Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

Little did they know that Xu Fu was a distinguished guest whom I had invited, and more importantly, the hope for the future of the Qin Dynasty!

Meng Tian was startled upon hearing this.

Although he did not know why Fusu valued Xu Fu so much, he could hear the respect and trust in Xu Fu from his tone.

"Does Your Highness mean that Zhao Gao did this in order to become the person in power behind the scenes by controlling Prince Huhai?"

Fusu nodded: "That's right. Zhao Gao is an ambitious man who has always plotted to seize control of the court."

"But he understood that as long as his father was on the throne, he would never have a chance."

Therefore, he turned his attention to Hu Hai.

"Although Hu Hai was dull-witted, he was of the emperor's bloodline and had the natural right to inherit the throne."

"As long as Zhao Gao controls Hu Hai, he can seize the opportunity to control the government and become the mastermind behind the scenes!"

Meng Tian was shocked upon hearing this.

He never expected Zhao Gao's ambition to be so boundless!

"So how should we deal with this now?"

He asked with a worried expression.

Fusu pondered for a moment and said, "The only thing we can do right now is to wait."

"Wait?" Meng Tian asked, puzzled.

Fusu nodded solemnly: "That's right. We are imprisoned and cut off from the outside world."

"We can only wait for our father to lend a helping hand."

At this point, a look of unwavering trust appeared in his eyes.

"I firmly believe that my father will never allow us to die unjustly in prison!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Tian felt somewhat relieved.

He nodded and said, "This humble general also believes that Your Majesty will handle this matter properly."

at the same time.

Inside the Imperial Study in Xianyang Palace.

Ying Zheng played with the jade pendant in his hand, seemingly lost in thought.

A moment later, he looked up and called out, "Someone come here."

As soon as he finished speaking, a eunuch stepped inside and knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

"What's your majesty's order?"

Ying Zheng glanced at him: "Summon Li Si to an audience."

The eunuch's heart tightened, and he dared not delay, so he hurriedly accepted the order and withdrew.

Before long, Li Si entered and knelt in worship.

"Your subject Li Si pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Ying Zheng said calmly, "Rise."

Li Si rose and stood to the side, asking nervously, "Your Majesty has summoned me so suddenly, what important matter is it?"

Ying Zheng's lips curled slightly: "What? Can't I see you unless there's something important?"

Li Si hurriedly shook his head: "That is absolutely not what I meant."

Ying Zheng stared at him, remaining silent.

The atmosphere in the imperial study suddenly froze.

Li Si stood to one side, feeling a chill run down his spine and cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

He didn't know what he had done to offend the emperor, but his intuition told him that Ying Zheng was not simply summoning him to reminisce!
Just as he was feeling uneasy, Ying Zheng finally spoke:
"I ask you, what are your thoughts on the matter of Fusu and Meng Tian?"

Li Si was shocked and thought to himself, "Just as I suspected."

He had long anticipated that Ying Zheng's summons would be for this very reason.

He had not expected that Ying Zheng would ask for his opinion so bluntly.

This caught him off guard, but he still quickly responded:

"Your Majesty is wise; I was truly unaware of this matter."

Ying Zheng scoffed: "Unaware? Then why did Zhao Gao suddenly turn against Fusu and Meng Tian?"

"And this was done without any evidence whatsoever!"

Li Si inwardly groaned, knowing that Ying Zheng had already become suspicious of him.

But he didn't panic; instead, he calmly explained:

"Your Majesty is wise. Zhao Gao did this entirely because he coveted the power of the court."

He knew that as long as Prince Fusu was alive, he would never have a chance.

"Therefore, they used Prince Huhai to deal with Prince Fusu and General Meng Tian."

He carefully observed the emperor's face as he spoke.

Ying Zheng remained calm upon hearing this, offering only a curt reply. "Is that so? Then what do you think I should do?"

Li Si's heart tightened, knowing that this was a test of his stance.

After a moment's thought, he said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should be investigated and dealt with severely."

"Zhao Gao, as an important official of the court, actually committed such a treasonous act, which is truly unforgivable!"

"He must be apprehended immediately and interrogated thoroughly!"

His words were forceful, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

He understood that to gain Ying Zheng's trust, he had to first make his stance clear.

He had a long-standing grudge against Zhao Gao, so he naturally wouldn't let go of this good opportunity to suppress his political enemy.

Ying Zheng remained unmoved upon hearing this, only giving a faint reply.

"Then who do you think should interrogate Zhao Gao?"

Li Si's heart sank. He knew this question was crucial, and a slight mistake could backfire.

But he calmly replied, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should be handled by the Court of Justice."

"The Minister of Justice is in charge of criminal cases throughout the land and is most familiar with such cases."

"Moreover, the Minister of Justice is upright and incorruptible, and will surely handle the matter fairly."

After saying that, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Knowing that he had passed the test of the Sacred Heart, he had at least temporarily saved his life.

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng finally showed a satisfied expression.

"Very well, then we will proceed as you have suggested and hand this case over to the Court of Justice for trial."

He paused, then gazed at Li Si: "I hope you will not disappoint me."

Li Si's heart trembled, and he hurriedly knelt down: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best to handle this matter well!"

Ying Zheng nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Meanwhile, in a quiet alley in Xianyang City.

Xu Fu sat alone in his humble room, with the same wooden table and wine vessels before him.

He raised his cup and smiled at the empty air: "That old fox Li Si is indeed shrewd."

"He knew how to use me to get rid of Zhao Gao."

After speaking, he drank the fine wine in his cup in one gulp, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

"Unfortunately, he ultimately overlooked one crucial point."

"That is me, Xu Fu! How could I be a pushover to be manipulated by others!"

Xu Fu put down his wine cup, his eyes gleaming as if he had already taken in all the changing winds and clouds in Xianyang.

Just then, faint footsteps came from outside.

Xu Fu raised his eyebrows slightly, a playful look flashing across his face.

"It seems an uninvited guest has arrived."

Before the words were finished, the wooden door opened slightly, and a dark figure slipped inside.

The newcomer looked at Xu Fu, who was sitting upright in the room, and a look of surprise and doubt flashed in his eyes.

"You are Xu Fu?"

Xu Fu smiled and nodded, "That is indeed me."

The man in black frowned. "Why have you chosen to stay here?"

Xu Fu scoffed, "Why can't I find a place to stay? Has Xianyang become your private property?"

A cold glint flashed in the man's eyes. "Are you aware that the entire city is currently offering a bounty for your capture?"

Xu Fu smiled dismissively, "So what? Do you think they can find this place?"

The man in black remained silent, only staring coldly at the man.

Xu Fu paid no attention to his attitude, poured himself a full wine cup, and looked up to ask him a question.

"Speak plainly, what brings you here?"

The man in black hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "I'm here to remind you that Zhao Gao has issued an order to kill you."

“The moment you step out of this door, countless people will want to take your life.”

Xu Fu chuckled, "Then I should thank him properly for letting me experience what it's like to be hunted down."

The man in black frowned. "Are you really not afraid of death?"

Xu Fu shook his head and said, "Of course I'm afraid of death, but I'm even more afraid of not living a fulfilling life."

He paused, staring intently at the man in black, "But you, why did you come to tip us off?"

The man in black was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Because I don't want to see you die."

Xu Fu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why?" (End of Chapter)