An important meeting is being held in the main hall of Ganquan Palace.
Zhao Hao in the newspaper office was drinking tea leisurely and directing Xiao He and Cao Shen.
However, Xiao He seemed to have encountered some difficulty. He looked at Zhao Hao with a worried look and said, "Sir, is our newspaper a bit exaggerated?"
"Why, Mr. Xiao is afraid?"
Zhao Hao asked Xiao He with a smile.
Cao Shen couldn't help but said: "Master, it's not that we are afraid, we are just worried that if this matter gets too big, it will affect His Majesty's reputation!"
Zhao Hao smiled slightly, put down the tea cup and said, "I have already thought about it. The worst outcome is that my father will no longer be the emperor. Anyway, he has completed his mission. It would be great if I take him to travel around the world!"
"You can also travel around the world with me. No matter how you look at it, it's a win-win situation for both of us!"
"Young Master, please don't mess around. Although Your Majesty agrees with your plan, the world of Da Qin still cannot do without Your Majesty. If you have time to travel around the world, you might as well govern the world well!"
Xiao He said with a serious face: "There are still many people in Da Qin who are in dire straits, and the world is far less peaceful than the young master imagined!"
Zhao Hao sighed; "I just said it casually, why do you take it seriously? My purpose is to lure out Ying Chengyu and deal with him first, and then deal with Zhao Gao and Li Si. Otherwise, he has been doing things secretly. What do you think?" manage?"
"How about this? First, publish the list of the richest people in Qin to guide public opinion, and then implement the young master's plan to cut off the forces behind Ying Chengyu and force him to fight for the throne in advance. What do you think of the young master?" Cao Shen asked.
Zhao Hao thought for a while and said, "There is no need to worry about the forces behind Ying Chengyu. The main source of funds that support his troubles must be eradicated!"
"Young master, you mean the Chamber of Commerce?" Xiao He frowned.
"good!"
Zhao Hao nodded and said: "Political people may not care about money, but they must not be without money!"
"In that case, I have a plan."
"Oh? Come and listen!"
Cao Shen bowed and said: "My lord, although the construction of your Majesty's Imperial Mausoleum has been supported by the imperial treasury, there are still at least three years until the completion of the construction of the Imperial Mausoleum. But now, Your Majesty passed away suddenly, and the Imperial Mausoleum must be completed as soon as possible. The prerequisite for completing the project as soon as possible is to recruit more laborers and spend more financial and material resources;
According to Da Qin's current treasury revenue, it is definitely unsustainable, so heavy taxation will become the court's next tactic! "
"but."
As he spoke, he changed the topic and continued: "His Majesty has just passed away, and the court needs a stable transition period. Imposing heavy taxes can easily lead to domestic unrest. At this time, the Great Qin Rich List has become the guiding light of the court. "
"How wonderful!"
Zhao Hao's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but clapped his hands and applauded: "You are worthy of being called 'Cao Xiangguo'!"
"this"
Cao Shen looked at Zhao Hao in confusion, and then looked at Xiao He.
Xiao He was also a little surprised by Zhao Hao's praise and asked tentatively: "What do you mean by this, Master?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I just praise Cao Shen for his ability as a prime minister!"
Zhao Hao reacted and waved his hand awkwardly.
Cao Shen said hurriedly: "Young Master, I'm very grateful. It's a blessing for Shen to be respected by the Young Master!"
"Okay, I know your abilities, so just follow what you just said and implement our plan!"
"promise."
Xiao He and Cao Shen agreed in unison.
Zhao Hao glanced at them and suddenly said as if he remembered something: "To be honest, I met Liu Ji, Fan Kuai, and Zhou Bo on the way back to Xianyang."
"Ah? This"
Xiao He and Cao Shen felt at ease, and their expressions changed obviously.
They knew about Zhao Hao's feud with Liu Bang, so they were very worried about Liu Bang's safety.
But how could Liu Bang be so reckless and go to Zhao Hao for revenge?
You know, with Liu Bang's character, it is difficult for him to take risks without a certain degree of certainty.
As if he had read through their thoughts, Zhao Hao smiled and comforted: "Don't worry, Liu Ji and I just had a little misunderstanding. Once the misunderstanding is resolved, there will naturally be no hatred!" What's more, Liu Ji also helped He has done me a lot of work, I have no reason to punish him anymore! "
"this"
Xiao He and Cao Shen looked at each other, and then said cautiously: "May I ask, Master, what kind of help has Liu Ji helped you?"
Zhao Hao explained with a smile: "You should know that my next goal is overseas. Originally, my plan was to form a fleet myself to explore overseas. But as a result, these troublesome things happened in Xianyang. I wanted to go there too. No;
However, Liu Ji is a man of great ambition and cleverness. It would be the best thing for him to go to sea on my behalf. So, you should understand now why I don't punish Liu Ji? "
"this"
Cao Shen hesitated for a moment, frowned and said, "So, Liu Ji went overseas in place of the young master?"
