There will always be people in this world who seek fame and fortune and indulge in self-righteous indignation.
Just like now, all the officials in the court are speaking in agreement, but the only young man stands up and voices a different opinion from the rest.
They're delusional, trying to be different by doing this!
"Your Majesty, I believe this matter is inappropriate!"
The fervor in the hall receded like a tide, and the ministers' gazes turned to the upright young man.
His face was fair and clean-shaven, and his brows were full of youthful vigor. He said loudly, "The Commandant of the Guards is too bloodthirsty and enjoys committing atrocities. Who knows how many more people will die a violent death after this trip."
"The Qin dynasty has been established for six generations, aiming to unify the world from the east. Your Majesty possesses great talent and ambition, and the world will surely be unified under your rule."
"At that time, how will the people of the six kingdoms put aside their blood feud and return to the heart of the nation?"
"The states were at war, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe their enmity as deep as the sea. Why continue to deepen this hatred?"
"Could it be... that you, Commandant of the Guards, can slaughter all the people of the six kingdoms with your sword?"
These words are tantamount to pointing fingers at the wicked husband, questioning and rebuking him, and are just short of openly calling him a cold-blooded butcher.
Li Si and the others frowned, wanting to step forward and rebuke them, but were stopped by the wicked man.
A cold glint flashed between Ying Zheng's brows. He was disgusted by this person's lack of consideration for the bigger picture and had already decided to kill him.
That young man was utterly oblivious, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor as he watched the wicked husband, his heart brimming with secret delight, as if he could already foresee his rise to fame.
"I don't know where you came from, daring to disregard hierarchy?"
The young man was about to speak when he was interrupted by his wicked husband's stern voice.
"You truly deserve to die! You yourself said that the world is not yet unified, how can you now regard the people of the six states as my Qin people?"
“The wicked rise from the ranks of soldiers, who fight their way out from humble beginnings and have become accustomed to life and death.”
"You're not wrong to say I have a strong desire to kill!"
"On the battlefield, as a general, one should protect the lives of the soldiers under one's command. To be merciful to the enemy is tantamount to treason."
"An official should be concerned with the basic needs of the people of the whole country, such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. This is the principle of being an official. What do you care about the life or death of others?"
His voice, as resounding as a great bell, echoed throughout the hall, and a chilling atmosphere began to permeate the air as he spoke.
The young man felt a little frightened, but he still stubbornly said, "According to what General Hu said, doesn't this confirm the name of my tyrannical Qin?"
"How will future generations view Your Majesty and your courtiers?"
"Records of the Grand Historian..."
The two words had just left his lips.
The wicked husband suddenly roared, "You son of a bitch! You think you're worthy to mention the Records of the Grand Historian?!"
The young man was startled by the sudden shout and swallowed back the words he was about to say.
The wicked man surveyed everyone present with a deep, cold gaze and sneered, "The life of an ordinary person is nothing more than a beast of burden in prosperous times and cannon fodder in chaotic times."
“In Anping, we will exploit their strength and use them to die in wartime.”
"The saying goes that a short pain is worse than a long one. Our generation is striving to create history, not for the flowery words in the annals of future generations."
"Once the world is unified, even if more than half of the people of the six states are killed, it will still be far less than the number of people who have died in the turmoil and diplomatic conflicts of the past few centuries."
"Looking across the world, which of the seven kingdoms is capable of shouldering this great responsibility?"
"Only my Qin state."
"If that's the case, is it wrong to preserve the strength of my Qin state and lay the foundation for unification?"
At this point, the wicked man took a few deep breaths and said heavily, "The Records of the Grand Historian you mentioned, why is it that when you open it, all you see written crookedly are the four characters for benevolence, righteousness, and morality? But look closely, it actually only has two characters written on it: cannibalism!"
"If you don't kill and I don't kill, will no one else in this world die?"
"Go to the border and see how many of those buried underground died of old age."
The wicked man strode up to the young man, stared directly into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Go and see how many soldiers are buried on this land of China."
"When they were alive, they were all lively and energetic young men. They left without even getting married. Was it worth it?"
"You know that China is a nation of one blood, so why did they die during the wars between the various states, and why did they die at the hands of their own people?"
Is it worth it?
"Do you think it's worth it?"
At this moment, the wicked husband appeared particularly ferocious, his eyes, which were glowing red, resembling a vengeful ghost from the deepest hell.
The young man frowned, unable to heed these heartfelt words; his seriousness stemmed from the lack of an opportunity to refute them.
"Those who sell their bounty through illegal means should be executed!"
Ying Zheng, standing on the high platform behind him, locked his gaze on the young man with a murderous intent and said coldly, "The Commandant of the Guards is right. The purpose of soldiers is to protect their homes and country."
"If they died protecting the frontier, they died a worthy death."
"But what happened? They died in vain, while the people on the frontier still live in danger and suffering."
"Why make a fool of yourself by only sweeping the snow from your own doorstep? How long are you going to let outsiders watch?"
The murderous questioning made the young man feel as if he were in the dead of winter, his whole body chilled to the bone.
He never expected that Ying Zheng would directly decide his life or death, and he never expected that his wicked husband would react so strongly, even though he had just been smiling and facing the teasing of the court officials.
He thought that at most he would be dismissed from office, and once the news spread and his name was established, Ying Zheng would surely welcome him back to court.
"The king said you were selling your head for sale, that's really true."
The wicked man revealed a mocking smile, pointed at the young man's nose, and said, word by word, "People like you are nothing but thieves in chaotic times and villains in prosperous times. Your existence will only poison the country and the nation."
Having said that, he turned around, knelt on one knee, and solemnly said with his hands clasped: "Today, I have overstepped my bounds by acting as an imperial censor and offering advice. I humbly request Your Majesty to prioritize the well-being of the nation and its people."
"Poverty should not lead to compromise, nor should prosperity be accompanied by benevolence and morality."
"For those who are not Qin, truth lies beneath the iron heel, while dignity resides in the sharp edge of the Qin sword."
"Anyone who dares to claim to be benevolent and righteous, and wastes a single grain of Qin's rice to aid foreign powers, shall be executed along with their relatives and friends."
These words truly struck a chord with Ying Zheng.
He slowly raised his hands, cupped them in a fist and said, "I have learned a lot and will take this as a warning."
Such royal etiquette is rarely seen throughout history.
"Everyone!"
Ying Zheng's disdainful gaze swept across the entire room as he said, word by word, "Have you all remembered what the Commandant of the Guards said today?"
The courtiers were deeply moved and knelt down in unison, shouting, "We, your subjects, will be of one mind with Your Majesty, strictly abide by the words of the Commandant of the Guards, and always keep them in mind as the code of conduct for officials."
Ying Zheng nodded slightly. Seeing the young man standing there dumbfounded, he casually said, "I don't know why you entered the court as an official. It's quite remarkable that you have such courage as a lowly official."
Upon hearing this, the young man calmed down slightly, and a surge of joy flashed through his heart, thinking that his actions had still earned Ying Zheng's appreciation.
Little did he know that Ying Zheng's next words would completely cut off his path to survival.
"Go then, take your relatives and clansmen and go to war with the army. In every battle, you will be at the forefront."
How could someone as weak as him survive on the battlefield?
Not to mention, they also brought their relatives and clansmen along.
How is this any different from wiping out his entire family?
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