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In late August, the sun is scorching.

Julu County, Shaqiu Palace.

The scorching sun poured down on the vast land. From afar, the outline of the Dune Palace was faintly visible against the backdrop of the golden sand dunes.

Although the ancient palace walls have been eroded by time, they still exude a solemn and majestic atmosphere. The palace walls are built with huge stones and are full of traces of time.

The architectural style of Shaqiu Palace is unique, combining the solemnity and elegance of the Central Plains with the boldness and generosity of the northern nomadic people. The roof of the palace is made of glazed tiles, which sparkle with colorful light under the sunlight.

But at this time, the atmosphere in Shaqiu Palace was solemn. Tens of thousands of Qin soldiers surrounded the palace in a strict and orderly manner, their armor flashing coldly in the sun, their weapons tightly grasped, and they watched everything around them vigilantly.

In the side hall, Li Si sat on a wooden bench, his eyes full of worry. He had accompanied the emperor on many tours, but this time, his inner uneasiness followed him everywhere.

A few days ago, when he was on a tour to Pingyuanjin, Qin Shihuang suddenly became seriously ill. After being transferred to Shaqiu Palace, his condition did not improve, but became more and more serious. He could not even get up and could only lie on the couch, sometimes falling into a coma and sometimes waking up briefly. This state has lasted for three days.

The fact that Qin Shi Huang was seriously ill was kept strictly confidential. Only a few people, such as Li Si, Meng Tian, ​​and Hu Hai, knew about it. Even they could only visit the emperor twice a day, in the morning and evening. Qin Shi Huang's most trusted Shaofu Zhao Gao and Taiyi Ling Yihe, guarded the emperor's bedside day and night.

A steady sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor, and Yi Huawei's voice slowly rang out at the door: "What does the Prime Minister want to see me about?"

Upon hearing the voice, Li Si immediately stood up and went to meet him, his face full of concern: "Lord Zhao! How is His Majesty?"

Yi Huawei lowered his head slightly, walked into the house, and said solemnly: "Prime Minister Li, I just came from His Majesty..." He sighed slightly, his tone full of helplessness: "His Majesty's current condition is not very good!"

Li Si's face became more gloomy, and he frowned. After a moment of silence, he said, "That's why I asked Lord Zhao to come over to discuss a foolproof plan!"

As he spoke, Li Si stared at Yi Huawei closely: "If your Majesty dies..."

Yi Huawei also looked heavy-hearted. He looked at Li Si and asked slowly, "What do you think, Prime Minister?"

"Lord Zhao, we are in the same boat, so I won't beat around the bush..." Li Si's voice was low and serious: "If your majesty dies, the Qin Dynasty cannot be without a leader for a day. However, you and I both know that your majesty prefers Fusu. But once Fusu ascends the throne, I think our good days will be over."

Having said that, Li Si paused slightly, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Fusu had always disliked the Legalists, who he thought were too harsh. Once Fusu ascended the throne, the power of Confucianism in the court would surely increase greatly, which was absolutely unacceptable to Li Si, who had devoted his life to promoting the Legalist ideology.

It was also known to everyone that Fusu disliked Zhao Gao. Moreover, Zhao Gao was Hu Hai's teacher, so it could be said that they were natural allies. Once Fusu succeeded to the throne, Zhao Gao's position would be threatened.

Li Si continued, "Lord Zhao, we must plan for our future."

Yi Huawei's eyes narrowed: "What does the Prime Minister mean?"

"Keep the death a secret!" Li Si gritted his teeth and said, "Send His Majesty's body back to Xianyang as soon as possible... I'm sure that by that time, Master Fusu will not have returned yet! I will wait for Master Fu Huhai to ascend the throne, and then announce it to the world... In this way, the Qin Dynasty can avoid a disaster, and you and I can avoid a disaster too!"

"Your Majesty summons Li Si to see you!"

Just then, an usher shouted loudly at the door.

Li Si followed the usher to the door of Qin Shihuang's bedroom, took a deep breath, and slowly walked into the bedroom.

The bedroom was filled with a faint herbal scent. Qin Shihuang was lying on the dragon bed, his face as pale as paper. When he saw Li Si coming in, he raised his hand with difficulty and motioned Li Si to come closer.

"His Majesty……"

When Li Si saw that the once majestic and powerful monarch was so sick and weak, he felt an indescribable grief in his heart. He slowly fell down in front of the bed, tears streaming down his face.

Qin Shi Huang lay on the couch, his face pale and his breath weak. Looking at Li Si, his eyes were full of vicissitudes and helplessness. He sighed and said, "Prime Minister, I have never been so sick. I was established at the age of fourteen and have been on the throne for thirty-seven years. I wanted to seek elixir to achieve immortality, but now I am seriously ill and almost dead... Is this God's will?"

Li Si knelt down and begged, "Your Majesty..., Your Majesty may live a hundred years and live forever, how could Your Majesty die? I am not dead yet! Your Majesty... shall we return to Xianyang?"

