Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

Aside from being materially well-off, their lives were perhaps worse than those of an ordinary person with even a little status, let alone any freedom or rights. Now that they had the opportunity to return to the bustling and safe capital, to this familiar palace, who wouldn't want to change their fate? The thought of those days of being monitored, restricted, and isolated on the frontier sent chills down their spines.

Looking at his daughters' expectant eyes, the First Emperor could only manage a bitter smile.

He gently patted his youngest daughter's back to comfort her, but could not give a clear promise.

The Retired Emperor? The Grand Secretary? They sound prestigious, and their power seems considerable. But he knew perfectly well the limits of his authority. The generals in the army, whether old Qin veterans like Wang Jian and Meng Tian, ​​or later figures like Han Xin and Li Jing, all directly pledged their loyalty to Ying Xuan. In political affairs, although he oversaw everything, several imperial concubines assisted him in the inner study, and the final decision-making power for some key matters remained with Ying Xuan.

Ying Xuan never truly and completely trusted himself. In other words, no great ruler can completely trust the monarch of the previous dynasty, even if that "previous dynasty" is only nominal.

Once his orders were outside the cabinet and the palace, would the officials below be more obedient to him, or more afraid of the unfathomable emperor who could travel the world and control thunder? The First Emperor was not entirely sure.

The Qin Dynasty is now at its zenith, and every aspect bears the deep imprint of Ying Xuan. Although he was the founder of the empire, his reign was relatively short. The people of Qin today revere Emperor Ying Xuan, who brings them stability, strength, and hope for advancement.

If Ying Xuan acknowledges himself as the retired emperor and the chief minister, then he is one; if he does not, then he might just be a nobody in this old palace called "King of Chu".

What bothered the First Emperor even more was that he had repeatedly and subtly raised the issue of the treatment and training of members of the royal family with Ying Xuan, but Ying Xuan either ignored it or, like this time, waited until he had "acted first and reported later" before "rewarding" them afterwards.

This made him feel that, deep down, Ying Xuan probably didn't have much real respect for him, his "former," and was more of a pragmatic person who saw him as a "useful talent."

Just as the atmosphere inside the hall was somewhat silent and oppressive, a servant's deliberately loud and incredibly clear voice suddenly came from outside the hall to report.

"The Imperial Concubine has arrived!"

As soon as the voice fell, the gates of the old palace were opened one after another, and squads of elite guards from the Eastern Depot, dressed in black and exuding a sharp aura, quickly entered.

Their movements were swift and silent, their sharp gazes sweeping across the palace, both inside and out. While seemingly guards, their actions were in fact a silent declaration of control—during the Empress's visit, everything in this old palace had to be under their command.

Immediately afterwards, Empress Lü, along with several imperial concubines who were in charge of or assisting with the inner study, including Qu Ruo, Jing Rou, and Zhao Shan, entered the hall with dignified bearing, dressed in magnificent palace attire and surrounded by a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

Behind them followed palace servants carrying jade plates and brocade boxes, on which were displayed various magical treasures, each with its own unique shape and radiant brilliance! Further back, a large number of imperial guards from the Eastern Depot carried boxes upon boxes of royal tributes, continuously delivering them into the palace.

Empress Lü's gentle gaze swept over the somewhat uneasy First Emperor and the princesses in the hall, a polite and kind smile appearing on her face. She first curtsied slightly to the First Emperor.

"Greetings, Emperor Emeritus."

Then he turned to the princesses.

"By order of His Majesty, my sisters and I have come to visit the princesses. His Majesty was delighted to hear of the princesses' return home and has bestowed upon them magical treasures and spiritual objects as gifts for our meeting. May the princesses enjoy longevity, good health, and happiness."

As the extraordinary magical treasures were presented, and as the imperial concubines offered their warm greetings, the princesses were taken aback by the sudden increase in status and importance they received. Then, their faces lit up with surprise and excitement.

When the First Emperor saw this scene, and saw that what Empress Lü and others brought was not only rewards, but also an "upgrade" and "recognition" of the old imperial palace's standards, his unease and bitter smile dissipated considerably.

He understood that Ying Xuan was giving him face and also trying to appease the princesses. In the past, only he and some of his concubines lived in the old palace, leading a simple life, and he himself often stayed in the cabinet office.

Now that more than a dozen princesses have suddenly arrived, these shrewd imperial concubines immediately took action to improve the treatment and regulations of the old palace, so as not to give others a reason to say that the emperor does not pay enough attention to the retired emperor and the princesses, which would damage the emperor's reputation for "filial piety and brotherly love".

