Unparalleled Evildoer

Chapter 126: Intrigue and Trouble

As soon as the sky brightened and the morning mist had not yet risen, Meng Yi came to look for Wuzhan. Wuzhan had already finished washing and dressing neatly. He followed Meng Tian and Meng Yi out of the Meng Mansion. Wuzhan and Meng Yi rode in the same carriage and went straight to the Xianyang Palace.

The carriages stopped at the spacious carriage yard in front of the palace gate. Hundreds of carriages that had arrived early were lined up in an orderly manner outside the palace wall, following Meng Tian and Meng Yi without any obstacles, heading towards the towering palace gate.

There were guards on both sides of the palace gate for routine inspection. (Meng Yi was the Minister of the Imperial Palace, one of the Nine Ministers, in charge of the imperial palace, responsible for the emperor's guards, censors, and messengers, and was allowed to carry swords in and out of the palace.) When the guards saw Meng Tian and Meng Yi enter, they hurried forward to pay their respects.

As you enter the palace gate, you will be greeted by the majestic and magnificent hall. Although separated by a long corridor, you can still feel the strong oppressive force. The purple pillars and golden beams, the red bricks and glazed tiles, the magnificent splendor, the protruding eaves, the overlapping brackets, the towering hall platforms, the straight corridors, are magnificent.

Wuzhan looked at the hall and sighed to himself, "It has always been a place of right and wrong in the world."

The Imperial Guards stood majestically on both sides of the corridor and in the hallway, weapons in hand, looking awe-inspiring. There were at least three thousand of them. The civil and military officials who had arrived early stood in front of the palace platform in twos and threes, talking to each other in silence.

Meng Yi left Wuzhan at the end of the officials and entered the palace alone through the side door to greet the emperor.

Meng Tian walked up the high steps. When he saw the officials, they bowed and greeted him, and congratulated him with joy. Finally, he reached the front door of the palace and stood alongside several high-ranking officials, waiting to enter the palace when the court was about to begin.

Fusu came from the east side, greeted Wuzhan, then climbed the steps and waited in front of the palace gate.

Not long after, just as the morning sun was shining with golden light, the emperor shouted, "Enter the palace and attend the court session!" According to the rank of their nobility, the civil and military officials walked along the two sides of the imperial road, went up the steps, entered the hall, and lined up to wait.

"The Emperor has arrived!" Bells rang and chimes struck, and two rows of doctors entered the hall one after another. Ying Zheng wore a crown on his head, a crown robe, a long sword on his waist, and rode in a sedan chair pushed by eunuchs. Maids held up a canopy and accompanied him on both sides. Zhao Gao walked in front with his body bent, and four powerful cultivators guarded the four corners. Meng Yi followed behind him, walked through the imperial road surrounded by the doctors, and slowly came to the front of the emperor's steps. With the help of Zhao Gao, he got off the sedan chair, steadily climbed the high steps, and solemnly sat on the dragon throne.

Civil and military officials bowed to the ground and shouted, "Long live the emperor!"

Ying Zheng said loudly: "My dear ministers, please stand up!"

After all the officials calmed down, Ying Zheng said to Meng Tian in the audience: "The old general lived up to everyone's expectations. With only 200,000 troops, he defeated the Donghu and Xianbei, killing 80,000 enemies. He also attacked the Xiongnu 3,000 miles north, killing a total of 330,000 enemies, causing the Xiongnu to suffer a devastating disaster. The land south of Deshui was returned to Qin, and the north was stable. The old general raised the prestige of our Great Qin and made another great contribution to the Great Qin. The old general has worked hard."

Meng Tian stepped out and said, "Thanks to your majesty's kindness, I am not tired. As long as I have the strength to spare, I will serve the country. This time I was able to defeat the enemy with a small force because I met a genius. Without him, I would never have won a great victory."

Ying Zheng said: "I already know, quickly summon Wuzhe into the palace, I want to see it with my own eyes!"

The eunuch shouted, "Xuan Wuzhan comes to the audience! ..." The voices were heard outside the hall one after another.

After hearing the imperial edict, Wuzhan, led by the doctor, quickly walked up the steps and entered the hall. He was already out of breath. He glanced inside the hall and saw all the officials standing solemnly in four rows. Some of them were looking back at him. He hurriedly lowered his head and prostrated himself on the ground inside the hall door, shouting in a high voice: "I am Wuzhan, your humble servant, and I pay my respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty!" After he finished speaking, he felt short of breath and his throat was itchy, but he tried hard to hold it back and not cough.