He shook his head slightly and was silent for a moment. Then, Qin Shi Huang looked at Li Si and said weakly, "Li Si, I know my health very well. I am afraid that I don't have much time left. I summoned you today because I have something important to tell you."

Li Si was shocked and said quickly: "Your Majesty will recover, please do not say such ominous words."

"I have fought battles throughout my life, unified the six kingdoms, and established the Great Qin Empire."

Qin Shi Huang's voice was weak but full of vicissitudes and majesty. He raised his eyes slightly, and his gaze seemed to travel through time and space, recalling the glorious years of the past: "I led an army of tigers and wolves, overcame countless hardships and obstacles, and finally achieved hegemony. This empire is the result of my life's hard work. Now, what I am most worried about is the future of this empire."

Qin Shi Huang tilted his head slightly and looked at Li Si beside him. His voice slowed down again: "However, I have not appointed a queen, and I have no legitimate son. Fusu is traveling overseas and I don't know when he will return. The remaining 17 sons are just reaching adulthood and are inevitably weak and lonely. Prime Minister, who do you think should be the heir?"

Li Si was shocked when he heard this. He knelt down quickly, his forehead pressed tightly against the ground, and his voice trembled slightly:

"Your Majesty! The selection of the successor to the throne of the country should be decided by your Majesty. Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, wise and enlightened. As a subject, I can only obey the edict of the master, serve loyally, and obey the will of heaven. I dare not speak rashly about such important matters. I am loyal to your Majesty and am willing to sacrifice my life for your Majesty and the Great Qin. I have no intention of usurping the throne. Your Majesty's decision will be fully assisted by me to ensure the prosperity and stability of the Great Qin Empire."

Li Si's heart was in turmoil. He knew the sensitivity and importance of this issue, and if he was not careful, he might be killed. He did not dare to express his opinion easily, and could only respond to the emperor with a cautious attitude.

Qin Shi Huang looked at Li Si lying on the ground and sighed slightly. He closed his eyes and was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "Prime Minister, I know your difficulties, but I need your opinion now. Among my sons, who do you think is most qualified to inherit the throne?"

Li Si's forehead was still pressed against the ground. He did not dare to look up. He just said carefully: "Your Majesty, each prince has his own advantages and disadvantages. I dare not speak rashly. But Your Majesty can consider the prince's benevolence, talent, wisdom and other aspects and choose the one who is most suitable to inherit the throne." After a long silence, Qin Shihuang said: "Prime Minister, you can withdraw first. I will think about it carefully."

Li Si felt relieved, kowtowed to express his gratitude, and then slowly left the bedroom.

...............

Just as Qin Shihuang was asking Li Si about the candidate for successor, Yi Huawei was sitting opposite Hu Hai in Yunruo Palace, not far from Qin Shihuang's bedroom.

Hu Hai was only 20 years old, and he had already grown a thin beard on his chin. Among all the brothers, he looked most like the young Qin Shi Huang. However, he did not have the seriousness of Qin Shi Huang, and his eyes were full of frivolity.

Looking at Yi Huawei, Hu Hai still had a hint of doubt in his eyes:
"Teacher, is what you taught me to do really appropriate? Being the heir to the throne is definitely not my original intention..."

Yi Huawei smiled slightly, with a hint of deep meaning in his eyes: "I have been teaching you for five years, so I naturally know your original intention. You have never asked for anything, but only hope to enjoy what you like and satisfy your heart's desires during your lifetime."

That’s right, Hu Hai’s dream is to be a useless person who just eats and waits for death!

"That's right." Hu Hai clapped his hands and said, "Teacher understands me, so Hu Hai doesn't want to be an emperor."

"Take my father for example. He reviewed papers until late at night every day, for years and months without rest, until he coughed up blood and fainted. This is really like using the whole world as a shackle. I don't want this heavy shackle to fall on me and tire me to death!"

Hu Hai refused with a look of refusal: "Being an emperor is such a hard job, so I don't want to do it."

Yi Huawei looked at Hu Hai, leaned forward slightly, and said earnestly: "Sir, have you ever thought about what your future would be like if you were not the emperor? In this palace, the struggle for power has never stopped. If you do not have sufficient status and power, how can you guarantee that you can continue to live the life you expect?"

Hu Hai was slightly stunned and fell into deep thought. He had never thought about this question. He had always thought about escaping responsibility and enjoying comfort. But Yi Huawei's words forced him to re-examine his situation.

Seeing Hu Hai's reaction, Yi Huawei's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a meaningful smile, and continued: "Besides, why must one person bear this heavy shackle? The reason why your majesty is suffering is that your majesty is too responsible and takes all the affairs of the world into his own hands. If you succeed to the throne, you don't have to do this. Have you heard of 'ruling by sitting back and doing nothing'?"

Hu Hai's eyes immediately revealed a strong interest:

"Governing with ease?"

