Ya She

Chapter 44 Si Nanbiao

If a person has fears, then he is neither a god nor an untouchable being.

219 BC, the 28th year of Qin Shi Huang's reign
The eleven-year-old Hu Hai sat upright behind the table, looking down at a wooden spoon placed on it. Below the spoon was a smooth wooden board with many directions carved around it.

Hu Hai tried to move the wooden spoon, but no matter how many times the spoon spun, the handle always remained in one place. Intrigued, Hu Hai asked, "Master, what is this?"

In a corner of a side hall stood a tall figure, his face hidden in shadow, making it impossible to see his features or expression. The man spoke slowly, "This object is called the compass. The ladle is made of wood, and a lodestone is embedded inside. The compass ladle can always point south." His voice was deep yet slightly high-pitched, and his deliberate control of the tone, maintaining a neither too high nor too low pitch, made it very unpleasant to listen to.

Hu Hai, however, was already used to the other person's affected manner. He only found the sunlight streaming into the side hall through the window a bit dazzling, and squinted slightly, muttering to himself, "Compass, compass, 'Compass' means to manage and bear, and south is not an ordinary direction. Compass... but this wooden spoon points east, not south... Master, this compass spoon must be extraordinary, right?" Although Hu Hai was young, he knew that anything his teacher, who rarely paid attention to him, had offered him was definitely not an ordinary object. Although the earthen-yellow wooden spoon looked plain and unremarkable, it was very shiny and lustrous, with a bright patina, clearly indicating its great age.

The Book of Changes (Zhouyi) says: "The sage faces south to listen to the world." Since ancient times, sitting facing south has been considered the most honorable position. Therefore, when the emperor or feudal lords met with their ministers, or when high-ranking officials met with their subordinates, they all sat facing south.

Zhao Gao paused here, his eyes, which held an almost demonic charm hidden in the darkness, flashed, before calmly continuing, "The imperial throne faces south, hence it is called the imperial throne. This compass was confiscated from the Zhao royal palace. Others all believe that this object is malfunctioning, but I believe that this object refers to the position of the emperor."

"Ah! No wonder the handle of the spoon points east!" Hu Hai laughed heartily, for his father, Qin Shi Huang, was on his eastern tour, performing the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, which is precisely in the east. Hu Hai, engrossed in playing with the compass in front of him, innocently looked up and asked, "Master, why isn't this presented to my father?"

A cold smile slowly crept onto Zhao Gao's lips in the shadows, and he said in a calm, unwavering tone, "Your Majesty seeks the elixir of immortality; how can you allow such a thing to exist? What if one day this compass no longer points to him, but to one of your brothers?"

Hu Hai paused in his hand, which was moving the compass spoon. The wooden spoon spun around on the wooden board a few times, but still stopped precisely in the due east direction.

"I have thoroughly investigated historical records and speculate that this compass spoon likely belonged to King Zhou of Shang. It was precisely because this object pointed west that King Zhou imprisoned Ji Chang, the Marquis of the West, and killed his eldest son, Boyi Kao. However, King Zhou still did not make the final decision, and Boyi Kao's younger brother, Ji Fa, destroyed the Shang dynasty, becoming known in history as King Wu of Zhou." Zhao Gao spoke very slowly, but every word was spoken very clearly, ensuring that not a single word was missed and reached Hu Hai's ears.

A chilling coldness, enough to gnaw at the bone, welled up in Hu Hai's young heart, yet he was also as if bewitched, stirring the wooden spoon in front of him again and again...

"And this thing... can not only... point to the throne... but also..."

Hu Hai awoke from his dream with a start, staring blankly at the white ceiling, unable to come to his senses for a long time.

What exactly did the Master say next? No matter how many times I dream of this scene, the rest of the words are always vague and fragmented... as if I've forgotten something very important...

It seems that he has indeed been inhaling the Moon Kirin Incense, which can influence people's dreams, for a long time, and is increasingly recalling those very distant years from his memories.

Because he really doesn't want to wake up.

Hu Hai propped himself up and sat up, his crimson eyes scanning the room. Just as before he fell asleep, it was cold and deserted.

He was abandoned by his elder brother once again.

He became a person again.

Even though half a year had passed, he still refused to accept the fact and remained hopelessly immersed in the fragrance of the moon.