Ying Zheng watched from a distance for a moment, then said loudly: "Step forward a hundred steps!"

Wuzhan stood up with his head lowered, and slowly walked forward a hundred steps, fifty steps away from Meng Tian and sixty steps away from Ying Zheng. He knelt on the ground and all the court officials looked at him.

Ying Zheng said: "Raise your head and let me see it!"

Wuzhan slowly straightened up, knelt on the ground, and looked up at the high steps. He saw Ying Zheng, who was tall and strong, with long eyebrows and bright eyes, a straight nose, beautiful beard, a square face and drooping ears. He sat upright with dignity and the air of an emperor.

Ying Zheng's face froze, and he asked in surprise, "You don't have enough energy in your body?"

Meng Yi was standing in front of Ying Zheng, and he turned around and said, "Your Majesty has a keen eye. My humble brother is indeed suffering from a chronic disease!" Ying Zheng stroked his beard and smiled, "My cultivation has now reached the stage of concentration. I can sense the true energy in his body at a glance!"

All the ministers shouted in unison: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

Ying Zheng frowned and asked in doubt: "Meng Yi, didn't you say he was a wandering Taoist priest? He doesn't have enough Qi in his body, how can he be called a Taoist priest!"

Meng Yi's heart trembled when he heard this. If he couldn't explain it clearly, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor. When he was thinking about how to answer, he heard Wuzhe said, "Your Majesty, my body is different from that of ordinary people. I can only cultivate my mind, not gather energy."

Ying Zheng asked: "Cultivate the mind? How can one cultivate it to strengthen the body and achieve immortality?"

"Your Majesty, I have cultivated a calm heart. I don't need to meditate to gather energy. It can't strengthen my body or make me immortal. I just want to have a clear conscience."

“What is a calm heart?”

“Be free from delusion, impatience, greed, thoughts, anger, and ignorance. Let your mind be as clear as a mirror and still water, and be as bright and clear as the spring and autumn.”

Ying Zheng laughed out loud and said, "It's the first time I've heard of you only cultivating your mind and not your qi. However, your calm mind seems like the mind of a lazy person who goes with the flow. I can't cultivate that."

Wuzhan said: "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. You are born with the heart of an emperor in accordance with the will of heaven. It is something that ordinary people cannot cultivate even if they practice for a hundred lifetimes."

Ying Zheng laughed and said, "Well said, I have gained another beloved minister who can speak. Wuzhan, stand up, Xiao Gaozi, announce the imperial decree of reward!"

Zhao Gao, dressed in palace robes, with a pale face and no beard, and a humble look, stepped forward and stood on the high steps in the center of the royal platform. Facing the courtiers, he unfolded a silk scroll and said in a sharp voice: "The First Emperor's reward book, the Great Qin's special book, General Meng Tian, ​​defeated the Donghu, Xianbei, and Xiongnu, killing a total of 330,000 enemies, and was granted the title of Jiuyuan Marquis, with a fief of 8,000 households. Langzhongling Meng Yi, annihilated 80,000 Xiongnu in Shangjun, and was granted the title of Guannei Marquis, with a fief of 3,000 households. General Wang Ben guarded Longxi, causing the Yuezhi to retreat without a fight. His title remains unchanged, and his fief is increased by 1,000 households. Commoner Wuzhan, repeatedly came up with extraordinary strategies, annihilated 30,000 Xiongnu in Shangjun, and killed 40,000 main forces of the Xiongnu. He was granted the title of Great Shuchang, with a salary of 10,000 stones, and was appointed as a counselor. General Fan Gaocheng, for meritorious service in resisting the Xiongnu..." After Zhao Gao finished reading the reward book, Wuzhan knelt down to thank the rewarded officials. The courtiers congratulated Meng Tian, ​​Meng Yi and others and praised them endlessly.

Wuzhan was led by the doctor to the center of the queue and stood at the eleventh position. The ministers on both sides, who were not yet familiar with each other, bowed to congratulate him and Wuzhan returned the greetings one by one.

"Your Majesty, Zhou Qingchen has something to report!" A voice suddenly sounded in the hall. The court officials immediately fell silent. When they heard the voice, they saw Zhou Qingchen stepping out of the line steadily and standing in the hall with a dignified manner. "It has been a year since Qin took over China. Now it has defeated the northern barbarians and the world has stopped fighting. Your Majesty is the inheritor of the throne. You should follow the example of King Wu of Zhou and enfeoff the princes to bring peace to the world. Your Majesty does not enfeoff the princes. I dare to ask your Majesty, where do you want to place the meritorious officials of the new dynasty, the relatives of the royal family, and the descendants of the holy king?"

