"Uh..."
Fusu was suddenly rendered speechless.
If such an imperial edict were to exist, given his character, he would certainly take his own life.
At this very moment, he fell into silence.
Likewise, the King of Qin also lapsed into silence.
Because, following Qin Lan’s hypothesis, he turned the matter over and over in his mind, attempting to find a loophole in the scenario.
However, in the end, it was flawless.
Once such a thing truly came to pass, the Great Qin would be in grave danger.
Thinking of this, King of Qin Ying Zheng inadvertently glanced at Hu Hai.
It was but a single glance.
Yet, it caused Hu Hai to instantly plummet into an abyss; his heart turned to ash, and he was so terrified that he fainted on the spot.
Seeing this, the King of Qin commanded, "Guards, take the Eighteenth Prince back to his residence."
"Yes."
"Yes."
Two armored imperial guards supported the unconscious Hu Hai and led him away.
Following this, the King of Qin stood up slowly.
His presence was magnificent.
Suddenly, a wave of pressure erupted from him.
It was as if a sleeping dragon were awakening.
"This matter ends here. From this day forward, no one is to mention it again, nor is it to be leaked."
"According to the Qin Law, those who violate this will suffer the punishment of being torn apart by five chariots and have their nine generations exterminated."
His voice was like the roar of a dragon, filled with murderous intent.
In a single moment of rage,
Thousands of miles of corpses!
This was no empty threat.
Whoever dared to leak the "prophecy of the Golden List meteorite" would surely face the destruction of their entire clan.
The ministers also sensed the gravity of the situation.
"Yes, we shall strictly obey the imperial command."
"Yes, we shall strictly obey the imperial command."
...................................
Subsequently, the First Emperor Ying Zheng turned his gaze to Qin Lan.
"Qin Lan, you provoked Hu Hai in the imperial court and ignored the laws. I command you to go to Dongjun to guard the 'Golden List meteorite' for twenty days as your punishment."
"Are you willing to accept this?"
Qin Lan bowed and said, "This son is willing to accept this punishment."
Huh...
Huh...
The gathered ministers in the hall saw this, their mouths twitching and veins bulging on their foreheads.
This is called punishment?
It was clearly a reward in disguise!
Dongjun was the station of Wang Li.
Everyone knew that Qin Lan and Wang Li were on excellent terms.
And Dongjun was also home to a place that men dreamed of—the Zui Xiang Lou.
His Majesty sending Qin Lan to Dongjun was not a punishment at all; it was a vacation.
"It seems that the slap Hu Hai received was all for nothing."
This was the thought in the hearts of the ministers.
Just as everyone was lamenting in secret, the First Emperor’s angry shout rang in their ears:
"Zhao Gao, do you know your fault!"
Thump...
Zhao Gao, who had just stood up, was terrified by these words and fell to his knees once more.
His knees hit the blue steel stone floor, making a loud sound.
"Your Majesty, your servant does not know what fault I have committed. Please, Your Majesty, enlighten me."
Zhao Gao prostrated himself, trembling.
The First Emperor Ying Zheng said coldly, "Hu Hai showed no respect for his elders and interrupted Qin Lan, showing no understanding of the 'order of seniority.' As his teacher, are you not at fault?"
Zhao Gao hurriedly said, "This servant is guilty. Please, Your Majesty, punish me."
"After the court is dismissed, go to the judicial office and receive thirty strokes."
"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."
"Get up!"
As Zhao Gao was about to rise, he heard Qin Lan’s voice stopping him.
"Master Zhao, I suggest you stay on your knees a while longer!"
Hmm?
Zhao Gao was confused by these words. He looked up at His Majesty, but saw that the Emperor did not speak.
He had no choice but to remain kneeling.
"Lan'er, do you have anything else to say?"
The First Emperor asked casually.
Qin Lan bowed and said, "Father Emperor, this son believes that Master Zhao should receive another thirty strokes."
"Why?"
"Father Emperor, you summoned us in the dead of night. By all rights, Master Zhao should have come to my residence first, but he did not do so."
"Instead, he went to the Eighteenth Prince’s residence first, showing absolutely no regard for the 'order of seniority'."
Although the voice was soft, it was like a blade piercing Zhao Gao’s heart, causing him unbearable pain.
This was indeed the case, and it was hard to dispute.
The First Emperor heard this and turned to look at Zhao Gao.
"Is this true?"
"Answering Your Majesty, this servant is guilty. As Prince Hu Hai’s teacher, I only think of him at all times."
