Subsequently, the Second Emperor sent a censor named Qu Gong to Dai County with an edict. Qu Gong came to Daijun, and after seeing Meng Yi, he issued an edict and said:
The late emperor's decision was so wise and wise. Now I accept the destiny and inherit the throne. This is God's will. But you used to obstruct the late emperor from making me the crown prince. Why? I think you have deceived Shengcong, failed to fulfill your duties, and are not a loyal minister. Originally, I wanted to destroy your entire clan, but I really couldn't bear it, so I only gave you death, which is a blessing for your entire clan. If you have anything to say to Qu Gong, then commit suicide.
After Meng Yi heard this, he was also given a warning. After a long time, he defended indignantly: "If I could not win the favor of the late emperor before, then I have always been respectful and happy to the late emperor. Until the late emperor passed away, it can be said that the last I understand the late emperor's intentions. At that time, the late emperor never mentioned that he would make your majesty the crown prince. Why do you suddenly say that I was the one who obstructed the late emperor from establishing the crown prince? Someone must want to frame me. If this charge is imposed on me, , This really tarnishes the reputation of the late Emperor! Because the late Emperor knew his ministers best, how could I let the late Emperor have a bad reputation as an ignorant person? What crime have I committed? Please make it clear, so that even if I can tell the truth If you die, you can rest in peace!" Qu Gong took out another silk book from his arms for Meng Yi to read. Meng Yi opened it and saw that the silk book was written by Zhao Gao:
Mr. Meng, when I, Zhao Gao, committed a capital crime, you wanted me to die, right? At that time you were a guest and I was a prisoner. Instead of saving me, you want to harm me. Why is your heart so vicious? Thanks to the late emperor's wisdom, he pardoned me and restored me to my post. Unexpectedly, I, Zhao Gaofu, was very lucky. Now I am a guest and you are a prisoner. However, the emperor will not pardon you. There is nothing I can do about it. You can take care of yourself.
After reading it, Meng Yi suddenly realized what was going on and cursed Zhao Gaodao: "It turns out that it was this shameless villain who framed me! I originally sentenced him to death because I did not dare to bend the law for personal gain and punished him according to the law according to the imperial edict. He, this traitor, is now avenging his private revenge. The late emperor should not have pardoned him in the first place!" Meng Yi said with grief and indignation. Qu Gong urged him to commit suicide immediately. Meng Yi said sadly: "I heard the ancient saying that 'fulfillment of one's wishes is respected by the righteous way; severe punishment and killing are despised by the righteous way.' In the past, Duke Mu of Qin buried Sanliang of his son Che's family, and King Zhaoxiang killed Bai Qi. King Ping of Chu killed Wu She, and King Wu killed Wu Zixu. These four kings were despised by future generations, so a wise king should not kill innocent people indiscriminately. Please go back and tell your Majesty what I said." After Meng Yi finished speaking, he was extremely sad. Di took Qu Gong's sword, faced the west, shouted "First Emperor! I'm coming!" and then committed suicide.
Qu Gong returned to the court to report. When the Second Emperor heard that Meng Yi was dead, he wanted to release Meng Tian. Zhao Gao learned of this situation and hurriedly sent his confidants to Yangzhou County to kill Meng Tian in advance.
Meng Tian was imprisoned in the prison in Yangzhou County. He shed tears all day long, hoping that the imperial court would come to pardon him. The guard guard comforted him: "The general has made great achievements for the Qin State and is a great hero of the Qin State. After a while, the court will definitely send someone to pardon you." Not long after, the news of Qin Shihuang's death reached Yangyang. Zhou County. Meng Tian was shocked when he heard the news. A few days later, the news of II's succession came. Only then did Meng Tian understand what was going on. He kept shouting for Fusu. The prisoner asked: "After the late emperor passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne, the court will definitely pardon the general. Why are you unhappy?" Meng Tian sighed and said, "You are wrong. If the late emperor was alive, I would definitely not die. Now the late emperor has passed away. , Hu Hai ascends the throne, my death is coming!" The jailer asked why. Meng Tian replied: "The late emperor knew my merits and could not kill me. Hu Hai's accession to the throne must be Zhao Gao's conspiracy, because Zhao Gao was Hu Hai's teacher, and he was a person like Yi Ya and Shu Diao. Since ancient times, villains have succeeded. Gentlemen will suffer disaster, and this is also arranged by God. Zhao Gao is a treacherous person, Prime Minister Li Si is partial and may be an accomplice, and the court lacks ministers who will die for remonstrance. Our Qin country will be finished from now on!" Meng Tian finished speaking! , and then remembered Fusu's painful and desperate look when he died, and his heart felt like a knife. From then on, I was depressed every night, unable to sleep or eat. After a few days, my hair and beard turned completely white.
