Arriving at the location of the previous alloy layer, Ying Zheng looked down.
A huge square pit appeared at his feet. Its depth was roughly the same as its width, about thirty feet.
Guardrails made of wooden frames were erected around the edges of the square pit to prevent anyone from slipping and falling.
There are escalators leading down to the four corners, and these escalators are not wooden, but appear to be made of cast iron.
Next to the escalator is a platform for axles, presumably designed to transport alloys up.
In the center of the square pit, there is a round hole that is not too deep, which is where the alloy snail left by Huangdi was found.
"Let's go down and have a look." Ying Zheng waved his hand and walked towards the nearest escalator.
Jing Fan led the way, and everyone followed him down the escalator.
Arriving at the ground of the square pit, Ying Zheng couldn't help but look up.
I saw that the sky turned into a square, and I seemed to be put into a large square box.
Ying Zheng squatted down again and tapped the ground with his fingers.
This is a real rock formation, far looser and rougher than alloy.
Ying Zheng walked towards the circular pit in the middle, but saw that there was no change in the circular pit. It seemed that after digging out the relics of the Yellow Emperor, he never dug downwards again.
But Ying Zheng knew the reason.
If they dig downward, they have to report the progress to Yaizhen. Before Yingzheng left last time, the agreement with Yaizhen was to only temper the alloy and not dig downward, so Li Si acted according to the plan.
"Didn't you find anything else down here?" Ying Zheng asked, looking at the round pit.
"Go back to the king." Li Si said with cupped hands, "No other objects were found, and no digging was done. Now, we are just waiting for the king's decision. Should we continue to build according to the drawings, or let the army recuperate for a winter, and then Take this opportunity to prepare all the equipment for starting the construction, and wait until next spring to make plans?"
Li Siming was asking a question, but in fact he was hinting at what Ying Zheng should choose.
After thinking for a while, Ying Zheng said: "Let's make some repairs. Besides, the Meng family army may have other things to do in three months."
Meng Tian and Meng Yi looked at each other and smiled. They knew that in three months, Ying Zheng would hold the adult crown ceremony, and at that time, there was no guarantee that something would not go wrong, which was the time for the Meng family to use force.
The Meng Family Army is naturally the core force of Ying Zheng.
"Your Majesty, what about here...?" Jing Fan asked.
"Here..." Ying Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Don't leave this place so empty. Just find a way to build a top surface and leave only the entrance and exit. In my opinion, this space can be used as a place for us to dig downwards." It is a buffer zone. After the royal tomb is built, this area can also be used as the outer chamber of the royal tomb, where some terracotta warriors can be placed to deal with those who rob the tomb."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Si and Jing Fan responded at the same time.
"Then let's decide like this." Ying Zheng said, "The army will be repaired for three days, and all the belongings of the Jing family will be loaded onto the carriage. Let's go back to Xianyang!"
Everyone responded in unison, and then laughed along with Ying Zheng.
Lishan has entered the winter break, and throughout this trip, we have gained a lot.
the other side.
Yongcheng, Qinian Palace.
Queen Mother Zhao Ji leaned lazily on the back of the chair, and the two maids next to her squatted on both sides, beating her legs.
Lao Ai approached and asked with concern: "How is it? This time you go back to Xianyang, you didn't show any flaws, right?"
"I personally take action and act more naturally. What kind of tricks can I show?" Zhao Ji said with some disdain.
Lao Ai waved her hand, signaling the two maids to leave.
The two maids stood up, saluted, and then exited the door backwards.
"I'm worried that the more natural you act, the greater the contrast will be with your previous indifference." Lao Ai said coldly, "And with this kind of contrast, how can you not make people suspicious?
? "
Zhao Ji sneered and said: "How can my own child doubt his mother? What's more, things in Xianyang Palace are happening one after another. How can they have the mind to consider our affairs."
"I'm still a little worried." Lao Ai sat next to Zhao Ji and said seriously, "It's better to tell me what you have experienced, exactly as it is, in detail. We can't be careless."
Zhao Ji thought that Lao Ai was worried about what happened between them being leaked, so she was so careful, so she told her everything she saw and heard in more detail.
"You mean..." Lao Ai rolled her eyes twice and said, "Lü Buwei promised King Qin that he would be blessed with a crown ceremony in our Yongcheng in three months?"
"What's so strange about this?" Zhao Ji said, "The ancestral system has always been for parents to give crown gifts to their children. Although Lu Buwei is Zheng'er's second father, it's not his turn yet."
"Then why come to Yongcheng?" Lao Ai asked nervously.
"I am in Yongcheng, not to mention this is the old capital, and it is also the place where the royal family worships their ancestors. Shouldn't it be appropriate to hold ceremonies here?" Zhao Ji asked in return.
Lao Ai opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Zhao Ji continued: "As long as we hide Fei'er well, nothing will happen. If it doesn't work, you take him to Dangyang and come back after Zheng'er leaves."
"Then..." Lao Ai thought about it for a moment, but still said reluctantly, "If you return to Xianyang, what if you come back after he becomes Guanli?"
Zhao Ji shook her head weakly: "I'm afraid it's inappropriate. If I return to Xianyang, it will be difficult to come out again."
Indeed, had she not lied about preparing for Ying Zheng's crowning ceremony this time, Zhao Ji might not have had sufficient reasons to return to Yongcheng. What's more, after taking back the royal power, Ying Zheng would definitely not let Zhao Ji do as she pleased. He left Xianyang because the Queen Mother's illness had recovered.
"Then what will King Qin do after he takes back the royal power?" Lao Ai then asked.
"Of course it's time to rectify the imperial court." Zhao Ji said, "Nowadays, the powerful ministers in the temple are Lu Buwei's cronies. Do you think Zheng'er will let these people hold important positions again?"
