Chapter 105: Accepting the Xiang Family [Jinjiang Authentic Edition Exclusive Release·Blackening on the Spot]...
On a day with a gentle autumn breeze, the plump little Ying gathered her sleeves. After hearing Meng Yi's report, she couldn't help but tilt her head back and blink her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. "Meng Neishi, you said that those remnants of the anti-Qin remnants in the prison are starting to lose their patience and go crazy?"
"How did you go crazy?"
The First Emperor asked curiously. After all, he knew that his grandson had specifically instructed the jailers not to torture the remnants. How come they were still fine? Why did everyone go crazy?
Meng Yi looked at the grandfather and grandson's very similar phoenix eyes and couldn't help feeling a great deal of pressure.
Before this, he couldn't believe that "mental torture" could be so powerful!
He straightened his words a little and leaned over to answer the grandfather and grandson:
"In reply to Your Majesty and Young Prince, I've heard from my men that the remaining anti-Qin rebels locked up in prison have been ignored and subjected to cold violence for ten months. In these three hundred days and nights, they haven't had a single full night's sleep. Right now, many of them are banging their heads against the walls and railings, screaming and shouting like crazy, their nerves straining to the point of breaking."
Upon hearing this, the First Emperor could not help but lower his eyes to glance at his short and stocky grandson. He never expected that the "mental torture" method devised by such a little baby could be so devastating.
Ying·Little Fatty couldn't help but blink his eyes. Sure enough, the psychological experiment of the future was true. The little guy then tilted his head back and said to his grandfather with a baby voice:
"Father, Ying thinks it's time to train the crane and fight the tiger."
When the First Emperor heard this, he looked at the little fellow's confident expression and asked with a slightly amused tone, raising his eyebrows:
"What does Ying want to do?"
"Father, I want to retrieve a bomb from the northern suburbs and have Monesi assist my grandson in taming those remnants of evil."
"Can."
The First Emperor nodded in agreement with anticipation.
…
In mid-September, at the end of late autumn, the temperature in the capital was already very cold.
Zhang Liang, who was imprisoned in the prison, had a pale face and was much thinner. He lowered his eyes and looked at the word "正" (positive) that had doubled in size in the corner of the wall. He closed his eyes weakly and didn't want to speak.
The mental state of the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family was also very bad. Xiang Ji was more like a flammable and explosive powder keg, and his mental state was extremely unstable.
The crisp sound of ding-ding-dong-dong came from outside on time.
Several jailers in black came again with food buckets to deliver food.
Unexpectedly, today with a "creak", the prison door where the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family were imprisoned was opened from the outside!
The uncle and nephew, lying powerlessly on the straw pile, stared at the wide-open prison door and were unable to react for a moment. The jailers standing outside the door also frowned and shouted at the two of them:
"Suspects Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji, come out immediately! His Royal Highness the Emperor's eldest grandson wants to see you!"
When the uncle and nephew, who were described as slovenly and listless, heard this, their dull minds finally came to their senses, and their two pairs of similar eyes widened in shock.
In the last cell, after hearing the words "His Royal Highness the Eldest Grandson of the Emperor", Zhang Liang couldn't control his hands and feet and stood up, straightened his hair, and moved to the front of the cell door. When he realized that the jailer was calling the "uncle and nephew of the Xiang family", his face, which was much thinner but still very handsome, froze in an instant.
After Xiang Ji and Xiang Liang came to their senses, they couldn't help but look at each other, and supported each other to stand up from the straw pile.
Seeing the hesitation in the eyes of the uncle and nephew, the jailers standing outside the door couldn't help but sneer:
"Why? Didn't the young master of the Xiang family repeatedly clamor for us to go to the palace to pass on his message? Now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has finally shown mercy and come to see you, why aren't you two uncle and nephew active?"
Hearing the jailer's ridicule, Xiang Ji instantly became furious. He shook his unkempt head, clenched his hands, and strode out, cursing loudly:
"Let's go! I'm the descendant of a famous general, so I'm full of courage! How could I be afraid of that tyrant's grandson?"
"membership!"
Seeing his nephew rushing out in a flash in a fit of excitement, despite being in an unclear situation, Xiang Liang wanted to cry but couldn't find a place to cry. He could only hurriedly follow him with a weak step and chase after him.
