Zhao Mansion.

In the early morning, the soft sunlight quietly shines through the carved window lattices and falls on the floor of the bedroom, as if covering the room with a layer of golden gauze.

On the bed, Yu Shu curled up in the corner, holding a dagger in one hand and protecting the blanket wrapped around her body with the other hand, staring at Yi Huawei who was sleeping soundly, with complex emotions intertwined in her eyes.

Last night was like a nightmare.

She had never thought that something like this would happen. At that moment, her world seemed to collapse in an instant, and all her hopes turned into nothing. And she was actually immersed in inexplicable joy. This reaction shocked and ashamed her, and she didn't understand why she was like this.

Yu Shu tightly grasped the dagger in her hand, and her heart was in extreme entanglement. She was thinking about how to face all this. Raise the dagger to avenge her innocence and make Yi Huawei pay a heavy price? Or let go of the hatred and try to accept this unexpected result?
His face kept changing, sometimes pale as paper, sometimes flushed. His eyes were sometimes firm, as if he had made up his mind to seek justice for himself; sometimes hesitant, full of contradictions and uneasiness.

The image of Yi Xiaochuan emerged in her mind. The man she loved deeply, they had spent so many wonderful times together. Those memories were now like sharp blades, piercing her heart.

She felt that she was sorry for Yi Xiaochuan. She seemed to see Yi Xiaochuan's disappointed eyes, which made her heart break.

If Yi Xiaochuan knew all this, how would he view himself? Would he still love himself?

Thinking of this, Yu Shu's face became extremely gloomy, and her eyes were full of pain and self-blame.

But at the same time, she couldn't ignore Yi Huawei in front of her. Her feelings towards him were too complicated to express in words, with resentment and a hint of indescribable affection. She didn't know where this feeling came from, and this complex feeling made her confused and uneasy. She didn't know how to face this change in her heart.

Yu Shu was in deep turmoil, not knowing what to do. The dagger in her hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, and her hands were shaking, unable to make a decision. Tears silently slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the blanket, leaving traces of sadness.

She felt as if she was in a dark abyss with no bottom in sight, surrounded by endless cold and loneliness. The bone-chilling chill seeped into every pore of her body, making her shiver uncontrollably.

With trembling hands, she raised the dagger in her hand. The cold touch instantly spread throughout her body. Yu Shu slowly turned the tip of the knife towards her heart. Tears continued to flow from her eyes like a flood, blurring her vision and making everything in front of her hazy.

"What do you want to do?"

"Danglang~"

Just when Yu Shu was about to stab her hard, Yi Huawei, who seemed to be sleeping, suddenly opened his eyes, slowly stretched out his hand, grabbed Yu Shu's wrist, and with a little force, he easily snatched the dagger from her hand and threw it to the ground. The dagger fell to the ground with a crisp sound, which seemed particularly abrupt in the silent room.

Yi Huawei's mouth curled up into a light smile: "Why? Aren't you going to kill me?"

"let me go!!"

Yu Shu was stunned, looking at the culprit in front of her, and then she struggled violently, her eyes full of anger. She twisted her body desperately, trying to break free from Yi Huawei's restraints, but Yi Huawei's hands were like iron clamps, preventing her from moving.

"Calm down!"

Yi Huawei said slowly: "It has already happened. What problem can you solve by doing this?"

Listening to Yi Huawei's words, Yu Shu's anger became even more difficult to contain, and she pounded Yi Huawei's chest hard: "It's all because of you! You ruined everything for me!"

Yu Shu choked up and tears rolled down like beads from a broken string, wetting her pale cheeks.

"Okay, calm down."

Yi Huawei let Yu Shu beat him for a while, then suddenly said, "Look at what you look like now."

“Hmm? …Ah!!”

Yu Shu followed Yi Huawei's line of sight and was immediately filled with shame and indignation. The blanket that was originally wrapped around her body slipped off halfway, exposing a large area of ​​skin. She hurriedly wrapped the fallen blanket tightly around her body and glared at Yi Huawei. There was anger, shame, and a hint of unspeakable complex emotions in her eyes.

"Okay, stop looking so desperate. Is there such a thing as keeping a virgin in Tuan?"

Yi Huawei got out of bed and said casually, "Are you holding on like this for the sake of the First Emperor or for Yi Xiaochuan?"

"Ah! ...Shameless!"

Seeing Yi Huawei's reckless behavior, Yu Shu felt a buzzing sound in her head, as if something exploded. She screamed in fear, then closed her eyes tightly and turned around.

