Chapter 23: The Death of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

  Just as Liu Shanhe and his men were garrisoning troops in Mangdang Mountain, a very important event occurred in the Great Qin Dynasty. The Emperor Shi Huangdi, who had once unified China, suddenly fell ill and died on the road during his eastern tour!

  This time, the emperor's tour was a routine inspection, but also a warning to him about a celestial phenomenon that had made him uneasy. One night, Emperor Ying Zheng stood at the top of the highest building in Epang Palace, gazing up at the stars. He would often come to this place called "Zhāi Xīng" (Picking Stars) in Epang Palace to gaze up at the stars, and every time he did, he would discover a majestic aura enveloping his capital city of Xianyang, very dense. And whenever he felt this way, he would feel extremely proud and satisfied with himself. He thought about how he had taken over the task of unifying the world from his ancestors, and after conquering the six states, he finally unified this vast and mysterious land - Zhōngguó (China). What a great achievement! After unifying the country, he also standardized the tracks for carts, writing, and measurement units. To ensure long-term peace and stability, he collected all the weapons in the country and melted them down to create nine large bronze statues, which were placed at the entrance of his palace in Xianyang. Furthermore, to prevent invasions by the northern Xiongnu tribes, he mobilized tens of thousands of people to build a long wall along the northern border...

  He was gloating over his own achievements, and his heart was full of pride. However, on that day, when he once again climbed to the top of the "Zhāi Xīng Gé" (the highest building in the Epang Palace), and looked up at the sky, he found that the aura of the Son of Heaven, which had once made him so proud, was now unusually dim. What on earth was going on?

  Ying Zheng stood alone at the highest point of the Star-Picking Pavilion, silently lowering his head, speechless. A sense of foreboding rose to his heart, unnoticed. Could it be that the empire he had worked so hard to build would fall into someone else's hands?

  However, he also kept comforting himself, thinking that this might be an occasional thing. After his own governance, the world would be at peace, and all his subjects would praise his great virtues, people would live in peace and prosperity, how could anything bad happen? Perhaps it was just a coincidence. So, after a few days, Ying Zheng specially chose a very clear night to climb up to the Tiān Xīng Gé (Star Plucking Pavilion) again, and once again seriously observed the celestial phenomena. But what made him disappointed was that the Tianzi Qi (Heavenly Son's Aura) he saw this time, which enveloped his capital city of Chang'an, was still abnormally thin, and seemed to be getting even thinner. Just as he couldn't understand it, he looked far away again, but unexpectedly got a chill down his spine. Because he discovered that in the southeast direction, which should be within the borders of Kuaiji Commandery, there was also a Tianzi Qi, and that aura was extremely dense, far surpassing the one enveloping Chang'an. It was truly absurd to the extreme, how could two Tianzi Qi appear at the same time under the same sky? As the saying goes, "one mountain cannot have two tigers, one day cannot have two suns, one dynasty cannot have two rulers!" Could it be that Heaven intended to let his Qin Dynasty disappear so soon after he had established it with great difficulty? So, Ying Zheng made up his mind that in his lifetime, relying on his powerful and majestic dominance over the world, he would definitely go to Kuaiji Commandery in the southeast for an inspection tour, using his sharp Tianzi Qi to suppress the Tianzi Qi within the borders of Kuaiji Commandery.

  "I don't believe it, under the vast sky, who else would dare to defy such a strong imperial aura! Although I couldn't kill everyone in Kuaiji Commandery, with my own prestige and that unparalleled sharp imperial aura, as long as I arrive at Kuaiji, that group of people who once gave me headaches will definitely be intimidated away!"

  Then, Ying Zheng ordered Zhao Gao to start preparing for his own, and possibly final, eastern tour.

  As for Zhao Gao, Emperor Ying actually still had a good grasp of him in his heart. He knew that this person was absolutely a petty man, but there was no way around it, he really couldn't do without such petty men by his side. Some people were loyal to themselves, but spoke too directly and always liked to be straightforward, which made the emperor very unhappy, so he didn't want to use such people. Although such people had great talent, could govern the country, and could practically share worries for him, he still didn't want to use them.

