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Meanwhile, Ying Zheng and the Qin envoys arrived at Wusui and were received by Wang Qi. The group then entered a side tent.

When Ying Zheng followed the soldiers into the side tent, Wang Qi was already waiting there.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Wang Qi handed a cup of wine to the soldiers who had brought Ying Zheng in, holding the cup in one hand and resting the other on the long sword at his waist.

"Thank you General!"

The soldier was overjoyed to receive the reward. He took the wine cup and had just taken a few sips when, before he could even swallow, he was beheaded with a single sword stroke!

At this moment, Wang Qi suddenly attacked and slaughtered all the soldiers present!

Ying Zheng stared wide-eyed at the scene, but remained firmly rooted to the spot without taking a single step back. He asked:

"Wang Qi, what are you doing?!"

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty! I had no choice but to offend you, and I am willing to accept the severe punishment!"

Wang Qi knelt on one knee and began to apologize.

"Ah."

Ying Zheng noticed that Wang Qi's expression hadn't relaxed; instead, his gaze had become even more somber. He remained silent, simply observing him.

Wang Qi began to explain why he had done all that, and finally apologized again.

"There are many spies in the military camp. If His Majesty's identity is exposed, it will inevitably be dangerous. I had no choice but to do this."

"Phew, these scouts are innocent, but we have no choice but to kill them. Thank you for your trouble, General."

"His Majesty and his men will not let this go easily. Although His Majesty is in the military camp, he is still surrounded by dangers."

"In your opinion, General, what should we do next?"

"In my humble opinion, I have two plans, and I hope Your Majesty will consider them carefully."

"speak"

"Firstly, the king could write a letter to his trusted confidant in Xianyang, requesting that he bring troops to escort the king back to the palace."

"Secondly, Your Majesty still needs to conceal your identity. I believe that Lord Li is an envoy of Qin. If Your Majesty does not mind, you can pretend to be Lord Li's attendant."

Upon hearing this, Li Si's eyes widened in shock, and he immediately bowed and apologized, saying, "How could this be? I am terrified!"

"It's alright, do as the general says. I'm tired, and if there's nothing else, I'd like to rest."

Ying Zheng said nothing, his eyes like a still pond, without any ripples, making it impossible to understand what he was thinking.

"His Majesty's resting tent has already been arranged. I will immediately send someone to take His Majesty and Lord Li there to rest."

Wang Qi spoke up. After speaking, he ordered someone to take Ying Zheng away and to dispose of all the corpses in the house.

..................................................................

"Your Majesty, what do you think of what Lord Wang Qi has said?"

Li Si tentatively began to speak.

"The method the old general mentioned is not wrong. Moreover, now that we are in the Qin army camp, those petty thieves and villains will have to be careful about what they want to do."

Ying Zheng spoke.

"Your Majesty, I fear the crisis lies not outside, but within this military camp!"

"The situation is chaotic and fraught with danger, and the military power of the Qin Dynasty is a crucial point of contention. I'm afraid..."

Li Si kept observing Ying Zheng's expression as he spoke, but even though he made his words so clear, the other party's expression did not waver at all.

He couldn't understand Ying Zheng, didn't know what the other was thinking, or what cards the other had up his sleeve, which made him afraid to make any decisions.

Whether it was loyalty or betrayal, Li Si was ultimately still a follower of Chancellor Lü Buwei.

"No need to worry, this is still my world. Li Si, if you have nothing else to do, you may leave. I am tired."

Ying Zheng spoke.

"It is Your Majesty."

Li Si took a few steps back, and before leaving, he turned back and asked, "Your Majesty, I haven't seen Mr. Gai Nie these past few days. I wonder where he has gone?"

"He's in Korea helping me investigate something. He'll be back soon. Why are you so interested in Gai Nie's whereabouts, Li Si?"

"No, Your Majesty, I was just asking casually. I apologize for any offense I may have caused."

Li Si realized he had been somewhat impolite and immediately apologized.

"It's alright, go out."

Ying Zheng spoke.

"My minister retire."

Li Si walked out.

Inside the tent, only Ying Zheng remained. The surroundings were utterly silent. Ying Zheng closed his eyes and sighed after a long while.

'Are you trying to cover my tracks or make me disappear into oblivion? Wang Qi, whose side are you on?'

"Is it the Prime Minister's person? Or the Empress Dowager's? Or someone from the Great Qin? Or someone from another country?"

Ying Zheng sensed the danger behind Wang Qi's suggestion. If others didn't know his identity, he could be well protected, but it would also make people unaware of his identity.

Even if he dies here, it will be silent and unknown to anyone, and no one will even know that he was here.

"write a letter!"

Ying Zheng suddenly remembered writing a letter. He picked up paper and pen and quickly wrote a letter.

He slowly put down his pen and paper, staring at the letter in silence for a long time.

Who should I send this letter to?

'My mother, the Empress Dowager; my father, the Chancellor Zhongguo; all the civil and military officials—this letter has no one to whom it can be delivered.'

Ying Zheng had only been on the throne for a short time at this time. The Empress Dowager ruled from behind the curtain, while the Prime Minister held power.