Yi Huawei nodded slightly and said, "Yes! Today, the world is unified and peaceful. How can there be life-and-death and survival-critical events like in the past? Most of them are just locust plagues, floods, and small thieves in some places."

After a slight pause, Yi Huawei's eyes were fixed on Hu Hai, carefully observing his every subtle reaction. Then, he slowly said: "Young Master, think about it, these things really don't need to be handled by the emperor himself. Now that the Qin Empire is unified, the system is complete, and the ministers have their own responsibilities. The emperor only needs to nod or shake his head at the critical moment, and then solemnly stamp the seal to control the overall situation. In this way, this originally heavy shackle will be supported by many ministers working together. As for the emperor, he can just sit back and relax, and he can achieve a situation of great order in the world. He can easily govern the country and enjoy endless happiness."

Yi Huawei raised his chin slightly, as if describing a bright future for Hu Hai: "Think about how big the world is. If you become the emperor, you can travel as much as you want. Whether it is famous mountains and rivers or prosperous cities, you can go wherever you want. And the treasures of the Nine Provinces can be quickly delivered to you with just a word from you. All the beautiful women in the counties can be enjoyed by you. You can grant your desires and satisfy all your wishes. In this way, you can enjoy the world for a long time without any harm. This is what you should do."

Hu Hai listened to Yi Huawei's words, and a trace of yearning gradually appeared in his eyes. It was as if he saw the carefree life after becoming the emperor. However, there was still a trace of doubt in his heart. He frowned slightly and asked: "Teacher, is it really possible? If I become the emperor, will those ministers really obey my orders?"

Yi Huawei smiled and said confidently: "Don't worry, young master. I will make plans for you. As long as you ascend the throne and control the ministers with kindness and power, they will surely serve you loyally. Moreover, you are the son of His Majesty and have the legitimate right to inherit the throne. Who dares not to obey?"

Hu Hai remained silent, weighing in his mind the pros and cons of becoming emperor. On the one hand, there was the exciting and wonderful life, and on the other hand, there were the possible responsibilities and risks.

Yi Huawei saw Hu Hai's hesitation and continued to persuade him, "Sir, this opportunity is rare. His Majesty is seriously ill now, and the successor is still undecided. If you don't seize this opportunity, once other princes succeed to the throne, your situation will be very difficult. Think about it, His Majesty favors you, and those princes have long been dissatisfied. If Fusu ascends the throne, you still have a way to survive, but now Fusu is far away overseas, and no one knows when he will return. If you let those princes who are not in harmony with you ascend the throne, will they let you go? Will they let you continue to live a comfortable life?
Hu Hai's face became solemn, and he began to realize the seriousness of the matter. He bit his lip, hesitating in his heart.

Yi Huawei patted Hu Hai's shoulder again and said, "Sir, you don't have to worry too much. I will always be by your side to assist you. You are smart and clever, and you are deeply loved by His Majesty. I believe that you will become an outstanding emperor."

Hu Hai was silent for a long time, and finally nodded: "Teacher, I understand. Then what should I do?"

"You don't have to do anything now..."

Yi Huawei raised his lips: "You just need to guard His Majesty day and night..."

...............

When Hu Hai slowly walked into Qin Shi Huang's bedroom with red eyes, he felt a sudden pain in his heart when he saw his father lying on the sickbed. His father, who used to be tall, mighty, and awe-inspiring, was now so weak that he seemed to be blown down by a gust of wind, and even sitting up became a luxury.

Hu Hai trembled as he walked to the bedside and gently held Qin Shi Huang's hand. The hand that once held the power of the world and commanded the world was now so cold and weak. Hu Hai could no longer hold back his tears and they fell.

Qin Shi Huang slightly opened his eyes, and when he saw Hu Hai, a trace of relief flashed in his eyes. He opened his mouth with difficulty, his voice was weak and fragmented, but he gave instructions for his funeral in a messy manner.

"Hai'er, I have issued an edict. After I leave, the kingdom of Great Qin will be handed over to you. You must...you must defend this kingdom. You must not...you must not let my efforts go to waste."

Hu Hai burst into tears, tightly grasped his father's hand, and nodded desperately. "Father, I will live up to your trust and protect the Qin Dynasty."

Qin Shi Huang continued to speak intermittently: "The ministers in the court... should be used well, and villains should not be trusted lightly. Zhao Gao... Li Si... Meng Tian... are all loyal ministers, and you can rely on them."

Qin Shi Huang's eyes gradually became blurred. He seemed to see the battles and glory of his life: "In my lifetime... I unified the six kingdoms and established the Great Qin... This country was not easy to come by. Hai'er, you must... make the Great Qin last forever."

After saying this, Qin Shi Huang's breath became weaker and weaker. Hu Hai held his father's hand tightly and shouted loudly: "Father! Father!"

But Qin Shihuang never responded again, slowly closed his eyes, and ended his magnificent life.

(End of this chapter)