Minghong was standing on the clothes rack in front of his bed, sleeping with his eyes closed. Perhaps it was because of the strong fragrance of moon unicorn in the room. I wonder what the little thing is dreaming about.

Hu Hai stared blankly for a long time, his hair tilted to the side, before finally getting up to extinguish the lit incense and turn on the air conditioner to ventilate the room. As the rich fragrance in the room faded, the little red bird stirred its head and woke up. It first preened its feathers with its beak, finding them flawless, then flapped its wings and flew up, landing on its young master's left shoulder and nuzzling its face for a pat.

Hu Hai raised his hand and stroked its fur a few times. The smooth, soft feathers brushed against his fingertips, slightly calming his restless heart.

"Only you are still by my side..." Hu Hai whispered, his silvery-white eyelashes covering his crimson eyes.

The little red bird tilted its head, looking adorably dazed. Seeing its owner approach the table, it hopped up first and used its sharp beak to poke at the strange wooden spoon on the table. The spoon spun endlessly on the smooth wooden surface, seemingly without end.

Hu Hai stood blankly by the table. Ever since he first had that dream, he had unearthed this compass from an ancient tomb. But the compass had no direction it pointed to.

It's possible that there are no true emperors in this era, or it's possible that the emperor has completely given up the idea of ​​becoming emperor.

Is this the reason why the emperor disappeared?

Hu Hai clenched his fists. He had been waiting for half a year, and was even afraid that his elder brother would suddenly appear at his door. He had rarely left during these six months, for fear of missing him.

But it seems that all of this was just wishful thinking on his part.

The little red bird was enthusiastically playing with the compass spoon when it suddenly noticed its young master grabbing a black umbrella and striding towards the door. It quickly spread its wings and chased after him before the door closed.

Neither the person nor the bird noticed that the compass spoon, which had been spinning rapidly on the table, suddenly slowed down and gradually came to a stop...

218 BC, the 29th year of Qin Shi Huang's reign
Hu Hai, who was beginning to resemble a young man, rested his chin on one hand and casually fiddled with the compass spoon in front of him with the other, watching with a bored expression as the wooden spoon always stopped in the west.

Father has returned from his eastern tour and is surely governing in the warm pavilion. My elder brother will probably not be studying in his study today, but will also be attending to his teachings. Even the tutor will likely be by Father's side, just like during the last eastern tour.

Perhaps next time, he could ask his father to take him on the eastern tour as well?

The compass spun smoothly on the flat wooden board, leaving a circular afterimage. Sun Shuo, who was serving nearby, saw that he was in a good mood and chuckled softly, "Young Master really likes this compass the most. He plays with it for a while every day."

Hu Hai sat up abruptly, his clear black and white eyes narrowed, and he asked in a deep voice, his expression unreadable, "Is it that obvious?" Although he was still young, he already had the air of a young master, and when his face turned serious, he had a rather dignified air about him.

Sun Shuo had served Hu Hai since he was a child and knew his young master's temperament and personality very well. Although he did not know what deeper purpose the compass had, he still respectfully bowed his head and reported: "Very few people can freely enter and leave the young master's side hall. Apart from me, no one knows."

Hu Hai watched quietly as the compass needle stopped in the west again, but he did not reach out to move it.

He was his father's favorite youngest son, not only because his father annexed the state of Han and began his unification efforts in the month of his birth, nor simply because he was handsome and adorable, but because he knew how to please his father and how to play the role the emperor needed. Several younger brothers were born after him, but his father, busy with war and domestic affairs, didn't even bother to glance at them, let alone rank them. Therefore, the undisputed most favored youngest son in Xianyang Palace was simply him.

He knew that his father just wanted a model of filial piety and parental love. If he couldn't do it well, he could simply choose someone else, since he had more than twenty brothers as candidates.

So he could only try his best. His father forbade him to read, write, practice martial arts, or ride and shoot, so he could only eavesdrop outside his elder brother's study and watch from outside his brother's martial arts training ground. These little actions were all tolerable to his father, and he was constantly testing his father's limits.

But he had become too reliant on this compass, because he could use it to accurately determine his father's location!

Hu Hai was stunned on the spot.

