Qin Shi: I only work eight hours

Chapter 70: Lü Buwei was dismissed from his post
Upon hearing this, Xu Lin smiled and gave Hongzao a thumbs up.

You really can’t trust what beautiful women say!
……

the other side.

Xianyang, the prime minister's residence.

Because Hongzao locked up all the maids that Lu Buwei had sent to Ganquan Palace in recent years in the cellar last night, Lu Buwei still didn't know about Lao Zheng's failure until now.

"Your Majesty wishes to see me?"

"Now?"

Lu Buwei frowned.

"Correct!"

Zhao Gao nodded.

There was no expression on his face, and he behaved neither arrogantly nor servilely.

"it is good."

Seeing this, Lu Buwei readily agreed.

It is a blessing, not a curse, but a curse that cannot be avoided!
He was the prime minister of the Qin Dynasty. Even if it was a bad thing, it couldn't be worse than the suspected plagiarism of Lüshi Chunqiu, right?

Thinking of this, Lu Buwei suddenly stood up and went to Zhangtai Palace with Zhao Gao.

As soon as Lu Buwei disappeared from sight, Zhang Han entered the prime minister's residence with dozens of secret guards and assassins.

……

After a stick of incense.

Lu Buwei, dressed in a purple brocade robe, arrived at Zhangtai Palace.

Ying Zheng sat high on the gilded dragon throne, with Zhao Ji on his right and the Queen Mother Huayang on his left. Members of the royal family such as Duke Shang and generals such as Wang Jian were all present.

When Lu Buwei saw this scene, he felt something was wrong.

But now that I’m here, it’s not good to go back on the pretext of being sick.

"This old minister pays homage to the king, Queen Mother Zhao, and Queen Mother Huayang!"

Lu Buwei strode forward and bowed.

"No gift."

Ying Zheng waved his hand.

Then he looked at Zhao Gao.

After receiving the eye signal, Zhao Gao immediately took the "confession" written by Lao Zheng last night with both hands and gave it to Lu Buwei.

"Lord Lu."

"How do you explain this?"

Ying Zheng suppressed his displeasure and asked with a stern face.

"Kings!"

"This old minister is wronged!"

"Who is this Lao Zheng? I don't even know him!"

"A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. I have made countless enemies during my years serving the Qin State. Someone must be the one..."

Lu Buwei defended himself.

He was interrupted before he could finish his words.

The one who interrupted him was neither Ying Zheng nor Zhao Ji, but Lao Zheng who had been eavesdropping in the next room.

"Lü Buwei, stop pretending to be innocent!"

"If it weren't for your arrangement, could I have replaced Dongyue, the maid of Ganquan Palace?"

Lao Zheng said angrily.

He originally wanted to ask Lu Buwei to protect him, but Lu Buwei came up and shifted the blame, saying that he didn't know him at all. Who could tolerate this?
If he did not stand up and confront Lu Buwei in court, and allowed Lu Buwei to fabricate stories, not only would he be torn to pieces by chariots, but he would also most likely have his three or even nine clans exterminated!

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lao Zheng was ready to die, and was not afraid of Lu Buwei at all. He threw out countless details of Lu Buwei's cooperation with him, such as how he moved into Dongyue's house and how he got Dongyue's reminder.

This made Lu Buwei break out in cold sweat on his palms.

Just when Lu Buwei was about to deny it to death, Zhang Han suddenly asked for a meeting and said that he had found several more witnesses in the prime minister's residence who could prove that Lao Zheng was indeed Lu Buwei's man.

"Lord Lu, do you want to continue the confrontation?"

Seeing this, Ying Zheng asked with a gloomy face.

"No need."

"I am old and my memory is not as good as it used to be."

"This young man may indeed know this old minister."

Lu Buwei shook his head.

Ying Zheng has been given the opportunity to step down, so how can he not step down?

Seeing this, Lao Zheng was delighted and spat at Lu Buwei.

When Lu Buwei saw Lao Zheng's smug look, he was so angry that his lungs were about to explode.

If this wasn't the Zhangtai Palace and Duke Shang and the others were not there, he would have killed Lao Zheng with his own hands to vent his anger!
"Take him down."

Ying Zheng waved his sleeves.

"Yes!" Zhao Gao immediately accepted the order and took Lao Zheng away.

After Lao Zheng left, Ying Zheng shifted the topic to the plagiarism of Lüshi Chunqiu.