The other anti-Qin people who were clinging to the wooden railings and looking out eagerly saw the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family walk out of the prison door, which was then locked from the outside by the jailers with a crackling sound. The emotions in their eyes were extremely complicated, and it was hard to tell whether they were envy or worry.
Han Huo, who lived across from the uncle and nephew, was worried that the head of the family living at the end couldn't hear clearly what was happening here, so he couldn't help but shout in a hoarse voice towards the direction of the last prison:
"Master, did you hear that? The uncle and nephew of the Xiang family were just taken away by the jailer to meet the grandson of Qin Shi Huang."
Zhang Liang couldn't help but sneer when he heard this. He heard it, and heard it very clearly.
Ying Zheng's grandson is truly "good"! All those promises he makes all day are like bullshit! Even in the dead of winter, he's still clamoring for him to be his prime minister. What kind of monarch would abandon their future prime minister and throw him into jail without doing anything for almost a year?!
Oh—he truly deserves to be called the "good saintly grandson" of the Qin imperial family. A baby who barely has a diaper removed, yet at such a young age, his heart is even darker than his grandfather's! The methods he displays to the public clearly bear a strong resemblance to his great-great-grandfather's. After all, while his grandfather, Ying Zheng, was ruthless, he only inflicted punishments openly. This baby, like his great-great-grandfather, doesn't kill, but enjoys torturing people in various ways! He deprives prisoners of a full night's sleep for over ten months, leaving them with numb heads, red eyes, and unstable minds.
Oh--
With a crisp "crack", a new wheat straw that had just been sent to the prison in autumn was pinched into two pieces by Zhang Liang with a sneer.
…
Qin Ying, unaware that she had angered the "crane" by attacking the "tiger" first, was standing in the royal mausoleum in the northern suburbs, quietly watching the place where she and her grandfather had watched the gunpowder refined by the alchemist explode for the first time that day.
When the sound of iron chains colliding came from behind, Meng Yi, who was standing on the side, glanced back and whispered a reminder to the precious little fellow:
"Your Highness, the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family have been brought here."
Upon hearing this, Qin Ying turned around with her hands behind her back and watched from afar as two Chu people wearing dirty prison uniforms and with iron chains on their wrists, escorted by a group of black soldiers, walked towards him with one foot deep and one foot shallow.
Just by looking at the way they walk, you can tell that they have been locked up in prison for nearly a year!
Because the uncle and nephew were so ugly in appearance, Qin Ying couldn't see any of the "strong as a mountain and unparalleled in spirit" style of the Overlord of Western Chu even though they were at a relatively short distance away.
Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji were finally led out of the prison gate by the jailers through twists and turns and dark corridors. As soon as they walked out of the prison gate, the Qin soldiers tied their hands with cold iron chains, blindfolded them with black cloth, and pushed them into a carriage.
The carriage rolled forward along the street and entered the wasteland. The black cloths on the eyes of the uncle and nephew were removed. Looking at the yellow grass all around and the faint pines and cypresses in the distance, the uncle and nephew realized that they seemed to be in a cemetery.
Looking at the baby in black standing quietly in the wasteland in front of them, looking them up and down with critical eyes as if looking at an object, the two of them subconsciously frowned.
"Xiang Liang! Xiang Ji! Why don't the second suspect pay his respects to His Royal Highness the Emperor's eldest grandson?"
When the black-clad soldiers grabbed the uncle and nephew's shoulders and pushed them to a position three meters away from the emperor's eldest grandson and Monesi, they immediately pressed down on their shoulders.
Xiang Liang's body was pressed down, but he pursed his lips and said nothing. Standing beside him, Xiang Ji, not only did his upper body not get crushed by the Qin soldiers behind him, but he also struggled to stand upright under the soldiers' iron hands. He stared at the short, stout child below with bloodshot eyes, and sneered, "Ha—you are the eldest grandson favored by the tyrant Ying Zheng?"
"presumptuous!"
Meng Neishi, who was standing next to the little grandson of the emperor, frowned and shouted angrily when he saw that the young man with double pupils in front of him had become a prisoner and was still acting arrogant and rebellious when he met the eldest grandson of the emperor.
The chubby Ying, who tilted his head to look at Xiang Ji's gloomy face, blinked his eyes and nodded obediently. With a calm word, he made the young Overlord of Western Chu in front of him break down his defenses:
"Yes, I am indeed the eldest grandson favored by Qin Shi Huang. Could it be that you are the eldest grandson favored by Xiang Yan, the defeated general of the Chu State who died at the hands of my great-grandfather, General Wang Jian?"
