Chapter 211

Chapter 211: When the National Advisor Decides Your Fate, No One Can Protect You Until Dawn!

The court was silent, you could hear a pin drop!

This was the majesty belonging to the Emperor.

Just one sentence, just one glance.

Pressed everyone so they could hardly breathe!

His towering figure in front of the throne seemed like a mountain too lofty to gaze upon.

That suffocating pressure filled every heart.

The powerful, resolute voice sounded like a tolling bell.

Every word sent shivers down their spines!

Why should he not do what hadn’t been done before?

He would blaze a new trail!

Future generations could only wander in the river he left behind.

He would become a giant, allowing future generations to overlook from his shoulders.

He wanted change!

Change the world, change the stubborn old ideas!

What ambition and boldness this was.

Ying Zheng descended the steps step by step.

His steps were steady and firm.

As if there was a mountain before him, he would flatten it.

“Is the Prime Minister important?”

He looked around at everyone.

“Naturally important.”

A self-asked, self-answered.

“A conduit for the monarch’s commands, unifying all officials, overseeing state affairs.”

He walked past each person in the court.

His towering presence and imposing aura made them all bow their heads.

The solemn voice shook the heavens.
“If it is so important, then what use is the king?”

“Without the Prime Minister, can this country not exist?”

“If a king cannot do without a Prime Minister, then what is the use of the king?”

The officials all bowed their heads and did not dare to answer.

“From now on, my Qin state does not need a Prime Minister.”

“I, as the ruler, shall both preside over the court and govern the country!”

Looking at the officials who dared not speak, Zhao Ji, who was behind the curtains, was greatly shocked!

Her phoenix eyes were fixed on Ying Zheng.

This is what a king should be like, right?

The appellate official momentarily forgot to rebuke.

He was stunned.

After a long time, he finally recovered.

Emotionally, he said, “Your Majesty, you cannot do this!”

“Why not?”

Ying Zheng suddenly turned around.

His sharp and profound gaze made others dare not look directly at him.

“Abolishing the Prime Minister, overturning a system that has lasted for hundreds of years, is disrespectful to the former kings and a violation of the law.”

“Your Majesty, as long as I am an official in the court, I must speak the truth without fear.”

“Until Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager retract this order, I will advise daily, until both agree.”

Zhao Ji, behind the curtains, rolled her eyes.

Her mouth itched, and she felt an urge to curse.

Ying Zheng glanced sideways at the appellate official and the few people behind him.

“Do you all think the same?”

The few people answered in unison, “Please, Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager, retract the order!”

Ying Zheng crossed his hands behind his back.

“What if I don’t retract it?”

The appellate official passionately declared, “Then I will die persuading!”

“I will die persuading too!”

“So will I!”

The rest of the officials exchanged glances with different expressions on their faces.

The appellate official held a high position and influence.

It was clear that they intended to use their death as leverage.

Even the king and the Empress Dowager had to consider it seriously.

Zhao Ji’s eyebrows furrowed, her beautiful face frosty.

Her silver teeth ground audibly.

Ying Zheng coldly looked at those people.

The atmosphere in the grand hall was especially serious.

His forehead sweating profusely, the appellate official’s hand holding the jade token was already drenched in sweat.

It was a silent confrontation.

Who would win or lose depended on who spoke first.

The court fell silent for a long time.

Finally, Ying Zheng averted his gaze.

He stepped onto the stairs.

Step by step, he returned to his throne.

After sitting upright, his thick lips moved.

“Fine.”

One word broke the heavy silence.

Chu Ping-jun raised his head and glanced.

Shaking his head inwardly.

Zhao Ji tightly pressed her lips.

Her face was extremely unpleased.

Once they yielded this time, it would be almost impossible to abolish the Prime Minister system in the future.

Furthermore, it wasn’t just this matter.

If any decision in the future faced disagreement, someone could again threaten with death, weakening the authority of the monarchy.

The appellate official, upon hearing Ying Zheng’s words, finally began to relax.

Indeed, the Emperor of Qin was still too young.

His talk of dying was merely a scare tactic.

The Qin court was undergoing a major reshuffle.

As long as he could take one more step, he could rank among the three highest officials.

He had always been mediocre among the nine ministers.

Conventional methods had no hope of further promotion.

Thus, he could only take a risky move.

With the Prime Minister’s position preserved, whomever became Prime Minister would view him favorably.

Offending the king did not matter.

As long as he had the Prime Minister’s support, his future would still be clear.

The three highest officials were not appointed but elected.

The Prime Minister, as the head of officials, if he endorsed him, the other officials would not pose a problem.

This was a gamble.

Ying Zheng backing down meant he had won half the bet.

“In that case, I will fulfill your wishes.”

Ying Zheng’s gaze turned solemn as he spoke slowly.

The appellate official finally relaxed completely.

Overwhelmed with pride, he said, “Your Majesty, holy grace…”

But before he could finish, Ying Zheng’s eyes suddenly turned cold.
Coldly he shouted, “Someone, come!”