Ying Zheng's face darkened slightly. He had expected this. "Since the doctor has proposed it, let's hold a court meeting today. My dear ministers, please do not avoid disagreements, but feel free to speak your mind!"

"I am weak but I have a point!" A white-haired old official stepped forward slowly with a cane in his hand, "I want to ask, why do you want to emulate King Wu of Zhou?"

Zhou Qingchen said: "The Great Zhou prospered for 800 years. The princes protected the emperor, expanded the territory, guided virtue and etiquette, and the world was in great order. Why not follow suit?"

Dun Ruo snorted coldly, "Prosperous for eight hundred years? When King Wu died, the rebellion of the Three Guards occurred? The Quanrong invaded, and the princes were in danger. How could they protect the emperor? If it weren't for the bloody battles of our ancestors, how could we have the Eastern Zhou Dynasty? From the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period, the princes were divided, and there were wars for years. The emperor was in a small place, how could we expand the territory? The rituals and music were broken, and the people were suffering. How could we have a great governance? China has gone astray for eight hundred years, and now it has just jumped out of the fire pit. Does the doctor want us to jump back? Since King Xiao appointed Shang Yang, he has ruled the country by law, enriched the country and strengthened the army, so that our Great Qin rose from a remote place, competed for the Central Plains, and annexed the six states in Shandong. Is there any need to doubt this governance?" After Dun Ruo finished speaking, someone among the court officials praised, "Great!"

"Your Majesty, Shusun Tong has an answer!" A middle-aged doctor strode forward and said, "How vast was the territory of the old Qin? In one day, they rode their horses north and south. Now the territory of the Great Qin is more than ten thousand miles. It takes seven days of traveling day and night and still not reach Jiujiang. How can such a big empire be governed by laws alone? How can one catch all the fish in a river with one net? Although the six kingdoms have perished, their remnants are still there. Undercurrents are surging in various places. How can we quell rebellions without implementing a division system? The feng shui of different places are different. If we want to make them all the same, how can we make the people balanced? If the people are not balanced, how can the world be at peace?" After Shusun Tong finished speaking, the court officials cheered continuously and Ying Zheng looked solemn.

"I have an objection!" Wang Ben stepped forward and said, "Since our Great Qin cavalry can unify China, they can naturally quell rebellions. The remnants of the six kingdoms are nothing to be afraid of. If we implement a divided system, how can this foreign invasion be quelled so quickly? A unified system will surely be strong, and a divided system will surely be weak. The foundation we have fought so hard for will disintegrate and be wasted. If we implement a county system, there will be troops stationed in various places. If there is rebellion in one place, support will come from all sides. We can put the whole country's strength to eliminate it. This is far better than the princes just watching the fire from the other side of the river. With such a powerful system of governance, how dare the people not obey!" Wang Jian and his son destroyed the five kingdoms. Although Wang Jian died, Wang Ben's prestige still existed. His words were very important and he received continuous applause.

Wuzhan had seen Wang Ben from afar at the Shangdang Inn before. Now he saw his strong figure up close, and the scene was completely different. He also caught a glimpse of the guard on the high level who had almost broken his neck, who was looking at him as if he was recalling something. He did not pay any attention and let him think hard.

"This old minister has an objection!" Wang Wan said in a dull voice, "To serve the world and the country, there is nothing better than to use virtue and to practice righteousness. With virtue and righteousness, the people will be encouraged without reward and evil will be stopped without punishment. This is the policy of Shennong and the Emperor. With virtue and righteousness, the vastness of the four seas and the water of the rivers cannot overflow. The height of Taihua Mountain and the danger of Kuaiji cannot block them. If there are severe punishments and heavy rewards, and virtue and righteousness do not exist, how can the people be held responsible? King Zhou of Shang had loyal ministers and good generals and an army of one million, but why did the Western Zhou Dynasty perish? Qi, Wei, Zheng, Chu, and Han all carried out reforms, but why did they be destroyed by our Great Qin? The division and splitting of the land is not the fault of the saints, but virtue and righteousness are no longer practiced in later generations. Tongwu Hou only knows how to use troops but does not know how to win the people." After the old prime minister finished speaking, the court was silent. Suddenly, the whole hall cheered, and Ying Zheng fell into deep thought.

(End of this chapter)