When Xiang Ji, whose temper was already unstable, heard the brat in front of him mention his own great-grandfather who sacrificed his life for his country, his eyes widened red instantly. He grabbed the iron chain in his hand, stared at Qin Ying and shouted angrily:
"How dare you, little brat, insult my grandfather?!"
Xiang Liang, who was standing next to him with his shoulders pressed, was staring at the chubby boy three meters away with hatred in his eyes.
Qin Ying stretched out her small hand and gently patted Meng Neishi's thigh. Meng Neishi hurriedly bent down and picked up the emperor's eldest grandson.
Ying, the little fat boy, looked up at the two uncles and nephews across from him with an innocent face. Their faces were red and full of resentment, staring at him, wishing they could eat him alive. He tilted his head in a childish voice and said in confusion:
"Mr. Xiang, Mr. Xiang, why are you so angry? Isn't Ying's great-grandfather General Wang Jian? Or wasn't General Xiang Yan killed by my great-grandfather?"
"Why, I'm just a three-year-old kid, and I told you two the truth, and you guys broke down? I'm telling the truth, not lying. The facts are obvious. Do you think this is insulting your father and great-grandfather? I don't understand."
"Heh—you sharp-tongued little brat, if you have the guts, tell the soldiers to let me go!"
Xiang Ji, who was grabbed by the shoulders and angrily pulled the iron chain on his wrist, banging it violently, cursed at the baby who was almost three years old.
Qin Ying didn't get angry either. She stayed in Meng Neishi's arms and smiled sweetly at Xiang Shao, whose face was red with anger, "Hehe, I don't have the courage."
Furious Xiang Ji: "..."
Xiang Liang said with a gloomy face: "..."
Meng Yi, filled with worry: "..."
"Oh--"
Looking at the chubby kid who laughed and admitted to being a coward in an instant, Xiang Ji was so angry that he closed his eyes and laughed. He really hadn't slept well for a long time and was so angry that he was confused. He was just a short and stout baby, so why bother with him?
The dull pain in his head made him extremely impatient, so he stared at the baby in Meng Yi's arms, frowned irritably and said:
"Baby, I don't have time to play with you. You royal family locked us uncle and nephew in prison without a word and have been locked up for almost a year. Haha - we are outnumbered. You are the knife and we are the meat. You want to torture us, and even if I am unwilling, I have no choice but to accept it!"
"We're already here, it's up to you to kill or chop me up! Do it quickly! Don't waste time dawdling here!"
When Xiang Liang heard his nephew's words, although he did not say a word, he struggled to stand up from the iron grip of the Qin soldiers behind him, and stared at Ying Zheng's grandson opposite him.
Qin Ying observed the expressions on the uncle and nephew's faces. Seeing the resolute look of "ready to die calmly" in the eyes of the young and the strong, he could not help but solemnly scolded:
"Sigh! I thought General Xiang Yan, the last great general to defend the Chu State, was able to lead the Chu army to resist our army until his death in the battle that destroyed the state. He was such a famous general with great integrity. As his descendants, they should also be brave warriors with unyielding spirits. I didn't expect his son and grandson to be cowards who would seek death at the first sign of setbacks! Softies!"
"Bah! I cry for General Xiang Yan, for having two cowardly descendants like you!"
"What?"
The uncle and nephew of the Xiang family, who seemed to be almost unable to think clearly, saw the chubby kid who had just been grinning and mocking his father/grandfather as a "defeated general", suddenly became serious and began to sing praises and affirm his father/grandfather who died on the battlefield.
Even the little baby's look of disgust and helplessness made him look like a descendant of the "Xiang clan". This huge contrast in behavior not only confused the two Chu prisoners who had not slept well for many days, but even the clear-headed Meng Neishi and the Qin soldiers who were holding the prisoners were stunned by the completely different words and expressions of the emperor's eldest grandson.
"Grandson, what do you mean by this?"
Xiang Liang had a dirty face and knitted long eyebrows. He looked at the fat boy opposite him with confusion and surprise. The boy had a cold round face and seemed to be crying out for his own father. His mind was very confused.
