The man who called Li Si his benefactor saw that Li Si had finished writing in blood, so he quickly put it in his arms and left. After he came out, he went straight to see Zhao Gao. Zhao Gao took the memorial and read it in one breath with squinted triangular eyes. He was so frightened that he was sweating profusely and laughed loudly: "If this falls into the hands of the emperor, we will be finished! Humph! Is this evidence of guilt? This is obviously a sign of merit! Hehe, you still want to use this method to impress the emperor, bah! How dare a death row prisoner to cry blood and write a letter?" He called a young eunuch and said in a weird way: "Do you want to poop?" The eunuch was so frightened that he quickly crawled to the ground and said, "Why do you ask this, sir? I don't dare to do that." Zhao Gao laughed wildly for a few times and said in a commanding tone: "You have to pull it if you don't want to, go! Take this, Tear it into pieces, wipe it piece by piece, and bring it to me when you're done." The young eunuch quickly picked up the memorial and ran to the toilet.
Zhao Gao was worried that Li Si would continue to submit the letter, so he sent people to interrogate him again. These people pretended to be from the palace and said to Li Si: "We came to visit the Prime Minister on the order of the emperor. The emperor was very happy after reading your memorial." I'm so moved. I'm thinking of your past merits, and I'm going to release you from prison and reinstate you!" Li Si believed it to be true, so he crawled on the ground happily to express his gratitude. However, the officials suddenly ordered everyone to take action and beat Li Si severely again. The official also shouted loudly: "Although you wrote a memorial, why didn't you mention your collaboration with the enemy and treason? If you don't accuse me of the truth today, I will beat you to death!" Li Si was like a wake-up call and was whipped again. He was really He was so angry that he burst out from between his teeth: "That boy is a tyrant like Jie or Zhou! He is a fool who doesn't distinguish between loyal and traitorous, right and wrong! If this continues, the Qin Kingdom will definitely perish! "But in the end he couldn't bear the pain of the whipping and admitted that he wanted to rebel. The official stopped the torture and finally threatened him: "You old stubborn, if you cry out that you are wronged one more time, I will give you a hundred lashes. If you cry out that you are wronged ten times, I will give you a thousand lashes. Do you remember?" Li Si swallowed his anger and said, Want to cry but no tears. Seeing that Li Si was submissive, these officials left.
A few days later, at noon, Li Si was sleeping drowsily. In a daze, he saw Laozi, Confucius, Mencius and others descending from the sky, coming to him and saying, "As a scholar, why don't you cherish Li Si?" Books? We have worked so hard to write books and treatises, just to exhort the world to cultivate morality and be kind to others, but you have burned our hard work. How can future generations know the principles of being a human being? You have committed a heinous crime and your retribution is not bad. You should not live in this world. Ah!" Li Si was so shocked that he lost his mind, and he clearly saw Han Fei coming to him and said: "Old classmate, why do you want to kill me?" Li Si was shocked, feeling as if he was living in the earthly world, and asked: "You The book was not burned, so why are you still troubling me?" Han Fei said, "Although the book was not burned, why did you frame me up?" Li Sidao said, "Your talent cannot be shown on earth, but people in heaven will definitely like it. , why are you still in such a miserable state?" Han Fei said: "Although I am talented, I still advocate the use of laws to rule the people. The Emperor of Heaven said that careless use of laws will frighten the people, so I have nothing to rely on!" Li Si was horrified after hearing this. I thought to myself that I had also advised the master to implement the "technique of supervising and blaming". Didn't I also waste the lives of many people? I am imprisoned today probably because the Emperor of Heaven does not like me, and I am afraid that I will have nothing to rely on in the future. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him, saying that someone from the palace was coming to review Li Si. Li Si woke up from his coma. When he listened carefully, he found that it was another official from the palace.
When these officials saw Li Si sleeping, they called softly into his ears. At this time, Li Si no longer had any illusions about the second generation. He had been tortured for several days until he was exhausted and exhausted. Now he heard that someone from the palace wanted to review him, and he was afraid that he would be whipped again, so he had to say: " I'm guilty, I'm guilty. I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I ordered Li You to collaborate with the enemy. I wanted to betray Qin. I wanted to rebel. I deserve to die! I deserve to die!..." After hearing this, the court officials were so shocked that they didn't know what to say. What is good. It turned out that the people who came this time were really people sent by the Second Emperor. They explained their identities patiently and said: "The emperor sent us to review. If the Prime Minister has any grievances, please speak out in person. Your Majesty will do it for you." You are the one who calls the shots!" Li Si dared not say anything anymore and only admitted that he was guilty. Seeing Li Si like this, the court officials had no choice but to sigh and shake their heads and leave. After hearing about Li Si's situation, the Second Emperor said angrily: "If it weren't for Zhao Aiqing, I would have almost been betrayed by Prime Minister Li!"