"Then you say..." Lao Ai said suspiciously, "Lu Buwei knows that after losing power, he and his party members will be in certain danger, why did he agree to the King of Qin's ceremony?"
Zhao Ji glanced at Lao Ai, snorted and said, "That can only mean that Lu Buwei is not as ambitious as the rumors say. Not everyone is like you and values rights more than anything else."
Lao Ai stood up, walked a few steps, and said, "If this is the case, are our Chang Xin Army included in the rectification?"
Zhao Ji also stood up and said slowly: "Since it is a rectification, then the entire Qin Dynasty must be rectified. Otherwise, we will not give others an excuse to accuse us of favoritism."
Lao Ai frowned, then walked away without asking any more questions.
At this time, I heard a cry in the outer room, which was the sound of wailing for food.
Zhao Ji left quickly, and Lao Ai sat down on the chair, looking a little flustered, thinking about something.
After the sky turned completely dark, Lao Ai called his master Liu Yuan and general Tuoba Hai to his room.
After briefly describing the current situation, Lao Ai said: "Based on the current situation, our situation is already very unfavorable. I want to hear your opinions. Remember, I want to tell the truth."
Liu Yuan rolled his eyes and looked at Tuoba Hai without speaking first.
Tuoba Hai was outspoken and said directly: "At this point, I would like to know first, Lord Marquis, have you really made up your mind?"
Lao Ai took a deep breath and said solemnly: "I once told you not to mention my true identity again, but this does not mean that I will forget my identity, let alone my own. Mission and responsibility.”
"So..." Tuoba Hai said, "Master Hou has made up his mind?"
Lao Ai did not answer directly, but stood up, looked at a totem hanging on the wall, and said slowly: "I remember when Wu Yiqu lived alone in a corner with strong soldiers and horses, but I don't think that Mi Bazi not only designed to trap and kill his ancestors, He also took the opportunity to annex Wu Yiqu to Da Qin, causing most of the Yiqu tribe to be forced to move away from their homeland. This hatred and hatred will be something that all the Yiqu tribe members will never forget!"
Tuoba Hai said sympathetically: "That's right! The Yiqu tribe are all bloody men, how can they bear the humiliation of subjugating their country!"
Lao Ai still looked at the totem and said: "That's why I endured the humiliation and sneaked into Xianyang when I was a child. After that, I tried all kinds of ways to increase my strength. Now, I finally have my own world." How can you let this hard-won hard work go to waste?"
Tuoba Hai stood up, held up his hands and said: "The people of the clan are obviously aware of the difficulties faced by the young master. But after so many years, the heart of restoring the country is still there, and the blood is still hot! What to do next, the young master will tell you." yes."
Liu Yuan also stood up, also cupped his hands and said: "I am willing to listen to the orders of the Marquis."
Lao Ai turned around, looked at the two of them, breathed a long sigh of relief, and said: "I know that if I start trouble now, I still seem a little impatient, but there is nothing I can do. If Ying Zheng gets back his royal power, , I must be the first one to be operated on."
Tuoba Hai asked in confusion: "Why is the Marquis so sure?"
Lao Ai sneered and said: "It's not because of my personal relationship with the Queen Mother. This matter must not be hidden for a long time. Or maybe he has already noticed it."
"Then how about the Marquis severing relations with the Queen Mother now?" Liu Yuan said, "I think the Queen Mother will agree to do this for the sake of safety."
Without thinking, Lao Ai shook her head and said: "You also know that I only regard the Queen Mother as a stepping stone, and the Queen Mother's greatest use is at this time. With the Queen Mother as a hostage, we have enough If we use our bargaining chip to restrain Ying Zheng, even if the attack fails, we may be able to escape unscathed."
"What the Marquis means..." Liu Yuan looked a little stunned, "Raising troops is just a deterrent, and our final trump card is to use the Queen Mother as a bargaining chip to force the King of Qin to abdicate?"
Lao Ai shook her head again and said: "Even if he abdicates, there may be others who will be promoted to the throne. If he is no longer the King of Qin, then the Queen Mother will no longer be the Queen Mother. By then, we will not even have any hostages. ”
"Then if Ying Zheng is not forced to abdicate, does the Marquis want to imitate the Tian family and become the King of Qin himself?" Liu Yuan said something that is unimaginable to ordinary people.
"So what?" Lao Ai said calmly.
Liu Yuan and Tuoba Hai were shocked at the same time. They thought that Lao Ai's original intention was only to restore the country, but they did not expect that Lao Ai actually had thoughts about King Qin's throne.
"No wonder the Marquis thinks it's too early to start an incident." Liu Yuan said, "It turns out that the Marquis has a more far-reaching goal."
"Haha, why, you only see it now?" Lao Ai sneered.
Liu Yuan calmed down and said, "If this is the case, I'm afraid our military strength is still insufficient."
Lao Ai turned around again and said to herself: "It seems that current events have changed, and this plan will be advanced."
Liu Yuan looked at Lao Ai with some confusion.
Tuoba Hai suddenly asked in shock: "What the Marquis said was that he would raise troops together with the old tribe as a strategy to attack from both inside and outside?"
"Haha, that's right." Lao Ai smiled and said, "I will write a letter right now, and you will personally send it to Yiqu's remains, and then tell your father that you must take advantage of the time when Ying Zheng is blessing the crown ceremony to raid Da Qin. As for me, I will take advantage of the chaos and take Xianyang directly!"
"Don't worry, Lord Marquis, Tuoba Hai will definitely send the letter to the Ministry of Relics and will never delay the opportunity." Tuoba Hai said with cupped hands.
Lao Ai laughed loudly, took pen and ink, and wrote a letter that was extremely important to herself.