Xiang Ji also looked at Qin Ying with a puzzled expression, wondering if the tyrant's good grandson had a brain problem. How could he just now brazenly ridicule and mock his grandfather's infant son, and then in the blink of an eye praise his grandfather?
[Hmm... the last great gatekeeper general of the Chu State. This description is quite apt when applied to my own grandfather.]
Seeing the doubts in the eyes of the uncle and nephew opposite, the little fat boy Ying continued to frown, looking into their eyes and angrily scolding them:
"Xiang Liang! Xiang Ji! You two, uncle and nephew, are incredibly stupid! You can't even begin to understand the painstaking effort your father, your great-grandfather, put into leading the Chu army to the bitter end on the battlefield!"
"I'll ask, and you think about it! For a renowned general, sacrificing his life for his country in a moment of crisis, dying on the battlefield and leaving a legacy behind, is this the highest honor for living up to his ideals of defending the nation, or is it a derogatory mockery of a man who missed the mark by a single move and was ultimately defeated?"
Looking at the serious little round face of the fat kid and listening to the heavy scolding, the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family were almost instantly drawn into the situation.
For a general who defends the country, fighting for the country until the end and unfortunately dying on the battlefield is actually a romantic compliment.
Seeing the uncle and nephew frowning and silent in thought, Qin Ying sneered:
"Isn't that right? Even you two uncles and nephews feel that General Xiang Yan's death is not as insignificant as a feather, but as heavy as Mount Tai, right?"
As soon as the words "heavier than Mount Tai" came out, Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji felt as if they were electrocuted. Their hearts trembled instantly, and they couldn't help but feel a surge of pride from inside out, making their whole bodies numb.
He, their father/grandfather, had been defeated by Wang Jian, but in the eyes of Ying Zheng's grandson—Wang Jian's great-grandson—how could he have such a high opinion of their father/grandfather?!
The extremely stunned uncle and nephew were so shocked that they felt like they were in a fog and had no idea what was going on.
Qin Ying continued to scold him in a baby voice, with a look of disdain in her eyes and a tone of deep sorrow:
"Xiang Liang! Xiang Ji! You two bastards have absolutely not embodyed even a fraction of the integrity and benevolence that General Xiang Yan had during his lifetime!"
"Turtle" Xiang Liang: "!!!"
"Turtle Sun" Xiang Ji: "!!!"
"Alas, although Ying was born late and was not able to witness the heroic demeanor of General Xiang Yan when he was alive, I still have infinite admiration for him deep in my heart!"
"In Ying's opinion, whether it's my great-grandfather Wang Jian, former General Li Mu of Zhao, or General Xiang Yan of Chu, all three were renowned generals of their respective motherlands! They were all loyal and devoted their entire lives to their motherlands. Aside from their different positions, there's no difference in who's good or bad in their hearts!"
"Especially General Xiang Yan. He had it so hard! The Chu royal family was incompetent, and the upper echelons of Chu were in turmoil. During the war to destroy Chu, Chu had 200,000 fewer soldiers than Qin. Chu's national strength was even less than Qin's. Back then, my great-grandfather fought for Qin, and General Xiang Yan fought for Chu. Qin was strong, Chu was weak, the King of Qin was wise, and the King of Chu was foolish. Given the huge disparity in strength between Qin and Chu, even a naive child could see that Chu's hope of victory was slim!"
"Couldn't General Xiang Yan, the last remaining defender of Chu, see the tragic end of his kingdom? Yet, knowing he would lose, he bravely charged forward, his armor stained with blood, and he closed his eyes at the very last moment of battle!"
"From this point of view, the old general was so devoted to his motherland, so upright and righteous. Who was he defending in his lifetime? As the main general fighting against Qin, if he wanted to protect the interests of his family, he would have abandoned the Chu army on the battlefield and fled with you uncle and nephew. But the old general did not retreat. Even though he knew he could not resist the Qin army, he did not retreat at all! Was he defending the foolish Chu royal family? The incompetent Chu nobles? Wrong! General Xiang Yan was clearly protecting the common people of Chu who trusted him!"
Hearing the fat kid praising their deceased father/grandfather so many times, Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji choked at the same time, and opened and closed their mouths without uttering a single word.
In today's world, the nobles don't even consider the common people as the same species.
