In 210 BC, the warlocks in the Xianyang Palace reported to Qin Shi Huang: There is a heavenly son of heaven in the southeast. Qin Shi Huang decided to go out to inspect Huiji County to deter the southeast. The First Emperor embarked on a journey of death.

When the royal car crossed Zhejiang, the local people came to watch. People point fingers and are envious. There were two men in the crowd who remained silent, standing tall and watching the emperor's imperial boat from afar. One man was older, about forty years old, and the man next to him was very young, in his early twenties. The young man was more than eight feet tall and had a formidable appearance, which made him stand out from the crowd.

Witnessing the majesty of the First Emperor, the young man suddenly said, "Sooner or later, I will replace him!" ”

The older man covered his mouth in fright and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense! will be exterminated. ”

These two men are uncles and nephews, the uncle is called Xiang Liang, and the nephew is called Xiang Yu, who is the descendant of Xiang Yan, a famous general of the Chu State. Xiang was a general in the Chu State for generations, Xiang Yan died in battle, the Chu State was destroyed, and Xiang Liang took the whole family to live in seclusion in Xiaxiang (Suqian, Jiangsu).

Xiang Yu's parents died early and followed his uncle to live. When he was young, Xiang Yu was different from ordinary children. Xiang Liang sent him to study, but he refused to study hard, and he didn't care about sending him to learn swordsmanship.

If you don't study literature, you don't learn martial arts, what do you kid want to do! Xiang Liang was angry.

Xiang Yu said: "Reading and writing can only remember names, swordsmanship can only be one-on-one against the enemy, it is not worth learning, I want to learn the ability to fight against thousands of people." ”

Xiang Liang then taught him the art of war. Xiang Yu was very interested, and after only learning one, he refused to continue to study. Xiang Liang can't do anything about this nephew.

A few years later, in order to escape from the enemy, Xiang Liang fled to Wuzhong with Xiang Yu. This time Qin Shi Huang toured the east, Xiang Liang led his nephew to come and see the excitement. The nephew's ambition impressed Xiang Liang.

On the way back from the end of the Eastern Tour, Qin Shi Huang fell ill. He didn't set up a prince, he kept asking immortals for medicine, hoping for immortality. When he arrived at the sand dunes (Guangzong, Hebei), his condition worsened, so he could only stop and live in the sand dunes palace.

An ominous premonition hung over the First Emperor's heart. More than 80 years ago, the eloquent King Zhao Wuling was starved to death here.

It was early autumn and the night breeze was cool. The First Emperor leaned on the couch, looked at the bright moon in the sky, and muttered to himself: "I am the first person in the eternal world!" The three emperors of merit and the five emperors of Demai! Heaven will bless me! I am ordered by the heavens, and I will live forever! ”

The First Emperor was taboo to talk about "death", and Li Si and others who accompanied him did not dare to ask about his posthumous affairs.

Three days later, the First Emperor fainted. When Zuo Prime Minister Li Si and CRRC Fu Ling Zhao Gao heard the news, they immediately rushed to the dormitory to wait, not daring to leave.

After a while, a handsome man in a black robe in his twenties walked in in a panic, saw that the First Emperor had not woken up, breathed a sigh of relief, and stood beside Zhao Gao.

Zhao Gao asked in a high voice: "Eighteen sons, how did you come?" ”

"There's a delay." The man in the robe replied in a low voice.

Zhao Gao nodded and stopped speaking.

At midnight, the first emperor woke up slowly, his face was pale and haggard, like a remnant leaf, hanging alone on the branches, and would be blown down by the wind at any time, he coughed a few times with trembling hearts and lungs, and was helped up by two little eunuchs, drank a bowl of dark decoction from the hands of the little eunuchs, and lay down again.

Li Si and the others did not dare to be alarmed, and waited with bated breath.

After a while, the First Emperor Fang called: "Zhao Gao." ”

Zhao Gao hurriedly stepped out of the queue and responded respectfully: "The slave is here." ”

The First Emperor gasped and said intermittently: "I plan to give the eldest son Fusu an edict and let him come back to preside over my funeral...... Will be buried in Xianyang. ”

Zhao Gao leaned over and replied, "No." The slave and maid will go and draft it. ”

Although Zhao Gao is a eunuch, he is tall and dignified, and because he is used to walking bent over, his back looks a little rickety. He was familiar with the laws and regulations, and he worked diligently, and the first emperor asked him to teach the eighteenth prince Hu Hai to learn the prison law. Later, he accidentally committed a crime and was sentenced to death by Shangqing Meng Yi, and the first emperor read that he was diligent in his usual times and pardoned him.

Zhao Gao drafted the edict overnight and showed it to the first emperor.