Suddenly one day, Zhao Gao's envoy arrived. After the envoy saw Meng Tian, he read the edict loudly and said:
General Meng, you have committed too many sins. If you don't die, you will be disloyal to me. Your brother Meng Yi has committed suicide out of fear of crime. Why can't the general figure it out? Do you still want to bring disaster to your people? Now I grant you the right to commit suicide immediately to save your people. This is indeed a lucky thing for the general.
After hearing the envoy's words, Meng Tian was extremely sad and said: "From my ancestors to my generation, they have all made great contributions to the Qin State. I once led hundreds of thousands of soldiers to defeat the Huns in the north. Although my body is imprisoned now, I, Meng Tian, His reputation was still powerful in the north. When I began to hear that the late emperor wanted to kill me, I became very suspicious. I advised Fusu not to fall into the trap of the traitor, and to take major actions immediately. I wanted to follow the example of Bao Shuya and Guan Yiwu, and wanted to support Fusu. Su ascended the throne. But Fusu was kind and kind and refused to listen to my advice. He simply did not dare to forget the kindness of the late emperor and did not dare to dishonor the reputation of his ancestors. Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, the status of the monarch and his ministers has been determined. I How dare you have second thoughts? I heard that in ancient times, when King Cheng of Zhou was young, Duke Zhou wore a cloak and handled state affairs. He practiced it and planned for the country loyally. When King Cheng fell ill, he went to the river to pray to God for help. He was ill and wrote a letter and hid it at home. Later, someone slandered King Cheng, saying that Zhou Gongdan wanted to usurp the throne. King Cheng of Zhou believed the slander and wanted to punish Duke Zhou, but Duke Zhou had to run away. Later, King Cheng was at Zhou Gongdan's house. I found a collection of golden vine books at home. I was very moved after reading them. I realized that Duke Zhou Dan was a loyal minister, so he killed the slanderers and welcomed Duke Zhou into the palace again. Only then did the Zhou Dynasty stabilize. Now I am loyal to Meng Tian. Your Majesty has no second thoughts. I only hate Zhao Gao, the traitor who killed the kind and kind-hearted Fusu, and now he comes to kill me. I hate him very much. I heard: King Jie of Xia killed Guan Longfeng, and King Zhou of Shang killed him. Bigan, it is because of being close to villains and staying away from virtuous ministers that the country will fall. Although I am going to die, 'when a man is about to die, his words are also good; when a bird is about to die, its song is also mournful.' I wholeheartedly want to give Your Majesty is submitting this letter of loyalty. This is not to beg Your Majesty to pardon me, but because I admire the custom of former ministers to remonstrate with death! Therefore, I request you, the envoy, to appeal to Your Majesty for my loyalty, so that Meng Tian can die without any regrets!"
The envoy was very moved after hearing this, and had to say: "I know the general's merits, and I also know that you were wronged, but I dare not report to your majesty. I can only act according to Mr. Zhao's instructions. Please give me some advice, general!" Seeing that he could no longer defend himself to the new emperor, Meng Tian looked up to the sky and sighed several times, shouting angrily: "Heaven! Heaven! What crime am I, Meng Tian, guilty of?" He lowered his head and pondered for a long time, and said to himself: "I am guilty. ! I am guilty, God! I used to lead hundreds of thousands of people to build the Great Wall, and it was inevitable that I would dig mountains and dig out the ground, cut off the vitality of the dragon veins, and sin against God! This is my sin, Mengtian! I deserve to die! I deserve to die!" said Wan took the messenger's sword with grief and anger, and committed suicide in despair. One poem sighed:
To guard against Hu's construction projects, external peace will lead to internal strife.
If the general is there, it is better than a city thousands of miles away.
After Meng Tian died, Zhao Gao received the report and was very happy. He immediately went to the court and reported to the Second Emperor: "The officials who came back from Yangzhou County said that when Meng Tian heard that your majesty wanted to pardon him, he felt remorseful. He cried bitterly all night and committed suicide the next day. Before he died, he said that he should not be in the presence of the late emperor. To speak ill of His Majesty in front of him is to betray the kindness of the late Emperor." When the Second Emperor heard that Meng Tian was dead, he felt sorry for himself for a long time and sighed: "I didn't expect that the general had made great contributions to the world, but now he committed suicide out of fear of crime. This is Qin What a loss to the country!”
From then on, under the instigation of Zhao Gao, the second generation behaved recklessly and only cared about pleasure, and the government became chaotic day by day.