The uncle and nephew of the Xiang family knew very well that even though their father/grandfather fought for the country until the last moment, it was not for the common people of Chu, but to protect the interests of the nobles of Chu. However, when they heard the little fat boy spouting golden evaluations of their father like "more important than Mount Tai" and "fighting for the common people of Chu until the last moment", the strong and the young man's lips trembled and they were unable to tell the "truth".
Meng Neishi, who was holding the little grandson, was also a little confused. He didn't know what the little prince wanted to do by saying so many flattering words to Xiang Yan.
When the young prince was interrogating Zhang Huai that day, he was on vacation in the mansion and was not present. Later, when he heard from Zhang Han the vicious words the young prince said to Zhang Huai, he felt that they were a bit outrageous. Unexpectedly, today, he heard the young prince's praises for Xiang Yan in front of the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family, which were even more outrageous!
Seeing the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family exchange glances several times, but unable to utter a single word to refute what he said, the little fat boy Ying not only raised the volume of his baby voice, but also lowered his head and rubbed his eyes vigorously with his little hands. With red eyes, he pointed at the noses of the uncle and nephew opposite him with his little hand and cursed with all his heart:
"What a shame! General Xiang Yan, a patriot who cared so deeply for the people of Chu, now faces the dilemma of having his reputation tarnished by your two selfish, weak, and black-hearted descendants! I, Qin Ying, truly feel sorry for the poor old general!"
The uncle and nephew, whose faces turned pale and red, and then red and white again, finally couldn't help but retort with ridicule:
"Qin Ying! What on earth are you talking about, you little brat?"
"Grandson! Please be careful with your words!"
"Heh—you two bastards finally gave up after I hit you right in the heart, didn't you?"
"Humph!" Qin Ying's round face was stern, and her chubby white hands were trembling slightly as she cursed at the uncle and nephew.
"Am I wrong? Back then, General Xiang Yan knew he couldn't defeat our Qin army, knew he would die, but he still refused to desert. He hoped that by dying on the battlefield, he could preserve the Xiang family's reputation as a famous general of the Chu State. He hoped that by his heroic act of sacrifice, he could gain the respect of our 600,000 Qin troops, preserve the integrity of the Chu army, and highlight the Chu people's character! He hoped that after the Chu State was destroyed and the chaotic times ended, the people of Chu could live a peaceful life without civil unrest under the constraints and protection of Qin law!"
"But you, Xiang Liang! Xiang Ji! As the direct descendant of General Xiang Yan, you insist on going against the old general's wishes! My great-grandfather swept across the world and unified the country, finally freeing the people of Chu from year-round foreign wars. Every household was allocated farmland and could live out their lives in peace. Yet, you two bastards, blinded by greed, are exploiting the good reputation earned by General Xiang Yan's sacrifice for his country and are restlessly running around in Chu. Today you're winning over one, tomorrow you're inciting another, hoping to tie the common people of Chu, who have finally started a new life, back into the chariot of rebellion for the sake of your own family's interests! You dared to disrupt the former territories of the Seven Heroes, and yet you still don't dare to admit it?!"
"Can you two honestly say that you sneaked into Xianyang with a bag of forged certificates and documents, and slept with the remnants of the anti-Qin rebels outside Xianyang in the middle of the night because you wanted to kowtow to my great father and wave flags and sing his praises?"
"Bah! You two are unworthy of being General Xiang Yan's biological son and grandson! Black-hearted! Selfish! Shameless!"
"Black-hearted" Xiang Liang: "..."
"Selfish ghost" Xiang Ji: "..."
"A hundred years from now, when our Qin historians compile the history books of the six kingdoms, they will praise General Xiang Yan as a famous Chu general who fought for his country and died a worthy death! And the general's bloodline, his son Xiang Liang and grandson Xiang Ji, who painstakingly left behind him, even after the unification, still feigned blindness and stubbornly opposed the court, courting death and smearing General Xiang Yan's glorious reputation. You are the remnants of Chu! Black-hearted rebels! You uncle and nephew are nothing but foolish pigs! Blind eagles! Eating buckets! Living is nothing but a waste of food and air! You are completely useless!"
"This imperial grandson is truly pissed off! Someone, come! Quickly bring out this imperial grandson's big bomb! Today, in broad daylight, under the clear sky, this imperial grandson will enforce justice on behalf of Heaven and help old General Xiang Yan eliminate these two damned bastards who shamelessly linger in the mortal world every day and ruin his good reputation!"
