It is said that Qin Shihuang was controlled by a daughter

Chapter 520: Military Advisors Alliance

"Why did Hehua go to Fufeng?"

"My mother's coma is not unusual. If this was the work of the Chu witch... My father once made a pact with the Chu clan on my behalf, and now he's praying again, hoping to find the elixir in Penglai. This isn't accidental; it seems someone did it on purpose."

Zheng Li was puzzled. "Your father had already summoned Xu Fu to the East China Sea years ago."

"East China Sea. Japan..." She paused, feeling the old arrow wound on her shoulder itchy, which reminded her of her grandfather and Mo Qi in the Republic of China.

However, at this critical moment, Mo Qi actually fled far away and hid from the world.

She wanted him to know that his departure would not diminish her determination. She wanted him to know that she could not only change Qin, but also change the future that brought him the deepest despair.

She didn't answer immediately, but curled her eyes. "Mother, do you know? I've seen this place mentioned in ancient books. It might have other uses besides seeking medicine."

"What's the use?"

She wanted to find the shadow of the past in her daughter's face, but her daughter looked indifferent, hiding a certain cruelty.

Until she raised her eyes, which looked exactly like Ying Zheng's, and said, "Mother, you once said that I had something to ask of you. Zhang Han was dismissed from his post because of the theft of the Shaofu's belongings. Now that you have awakened, he has been vindicated and his post has been restored. Therefore, I think that he once served under Wang Jian and may have sailed east with Xu Fu."

My daughter's eyes burned like fire, an expectation that the flames of war would be diverted.

This expectation is no different from Ying Zheng's desire to march to Shangjun.

The husband wants to expand northward, while the daughter wants to establish a career in the East China Sea.

In their eyes, war is just a means.

Zheng Li knew very well that she didn't like this feeling.

Because all the twists and tragedies that happened to her were the result of war.

A year ago, Zheng Li met a man in front of the tomb of King Zheng in Yingchuan.

He was dressed in green, holding a scroll, and bowing in front of the tomb.

Zheng Li recognized the scroll - together with the half scroll presented to Ziying by the State of Zheng, it formed a map - with which he could find the River Map and Luo Shu, a sacred artifact revered by the King of Shang as a foretelling of the world.

Legend has it that King Jifa of Zhou used this artifact to gain divine insights during his campaign against King Zhou, leading to the release of divine troops and the eventual destruction of the Shang Dynasty. Eight hundred years into the Warring States Period, the scroll disappeared with the fall of Zheng to Han, and the whereabouts of the Hetu and Luoshu are even more unknown.

If this layer is taken into account, the hatred of losing the country is also taken into account, and the relationship between Zheng and Han is also included.

His daughter was seduced by a Han man, and Ying Zheng hated it.

Even though she had reached the age of marriage, every time Zheng Li visited her daughter at Zhilan Palace, her daughter would smile and bring out some strange objects or cakes, or would pester her to ask about her past with Ying Zheng in Handan.

until--

Hehua was seriously injured and restrained his joy for a while.

Zheng Li vividly remembers the changes that took place in her daughter after she returned to Qin from Bolingsha.

But now, Zhang Liang appeared here with the deepest secret in the world...

"Zheng Guo presented the ancient Zheng royal scroll to save his life. Since you have already left Qin and are so far away from Xianyang, why did you do this?"

"Liang, return this to my wife." The object in his hand was truly extraordinary. The scroll had a silver base, its axis a jade-white, emitting a brilliant white light.

But Zheng Li didn't even glance at the scroll. She stared down at Zhang Liang. Even as he knelt, he looked clear-headed and calm. If he weren't the son of Zhang Ping, Prime Minister of Han... Zheng Li couldn't help but sigh, but her tone was cold. "The Zhang family has protected the King of Han for generations. I knew this when I left Han for Zhao. So, what are your intentions in presenting this to me now?... Or perhaps it's too late."

The last sentence is heartbreaking.

Beneath the vast expanse, the fragrance of pines and cypresses lingered, yet little did one know that within the small Mausoleum of King Zheng lay the interment of eleven members of the royal family. And on this hillock not far away, the Liang Palace, where the King of Han was imprisoned, was built.

In other words, Zheng Li is also from Yingchuan. Looking at their hometown, their situations are completely different, but their moods are almost the same.

In 375 BC, Marquis Ai of Han took advantage of the civil unrest in Zheng and sent troops to attack Xinzheng, officially destroying Zheng. The rule of the Zheng royal family came to an end, and its land and population were annexed by Han.