The next day, Zhao Gao was very worried when he saw that Li Si had not been executed yet, so he fabricated another crime and framed Li Si, saying: "Prime Minister Li wants to imitate Lu Buwei. The girl he married to your brother is not his biological daughter." , is his concubine. But the emperor's brother was lucky not to inherit the throne. It's really lucky!" When the second emperor heard that this happened, he was very angry and immediately sentenced Li Si to death. Zhao Gao took the opportunity to say: "Li's treason against the enemy is a heinous crime. He should be executed with five punishments and then destroy his three clans. This will serve as a warning to other ministers!" The second emperor immediately responded accurately.
One day in August of the third year of Qin II, the state of Qin decided to execute Li Si. Since Li Si was imprisoned last year, after a year in prison, he finally reached the end of his life. He met all his relatives today, and the scene was really heartbreaking. According to the laws of the Qin State, if a person commits a serious crime, all relatives of his father, mother, and wife, including servants, retainers, soldiers, maids, maids, and footmen, as well as the infant, cannot be pardoned. All of these people will be punished. A total of more than 400 people were to be executed, all wearing instruments of torture. In this long team, Li Si took the lead and led them towards Xianyang City. Many people who had a good relationship with Li Si in the past were also implicated, some were beheaded, imprisoned, and dismissed from office. In short, the scope of the attack was very large. The supervisor is Zhao Gao's son-in-law, Yan Le, who serves as the Xianyang Order. He is extremely domineering today.
Li Si walked at the front of the team. His unkempt white hair and beard showed that he had not combed it for a long time, and looked like thatch with frost. He also had tattoos on his face, which were obviously left there after being tattooed. He looked aged and skinny at the moment. In the past year, because he was in jail, he had been in endless fear, disappointment, lamentation, regret, and regret all day long. He had suffered all the torture in the world, so all this had tortured him to the point of death. Human-like. Every deep wrinkle on his face is like a relief carved by a knife, as if every wrinkle is inlaid with the joys and sorrows of his career and the unfathomable blessings and misfortunes in his life. His clothes were in rags, and his whole body exuded an unpleasant stench. What was even more painful was the numerous scars on his body that had been beaten repeatedly to the point of ulceration and pus, and he was also harassed by ticks. The situation was really miserable. No one thought that Li Si at this time was completely different from the Li Si who used to hold power and position. Although Li Si is seventy-six years old this year, he already looks like an old man in his eighties or nineties. Everything will show that he has really reached the end of his life at this moment. As Li Si was walking, he still thought of the dream he had that night from time to time. This dream was so strange that when he thought about it, he felt frightened all over, and he would blame himself in his heart: Is there really retribution in the world? If there is retribution, how can one face the sages after death? How to face the late emperor? And old classmate Han Fei?
