Chapter 51: Giant Deer 2

  Qin's capital is Xianyang. Inside the imperial palace. In a secret room.

  Eunuch Zhao Gao and Prime Minister Li Si were discussing something. Then Zhao Gao said: "Although Chen Sheng and Wu Guang have been defeated, the bandits in Guandong are still rampant. But our Second Emperor only knows how to enjoy himself and does not care about state affairs. If this continues, what will happen? And you, Prime Minister, do not care or advise against it, where is your sense of responsibility as a Prime Minister?" His words sounded like a father scolding his son. It can be seen that at this time, Zhao Gao had become very arrogant and overbearing.

  Actually, Zhao Gao had already made up his mind, he just wanted to give Li Si a head of fog first. Let him be unaware for the time being, and then say out his own plan. This was indeed Zhao Gao's usual trick.

  "Alas, our Second Emperor is deeply entrenched in the palace, and I haven't seen him for many days. How can I possibly have a chance to advise him?" Li Si said with some helplessness. What Li Si said was actually true. In any case, although they had been coerced by Zhao Gao at the beginning, the two of them privately altered the will of the First Emperor and deposed Fusu's son to establish Hu Hai as emperor, but in his heart, he still regarded it as his duty to be loyal to the Great Qin Dynasty. This was one thing that Li Si was different from Zhao Gao. It was just that his political skills were not as good as those of Zhao Gao.

  Zhao Gao smiled slightly after hearing the words of Prime Minister Li Si, and said to Li Si: "What's difficult about this? Prime Minister, it's not that I'm boasting, as long as I, Zhao Gao, say a word to the Emperor, then you, Prime Minister, just need to enter the palace to meet the Emperor. It's a trivial matter, nothing to make a fuss about."

  In short, Qin Er Shi was like his grandson, and Zhao Gao could manipulate him at will. Chancellor Li Si, unaware of the plot, showed gratitude and said: "Thank you, sir! For the sake of the Great Qin Dynasty, you have worked tirelessly! I admire you, I admire you!"

  Zhao Gao smiled slightly and said, "Oh no, oh no! Chancellor, you're being too polite! Don't you know the principle that when a tree falls, the monkeys scatter? As long as this great Qin dynasty exists, we two will exist; but if this great Qin dynasty were to disappear, our fate would be predictable! Therefore, for the sake of our own lives and families, we must also make an effort to save our great Qin dynasty!"

  Zhao Gao's words didn't contain any profound truth. If it were about speaking profound truths, he wouldn't be a match for Li Si. As the gatekeeper disciple of Han Fei, the founder of the Legalist school, Li Si was naturally well-versed in the classics. However, the words Zhao Gao had just spoken were all practical and to the point, although they seemed ordinary at first glance. Every sentence pierced the heart of the matter, touching on the personal interests of both men, making them unavoidable. After listening, Li Si's expression changed, and he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

  Yes, when today's crisis occurred, he as the prime minister was clearer than anyone else. As Zhao Gao said, although Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, who started the rebellion, have already been defeated and killed, those who followed later are still increasing in number, with a momentum that is overwhelming. Fortunately, last time, thanks to Zhang Yan's military prowess, we were able to hold back the tide for the time being. Although the situation seems stable for now, it's still worrying in the long run!

  A few days later, Prime Minister Li Si hastily rushed into the palace. He had thought that since Zhao Gao had already spoken with Second Emperor, he should be able to enter the palace without any issues. After all, Second Emperor was extremely fond of Zhao Gao and considered his words to be heavenly music. In short, Zhao Gao's words were still very effective. Now that he had said so, what was there to fear? After all, sharing life and death with the great Qin dynasty was the most important thing!

  Thus, the Left Chancellor Li Si, who had been loyal to the Great Qin dynasty since the time of the First Emperor, naively believed Zhao Gao's words and rushed into the palace with confidence, saying he had an important matter to report.

  At this time, the Second Emperor of Qin was in high spirits, playing with a group of palace maids. Among them, one wearing red clothes should be his new favorite, being held in his arms. The ladies-in-waiting around them were giggling and teasing, filling the deep palace with a strong fragrance that seemed to reach the clouds.

  At this time, the left prime minister Li Si came in at an inappropriate time and insisted on seeing the emperor, saying that he had important matters to report. The Second Emperor of Qin, Hu Hai, was having a great time at this moment, but when he heard that Prime Minister Li Si wanted to see him, his excitement suddenly fell, just like falling from high clouds to hell, very depressing.

  "Li Si, that old scoundrel, is going to ruin my good fortune." Qin Er Shi Hu Hai said angrily. Originally, he had a strong dislike for this old man who only knew how to speak ill of others. Why couldn't he be like Zhao Gao, who would carefully select words that he wanted to hear and speak them into his heart? What Li Si said was always about bandits rising here or natural disasters occurring there - in short, never anything good. And as for Zhao Gao, it was just the opposite. Even if some unpleasant things were mentioned, he would take care of them all by himself, saying that such trivial matters didn't require the Emperor's attention and that he would handle them himself.

