PFC Chapter 248 Not a good person
Chapter 248 Not a good person
After a while, a voice was heard from inside: "King Xuan is coming to see the emperor."
Wang Li took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and walked into the hall.
Looking up, I saw Hu Hai sitting upright on the dragon throne, his expression as calm as water.
Wang Li did not dare to neglect it. He stepped forward quickly, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together and saluted, saying, "General Wang Li, I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Hu Hai nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on Wang Li, and he slowly said, "Marquis Wucheng, do you know why I ordered you to come here, besides the fact that our father is seriously ill?"
Wang Li lowered his head and responded with a hint of humility in his tone: "I don't know."
Hu Hai slowly walked down from his seat, staring at Wang Li.
Wang Li raised his head and looked at Hu Hai. He was surprised to find that Hu Hai's face no longer had the timidity of the past, but was replaced by a confident expression. That confident glow made Wang Li feel puzzled.
Hu Hai's voice echoed through the hall: "Marquis Wucheng, I wish to entrust you with the three hundred thousand troops of the northern border! I wonder if you can handle this heavy responsibility?"
Wang Li's heart trembled, and he quickly said, "I am a humble general, and I was appointed to the position of Commandant of the Guards by order of Your Majesty. I dare not speak rashly. Moreover, General Meng Tian has been stationed in the northern border for many years, with great military achievements and a fearsome presence among the Xiongnu. I cannot replace him."
Hu Hai felt relieved. He thought to himself, "Wang Li only said he couldn't replace Meng Tian, but he didn't say he didn't want to. Haha, it seems the master is right. The Wang and Meng families are rival factions in the army. Divide and conquer, lure them with profit, and seize them when they are in disarray. This is the way to victory in military strategy."
Then, Hu Hai spoke loudly, his voice echoing throughout the hall: "Think back to the time when Lord Wang Jian, trusted by our father, led the Qin army with the might of a great general, sweeping across the Three Jins, destroying Zhao and Wei, and destroying Chu, Yan, and Qi."
After a pause, Hu Hai continued, "Among the six kingdoms, the two old marquises, Wang Jian and Wang Ben, father and son, single-handedly conquered five kingdoms and established illustrious achievements for the great cause of unifying the world for the Qin Dynasty. It is truly a remarkable story."
Hu Hai's voice deepened as he spoke, "But in the later period of unifying the empire, my father appointed the Meng family and gave them strong support in the military. Now, the Meng family has Meng Tian, the commander of 300,000 troops in the northern border, and Meng Yi, the Minister of Civil Affairs. And what about the Wang family?"
Hu Hai stopped in front of Wang Li and looked him straight in the eye. "The Wang family has lost its former glory. Marquis Wucheng, are you content with this?"
Wang Li clenched his fists, a trace of struggle in his eyes. His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Your Highness, although I also long for the Wang family to restore its prestige, this matter is of great importance and I dare not agree lightly." Wang Li finally spoke, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
Hu Hai raised his head slightly and laughed, his laughter echoing throughout the hall. His laughter was filled with a sense of determination and confidence, as if he was full of faith in the future.
After laughing, he looked at Wang Li with a gleam in his eyes, "Don't worry, Marquis Wucheng. Since I have chosen you, I will have a plan to deal with it. When I ascend the throne, you and Wang Li will be the generals of the Qin Dynasty."
His words were full of determination and commitment, which moved Wang Li.
Upon hearing this, Wang Li knelt on one knee and said, "Your Highness, I am deeply grateful for your kindness. However, acting this way will surely cause unrest in the court. I hope Your Highness will reconsider."
There was a hint of worry in his voice, as if he was concerned about Hu Hai's plan.
Hu Hai kept smiling as he stepped forward to help Wang Li up, his eyes revealing confidence.
"Marquis Wucheng is worrying too much. I have made up my mind, and everything is under control. Although the Meng brothers are powerful, I also have capable people around me to help me. As long as you and I are united, why should we fear turmoil?" Hu Hai's voice was sonorous and powerful.