  People like Zhao Gao, although they are selfish and have ulterior motives, at least in front of themselves, they are so honest, so lovely, and so obedient. Moreover, this guy is very familiar with the law, no matter which article is mentioned, he can recite it fluently without blinking an eye. This is a skill that ordinary people cannot match. And this person has been serving himself for many years, he always feels that Zhao Gao should be quite loyal to himself. Alas, as long as he can treat himself well, he doesn't care about anything else.

  Although some people say that this Zhao Gao is always arrogant outside, in order to be the emperor's personal attendant, he likes to bully others. This point, saying it's a problem is a problem, saying it's not a problem, it's really nothing. Originally, which person who spends all day with the emperor doesn't think they're superior in front of others? It's also true that those closest to power get the benefits first! If you can't even get this little benefit, then who would be willing to stay with the emperor? As long as he's not too excessive, it's fine. Just turn a blind eye and let him do what he wants. If you spend all day worrying about these small things, can you still live in peace? Just tolerate him, exchange for a quiet environment, and avoid a lot of trouble, that's okay!

  And as for the recent disputes in the court, it is clear that Qin Shi Huang's victory is inevitable. The current court has clearly divided into two factions: one faction is led by his eldest son Fusu, assisted by General Meng Tian who guards the northern border; while the other faction is led by his second son Huhai, assisted by Zhao Gao in the court. Of course, if he could have made a timely decision and settled the position of the crown prince earlier, there would not be such chaos today. However, it is indeed a difficult task to make this decision without blinking an eye. This is not a trivial matter, after all, it concerns the long-term stability of his Qin dynasty! Why did he name himself "Qin Shi Huang" in the first place? Wasn't it to let his descendants rule forever? This vast land will always belong to his descendants! Yes, he also admits that his quest for immortality has not succeeded. But this is not a big deal, because even if he dies, he still has two sons! His sons have sons, and their sons have grandsons, so the line of succession will never end. This sounds like something that foolish old man said, hmm, it makes sense! Qin Shi Huang thought to himself.

  But he now feels it is necessary to quickly settle the position of the crown prince, because he has already felt that his own lifespan seems to be coming to an end. When that time comes, if his successor has not been settled, then the court will certainly fall into chaos, and once the court falls into chaos, the thing he worries about most - great turmoil in the land - will also become unavoidable. Therefore, Ying Zheng decided that after considering it for a while longer, after this tour is finished, he would definitely settle on a name for the crown prince. Whether it will be Fusu or Huhai remains to be seen.

  But in the heart of Ying Zheng, he only felt very contradictory, naturally still because his two children each had their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, that Fu Su, a very intelligent person, with extensive knowledge, understanding even more than himself, but he always advocated for the implementation of benevolent governance. Benevolent governance? What is benevolent governance? Isn't it just catering to those unruly commoners? Towards those unruly commoners, Ying Zheng himself felt deeply understood: if you are kind to them, they will think themselves very capable and will create many troubles; on the other hand, if you frequently suppress them, even using force to teach them a lesson when necessary, then they will listen much more. Therefore, what his eldest son Fu Su said about "implementing benevolent governance" was purely nonsense! Ridiculous. Naive. Foolish!

  However, that guy was very much like himself, extremely stubborn. Once he had made up his mind about something, he would not rest until it was done, and would not turn back until he hit a wall. For the sake of his benevolent government, the noise in his ears was extremely annoying to him. So, reluctantly, he decided to first get rid of this arrogant guy, and then temper his sharp spirit later on. In a fit of anger, he sent his trusted aide, Zhao Fu, to the northern border to guard the frontier with General Meng Tian.

  Although that's the case, on the other hand, he still had a very appreciative attitude towards his eldest son Fusu. If it were up to governing the country, the second son Huhai couldn't compare with Fusu no matter what. And as for himself, he wasn't unaware of this point either, after all, state affairs and the ancestral temple were more important. However, that child's sharpness was really too strong, and he should have been tempered a bit.

  In comparison to his eldest son Fusu, who was well-versed in literature and propriety, and had a strong sense of benevolence and righteousness, his second son Huhai was far inferior. It's like comparing a small sorcerer to a great one - they're not even on the same level. From a young age, Huhai was extremely mischievous and cunning, and there was nothing in the world that he couldn't do or wouldn't dare to try. Moreover, his lustful nature was also extremely strong, and he had already "played" with all of the dozens of palace maidens who followed him. However, his lust still hadn't been satiated, and every day he would search for beautiful women in the palace. Once he set his sights on someone, he would use every trick in the book to get them into his clutches. It's also because I spoiled him too much, and he was skilled at reading people's expressions - no matter what time or situation, he could always make me happy. Ah, as one gets older, they start to feel that their children are more important. When you're young, you can let your horse run wild and free, but as the years go by, you realize that those days are behind you. Moreover, every day in the palace is spent listening to ministers either reporting on state affairs or flattering me - it's all just a bunch of empty words that I've grown tired of hearing. On the other hand, I feel that this simple familial affection is the purest and most genuine thing, something that can't be bought with any amount of money.

