The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After Hu Hai returned to his mansion, he immediately summoned his trusted confidants and began to discuss how to achieve greater results in the search for immortals.

He asked with a serious expression, "Everyone, do you have any good ideas? I want to achieve greater success in my search for immortals, so that I can gain the trust and favor of my father."

Zhao Gao, who was standing by, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Sir, I believe we should begin by searching for the immortals and use this opportunity to eliminate those who would harm you."

Upon hearing this, Hu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly, raised the corners of his mouth, and revealed a sinister smile. He said, "Oh? Teacher, do you have any clever ideas?"

Zhao Gao replied with a sly smile, "Sir, I think we can first gather evidence against those ministers who oppose the immortality search, such as Li Si, Meng Yi, and Wang Ben, and then expose them when the time is right. This way, we can not only successfully remove these obstacles, but also greatly enhance your prestige!"

Hu Hai was overjoyed and clapped his hands in admiration, saying, "Brilliant! Master, you are absolutely right! I will do as you say!"

At this moment, Hu Hai was secretly delighted, as if he had already seen the bright prospect of ascending the throne and becoming the ruler of the world..."

At the same time, Zhao Gao was also operating in secret. He used his power and connections to gather evidence against ministers who held different opinions on the immortality search, preparing to seize the opportunity to eliminate them.

In Zhao Gao's study, candlelight flickered as he sat at his desk, his face gloomy. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a dull sound.

"You must keep a close eye on those ministers who hold different opinions on the search for immortals. Report to me immediately if there is any sign of trouble." Zhao Gao said in a deep voice. His eyes were cold and chilling.

Zhao Gao's confidants stood respectfully by, nodding in response, "Yes, sir."

Zhao Gao: "Also, you must keep it secret and don't let anyone discover our plan."

Zhao Gao's confidant: "Yes, sir."

Zhao Gao narrowed his eyes slightly, a sinister glint in their gaze. He thought to himself, these ministers dared to dissent from the immortal search; they simply didn't know how to live or die. He had to eliminate them to secure his position and power.

There was a depressing atmosphere in Zhao Gao's study. His confidants did not dare to make a sound. They stood there quietly, waiting for Zhao Gao's next instructions.

For a time, the court was in a panic. Many ministers were worried that they would become Zhao Gao's target, so they chose to protect themselves.

Some timid officials did not even dare to attend court, for fear that they would say something wrong and be caught by Zhao Gao.

Some shrewd ministers began to actively approach Zhao Gao, hoping to get his protection.

During this turbulent time, Li Si and Meng Yi also learned of the developments within the palace. They realized that the search for immortals had already triggered a fierce struggle within the court. For now, although both were loyal to the First Emperor, they also felt a great deal of difficulty in the face of Zhao Gao's machinations.

Li Si was well aware of Zhao Gao's immense ambitions. If left unchecked, they would bring even greater disaster to the court. Therefore, he decided to join forces with Meng Yi to fight Zhao Gao. However, both men knew that this struggle would be extremely difficult, and that the slightest misstep could lead to total defeat.

Late one night, Li Si paced his study, his heart heavy with worry. Meng Yi quietly arrived, and the two sat opposite each other. After a moment's silence, Li Si spoke, "My dear nephew, Zhao Gao is a ruthless and ambitious man. If he is not curbed, the court will be in danger."

Meng Yi nodded and said in a deep voice, "Master, what you said is absolutely true, but Zhao Gao has been by your Majesty's side for many years and is deeply trusted by you. It will be more difficult for us to bring him down."

Li Si's eyes were firm. "My dear nephew, we cannot sit idly by and wait for death. We must take the initiative. Zhao Gao is using his power to ruthlessly eliminate those who oppose him. We must act quickly and not let him continue to do as he pleases."

Meng Yi frowned. "Uncle Master, what should we do? Zhao Gao has been slandering His Majesty, attempting to weaken our position. Now His Majesty has become suspicious of us."