"promise!"
"promise!"
Standing in the storm of public opinion, the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family, who were scolded to the point of being in a mess and a little lost, had not yet sorted out their thoughts and reacted to the extremely fluent words of the little fat boy opposite them, when they saw the black-clad soldiers standing behind the little baby suddenly bend down and take out a brown paper package as big as their head from a small square wooden box.
It was obviously a small thing, and it didn't look very heavy, but it was carefully carried by two tall black-clad soldiers, one on the left and one on the right. After walking about a hundred meters forward, the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family looked at it with dizzy heads.
Finally, the two people stopped. One of them put the brown square bag on the ground, while the other took out a fire starter from his arms and squatted on the ground, seemingly lighting the small square bag.
The next moment, the two black-clad soldiers turned around quickly and ran in two directions desperately.
Before the uncle and nephew could figure out what was going on, they heard a sudden "boom" as if mountains were collapsing and walls were falling down, and countless yellow earth in front of them flew high into the sky accompanied by flames shooting up into the sky. The terrible roar that they had never heard before made the uncle and nephew's heads buzz, their eyes were straight, their legs were weak, and their faces were pale.
About ten breaths later, when the rumbling sound had completely died away, the uncle and nephew, whose hearts were still beating wildly, were pushed forward by the Qin soldiers behind them with pale faces, until they stood at the place where the fire was flying and saw the deep pit below that was deep enough to bury them. Their reason could no longer control their bodies, and their legs went soft and they fell heavily to the ground with a plop. They looked towards the deep pit that emitted a pungent smell with disbelief on their faces, and turned their heads mechanically to look at the little fat boy who was carried behind them by Meng Yi with a calm expression and brisk steps.
The other person was clearly a chubby child with an exceptionally fair and adorable appearance, but in their eyes, he had now turned into a cannibalistic little devil! This terrifying innocent look was even more like a tyrant than that tyrant Ying Zheng!
What was even more terrifying was that under the uncle and nephew's frightened gaze, the little devil opposite simply wiped his red eyes with his two little hands, looked at the yellow earth under his feet with a sincere face, and said in a childish voice:
"Old General Xiang Yan, if you know this from your afterlife, I'm sure you heard the friendly clapping of our Qin people on your coffin. Don't worry, your son Xiang Liang and grandson Xiang Ji didn't understand your painstaking efforts and embarked on a dark path of no return. I know you care about the people of Chu, and I will help you deal with these two bastards who have ruined your good reputation!"
"Come here! Hurry and act! Kick Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji, these two selfish, self-serving villains who are willing to be remnants of the Qin rebellion and stir up trouble everywhere for their own benefit, into the deep pit created by the divine thunder! Bury them alive! Prevent them from tarnishing the good reputation of General Xiang Yan in the future!"
"promise!"
"promise!"
"promise!"
“…”
Upon hearing the order from the emperor's eldest grandson, the Qin soldiers who were watching the show became excited instantly. They pushed and dragged the uncle and nephew who were lying at the edge of the deep pit and kicked them into the deep pit created by the explosive pack with two "bangs".
The uncle and nephew who fell into the deep pit were so irritated by the extremely pungent smell in the pit that they wanted to cry. Before the uncle and nephew, whose hands were tied with iron chains, could crawl out of the deep pit, they saw a group of black-clad soldiers surrounding the pit, happily sweeping the surrounding yellow earth and stones with their hands, feet, and branches and throwing them at them.
The uncle and nephew hid, looking up in fear. They saw the little baby, carried by Meng Yi to the edge of the deep pit, staring at them with his eyes downcast, his expression extremely cold. It didn't look like he was looking at a living person at all! This wicked little devil really wanted them to die in this deep pit today!
Xiang Liang's heart trembled. He hurriedly raised his chained hands and exerted great strength to pull his nephew, who was struggling to hide from the ground, to his knees in the deep pit. He sobbed and begged for mercy towards the little devil star above:
"Your Highness, the Emperor's eldest grandson! It's all my fault for being blind and failing to live up to my father's earnest teachings. I failed to teach Ji well after he passed away. I already know I was wrong. Please have mercy on me and let Ji go. Leave a bloodline for the Xiang family! I beg you! I beg you!"
