Chapter 69: Wet Childhood [Jinjiang Authentic Edition, the most...
Looking at the young Xiongnu man sitting below, he was sweating profusely, his face was pale, and he looked completely frightened and panicked.
Even if this man becomes extremely cruel in the future and is able to kill his father, stepmother, and his own brother without blinking an eye, at this moment he is just a fourteen-year-old foreign boy who was escorted to Xianyang alone and cannot even speak classical Chinese fluently.
Perhaps because of their similar fate, the First Emperor could clearly sense the powerful energy contained in Maodun's body at the first sight. It was an aura that was extremely similar to the energy in his own body.
Even though there was a generation difference between the two of them, they belonged to different camps, and were both abandoned by their fathers at an early age and had the painful experience of being a hostage in a hostile land, His Majesty the Emperor could still deeply empathize with the injured Xiongnu boy in front of him.
The First Emperor frowned slightly, lowered his gaze, and looked at the somewhat bewildered Xiongnu youth. His voice became gentler, and he said slowly:
"Modun, don't be too nervous. Since I sent you all the way from the border town to Xianyang in the snow, I won't kill you easily."
"Perhaps you have only heard of my achievements, but are unaware of my past experiences."
Hearing Qin Shi Huang's obviously gentler attitude, Maodun couldn't help but pursed his lips, pretending to be calm and looking directly at the tall Qin Emperor in a black robe above him.
Qin Ying, who was sitting next to him, looked up at his grandfather and then down at Maodun, just like his own father.
The First Emperor gently stroked the jade pendant around his waist with his fingers, as if lost in memories, and whispered calmly:
"Modun, you may not know this yet. Although I am a Qin person, my mother is from Zhao, a country with a long-standing grudge against Qin."
"Forty years ago, when I was born, the Qin and Zhao states had just concluded the extremely tragic Battle of Changping."
"In this battle, Qin General Bai Qi annihilated 450,000 Zhao troops, while Qin also sacrificed 300,000 troops. It was against this chaotic backdrop of war that I was born in the capital of Zhao."
"I was born bearing the hatred of the entire Zhao people. When I was almost two years old, the Battle of Handan broke out again. My great-grandfather, King Zhaoxiang of Qin, wanted to capture the Zhao capital and destroy the state. When my father heard the news in Handan, he was worried that the enraged King of Zhao would kill him if war broke out. So, one snowy night, he and a retainer bribed the Handan gatekeepers with 600 gold, abandoned me and my mother, and secretly fled Handan."
"When the matter was exposed, King Xiaocheng of Zhao, enraged and humiliated, immediately had me and my mother imprisoned in Handan, where we suffered many inhumane treatments."
"When I was two years old, my father abandoned me without hesitation. My delicate and beautiful mother always protected me. We endured for over two thousand days and nights in Handan. It wasn't until I was nine and King Zhaoxiang of Qin passed away that I was able to return to Qin."
Hearing this, Maodun opened his mouth in surprise. He really didn't expect that the First Emperor, who looked so majestic and powerful, would have such a difficult childhood.
Qin Ying couldn't help but purse her lips. Even though her grandfather's tone was very flat, as if he was talking about someone else's affairs, she still heard a hint of loneliness from his grandfather's words.
Thinking about the experience of being abandoned by his biological father before the war at the age of nine and suffering alone in Handan with his weak mother, even if he managed to get through it with difficulty, this unfortunate childhood still became a lifelong memory for his great-grandfather.
To be honest, his great-great-grandfather deserved to die young! Even if his great-great-mother later became a bad person in matters of sex, a beautiful and delicate woman from a humble merchant family who had worked as a dancing prostitute was able to protect and raise his great-great-grandfather from the age of two to nine in Handan after his great-great-grandfather, a legitimate hostage, secretly escaped. This experience alone was far superior to that of his great-great-grandfather, an irresponsible man who abandoned his wife and children in a crisis!
Fusu, who was standing next to Maodun, listened to his father's story and couldn't help but curl his slender fingers slightly. He lowered his eyes and reflected for a rare time. Compared with his father, he seemed to have grown up in a honey pot until he was twenty years old. Compared with his fat son, he seemed to be not filial enough sometimes.
"After my mother and I returned to Qin, our lives in Xianyang were not entirely satisfactory due to the many complex forces at play in the imperial court and the imperial harem."
"My legitimate mother was a noblewoman from the State of Chu, and my biological mother was a princess of the Han royal family. My half-brother once pointed at my nose and cursed me, telling me to take my mother of humble origin back to Handan. He also said that I was not worthy of staying in Xianyang to compete with him for my father's favor, nor was I worthy of competing with him for the position of crown prince. My biological mother even wanted to secretly harm me and support my brother to become the crown prince of Qin."
When Maodun heard this, his pale face turned slightly red, his hands clenched unconsciously, and even a hint of strong hostility flashed across his eyes.
