Fifteen days later.
Hu Hai finally returned to Xianyang successfully under the starry night.
When he saw the word "Xianyang" hanging on the majestic city wall, Hu Hai couldn't help but burst into tears. He had a really hard time walking along the way. He was worried all day long for fear that Baiyue people would emerge from the dense forest. Although in the end he was on the way He didn't encounter it, but he still didn't dare to take it lightly.
The moment he saw Xianyang, his high heart finally dropped.
Without any instructions from Hu Hai, Zhao Gao drove the carriage directly towards the imperial city. In less than half an hour, Hu Hai returned to the imperial city.
The place he is most familiar with.
The accompanying soldiers had all left, and Hu Hai returned to his palace, took a comfortable bath, and washed away the dust from his body.
He put on clean and tidy clothes again.
He is still the noble young master he was in the past.
However, after cleaning up, Hu Hai did not rest, but rushed directly to Xianyang Palace. He wanted to tell the First Emperor exactly what he encountered in the South China Sea.
He wanted to tell the First Emperor that there was a problem with Zhao Tuo and there was a hidden danger in the South China Sea.
Not long after.
Hu Hai entered the hall.
As soon as he entered the palace, Hu Hai said quickly: "My son, Hu Hai, is here to see my father. I hope that my father is well."
The words just fell.
Hu Hai cried and complained: "Father, you have to make the decision for me. I went to the South China Sea this time and almost didn't come back. I almost didn't see my father."
"My son, it's so difficult!"
Seeing Hu Hai's aggrieved face, Ying Zheng frowned and asked, "Tell me, I want to hear what happened to you in the South China Sea?"
Hu Hai nodded and talked about the incident in the South China Sea.
He said: "Father, I'm afraid you don't know that the Southern Navy has changed its mind. What's more, there are generals in the army who are in cahoots with the Baiyue people. I went to reward the army on the order of my father. The original address was set at Panyu, but in the end, Zhao Tuo and others got him to Linchen."
"Linchen is on the border."
"We are only a few dozen miles away from the Baiyue people."
"People like Zhao Tuo don't have good intentions towards my sons."
"besides."
"Linchen County Magistrate Min Luo is from Baiyue. When he met my son, he even tried to intimidate him. However, my son is the son of his father. How could he be intimidated by an adulterer? He was not moved at all."
"It's just that something happened when I was really rewarding the army."
"When I announced that the money rewards would be distributed, the army was not excited at all. There was even an uproar. They sang 'Qin Feng' loudly and directly asked my officials to answer in public whether the imperial court would let them go home. , I encountered so many difficulties, and none of the generals in the army spoke up for me."
"They clearly have evil intentions and want to bring shame to their son and minister."
"I'm just smart."
"When I was leaving for Nanhai, I told Ji Heng in advance and asked Ji Heng to come up with some ideas for me. It was just in case, but it turned out to be useful. I made a prompt decision and did not hesitate in the face of danger. The incorruptible tongue successfully calmed the morale of the army, thus preventing the morale of the army from turbulence."
Speaking of which.
Hu Hai's cheeks turned slightly red.
He actually didn't want to brag about himself, but Zhao Gao repeatedly told him to show off himself before coming. These words were also prepared for him by Zhao Gao.
Just when Hu Hai wanted to continue speaking, Ying Zheng suddenly interrupted.
Ying Zheng said: "You said that Ji Heng helped you come up with ideas, and all the ideas he came up with happened to be used, and they happened to be used on the Nanhai Navy's psychological turmoil?"
Hu Hai was stunned.
He nodded without thinking.
Immediately, he also said: "The tips Ji Heng gave to my son are mainly to let him tell the officers and soldiers who we are fighting for. We are not only fighting for ourselves, fighting for the Qin Dynasty, but also for our own." Fight for future generations, fight for long-lasting peace in the world."
"Besides."
"Just let the ministers properly say that the court wants the soldiers to go home." Hu Hai's voice became smaller and smaller, and he became less and less confident. He suddenly remembered that his father did not know about this, although his eldest brother might have told him I gave it to my father, but my father never made any statement.
Hu Hai lowered his head and dared not speak any more.
Ying Zheng looked at Hu Hai coldly, his eyes becoming very deep.
Finally, he waved his hands and said, "Continue talking."
Hu Hai swallowed his saliva and no longer dared to continue speaking Zhao Gao's complimentary words. He bit the bullet and said: "After Erchen's comfort, the military's morale has calmed down. It's just that when Erchen stayed in Linchen, some One day I received a letter of submission, and the letter said that there are Yue people in the army who are doing fine work."
