"If our dynasty were to claim all the famous swords of the world and secure the rewards from every ranking, who could doubt the rise of our national strength?"
A few brief words, yet they fully revealed Hu Hai’s ambition. At the same time, the ministers who supported him echoed his sentiments in succession.
"Your Majesty, Young Master Hu Hai speaks the truth. If we act this way, every swordsman in the world will surely pledge their loyalty to our dynasty."
"Exactly. Those who refuse to submit will inevitably be ostracized or even hunted down; in such a situation, they will have no choice but to bow and become subjects."
"With our national power flourishing, how would the barbarians at our borders dare to act recklessly?"
...
However, Fusu stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Father, the nation has only just been stabilized. We should focus on rest and recovery. The emergence of the Golden List and its extravagant rewards will likely trigger turmoil throughout the world."
"Conserving our strength at this time is the wisest course of action!"
"If we forcibly seize the rewards belonging to swordsmen and other factions, we will inevitably infringe upon their interests, incite rebellion, and provoke them to unite against us, thereby shaking the very foundations of our empire."
Having spoken, he wore an expression of deep concern.
Fusu's proposal was supported by many ministers as well, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the hall grew deadlocked.
Regarding this, First Emperor Ying Zheng seemed to have anticipated it, showing no signs of surprise. He swept his gaze across the assembled officials and said in a low, heavy voice, "I have already made a decision on this matter. There is no need for further discussion."
"However, there is one thing you do not yet know."
"Last night, a meteorite fell and transformed into the monolith of the Golden List. Carved upon it are eleven characters!"
"'Those who destroy Qin shall be Hu; once the First Emperor dies, the territory will be divided!'"
"What are your interpretations of these eleven characters?"
"What?"
"What?"
The hall instantly erupted into a commotion. The ministers were struck with terror, all falling to their knees in unison.
"'Those who destroy Qin shall be Hu; once the First Emperor dies, the territory will be divided.'"
These eleven simple characters felt like ten massive mountains pressing down on everyone's hearts, leaving them unable to breathe, trembling as they sprawled upon the ground.
This was a grave sacrilege!
Taken literally, it meant, "The one to destroy Qin is 'Hu'; after the First Emperor passes away, the Great Qin Empire will be splintered."
Although everyone understood this meaning, who dared to voice it? Who dared to utter it?
*Thud...*
Ying Zheng scanned the room with cold eyes, then slammed his hand against the desk and barked, "I ordered you to speak your minds, not to kneel and beg for mercy!"
"Li Si, tell me, what does this mean?"
His voice, resonant as the roar of a dragon, echoed through the hall, radiating majesty.
*Er...*
As Chancellor, Li Si’s complexion looked far from well at this moment. Under the First Emperor's pressing inquiry, he was forced to express his thoughts.
"Your servant believes that 'Hu' refers to the 'Wolf Tribe,' implying those who constantly harass the borders of our Great Qin."
"However, how could the Wolf Tribe possibly contend with our Great Qin? If not for the fact that our cavalry is not adept at mounted archery, we would have wiped them out long ago."
"Therefore, I believe this prophecy is purely absurd. It is most likely that anti-Qin forces in Dongjun engraved it on the meteorite, intending to bewitch our soldiers."
His tone sounded calm, but inside, he was panicked. A keen observer would have noticed that after Li Si finished speaking, his fingers were trembling slightly.
Once these words were spoken, they immediately drew agreement from numerous ministers and princes.
"Your Majesty, the Chancellor’s words are correct. Perhaps this was the work of anti-Qin forces, and their goal is precisely to confuse the morale of our army."
"Regardless of whether it is true or false, the Wolf Tribe has always been a hidden threat to our Great Qin. Now that Your Majesty has unified the world, this is the perfect time to pacify the borders."
"I implore Your Majesty to see through this clearly and not trust rumors lightly. Our Great Qin's iron cavalry is renowned far and wide. May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years, and may our Great Qin endure for a thousand generations."
...
