lovenovelstory Chapter 262 Li Si: You're really giving this old man no peace!
Chapter 262 Li Si: You're really giving this old man no peace!
Inside Zhangtai Palace.
The majestic hall was now filled with the rich aroma of meat.
Li Si hurriedly stepped into the hall as ordered.
He walked with a furrowed brow, his face showing exhaustion and distress.
These days, he is extremely busy with the first imperial examination of the Qin Dynasty, and he is practically never able to put his feet down.
Various exam venue selections, exam paper preparation, and the allocation of resources to students from impoverished backgrounds!
This was all unprecedented in the history of the Qin Dynasty!
The sheer number of tasks and responsibilities had nearly turned his hair white from exhaustion, making him, the prime minister, work himself to the bone.
"At this critical juncture, I never expected His Majesty to suddenly summon this old minister!"
"What urgent matter is it now...?"
Li Si muttered to himself, his heart pounding with anxiety.
Upon entering the hall, Li Si was stunned.
Instead of reviewing memorials as usual, Ying Zheng casually sat behind his large desk.
On the desk.
A pot of steaming hot cooked meat was placed on the table, its aroma filling the air.
Upon seeing Li Si enter, Ying Zheng's cold and stern expression softened slightly.
He casually picked up a small meat knife, pointed to the empty seat opposite him, and said with a faint smile:
"Li Si, you've arrived."
"Sit down!"
"The same old rule applies: I'll eat the lean meat, and you'll eat the fatty meat."
Li Si, who was still pondering matters of state, smelled the rich aroma of meat.
They were immediately starving.
"This old minister...thanks, Your Majesty, for bestowing meat upon me!"
Li Si was not pretentious; the two had known each other for many years, and their tacit understanding was already very deep.
He immediately lifted his official robe and plopped down next to Ying Zheng.
Ying Zheng put the lean meat into his own bowl and threw the piece of fatty meat into Li Si's bowl.
The emperor and his minister sat at the table.
They didn't talk about national affairs, they just ate meat heartily!
After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, a good half hour had passed.
Ying Zheng put down the knife in his hand and said casually:
"Li Si, in the court today!"
What is your opinion on the remnants of the Chu state?
Li Si was chewing the last bite of fatty meat.
He was taken aback by what he heard!
He immediately straightened up, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, although the remnants of the Chu Kingdom are weak, they are still deeply rooted in the Jiangdong region."
"They're secretly stockpiling supplies, plotting something sinister; of course, we need to investigate them thoroughly!"
"After all, this matter concerns the future peace and tranquility of the Great Qin Dynasty, and we must not take it lightly!"
Ying Zheng listened without expression and continued cutting the cooked meat.
After a moment, he continued speaking slowly:
"What if...this matter is related to Zhang Fan?"
"Thud!"
Li Si's hand trembled suddenly as he picked up the piece of fatty meat, causing it to fall onto the table and bounce twice.
He was struck dumb, staring at Ying Zheng in disbelief.
"Is it related to... to that kid Zhang Fan?"
Li Si's mind went completely blank.
His mind raced, and cold sweat trickled down his temples.
I hesitated for a long time!
He gritted his teeth, clasped his hands together, and said resolutely:
"Your Majesty! The remaining rebels must be investigated!"
"But...but this old minister dares to guarantee it with his life!"
"Although Zhang Fan usually acts eccentrically, he would never betray the Qin Dynasty!"
"He brought potatoes, and used them to forge steel!"
"Now they are even going on a campaign to conquer Japan for our Great Qin Dynasty, and have absolutely no intention of rebelling!"
Seeing Li Si's nervous appearance, a barely perceptible smile flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes.
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Alright, I naturally know he won't betray Qin!"
"That brat caused such a commotion over there, does he really think my Black Ice Guard is blind?"
Upon hearing this, Li Si breathed a long sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
That scared me to death!
Ying Zheng abruptly changed the subject, his gaze becoming profound.
"Therefore, it's best to entrust this matter to you!"
"You handle things reliably and know how to strike the right balance!"
"But right now, the imperial examination is the foundation of our Great Qin Dynasty for generations to come, and we absolutely cannot let it distract you!"
"If the Black Ice Guard's trip to Kuaiji Prefecture yields even the slightest clue..."
Ying Zheng stared intently at Li Si, his tone carrying a profound meaning:
"Who should be entrusted with handling this matter in the imperial court?"
Li Si was suddenly startled, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, and he instantly realized the truth!
That's it!
It turns out that what happened in the court today was a trap set up by the Shaofuzong!
Zong Yu and Zhang Fan were already at odds, and now he was taking advantage of Zhang Fan's great achievement.
Suddenly, a report was submitted regarding the remnants of the Chu state!
Their target is definitely Zhang Fan!
Of all the officials in the court, who can handle this matter?
Should we let Zong Yu handle it?
That Zhang Fan kid will be lucky to escape with his life, or at least suffer a severe injury!
No!
Should we let the other uninformed officials investigate?
Even worse, the slightest carelessness could lead to Zhang Fan being labeled a traitor!
I also have to focus all my efforts on preparing for the imperial examinations, so I can't get away...
unless……
Suddenly, the perfect candidate to break the deadlock flashed through Li Si's mind!
Let those who create problems solve them!
Li Si suddenly raised his head, his eyes shining, and just as he opened his mouth to utter a single word:
"Unless Zhang..."
"alright!"
Before Li Si could even utter a word!
Ying Zheng then raised his hand, casually interrupting him, and said indifferently:
"This matter is sufficient for you and me to know!"
"Step down. Pay more attention to the imperial examinations."
Li Si's body trembled, and he took a deep look at the unfathomable emperor before him.
Your Majesty is going to ruin this game!
When a sudden upheaval occurs in the court, he, as the prime minister, will step forward!
It is perfectly legitimate to recommend Zhang Fan to thoroughly investigate the remaining villains!
This will not only silence Zong Yu and the public, but also allow us to protect Zhang Fan openly and legitimately!
The art of rulership is truly terrifying!
"This old minister... obeys the decree!"
Li Si bowed deeply in sincere admiration, then retreated backwards from Zhangtai Palace.
……
We exited the palace gates.
A cool breeze blew by!
Looking at the starry sky, Li Si couldn't help but smile bitterly and shake his head.
"Zhang Fan, you little rascal..."
"You've really given this old man no peace!"
"Having created such a huge mess, His Majesty is still going in circles!"
"Let me offer this suggestion: if anything goes wrong, you can investigate yourself!"
"Of all the officials in the court, you're probably the only one who deserves this honor!"
Li Si patted his round belly and sighed.
"Fine, fine! I'll just consider it something I owed you in my past life!"
"Burp~"
As he pondered this, Li Si let out a loud burp.
Humming an unknown Qin-style tune, he walked briskly and unsteadily towards the palace gates.
……
Donghai County, Langya Port.
After several days at sea, the flagship of the First Fleet of the Great Qin Dynasty finally docked.
Because the main force of the army was left in Japan to guard the border and control the prisoners!
Only five hundred guards returned with the ship this time.
The night is deep!
The largest restaurant in Langya Port, in the most luxurious private room on the top floor.
"Aww! Smack smack... Awesome! This is so fucking awesome!"
"Give me two more whole roasted lambs! Hurry up!"