He was too young before to understand the deeper purpose of the compass. He simply had a deep affection for his father, the emperor. Every day, he would move the compass a few times to pinpoint his father's location, allowing him to imagine which palace he was in or where he was traveling, whether he was diligently governing the people or performing celestial sacrifices. Moreover, if he was nearby, he would conveniently appear on his father's usual route, perfectly enacting a scene of filial piety. This is why, among his more than twenty brothers, he remains the emperor's most favored son.

Upon his father's return from his eastern tour, he had heard from Sun Shuo that a descendant of the Korean prime minister had sent a strongman to assassinate his father at Bolangsha with a massive iron hammer weighing over 100 jin (approximately 50 kg). Fortunately, his father had taken precautions, and all his carriages were identical. The assassin could not distinguish which carriage belonged to his father and was ultimately hit by the secondary carriage, a false alarm.

But what if that Korean descendant named Zhang Liang possessed this compass? Wouldn't his father's whereabouts be completely exposed?
How could the Emperor tolerate the existence of such a thing in this world?

Hu Hai broke out in a cold sweat.

Although he was young, it did not mean he was as naive and innocent as he appeared. Thinking deeper, why would his tutor, Zhao Gao, give him something that would bring about his demise if discovered by his father, the emperor?
It was confiscated from the Zhao royal palace... Zhao Gao...

Hu Hai recalled what Zhao Gao said when he handed him the compass. Zhao Gao was not a military general, but he wore the Zhao Wuling King's blue silk double-tailed military crown.

Is it a coincidence that a close advisor could wear the King of Zhao's military crown, and that this person was also surnamed Zhao?

Therefore, it can be inferred that the compass originally belonged to Zhao Gao, who was probably a member of the royal family of Zhao. He recognized his father as the emperor destined by heaven through the compass a long time ago, which is why he was always willing to obey.

But why doesn't he use it anymore? Instead, why was it given to him?

Sun Shuo, standing to the side, looked at Hu Hai with concern, not understanding why his young master's expression had suddenly become so unpredictable.

"Sun Shuo." After a long while, Hu Hai finally spoke, breaking the silence in the side hall. His voice was hoarse with tension. "Put this compass away. Don't let me see it again."

构

"……promise."

When Hu Hai opened his eyes, what he saw was no longer the incense-filled, slowly swaying palace, but the bustling, noisy modern world.

The scorching sunlight was mostly blocked by the large black umbrella overhead, but it still made his body feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The blaring horns behind him brought Hu Hai back to reality. He realized he was standing in the middle of the road, lost in thought. He quickly moved to the sidewalk and stood in the shadow of a skyscraper. Passersby noticed the little red bird on his shoulder and the slivers of silver hair peeking out from under his hood, glancing back occasionally, but nothing more. Most people kept their eyes straight ahead, hurrying through the streets and alleys. They all had their own lives to live, and at most, they would give strangers a second glance.

However, Hu Hai found this kind of society extremely difficult to adapt to, and it made him realize what it meant to be out of place.

If it weren't for his elder brother's insistence on staying in the city and continuing his profession as a doctor after waking up, he would have definitely advised his brother to move to a secluded place.

Hu Hai closed his crimson eyes, recalling the fragments of memory he had just experienced. But in truth, he barely remembered what Sun Shuo looked like. The faces of his father, Zhao Gao, had also become blurred over the long years, and he could hardly remember what his elder brother originally looked like.

Time is a truly terrifying thing; it can completely change everything in the world.

Is his persistence ultimately worthwhile?
The fact that his elder brother abandoned him meant that he was no longer needed...

What is the point of his continued existence in this world?

Hu Hai, holding a black umbrella, slowly walked along the commercial street into the area.

He decided to try one last time.

Lu Zigang blinked in astonishment, wondering if the guy who had just walked in so confidently was actually a phantom.

Hu Hai calmly folded his black umbrella and slowly said to the astonished manager of the Silent Shop behind the counter, "I would like to borrow the Luo Shu Nine Star Compass."

"How did you know... Ah! No! I don't have this compass you're talking about here!" Lu Zigang touched his nose, clumsily lying.

Hu Hai glanced at the golden mask still hanging on the wall and thought it was a huge waste for the owner to leave the Silent Shop to Lu Zigang and the doctor, two unreliable guys. Although he hadn't left the shop for the past six months, he could still use the golden mask to spy on what was happening here.