The hall was filled with varying opinions.
Only Qin Lan remained composed, standing tall in the hall, eyes half-closed, listening quietly to the ministers' arguments.
This scene did not escape the notice of Ying Zheng, causing his eyes to flicker.
"Lan'er, what are your thoughts?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell deathly silent. The civil and military officials and the princes present all turned their gazes toward Qin Lan.
It was well known that Qin Lan was the First Emperor's eldest son. He spent his days idling, indulging in hedonism and pleasure-seeking, often slipping out of the palace to find amusement. The First Emperor had never scolded him for this. Had any other prince acted this way, they likely would have been sent to the border to fight the ferocious Wolf Tribe long ago. This clearly showed just how doted upon Qin Lan was by the First Emperor.
Qin Lan stepped forward, bowed, and said in a low voice, "Father, I have no particular view on this, only..."
Before he could finish, Hu Hai suddenly stood up from the side.
"Father, Big Brother is right. Aside from seeking pleasure, what insights could he possibly have regarding state affairs?"
Having said this, Hu Hai knelt on one knee.
"Father, grant me a cavalry unit. Let me lead troops to Dongjun; through the slaughter of the local populace, we will surely be able to uncover the truth."
His tone was firm and resonant. Zhao Gao was his master! Last night, his master had been beaten by Qin Lan. Today, in the imperial court, he had to make Qin Lan look foolish. Furthermore, he could see that his father attached great importance to this matter. He intended to use this opportunity to show his worth. Only in this way could he hope to vie for the position of "Crown Prince."
Just as he was deep in thought, a cold voice reached his ears.
"Big Brother has not finished speaking; does it befall you, a younger brother, to interrupt? Is there no distinction between senior and junior? Do you not know this?"
*Smack...*
No sooner had the words faded than Qin Lan turned and struck Hu Hai across the face. The crisp sound echoed throughout the entire hall. The force of the slap was immense, causing Hu Hai to stumble back, clutching his face, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
This action left the ministers dumbstruck. How could he dare? Young Master Qin Lan actually dared to discipline the Eighteenth Prince in the imperial court, right before the First Emperor?
The ministers’ minds were in utter chaos. Zhao Gao, in particular, looked grim, his head bowed, his eyes flashing with resentment and a crimson glow. Gai Nie, who stood constantly by the First Emperor's side, felt his mouth twitch slightly.
First Emperor Ying Zheng was also stunned. He had not expected Qin Lan to dare strike Hu Hai right in front of him. How could he act with such wanton disregard here in the imperial court? If brothers were to compete in private, winning or losing by their own strength would be acceptable. But today was the imperial court. As an emperor and a father, he had to deal with this.
Just as he was about to rebuke Qin Lan, Qin Lan’s words caused him to suppress his fury.
"Father, I believe that the 'Hu' in 'Those who destroy Qin shall be Hu' does not refer to the Wolf Tribe."
"Hm?"
Ying Zheng froze. Then, he narrowed his eyes and said, word by word, "Continue."
"Father, this is merely my own view, and it is not directed at anyone," Qin Lan began. As he said this, his gaze swept over the bruised Hu Hai.
Ying Zheng nodded. "Speak freely."
"What if that 'Hu' refers to a person?"
*Thud...*
*Thud...*
As Qin Lan’s words fell, Hu Hai was so terrified that he collapsed onto the ground.
This was a heart-piercing statement! Absolutely heart-piercing!
The family name was Ying, and the given name was Qin Lan. Generally, when people referred to "Hu Hai" or "Fusu," they did not say "Ying Hu Hai" or "Ying Fusu."
*Thud...*
At this moment, the Commander of the Carriage Office, Zhao Gao, also scrambled to his knees.
"Your Majesty, I implore you to investigate! Young Master Qin Lan is speaking pure nonsense. In such a vast Qin State, how could it be destroyed by a single person with the surname 'Hu'?"
His voice was shrill but laced with anxiety. Hu Hai? He was a pawn he had painstakingly cultivated for many years. He could not allow anything to happen to him now.
