Under the setting sun, Zhao Si stood at the palace gate and contemplated silently. The First Emperor's loud voice probably lasted for more than ten minutes, and then calmed down.
About ten minutes later, there was some noise. After a while, the voice of the First Emperor came out: "How long have I been sleeping?"
"About half an hour!" Zhao Si responded.
The First Emperor raised his hands and stretched. When he woke up, he felt refreshed. This was a new experience that he had never had in recent times. Xia Wuqi once said that many of his illnesses were caused by worries. Is it because new grains are produced these days and you feel happy?
In short, after waking up, the First Emperor was full of energy and energy. He got up and walked around for a few times. Just as he was about to continue handling the remaining government affairs, he heard Zhao Si's grunting voice.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know whether to say it or not."
The First Emperor turned sideways to the case, raised his brows slightly and said, "Lang Guan has the right to discuss government affairs, and there is no inappropriate way to talk about all state affairs."
This is also one of the rights of the Langguan, which is a bit similar to the Yanguan of later generations. However, this right also belongs to Schrödinger's right, but he cannot point his neck at the emperor's nose like the Yanguan of later generations.
"Your Majesty, I just saw that your Majesty's elixirs were scattered. I dare to ask if your majesty took the elixirs, but the golden elixirs?" Zhao Si said.
"Well..." The First Emperor nodded slightly.
"Your Majesty, he probably can't eat this golden elixir." Zhao Si hesitated for a long time. The elixir of gold and stone has hundreds of harms but no benefit. Basically, there is no need to elaborate.
"Oh? What do you mean by this?" The First Emperor did not refute immediately, but picked up the golden elixirs scattered on the ground one by one and put them in the palm of his hand to look at them carefully.
The golden elixir is round in body, smooth in appearance, and bright in color. From the appearance point of view, it is a high-quality golden elixir. The First Emperor has been taking the medicine for so long, and he can basically tell the truth at a glance.
This golden elixir must first be round, without mottled, burr, or bumpy shapes. Secondly, it must look at the color. There are red gold elixirs and bright silver elixirs. It is not that the more colorful the color, the better, but it pays attention to the artistic conception. The best elixirs and art The quality is almost the same, for example, some of the ones in the hands of the First Emperor are decorated with colors like a painting with a faraway artistic conception, and the patterns on some golden elixirs are exactly the same as those in the paintings.
This is not something that was artificially described later. In theory, it is indeed a skill to be able to use an alchemy furnace and a bunch of heavy metals to make a golden elixir into a work of art. It is also extremely difficult in modern times, whether it is the ratio of materials or the control of the heat. All require perfection.
"This...can your majesty allow me to come in for a chat?" Zhao Si asked.
"Can!"
Zhao Si then nodded, put down the big halberd and entered.
"Your Majesty, can you give me an elixir?" Zhao Si asked, and the First Emperor placed the elixir in his hand on the table.
"Your Majesty, what is the grade of these golden elixirs?" Zhao Si asked.
"The scene is completely natural, the whole body is round and full, and it is naturally superior."
"Your Majesty, please look..."
"These colors are actually the residue of metals that have been smelted in the elixir furnace. The human body cannot digest them at all. They can only stay in the body and be excreted slowly, and some cannot even be excreted. Are the ores commonly used in refining the elixir? Mica, sulfur, mercury and gold?" Zhao Si asked.
The First Emperor frowned and nodded.
"In this way, I can almost come to the conclusion, Your Majesty, the golden elixir is poisonous!" Zhao Si said.
The First Emperor's face remained calm, as if he was not the one who took the golden elixir, but he did not reprimand Zhao Six for talking nonsense.
"How to prove it?"
"This elixir is small, so the poison is not strong. When people first take it, their energy will be doubled. However, the poison is so powerful that it cannot be excreted by the human body and can only accumulate in the body. It is just because the toxicity is very small, so it can only be eaten more and more as time goes by. Talent will slowly appear.
Will Your Majesty feel gastrointestinal discomfort now? Lack of energy and physical weakness? Frequent bleeding in the mouth? "Zhao Si asked.
After all, he plays extreme sports and loves to commit suicide. Zhao Si still remembers this kind of knowledge clearly.
The First Emperor frowned and nodded. He had every symptom Zhao Si mentioned. Almost all hits. Obviously, Zhao Si is not the doctor of the First Emperor, and it is impossible to know the exact physical condition of the First Emperor... Being able to say so accurately, the First Emperor was slightly shaken.