His grandson was Marquis Zhao of Han, and Zhang Kaidi served as his prime minister.

Zhang Liang's back, which had never been bent, fell down at this moment, looking so empty in this gray and black mountain.

"Liang's grandfather helped Han to destroy Zheng, following the will of heaven. The princess helped Qin to destroy Han, just like that time."

"Back when King Zhaoxiang of Qin was in power, he sought to find the Hetu and Luoshu. At that time, Qin intended to move the Nine Cauldrons to pressure Zhou. However, the Nine Cauldrons sank into the Si River, drowning thousands of people in the search for them. The former king drowned in the water, unable to find them, and suffered a lifelong cold. Three years later, the former king passed away." Zheng Li looked at Zhang Liang again. "Sir, you have always been a rare wise man in this world. Now that Hehua has returned from Chu, you should understand that she will never have the chance to leave Xianyang Palace again."

In Zheng Li's time, the status of women had already declined, and no woman could become a political individual outside of marriage. Even the Queen Mother Xuan of Qin was still the king's wife in another sense.

What Zhang Liang holds in his hand is another metaphor for politics.

"Liang's sins are grave, and he deserves death a hundred times. All of this is due to cause and effect. Prince Jia of Zhao came into the world to try to persuade him, but it is indeed as Madam said."

"I hope you will remember that since you have suffered a great disaster, it may be a good thing for both you and Hehua to forget the past."

"Liang is a lonely soul, afraid to gaze upon the sun and moon." He carefully stroked the scroll in his hand and said, "Before Liang retired from the world, he recommended someone to Madam. This person is good at making decisions and speaking well, and his strategic planning is no less than mine."

The wind grew stronger and lashed against her windows.

Zheng Li's thoughts returned to the present. Her daughter was already lying on her lap, her soft black hair covering her crimson robe, and a golden red hairpin lying quietly beside her ear. She murmured words like, "I just want my mother to be safe and healthy." She closed her eyes quietly, as if the peaceful days had returned to normal.

Xu Zhi felt that her mother's gaze was a little heavy, so she simply gave up thinking about what to say and just took a quiet rest for a while.

She didn't feel safe anywhere except with her mother.

However, Zheng Li's awakening must be something Zhao Gao did not want to see.

As history continued to roll on, the situation became increasingly treacherous, with Zhao Gao in the dark. He no longer concealed his hostility and even attempted to draw Li Xian into his enmity.

Jing Ke's assassination of Qin, the assassination at Bolangsha, Fusu's military supervision in Shangjun, Xu Fu's eastward crossing...

She felt sleepy, but the closer she got to her mother, the clearer her mind became, even though her vision was blurry.

She began to think carefully about how Zhao Gao had died... After Zhao Gao forced Hu Hai to death, he established Ziying as the King of Qin. Ziying then schemed to get rid of Zhao Gao...

She saw the jade seal that her mother often wore on her chest. Her mother said it was the dowry her father gave her when she was the Princess of Zheng.

The more Xu Zhi thought about it, the more dizzy he felt.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew.

The moment she looked up, she saw a person in the hall.

The moment the light behind him closed in, the wind rushed in through the window. Snow foam was still flying between his sleeves, and soon it remained on the dark color, leaving a few dark spots.

Mother is no longer here.

This hall is several feet high, with flickering candlelight and soul flags filling the hall.

——Who are you?

The man ignored what she was saying, walked closer, took off his official hat, and knelt in front of her.

She finally saw it more clearly: that 'pretentious' expression, the reddened corners of the eyes, the upturned corners of the eyes like a vixen...

For some reason, Li Xian suddenly looked ten years older. There were more tired wrinkles around his eyes, stubble on his chin, and he was wearing a robe very similar to his father's.

What was he doing? Is he reaching out and holding her face?!

She pushed him, but failed.

There were footsteps coming from the back of the hall, and it was a eunuch with an unfamiliar face.

——Since when have eunuchs been able to come to her mother without any instructions?!

"Your Excellency is a man who cherishes the past, but this palace has been abandoned for over three years. Why are you clinging to the past?"

——?

The eunuch cleared his throat. "His Majesty the Emperor cares for your deceased wife, but you cannot remain ungrateful. Ahem, Prime Minister Zhao has asked you to come to the palace to discuss the continued construction of the Afang Palace. I hope you will do so as soon as possible."

In his previous life, Li Xian was also very curious at that time. Why this time, he stared at her tablet and his eyes fell on the gardenia beside the tablet, as if she was also looking at him.