Of course, he didn't need to reveal this.

Lu Zigang watched as Hu Hai, with his silver hair and crimson eyes, slowly sat down at the counter. Every gesture and movement exuded the air of a perfect nobleman, and Lu Zigang inexplicably felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from him. This feeling, so intense that even breathing felt difficult, made Lu Zigang extremely uncomfortable. Stealing a glance at Hu Hai, who seemed to know everything, Lu Zigang had no choice but to honestly ask, "I do have this compass. What do you want to borrow it for? Are you looking for your imperial brother?"

At this point, Lu Zigang paused, carefully choosing his words, and cautiously said, "The doctor has returned to his own body, perhaps your brother..." Lu Zigang did not continue, because he noticed that Hu Hai's expression was extremely ugly, his already bloodless face as white as a sheet of paper.

"I know," Hu Hai replied, surprisingly calm. He had endured half a year of agonizing solitude, having considered every possible worst-case scenario. He had managed without his elder brother, so he simply wanted to know the truth and sever his own hopes.

Lu Zigang spread his hands and said helplessly, "Although we have the same goal, which is to find someone, the Luoshu Nine Star Compass can only be activated once a month, and it depends on luck. We might not be able to travel back to half a year ago. The day we calculated this month happened to be a day when the doctor had an emergency surgery, so we missed it. If you haven't changed your mind by next month, we can travel together."

Hu Hai nodded slowly.

"So, can I leave my contact information? I need to find an auspicious day to start next month so I can get in touch with you." Lu Zigang was no longer as awkward as before. His gaze swept over Hu Hai from head to toe, and he figured that this young master probably didn't even have a cell phone.

"No need, I'll come find you." Hu Hai took two things out of his pocket, placed them on the counter, and said calmly, "This is a thank-you gift."

Lu Zigang's gaze froze for a moment before he reached out and pieced the two objects together. It was the broken white jade longevity lock.

"Master! Are you sure this is the place?"

Across from the Silent Shop, two figures, one tall and one short, were squatting against the wall, whispering to each other. The younger one was filthy, looking like a little beggar. The commercial street was bustling with people, and passersby would occasionally toss a few coins in front of him. But if someone's attention were drawn to the long-haired young man next to the child, who was also dressed in shabby clothes and had his head slightly bowed, they would feel even more sympathy and might even take out their bag and throw in a few more coins.

Sigh, a trafficked child and a blind, disfigured young man—should we post on Weibo to launch a rescue campaign? Look, is this young man playing with snakes? Is he really a street performer? That little white snake looks so cute!
"Master! Master! Are you even listening to me?" Tang Yuan had no concept of the hierarchy between master and disciple, tugging at his master's ear and nagging in dissatisfaction.

The young man pulled his hand out of the snake basket in front of him and casually raised his head. In that instant, passersby could see his face clearly, and gasps of surprise rose and fell.

Unlike his filthy clothes, the young man's face was remarkably clean, handsome, with long eyebrows and fair skin, like a delicate and elegant ink painting. However, a hideous dark red scar between his eyebrows completely ruined his appearance, a sight that evoked pity. Moreover, a black cloth covered his eyes, clearly indicating that he was blind.

But even when this man sat casually in a corner, covered in dust and with his long hair trailing on the ground, his extraordinary and radiant aura was undeniable. Some people also noticed that the young man's tattered clothes were actually a strange Taoist robe, a gauze robe of indeterminate color, with a cross-collar and wide sleeves, embroidered with the eight trigrams of the I Ching, arranged in a mysterious way.

“Your second senior brother isn’t here.” The young Taoist sighed softly, unable to hide his disappointment. “I told you the day we went down the mountain wasn’t an auspicious day. You couldn’t wait to have the divination done again. Sigh.”

"What?! He's not here? Are you sure?" Tang Yuan was furious. Had it been easy for him and his apprentice? They had walked for more than half a year from the mountains to reach this big city, enduring countless hardships. Their experience was comparable to Tang Sanzang's journey to the West to obtain the scriptures! And now they were being told that the person they were looking for wasn't here?

Tang Yuan hurriedly asked, "Did you see clearly? Aren't there two people in that shop? Neither of them is my second senior brother?" Tang Yuan knew that although his cheap master hadn't opened his eyes, he could definitely see things. Well, to put it in modern terms, he must have sensed them with some kind of spiritual awareness.