"yes!"
Zhao Hao nodded, and then said meaningfully: "Although there are many dangers overseas, there are also opportunities to pursue lifelong pursuits. Liu Ji is a person with ideas. You should understand."
After saying that, he stopped explaining, picked up the teacup on the table, and walked out of the newspaper office.
Watching Zhao Hao leave, Xiao He and Cao Shen looked at each other and couldn't help but look at each other.
Regardless of whether Liu Bang finds that opportunity, as long as Zhao Hao doesn't kill him, they can accept it.
At the same time, the ministers in the main hall of Ganquan Palace had already finished their lunch.
In a matter of seconds, the main hall was tidy and tidy.
The Minister of Ceremonies also announced at this time that the court meeting would be reopened.
Li Si stood up solemnly, came to the center of the hall, looked around at the ministers and said: "Everyone, the country cannot be without a king for a day. The appointment of a prince to the court is of great importance. Please express your opinions!"
After the words fell, the whole hall was empty.
At this time, Zhao Gao came from the side holding a box and handed it to Li Si.
Li Sim did not squint his eyes and explained loudly again: "While patrolling east to Jiuyuan County, His Majesty suddenly received a secret report from the South China Sea. The old general was critically ill and the overall situation in the South China Sea was in turmoil.
Therefore, His Majesty ordered me to lead the Eastern Patrol Team back to Xianyang first, and Your Majesty and Zhao Gao rushed to the South China Sea. Although I tried my best to dissuade him, Your Majesty was still concerned about the old general's condition;
Unfortunately, the turmoil in the South China Sea exceeded His Majesty's expectations, and His Majesty was besieged by the rebels in the South China Sea. As a last resort, His Majesty left me a critical edict. The seal of the box was written "Li Si personally opened it".
What Zhao Gao held in high esteem was His Majesty's edict.
I have not yet opened this edict. I dare to swear to God: No matter what your Majesty’s edict is, I will resolutely implement it without fear of life or death or power. I dare to invite two Feng Gongs to personally inspect the edict! "
The audience was astonished at the words.
Quite a number of people present participated in the last court meeting.
They all knew that the First Emperor had two testaments, both of which were sealed in the Fuxi Office, but no one knew that the First Emperor had left a separate testament to Li Si.
Although Li Si was only a court captain of the Qin Dynasty, everyone knew that Li Si had always played the role of prime minister in the heart of the First Emperor.
Compared with Wang Wan and Feng Quji, the two real prime ministers, Li Si has greater power.
Therefore, although this edict was somewhat unexpected, no one questioned it.
It would be strange if the First Emperor did not leave a posthumous edict to Li Si.
However, what surprised all the ministers was not that Li Si had the imperial edict of the First Emperor, but that this edict clearly said "Li Si personally opened it". Why did Li Si open the edict in front of everyone?
Is he afraid that people will suspect him of seeking personal gain?
Just when the ministers were puzzled and looking at each other, Feng Jie's voice sounded again:
"Since Lieutenant Ting has made his oath in public, why do we need to verify it? He can just do it himself!"
"It is stipulated by national law that the two Feng Gongs are reviewing edicts. I have upheld the rule of law all my life, how can I blatantly violate the law?" Li Si seemed a little unhappy.
"this"
Feng Jie was speechless, turned to look at Feng Quji, raised his eyebrows and said, "What do you think, Prime Minister Zuo? Is there a prison edict?"
"snort!"
Feng Quji snorted coldly. He didn't even want to pay attention to the 'rebellious son' of his own. He stood up in a sullen voice, cupped his hands and said, "I have been ordered by the law to supervise you!"
"Tch! I have already made a decision in my heart, yet you still want me to speak."
Feng Jie muttered dissatisfiedly, then stood up and walked towards Li Si.
I saw the father and son bowing deeply to the copper box respectfully.
Feng Quji stood still solemnly.
Without saying much, Feng Jie directly picked up the copper box, carefully observed the details of the copper box in front of everyone, and recited loudly: "The copper box is a special copper box for His Majesty's edict, and the seal is a special seal made by the Shaofu. The seal is written by His Majesty himself, and the external copy of the edict is correct."
After that, Zhao Gao handed over the unsealed clerical knife. Feng Jie picked up the knife, carefully peeled off the seal, and then opened the copper box.
Feng Qu, who was next to him, stepped forward quickly and announced again: "The inside of the copper box is well sealed and there is nothing abnormal!"
After saying that, he reached out and took out the edict inside, and continued to announce: "The material of the edict is a special sheepskin edict made by Shangfang, and it is made in-house!"
"Open the edict!"
Li Si waved his hand.
The whole place suddenly became solemn.
Feng Quji immediately unfolded the edict and recited loudly: "If something unexpected happens to me, I will ask Li Si to take care of the aftermath, meet in court, and stabilize the country! The edict is completed!"
"His Majesty--!"