A dozen of the imperial guards quickly ran inside from outside the hall.

Looking at all the fully armed imperial guards, the civil and military officials were momentarily stunned.

They had no idea why Ying Zheng had called the imperial guards in at this moment.

Ying Zheng didn’t keep them waiting long; he quickly revealed the answer.

With a ruthless and unfeeling tone, he said, “Drag these few Lu faction traitors outside and behead them!”

Boom!

The word “behead” struck everyone like a bolt of lightning.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Have mercy!”

“Your Majesty, I am not a traitor!”

“I will not remonstrate anymore, Your Majesty, please have mercy!”

“Empress Dowager, have mercy!”

Several officials who had just moments ago been steadfast turned pale instantly!

Their legs gave out as they knelt to beg for their lives.

The chief remonstrance officer leading them was in utter disbelief, stunned like a wooden chicken!

How could this happen?

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I will not remonstrate anymore, neither will I!”

He knelt down with a thud.

Tears streamed down his old face in terror.

“Too late!”

Ying Zheng shouted coldly.

“Lu Buwei, as prime minister, disrupted the court’s order; the lesson is right before you.”

“I abolished the position of prime minister to ensure the stability of the Qin country.”

“Yet you few strongly oppose it. Do you intend to produce another Lu Buwei to harm our Qin country?”

“Such malicious intentions and vile conduct are no different from Lu Buwei’s!”

“Drag them away, treat them as Lu Buwei’s co-conspirators!”

These civil officials, usually pampered, were dragged away like chicks.

The sound of their cries for mercy grew fainter.

The civil and military officials exchanged glances.

Each face was filled with deep shock.

Ying Zheng’s move was truly unexpected for them.

Such iron-handed methods instantly intimidated the crowd.

He was using these vivid lives to tell them.

Royal authority cannot be violated!

Seeing the civil and military officials on the court rendered mute by fear, Zhao Ji was deeply surprised.

She never expected that Ying Zheng’s final method of handling the situation would be this.

The method was extreme, but extremely effective and immediate.

No wonder Li Mo was so confident in her presence yesterday.

He probably had already guessed Ying Zheng would handle it this way.

For a moment, Zhao Ji felt a mixture of emotions.

As a mother, she seemed not to understand Ying Zheng as well as he did!

After eliminating those few troublemakers, everything else went particularly smoothly.

The cabinet was officially established today.

Lord Changping was appointed as the chief cabinet minister.

Under him was one deputy and two cabinet members.

By dusk, before nightfall.

Lord Changping’s residence was already filled with people early on.

All those who came were high-ranking officials and nobles.

These people, of course, came to congratulate him.

Although the chief cabinet minister did not have as much power as the prime minister, he could still assist the king in handling state affairs.

It carried significant advisory power.

Therefore, this position held substantial influence in the monarch’s eyes.

Of course, influence is one thing.

Whether to adopt the advice ultimately depended on the monarch’s decision.

At the banquet, everyone discussed Ying Zheng’s actions today.

It was unexpected, really too unexpected.

“I never thought the king’s attitude would be so resolute. Fortunately, I didn’t step forward to oppose with them.”

Actually, it wasn’t only those few people who opposed at that time.

Some had chosen to observe first.

It was this hesitation that allowed them to save their lives.

Otherwise, they might have already been beheaded, with no chance to sit here drinking.

“Indeed, although our king is young, in my opinion, he is already showing sharp edges. After he takes over power, he will probably bring more changes to Qin.”

“In my view, our king is not an ordinary person.”

Thinking of the oppressive feeling Ying Zheng brought them during the day, some people still felt lingering fear.

“Hey, what do you think made the king think of abolishing the prime minister and setting up a cabinet?”

“Yes, after court I thought long and hard, this solution is indeed extremely clever.”

Some people were already drunk.

They gathered in groups, discussing.

Someone rolled their eyes.
Whispered, “I don’t think it’s necessarily what the Emperor and the Empress Dowager had in mind.”

These words immediately aroused everyone’s curiosity.

“If not the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, then who else could it be?”

The official took a sip of wine, raising an eyebrow.

“Who else in the Qin Empire could speak with enough authority to be acknowledged by both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?”

The scene suddenly fell silent.

Then, a single answer popped into everyone’s mind.

“The National Advisor?”

The person nodded in agreement.

“Lu Buwei has been eliminated for so long, why are the Emperor and the Empress Dowager only bringing this up now?”

Someone asked in confusion, “Why?”

The person gave him a look.

“After eliminating Lu Buwei, the National Advisor went to Han and only returned the day before yesterday.”

“In his absence, the Prime Minister’s position has remained vacant.”

“It’s obvious that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were waiting for him to return and make a decision!”

Suddenly enlightened, the crowd seemed to wake from a dream.

“That’s right!”

“The National Advisor’s methods and style have always been unpredictable. The idea of abolishing the Prime Minister’s position is something no ordinary person would even dare to think of!”

His prophecies, the practical horseshoes.

Using unexpected tactics to bring down Lu Buwei, who was deeply rooted in the court.