  The Second Emperor of Qin was muddle-headed, now he only knew how to enjoy himself, and as for other things, especially official business and state affairs, they were all cast aside. In his mind, the great mountains and rivers of Qin would never change forever. Although it is said that his father emperor had not definitely decided to pass on the throne to him, yet there was also a desire to pass it on to him.

  Moreover, long before he became the emperor, he had already been envying the various benefits of being an emperor, especially after becoming the emperor, he could have many concubines, that feeling of being a new groom every night, it was what he yearned for most! So later when he finally got his wish, this Hu Hai was like a fish in water, playing and having fun in the harem all day long, as for state affairs, let them go to hell!

  So, when Qin Er Shi was having a good time, Li Si came to disturb him, and he couldn't help but get angry with Li Si's good impression greatly reduced. Moreover, originally, in Hu Hai's mind, he didn't have much good impression of Li Si either.

  "This damned old thing, thinking of spoiling my mood, is simply detestable, simply detestable!" Hu Hai couldn't help but get extremely angry, his face full of displeasure.

  "Tell that old thief to go wherever he wants, I don't want to see him!" Hu Hai was furious and had Li Si, the left prime minister, thrown out. Poor Li Si, who had altered the will of the First Emperor with Zhao Gao, was now stunned. Perhaps he regretted it now, but why didn't he think of that earlier? Originally full of passion and strategy, now he ended up being called "a damned old thing", truly pitiful to the extreme!

  Under duress, Li Si had no choice but to lower his head and sigh, step by step leaving the grand hall and heading towards the Prime Minister's residence. But he didn't know that at this moment, a pair of evil eyes were staring at him! A sinister smile appeared in those eyes. And all of this was actually carefully planned by those evil eyes. He was now able to summon the wind and rain, and his every wish would come true. To him, he was the world, and the world belonged to him alone, Zhao Gao!

  Because for now, the Second Emperor has completely become a puppet in his hands, and he is very confident about this. However, that Left Chancellor Li Si sometimes is really hateful. That old man always fails to recognize the situation, always uses his own integrity as an excuse, and repeatedly ruins his big plans. In Zhao Gao's eyes, that person has long since become a stumbling block to his ambition. Therefore, Zhao Gao wants to get rid of him by any means necessary. So, on that day, he devised a plan, repeatedly telling Li Si about the Second Emperor's misdeeds, stirring up his anger, and then promising to report back to the emperor, making him feel at ease before going. In this way, Li Si will inevitably touch the Second Emperor's sore spot, and there will naturally be a good show to watch. And when the time is right, he will add fuel to the fire, and that old man will surely not survive!

  But the development of things was indeed as Zhao Gao had expected. At this time, Qin Er Shi Hu Hai was extremely angry, walking back and forth in his inner court with his back to the outside, unable to calm down for a while. And Zhao Gao had already calculated the timing, so he hurriedly ran over with a very concerned look and tone, saying: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I don't know who made you so unhappy? Tell me, and I will definitely catch him for you to vent your anger!"

  "Hum! Bring him here? He is the Prime Minister, and also the Left Prime Minister, can you bring him here? How ridiculous!" Zhao Gao was already in a bad mood, and when he saw him, he naturally spoke to him in an unpleasant tone.

  Zhao Gao was so frightened that he seemed to be half dead, and said: "My god, it turns out that it's really Prime Minister Li Si! My god, I'm really powerless. However, the old minister wants to know why Prime Minister Li Si didn't take care of state affairs properly and came to the rear palace instead? It's really puzzling!" Zhao Gao seemed to be very puzzled by Li Si's behavior as well. Li Si knew that if he said this, he would definitely hit Qin Er Shi's weakness. As long as Qin Er Shi was pleased with him, the next step would naturally be much easier to handle.

  "Hmm, yes, if everyone were as understanding as Zhao Ai, I would be at ease. Look, I finally managed to calm down and have some fun with my concubines, but that old codger Li Si came and ruined the mood for me. Alas! It's really infuriating! The Second Emperor Hu Hai's face grew even more irate, his anger hard to dissipate."

  Zhao Gao saw this, his eyes involuntarily rolled over, and then he seemed to have some concerns and said to the Second Emperor: "Your Majesty, if it were someone else, I could really get him to come and apologize to you. But unexpectedly, the one who angered Your Majesty is actually the Left Chancellor! Alas, he is a pillar of the state, even if I had the courage of dozens of men, I would still not dare to take him to task!" Zhao Gao seized the opportunity to stir up the Second Emperor of Qin once more. He knew that the situation was developing in his favor.

  As expected, after listening to Zhao Gao's words, Qin Er Shi snorted from his nose and said: "Hmph! Left Chancellor, what Left Chancellor! If I let him be the Left Chancellor, he is the Left Chancellor. But if I don't want him to do it anymore, then he is nothing."