"Lord Lu."

"You are the Prime Minister of the Great Qin, yet you blatantly plagiarize the classics of various schools of thought. Does this bring disgrace upon the Great Qin?"

Ying Zheng asked sternly.

"Your Majesty, you misunderstood."

"I didn't plagiarize, I just borrowed from Lüshi Chunqiu..."

Lu Buwei said stubbornly.

He was interrupted by Queen Dowager Huayang before he could finish his words.

"What a good reference!"

"If there was no plagiarism, why did people from Confucianism, Mohism, and other schools come to Xianyang to demand an explanation?"

Queen Mother Huayang clapped her hands and laughed.

She is very good at being sarcastic!

When Lu Buwei heard this, he wanted to refute, but he opened his mouth for a long time and couldn't say a word.

Because Lu Qian has not yet convinced the Mohists and Taoists, no matter how much he refutes, it will be useless!
"Kings."

"Lü Buwei harbored evil intentions. He first sent people into Ganquan Palace to humiliate the Queen Mother of Zhao, and then plagiarized the classics of various schools of thought, causing our Great Qin to lose face."

"I suggest that Lü Buwei be demoted to a commoner and exiled to Shu!"

Upon seeing this, Yangquan Jun immediately stood up.

His favorite thing to do is to kick someone when they are down and add fuel to the fire!
"I second the proposal!"

Changping Jun, Changwen Jun and others followed closely behind.

"Kings."

"Lü Buwei bullied the Queen Mother Zhao and deserves death!"

"I suggest that he be beheaded in the city!"

Meng Yi took a few steps forward and spoke.

"I second the proposal!"

Meng Tian and others immediately stood up.

"Our Great Qin is founded on the rule of law, and in times of chaos, we must use severe punishments."

"If we let Lü Buwei off lightly, who knows how many people will follow suit."

"Therefore, I also agree to have Lü Buwei beheaded in public!"

The Queen Mother Huayang spoke slowly and calmly.

Although her voice was not loud, what she said was reasonable and well-founded!
Lü Buwei's heart skipped a beat when he heard this.

It was he who sent Lao Zheng to Ganquan Palace, but didn’t Lao Zheng succeed?

Lüshi Chunqiu is suspected of plagiarism, but it is just suspected. Why should we kill it right away?
Seeing that the situation was not good, Lu Buwei turned his head and looked at the Ying clan members whom Lu Qian had been trying to win over recently.

If the Ying clan members didn't help, he would probably have died in Zhangtai Palace today!
If he had known this, he would have used illness as an excuse not to come!

Lu Buwei is now regretting it so much that his intestines are turning green.

"Kings."

"I believe that although Prime Minister Lu is guilty, his crime does not warrant the death penalty."

After feeling Lu Buwei's gaze, Ying Jian, who owed Lu Buwei a favor, stood up and expressed a different opinion.

"Your Majesty."

"After all, Prime Minister Lu was a trusted minister of the late king. His crimes in the Lao Zheng affair and the plagiarism of Lüshi Chunqiu were not small, but his contributions should not be forgotten."

"Otherwise, who would be willing to enter Qin and serve you, Your Majesty?"

The leading member of the royal family, Lord Shang, coughed twice and spoke slowly.

He is nearly seventy years old and has a very high prestige among the royal family.

After hearing this, Lu Buwei was overjoyed.

Fortunately, he asked Lu Qian to get close to the royal family last year, otherwise he would have died here today.

"What does Lord Shang think should be done with Lü Buwei?"

Zhao Ji, who had been silent all this time, became displeased upon hearing this and asked in a cold voice.

She is the Queen Mother of the Qin Dynasty and the biological mother of Zheng'er. Lu Buwei sent people to humiliate her. Isn't this a crime punishable by death?

Upon hearing this, Duke Shang did not rush to answer, but turned back to look at his grandson Ying Jian, and then shifted his gaze to Lu Buwei.

"As far as I know, Lao Zheng did not succeed. Your Majesty, you were just frightened."

"Therefore, I, this old minister, suggest that Lü Buwei be dismissed from his position as prime minister, but his title of Marquis Wenxin be retained, and his fiefdom be halved."

Lord Shang said as he thought.

Lu Buwei was very happy at first when he heard this, but soon his face turned gloomy.

What’s the use of having the title of Marquis Wenxin without the position of Prime Minister?
This is equivalent to depriving him of his power!
(End of this chapter)