Suddenly, the sergeant's shout interrupted his thoughts. Li Si calmed down and moved unsteadily. He walked forward step by step. The expression on his face was strange and unpredictable. It was unclear whether he was regretful or not. In reminiscing. After walking for a while, Li Si felt top-heavy and unable to control his body, so he fell back. However, a man in his thirties behind him took a step forward and used his body to hold him up. It turned out to be his youngest son Li Gu. Li Gu's hands were also tightly locked by the torture instruments, so he could only push them with his body. After he stabilized his father, he shouted: "Father, please be careful, don't let the traitors laugh at us! I believe it, my child, The traitor who framed us will definitely not end well! Father, did you hear that?" Li Si's head was buzzing, as if he was drunk, but he heard his son cursing the bad guys and scolding Zhao Gao , suddenly became energetic, he thought that things have reached this point, and we really can no longer let that devil, traitor, rebellious official, and national coward look down on our father and son! A year ago, Prime Minister Feng and General Feng desperately tried to dissuade him, but they were unwilling to be humiliated and committed suicide. As generals and ministers, the two senators upheld their integrity and committed suicide to clarify their will. Doesn't this show their loyalty and unyielding? The two old friends really deserved their death, as heavy as Mount Tai! How calm and fearless are they in the face of death? I, Li Si, am also the dignified Prime Minister of Qin and an important minister of the late emperor. How can I bow my head to traitors and eunuchs? It has been a year since I was falsely accused and imprisoned last year. I don’t want to die early because I still have a sincere heart towards Qin, I still have some hope for Hu Hai, and I don’t want to see Qin end here. I always thought that boy Hu Hai would wake up and listen to my advice. But Hu Hai, this bastard, is really a complete fool and bastard! He doesn't understand my loyalty at all, and now he is completely desperate for him. Just wait, kid. One day you will understand, but it's a pity that I can no longer see it. It is precisely because this kid is so stupid that Zhao Thief, who has evil intentions, succeeds in his conspiracy step by step, and now he is covering the sky with one hand. But it was inevitable that he would end up like this. If it weren't for his mistakes back then, how would he be where he is today? Think about it, you shouldn't have collaborated with the Zhao thief in Sand Dune, tampered with the imperial edict, and allowed Hu Hai to inherit the throne! If Fusu was allowed to take the throne, how could he end up in such a situation? This is really a huge mistake I made, God! If there was no initial enthusiasm, how could such a bitter fruit be sown? Now I have to risk the lives of more than 400 members of my family! But if not, how could the dead Fusu and the loyal and brave Meng Tian and Meng Yi be allowed to rest under the Nine Springs? Everything is my fault, I should not seek the skin of a tiger, retribution! Retribution! How will I face the late Emperor after I die?
When Li Si thought of this, his heart slowly calmed down. Because he figured it out, his body relaxed, so he walked much more briskly. At this time, many beautiful memories suddenly appeared in front of Li Si's eyes, and a faint smile gradually appeared on his face. He turned back and murmured to Li Gu: "Alas! I was originally an ordinary person in Shangcai County. People, because they are born in troubled times, are reluctant to get involved in the whirlpool of politics. If someone had reminded me back then that the late emperor said that I had many chariots and horses. If from then on, I would have retired from the world, that would be There would be no result today. This person's life is really elusive, because sometimes justice cannot defeat evil, but in the end there will be results! If from the beginning, I would have been an ordinary person with peace of mind The people of our country would not have what they are today! All of this was caused by the 'hamster rat', the hateful 'hamster rat'!" Li Gu listened silently to his father's resentful words, not knowing what he was talking about. He felt very sad in his heart and comforted him: "Father, although our family has been plotted by villains, your contribution to the Qin Dynasty is outstanding, and your name will also be remembered in the history of China." It shines brightly because your system of prefectures and counties will not be obliterated. You are worthy of the great First Emperor and the great Qin Empire. You are also a great hero of this era!"
After hearing his son's evaluation, Li Si nodded happily and said, "Son, your evaluation of father is also somewhat reasonable. I like to hear it. Do you remember that when we were in our hometown, we and I held our family together? What about the big yellow dog chasing hares in the suburbs of Shangcai Dongmen?" Li Gu looked at his elderly father and felt extremely sad. He did not expect that his father would think of what happened when he was a child and still remember it fresh, so he hurried Answer: "Father, how could I forget? I was still young at that time and couldn't hold the big yellow dog, but I had to cry and hold it by myself. As a result, the big yellow dog ran away from my hands once." Li As Gu said, a wry smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Li Si said with emotion: "What a pity! Those happy days will no longer exist!" Li Gu was heartbroken after hearing this.
Xianyang City on the north bank of the Weihe River is home to common people and frequent business trips. It is the largest and fixed commercial market in the capital of Qin, but the Qin State also executed prisoners here. After Li Si and the others were escorted here, Yan Le ordered the swordsman to escort Li Si to the execution platform to await execution. At this time, many people had gathered around to watch. They were all expressionless. They didn't understand why the generals of Qin State had to die a good death? These generals and ministers were able to control the wind and rain when they were in power, but when they lost power, they were killed by three tribes. Why is this?
At five-thirty, Yan Le read out Li Si's "crimes" in public. He said that Li Si, as prime minister, had evil intentions and secretly instigated his eldest son Li You to rebel. The evidence was very conclusive. Li Si had committed a heinous crime. Now that the emperor has found out all the criminal facts, he wants to destroy the three clans. After hearing these things, the people did not know the actual situation, so they had to watch Li Si's execution.