“None of those.” The young Taoist priest sighed, stroking the small white snake that had crawled out of the snake basket and coiled around his fingertip. After realizing the sealing formation that had imprisoned Zhao Gao had been broken, his first reaction wasn't to investigate, but to find someone else to shirk responsibility. After all, he was inherently lazy and had long lost the passion of his youth. Without much thought, he decided that his second disciple was the only one who could handle this mess.

That's right, he always knew that his second disciple was still alive, but he never let the other party know of his existence.

Tang Yuan ruffled his long-uncut hair in frustration, grumbling irritably, "So what do we do now? Ugh, I thought I'd get a free meal after seeing my second senior brother!"

"We'll just have to go back. Nothing's happened in the last six months, so nothing unexpected should happen. Heaven has its own rules for operating." The young Taoist coughed lightly, irresponsibly indicating that he didn't care about anything anymore.

"You mean...we...go back the way we came?"

Tang Yuan forced out each word through gritted teeth, completely exasperated. He shouldn't have had any high hopes for this cheapskate master in the first place. Coming to this complete stranger, his second senior brother, was probably just an attempt to get rid of that hot potato. Now that he couldn't get rid of it, was he just going to wash his hands of it and pretend it never happened? Letting the potato fall to the ground with a thud didn't matter?
And all along the way, they basically traveled by bus or walked segment by segment! Even more tragically, this food-loving master ate his way through, and surprisingly, he didn't carry enough money—truly penniless! They hadn't even stayed in a hotel! They mostly slept under overpasses! And now they're telling him to go back the same way?!
Tang Yuan felt he had truly been tricked into joining a pirate ship. At his age, he should be carefree, carrying his schoolbag to school every day! Instead, he was wandering around with this mentally unstable master!
The young Taoist blinked innocently twice, then sighed in a helpless tone, "There's nothing I can do, Little Tangyuan. In recent decades, you need something called an ID card to do anything, and you can't move an inch without it! Do you think I want to live in seclusion in the mountains? I can't eat anything..." His complaints trailed off under his little apprentice's angry gaze, and he swallowed them down.

"Didn't you abstain from grains eight hundred years ago? What are you still thinking about eating for?!" Tang Yuan roared angrily.

Xiao Tangyuan's roar made Hu Hai, who had just stepped out of the Ya She shop, subconsciously glance in this direction, but then he didn't pay much attention and left with his black umbrella.

He had only taken two steps when he suddenly remembered the young man with a helpless expression who was being tugged by the collar by a child; he seemed somewhat familiar.

Hu Hai turned around, and the corner where there had been two figures, one big and one small, was now empty. Even the coins on the ground had been taken away and disappeared completely.

210 BC, the 37th year of Qin Shi Huang's reign
Hu Hai, who had already come of age, sat alone in his carriage. In front of him was an unopened brocade box, inside which was the compass.

Since Sun Shuo's death, Hu Hai had replaced several eunuchs, each of whom he called Sun Shuo. Unfortunately, none of them could take care of him as meticulously as the first Sun Shuo. This compass was originally put away by Sun Shuo, but before accompanying his father on this tour, his current eunuch found it while cleaning the private treasury and casually took it with him.

He only brought it out; he has never opened it even once.

Because he gradually realized how big the gap was between himself and his elder brother. Even if their father passed away, his elder brother would definitely inherit the throne. Although the latter had been sent to the frontier to build the Great Wall, the ministers in the court were not blind. Apart from not officially issuing an edict to establish his elder brother as the crown prince, Fusu had always been groomed as the heir.

Hu Hai was coming to understand his father better and better. The admiration and respect he felt in his youth had gradually transformed into disdain and contempt. Although he showed nothing on the surface, he knew his father was slowly growing old. His decision not to make his elder brother the crown prince showed that his father still believed he could obtain the elixir of immortality and control the Qin dynasty for millennia. Sending his brother to the frontier to build the Great Wall was ostensibly for military training, but wasn't it really a way of preventing his brother from consolidating his power and ascending the throne prematurely while he himself was on tour?
The emperor was afraid of dying and of his son seizing power.

If a person has fears, then he is neither a god nor an untouchable being.