"When I heard the news, I was full of disbelief, but I also knew that it was necessary to be on guard against others. It was a matter of military affairs. How could I dare to be careless, so I asked Zhao Gao and Ren Ao to secretly inquire about it. At first I didn’t get any information, I just overheard that the military general Lu Jia was from Baiyue, and there were many Baiyue people serving as officials and officials in the three counties of Nanhai.”
"and"
"There are various signs that the proliferation of Baiyue people is inseparable from the general Zhao Tuo."
"My son, I was immediately alert."
"I couldn't leave the door for several days."
"My son also knew the importance of this matter. After the money rewards were distributed, he immediately set out to return to Xianyang and wanted to tell his father about the matter as soon as possible. However, my son was so cautious and was still targeted by the Baiyue people. After my son left Linchen, he was attacked and killed by the Baiyue people."
"Hundreds of Yue people were lying in ambush in the dense forest. They fired a round of volleys. The soldiers accompanying Erchen were killed and injured a lot. However," Hu Hai paused and continued: "Just when Erchen thought he was going to experience a fierce battle, even Erchen When they were all ready to fight, Zhao Tuo's son Zhao Wei suddenly came out and quickly put down the Yue attack."
"After that, I hurried on my way without looking back."
"When I returned to Xianyang, I came to report it to my father as soon as possible."
"Father, you have to make the decision for me."
Said.
Hu Hai burst into tears and burst into tears.
However, Hu Hai's crying did not win Ying Zheng's relief. Ying Zheng said calmly: "You said earlier that you received a letter of submission in the South China Sea? Is there any name on it?"
Hu Hai's crying stopped suddenly.
He opened his mouth, bit his lip lightly, and said with averted eyes: "Return to Father, this is an anonymous letter, and there is no name on it."
Ying Zheng's eyes suddenly turned cold and he said in a cold voice: "What does the Qin law say?"
Hu Hai timidly said: "Qin law stipulates that it must be burned."
"How did you do it?" Ying Zheng said.
Hu Hai lowered his head lower and lower, and his voice became weaker and weaker: "My son, I have no intention of burning it."
He swirled the words of defense in his mouth, but he didn't dare to say them out at all. He could only say: "I know I was wrong."
Ying Zheng said indifferently: "Just because of an anonymous letter, you are suspicious of the generals. Now the South China Sea is about to be conquered again. If you shake the morale of the army and lead to defeat, do you know how many people will die? How many people will die because of this. Pay the price?”
"Just because you were attacked and killed, does it prove that the above content is true?"
"You can just make random guesses?"
Hu Hai lowered his head, not daring to breathe.
Ying Zheng said: "Maybe there are people in the army who are colluding with the Baiyue people, but you pointed the finger at the commander of the South China Sea Army. Have you ever thought that this might be the Baiyue people's plan? In order to make the court suspect Zhao Tuo , and then make a sudden change of generals? And then reach their ulterior secret? "
"If this person really wanted to submit a letter, why didn't he dare to write his real name?"
"Isn't this just shameful?"
"Since you are so shameless, how can you dare to believe it to be true? The laws of the Qin Dynasty are clearly written, and you memorize all kinds of laws, but the laws you memorize are just to fool me? Is it for daily use? Are you coaxing me?"
Hear the words.
Hu Hai's face changed greatly and he quickly explained: "I would never dare to fool my father. I was just out of control for a moment, so I did something that violated the law. I ask my father to punish me."
"My son is willing to be punished."
Ying Zheng snorted coldly and threw down the memorial on the case.
Hu Hai raised his eyes and took a look, quickly walked over quietly, took the memorial in his hand, and looked at it intently for a few times, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Father, son and minister"
Ying Zheng said: "Needless to say, there are indeed people in the army who are colluding with the Baiyue people, and the Nanhai army has long been aware of it. They just want to use it to reduce casualties in the army and kill the Baiyue people as much as possible. group."
"If Zhao Tuo's memorial hadn't arrived a few days earlier, I might have believed your lies."
Hu Hai's face turned pale and he didn't dare to say a word.
Ying Zheng glanced at Hu Hai indifferently, then waved his sleeves and said, "Go down."
"My son, please retire. Father, please calm down." Hu Hai nodded repeatedly and did not dare to stay any longer. He quickly bowed and left as if running away.
When Hu Hai walked away, Ying Zheng frowned.
He looked at the memorial on the ground and said slowly: "The tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop. I have paid too much attention to the big affairs in recent years and been too wary of the remnants of the Six Kingdoms. However, I have ignored the hidden dangers within the empire and underestimated the desires of the people."