"Don't act like you haven't seen it!"

Yi Huawei's tone was a little teasing. He looked at Yu Shu, who was like an ostrich, and smiled. He put on his clothes slowly and carefully adjusted his collar and cuffs.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

Yi Huawei's voice was still calm, but it made Yu Shu even more upset.

After being interrupted by Yi Huawei, Yu Shu's original intention to commit suicide faded a lot, but her eyes were still full of anger, shame, confusion, and a hint of helplessness.

"I haven't eaten all night. Are you hungry?"

Yi Huawei tilted his head slightly, his voice still as calm as water, but it was clearly audible in this quiet room. His eyes seemed calm, but if you looked closely, you could detect a hint of concern floating in them.

Yu Shu was wrapped tightly in a blanket, her body trembling slightly. When she heard Yi Huawei's question, a very complicated look flashed across her eyes. She bit her lips tightly and did not respond to Yi Huawei's question, but stared at him fiercely with eyes full of hatred.

Yi Huawei seemed to be unconcerned about Yu Shu's reaction, and continued in a calm tone: "Eat something and have a good rest, I will send you back to the palace in the evening. Don't think about committing suicide, as long as you are still alive, I can pull you back."

Yu Shu's eyes were slightly red, tears welled up in her eyes, and she trembled and said, "Who gives you the right to decide my fate? You destroyed everything I have!"

Yi Huawei frowned slightly, and after a moment of silence, he said: "This is an established fact, you can't change it. Instead of struggling in pain, it's better to accept reality."

Yu Shu bit her lips tightly, and finally couldn't hold back her tears: "I love Yi Xiaochuan, not you! Why do you treat me like this?"

Yi Huawei's eyes moved slightly, but soon he regained his composure. "Yi Xiaochuan? What can he give you? It's useless even if you give it to him! What can you do? Stare at each other?"

"Shameless!"

Yu Shu looked at Yi Huawei angrily, and suddenly she was startled, her eyes widened, and she was surprised: "You are not, not..., what about Yi Xiaochuan??" "He is clean now, without any worries."

Yi Huawei narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Okay, I have to go to the morning court. You don't have the right to choose. In two days, your father should be able to arrive in Xianyang, and I will arrange a meeting for you."

Yu Shu's body shook violently. The news of her father's coming made her feel a little expectant, but at the same time she was filled with worry.

"Have a good rest, I'm leaving!"

Yi Huawei turned and walked towards the door, leaving Yu Shu alone immersed in complicated emotions.

The room fell silent again, with only Yu Shu's breathing and slight sobs echoing softly in the air.

………………

The second year of the reign of Qin II, early May.

Zhangtai Palace.

The red palace walls sparkled in the sunlight, and the glazed tiles shone brightly. Outside the palace gate, two rows of mighty guards stood upright, the long halberds in their hands emitting a cold light.

Inside the Zhangtai Palace, in the spacious court, thick pillars supported the high dome, and the pillars were carved with exquisite dragon patterns and auspicious cloud patterns, which looked lifelike. Golden curtains hung from high above, fluttering slightly.

During the court meeting, Hu Hai, who was supposed to be sitting on the dragon throne, did not show up. Yi Huawei was still standing in the center of the court, calmly asking if there was anything important.

The ministers had different expressions. Some bowed their heads slightly, their eyes showing helplessness and accustomedness. Some sighed softly, as if they were used to this situation. Others had no expression on their faces, as if all this had nothing to do with them. But no matter what they felt in their hearts, on the surface they were used to it.

After all, this is not the first time such a scene has occurred.

"Do you have anything to report?"

Yi Huawei's voice echoed in the court, as if carrying an invisible majesty that made people feel awe. His eyes slowly swept over the ministers, and he stood there quietly, his posture upright, like a towering mountain.

However, the ministers were silent, as if they were waiting for someone else to speak first. Some lowered their heads slightly, their eyes flickering, as if they were thinking about something; some bit their lips lightly, with a hesitant look on their faces; and some had no expression on their faces, as if they were deliberately hiding their emotions.

"Since you have nothing to do, I will tell you."

Yi Huawei's eyes swept through the crowd again, his voice still calm, but with a hint of coercion: "By the way, I heard that there is another playboy in Xianyang City who is causing trouble for no reason. Nei Shiteng, have you heard about it?"