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highnesses."

The First Emperor nodded, a smile appearing on his face. In any case, it was ultimately a good thing that his daughters received such generous gifts and attention. As for the deeper power struggles and schemes, perhaps it wasn't worth dwelling on them too much at this time and place.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang has been in a coma for two days, and the entire city of Xianyang is in a state of panic, with both the powerful and the common people living in anxiety.

The chatter on the streets gradually subsided, replaced by a suppressed silence, as if an invisible hand had gripped the throat of the entire city.

The vendors had no interest in hawking their wares, the people hurried about, and even the usually bustling taverns were deserted. On the third day, news suddenly came from the palace that a court assembly would be held. This news was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, creating ripples everywhere.

The news spread like wildfire, with everyone saying that His Majesty the First Emperor had awakened. The civil and military officials who had been anxiously waiting in the palace hurriedly changed into their court robes and rode in carriages to Xianyang Palace.

Hope was rekindled in their hearts, as if they had found their backbone, and their steps became lighter than usual.

Inside the Zhangtai Palace, the officials whispered amongst themselves, their discussions buzzing. The civil officials huddled together in twos and threes, exchanging the information they had gathered, while the military officers stood ramrod straight, their expressions not too pleasant.

Everyone had the same question in their hearts: why was His Majesty the First Emperor ill, what was his illness, and why hadn't a single word been leaked from the palace?

Some said it was due to overwork, others said it was just a cold, and still others speculated that someone had sabotaged it. Various theories circulated among the people, but none of them could be confirmed.

Li Si stood at the head of the civil officials, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his face solemn and silent. Meng Yi stood not far beside him, equally silent, only occasionally glancing at the crowd in the hall.

Wang Ben stood on the side of the military officers, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the empty dragon throne in the hall, his brows furrowed.

Wang Ben's thoughts drifted back to a few days earlier. He remembered the events of that day vividly: Zhao Gao had openly defied the First Emperor's decree, leading a group of eunuchs and armored soldiers to expel them, these high-ranking officials, from the palace with utter arrogance. He had sensed something was amiss then, but due to the unclear circumstances, he hadn't acted on it immediately. Upon returning home, he immediately informed his father, Wang Jian, of everything. Although the old man had been retired for many years, his worldly-wise eyes remained as sharp as a knife.

When Wang Jian heard about Zhao Gao's audacious act, he was indeed taken aback. The teacup in his hand paused slightly, and the tea in the cup rippled.

But he quickly regained his composure, gently placing the teacup on the table, his aged face showing little emotion.

He has weathered many storms in his life, from the era of King Zhaoxiang to the present day. He has seen far too much, and his character has been tempered to be as hard as iron. Ordinary changes rarely move him.

Wang Jian sat in the armchair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. He remained silent for a long time before speaking to analyze the situation.

He said that Xianyang City is now probably under Zhao Gao's control. The palace guards and the city's defense forces, along with the elusive and difficult-to-defend-against Luo Wang organization, have all fallen into Zhao Gao's hands.

Key positions in various places had long been filled by their own people. For example, Zhao Cheng, who served as the Palace Attendant, was a confidant of Zhao Gao. The Palace Attendant was in charge of the palace guards. Once this position was held by someone, the entire Xianyang Palace would be like being surrounded by an iron barrel.

When Wang Jian spoke of these things, his tone was calm, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him, but Wang Ben could hear the heaviness hidden in his father's words.

Wang Jian sighed at Zhao Gao's years of forbearance and extreme cunning. On the surface, he was respectful to the First Emperor, but in secret he had already laid out such a big game. His patience and skill were truly astonishing.

However, Wang Jian was not too worried about Ying Xuan, who was far away in the northern frontier. When talking about his grandson, the old man even showed a faint smile.

In his view, Ying Xuan was highly skilled and had expert guards by his side. Moreover, he had just wiped out the Xiongnu army in the northern frontier, establishing a very high prestige in the army. The 300,000 soldiers in the northern frontier were convinced of his loyalty. As long as he raised his arm, he could easily lead his troops back to Xianyang.

Ying Xuan's decision to leave Xianyang for the border was like a bird flying into the forest or a fish swimming into the sea, allowing him to move freely and leaving Zhao Gao unable to reach him.