Seeing this, the First Emperor continued quietly:
"Later, my father passed away at the young age of thirty-five. I ascended the throne as King of Qin at thirteen, and my coronation ceremony at twenty was delayed until twenty-two. During this time, countless people, both openly and covertly, sought to overwhelm, trip me up, undermine me, and even kill me. However, I remained neither arrogant nor impatient, lying dormant for many years. When I finally seized power and took charge of the government, I immediately and swiftly executed everyone who had bullied me and my mother, without exception!"
"I hate being betrayed and deceived the most in my life!"
"Modun, I tell you clearly, I know all your secrets, and I also know that you will kill your father and brother in the future! If you know what's good for you, please tell me your story quickly. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!"
Hearing the words "kill father, kill brother", Maodun's face, which had just regained its color, turned pale again. Both pupils trembled violently. He stared at the tall and handsome young man above him in disbelief, with only deep fear and confusion left in his heart!
He really didn't understand who this Qin Shi Huang who had been staying in Xianyang was. Knowing his true identity was one thing, but how could he even guess the unknown darkness in his heart?
Yes, he did harbor thoughts of "killing his father and brother." This was the darkest darkness he hid deep within his heart. Even his deceased mother was unaware of it. How on earth could the Great Qin Emperor, who was so far away, have known about it?!
Maodun was so shocked that he couldn't help but close his eyes and raise his hand to support his forehead to resist the sudden feeling of dizziness.
After seeing his appearance, Qin Shi Huang pursed his lips and remained silent, giving the young Xiongnu man below time to consider.
Qin Ying and Fusu also stared closely at the Xiongnu prince who was sitting below with his hand on his forehead, with different expressions on their faces.
Time passed by minute by minute.
I don't know how much time passed, but when Ying, the little fat boy, was getting restless beside his grandfather and wanted to go find the wet nurse to ask for milk powder, he finally saw the Xiongnu boy with his head lowered below, speaking to his grandfather in a hoarse voice:
"Your Majesty, your guess is correct. Wo is indeed the crown prince of the Xiongnu and a hostage of the Yuezhi."
"When was your father sent to the Yuezhi as a hostage?"
The First Emperor frowned and asked.
Maodun raised his head, his face no longer showing the "clear and ignorant" look he had deliberately pretended to have. Instead, he stared intently at the tall man above him and replied in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, you returned to Qin at the age of nine, and I was sent to the Yuezhi tribe as a hostage by that man at the age of nine. It has been almost five years now."
"For the past five years, I have lived an inhuman life in the Yuezhi tribe."
"Where's your mother?"
The First Emperor pursed his lips.
Maodun pulled the corner of his mouth, revealing a bitter and sarcastic smile:
"Qin Shi Huang, my mother is just like your mother, a delicate and beautiful woman."
"She was from the Yuezhi, and half of her blood is from the Yiqu people of your Qin territory. Because she was born beautiful and talented in singing and dancing, she was once the man's favorite Yanshi. Later, after giving birth to Wo, her mother became less beautiful and her graceful figure was gone, so the man took another younger Yanshi."
"That bitch is good at talking and has a better figure. At that time, I had already been made the crown prince. Haha, she gave birth to a little son."
"Because she was younger, more beautiful, and more favored, she was ambitious and cruel, and the son she gave birth to looked even more like that man. Therefore, the man became increasingly displeased with us, mother and son, to the point where he wanted to depose us and make his son the crown prince."
"To protect me, my mother was kicked in the heart by that man one snowy day and died," Maodun said, tears welling up in his dark eyes, and his tone became as cold and sharp as a venomous snake. "I was less than nine years old at the time. I fell to the ground and couldn't get up. I watched helplessly as he kicked my mother in the chest and head again and again. My mother died in front of me, spitting blood. No matter how much I begged and pleaded on the ground, that man not only ignored me, but even wanted to kick me to death!"
"My poor mother was only twenty-three when she died. After she died, that bitch even threw dirty water on her, saying that the snowstorm that year was because my mother, a mixed-race Hun, married into the Xiongnu tribe with dishonest intentions. Her prayers angered the Eternal Heaven, which led to the terrible natural disaster that befell the tribe. Because of her words, my mother's body was thrown outside the tribe to feed the wolves."
Maodun's tone was choked with sobs, and the entire inner hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Qin Ying opened her mouth in surprise when she heard this. She really didn't expect that Maodun also had such a miserable childhood.
"I couldn't protect my mother, nor could I save her. Two months after her death, I quietly sneaked into that bitch's tent and smothered her six-month-old twins with a sheepskin. I wanted to take advantage of the situation and kill her eldest son, whom she was so proud of, as well, but unfortunately, my plan was discovered."
"The man angrily broke Wo's left leg and was about to skin me alive with his scimitar. Coincidentally, the Yuezhi and the tribe were at war, and they needed to send a hostage to stabilize the Yuezhi. So, the man broke Wo's right leg as well, and sent his personal guards to hold Wo's arms up, throwing him away like trash, reusing him as a hostage to the Yuezhi."
When the First Emperor heard this, he subconsciously glanced at Maodun's injured right leg. He didn't expect that this young man had such a strong physique that he could still save his leg after being injured twice. I wonder what he ate since he was a child!