"If your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can send some people to feed the rat birds with golden elixir. The rat birds are weak and cannot resist even the slightest poison. You will know after a try.
If your Majesty still doesn't believe it, you can choose the criminal who is about to be executed and test the medicine for your Majesty every day. One pill a day is enough. You don't need too much. Your Majesty can observe whether the criminal's subsequent symptoms are consistent with what I said. "Zhao Si continued to speak.
In order to prevent the alchemist from making excuses to say that the bodies of humans and animals are different, Zhao Si simply proposed to use death row prisoners to test the medicine.
The colors on the elixir that the First Emperor kneaded were all pure heavy metals. If one elixir of this kind was fed to a condemned prisoner a day, it would not take long for serious physiological reactions to occur.
If you take one pill a day for a long time, a normal person may not be able to survive two or three years.
"I...understand." The First Emperor nodded, his expression remained calm and calm.
"Continue to be on duty." The First Emperor waved his hand to signal Zhao Si to continue to guard the palace, while he put the golden elixir in his hand and looked at it carefully.
Xia Wuji proposed that the golden elixir was a medicine for tigers and wolves, but the First Emperor was doubtful.
Zhao Si also proposed that the golden elixir was poisonous, and gave clear symptoms and proof methods.
As Zhao Si said, the method is very simple. Find a few healthy prisoners who are about to be executed, feed them with good food and drink, and take one golden elixir a day. You only need to observe whether the symptoms will appear later.
In fact, what was before the First Emperor was not the question of whether the golden elixir was poisonous or not.
Rather, it’s a question of who to believe.
Even if it is proved, the alchemists still have quibbles.
Xia Wuji reminded many times that the reason why the First Emperor repeatedly took the golden elixir was that the First Emperor knew that his body could not collapse, nor could he lose energy. He still had many things to do, and at the very least, he could not stop now.
The chariot has already started, and stopping hastily before handing over the next baton before reaching the end point is a failure in the eyes of the First Emperor.
What the First Emperor had to do was never a multiple-choice question. Choosing whom to believe was not a problem. The question was whether he could let go of his obsession with immortality.
The First Emperor just put down the golden elixir silently, without any unnecessary movements or distractions, and dealt with the memorial with peace of mind.
If every day was like today, and the body was in good health, who would have no time to take the golden elixir? Not to mention golden elixirs, even the first emperor was too lazy to eat medicinal foods that nourish the body.
The shortage of time and the overstretched body caused a serious conflict between the First Emperor himself, which was the truth that led the First Emperor to drink poison to quench his thirst.
And on the other side...
Xia Ye Township, in the forest...
"Father... brother, is there any news?" Ji Chang, who was hoeing the ground, turned to look at Ji Cheng, who asked him.
"There is a message from Marquis Che... Your eldest brother, maybe he hasn't come back..." Ji Chang rubbed his old face full of grooves and didn't know how to answer.
"Marquis Che asked... he said it was your eldest brother, he must be on the inner ship, and may be stranded in Fusang." Ji Chang put down his head and squatted on the ridge of the field.
Mentioning Ji Si is still a hurdle that Ji Chang can't get over. After so many years, he has always felt guilty. He may not dare to expect Ji Si to recognize him as his father, but he just wants to hear the news that the child is still alive. Just one glance is enough.
"My eldest brother, don't panic. Xu Fu is stranded overseas and has not returned, which is against the will of his superiors. Your Majesty will definitely raise troops to attack the sea. Maybe it won't be long before the eldest brother returns home." Ji Cheng knelt down to comfort his eldest father.
"Well..." Ji Chang stood up with a hoe and continued to cultivate.
Ji Cheng then mounted his war horse and continued to inspect the township pavilion, looking inadvertently towards the direction of Xianyang City.
Ji Cheng was one of the people who participated in the performance on that occasion.
He had seen Zhao Si from a distance...the man who was driving for the king was so high-spirited. He was panicked and wanted to recognize him, but how could he interrupt such an important occasion?
so similar!
Ji Cheng can be sure that he will never admit his mistake. The face of his elder brother has always stayed in his memory. Although times have changed, Ji Cheng can be sure that he will never admit his mistake.
He has never missed his eldest brother. This has been the case since he was a child. Even in a dark night, when only sparse and scattered figures can be seen in the distance through the moonlight, he can still recognize his eldest brother at a glance.
