Ying Fusu

Let's talk in private.

Fusu spoke casually.

When the words reached Feng Quji's ears, they took on a different meaning.

—This is being watched by all the officials in the court!

Everyone was waiting for the eldest son, Fusu, to take out the First Emperor's edict, announce it to the public, and clarify the imperial succession!

In this situation, shall we speak privately?

"Could it be...?"

Seeing Fusu's troubled expression, and his gesture of stepping aside to make room for a private conversation, Feng Quji, who was immersed in grief, felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

In a flash, a thousand thoughts raced through my mind.

His gaze swept over Fusu’s back, past the Left Chancellor Li Si, the Senior Minister Meng Yi, the General Meng Tian, ​​and others who had returned with the deceased emperor.

In the end, that worried gaze fell on Fusu's face once again.

"May I ask, young master?"

"Is there a will?"

When he asked this question, Feng Quji's old face, still streaked with tears, no longer showed much sorrow.

I can't afford to worry about that.

At this point, Feng Quji had no time to express his grief for the deceased First Emperor.

Whether the First Emperor fell ill too suddenly and left no will, or the will did not pass the throne to Fusu, or Fusu never received it...

For a fleeting moment, a strange thought even crossed Feng Quji's mind.

—How could there be no will?

With the imperial seal in hand, how could Fusu not have a "last will and testament"...?

...

"There is indeed a will."

Call ~

As he pondered these thoughts, Fu Su's gentle voice reached his ears, causing Feng Quji to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Just as the weight was about to be lifted from his heart, he suddenly frowned as if remembering something.

Was there a will?

Then what's there to worry about?

As he pondered, Feng Quji's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

He finally stood up from the ground, and with a slight hesitation, took two steps toward the direction that Fusu had given up.

It was merely a symbolic two-step move, not an actual avoidance of people.

It was impossible for Feng Quji to openly conspire with Fusu in front of all the court officials.

This is more of a formality, or rather, a gesture.

It's like in later times, when a leader says during a meeting: "Next, I'll say a few words behind closed doors."

This doesn't mean we're actually closing the meeting room door.

This does not mean that subordinates must never mention what the leader says next.

Rather, it means that the leader's words were an "unofficial" statement, a heartfelt remark made in private.

The leader says these things so that he can express his intentions more clearly and explicitly, and unify thinking more efficiently.

But these words are easy to say but hard to hear, and they damage the official image.

The leader's identity is inconvenient to mention, especially in formal settings, so they use the phrase "let's talk behind closed doors" to deceive themselves.

What the leader really meant was: these things are best kept private and not spread around.

...

Fusu's request to Feng Quji to "have a private talk" is based on a similar principle.

—The following words were not meant to be spoken only to Feng Quji.

Rather, it was through this gesture that he was telling the officials and nobles present: don't spread rumors.

As the current Right Chancellor, Feng Quji was naturally able to see through Fusu's underlying message.

He then followed Fusu and symbolically took a few steps toward the side of the straight road.

Before Feng Quji could speak again, Fusu said with a bitter face, "The First Emperor's edict only ordered me to rush to Shaqiu to escort the coffin back to Xianyang for the funeral."

"The matter of establishing an heir was never mentioned."

With a slightly bitter tone, Fusu turned slightly to the side and raised his head towards the court officials kneeling on both sides of the straight road.

He added, "The way the officials are acting clearly indicates that they intend to announce the imperial edict and establish an heir."

"If the will is proclaimed to the public, and the imperial succession is unclear..."

...

"In your opinion, Prime Minister Feng, what should we do now?"

As soon as Fusu finished speaking, Feng Quji secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

This time, however, his tightly furrowed brows did not relax as Fusu finished speaking.

—There was a will.

As long as it exists, it's not difficult to handle.

However, the will did not explicitly state the establishment of an heir.

That makes it even more difficult to handle.

"Um……"

Then Feng Quji frowned, pursed his lips, and pondered for a long time.

Then he asked, "Young master, are you sure there is no second will?"

"Has the First Emperor not drafted a separate edict designating his successor?"

Upon hearing this, Fusu made his face even more bitter.

"Um……"

"How should I put it..."

...

"Is that so?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Quji's eyebrows twitched.

You could say that!

What do you mean by "consider it"?

Yes or no!

How can this be considered "something like that"?!

In an instant, Feng Quji's gaze toward Fusu took on a scrutinizing quality!

Fusu, on the other hand, was calm and fearless in meeting Feng Quji's gaze, and they stared at each other for a long time.

Judging that the time was right, Fusu finally managed to reassure Feng Quji.

"There is indeed no edict from the First Emperor regarding the designation of his successor."

"However, it was a will from someone else 'on behalf' the First Emperor regarding the selection of an heir..."

Halfway through his sentence, Fusu turned his head intriguingly and glanced at the court officials on both sides of the straight road.

This is clearly an implication to Feng Quji: This matter really needs to be discussed behind closed doors!

Realizing this, Feng Quji turned his gaze once again to the several important officials beside the deceased emperor.

Especially when he looked at Li Si, he seemed to want to ask directly: Is this really the case?

Fortunately, a moment later, as if by divine inspiration, Li Si nodded subtly to Feng Quji.

The brothers Meng Tian and Meng Yi exchanged glances, which finally put Feng Quji's anxious mind at ease for the time being.

Then Feng Quji took a deep breath and looked at Fusu with a solemn expression.

"If there is a will, it should be proclaimed."

"Even if an heir to the throne cannot be officially established for the time being, the person in charge of the funeral arrangements can still be clearly identified."

"It can also be considered that their status has been officially recognized."

During the conversation, Feng Quji emphasized the word "considered" as if he were responding to Fusu, or perhaps as a warning to Fusu.

Important matters of state cannot be decided by 'calculation'.

That is it.

If it's not, then it's not.

Fusu understood immediately, and naturally cupped his hands to Feng Quji as a way of thanking him.

Then, the genuine edict—at least representing the true will of the First Emperor—was read aloud by the high minister Meng Yi to the court officials.

As the announcement ended, the officials realized why Fusu insisted on speaking privately with Feng Quji.

So it turns out that the First Emperor never explicitly stated his heir in his will...

"It's nothing serious."

"According to folk customs, the eldest son is responsible for the father's funeral and mourning, and then he takes over the family business and continues the ancestral hall."

"He was the eldest of the late emperor's eighteen sons, and the most virtuous among them."

"The imperial heir, who else could it be but Prince Fusu?"

With similar thoughts in mind, the court officials bowed and accepted the imperial edict one after another, and then rose.

Fusu finally returned to his previous sorrowful state, as if he were about to burst into tears at any moment. He grabbed Feng Quji and Li Si with one hand each and led the First Emperor's remains toward the city gate.

According to the rites, the coffin of the First Emperor should be kept in state for seven days for mourning and condolences.

Even if Fusu had other arrangements, the imperial carriage still had to be brought to Xianyang first and displayed in the court.

What happened next also needed to be discussed in the imperial court.