Nei Shiteng stepped out immediately and bowed, saying, "Please forgive me, Prime Minister. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

Nei Shiteng's face showed panic, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Yi Huawei said slowly: "A thousand-mile embankment collapsed due to an ant hole. Xianyang is the capital of our Great Qin, the core of the world, and cannot tolerate any chaos. These playboys rely on their family power to do evil. If they are not rectified, it will inevitably affect the stability of our Great Qin. A small ant hole may seem insignificant at ordinary times, but when a flood comes, it may cause a thousand-mile embankment to collapse in an instant. Although our Great Qin seems strong now, it is actually in danger. Various forces are ready to move, and the people are also watching what our dynasty will do. If we can't handle these trivial matters properly, how can we convince the people? How can we make the world reconcile? Neishiteng, as Neishiteng, you are in charge of Xianyang affairs and have a heavy responsibility. You must investigate this matter strictly, give the people an explanation, and let those who are lucky know that the laws of our Great Qin cannot be violated."

Nei Shiteng's expression was stern, and he bowed again and said, "Prime Minister, rest assured, I will go all out to investigate this matter thoroughly, and will not tolerate anyone who breaks the law."

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, and his eyes swept over the ministers again, and he said in a deep voice: "Everyone, the prosperity of the Great Qin is not achieved in a day, nor by the efforts of one person. We are all ministers of the Great Qin, and we should take it as our responsibility to maintain the stability and prosperity of the Great Qin. Xianyang is the foundation of the country, and we cannot afford to slack off in the slightest. The misbehavior of those playboys may seem trivial, but it actually concerns the foundation of the Great Qin. If it is allowed to develop, it will inevitably cause public resentment and even shake the foundation of the country."

When the ministers heard this, they all looked solemn and nodded slightly. One minister stepped out and said, "What the Prime Minister said is absolutely right. We should take this as a warning and strengthen the governance of various places to prevent corruption and ensure the stability of the Qin Dynasty. However, the trend of corruption is also on the rise now, and we must pay attention to it."

Yi Huawei looked at the minister and said, "Corruption is indeed a serious problem. Anyone suspected of corruption should be investigated immediately. Once confirmed, they will be severely punished."

Imperial Censor Feng Jie said slowly: "The Prime Minister has a far-sighted vision, but it may not be easy to deal with this matter. Those playboys are often backed by powerful forces. If they are not handled properly, it may cause greater conflicts. Moreover, corrupt people often collude with each other, and their roots are intertwined, making it difficult to completely eliminate them."

Yi Huawei glanced at everyone and said, "No matter who it is, if they dare to openly defy the law, we will punish them severely according to the law. The laws of the Qin Dynasty are the cornerstone of the country and cannot be trampled upon by anyone. As for the collusion of corrupt officials, their connection must be cut off with an iron fist. Investigate and deal with them as soon as possible, and show no mercy, so that they understand that the crime of corruption is unforgivable!"

The atmosphere in the court became increasingly solemn, and all the officials fell into deep thought.

Yi Huawei said: "This matter concerns the fate of the Great Qin. We should work together to strive for the prosperity and stability of the Great Qin. Anyone who slacks off will be severely punished."

"promise!"

All the officials responded in unison. Except for the Left Prime Minister Feng Quji and the Right Prime Minister Li Si, all the others bowed and stood.

Feng Quji raised his head slightly, his eyes flickering with complex light, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Li Si stood there expressionlessly, his eyes deep and unfathomable, as if he was thinking about some important issue.

The two's actions seemed particularly abrupt in this respectful atmosphere, and also made the atmosphere in the court even more subtle. Everyone's eyes unconsciously glanced back and forth between the three of them, secretly speculating on their thoughts and positions.

"Retreat without incident!"

Yi Huawei shouted loudly, and the sound echoed in the court like a huge bell.

After a while, the ministers began to leave the court in an orderly manner. Some were fast, some were slow, but all were cautious and respectful. The whole court gradually became quiet.

"Master Li, is there something wrong?"

Looking at Li Si who was still standing there without moving, Yi Huawei raised his head slightly, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, and asked.

"Haha~,"

Li Si stroked his beard gently, nodded, and said slowly: "I do have something important to see Your Majesty, please let Lord Zhao know."

Yi Huawei narrowed his eyes slightly, thought for a moment, and nodded with a smile:

"Oh? In that case, let's go together! I believe that what Prime Minister Li reported must be important."

After saying this, Yi Huawei took the lead and Li Si followed closely behind. (End of this chapter)

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