Li Si pondered for a moment. "My dear nephew, we need to find evidence against Zhao Gao and expose his crimes to the public. At the same time, we must unite all forces we can to fight Zhao Gao together."

Meanwhile, Zhao Gao was not idle. In his own residence, he and a group of his confidants plotted how to further attack Li Si and Meng Yi.

Zhao Gao's voice was cold. "Li Si and Meng Yi's plan to join forces against me is simply wishful thinking. I want to show them that my methods are beyond their imagination."

One of his confidants offered a suggestion: "Sir, we can continue to slander them to His Majesty, deepening his suspicion of Li Si and Meng Yi. At the same time, we can use some means to make them lose support in the court."

Zhao Gao nodded with satisfaction. "Very good, let's do it. I will make their standing in Your Majesty's heart plummet, until I trample them under my feet."

Under Zhao Gao's instigation, the First Emperor began to doubt Li Si and Meng Yi, putting them in a passive position.

One day, on a sunny day, Li Si was sitting in the study in his mansion, brows furrowed, thinking hard about how to deal with the situation.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps. It turned out to be a servant pacing back and forth in the room.

Just as Li Si was puzzled, the servant hurried forward to report: "Prime Minister, Zhao Gao sent someone with an invitation, inviting you to come to the house for a chat!"

Li Si was shocked and immediately realized that this invitation must be full of mystery and murderous intent.

However, he did not back down. Instead, he smiled and said resolutely, "Hmph, in that case, I will go and meet this Zhao Gao."

Not long after, Li Si arrived at the gate of Zhao's mansion. He saw Zhao Gao standing at the gate to greet him. He was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe and had a hypocritical smile on his face, which made people feel very uncomfortable.

After the two met, they exchanged greetings and then walked into the study together.

After the two men sat opposite each other, Zhao Gao was the first to speak: "Prime Minister Li, how are you?" His tone was sarcastic, and the smile on his face made people feel creepy.

Li Si showed no sign of weakness and responded calmly, "Thank you, Lord Zhao, for your concern. I wonder why you called me here today?" His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, staring at Zhao Gao as if he wanted to see through him.

"Haha, Prime Minister Li is a straightforward person. I won't beat around the bush. Your Majesty is becoming more and more obsessed with finding immortals. I want to help Prince Hai achieve merit in this matter. I hope Prime Minister Li can support me." Zhao Gao looked at Li Si coldly, with a threatening tone in his voice.

Li Si's heart sank, knowing Zhao Gao was forcing him to express his opinion. He sneered, "Lord Zhao, I, Li Si, am deeply loyal to the Qin Empire and will fully support your Majesty's decisions. However, if anyone attempts to seize power, I, Li Si, will not stand idly by."

Zhao Gao's expression changed slightly. He knew Li Si was a tough nut to crack. He said with a forced smile, "Prime Minister Li, you and I are both ministers of the Qin State. We should prioritize the interests of the Qin State."

Li Si sneered, "The interests of the Qin Empire? I think you're pursuing your own selfish interests!"

Zhao Gao's face turned gloomy, and the two men's eyes met in the air, full of hostility and competition.

Li Si and Zhao Gao stood in the corridor of their mansion, the atmosphere tense and solemn. Their eyes revealed deep dissatisfaction and hostility towards each other.

With that, Li Si turned and left, leaving Zhao Gao standing there with a gloomy expression. He knew that Li Si and Meng Yi had joined forces and would be the biggest obstacle to his seizure of power. But he remained undaunted. He believed that if he could eliminate these two, Prince Hai would ascend to the throne smoothly, and he, too, would become a powerful official second only to the emperor.

Zhao Gao stared at Li Si's departing figure, his eyes gleaming coldly. He clenched his fists slightly, secretly plotting his next move.

In the corridor of the palace, sunlight shines through the windows onto the ground, creating mottled light and shadows.

Zhao Gao's figure appeared particularly lonely and gloomy in the light and shadow. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a sly smile.