Following him, Zhao Gao’s faction also knelt to defend him.
"Your Majesty, the Commander of the Carriage Office speaks the truth. How could the Great Qin Empire be destroyed by one person? Young Master Qin Lan's conjecture is truly suspicious."
"Your Majesty, usually Young Master Qin Lan is idle and knows little of state affairs. Your Majesty must consider this carefully!"
"Your Majesty, the prophecy on the Golden List’s meteorite cannot be trusted. Who can contend with our millions of heroic troops? And with Your Majesty’s Heaven Tier Cultivation, your power is greater than ever; you will surely live long and prosper. Please do not trust Young Master Qin Lan’s nonsense."
...
At this moment, Zhao Gao and Hu Hai were kneeling on the ground, their foreheads covered in cold sweat. Their robes were already soaked through, and they dared not look the Emperor in the eye.
Qin Lan, conversely, stood with his head held high and chest out, his gaze calm and waveless, clear and transparent. As he spoke, he held the First Emperor's gaze. Ying Zheng tried to peer into Qin Lan’s mind through his eyes, but looking at him felt like peering into a vast, unfathomable ocean.
"Interesting."
A trace of a smile appeared on the corner of Ying Zheng’s mouth. Then, ignoring the ministers' objections, he said, "Lan'er, continue."
Qin Lan said directly, "Father, everything I am about to say is based on a hypothesis. I hope you will not blame me."
"Very well, I will not blame you."
King of Qin Ying Zheng agreed readily.
Strange? It did not refer to the Wolf Tribe? But instead pointed to something else? This viewpoint piqued his deep interest.
In truth, he believed the prophecy on the Golden List’s meteorite implicitly. Could such an incredible power, which could reveal the Famous Swords Ranking and grant rich rewards to swordsmen across the world, not be witnessed? As for the prophecy on the meteorite? Perhaps it would come true! But who exactly would destroy the Qin State? He had to find this person! Only then could he ensure the stability of the Great Qin empire. To let Great Qin stand for ten thousand years!
Many ministers held the same view as he did—that "Hu" referred to the Wolf Tribe. Because of this, he grew suspicious. If the prophecy were so easily guessed, wouldn't it be too simple? No! This matter could not be so simple. He firmly believed that hidden information, yet to be discovered, lay within these eleven characters.
When he heard Qin Lan's insight, his eyes brightened.
*Perhaps this perspective is correct,* King of Qin Ying Zheng thought to himself.
"Father, based on your interpretation of the prophecy, you must think that the threat to the Qin State lies with the Wolf Tribe. Given your personality, you would certainly send heavy troops to guard the borders."
"Am I correct, Father?" Qin Lan asked.
King of Qin nodded. "True. I would indeed do that."
"Father, stationing heavy troops at the borders would leave the domestic military strength hollow."
"Under this assumption, if one day you were to pass away in your carriage during an eastern tour, even if the imperial edict were already drafted designating the successor, what if someone were to alter the edict to install another prince on the throne, while this prince was merely a puppet?"
"In this way, this puppet emperor would become a tool for certain people, first clearing out political opponents, which would inevitably lead the Qin State into internal strife."
"With domestic military strength hollow and anti-Qin remnants waiting for an opportunity, as the court changes, internal turmoil would erupt."
"Father, what do you think would happen to the Qin State then?"
Silence...
The hall fell into a dead silence. Everyone held their breath, looking at Qin Lan in horror, their hearts in chaos.
Sacrilege! It was absolute sacrilege!
How could he dare to say such things in front of His Majesty? Did he not value his own life?
"Brother, do not talk nonsense. Father is in good health; how can you speak so recklessly?"
At this, Fusu stepped forward in anger. "If it were truly as you say, I would personally lead the border armies to suppress the internal rebellion."
To this, Qin Lan sneered.
"If an imperial edict from Father were forged without your knowledge, ordering you and your trusted followers to take your own lives, would you dare to defy it?"