The Qin court was a complex and unpredictable place, and Ying Zheng was not in the Xianyang Palace. None of these civil and military officials could be trusted!

Not only in the Qin state, but even now, even those close to me like Li Si and Wang Qi are untrustworthy.

Li Si was the prime minister, and although he expressed his loyalty, who knew what decision he would ultimately make?

"Gai Nie hopes you can return as soon as possible and bring the master back with you!"

Ying Zheng needs more time. He has no one he can rely on right now. He needs time to wait for Gai Nie and Qin Qi to arrive!

Ying Zheng eventually sent the letter. He didn't expect those people to come to greet him, but he needed this gesture to mislead Wang Qi.

He needs time to convince himself that his hope lies in Qin, not elsewhere.

After finishing everything, Ying Zheng sat alone in the empty tent, closed his eyes and meditated, thinking about his next move.

Meanwhile, Li Si was also invited to Wang Qi's tent, and the two met secretly and talked about something.

..................................................................

The next day, Ying Zheng received an invitation from Wang Qi, who said that there was an important matter to discuss with him in a secluded place.

"it is good."

Ying Zheng nodded, glanced at the soldiers on his left and right, his eyes turning dangerous, and slowly followed them out of the tent.

"Very well, very well! Wang Qi, the Qin state has treated you well, and I have treated you well, yet you are so eager to kill me now!"

"Very well, I'd like to see who gave you the audacity!"

At this moment, Ying Zheng held his head high and strode forward, not like a person going to his death, but more like a lion surveying his territory.

Wang Qi's confidants around him knew roughly what would happen next.

But looking at Ying Zheng in front of them, they could feel his imposing aura, even though they were the ones escorting him.

But at this moment, they actually felt like the other party's servants!

Ying Zheng walked step by step to the command platform, ascending to the top, where Wang Qi was already waiting.

Li Si was also present at the same time.

"General Wang Qi, I wonder what you have to say to me?"

Ying Zheng stepped forward and noticed that many axemen were lying in ambush around him, but he sat down in front of them and asked.

"Young Master Shang sent a letter yesterday; I wonder if it was addressed to the Empress Dowager?"

Wang Qi asked.

"What concerns does General Wang Qi have?"

Ying Zheng spoke.

"The Empress Dowager is confined to the palace; she probably can't offer much help to the outside world."

"Moreover, since the Empress Dowager came to Qin from Zhao, among all the princes, the one who is probably closer to the Empress Dowager is Chang'an Jun Chengqiao."

Wang Qi spoke up.

Ying Zheng's eyes grew even more dangerous. What was the other party's intention in bringing up Cheng Qiao at this moment? Cheng Qiao had rebelled and was later killed.

Cheng Qiao's influence is evident in all the events surrounding Wang Qi's trip to South Korea. It's unclear why Wang Qi brings him up now.

"Young Master Shang and Lord Chang'an are like brothers?"

"Like brothers, huh, you could call that."

Ying Zheng stood up, walked to the edge of the command platform, looked at the scene below, and answered.

"Since we are brothers, we can indeed entrust important matters to you. Since Young Master Shang is seeking important matters, do you have any token of trust with you?"

"Ok!"

"Is this a token?"

Wang Qi took out a jade thumb ring from his pocket. This thumb ring was used to prove his identity. It should have been in Ying Zheng's hands, but Wang Qi had somehow gotten his hands on it.

0 · Requesting flowers ····· ·····

Wang Qi crushed the ring in his hand. With his identity gone, no one would know Ying Zheng's identity if he died here.

Seeing Wang Qi's move, Ying Zheng knew that the other party was about to make a move. At this moment, Li Si also shook his head, it seemed that Ying Zheng was going to die here.

"Wang Qi, I knew you intended to attack me today, but I still came. I want to ask you why?"

“You are an old general of Qin, who has made great contributions and has outstanding achievements. Anyone can rebel against you.”

"Anyone can be ordered by those people to kill me, but I just can't understand why you are the only one I can't understand?"

"Has the Qin Dynasty mistreated you, or has the Emperor himself mistreated you?"

Ying Zheng truly couldn't understand it. Wang Qi had made outstanding contributions, and if it were an ordinary person, they would probably take action against him because of the power of the prime minister, the empress dowager, and the ministers.

But Wang Qi is different. He has enough strength and enough loyalty to the Qin state. He shouldn't do such a thing.

After hearing Ying Zheng's words, Wang Qi fell silent. He raised his hand to signal the soldiers who were about to attack to stop temporarily.

He stepped forward, looked at Ying Zheng, and tried to see fear in the other's eyes, or the thought of stalling for time.

But there was no fear, no procrastination.

“You’re right. Others may fear the power in the court, but I don’t. I shouldn’t have done such a thing.”

"But do you still remember Lord Wu'an?"

Wang Qi asked.

"Lord Wu'an, Bai Qi!"

Ying Zheng frowned; this was the first time he had shown such a noticeable change in emotion since entering the military camp.

"That's right, General Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an. How has the Qin Dynasty treated him?"

"General Bai Qi dedicated his life to the country, waging countless battles, conquering cities, and killing countless enemies!"

... ... 0

"But what happens in the end?"