In a short time, Yan Le ordered Li Si to be executed. The first item is the torture, which is to cut off the nose first. The executioner stepped forward and waved the knife in his hand. A cold light flashed in front of Li Si's eyes, followed by a heart-rending scream, and Li Si yelled: "Traitor! You fool! You will definitely not end well! In the near future, Shandong's rebels will definitely attack here! What a pity! I can't see that day with my own eyes. This place will eventually become a deserted rubble where elk walk. Oh! Hahaha!" Blood spurted out from Li Si's nose, and his entire face and chest were dyed red. Li Gu's mother and Li Si's wife fainted on the spot. The rest of the relatives, family members, soldiers, and maids howled and cried loudly.
After a while, Li Si let out another heartbreaking scream. It turned out that the executioner had performed the second execution, which was to cut off the toes. Li Si fell down in response. Li Gu cursed Zhao Gao desperately, and all his relatives and family members howled loudly. Their cries could make the clouds in the sky freeze and the wind turn. Li Si's concubine also fainted. Then the third item was cut in half. The prisoner was put down by the executioner, and his legs and shoulders were tied to the torture board. A strong man swung a machete and cut the prisoner into two pieces at the waist. Poor Li Si was still alive, his eyes were still rolling and the corners of his mouth were twitching. Li Gu fainted when he saw this scene. Four hundred relatives and relatives cried like thunder, shouting at the sky and the earth. Some relatives were screaming, some of them were already crazy, some were yelling and some were struggling. The next fourth item is beheading. The executioner chopped off Li Si's head without using much force. I saw Li Si's eyes wide open, he was obviously determined to die with his eyes open! In fact, when he was being cut in half, the loyal soul and the enemy soul had slowly left the body and floated faintly in the air. Until his head was cut off, the soul with no place to go flew towards his hometown of Shangcai County. And go. The last criminal law is abandoning the market, which means abandoning Li Si's body in the market without burying it.
When the Qin State executed prisoners, they also drove the people to the execution ground to watch. The purpose was to warn the people not to commit crimes. Although these people were frightened, their hearts were filled with indescribable grief and anger. They also knew that Li Si was a loyal minister. Although they did not know some of the real inside stories, but now that Prime Minister Li was dead, everyone felt very sad, as if they were mourning an heir.
After executing Li Si, the executioner killed Li Si's wife and son. Immediately afterwards, the four hundred family members were slaughtered. When some of the female relatives saw the scene before them, they were so frightened that they ran away desperately for their lives. However, with their weak bodies in front of the Huben guards, all their efforts were in vain. The execution lasted for so long that the swordsmen and axemen were replaced by two shifts, and finally all the people and the women and children were slaughtered. On the execution ground, corpses were piled up into mountains and blood flowed into rivers. The onlookers and soldiers were also frightened out of their wits. Suddenly, for some reason, all the crying stopped. People seemed to be able to hear the sound of knives dissecting. Everyone's face was like white wax, and their eyes were dull. In the period that followed, those who had witnessed the scene were unable to eat or sleep, and even their dreams were filled with the cries and howls of the innocent souls.
In the past three years, these executioners have executed countless prisoners. This kind of inhumane torture has long been commonplace for them. In their eyes, there is no big difference between killing people and killing pigs and sheep. At this time, people's cries shocked the entire Xianyang City, as if the whole earth was mourning and crying. But no one thought that since Qin killed Li Si, no one in the court would serve the second generation, and no one could mediate the precarious situation at that time. The arrogant Qin Dynasty declared in this cry It marked her tragic and poignant end.
People in the Tang Dynasty also lamented Li Si's death and wrote a poem:
The soul of Shu and Xiang is eternally sad, but it is not sad that Qin died in Qin.
Before leaving, I still remembered the rat in the hamster. It was too late to go up to Cai Dongmen.
Another Song Dynasty poet wrote:
(Part 1)
Burning out the foreigners' nationality and enduring the humiliation of Confucianism, the original intention is to make fools, but they will be fooled themselves.
If he had been willing to be expelled at that time, there would have been no joy in leading the dog at the east gate.
(Part 2)
How dare Li Si seduce a Confucian scholar?
Creation wanted to repay virtue for Confucianism, so he taught him to kill Fusu hastily.