However, Wang Jian frowned slightly as he said this. He vaguely felt that with Zhao Gao's cunning, it was impossible for him not to see this. Zhao Gao had gone to such great lengths to set up this scheme; there was no way he would leave such an obvious flaw.

The opponent may have another trick up their sleeve, but he can't figure it out for the time being.

After thinking it over and over, the old man finally shook his head and said that there were only two things the Wang family could do now: first, send someone by fast horse to deliver a message to Ying Xuan, telling him in detail about the changes that had occurred in Xianyang City, so that he could make preparations in the northern frontier; second, act as an inside agent in the city and wait for the right opportunity.

Wang Ben kept his father's words firmly in mind and arranged for men to be sent out that very day, but he couldn't find a suitable opportunity to deliver the letter. Zhao Gao's men guarded the city gates like an iron barrel, and the checks on those entering and leaving were extremely strict, so he dared not act rashly.

On the other side, Li Si stood in the Zhangtai Palace, his heart also churning with turmoil.

He had weathered countless storms in his life, rising from a minor official in the State of Chu to the high position of Prime Minister of Qin. He had seen all sorts of situations and dealt with all kinds of people. But he still found it hard to believe that Zhao Gao had such audacity.

Zhao Gao was merely the head of the Imperial Carriage Office, an eunuch in charge of the emperor's carriages and horses—in short, a dog by the First Emperor's side. How could he dare to commit such a treasonous act?

Li Si pondered this over and over in his mind. He was a civil official, and although he held the highest position and controlled the affairs of the country, he was completely helpless when faced with someone like Zhao Gao who did not follow the rules.

Zhao Gao ignored the rules and laws and resorted to force. This was like a chess player facing a brute who overturned the chessboard; no matter how skilled the player was, they had no way to play.

He only hoped that this turmoil would not last too long, otherwise once the news spread, the remnants of the six kingdoms would seize the opportunity to rise up, and those old nobles who had just been suppressed would inevitably rise from the ashes. At that time, with internal and external troubles, the empire might be in danger of collapsing.

Just then, a series of footsteps came from outside the palace. The footsteps were neat and powerful, unlike the leisurely pace of the First Emperor when he traveled; instead, they carried an air of solemnity and killing intent.

The crowd quickly stopped their discussion and turned to look, only to see that it was not the First Emperor who had entered, but a young prince. The eighteenth prince, Hu Hai, was dressed in a dark brocade robe and wore a jade crown on his head, but his face was somewhat pale and his steps were unsteady.

Behind him followed a man dressed in a dark red official robe, thin and with a delicate face and a faint smile on his lips. This was Zhao Gao, the Chief of the Imperial Carriage Office. The entire court of officials was stunned, exchanging bewildered glances.

When His Majesty the First Emperor was about to hold a court assembly, only the Eighteen Princes and Zhao Gao attended. Where was His Majesty himself?

After a moment of stunned silence, senior officials such as Li Si, Wang Ben, and Meng Yi instantly understood. Li Si, in particular, glanced at Zhao Gao and then at Hu Hai, and the fog of confusion in his mind suddenly cleared.

Zhao Gao intends to support Huhai to the throne. This young prince is young and ignorant, and is most easily manipulated. As long as he is put on that position, Zhao Gao can rightfully control the government.

No wonder Zhao Gao went to great lengths to prevent Ying Xuan from returning to Xianyang, no wonder he risked everything to seal off the First Emperor's palace—it was all part of his scheme. Li Si's heart sank; he realized the situation was far more serious than he had imagined.

Accompanied by Zhao Gao, Hu Hai ascended the steps and walked step by step to the dragon throne, which symbolized the supreme power of the realm. He turned around and, under the gaze of all the officials in the hall, sat down directly on the dragon throne.

Stared at by all those gazes, Hu Hai's expression became extremely stiff. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, his knuckles turning white, and he was so nervous that he could hardly breathe.

He had never imagined he would one day sit in this position. The dragon throne was cold and hard, and sitting on it was not as comfortable as he had imagined. But after glancing at the composed Zhao Gao beside him, he quickly regained his composure.

Zhao Gao stood beside him, bowing slightly with a respectful smile on his face, as if everything was perfectly natural.

Li Si was the first to step forward. His face was ashen, his beard trembled slightly, and his gaze was fixed on Hu Hai on the dragon throne. He shouted angrily, "Eighteenth Prince, what are you doing? Where is His Majesty? Why are you openly sitting on the throne? This is treason!" (End of Chapter)