Hu Hai's lips curled into a mocking smile. It wasn't that he didn't want to sit on that throne, nor that he didn't want to hold the He Shi Bi jade, which symbolized imperial power, in his hands, but he had to admit that his elder brother was more suitable than him.

Over the years, he had been secretly probing and competing with others, which had shattered his already weak self-confidence. The desire to ascend to that throne had become his lifelong obsession, but he also knew that it was simply a matter of wanting to beat his elder brother.

A short while later, the convoy stopped. He rose to pay his respects to his father's carriage, but was respectfully turned away by the eunuch. Puzzled, Hu Hai returned to his own carriage, his handsome brows furrowed.

If he remembered correctly, he hadn't seen his father for two days. Moreover, it was said that his father was in the carriage in front of him, accompanied by trusted eunuchs. Every time they stopped at a resting place, food was served. The officials accompanying him reported to the emperor outside the carriage as usual, and imperial edicts were issued and approved as usual inside the carriage.

He had seen the handwriting and it was indeed his father's, but he hadn't seen or even heard his father for two days, which worried Hu Hai. After all, his father had been ill all along.

Yes, no matter how powerful Father Emperor was, he was still an ordinary person; he would get sick, grow old, and die...

Hu Hai stroked the edge of the brocade box and subconsciously opened it, but the direction the compass spoon pointed to inside surprised him greatly.

That's in the northwest direction.

Their convoy was traveling in a straight line from east to west. Even if the emperor was deliberately creating a diversion, it shouldn't have deviated from the convoy's route.

"This compass must have broken from not being used for so long," Hu Hai thought stubbornly and repeatedly turned it several times. Each time the compass stopped, it pointed northwest.

Shangjun! Isn't Shangjun, where my elder brother was exiled, located in the northwest?

Hu Hai felt a chill in his heart. His elder brother was already becoming emperor, but what about his father?

There has been no news for two days in a row. Could it be... that he has passed away?
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Hu Hai felt a buzzing in his head, and suddenly he couldn't even see what was in front of him. Although he had long anticipated this day would come, he never expected it to be so soon.

He didn't even have the strength to get off the carriage and go to his father's imperial carriage to verify the information. He just slumped there, panting heavily.

That was his father, the emperor. Although he harbored a hidden resentment, that was the emperor who had always doted on him since he was a child and protected him as he grew up...

In a daze, the carriage beneath him began to move forward again, bumping along. Perhaps a long time passed, or perhaps not long, Hu Hai remained staring blankly at the brocade box until a flat, emotionless voice rang out.

"It seems you know what happened."

Hu Hai's eyes slowly focused, only then realizing that Zhao Gao had boarded his carriage sometime earlier. It was already dark outside, and lights had been lit inside the carriage. Zhao Gao was still wearing a multicolored fish-scale silk robe and a double-tailed military crown tied with blue silk ribbons. Even though he had become a favorite of his father, the emperor, over the years, he showed no trace of arrogance or haughtiness. Instead, his expression remained impassive, instilling fear in those around him.

Only then did Hu Hai realize what Zhao Gao had just said to him, and he immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He opened his mouth, but found his throat so dry and itchy that he couldn't utter a sound.

Zhao Gao didn't take it seriously and continued in his signature flat voice, speaking calmly and bluntly: "The Emperor fell seriously ill ten days ago and wrote a letter to the eldest son, but this letter has been in my possession and has not been sent."

Hu Hai shuddered, staring at him in disbelief, yet having no doubt that he was lying. Since Zhao Gao was currently the Prefect of the Central Secretariat and in charge of imperial seals, all documents had to pass through his hands to be stamped with the seal; tampering with them was entirely within his power.

Zhao Gao's face appeared obscure in the flickering lamplight. He looked at Hu Hai for a moment and slowly said, "His Majesty favors the eldest son to succeed to the throne."

Hu Hai felt this was only natural; he had seen it clearly long ago, hadn't he? Although he felt a sense of loss, he couldn't deny a sense of relief. After the great chaos, it was the perfect time for recuperation and rebuilding. Under the rule of his elder brother, who revered Confucianism, the Qin Dynasty would surely become even more prosperous and peaceful.