The whole audience burst into tears again.
However, no one still doubted this edict.
After all, the First Emperor regarded Li Si as a minister who cared about his fate, which was expected and reasonable.
But Feng Quji said again: "The edict has made it clear that I dare to invite Li Tingwei to continue the court meeting!"
"Thank you two Mr. Feng!"
Li Si bowed to Feng Quji and his son, and they returned the bow and returned to their seats again.
At this time, tears were shining in the corners of Li Si's eyes.
I just heard him sigh: "The late Emperor entrusted me with such an important task. I am ashamed of Your Majesty!"
After saying that, he looked around at the ministers: "I know what your Majesty is thinking. It's just that I am good at coordinating the ministers. In terms of ability, qualifications, titles and official positions, I can't compare with the old Prime Minister Wang Wan, the old general Wang Jian, and the old Guo Weiwei. wind."
Hearing this, all the officials turned their attention to Wang Wan, Wang Jian, and Wei Liao.
However, the three of them remained silent from beginning to end.
It was as if this matter had nothing to do with them in the first place.
But I heard Li Si say with emotion: "When the two events of establishing the crown prince and establishing the emperor are over and the world is stable, I will follow the example of the ancient sages and retire to enjoy the joy of studying in my later years."
"With the national crisis facing us, why does Li Tingwei keep talking about the future?"
Feng Jie interrupted Li Si impatiently.
Li Si suddenly became excited and quickly expressed his apology: "Doctor Feng Yushi's supervision is correct. I am a little depressed. The court will return to the right path immediately!"
After saying that, he turned around and waved his hand: "Zhao Gao, as the magistrate of the CRRC and the head of the Fuxi Office, please leave the Fuxi Office after His Majesty's final edict!"
"promise!"
Zhao Gao respectfully agreed, and at the same time he admired Li Si very much.
Despite Li Si's awe-inspiring performance, in fact, this series of processes all showed Li Si's resourcefulness.
From the beginning to the end, Li Si was taking advantage of the trust placed in him by the Feng family, his father and his sons, and the court officials.
Including his introduction to Zhao Gao's official position and deputy position in the camp, they were all performed for Meng Yi to see.
Because Meng Yi is Lang Zhongling and the highest official in the emperor's study, it stands to reason that Meng Yi should be in charge of the emperor's edicts. However, since Meng Yi is not with the emperor, there seems to be nothing wrong with Zhao Gao being in charge temporarily.
Sure enough, as Li Si finished speaking, Meng Yi, who was originally doubtful, gradually relaxed his brows and quietly waited for the announcement of the edict.
After about a stick of incense, Zhao Gaocai led two attendants and pushed a wooden cart slowly to the main hall.
Above the car, there were two square black jade boxes.
Seeing this, Li Si quickly stepped forward and bowed, and then bowed deeply to the ministers. Then he walked to the side of the car and stood still.
"The emperor's imperial edict from Fu Xi Office has arrived! Dare you ask the imperial officer to issue an edict in accordance with the law!"
Zhao Gao saluted Li Si.
Li Si ignored him and turned to the ministers: "According to my wishes, the two Feng Gong and Lang Zhongling will jointly verify the imperial edict this time!"
"We have no objection."
All the ministers unanimously agreed with Li Si's proposition.
Li Si smiled slightly, turned to the Feng family, his father and son, and Meng Yi, cupped his hands from a distance and said, "How dare you invite two Feng Gongs and doctors to inspect the imperial edict!"
"trouble!"
Feng Jie muttered something dissatisfied, and suddenly remembered what Li Si had just said, and looked at Meng Yi coldly: "I am watching from the side, and the doctor ordered me to do it myself, so as not to resent me for taking action on my own!"
"you!"
Meng Yi's eyes widened with anger, but he did not refuse. He immediately left his seat and came to the trolley.
The reason why Li Si asked Meng Yi to verify the edict was because Meng Yi himself was the highest official in the emperor's study. It was inevitable for him to verify it. Otherwise, the content of the edict would be difficult to convince people.
Second, the edict verified by Meng Yi, killing Meng Yi's brother Meng Tian, gave Zhao Gao an indescribable sense of satisfaction. This was Li Si's deliberate fulfillment of Zhao Gao's little wish.
After all, he also knew the hatred between Zhao Gao and Meng Yi.
"Uncover!"
Meng Yi is very confident in himself, because he has dealt with many emperor's edicts, and no doubts can escape his tempered vision.
At a glance, there was nothing unusual about the two black jade boxes. Moreover, the focus of Meng Yi's attention was not on the boxes at all, but on the edict inside the boxes.
Hearing his command, two doctors in charge of documents quickly ran to him.
At this moment, Mond, who had been silent, suddenly stood up from his seat and said loudly: "Uncle, I also want to verify His Majesty's decree!"
"Wow——"
The whole place was in an uproar.
Li Si and Zhao Gao's expressions changed at the same time. (End of chapter)
