Chapter 205: The Emperor's Star is Faltering
Luo Yi and Luo Cai continued to walk north. Luo Cai felt that his brother had become much quieter, so he asked, "Brother, you have been in deep thought since leaving Huaiyin. Did something happen?"
Luo Yi pondered for a moment and said, "I was just thinking about what you said earlier, Ah Cai. Now that I think about it, that person is indeed an extraordinary person. We should have a good talk with him and examine his talents. If he is really talented, we should bring him back to the family. The First Emperor is getting older, and the people of the world have suffered from Qin's rule for a long time. The countless heavy corvee labor and exorbitant taxes are unbearable for a moment. Now is the time to gather the heroes of the world."
Seeing his brother regretting what he said, Luo Cai, who always had a good relationship with him, could only comfort him in a gentle voice: "Brother, don't worry too much. I have met many talented people along the way, but most of you have talked to them and found that they can't even see through the general trend of the world. There are only a few who can govern a county, but there has never been anyone who can really stir up the world. I helped Han Xin just because I liked him. Don't take it too seriously, brother. I am too sharp-tongued."
Luo Yi shook his head and said, "No, Ah Cai, you are right. Whenever troubled times are about to start, there will definitely be outstanding people born. If I miss out on a hero because of me, I will regret it forever."
The First Emperor went to Qi. He would go to Qi in almost every tour. His achievements were everywhere on the famous mountains there. Luo Yi and Luo Cai soon learned that the place where the First Emperor was going was where they could meet.
The two looked at each other and realized that they had to change their route temporarily. They would definitely be inspected if they got close to the Emperor's sedan chair, and their identity as the direct descendant of the Luo family would no longer be concealed.
"The First Emperor should be heading to Jiaodong like he did the last few times. We should wait in Xuhuai and see where he will go. If he wants to go to Chu, we will go through Yingdi, detour through Luoyang and travel from north to south through Zhaodi."
Then, to their surprise, the First Emperor's carriage did not go to Jiaodong to worship the famous mountains and rivers as usual, but stayed there for several days.
This unusual behavior quickly attracted the attention of the two. Luo Yi said in a deep voice: "The place where the First Emperor stayed has no value. Even to get water, he had to go 20 miles away. This is definitely not a place where he can stay for a long time. But he did this, there must be a reason."
The reason was simple, the First Emperor was ill.
The accompanying doctors were anxiously treating the First Emperor, but even the Luo family, which had the best doctors, were limited by the times and lacked the means, and the First Emperor's condition did not improve.
In the imperial carriage.
Although the First Emperor was ill, he was still majestic without getting angry. Seeing that his condition had not improved at all, he called Zhao Gao and Li Si in and said in a deep voice: "I am the Son of Heaven. Only the heaven can decide my life or death. Now that medicine is ineffective, I am afraid that the heaven wants me to leave the world."
Although he had always been pursuing immortality, the First Emperor had no fear of death. He simply wanted to hold royal power and wealth forever and be the emperor forever.
Li Si and Zhao Gao both knelt on the ground, crying and extremely sad. Li Si felt like the sky was falling. What he loved most was power. For the sake of power, he even framed and killed his junior brother Han Fei. All his power was given by the First Emperor. If the First Emperor died, it would probably be Prince Fusu who ascended the throne. Fusu had always been close to Confucianism and disliked him. How could he not be sad?
Zhao Gao was even more sad from the bottom of his heart. After all, Li Si had made great contributions as the prime minister over the years, and Fusu was kind-hearted. Perhaps Li Si still had a glimmer of hope, but he, Zhao Gao, was doomed to die.
The more you fear something, the more likely it will come. The First Emperor said softly, "Immediately order the army to return to Xianyang, and also order Fusu to return to Xianyang to handle my funeral and take the throne."
really!
The two men's hearts sank, but they still drafted the decree according to the will of the First Emperor. In the whole Great Qin, no one dared to lie in front of the emperor. After the decree was drafted, the First Emperor sighed and said, "I didn't expect that I still couldn't find the elixir of immortality. It seems that there is really no one in this world who can live forever. Even I can't live forever, is there anyone else who can?
Li Qing, after returning to Xianyang, kill all the immortals and alchemists. You dare to deceive me, which is unforgivable.
Fusu is on the throne. He is too kind and doesn't have my means. You should give him more advice. I'm afraid he will still follow the Confucian teachings of enfeoffment. Remember not to stop him. If he wants to enfeoff, let him do it."
Li Si was so shocked by the words of the First Emperor that he didn’t even care about being sad. What was going on?
"Your Majesty! You?"
When the First Emperor made this decision, he could naturally predict Li Si's reaction. He sighed softly, "The whole country is made into counties. This is an unprecedented event. I have pushed forward this policy against all odds. I am afraid there are many people in the world who resent me, right? Even Li Qing, I am afraid you are dissatisfied in your heart, thinking that I am too unilateral in treating meritorious officials harshly and not granting them any land."
Li Si broke out in a cold sweat when he heard this, and stammered, "Your Majesty, your subject...your subject..."
The First Emperor waved his hands helplessly and said, "I understand that only I can carry this out. If I don't do it, the kings of later generations will not be able to do it, because I am the greatest emperor, and I must accomplish all the things that will be passed down through the ages.
I thought I would have at least thirty years to unify the world, but I didn't expect that I would have to go to heaven so soon.
None of my sons have the ability to suppress the world like me. Fusu is pretty good. He is popular among the people. I know that many people who resent me place their hopes on him. When the Confucianists come to power, I am afraid they will divide the land. The grace of granting land may last for a while. Alas, my plan to rule the world will never be realized. "
Qin Shihuang used the Legalists because they could realize his ideas and support his ideas, but he understood that the Legalists had very high requirements for the quality of the monarch. After all, not everyone can play the game of power, so he let the Confucians approach Fusu.
Although the First Emperor looked down upon Confucianism and thought it was somewhat un-kingly, he understood that Confucianism was beneficial to incompetent kings.
Li Si believed that he was very familiar with the First Emperor, but it was not until the First Emperor's dying moment that he finally understood what was in the mind of the emperor whom he had served for more than 30 years.
At the same time, he also understood why the First Emperor, despite having so many sons, still passed the throne to Fusu.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
