At the beginning of the spring of the third year of Zhao Kuo's resignation, the emperor's eastern tour, which had been preparing for a whole winter, finally kicked off.

After the discussion of the ministers, the eastern tour route started from Chang'an to Huiji, and then took the sea route north to enter Qi, and finally returned to Guanzhong through the old capital Handan. Emperor Zhao Jia appointed Li Si as the Minister of the Eastern Tour; Liu Bang of the internal history is the chief minister of the emperor's camp in the general department; Then he asked the general Han Xin to lead five thousand iron cavalry escort chariots; The heavy responsibility of staying in Chang'an was handed over to the chief secretary Kou Xiao He and the national lieutenant Zhou Bo.

At the beginning of February, under the escort of the 5,000 iron cavalry phalanx, the honor guard of the Eastern Patrol convoy finally drove out of Chang'an. Emperor Zhao Jia did not stop at Luoyang and other rich places, but crossed the river non-stop and came straight to Huiji.

The next day, Emperor Zhao Jia ascended Huiji Mountain surrounded by ministers and ceremoniously sacrificed Dayu.

The emperor stayed in Huiji for two months, and after pacifying the remnants of the old Chu, he set off by sea and arrived at Linzi, the former capital of Qi, at the end of May. After entering the city, Emperor Zhao Jia left all his entourage in Linzi, and then changed into civilian clothes, taking only Xiangguo Li Si alone, and rode two fast horses to the east and went straight to Jimo.

Walking on the bamboo forest path outside Jimo City, I saw that the sky above my head had been tightly covered by the tall bamboo forests on both sides, and only a few pillars of light fell like raindrops. Although it was early summer, he didn't feel the slightest heat when he walked in the bamboo forest, and he closed his eyes and listened to the sound of gurgling water and the rustle of the breeze blowing through the bamboo leaves from time to time, and Emperor Zhao Jia's heart seemed to be drunk.

"I envy Ma Fujunya!" Looking at the beautiful scenery in front of him, Emperor Zhao Jia couldn't help but sigh.

All the way over the mountain stream, across the bamboo bridge, and after walking for half an hour, a simple courtyard finally loomed in front of the two of them. Emperor Zhao Jia and Li Si turned over and dismounted one after another, and slowly came to the door of the small courtyard. Li Si stepped forward and gently pushed open the chai door, and then led Emperor Zhao Jia into the courtyard.

"Who?" Hearing movement in the courtyard, an old voice sounded in the inner room.

Emperor Zhao Jia turned around and sat next to a stone case in the courtyard, and shouted loudly: "Ma Fujun, don't come to harm? ”

"Your Majesty?" An old man stumbled out of the house, he fell straight down in front of Emperor Zhao Jia and choked up: "The old minister didn't know that His Majesty was here, and the capital crime was also a capital crime!" "This old man is none other than Zhao Kuo, the famous general of Zhao State.

"I haven't seen you for a few years, Ma Fu Jun is old." Emperor Zhao Jia hurriedly got up and left the case, stretched out his hand and pulled up the old general with white hair in front of him, "It's hard here, can Ma Fujun get used to it?" While speaking, Emperor Zhao Jia helped Zhao Kuo to the stone case, the two sat opposite each other, and Li Si stood behind the emperor without saying a word.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, the old minister has been fighting all his life, why are you afraid of hardship?" Zhao Kuo replied with his fists clenched, but his face was still restrained.

Seeing this, Emperor Zhao Jia casually joked: "I have come thousands of miles with Xiangguo, and Ma Fujun is not stingy with the wine in the house?" After not seeing each other for a few years, the two monarchs and ministers had been separated to such a point, and his heart couldn't help but feel a slight sourness.

"Yes, yes, yes! The old minister was negligent! Zhao Kuo suddenly came back to his senses, he hurriedly straightened up, and shouted towards the house, "Sister Xue! Your Majesty has arrived! Prepare good tea quickly! After shouting, Zhao Kuo then arched his hand to the emperor apologetically, "The mountains and wilderness are remote, there is tea but no wine, please forgive your majesty." ”

Emperor Zhao Jia smiled again: "It's okay, let's drink tea." ”

"Your Majesty, the old minister still has a few words to say." Zhao Kuo suddenly raised his head and looked at Li Si behind the emperor.

Li Si was so smart, he immediately understood in his heart and said: "Your Majesty, the minister occasionally feels uncomfortable in his belly......"

"Let's go." Emperor Zhao Jia tapped lightly on the stone case in front of him casually, and after Li Si walked out of the small courtyard, he said leisurely, "Ma Fujun, you say, I listen." ”

Zhao Kuo closed his eyes, sorted out the thoughts in his heart a little, and then whispered: "The old minister has three things to say." First, His Majesty is nearly sixty years old but has no heirs, which is a taboo in the country! The minister risked his life, please play Your Majesty, and properly handle the court situation! If not, with the tradition of mutiny that Zhao has always had, I am afraid that after a hundred years, Your Majesty will be unstable! ”

The emperor sighed and said: "I don't know about this matter, when the eastern tour is over, I will immediately appoint my brother Zhao Ping as the prince." ”

Zhao Kuo nodded and continued: "Second, nearly half of the ministers of the Chinese military department of the DPRK are from Liu Bang's sect today, and the hidden dangers here are very great, and they must not be overlooked!" Dare to ask Your Majesty to sharpen its wings as soon as possible, so as not to lose its tail and cause trouble to the country! ”

"However, Xiao He, Han Xin, Zhang Liang and other ministers are all pillars...... Liu Bang is loyal, and Ma Fujun is afraid that he is too worried. Emperor Zhao Jia shook his head noncommittally, for Liu Bang, Emperor Zhao Jia was already more than capable at this time.