"Therefore, I have made a mistake. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
Zhao Gao trembled as he lay on the floor.
"Then, as Qin Lan says, take another thirty strokes. Do you accept this?"
The First Emperor’s face was stern.
Zhao Gao nodded quickly: "I accept it. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace, and thank you, Young Master Qin Lan, for your mercy."
This scene fell into the eyes of the officials who were at odds with Zhao Gao, and they couldn't help but cover their mouths and snicker.
Good grief!
Having just been beaten by Qin Lan, he was now being played by Qin Lan and had to receive his punishment obediently.
What is the Master of the Net?
In front of Qin Lan, he was just like a puppet being manipulated at will.
At this moment, the officials’ view of Qin Lan had undergone a huge change.
Openly insulting Hu Hai and beating Zhao Gao in the imperial court!
This level of courage was unmatched inside or outside the Xianyang Palace.
The King of Qin, Ying Zheng, surveyed the court; all ministers and princes held their breath.
Today, he had a major announcement to make—concerning the position of the heir apparent.
"Heaven and earth have changed, stars have fallen, and the Golden List has appeared.
I shall set three tests. Whoever can stand out will be the Crown Prince."
The first test: Seek the Sword Saint and obtain the 'Nine-Turn Longevity Pill'; the second test: Ascend to the top of the three lists; the third test: Campaign at the border and pacify foreign tribes.
Once these words were spoken, the ministers whispered among themselves, each with their own secret thoughts.
Afterward, the ministers left the hall one after another, those of the same faction gathering together to talk in low voices.
"What does His Majesty mean by this? Could there be a hidden motive?"
"I fear it was that remark by Young Master Qin Lan that moved His Majesty."
"If the Eighteenth Prince is chosen, the mastermind who altered the imperial edict must be Zhao Gao."
...
After the others had dispersed, only Qin Lan strolled away, his figure growing distant.
Ying Zheng stood on the pavilion, his eyes following him.
The Sword Saint said, "Beasts walk alone, while cattle and sheep gather in herds."
Hearing this, a flash of satisfaction crossed Ying Zheng’s eyes.
The Sword Saint rarely praised anyone, and this evaluation of Qin Lan was truly rare.
In the imperial court, Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold.
Although Qin Lan did not explicitly mention it, Ying Zheng already had someone in mind.
If things were truly as Qin Lan said, the Great Qin would face an unprecedented crisis.
The Sword Saint responded calmly, "This servant only guards Your Majesty's safety; I dare not discuss court politics. However, since Your Majesty has asked, you must have already reached a decision."
Ying Zheng looked at the rising morning sun, his tone firm: "I have already reached a conclusion. That is the very reason why I must appoint an heir."
At the same time, Zhang Han’s voice came from outside the pavilion: "Your servant, Zhang Han, requests an audience."
Ying Zheng nodded: "Enter."
Zhang Han walked in with a steady gait, armored, and stopped a hundred paces away, kneeling on one knee to salute: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Ying Zheng asked: "What is the matter?"
Zhang Han reported: "Your Majesty, the Shadow Secret Guard has sent news that Zhao Gao’s personal bodyguard, the sixth, has been nailed to the door of the Zhongchefu Official’s residence."
Both Ying Zheng and the Sword Saint were startled.
The sixth had extraordinary strength, and their combined efforts were enough to give even experts of the Heavenly Gang Realm a headache.
Zhang Han added that, according to the signs of the fight, the one who killed the sixth was a master, and they used only one sword.
Ying Zheng remarked upon hearing this: "The top of the Famous Swords Ranking, the Sword God, is in Xianyang; the situation is becoming increasingly complex."
Zhang Han then mentioned the blows Zhao Gao had received: first insulted by Qin Lan, then punished, and now his personal bodyguard had been murdered.
Suddenly, Zhang Han brought out a token; the front was engraved with the character "Nether," and the back had a mask pattern.
It was said that this was found at the crime scene and very likely belonged to the killer.
Ying Zheng took the token, shocked.
The token perfectly matched another one that the Sword Saint carried.
Ying Zheng laughed excitedly: "Good, it has finally reappeared in the world."
The "it" he referred to
was a mysterious cavalry unit clad in black iron armor and wielding black iron blades.
When he ascended the throne as the King of Qin, Lu Buwei controlled the power of the government, and the Empress Dowager controlled the harem.
At that time, he had no real power.
It was then that Lao Ai attempted to rebel.