Zhao Gao lowered his head, idly playing with his perfectly maintained hands, and continued nonchalantly, "No one knows about this now, and all the power in the world is in my hands. I can make whichever prince I want become emperor. How can the difference between controlling others and being controlled be compared?"

Hu Hai was startled and lost his grip on the brocade box, which fell onto his knees. The compass spoon sprang out of the box, rolled a few times on the bamboo mat, and landed right next to Zhao Gao.

The future of the Qin Dynasty that had just formed in his mind immediately shattered into dust. Hu Hai was extremely intelligent and naturally understood Zhao Gao's implication: he was the only prince accompanying his father on the tour.

No one could remain rational under such circumstances, and Hu Hai was no exception.

He could no longer help but imagine what it would be like if he climbed the tomb... but he couldn't even picture his elder brother prostrating himself before him as his subject; it was simply impossible!
Hu Hai pursed his lips, and after a long while, he finally found his voice. He murmured, "To depose my elder brother and establish myself as emperor is unrighteous; to disobey my father's edict is unfilial; and to ascend the throne with such shallow talent and ability is incompetent. The people of the world are not fools; how can they not know that there are other reasons behind this? How can I explain this to the people of the world? How can I explain this to my ancestors?"

Zhao Gao's alluring eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and he said calmly and confidently, "Hai'er, you will be as I wish."

"Even if you force me, it will be useless. There's no need for further words." Hu Hai's refusal was incredibly difficult. He knew that Zhao Gao's proposal was likely to succeed, but he had to consider how he would face his elder brother, the Emperor, if he did so. Perhaps their next meeting would be a bloody confrontation, a fight to the death.

Zhao Gao didn't speak this time. He picked up the compass that had fallen beside him, took the wooden board from the brocade box, put it back on the table, and then reached out and moved it.

The compass spoon spun rapidly, and Hu Hai stared blankly at the afterimages. But the moment the compass spoon stopped, he suddenly opened his eyes wide, his face filled with disbelief.

Because the handle of this compass spoon no longer points to the northwest, but instead points to him.

Hu Hai did not trust Xing and kept turning the wooden spoon again. No matter how he turned it or how he changed its position, the compass spoon still turned with his movements.

"Master... what have you done?" Hu Hai was drenched in sweat. He had already guessed what Zhao Gao had done; perhaps the Master had tampered with the imperial edict when his father wrote it to Fusu. His elder brother... could he really be dead? Hu Hai still clung to a sliver of hope, raising his head expectantly to look at his Master.

"What have I done?" Zhao Gao raised his eyebrows with amusement. He leaned forward slightly, getting closer to his most beloved disciple, and said slowly and sinisterly, word by word, "I have not come to ask for your wishes, but to inform you."

Hu Hai stared intently at Zhao Gao, feeling as if the Master was a demon crawling out of hell in this dark carriage.

As he was overwhelmed by immense panic and fear, Hu Hai suddenly thought of something completely unrelated.

Over the years, his teacher seems to have never looked any different...

The sun has already moved westward, and some shops on the bustling commercial street have already lit up their colorful neon lights.

Hu Hai had already folded his black umbrella and was walking slowly home. The little red bird had already flown home to eat, impatient to get back; after all, one of the windows was open, and it could find its way home.

But why did that scene come to mind again? It was a nightmare he had refused to recall for so many years.

So much so that his current impression of the Master is that face, which looks like a demon in the dim, flickering lamplight.

Hu Hai lowered his head and bit his left thumbnail, his anxious mood driving him almost crazy.

No, I can't use Moon Qilin Incense anymore. It doesn't bring back many memories of my time with my elder brother; instead, it keeps reminding me of that teacher.

Yes, it's all in the past now; that person has long since turned to dust.

Hu Hai continued walking forward with his head down, only to find a pair of shiny black leather shoes suddenly appearing in his line of sight, blocking his way.

Hu Hai frowned. He hated this chaotic world; it was probably some clueless thug causing trouble again. Without even looking up, he tried to walk around it.

But the person changed direction and still blocked his way.

Hu Hai coldly raised his head, but froze on the spot for a moment.

He had long forgotten the person's face, but upon seeing him again, the sealed memories were like Pandora's box suddenly opened, instantly sweeping into his mind.

That person still possessed bewitching eyes, and spoke in the same flat, monotone voice.

"Hey, I found you," he said.

(End of this chapter)