"But as Your Majesty said, the minister has one last thing, dare to speak out! Xiangguo Li Si's heart is too heavy, and the minister is worried about ......"

"What's the matter of worrying? But it doesn't hurt to say! In Zhao Jia's impression, the two have always been heart-to-heart, and today when Zhao Kuo suddenly heard Zhao Kuo comment on Li Si, Zhao Jia was also a little surprised for a while.

"The old minister is just faintly uneasy in his heart." Zhao Kuo let out a sigh with difficulty......

A few days after returning to Linzi from Jimo, the emperor's eastern tour car set off in a hurry again, and Zhao Kuo's words that day made Emperor Zhao Jia suddenly feel the dark tide surging under the calm of the court. Since ancient times, the king's twilight government has been more internal worries than external troubles, and his health has obviously not been as good as before in the past two years, and it is time to rectify the court situation and establish the prince!

Emperor Zhao Jia only wanted to rush back to Chang'an as soon as possible, but he didn't expect that before the car arrived at the old capital Handan, he would be sick in the Dune Palace due to occasional cold.

"Thou shalt stand aside...... Only Li Si ......! Emperor Zhao Jia leaned on the couch with a pale face, "Call Liu Bang, Han Xin, and Zhang Liang to me together......

After the chamberlains and the imperial physicians left, the huge dormitory was so silent that only the emperor's heavy wheezing voice remained: "Li Si, I ...... I'm afraid it's over......" Tears crept out of Zhao Jia's closed eyes without warning.

"Your Majesty is slightly ill, and it will be fine!" Hearing the emperor say this, Li Si immediately fell to the ground, choked and comforted.

"Li Si, are you a loyal minister?" Emperor Zhao Jia suddenly opened his eyes, and his eyes were fixed on Li Si like a torch.

"Your Majesty! Li Si was born and died for decades, how can he be unfaithful? If the minister has the slightest second heart, he is willing to suffer the punishment of a thousand cuts! Li Si trembled and swore an oath.

"Get up." Although Emperor Zhao Jia's voice was weak, it was unusually clear, "I will return to Chang'an immediately and pass ...... passed on the edict and made Zhao Ping the prince...... Crown prince. Emperor Zhao Jia sat up with difficulty, took a silk book from the tray on the side of the couch, and handed it to Li Si with trembling.

"Your Majesty, the minister will leave overnight." Li Si wiped away his tears, and then stood up with the silk book in both hands, but he waited for a long time but didn't wait for Emperor Zhao Jia's words, "Your Majesty? Li Si couldn't help but look up, only to see that the emperor was already with his eyes wide open, and he was dead of anger.

"Your Majesty!" Li Si suddenly became excited, but he felt that his whole body was weak, and he was almost paralyzed.

When Liu Bang, the general Han Xin, and Zhang Liang of Langzhong rushed to the dormitory, Li Si was the only one in the empty dormitory, holding the emperor's cold and stiff body tightly and sobbing in a muffled voice: "Your Majesty...... Wake up...... Da Zhao can't live without His Majesty for a day......"

Zhang Liang's eyes were sharp, and at a glance he caught a glimpse of the silk book that Li Si fell to the ground in a panic, so he took advantage of his unpreparedness, leaned over and picked up the silk book, quietly handed it to Liu Bang, and whispered in his ear: "Liu Gong, look, Your Majesty's edict." ”

Liu Bang took the edict, hurriedly glanced at the contents inside, and then stepped forward and put the silk book back to Li Si.

Li Si reacted instantly when he touched his sleeves, he hurriedly grabbed the silk book, and reprimanded sharply: "Bold Liu Bang!" Dare to peep at the edict privately! Thou knowest thou sinful? But no matter how Li Si scolded, Liu Bang didn't say a word, and he didn't care about himself.

"Your Majesty died suddenly, I don't know what your lordship plans will be in the future?" Zhang Liang asked suddenly.

"Why did Lord Langzhong teach Li Si?" Li Si grimaced and asked lightly.

Zhang Liang immediately bowed solemnly and said: "The subordinates dare not speak and teach, but there is only one word, please consider it." ”

"Say." Li Si was silent for a long time, and then he gently put down the body of Emperor Zhao Jia and stood up.

"Zhao Ping's qualifications are dull, and he is greedy for fun, if he is the emperor, he is also a mediocre lord!" Zhang Liang didn't pay attention to Li Si's increasingly gloomy face, and continued, "Today's history Liu Gong, respecting the virtuous and loving the people, wise and wise, all the subjects of the world feel his benevolence and righteousness!" If Xiangguo can support Liu Gong as the emperor, he will be able to create a new generation of prosperity! What does Xiangguo think of Zhang Liang's plan? ”

"Bold Zhang Liang! How dare you say such a rebellious statement! The old man is splashed with blood today, and he should also rape and get rid of Yu Ye for the world! Li Si suddenly burst out, pulled out the talisman sword placed next to the king's couch on one side, and put it directly on Zhang Liang's neck.