While he was crying with joy, it only proved his stupidity and greed.

So after his rebirth, he preferred to believe that this time she was a soul from another world, a brand new person. The one he loved and felt guilty about was Ying Hehua, not Xu Zhi. Unexpectedly, as the lie wore on, he even began to believe it.

Xu Zhi thought he was dreaming. Li Xian's madness was normal, but he hadn't expected him to be so foolish. He was so foolish that when Hu Hai was emperor, he didn't try to please the new emperor, didn't try to save his own life, and not only did he go against Zhao Gao, but he also petitioned to use the funds for the continued renovation of the Afang Palace to replace and repair one of the tombs in the Mausoleum of Mount Li.

Soon, the allusion of calling a deer a horse was used on him.

But Xu Zhi didn’t know that it was not a dream.

After a while.

When Chen Ping brought Ayu, Zhao Jia's letter, and Zhang Han's handwritten letter into the palace, it was snowing heavily outside.

The wind lashed the window panes and flickered the candlelight in the hall. Her beautiful face was reflected in the bronze mirror across the screen.

At this time, she not only lost the opportunity to be in Fuqiu Palace, but also Li Si was dissatisfied with her. Yao Jia had lost power, and Chen Ping was her successor in the previous dynasty and could not be easily moved.

"I'm trapped in the palace and can't leave. The Censorate..."

"Princess, I will never forget your kindness and life-saving grace. But now, it seems as if war is brewing, and the jade chariot is covered in dust. I am willing to serve you like a dog, even in death."

Chen Ping said without beating around the bush, "The princess is in danger from three things: suspicion, trust, and slander."

"First, we must dispel the Emperor's suspicions. The Xiang clan in Chu has spoken to the ministers, and the Zhao clan has been making movements, with reports of strange phenomena circulating. This may explain the princess's entrapment in Kuaiji County and the burning of her letters, as well as the strange phenomena in the southeast and the princess's departure."

"How can Xiang leave Chu and help me?"

He smiled. "Princess, you've forgotten that a thousand gold pieces are of both momentary and long-term use. If Xiang Shi hadn't stood by you, how could their young son, the one bearing the prophecy, have survived?" He continued, "Back then, Xiang Yu was still an infant; now he's a six-year-old child. Your Majesty is known for her ability to cultivate good ministers. General Ren Xiao, stationed in Lingnan, will surely help you purify the slanders of the Chu witches in the south."

"Secondly, the princess has earned the trust of the prime minister. I understand that her relationship with Prime Minister Li has been on and off over the years. During this time, Yao Jia was idle at home, and Prime Minister Li held the key to government affairs. If the princess wishes to seize power from this, she should not become too rigid with him." He paused. "If the princess and Supervisor Li have many secret conversations... perhaps they should be treated separately from Prime Minister Li."

"If I knew that Li Si was a confusing person and Li Xian's intentions were unclear, what should I do?"

When Chen Ping thinks seriously about a problem, especially at a critical moment, he does not hesitate. People like him exist naturally to solve problems.

"I believe the princess should proceed with all haste. If she wishes to accomplish something beyond the power of ordinary men, she must not hesitate even for a single day. She must understand that the current princess resides in Xianyang, not in a remote prefecture. Lord Meng serves as the Court Justice, and General Meng and the eldest prince both reside in Shangjun. The eldest princess's friendship with her is far deeper than that of the third princess. The Meng family will be of even greater benefit to the princess. I venture to suggest that the princess prioritize the best and choose the Meng family over the Li family."

Chen Ping bowed again to the person behind the screen and said, "Third. This is the princess's personal matter, but the princess needs to set an example. The princess should visit General Wang Ben's mansion more often and not waste their many years of friendship."

"But Zhao Gao has been quite hostile to me recently. How can I remain unscathed?"

"Your Highness, Zhao Gao is but a minister of the imperial court. Even if he is close to the Emperor, if he receives more than most of the ministers, even Prime Minister Li, and if others believe that Prime Minister Li has submitted to Zhao Gao, then no official in the court would want him to be as safe in the prefecture as he was in Shu."

Outside the curtain, Chen Ping's voice was steady and light. This last strategy did not exclude or utilize anything. The trap was clearly laid out there because it was a gift from Zhang Liang.

Chen Ping presented Zhao Jia's letter, "If the princess publishes the so-called prophecy book to the public, everyone will know about it, and the prophecy will become a rumor. If the princess is hesitant to take action, Lord Zhao said he will return to Xianyang soon to report on his work and will help the princess."