Seeing his uncle collapse like this for the first time, Xiang Ji was filled with anger and fear. He trembled all over and cried out to the middle-aged man who was kowtowed beside him, "Uncle!"
Xiang Liang turned around and glared at his nephew with tearful eyes, then raised his head and said quickly to the grim-looking Little Devil Star above him:
"Your Highness, Liang is useless, but Ji is. He possesses immense strength, capable of lifting a large cauldron. He is a natural born general, with the same talent for warfare running through his veins as my father! He's not even fifteen yet, and while his temper has become somewhat rebellious and quick-tempered due to being pampered by the common people, he is truly capable. Since you hold my father in such high regard, how could you bear not to leave a legitimate heir to his family?"
"I was the sole person responsible for gathering the remnants of fallen states, forging documents and records, and secretly colluding with the anti-Qin remnants outside Xianyang. I have only my own faults. I am stupid and dull-witted. I failed to see my father's dedication to his country. The Xiang family is at fault, and all the blame falls solely on Xiang Liang. Please spare Xiang Yu's life! I beg you!"
After Xiang Liang said this while crying bitterly, he started to kowtow in the deep pit again.
"Uncle! You don't ask him to do that! Life is but a death! Now that things have come to this, why should you be so condescending to a baby?!"
"Shut up!"
With tears in his eyes and clay on his forehead, Xiang Liang shouted angrily at his nephew beside him.
Seeing the deep despair in his uncle's eyes, Xiang Ji's tears suddenly burst out. He lowered his head in pain, his heart filled with bitterness. He was no fool. The Qin army was already powerful, and now Qin Shi Huang wielded such terrifying divine thunder. If he really raised his army under the banner of "Restoring Chu" and rebelled in the future, how could a human body withstand the explosion? Even if he had the strength to lift a tripod, he would be shattered into pieces by this huge roar.
How can we fight this war...
Seeing the embarrassed, helpless and frightened looks of the uncle and nephew, Qin Ying narrowed her eyes and waved her hand. The group of black-clad soldiers surrounding the pit immediately stopped throwing dirt and stones at the uncle and nephew.
The little fat boy also looked helplessly at the uncle and nephew who were looking up at him, shook his head and sighed:
"Alas, Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji, you two uncle and nephew are really giving this grandson of the emperor a headache!"
"You clearly know that this imperial grandson respects General Xiang Yan, yet you still ask me to show mercy when I have already violated Qin law and committed a grave offense. Ugh, this is too difficult. What should I do?"
Seeing the little baby above him frowning and looking as if he was about to relax, Xiang Liang suddenly had an idea and kowtowed again, saying:
"Your Highness, I know that my uncle and nephew have made a foolish mistake. I hope you will spare Ji's life for my father's sake. I am willing to make amends and hand over a detailed list of those who rebelled against Qin in Chu to His Majesty the First Emperor."
"Oh?" Qin Ying blinked her eyes and feigned disbelief. "Really? I don't believe it!"
Xiang Liang choked, then nodded tearfully, saying, "The young emperor's grandson is real. Because of my father's status, I, as a direct descendant of the Xiang family, hold considerable prestige in Chu. I am also a significant figure among the anti-Qin forces in my motherland. If you can spare Ji, I am willing not only to submit a list of the remaining anti-Qin criminals in Chu to His Majesty the First Emperor, but also to act as an insider and personally return to Chu to arrest these people."
Qin Ying blinked her bright eyes, turned her head to look at the stern-looking Monesi and smiled joyfully:
"Meng Neishi, did you see that? Mr. Xiang Liang has come to his senses!"
Upon hearing this, Xiang Liang hurriedly climbed up the pole, nodding his head through tears as he said, "That's right, young prince! I had been led astray, but you have finally awakened me and I have come to my senses!"
"Alas, no one is perfect. Who can be without fault? Admitting one's mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue! Why don't you all quickly jump into the pit and help Mr. Xiang Liang and Master Xiang Ji out!"
Qin Ying said loudly in a gentle voice.
After a lot of "yes", Xiang's uncle and nephew finally returned to the top of the pit with weak legs.
Before the uncle and nephew could breathe a sigh of relief, they felt a warm little chubby hand on their cheeks. They shuddered and looked at the little devil star who was grinning at them sweetly and said joyfully in a childish voice:
"Ying knew that the bloodline left by General Xiang Yan was no coward! Today, Mr. Xiang Liang and Mr. Xiang Ji have returned to the right path. You are proud of General Xiang Yan now, and tomorrow General Xiang Yan will be proud of you and your nephew!"
