Volume 1: Entering Great Qin for the First Time Chapter 39: The Overall Situation of the World

  Meng Tian and Meng Yi were stunned for a moment before they came to their senses, seeing Hu Hai bowing to them. They hastily avoided him and knelt down on either side of him with a "thud".

  "Your Majesty, I dare not! Your Majesty, please rise quickly! Don't kill us two brothers, your humble subjects!"

  The speaker was Meng Tian, his voice trembling, apparently even Meng Tian's calmness was also shocked by Hu Hai this time.

  "Can it be that you two uncles are really unwilling to forgive me for my fault? Please rise, and accept my apologies."

  Huhai continued to bow with his hands clasped together, looking like Meng Tian and Meng Yi's two brothers who refused to accept his salute and apology, and would never get up. Huhai was completely shameless and resorting to trickery.

  Zhang Han's eyebrows jumped at the sight, if the emperor is so capricious and tyrannical, who can still play with him?

  Obviously, Meng Tian and Meng Yi, who were kneeling on the ground, were also stunned by Hu Hai's shameless words. The two of them were so confused that they didn't know what to say, getting up was not an option, nor was staying put.

  "Both uncles, please get up and accept the courtesy of a junior!"

  Huhai said resolutely once again.

  "Your Majesty! The two guilty ministers dare not!"

  Meng Tian and Meng Yi still persisted, they did not dare to accept Hu Hai's gift.

  Now Hu Hai is at the prime of his life and in need of capable people, if he treats two men like this, when things are settled, it may be a case of settling old scores after autumn harvest. Today, the two brothers receive such treatment, who knows that someday it will become their death warrant.

  Zhang Han really couldn't bear it, and carefully said: "Your Majesty, this move... is not in line with etiquette. If the two officials, Feng Yi and others, were to find out about today's events, they would certainly be impeached. At that time, the imperial court would be shaken. Now is a time of many troubles, so I beg Your Majesty..."

  Actually, Zhang Han deliberately made it sound more serious. He had already figured out why the Meng brothers were unwilling to receive Hu Hai's courtesy, because if he himself were in their shoes, he wouldn't dare either. This wasn't a matter of surrendering or submitting, but rather making amends.

  Let the Emperor apologize, although the Emperor was indeed wrong, but apologizing and making amends is another matter. After all, Hu Hai is the ruler, while Meng brothers are just subjects no matter what.

  Although in the pre-Qin period, kings often showed courtesy to their ministers by performing rituals or holding reins and leading horses, that was during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Now that the great Qin has unified the world, the emperor's supreme authority will not tolerate anyone who dares to provoke him.

  Hu Hai did not understand the actual situation, and after hearing Zhang Han's words, he thought for a moment before standing up and saying: "The two of you, please calm down. Since that's the case, I will temporarily put aside today's courtesy and discuss it later."

  Meng Tian and Meng Yi, the two brothers, heard that Hu Hai finally stopped insisting on bowing to them. They couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and hastily said: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" After standing up, they simultaneously looked at Zhang Han with gratitude, and Zhang Han also smiled back at them.

  Hu Hai invited the three to sit down, Meng Tian sat on Hu Hai's left hand side, Meng Yi was below Meng Tian, and Zhang Han sat on Hu Hai's right hand side directly opposite Meng Tian. It wasn't until now that Hu Hai had a real chance to take a good look at these two legendary big shots, Meng Tian and Meng Yi.

  It was obvious that the two had already been simply cleaned up while waiting for Hu Hai to be summoned. However, both were still guilty and did not wear any official robes, but wore a simple gray robe.

  Meng Tian's face was pale, his eyes were swollen, and he had obviously suffered a lot in prison. After the long journey back to Xianyang, although he had been cleaned up, his face still showed a deep fatigue. But his tiger-like eyes were still bright and spirited.

  Meng Tian's forehead was wide and broad, with thick eyebrows in the shape of the Chinese character "eight", a straight nose bridge, sunken cheeks, no beard on his chin, sitting upright on a straw cushion with a straight back, although his face showed fatigue but still had an air of dignity.

  At this time, Meng Tian's thin face was already full of wrinkles, and his long hair was also white, if not for asking Zhang Han about Meng Tian's age beforehand, Hu Hai would never have thought that the just over 40-year-old Meng Tian had become so old.

  If it weren't for the great Qin state's affairs, Hu Hai would have believed that Meng Tian absolutely wouldn't be in such a state. These people are their own most precious wealth.

  Meng Yi's facial features are quite similar to Meng Tian's, but compared to Meng Tian, he is much better maintained. A pair of slender eyebrows is very distinctive, with a pale face and no beard, elegant and refined, with a hint of elegance.

  When Hu Hai looked at Meng Tian and Meng Yi, the Meng brothers were also sizing up Hu Hai.

  The Meng brothers followed the First Emperor for many years and were like hands and feet to him. Of course, they often saw the First Emperor's most beloved youngest son.

  The former Hu Hai was also full of spirit, but the corrupt air in his bones and the confusion in his eyes were visible to everyone except the First Emperor. The Hu Hai before him had clear and determined eyes, and although he was equally lean, his body stood tall like a pine tree, with every move exuding calmness and grandeur.

  After returning to Xianyang, Meng Tian and Meng Yi had already heard about Hu Hai's three decrees of self-blame, and they also knew how Hu Hai's change came about. Moreover, while waiting for Hu Hai to summon them, they privately obtained confirmation from Zhang Han again.

