crown prince, and the two had a very pleasant conversation.

After he succeeded to the throne of Qin, he also improved the treatment of Prince Dan of Yan. He dared to guarantee that Prince Dan of Yan would live a much more comfortable life in Qin than in Yan.

Apart from preventing Prince Dan of Yan from returning to Yan, King Zheng of Qin thought he was very good to Prince Dan of Yan.

But...Prince Dan of Yan only wants to return to Yan.

[Soon...] King Zheng of Qin muttered to himself, not knowing whether his decision would be good or bad for his childhood friend.

Good or bad, everyone has to let go.

It has nothing to do with personal feelings, it only concerns national interests.

His younger brother is particularly good at details. He always finds opportunities and never misses any person or thing that can be used.

It means a major violation.

When Qin Wangzheng recalled his brother's attack on the Bai family, he felt that only a madman could do such a thing! He walked up the steps of the Xiangbang Mansion and passed between the two rows of imperial guards.

He observed the Prime Minister's Mansion as if he was there for the first time.

It's almost the same.

The Prime Minister's Mansion was smashed by his brother on the first day of the Lunar New Year. The current Prime Minister's Mansion has been rebuilt, and he has never been there.

What are you doing here at the Prime Minister's Mansion?

Would you like to say hello to Zhongfu?

Will Zhongfu humiliate you?

King Zheng of Qin narrowed his eyes and his mood became better and better as he walked.

The first time he came to his uncle's territory after the reconstruction of the Prime Minister's Mansion was to take back power.

centralization!

The footsteps on the bluestone road were particularly clear, and every step taken by King Zheng of Qin stepped on the tense hearts of everyone present.

The newly painted pillars of the Xiangbang Mansion still seemed to emit a faint scent of tung oil. Under the rebuilt eaves, brand new copper bells were silent in the cold wind.

King Zheng of Qin's eyes swept across every corner, even the new moss in the cracks between the stone slabs, but he did not find any signs of a fight as he had expected.

No signs of intense fighting were found, which meant that Wang He did not encounter any intense resistance when he captured the place.

The doubts in his heart, like the feeling of joy, gradually grew stronger.

He was sure that the reason he did not notice any signs of a fight was definitely not because it was dark at night - every man in the two rows of imperial guards held up a torch, lighting up the Prime Minister's Mansion brighter than day.

King Zheng of Qin slowed down his pace and observed more carefully.

However, he didn't even see much blood on the ground of Xiangbang Mansion.

He made a wild guess.

Perhaps it’s not that Wang He hasn’t encountered any decent resistance, but that he has never encountered any resistance.

Thinking of this, King Zheng of Qin quickened his pace.

He was eager to meet his father-in-law, the prime minister of the country.

Yang Duanhe quickened his pace.

The general actually didn't quite understand why the king actually came to see Lu Xiang in person just after he told him that Lu Xiang invited the king in.

Lu Xiang should be allowed to go out and meet the king. This was the order the king gave in the beginning.

The general thought about it in his mind but didn't care too much.

These things were small matters, and he did not care at all.

He only cared about fighting wars, conferring titles of nobility and dukedom, and dividing up the land.

He followed King Zheng of Qin to the main hall of the Prime Minister's Mansion, where he saw Gan Luo, the child prodigy of the Gan family, who was tied up tightly. He also saw Prime Minister Lu sitting in front of the table wearing a cloak, seemingly reading a book?

Are you still reading when you are about to die?

Yang Duanhe curled his lips and was about to follow in.

The same scenery looked different in the eyes of King Zheng of Qin.

When the king saw Gan Luo in front of the main hall, he felt that he was like a lamb tied up to be slaughtered. The young genius, who was being held down by his younger brother, had a clean sackcloth stuffed in his mouth.

The silhouette of Zhongfu Lu Buwei, wearing a fox fur cloak, looked particularly thin under the lamp, but his fingers turning the bamboo slips were still as steady as usual, as if it was just an ordinary night of reviewing memorials.

"Please ask General Yang to guard outside and no one is allowed to enter." King Zheng of Qin gave the order suddenly.