But now, times have changed... Ji Cheng didn't know what to do. He could only pat the war horse under his crotch, his heart full of hesitation and questions.
…
On the other side, in the palace, Zhao Si stood like a stone sculpture until the sky turned dim. The guards on duty at the palace had begun to change shifts. Only Zhao Si's position was not replaced. Zhao Si thought that he had not yet lived in a warm new home, and felt a little doubtful in his heart.
Time passed little by little until night fell and the First Emperor finished handling the day's government affairs before he stretched his body and stood up.
"Back off!"
Zhao Si was full of doubts in his heart, but he bowed down and left, holding his halberd. After leaving the palace, he rushed to the doctor's office and hurriedly changed his clothes and hat.
By the time they were all dressed up, it was already completely dark. Fortunately, there were many people working overtime in the Langzhong's Office. The lights were brightly lit inside, and Zhao Si was not the last one to get off work.
When they arrived at the side door, Zhao Si's family car frame and Li Chen were already waiting, and there was a car next to them. Zhao Si was just about to get in the car, but he found another figure approaching from a distance.
"You have to go to the palace tomorrow to hold the halberd, don't forget it." Meng Yi's voice came from far away. Zhao Si stopped when he heard the words, took two steps forward and asked.
"Sir, I have a question, may I ask?"
Meng Yi paused in front of the carriage and nodded.
"nature."
"This is the forbidden palace gate, why am I the only one on duty?" Zhao Si was puzzled.
First of all, let’s talk about this door. Although Zhao Si is dressed very well, it’s not symmetrical for a person to stand at the door. Isn’t it necessary to add another one to join the two generals?
Secondly, Zhao Si was under the ban, and there were people changing shifts in other places, but not here in Zhao Si. Even the shift was approved by the First Emperor himself.
"In some places, there are permanent Lang officers holding halberds, and basically every Lang officer has to be scheduled to be on duty. However, in some places, there are usually no bodyguard Lang officers on duty." Meng Yi smiled and explained to Zhao Si.
Lang Guan is always on duty at the palace gate, not the house gate.
The First Emperor could only take a glance at it when passing by that palace or entering or leaving the palace.
The place where Zhao Si stood was the door of the house. There were usually no officials or even guards at the door of the house.
Bodyguards guard outside the palace, Langguan is on duty at the palace gate, and eunuchs and ministers are mostly in the palace. This should be distinguished. Regardless of whether they are Langguan or bodyguards, although they are on duty in the palace, they are usually not allowed to enter the palace.
The people who serve the activities in the palace are still the internal ministers.
Zhao Si was standing at the door of the room where the First Emperor handled government affairs.
There is usually no one standing in this position, and it is not a permanent duty position. It can be seen as a way for the First Emperor to express his closeness and respect.
Meng Yi, Wang Li, Li Xin, Meng Tian, and Wang Ben have all stood in this position.
"How long do you have to stand there?" Zhao Si asked. He couldn't just stand there dryly every day, with the pestle there like a mallet.
"Then it depends on what Your Majesty wants..." This position has its advantages and disadvantages.
Meng Yi still goes to stand for two days from time to time.
In short, when did the First Emperor get off work and when did Zhao Si get off work? If the First Emperor didn't sleep, Zhao Si would also have to stay up late.
But there is a benefit to this location.
So close, so close!
And the symbolic meaning is greater than the meaning of guarding. Standing here is not really for you to guard. There are Langguan on duty at the palace gate, forbidden troops patrolling outside the palace, and many ministers inside the palace. To put it bluntly, Zhao Si's position is there to watch.
Therefore... Zhao Si's most important duty has never been holding a halberd.
The First Emperor had a habit of occasionally asking about political affairs when Lang Guan was standing guard at close range. He didn't really want people to stand there all day long and act as mascots.
"Do a good job, His Majesty values you very much!" Meng Yi patted Zhao Si on the shoulder and said what he had said before.
The First Emperor usually occasionally selected Lang Guan to guard the door, and they were also in pairs. Indeed, they usually gathered the two generals Heng Ha. Meng Yi is the first exception, Li Xin is the second exception, and Zhao Si is the third.
And usually there are not necessarily two or three days in a month like this.
Situations like Zhao Si's are extremely rare.
The First Emperor seldom and rarely put people at the door and imprisoned them as soon as he came up, without even having time to familiarize himself with the specific matters of Lang Zhongling.
Unless the First Emperor planned to personally train Tidian Zhao Si.
(End of chapter)