Qin Ying also gasped and looked at Maodun with admiration. What a ruthless man!
"Modun, if your story is true, you stayed in the Yuezhi for five years, and this winter, due to a snowstorm on the grassland, the Xiongnu were unable to fight the Qin people, so they attacked the Yuezhi."
"The Yuezhi were defeated, and the Xiongnu robbed them of their precious food. They were probably furious and wanted to kill you, their hostage, but you took the opportunity to escape from the Yuezhi. However, you were injured and fainted in the snow. By chance, you were found by an envoy I sent to the Yuezhi and brought back to the border town. Is that correct?"
The First Emperor looked at the suffering Xiongnu prince below and asked calmly.
Maodun hesitated for a moment, then nodded obediently:
"Yes, it was like this. When the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu went to war because of the snowstorm, I knew my situation had become very dangerous. To save my life, I secretly stole a good horse from the Yuezhi and fled at full speed. However, my luck was bad. During the escape, I was unfortunately shot in the right shoulder from behind. To save my life, I continued to ride my horse for more than ten miles. Finally, due to excessive blood loss, I fainted and fell from the galloping horse, breaking my right leg. When I regained consciousness, I saw that you Qin officials had picked me up."
Maodun pursed his lips and said in a somewhat embarrassed voice:
"Because the Xiongnu have a bad reputation, I was worried that if you Qin people discovered my true identity, you would kill me directly, so I disguised myself as a prince of the Yuezhi."
"Your Majesty, now you know everything about me. You saved my life. You can kill me or chop me up as you please."
After saying this, Maodun closed his eyes, as if he was ready to give up.
Qin Ying glanced at her grandfather. The First Emperor closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then opened them again and looked at Maodun. He asked solemnly,
"Modun, do you want to avenge your mother?"
Hearing Qin Shi Huang's unexpected words, Maodun raised his head with a "whoosh" sound, stared at Qin Shi Huang who was sitting high up with a strange expression, frowned, and asked:
"Qin Shi Huang, what do you mean by this?"
The First Emperor looked calmly at the alert Xiongnu boy and replied:
"Modun, the destiny of the world is with Qin. I have received the mandate from Heaven. May I live long and prosper."
"Although the internal wars of the Qin Empire have subsided, the external wars are still ongoing. I intend to expand the borders of the Qin Empire indefinitely, forcing the Xiongnu on the northern grasslands, the Hu people in the western regions, and the Yue people in the Baiyue to the south to cease their conquests and become new Qin people."
Hearing this, it was obvious that he was going to kill the other person, but the tone was so natural as if he was saying "I want to drink milk in the morning, I want to drink milk at noon, and I want to drink milk at night", Maodun was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out.
Compared to the Xiongnu, these are the real barbarians, right?!
Even if he unified the nomadic tribes and built a huge and powerful Xiongnu Empire in the future, the impoverished Xiongnu prince, who was only fourteen years old, was far from having such advanced awareness.
What the young Maodun wanted to do most at this moment was to heal his wounds, return to the tribe, and lie dormant. When the time was right, he would kill all those who had bullied him and his mother one by one, just like Qin Shihuang did!
Because he was so shocked, he didn't know what to say at the moment. He could only look at Qin Shi Huang at the top and stammered:
"Qin, Your Majesty Qin Shi Huang, I, I am also a Xiongnu. You, you said to my face that you want to destroy the Xiongnu?"
"No, Maodun, you are thinking too narrowly. I don't want to destroy the Xiongnu, but I see the general trend and know the destiny. I really want to lead the Xiongnu to progress together!"
After saying this, the First Emperor stood up from his seat.
His 1.98-meter height is magnificently displayed on the platform, as if he is a powerful giant standing tall.
Seeing the incredibly tall Qin Shi Huang, Maodun's eyes widened. How could this figure be even taller and more powerful than the Xiongnu?!
If he were in his tribe, Qin Shi Huang would have been a warrior among warriors just because of his big stature.
The First Emperor bent down and scooped up his chubby grandson into his arms. He walked down the stairs step by step, holding the soft little boy in his arms. When he stood in front of Maodun, he looked down at the Xiongnu prince who was staring up at him in amazement, narrowed his eyes and said:
"Modun, as the crown prince of the Xiongnu, you should have some experience. You Xiongnu spend your days on the grasslands, hungry and full, living worse than even the common people in Qin. When it snows, you freeze to death in droves. When there's a lean season, many more starve to death. Why bother? Is this really the life you want?"
"The black bird has the virtue of loving life, and I am also a wise ruler who can tolerate different ethnic groups and live in harmony."
"Although my general was able to guard the frontier and repel the Xiongnu and the Hu people several times, he was born in Qin and is not familiar with the migration routes of the people outside the Great Wall, nor does he understand the temperament of the people outside the Great Wall."
"Although you and I belong to different camps, our life experiences are quite similar."
"If you are willing to submit to the Great Qin and obey my command, I can support you for a few years, provide you with food, clothing, and shelter, and allow you to receive an education in the advanced ideas of the Great Qin. I will train you to become the most promising Xiongnu person in history!"
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