"I patrol the world and pray to the gods of the famous mountains to prolong my life. Unfortunately, the way back is fast, and this fate is on the horizon. He was a soldier and was buried in Xianyang. ”

The First Emperor nodded with satisfaction and said, "Don't send it out yet." ”

Zhao Gao understood and agreed.

The First Emperor still had expectations, hoping that his condition would improve, and this edict would not be needed.

He didn't wait for a miracle.

On July 20, the First Emperor came to the end of his life in a coma and took his last breath.

Because the first emperor died of illness on the way, Li Si, the prime minister of the left, was worried about the changes in the capital, so he kept the body of the first emperor in a chariot that could adjust the temperature and cold, and the eunuch who was the most favored by the first emperor during his lifetime accompanied him on the right side of the car. The food and the affairs of the hundred officials were the same as in the past, and the eunuchs accepted and approved them in the car. Only Hu Hai, Zhao Gao, and three or four close eunuchs knew the truth.

Zhao Gao secretly thought to himself: "The eldest son Fusu has nothing to do with me, and the brothers Meng Tian and Meng Yi are my enemies, they are in power, not only do I lose my position, but my life is difficult to protect." What to do? The situation is an opportunity. ”

He first found Hu Hai and persuaded Hu Hai to tamper with the edict of the first emperor, kill Fusu, and become emperor himself. Hu Hai agreed.

Then, Zhao Gao went to see Li Si and said straight to the point: "The edict given to Fusu by His Majesty is with the prince of Huhai. ”

Li Si raised his eyebrows and asked sharply: "When Your Majesty dies, I will order you to issue an edict!" Why procrastinate? How did it get into the hands of Gongzi Huhai? ”

Zhao Gao was not in a hurry, and replied quietly: "The matter of establishing the prince is only in one sentence from you and me." ”

"How can you say such a country-destroying word!" Li Si said angrily: "This kind of thing is not something that courtiers should discuss!" ”

Zhao Gao Zhengse asked: "Your talent, strategy, merit, popularity, and relationship with Fusu, which of these five points can compare with Meng Tian?" ”

Li Si was poked in the center, and Fangzheng's face was blue and white for a while, "It's not as good as him." ”

Zhao Gao smiled slightly, and said firmly: "In this case, as long as Fusu ascends the throne, Meng Tian will definitely be appointed as the prime minister, and it is inevitable that you will lose power and step down!" Prince Hu Hai is benevolent and loyal, and can take on great responsibilities. Think about it. ”

"No, this is a betrayal of the first emperor......" Li Si muttered subconsciously.

"Great Qin's sky has changed, don't you understand!" Zhao Gao suddenly roared: "The first emperor can't protect you and me anymore, you still have to ask for more blessings!" ”

Saying that, Zhao Gao changed his tone, approached Li Si and said faintly: "In the past, you were just a small official guarding the granary in Shangcai of the Chu State, how much suffering you have suffered, how many sins you have suffered, and you have today's status. Now you want to lose the authority of the prime minister and the honor you have gained by decades of struggle, are you willing? We are just changing our name, Hu Hai Gongzi is the beloved son of the first emperor, and supporting him to succeed to the throne is not a betrayal of the first emperor, do you think it's right? ”

Li Si was at war with heaven and man in his heart, he was unwilling to betray the First Emperor, but he was even more reluctant to have the existing glory and wealth, he was silent for a long time, he looked at Zhao Gao, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he seemed to smile and said: "Tell me, why do you want to do this?" It won't be just because Gongzi Hu Hai is your student, right? ”

"Those who are left behind in prison just want to have a stable second half of their lives." Zhao Gao smiled bitterly and said lightly: "If I can do Lang Zhongling, I will be satisfied." ”

"Well, I promise you." Li Si's expression was relieved, and he said in a deep voice.

Li Si teamed up with Zhao Gao and Hu Hai to tamper with the edict sent by the First Emperor to Fusu and ordered Fusu and Meng Tian to commit suicide.

Fusu received the edict and walked into the inner room crying, intending to commit suicide.

Meng Tian persuaded bitterly: "Your Majesty is in a foreign country, and the crown prince has not been established. He sent me to lead 300,000 troops to guard the border, and let you serve as the overseer, which is the heavy duty of the world. Now it's just a messenger coming to make us commit suicide, who knows if it's true or not! Let's check, it's never too late to die! ”

The envoy stood aside and kept urging: "Your Majesty's edict makes it very clear that you are unfilial to the son of man and disloyal to the minister, don't try to delay in vain, hurry up!" ”

After being sent to the border for three years, Fusu was disheartened and distrusted his father, so he said sadly: "The father gave his son death, where do you need to ask for verification again." "Anyway, suicide and death.

Meng Tian refused to die, and the messenger imprisoned him and reported back to Hu Hai. Hu Hai and the others didn't expect Fusu to commit suicide so easily, they were ecstatic and sped up to return to Xianyang.