"Although you haven't yet made any contributions to the Qin Empire, and others can only say you're the son and grandson of General Xiang Yan, I believe that one day, when Mr. Xiang Liang helps my father eliminate the remnants of the anti-Qin forces in Chu! Young Master Xiang Ji diligently studies the art of war. When you conquer foreign tribes for the Qin Empire on the battlefields of the distant lands and achieve unparalleled feats, future generations will speak of the Xiang family of Chu with endless praise: what a righteous and loyal family of generals! General Xiang Yan truly deserves to be Mr. Xiang Liang's father and the great-grandfather of General Xiang Ji!"
The Xiang uncle and nephew's hearts twitched at the unexpected turn of events: "Father/grandfather is proud of his son/grandson." Xiang Ji looked suspiciously at the chubby kid, his eyes sparkling with laughter, thinking he was going to get a ringing in his ears. Had the kid slipped up and said something wrong? It was fine if he was willing to let them go, but did he even want him to join the Qin army?
Seeing the confusion and disbelief in Xiang Ji's double pupils, Qin Ying blinked again and said, "Could it be that Master Xiang Ji still doesn't trust me?"
"You look only twelve or thirteen years older than Ying, right? Ying's grandfather was a man who greatly admired talent. Since you possess great strength and come from a family of generals, as long as you remain loyal to Qin and work hard in the future, your achievements in the military will definitely not be inferior to your grandfather's! Haha—what's the point of being a general protecting the country of a vassal state of Chu? A true man is born into this world, and if he wants to be, he should be the general protecting the country of the first unified empire in history!"
"Although Ying is young, he also has the ambition to emulate his grandfather and conquer the world! If you obey me today, I will give you the position of the Great General of the Great Qin... wuwuwu!"
Finally, he heard from the emperor's eldest grandson the earth-shaking words that Zhang Han repeated to him that day - "If you obey me, I will give you the position of so-and-so in the Great Qin." Meng Yi was so scared that he also made the same gesture as Old Li that night, when he committed insubordination and covered his mouth on a snowy night.
As the parties being addressed, the uncle and nephew of the Xiang family also widened their eyes in shock, looking at the little devil with shock. To be honest, if they put themselves in his shoes, they felt that they would not be so tolerant. Not only did they let go of the two rebellious remnants, but they were actually willing to reuse the "remnants" in the future. This broad mind did have some of the style of a tyrant. After all, the Taiwei Liao in the court of the Qin Dynasty angrily confronted the tyrant, but the tyrant was not only not angry, but also treated the other party with courtesy and tried hard to retain him. This is also a famous thing in the world.
At this moment, no matter what the uncle and nephew really felt in their hearts, their bodies were still very honest and they bowed deeply to the eloquent little devil in front of them.
At the same time, Ying Xiaopangdun'er also heard the voice of the progress bar of the task of conquering the Xiang uncle and nephew in his mind in early spring -
[Congratulations to the host for successfully impressing Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji, the renowned anti-Qin leaders in Chu, with his terrifying devilish demeanor and magnanimous spirit. This has increased the Xiang uncle and nephew's favorability towards the host from "-10%" to "30%." Please keep up the good work, host!]
Expressions can be disguised, words can be used to deceive, but the mechanical electronic sounds broadcast in real time by the system will not lie. Ying, the little chubby boy, who had just breathed a sigh of relief and was happy for having successfully put the rebellious Xiang uncle and nephew back to right course, had just raised the corners of his mouth with joy, and his brilliant smile was in full bloom, but he froze in the next moment.
[At the same time, Zhang Liang, the leader of the Han rebels, who had been waiting for the host in prison for many days, not only did he not wait for his next meeting with the host, but after nearly a year of mental torture, he once again turned evil. Zhang Liang's real-time favorability has dropped from "0" to "-10%". Please face reality and keep working hard!]
After hearing this cold and ruthless mechanical electronic voice, Ying Xiaopangduner couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly and looked at the blue sky in silence. The cold and stubborn "Liang Baihua" is really difficult to deal with! If he doesn't have a friendly meeting with "Ying Bazong" for a day, he will turn evil in a minute and show it to the fool system!
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