Xianyang.

The forces on all sides are experiencing strange turmoil. The ministers of the powerful Qin Empire have resorted to their own special tricks in an attempt to get the maximum benefit from the battle with the enemy. The Qin Empire has indeed reached a state of dilapidation.

Tingwei Prison.

This Xianyang prison is located in Anqingfang not far from the imperial palace. It was originally the site of the Tingwei Mansion of the Qin State. After the First Emperor ascended the throne, the Tingwei Mansion was moved to a new location on the bank of the Wei River, and the old mansion was immediately transformed to house some important prisoners.

In the thirty-fourth year of the First Emperor's reign, Dr. Chun Yuyue and others opposed enfeoffment and imitated the ancient system to allocate counties and counties to their children.

Naturally, Li Si, who was the Prime Minister at the time, refuted this remonstrance of regressing history. He immediately suggested that the First Emperor abolish private schools, burn private books, and have Chun Yuyue and other Confucian scholars imprisoned and beheaded. This is the famous "

After Confucianism officially became the orthodox doctrine of China's feudal dynasty, Li Si's suggestion was refuted by literati of all ages. In many history books, Li Si's evaluation has always been low. In addition to his character, the reasons

One of them is this.

One year ago, it was July of the second year of Qin II.

A political storm sweeping Xianyang caused fundamental changes in the Qin government. Li Si was imprisoned by the second emperor on charges of possible collaboration with the enemy. Under the instruction of Zhao Gao, the Tingwei Mansion had gone through no less than ten interrogations. In one

During the first interrogation, Li Si, the former prime minister, nearly suffered a mental breakdown. He was only in his fifties and looked like a weathered old man in his sixties or seventies.

The elegant scholar who came to Cai Cai disappeared.

Prime Minister Li, who cautiously made plans beside the powerful figure of the First Emperor, has long become a thing of the past.

One emperor and one courtier.

The biggest tragedy in Li Si's life is that he did not understand this truth. Just because the first emperor valued him does not mean that the second emperor will also value him equally. Although there are important ministers who served as prime ministers for three generations in history, such smart people are absolutely rare.

Moreover, such people know when to delegate power and when to retreat in order to advance.

Li Si obviously didn't understand this. As a Legalist, his achievements in Confucianism were equivalent to the level of a childish student. After becoming the prime minister of the Qin State, Li Si's inner desire continued to expand.

In the prison, Li Si and his son were locked in a small cell in the prison. With a little daylight, Li Si had disheveled hair, shaking his blood-stained hands, and placed a bundle of bamboo slips for him to write a confession of guilt.

Write vigorously and quickly.

"Since I became the prime minister, my thoughts and concerns have not been of concern to His Majesty the Emperor. I can't sleep at night and eat without food -!" Li Si laboriously wrote each word. Over the past year, he seemed to have become accustomed to it.

Such memorials were written again and again, hoping that one day Hu Hai would be able to see his unwavering loyalty.

"Aweng, take a rest. I have written more than ten copies of this memorial. If the emperor sees it, he will definitely send someone to ask Aweng to see him." Li Si's second son, Li Zheng, said at the side.

Advise.

Li Si turned his head and glanced at Li Zheng, who was also haggard, with turbid eyes. After a long time, he sighed and said, "I don't know what Zheng'er said. It's just that this young emperor doesn't have a close relationship with my Li family. Now,

, I am in prison again, if anyone talks about it in front of the emperor again, I'm afraid——!"

Li Si choked with sobs, and there was a wave of discomfort and regret in his heart. One step was wrong and the other was wrong. At the time of the Sand Dune Incident, among the three important ministers trusted by the First Emperor, Li Si ranked first, Meng Yi was second, and Zhao Gao was just the third.

However, only one year has passed since the third child's position. He, Li Si, was in prison, and the Li family was also facing disintegration; Meng Yi was sentenced to death, and the once-prominent Meng family also suffered due to the deaths of Meng Yi and Meng Tian.

As for the disintegration, among the three major families, only Zhao Gao was the one who really benefited.

"Zheng understands what Aweng means, but can Aweng's Zhezi really be sent to the emperor? This has happened more than ten times. If the emperor knew Aweng's intentions, how could he not even send him personally?

Come." Li Zheng said. From the respected and admired second son in the Prime Minister's Palace to the first-level prisoner, Li Zheng, who was only 26 years old, experienced ups and downs in his life, which made him more and more discouraged about his official career.

.

After hearing what Li Zheng said, Li Si's hand that had been writing stopped. Slowly, he straightened his waist, raised his head, and glanced at the place where there was only a little light.

"I, Li Si, am at fault. I'm sorry for the late emperor, and I'm sorry for the ancestors of the Li family!" Li Si's voice was filled with sorrow, with almost muddy old tears covering his face.

At this moment, he was just an old man who made a wrong decision for his own selfish reasons. The reason why he kept complaining to the second generation was that he subconsciously did not want to admit that he was wrong.

The First Emperor was buried in a huge mausoleum underground. Li Si did not dare to imagine that one day, if he saw the First Emperor winning political power underground, he would ask: How is my empire now? The crown prince, Fusu, will help you.

How is it? Which barbaric land has our army of Great Qin conquered now? How will Li Si answer?

"Aweng, take care. Although the eldest brother is gone, the children of the Li family have not given up. The third brother, the third brother will avenge us." Li Zheng comforted.

The news of Li You's defeat and death in Yongqiu was conveyed to Li Si by the court official who came to interrogate him under the instruction of Zhao Gao. Zhao Gao's heavy punch immediately made his old rival Li Si miserable and almost almost died.

He vomited blood and died on the spot.

"Azheng, don't talk nonsense. There are only two men in our Li family, and there is no third person." Li Si's body trembled, and he swayed and sat down on the mat.

"Ah Weng, I heard that my younger brother is in Xingyang——!" Li Zheng's face flushed, and he couldn't contain his excitement and continued.

"Zheng'er, am I not clear? There is no third male in the Li family. No, let that bastard fend for himself." Li Si's voice was sharp, interrupting Li Zheng's story.

The violent emotional ups and downs made him almost breathless.

"Ah Weng, if Zheng knows, he just won't say anything." Li Zheng replied dejectedly.

Unlike his eldest brother Li You, who was leading troops abroad to fight, Li Zheng's personality was inherited from Li Si's hobby of literature and calligraphy. One was a scholar and the other was a martial artist. Both sons were the first choice for the moment. Li You married the eldest son of the Qin State.

The princess, Li Zheng's fiancée, has also been engaged. She is a direct daughter of a distant branch of the royal family. Such a marriage with the royal family demonstrates Li's unique status in the Qin Kingdom.

Li Zheng was careful. From Tingwei's attitude towards Li Si, he had already noticed that the situation was not good. If in the first few months, the guards who guarded Li Si could still take care of them, now, their father and son's

The treatment is exactly the same as other criminals.
Chapter completed!