  However, just as Zhao Gao was about to add more fuel to the fire, Qin Er Shi suddenly furrowed his brow, as if he had thought of something. He said to Zhao Gao, "Zhao Ai Qing, could it be that there is another bandit uprising somewhere? Otherwise, why would the Left Chancellor come to my rear palace today to report on matters after such a long time?" As soon as he said this, Qin Er Shi's face immediately revealed an uncertain and unpredictable expression.

  Having heard this, Zhao Gao's heart skipped a beat as he thought to himself: "Hey, this Second Emperor still remembers this matter! It seems that he isn't completely an idiot after all! However, since he encountered me, it was destined to be so. You little brat, if it weren't for me, you would have been killed by your brother Fusu long ago! Since becoming emperor is entirely thanks to my efforts, then having you listen to my commands completely shouldn't be excessive."

  Zhao Gao thought it was necessary to add fuel to the fire for Emperor Ershi, so he said: "Your Majesty, now that the world is at peace, the great foundation left behind by the previous emperor is a great achievement that will last for all eternity. Occasionally, there are a few small bandits who stir up trouble, but they have already been suppressed by General Zhang Han's army. Now, who would dare to make more trouble? Moreover, Your Majesty is wise and just in governing the country, and the people of the world all praise your virtues. The people are all living in peace and contentment, and there is no such thing as rebellion."

  "Why did Prime Minister Zuo burst into the palace at this time?" Emperor Er Shi asked in puzzlement.

  Zhao Gao continued, "Your Majesty is unaware of this! According to my knowledge, the Left Chancellor Li Si has been skeptical of Your Majesty's wisdom since you ascended to the throne. Moreover, he often relies on his own merits and accomplishments, but after two years have passed, he feels that his past contributions in supporting Your Majesty have not been recognized, so he often vents his grievances. And..." At this point, Zhao Gao hesitated, as if unsure whether to continue speaking.

  "Zhaoyi, speak up if you have anything to say. Is there anything that can't be said between us?" Emperor Zhao Gao said.

  "Hmm... Well, I'll say it then. However, this is just something I've heard from others. I've heard that the Left Chancellor Li Si is secretly planning to rebel with his eldest son Li You!" Zhao Gao said calmly.

  "What? Treason?" Hu Hai's eyebrows shot up at the mention of "treason", his eyes gleaming with a cold light as he stared fixedly at Zhao Gao, asking: "Is this true?"

  Then Hu Hai walked to a bird cage, stretched out his hand and seemed very interested in playing with the bird whose name he didn't know.

  Actually, Hu Hai was indeed muddle-headed, but he knew about the loyalty of Left Chancellor Li Si. Although that person sometimes had a very annoying side, however, he could work hard for national affairs and had some sense of dedication. Such a loyal minister suddenly became a rebel? This naturally made him unable to accept it for a while. So now he is also hesitating.

  Zhao Gao, having decided to bring down Li Si, naturally made thorough preparations. He turned to Hu Hai and continued: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Our Left Chancellor Li Si is actually a fellow townsman of that rebel Chen Sheng! Moreover, when that rebel Chen Sheng started his uprising, Li Si's eldest son Li You did not send troops to quell the rebellion! Can't this explain everything? Please, Your Majesty, investigate clearly!"

  The Second Emperor Huhai, upon hearing this, was indeed so enraged that he burst into a great rage and said: "Quickly issue an edict for me! Quickly issue an edict for me to arrest Li Yü and bring him to justice! This hometown of Lǐ Sī is truly a den of thieves. Can good people be produced from a den of thieves?"

  At this time, Zhao Gao would not really let the Second Emperor issue an edict to arrest Li Yiqi, because originally this was just a false charge he had fabricated against Li Yiqi. If he were to really go and arrest Li Yiqi now, it would inevitably lead to the truth being revealed, and then he himself would be in trouble. So first, let's stabilize this matter; as long as Hu Hai has spoken out and defined Li Yiqi's crime, won't Li Yiqi still be under his control? Haha, this time, Chancellor Li Si, I see you have nowhere to run!

  Here is the translation:

  Having thought of this, Zhao Gao turned to Emperor Qin Er Shi Hu Hai and said: "Your Majesty, please calm down! With me around, Li Yu won't be able to do anything. I'll send someone to San Chuan tomorrow to investigate, and as long as we have solid evidence, it's not too late to capture Li Yu then! Moreover, for such a trivial matter, Your Majesty just needs to hand it over to me, where would you dare to trouble yourself? Please rest assured, I will definitely handle this matter neatly and won't disappoint you!" Zhao Gao's words made Emperor Qin Er Shi nod repeatedly, praising him in his heart for being good at handling people.

  Now, what the Second Emperor of Qin needs is precisely such "talent". As long as he can make him happy, as long as he can let him worry less about national affairs and court politics, as long as he can let him indulge in the depths of the palace every day and night, then such a minister is a loyal minister, such a minister is a good person. And Zhao Gao naturally also grasped the Second Emperor of Qin's mentality, so he catered to his tastes, and naturally gained the favor of the Second Emperor of Qin, who trusted him even more.