  So, the second son Huhai accompanied him all day, chatting with him about his thoughts, saying some natural and plain words, talking about family joys, making him happy, and relaxing. In this regard, the second son Huhai was much stronger than the eldest son Fusu.

  It's precisely for this reason that he feels it's really a difficult thing to decide who should be the crown prince. If considering only his personal preferences, Hu Hai would certainly please him and should be appointed; however, if considering the future of his empire, it would still be better to appoint Fusu as the crown prince. After all, Fusu is just like himself, has strategic thinking, knows how to govern a country, and he can rest assured by putting the country's fate in his hands.

  Well, let's just leave it at that for now. After I return from my eastern tour, we can finalize this matter. There's no rush at the moment. We should still have time. And so, on a carefully chosen auspicious day, Ying Zheng set out on his eastern tour accompanied by eunuch Zhao Gao, his two sons Hu Hai, and Prime Minister Li Si. Everything seemed so familiar and routine, as this was not his first tour after all. Yet, somehow, Ying Zheng couldn't shake off the feeling that this trip felt different from his previous ones. It really was different. There was a strange sensation, as if everything he saw through the curtains of his sedan chair - the scenery outside, the land, the people, the mountains, lakes, and fields - would be the last time he laid eyes on them. Everything seemed so unreal, and he felt as if he were in a dream.

  He originally wanted to come to Kuaiji Commandery to suppress the emperor's aura. However, what made him feel depressed was that when he entered the territory of Kuaiji Commandery, he felt a very overbearing aura suppressing himself. He naturally knew that this was the other person's emperor's aura fighting with his own emperor's aura! However, since he was already old, he didn't have the power to deal with that overbearing emperor's aura. This kind of thing, no one could help with, it was truly his own problem, even if there were a million troops, it would be of no use. Therefore, Ying Zheng's heart began to panic, and he also became determined to quickly decide on a crown prince, otherwise, he feared that his Great Qin Empire might be in danger!

  Moreover, after this struggle for the emperor's aura, Ying Zheng finally understood that in order to suppress that alien surname's emperor's aura, relying on Huhai would not work. That child had no real talent or learning, and only knew how to flatter and fawn. This might be okay in a peaceful environment, but if it were in a turbulent situation, he would have no ability to turn the tide. He needed to use Fusu, must rely on the eldest son Fusu. Hmm, it was decided like this, just like this, and the eldest son Fusu was established. However, at this time, he was still on the road, and according to his original plan, he would go to the northern border to take a look, as those Xiongnu people were really making him worried. Although there was the Great Wall of China, he knew that the most important thing was still people! Even if the Great Wall was longer and higher, without people to guard it or strong national power to support it, each section of the wall would be nothing but a pile of stones.

  Although the plan was arranged in this way, however, since entering Kuaiji Commandery, especially after experiencing a struggle with that group of arrogant emperors, his life seemed to have suffered great damage. He was dazed and confused all day long, no longer having the same determination and clarity as before. Ying Zheng knew that his physical condition was rapidly deteriorating, rapidly worsening. It was very likely that at this rate, he would not be able to return to Xianyang, and he would die on the road. Therefore, Ying Zheng decided to change his inspection route, canceling his plan to visit the northern border regions, and directly returning to Xianyang. However, by this time, his carriage had already entered the territory of Langya Commandery in Shandong. At this moment, Ying Zheng felt that his energy was no longer what it used to be. His breath seemed to only have an exit, without any entrance.

  Is it that one's own life is already over? Is it already coming to an end? Although one is extremely reluctant and helpless, this is heaven's decree, and also heaven's will. Heaven's decree is hard to defy, and heaven's will is even harder to defy! Heaven's decree may only be to exhaust one's allotted lifespan; but what about heaven's will? Will it still watch over oneself as before? Watch over one's descendants? The great Qin Empire that one has personally established, can it still continue as one wishes, passing down to one's descendants endlessly?