Just as the rebel army neared Xianyang, at a critical juncture, a thousand-man elite cavalry unit charged out from outside the palace, like divine soldiers descending from heaven.
Facing tens of thousands of rebels,
Wherever the blades pointed, life was extinguished.
One after another, vibrant lives fell.
Wherever the iron cavalry swept through, it was as if they were in an uninhabited land.
Blood rained down, limbs were scattered.
That day, the Xianyang Palace was filled with a thick, bloody stench.
The rebel army had no power to resist this troop.
Soon, the rebellion was quelled.
However, after cleaning the battlefield, people discovered tokens engraved with the word "Nether."
He surmised that this token was a sign of the iron cavalry’s identity.
What puzzled him was that after the rebellion ended, this iron cavalry quietly departed.
No matter how he searched, he could not find a single trace, as if they had appeared from the void and disappeared into the invisible.
As time flowed on, he never gave up the search.
However, there was never any news.
Until the Shadow Secret Guard was established, which was modeled after the appearance of this iron cavalry.
Now that this token had reappeared, how could he not be extremely excited?
Furthermore, the owner of the token had single-handedly annihilated the Net’s Heaven-class expert—the sixth.
This news hit him with a huge impact!
He was also determined to find the true master of the iron cavalry to express his gratitude for that year.
It was precisely because the rebellion of Lao Ai was suppressed that he seized the opportunity to remove Lu Buwei one after another and stripped the Empress Dowager of her regency, finally gaining full control of power.
Thereafter, he was able to sweep away the Six States and bring the world under one unity!
"Zhang Han, obey the command."
"Your servant is here."
"I command you to increase manpower and keep a close watch on the dynamics of Xianyang City. If you find the person holding this token, report to me immediately."
"As you command, I will do my utmost to complete it."
After Zhang Han retreated, Ying Zheng examined the token in his hand, seeing the "Nether" character, and a bold idea surfaced in his mind.
Subsequently, he looked up toward the firmament, at the position of the head of the Sword God Ranking.
"Master Ge, the sword of the Sword God at the top of the list is named the 'Netherworld Sword,' and this token also has the word 'Nether.' Do you think there is any connection between the two?"
Eh?
The Sword Saint was stunned for a moment.
Netherworld Sword?
Name on the token?
It was indeed easy to make one think of certain things.
Regarding this, the Sword Saint smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty, your servant truly does not know if the two are related. Only by finding the Sword God himself or the master of the iron cavalry to verify it face-to-face could the truth be known."
"The Sword God? I am longing to meet him soon."
Ying Zheng remarked with emotion.
Chapter 22: Borrowing a Knife to Kill? Scolding Hu Hai in the Imperial Court [Second Update]
Once the news of the appearance of the Sword God Ranking spread, Xianyang City was immediately flooded with many unfamiliar faces.
Inns were full, and the streets were bustling.
Merchants set up their stalls along the street in an orderly fashion.
In their spare time, they would gather together and talk in low voices about the strange phenomena of last night and the matter of the Sword God Ranking.
"My goodness, that red light yesterday was truly terrifying. It almost blinded my eyes; even now, just thinking about it, I’m scared to death."
"Indeed, the Sword God Ranking shocked the world. The rewards for those on the list are incredibly generous. Earth-level treasures that are hard to see on ordinary days are actually on the list by the dozens."
"What do Earth-level treasures count for? Don't forget, the Sword God who could suppress First Emperor His Majesty received a god-level medicinal pill as a reward. It not only improves cultivation but also prolongs life—it's practically an immortal medicine. Who wouldn't be tempted?"
"Haven't you noticed that there are many new faces in Xianyang City today, and the number of imperial guards responsible for maintaining order has increased significantly? Various factions are acting in the shadows; we should just mind our own business."
"Hey, have you heard? Yesterday, Young Master Qin Lan beat Zhao Gao, openly contradicting the Eighteenth Prince Hu Hai in the imperial court. This act angered First Emperor His Majesty, and he ordered him to go to Dongjun."
The commander of Dongjun, Wang Li, led the famous Hundred-Battle Armor-Piercing Soldiers, who were invincible.
Wang Li and Qin Lan had a deep friendship, so Qin Lan’s trip to Dongjun was like a vacation.
Someone next to him echoed that there was also the Zui Meng Lou in Dongjun, a place that could be called a paradise on earth.
Gao Jianli stood not far away, stealing glimpses of these conversations while eating his breakfast.