"Your Majesty." Yang Duanhe said seriously, "This is not safe."

He saw with his own eyes that this chief civil servant suppressed Teng Da despite being injured.

All the civil servants are bad people, except Prime Minister Lu.

Destroying the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was a military achievement, suppressing Tengda was a sign of bravery. If all the Qin State had such civil servants, Yang Duanhe would be so grinning that his mouth would be crooked.

"Thank you for your kindness, General Yang. I have made up my mind." King Zheng of Qin said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty..." Yang Duanhe hesitated to speak. He wanted to persuade the king, but he felt that it might not be a good idea to tell him directly that the king could not defeat the prime minister.

"General Yang." Qin Wangzheng looked directly into Yang Duanhe's eyes and said seriously, "Are you going to disobey my order? Anyone who disobeys my order shall be executed."

An ordinary murderous aura emanated from Qin Shi Huang, and Yang Duanhe, who was used to murderous aura, couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

He had seen murderous aura in too many people, the strongest of whom was Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an. He felt cold when he was close to him.

In Yang Duanhe's opinion, Qin Shi Huang's murderous aura was commonplace, not even as strong as that of an old soldier on the battlefield.

But Yang Duanhe, who was not afraid of Wu'an Jun, was afraid of Qin Wang Zheng.

No matter how murderous Wu'an Jun is, he cannot kill him; no matter how lightly murderous King Zheng of Qin is, he can still cut off his head.

King Zheng of Qin will hold the greatest power in the Qin State, and Yang Duanhe dare not touch or provoke this power.

"Yes!" Yang Duanhe responded, pointing at Gan Luo in the corner of the room: "Where is he?"

"Take him out." King Zheng of Qin didn't even glance at Gan Luo.

"Yes." Yang Duanhe responded again.

He strode into the main hall, his footsteps stomping loudly.

He used this to intimidate Lu Xiang and told him not to think of anything unnecessary.

While he was holding Gan Luo like a chicken, he cursed Wang He in his heart for being so old and confused that he didn't even tie up Lu Buwei and completely forgot about giving Fan Yuqi dignity.

If Wang He, the veteran general who respected Lu Buwei and treated him with dignity, knew that King Zheng of Qin met with Lu Buwei in private, he would certainly be angry at Yang Duan and this guy for not tying up Lu Buwei in advance.

Yang Duanhe carried the struggling Gan Luo out.

"Close the door." Lu Buwei coughed, and the cold that had almost recovered seemed to come back.

"Yes." King Zheng of Qin responded expressionlessly, like a disciple listening to his teacher's lecture in the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall.

He turned around and closed the door with Yang Duanhe's "No, no" look.

"Come and sit down." Lu Buwei said, pointing to the straw mat opposite him.

King Zheng of Qin responded with "Yes" again and walked away.

Only then did he realize that Lu Buwei was not sitting on a chair, but on a straw mat.

The table in front of Lu Buwei was not a high table, but a long table.

All of this is just like the decoration in the Guanzheng Qinxue Hall.

At the beginning, his younger brother once criticized such poor teaching conditions, saying that this was just suffering without any effort.
King Zheng of Qin did not think so. He believed that one should have the right attitude for doing anything, just like one can only sit upright in formal occasions and not sit cross-legged like in the harem, waiting for concubines to come and eat birds.

"What is this, Zhongfu? Can't the Prime Minister's Mansion even afford to buy a chair? The Minister of the Palace won't allocate money?" Qin Wangzheng kicked the straw mat lightly: "Are you still trying to endure the hardship?"

Lu Buwei raised his eyebrows, glanced at him, lowered his eyebrows, sneered, and said nothing.

King Zheng of Qin found himself in trouble, his face was gloomy and angry.

He sat on the straw mat, sitting upright, speaking in a low voice:

"Do you think today is the same as yesterday, Zhongfu?"

You could treat me like this yesterday, how dare you today!
"It's all the same." Lu Buwei put down the bamboo slips: "It's always the same."

(End of this chapter)