noveltune Chapter 14 Was Hu Hai the Second Emperor of Qin? Hu Hai was the one who destroyed Qin!
Chapter 14 Was Hu Hai the Second Emperor of Qin? Hu Hai was the one who destroyed Qin!
Jiang Qing sat upright on a brocade stool in the hall, his eyes sweeping over Ying Zheng on the steps.
He then turned to Fusu, who was standing to the side, looking lost and dejected. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable certainty.
Every word struck the hearts of the Qin rulers and ministers with a chilling sense of Fusu's tragic end:
"That false imperial edict, under the pretext of disloyalty and filial impiety, forced Prince Fusu and General Meng Tian to commit suicide as an apology."
Prince Fusu was kind and filial, and firmly believed that this was the final will of his sovereign and father. He was unwilling to disobey, and even less willing to be condemned as a disobedient person for all time. In the end, he drew his sword with tears in his eyes.
He committed suicide among the troops at the Great Wall, dying unjustly. Even though General Meng Tian sensed something amiss and tried his best to dissuade him, he ultimately could not stop him from his determination to die.
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire Xianyang Palace fell into a deathly silence, with only the crackling of the candlelight clearly audible in the empty hall.
Fusu, dressed in brocade court robes, stood to one side of the civil officials' line. Upon hearing this, he froze, as if struck by an invisible hammer.
He slowly raised his head, his once gentle eyes now appearing empty.
This usually kind and composed young master of Qin staggered half a step.
He quickly reached out to hold onto the gilded pillar beside him, barely managing to maintain his princely demeanor.
Ying Zheng, standing on the steps of the palace, maintained his upright posture throughout, though his breathing became somewhat unstable compared to before.
Ying Zheng's voice was still loud and clear, carrying an undeniable imperial majesty, but it was mixed with an undisguised rage.
The words were powerful and resonant, causing the roof tiles to tremble slightly: "Fusu!"
This call, without roaring or shattering, carried a devastating rage that sent a shiver down the spines of all the civil and military officials in the hall.
Fusu was startled when he was summoned. He quickly composed himself and knelt down, looking nervously at the furious Ying Zheng.
Ying Zheng slowly turned his gaze, his sharp, knife-like eyes sweeping over everyone in the hall.
Seeing this, Jiang Qing slowly added: "Moreover, Your Majesty, there is more than one culprit who orchestrated this conspiracy of forging an imperial edict and forcing Fusu to his death!"
Right here in this hall are all your most trusted and relied-upon people.
A single sentence, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirred up ripples within the hall.
The imperial aura emanating from Ying Zheng suddenly froze, and his deep, abyss-like eyes narrowed sharply.
His piercing gaze swept over everyone in the hall, and the air inside seemed to freeze, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The entire court was filled with disbelief, yet dared not utter a sound. They could only lower their voices and whisper among themselves, their hearts filled with shock and speculation.
Ying Zheng took a deep breath, suppressing the surging anger and heartache in his heart, and slowly withdrew his gaze, turning it back to Jiang Qing.
He still stood tall and imposing, exuding a majestic aura, but his tone now held a hint of urgent inquiry:
"Sir, let me ask you this: Since Fusu died tragically and failed to ascend the throne, who will succeed me after my death and become the Second Emperor of Qin?"
He paused, the coldness in his eyes intensifying, and a murderous intent once more emanating from them:
"Furthermore, who exactly are the real culprits who forged the imperial edict and forced Fusu to commit suicide?!"
Ying Zheng stood on the throne, his mind racing. The emperor's thoughts were meticulous and decisive as he went through each of his princes in his mind.
He had many sons. Apart from Fusu, his son Gongzi Jianglu was calm and composed and had some influence in the court.
Prince Gao was cautious and meticulous, and was deeply respected by the court officials.
Regardless of age, talent, virtue, or reputation in the court and among the people, both of these older sons are qualified to inherit the throne.
He is also the most likely to secretly plot to kill his brother and seize the throne in order to become the crown prince.
"Could it be... Jiang Lü?"
Ying Zheng frowned slightly, secretly speculating, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "Is it still the young master who is superior?"
The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. In the palaces of the six kingdoms, it was common for brothers to kill each other and fight for the throne.
Although the Qin Dynasty had strict laws, it was still difficult to guarantee that no prince would be blinded by greed.
He considered all the older sons, but skipped over the eighteenth son, Huhai.
In Ying Zheng's eyes, Hu Hai was young and playful, only knowing how to laugh and play all day long. He had neither the talent to govern the country nor the foundation in the court.
He was completely ignorant of even basic political affairs; he was just a pampered young child, carefree and spoiled in the deep palace.
Not to mention inheriting the throne, Hu Hai's name was never even considered for inclusion in the list of candidates for crown prince.
In terms of age, he was the youngest son; in terms of talent and virtue, he was far inferior to Fusu and Jianglu.
In terms of prestige in the court and among the people, he had no foundation whatsoever. How could such a person possibly covet the throne, and how could he possibly have the ability to forge an imperial edict and kill his brother?
Ying Zheng grew increasingly certain as he thought about it, his gaze towards Jiang Qing becoming more urgent, his tone carrying an unyielding imperial authority as he asked in a deep voice:
"Sir, please speak frankly! Is it Jiang Lü? Or Gongzi Gao?! I want to see which rebellious son dares to commit such a heinous act as fratricide and usurpation!"
All the officials nodded in agreement, their thoughts almost identical to those of Ying Zheng.
In their view, Qin Er Shi must have been one of the eldest princes; the eighteenth son, Hu Hai, was absolutely out of the question.
Jiang Qing looked at the arrogant and stubborn First Emperor before her, and saw that he cast all his suspicions on the older son, but overlooked the real culprit. She sighed softly in her heart.
He didn't beat around the bush or keep anyone in suspense; right there in the deathly silent and tense hall...
In a calm yet powerful voice, he spoke clearly, word by word:
"Your Majesty, you should be aware of the prophecy that 'the one who will destroy Qin is Hu,' right?"
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng nodded, even feeling that Jiang Qing was somewhat evasive.
He certainly knew this prophecy, which is why he spared no effort in beating up the Hu people!
He just hadn't figured out what the so-called "the one who destroyed Qin was Hu" had to do with the Second Emperor of Qin.
Of his children, only Hu Hai was related to Hu!
Could it be Hu Hai?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
But the next second, Jiang Qing's words shattered everyone's understanding!
That Emperor Qin Er Shi is a name that everyone has overlooked!
"Your Majesty! You forced Prince Fusu to his death, forged the imperial edict, and usurped the throne through a coercive edict. You orchestrated this conspiracy and ultimately ascended the throne of Qin, becoming the Second Emperor of Qin—"
"It's not Jiang Lü, not Gongzi Gao, and certainly not any other older gentleman."
"It is your most beloved eighteenth son, Huhai."
boom--------!!!
Ying Zheng's eyes, which had been as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, suddenly contracted, and his pupils dilated violently.
The color drained from his face at a visible speed, leaving only a deathly pale complexion.
Hu...Hai?
His child?
An indescribable sense of absurdity and shock rushed to his head, causing all the court officials to change color in shock!
Even Prince Fusu, who was kneeling to the side, trembled slightly upon hearing this name.
He recited in a low voice, his words still clear, but his voice carried an extreme sense of fragmentation and disbelief.
I repeated that name in my heart over and over again:
Hu Hai...
Hu Hai?!
It was actually the eighteenth brother!
Was Qin Er Shi (the Second Emperor of Qin) Hu Hai?! Was Hu Hai the one who destroyed Qin?!