  Was it really Hu Hai that the First Emperor wanted to establish? Both of them couldn't help but think. Otherwise, how could he have suddenly woken up?

  "I am deeply worried that the two of you have been suddenly imprisoned and are now suffering from the hardships of traveling, unable to rest. But now our Great Qin is in a state of crisis on all sides, my heart is urgent, and I can only humbly entrust the two of you with this task."

  Hu Hai said straightforwardly.

  "I would rather die ten thousand times for Your Majesty!"

  Meng Tian and Meng Yi simultaneously performed the ritual of bowing and offering sacrifices.

  He beckoned the two men to sit down, and then turned to Zhang Han and asked: "Zhang Ai Qing, did you tell these two gentlemen about last night's plan?"

  "I have reported back to Your Majesty, I have fully informed the two gentlemen of Your Majesty's plan." Zhang Yan said as he stood up.

  "Hmm, I wonder what you two think."

  Meng Tian and Meng Yi were taken aback by Hu Hai's words at first, because the First Emperor was indeed this style, going straight to the point. The two exchanged a glance, and Meng Tian stood up and said: "Your Majesty"

  The guilty minister thinks...

  "Gentlemen, there is no need for excessive courtesy. Just sit down and talk. From now on, it will be the same. Moreover, you two gentlemen are now innocent, so there's no need to call yourselves 'guilty ministers'." Hu Hai interrupted Meng Tian's words.

  Meng Tian heard Hu Hai's words and looked at him deeply, also in the style of Shi Huangdi, not paying attention to trivial matters, and sat down immediately.

  "Your Majesty, I think the people of Qin will not agree with your plan."

  Meng Tian bluntly expressed his own thoughts, apparently he also did not very agree with Hu Hai's strategy of giving up the land that many old Qin people had shed blood for.

  "What does your lordship think of this plan?"

  "Your Majesty's plan is one I respectfully obey without end, but I dare not blindly agree."

  "Why?"

  "The six nations are nothing but a bunch of crows and cur dogs, why should our great Qin abandon the land that has been passed down by our ancestors? I, your humble minister, am willing to lead an elite army of 100,000 soldiers to clear the rivers and mountains for Your Majesty and exterminate these treacherous ministers and sons."

  Meng Tian's eyes gleamed with a fierce light as he said in a heroic tone:

  "Good!" Hu Hai couldn't help but be impressed by Meng Tian's momentum, and involuntarily shouted in praise. This is the true military god of Qin, and currently only Meng Tian has such grandeur and confidence to speak like this.

  "Has Your Majesty agreed?" Meng Tian asked in surprise.

  Huhai looked at Meng Tian's face full of surprise and eagerness for battle, but ultimately shook his head slowly.

  "I humbly request Your Majesty to enlighten me."

  Meng Tian asked unwillingly. The land abandoned in Hu Hai's plan was all fought out by countless old Qin people with their lives, although Hu Hai was the emperor, Meng Tian also acknowledged it in his heart at this time, but if Hu Hai did not give him a satisfactory answer, he would still oppose it.

  "Cui Niang, have someone bring me that map hanging in the great hall."

  Huhai did not respond to Meng Tian's words and loudly ordered instead.

  Before long, Green Pearl led several palace maids to hang the huge map of Qin that Hu Hai had used earlier in the study.

  "Gentlemen, please take a look. Our Great Qin's territory is vast and wide, from east to west. There are five or six major barbarian tribes such as Goguryeo, Donghu, Xiongnu, Yuezhi, and Qiang, not to mention the numerous smaller tribes subordinate to these major ones."

  "If we follow your idea, raise troops to quell the rebellion, let's not mention whether our Great Qin has enough troops at its disposal. If you lead a southern expedition to quell the rebellion and the Xiongnu and other barbarians take advantage of it to attack our Great Qin from the south, what should our Great Qin do then?"

  Hu Hai pointed at the map and said to Meng Tian, then without waiting for Meng Tian's response, he continued.

  "Let's take a look at our own Qin territory, the counties of Si River, Dan County, Chen County, and Jiujiang are thousands of miles away from my old hometown of Guanzhong. Not to mention when our great army can arrive at these counties, even if our great Qin army sets out in the morning and arrives in the evening, what should we do if the rioting people roam around and plunder everywhere without fighting with our army?"

  Exterminate these six nations' remnants, and it will inevitably lead to the downfall of our great Qin's industries and the suffering of its people. Moreover, the remnants of the six nations are not just one country rising up in arms; at present, they will surely be a coalition of heroes rising up against Qin. When that time comes, war will spread across the land, and even if our great Qin ultimately emerges victorious, how many of its people will remain?

  Now these various commanderies are the old territories of the six states, and the people's hearts are still with them. On the other hand, our Great Qin is guilty of numerous transgressions since the time of the Second Emperor, and now the people of Great Qin cannot survive. The remnants of the six states need only shout loudly from a high place, and the people of each commandery will certainly rise up in response. Can today's Great Qin withstand the countless masses of the world?

  My dear, is our hometown in Guanzhong at peace now? Under the harsh laws and severe punishments of the Hai regime, will the people rise up like those in the six nations' former territories to respond to the chaos left by the six nations? Can you guarantee it, my dear?

  "Our great Qin respects only the Legalist school, causing the various other schools of thought to be at odds with each other. However, these schools have been passed down for hundreds of years, so how can you be certain that they won't come to each other's aid when the six states rise up together? At that time, our great Qin will truly be in danger."

  It's too cruel to recommend this.