Wang Li glanced at Hu Hai, pondering inwardly. His eyes flickered, as if he were weighing the pros and cons. His hands unconsciously clenched, revealing his inner tension.
"Your Highness, this matter is of no small importance. If you are not careful, it may have far-reaching consequences." Wang Li's voice was low and carried a hint of worry.
Hu Hai smiled slightly and patted Wang Li on the shoulder. "Marquis Wucheng, the opportunity is right before your eyes. If you can help me to secure my rule over the world, the Wang family will surely be able to restore its former glory. You will be granted the title of lord and prime minister without any problem."
Wang Li hesitated for a long time, then finally gritted his teeth and said, "Since Your Highness trusts me so much, I am willing to serve you."
Hu Hai was delighted. "Well, Marquis Wucheng is indeed straightforward. From today on, you will secretly prepare and wait for the opportunity to come, so that you can accomplish your great cause in one fell swoop."
Wang Li clasped his fists and replied, "I obey your command."
Wang Li was filled with mixed emotions, unsure of what fate awaited him. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.
A barely perceptible smile appeared on Hu Hai's lips, as if everything was going according to plan.
At this moment, a hurried-looking soldier of the Imperial Guard trotted into the hall, knelt on one knee, clasped his fists, and announced loudly, "Your Highness, Master Zhao Gao and Master Feng Quji are outside requesting an audience!"
Upon hearing this, Hu Hai, who was originally smiling, instantly stopped smiling. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and after a moment of silence, he uttered a word lightly: "Xuan!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Hai slowly stood up and walked towards where Wang Li was.
When he approached Wang Li, he lowered his voice and said softly, "Marquis Wucheng, Zhao Gao, Feng Quji and the others are not good people! Don't trust them easily."
After hearing what Hu Hai said, Wang Li's heart tightened, but his face remained calm and he just nodded slightly to show that he already understood.
Almost at the same time, a heavy and orderly sound of footsteps was heard coming from afar.
Then, two figures appeared at the entrance of the hall. Upon closer inspection, they were Zhao Gao and Feng Quji.
Seeing this, Hu Hai immediately adopted an expression of extreme helplessness. He hurried forward, anxiously calling out to Zhao Gao and Feng Quji, "Oh, Teacher, Prime Minister Feng, you're finally here! Please help me persuade Marquis Wucheng! He insists on seeing my father, and I can't stop him no matter what I say!"
In the end, Hu Hai looked like a prince who had suffered a lot of grievances but was helpless.
Wang Li looked at Hu Hai and pondered. He recalled what Hu Hai had said earlier and finally understood, "This Crown Prince is no ordinary man! He appears timid, but in reality, he's hiding his true intentions. It seems that by following him, I can restore the Wang family to its former glory."
After figuring this out, Wang Li quickly said, "Your Majesty is critically ill. I wish to see you!"
Zhao Gao, upon seeing this, quickly stepped forward and said, "Marquis Wucheng, His Majesty is seriously ill and needs rest. Please do not disturb him."
Wang Li snorted coldly and said, "Lord Zhao, please stop talking! As a subject, how can I not care about the safety of Your Majesty?"
Zhao Gao's face changed, but he still stood in front firmly.
Feng Quji tried to smooth things over, "Don't worry, Marquis Wucheng. Lord Zhao is also worried about His Majesty's health. His Majesty is currently in a coma. If you barge in, you will disturb the emperor. It would be bad. It would be better to wait in Xianyang and wait until all the ministers have arrived before paying your respects."
Wang Li knew that this was a delaying tactic, but he also didn't want to offend Zhao Gao and Feng Quji too much. After all, the two of them had great power in the court.
He then looked at Hu Hai, who nodded slightly. Wang Li then said, "Alright, I'll be waiting in Xianyang then, but I hope you will inform His Majesty as soon as possible."
Everyone left the side hall.
Hu Hai secretly gave Wang Li a wink, signaling him to control his temper.
Wang Li knew that the struggle in the palace was undercurrent and that any carelessness would lead to eternal damnation. Since he had already stood on Hu Hai's side, he had to be cautious in every step.