Amid the desperate times when the Emperor and Empress Dowager were at a loss due to Lu Buwei’s jailbreak, he quietly brought back his head.

Later, he went alone to Han and kidnapped the Hann princess and general.

One extraordinary deed after another, things an ordinary person wouldn’t dare to imagine, let alone do.

But now, all these things had been accomplished by the same person.

Someone suddenly sighed.

“No wonder the Emperor and the Empress Dowager trust the National Advisor so much!”

Any single one of these deeds would be enough to earn a lifetime of honor and titles.

Previously, there might have been some underestimation of this suddenly emerged National Advisor.

But as time passed, and he accomplished one incredible feat after another.

No one dared to say he lacked substance anymore!

“Do you know why Lord Changping didn’t oppose the Emperor and the Empress Dowager abolishing the Prime Minister’s position today?”

At this moment, someone lowered their voice and asked.

This question immediately piqued everyone’s curiosity.

“Why?”

Normally, Lord Changping should have been the first to stand against it.

Because he was the most popular candidate for the Prime Minister’s position.

It was practically a sure thing.

With the Prime Minister’s position abolished, the prize he was about to win had slipped away.

But today, at the court meeting?

Not only did he not oppose it, but he was also the first to support it!

This was bewildering to many.

What were you thinking?

The position of Prime Minister being abolished affects you the most!

The speaker looked around, seeing everyone busy drinking and not paying attention to their corner.

He whispered, “It’s because someone gave him a hint beforehand.”

Several people exchanged glances, furrowing their brows in thought.

For some reason, a name simultaneously popped into their minds.

“…”

“Are you saying… the National Advisor?”

The person nodded emphatically.

“Yesterday, on my way back from official duties, I saw Lord Changping’s carriage heading out of the city, in the direction…”

He pointed eastward.

“Of the National Advisor’s estate.”

Everyone drew a sharp breath.

No wonder Lord Changping was acting so strangely today.

So, he had known about this yesterday!

“According to this logic, Lord Changping could become the Prime Minister because he had the National Advisor’s approval too?”

Someone beside them firmly replied, “Most likely!”

Hearing this, everyone’s expressions changed, becoming quite peculiar.

The National Advisor’s words could determine the appointment or dismissal of a Prime Minister.

If someone could cultivate a good relationship with him, wouldn’t a casual recommendation from him to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager save them years of effort?

From the time in Han, when the Emperor and the Empress Dowager mobilized 400,000 troops to demand someone from the Hann Emperor, it was clear.

The status of the National Advisor in their hearts was incredibly high.

His words held absolute influence!

Someone lamented with frustration and regret.

Why didn’t I realize it sooner?

If I had thought of this earlier, flattered the National Advisor before Lord Changping, maybe I would have been the chief assistant.

Although the chief assistant doesn’t have as much power as the prime minister, it’s still a position at the center of power!

A few people were almost in tears.

This wine really tastes bitter!

Not long after, Lord Changping went to his own back courtyard under the pretense of feeling unwell.

Once he, the host, left, the banquet soon came to an end.

In the backyard.

Lord Changping, who had just been supported by servants, now sat in the yard with a rosy face, soberly drinking tea.

Changwen Jun, who had been handling the guests upfront, came in after seeing everyone off.

He was momentarily stunned when he saw Lord Changping.

“Weren’t you feeling unwell? Why aren’t you lying down to rest?”

Lord Changping glanced at his cousin.

After finishing the tea in his cup, he said, “The sooner they leave, the better I feel.”

“The later they leave, the worse I feel.”

Changwen Jun was baffled.

“What do you mean?”

Lord Changping put down his cup, tidied up his clothes and appearance, and said, “If they don’t leave, how can I slip away to thank the National Advisor?”

Without Li Mo’s support, it would still be a question whether he could become the chief assistant.

Changwen Jun was even more puzzled.

“Your appointment as chief assistant was by the king and the Empress Dowager, what does it have to do with the National Advisor?”

Lord Changping gave him a deep look.

And said meaningfully, “How do you think the Emperor and the Empress Dowager got the idea to abolish the prime minister’s position?”

Changwen Jun thought for a moment and understood.

Took a deep breath and said, “It was the National Advisor’s suggestion?”

Lord Changping nodded and ordered the servants to prepare the carriage.

Whether to thank today or tomorrow, that is a matter of attitude.

If he hadn’t been delayed by those people after court, he would have gone earlier.

After giving orders, he seriously reminded Changwen Jun, “The National Advisor’s status in the hearts of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor is higher than you or I can imagine.”

“Remember.”

“In the future, no matter who you offend, you must not offend the National Advisor.”

“In this Qin State, the people who the Empress Dowager and the Emperor want dead can be saved by the National Advisor.”

“But if the National Advisor wants someone dead, no one in this world can save them!”

“If the National Advisor wants you dead by midnight, no one can save you until dawn!”

These words are not baseless.

From the matter of whether to use Princess Hongliang and Han State to exchange for the city, one can see the clues!