  The more confused and disoriented the king became, the more he thought about his kingdom and his descendants. But what were those descendants thinking in their hearts?

  Ying Zheng's consciousness became increasingly dizzy. In a daze, he suddenly saw a middle-aged man wearing a red robe and holding a long sword. This man had a majestic appearance, with a prominent nose and temples, and a full forehead, which was the appearance of a great nobleman. Moreover, what made Ying Zheng's heart greatly surprised was that on top of this person's head, there was actually a very dense five-colored auspicious aura. Ah, that dense heavenly aura from the southeast, it turned out to be emitted by this person! Good, good, I was just looking for you, and you came knocking on my door!

  Ying Zheng then loudly rebuked the man, "You this obstinate commoner, are truly audacious, daring to defy the Emperor's authority. Don't you fear being beheaded?"

  But what made him win the politics feel somewhat puzzled was that the stubborn commoner not only didn't show any fear, but instead smiled slightly at him and said: "I'll walk my own path, you can be your own emperor, we have nothing to do with each other. However, you mustn't block my way. Otherwise, I won't be polite." The tone of his words carried a kind of pressure, which was exactly the same as what he had felt when he first entered the border of Willows. It seemed that this person was indeed the one who possessed the aura of the Son of Heaven! If he didn't execute this person today, then his own empire would definitely be seized by him!

  As he spoke, Ying Zheng also drew his own treasured sword and walked towards the man in red robes. The sword's intent was sharp and clear, with clouds of energy churning!

  "How dare you, a reckless and arrogant commoner, say that I, the Emperor, have blocked your path? Humph! I am on my own path, what does it have to do with you?"

  Ying Zheng decided to get to the bottom of things before killing him. Otherwise, those shameless commoners would probably say he was slaughtering innocent people again. Weren't there many people dissatisfied with his burning of books and burying of scholars? Humph! They don't understand anything! Those shameless bookworms, relying on their knowledge of a few characters, reciting some classics, arbitrarily criticizing my laws, spreading rumors to deceive the masses, are naturally unforgivable. But, there are still people who speak out for them, saying they are innocent. Nonsense! If they are innocent, then what about my empire and my people? Who will think of my empire and my people?"

  Today, there is actually such an unreasonable person! There is actually such a bold person! When he saw himself, not only did he not kneel down, but also talked loudly in front of him about how he blocked his way. What nonsense! What kind of thing is this!

  Ying Zheng decided not to waste any more words on the person wearing a red robe, and took the initiative to strike first. However, strangely, his own sword, which had once been able to cut through iron like mud and was as sharp as can be, seemed to be held back by an invisible and enormous force, making it impossible for him to wield it. Just as he was unable to swing his sword, the person wearing a red robe's sword flashed towards him like lightning, and he was already unable to dodge. All he saw was a flash of red light in front of his eyes, and then he knew nothing more.

  Dead? Just like that? In the past, I dominated the world and unified six countries. But today, I died at the hands of a middle-aged man wearing a red robe?

  Suddenly, Ying Zheng woke up with a loud cry: "Ahhh~~~~~~" His whole body had already been soaked in sweat. Dead? Just died like that? In the past, he dominated the world and unified the six states, but today, he died at the hands of a middle-aged man wearing a red robe?

  Suddenly, Ying Zheng woke up with a loud cry: "Ahhhhhhh~~~~~" And his whole body had already been soaked in sweat.

  At this time, Zhao Gao, who was on duty outside, heard the emperor shouting loudly in the sedan chair for no reason. He hastily ordered the soldiers carrying the sedan to stop and then stepped on the back of a soldier before rushing into the sedan where Emperor Ying Zheng was sitting. He saw that Ying Zheng's face was as white as paper and his breathing was very rapid. Zhao Gao couldn't help but kneel down on the ground, trembling with fear, saying: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I don't know what your orders are. I'm late, please punish me!"

  Ying Zheng slowly opened his eyes, gazed out at the vast expanse of yellow sand outside, and gradually steadied his breathing. Then he waved his hand slightly towards Zhao Gao, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said in a soft, ethereal voice: "Go, go, nothing's wrong, nothing's wrong."

  It's not that there is nothing going on, but he hasn't figured out yet how to solve this matter.