Ying Fusu

Fusu had anticipated that this trip would not encounter any major setbacks or crises.

I'll say it again;

The most dangerous hurdle was averted the moment Fusu refused to obey the forged edict and refused to be executed by that so-called "edict".

As Meng Tian said: the moment Fusu's figure—the living eldest son Fusu—appeared near the emperor's carriage, this incident could be averted.

Fusu still thought that Zhao Gao might fight back like a cornered beast;

Li Si might still try his best, even at the cost of his life;

Of course, there's also Fusu's adorably foolish eighteenth brother, Huhai, who will most likely struggle in his death throes.

But to everyone's surprise, things developed so smoothly.

"So, it's really that simple?"

Surrounded by border soldiers and greeted by kneeling officials and imperial guards, Fusu walked step by step into the imperial camp. He felt that it all seemed so unreal.

Looking around somewhat blankly, Fu Su saw Meng Tian's calm and collected demeanor, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. In his heart, he couldn't help but think of the pitiful original owner of this body again.

So, it really is that simple.

As long as he doesn't die because of that forged imperial edict—as long as he lives, Prince Fusu will truly be invincible.

Unfortunately, that one dead end happened to be the very lifeline of the original owner.

Perhaps it is time;

Perhaps it's fate...

"Your Majesty, I, Meng Tian, ​​General of the Four-Chariot Army, pay my respects!"

As he was lost in thought, Meng Tian's powerful voice called out to him, pulling Fusu back from his reverie.

After a moment's hesitation, he knelt down and bowed in the direction of the imperial carriage.

"Your son Fusu greets Your Majesty."

Compared to Meng Tian's resounding greeting, Fu Su's greeting was tinged with a slight sob.

It wasn't an act;

It came from the bottom of my heart.

This was the first time Fusu had paid his respects to the First Emperor since he had traveled from another era.

Fusu understood: This was most likely the last time.

"Young master..."

From the crowd emerged a hunched figure, tears streaming down his face—it was none other than the Left Chancellor, Li Si.

Along with Li Si, what caught the eye of Fusu and everyone present was the legendary Imperial Seal of the State.

"Young master."

"Let's... let's accept the seal..."

Upon hearing this, everyone present raised their heads in unison, their faces uniformly showing astonishment!

Even Meng Tian and Fu Su, who were mentally prepared and already knew the truth, pretended to be stunned.

A moment later, Fusu, with tears in his eyes, exclaimed in astonishment, "Father...Father Emperor...?"

Before he finished speaking, Li Si, like a woman who had suffered greatly but had no way to vent her pain, collapsed to the ground with an extremely smooth and supple body and suddenly burst into tears.

"His Majesty has passed away~~~"

...

"On the third day of the seventh month of autumn, Bingyin day, His Majesty passed away at Shaqiu~~~"

"Young master, why are you so late?"

...

……

Until the cries of Li Si, the Left Chancellor of Qin, echoed outside the maple forest on the thirteenth day of the seventh month of the autumn of the thirty-seventh year of the First Emperor's reign (the thirteenth day of the seventh month).

It took a full ten days for the news of the First Emperor's death to finally come to light.

In an instant, all the officials, ministers, and imperial guards accompanying the emperor were stunned.

After a brief silence, sobs and wails came from all directions, converging and echoing over the camp.

Everyone is crying.

From high-ranking officials and generals to imperial guards and soldiers—including the border troops brought by Fusu, and even the slaves and maids who accompanied him;

No one could hold back their tears; no one could remain unmoved by sorrow.

Even the eight black steeds pulling the imperial carriage shed a few anthropomorphic tears when no one was watching.

At least at this moment, in this world, the universal mourning has been made tangible.

Fusu was saddened.

There is the lingering attachment of this body, the grief originating from the bloodline, and also Fusu's own soul's sorrow for the passing of the First Emperor.

Even the cries that filled the heavens and earth were enough to infect Fusu.

However, this is not an occasion for Fusu to freely express his true feelings.

On one hand, you have to cry from the bottom of your heart, and on the other hand, you have to pretend to be shocked and bewildered because you have just learned about this.

With more things to think about and more things to pay attention to, Fusu's cries gradually lost much of their sincere grief.

Fortunately, Li Si reacted quickly enough.

Almost the instant she sensed something was wrong, she forced herself to stop crying and stood up with a tragic expression.

He wiped away his tears with a sigh, and then took out a wooden box from his bosom. It was three fingers wide and one foot long, completely black, and sealed with sealant and sealing wax.

"Announcing the First Emperor's last edict..."

A hoarse, choked cry slightly drowned out the weeping that filled the air above the holy carriage.

Then Li Si lowered his head and wept, broke the mud seal on the wooden box, took out the silk cloth from the box, and spread his hands in front of his chest.

At the same time, the cries from heaven and earth gradually ceased.

"By order of the First Emperor's last edict..."

The officials and ministers accompanying the emperor, as well as the imperial guards and servants, were almost all kneeling and bowing their heads, sobbing.

Fusu also pretended to be strong, saying, "I am very sad, but I cannot fall down," and knelt down a few steps in front of Li Si.

From an angle where no one was paying attention or could see, Fusu quickly gave Meng Tian a wink from the corner of his eye.

A moment later, Meng Tian, ​​whose face was still wet with tears, also made a gesture to the border soldiers behind him.

Fortunately, the possibility that Fusu was worried about and wary of did not ultimately come to pass.

"The imperial edict, the imperial edict says..."

...

"I have heard that immortals and gods receive sustenance from heaven and earth, and live as long as heaven..."

"Perhaps my virtue is too weak, and I am not blessed by the immortals and gods, and my lifespan is nearing its end..."

...

"A family cannot be without a head of household for a day, nor a country without a ruler for a day..."

...

"He then ordered: The eldest son, Fusu, to immediately flee from Shangjun to Shaqiu in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances."

"If I pass away, escort my coffin back to Xianyang and handle the funeral arrangements."

"In the thirty-seventh year of the First Emperor's reign, on the first day of the seventh month of autumn..."

……

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Fusu felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He hurriedly knelt forward with tears in his eyes and kowtowed deeply.

"Your son, your subject Fusu, respectfully obeys the late Emperor's edict..."

Then she straightened up, sobbing, and reached out her hands to take the imperial edict from Li Si.

I've basically made up my mind.

This edict is most likely the original left by the First Emperor, rather than another "forged edict" hastily concocted by Li Si to cooperate with Fusu.

Even if it's not the original—even if Li Si hastily wrote this edict an hour or two ago—it's most likely a copy or "reprint" of the original.

If it is the latter, then the original document was destroyed by Zhao Gao.

For Fusu, the specific situation was not really important.

With the imperial edict in hand—and most likely the original—Fusu's ascension to the throne was completed, thus fulfilling the final political formality.

All that's left is some finishing touches.

To be precise, it was to provide a reasonable explanation for the officials and guards accompanying the emperor.

"Please, Prime Minister Li, recount in detail the events of the past ten days, down to the smallest detail."

After receiving the imperial edict and crying for a while, half-jokingly and half-heartedly, Fusu naturally got straight to the point.

Li Si nodded with tears in his eyes, and choked out, "On the first day of the seventh month of autumn, His Majesty felt that his days were numbered..."