"What happened in the South China Sea will not be a special case, let alone an isolated case."
"It's the normal state of the world."
"And Ji Heng saw this early. The interior of the imperial court that he has been watching from the beginning, from the initial wealth to the current army, is the key to the empire. Once there is a problem with either of them, Great Qin will We are in a very serious situation.”
"This situation was also caused by me."
Speaking of which.
Ying Zheng sighed silently.
In the past few years, his attention has been focused on promoting Qin's politics, and he has seldom paid special attention to matters related to internal affairs. However, Ji Heng's behavior reminded him again and again that there were many problems in Qin's internal affairs, so many that he could Shake the foundation of Da Qin.
"Consolidate the foundation."
Ying Zheng murmured and said with a deep look: "Ji Heng, do you really see it so clearly and understand it so well? You have already seen the hidden dangers within Da Qin, so you have focused on strengthening the foundation from the beginning."
"Do you really see my Great Qin so clearly?"
Ying Zheng stood up from the table, walked slowly down the platform, picked up the bamboo slips on the ground, but did not open them, but just picked them up again on the case.
He knew that what Hu Hai said was probably true.
Zhao Tuo or the military morale of the Nanhai army was in great confusion and wavering, because these soldiers had been to Nanhai for nine years and had not returned for nine years. Some of the actions of the imperial court also made them feel chilled. In addition, the Baiyue people had been In the confusion, fluctuations began to occur in the army.
But he won't move lightly.
After all, there are 500,000 troops in the South China Sea. If a final solution is not provided and a rash attack on Zhao Tuo is feasible, it will easily arouse suspicion among the military.
The army is the foundation of Da Qin.
There can be no room for any trouble.
Ying Zheng sat down again, looked at the empty hall, and said in a deep voice: "Ji Heng, are all the events in the South China Sea also in your calculations? You tell me about the variables, but in your eyes, these variables are all fixed. , just do it step by step according to your ideas.”
Ying Zheng frowned.
Ying Zheng felt very bad about this feeling of being manipulated.
But even though he was very resistant in his heart, he didn't really get angry. He thought about it calmly and began to re-examine everything.
a long time.
Ying Zheng opened his eyes, with a gleam of coldness in his eyes, and said in a cold voice: "Ji Heng is right, the court of Da Qin has become corrupt. After the founding of Da Qin, the officials gradually lost their true intentions, not only in the court, but also in the court. The same goes for local officials and military generals."
"It's time to move!"
"But first we need to resolve the South China Sea issue."
Hu Hai returned to his palace.
He was soaked all over. The First Emperor put too much pressure on him, especially those few questions, which made his scalp feel numb. What was even more surprising was that he really had some self-doubt.
Hu Hai frowned and said, "Am I really wrong?"
"Is what Zhao Wei said true?"
"It's just that after I appeased the soldiers, I made these Baiyue people feel threatened, so I want to get rid of them quickly?"
"If you just say that, why didn't Zhao Tuo tell me about this? Or notify me in advance, so that other people in the army would secretly write to me in the end?"
"If all the generals in the army knew about it, why would they bother to do anything more?"
Hu Hai couldn't figure it out.
He instinctively felt that there was something wrong with Zhao Tuo.
It's just that I can't figure it out.
After thinking about it for a while, he gave up directly.
He didn't think he had the brains. Even Zhao Gao might not be able to figure it out. How could he really understand it? And now that we have returned to Xianyang, why bother?
Wouldn't it be more convenient to ask Ji Heng?
Hu Hai gathered his emotions, asked Zhao Gao to prepare his carriage and horses, and rushed towards Ji Heng's residence, but he did not let Zhao Gao drive.
Ji Heng seemed to dislike Zhao Gao a little.
He was also worried that something bad would happen after the two met.
Zhao Gao frowned after hearing Hu Hai's instructions.
He didn't even have to think about it to know where Hu Hai was going next. In fact, he had already found out where Ji Heng lived.
However, Ji Heng's residence was secretly guarded by his attendants, so he had no chance to enter, and naturally he had no chance to meet the mysterious and powerful Ji Heng.
Not a moment.
Hu Hai left the imperial city in a car.
When Hu Hai came to Ji Heng's residence, Ji Heng was preparing to have lunch.
Hu Hai couldn't help but feel his taste buds when he smelled the aroma in the courtyard. He didn't have much appetite originally, but when he smelled the spicy aroma, his stomach growled unsatisfactorily.
Hu Hai touched his belly and knocked on the door calmly.
He treated Ji Heng to so many meals in prison, and eating Ji Heng's meal today was considered a courtesy.
He felt very at ease.
(End of chapter)
