Chapter Twenty-Four: The Xianyang Palace is full of true feelings

Ever since the First Emperor killed a group of immortals, he no longer believed in the theory of immortals, and originally called himself me. One day, Song Wuji walked in with great interest and reported: "Your Majesty, there are rumors in Xianyang City that a goddess named Meng Jiang came down to earth and cried down the Great Wall for eight hundred miles!" The First Emperor said angrily: "You are talking nonsense! I don't believe in immortals anymore, why do you talk about goddesses again? Song Wuji said: "It's not like this, I went outside for a walk, and people are saying that there is a goddess who cried down the Great Wall for eight hundred miles, and it is still spreading." The First Emperor asked, "Since you are a goddess, why are you crying about the Great Wall?" Song Wuji said: "The minister doesn't know? But people are talking about it. The First Emperor muttered: "In the past, there was a man named Qiliang in the Qi Kingdom, who died in battle, and his wife Meng Jiang wept for ten days, and the city suddenly collapsed, which is true. How can this goddess today be called Meng Jiang? Strange, who is she? You quickly send someone to check, and if this is the case, then invite that 'goddess' to Xianyang, and I want to ask her why she is crying on the Great Wall? What if everyone cries, the Great Wall falls, and foreigners call? Song Wuji agreed and walked out.

Song Wuji then sent someone to inquire about Meng Jiang, and the envoy searched all the way to Mengjiazhuang under Yanshan Mountain, and found Meng Jiangnu. When Meng Gong heard that the emperor had sent someone to arrest his daughter, he was so frightened that he couldn't possess his body. The envoy said: "The emperor invited her to Xianyang, and he never said anything about cutting off her head, what are you afraid of?" When the envoy saw Meng Jiang's appearance, he was very surprised and said to Meng Gong: "Congratulations, old thing!" You will be noble! Meng Gong asked why he said this. The envoy laughed and said, "Your daughter is very beautiful, and the First Emperor will fall in love with it when he sees it, how can he cut off his head?" Hey! Meng Gong was suspicious, so he deliberately pretended to be his daughter. Lingzhi County Commander also prepared a luxurious car for Meng Jiang and personally escorted him. After the news spread, people from all over the neighborhood came to bid farewell to Meng Jiang.

On this day, the door of Meng Gong's house was very lively, and people from all over crowded at the entrance of the village. Meng Jiang was originally famous for her beauty, but now that she cried down the Great Wall, people were moved by her touching deeds, and they came to bid farewell to this kind, loyal, and brave strange woman. It turned out that the mountains and rivers in his hometown raised this excellent son, and everyone thought that Meng Jiang was the pride of his hometown. However, no one knows the prestige of the first emperor, and who doesn't know, and he was summoned to Beijing today, and I am afraid that it is also unpredictable. People are speculating like this, they are very worried about Meng Jiang, and they don't know what kind of fate will be waiting in front of her.

After everything was ready, Meng Jiang said goodbye to his parents with hatred and pain. The messenger let Meng Jiang get into the car, accompanied by two women from the county, and the car slowly galloped out of the village. At this time, the farewell people followed behind the car, and they walked one way after another, and they were reluctant to leave. Especially Meng Jiang's fat maid, the two of them are like sisters, they take care of each other, but now they are about to separate, and the maid cried into a tearful person. Meng Jiang saw her from the car window, and she was also very sad, and tears flowed down like beads with broken threads. The car went farther and farther, and some of Meng Jiangping's playmates walked up the hill together and sang a parting song:

Huang Ai has a long road, and the fallen leaves are gusting with gusts of wind. Girl, when will you return? My sister misses you empty and suffers. Girl, girl, how precious the girl is, don't be sad.

Meng Jiang sang back:

Huang Ai has a long road, and the fallen leaves are gusting with gusts of wind. Now, Lao Yan is flying separately, and my sister wants you to suffer empty. From now on, I don't see my father and mother, and my relatives and sisters are like dreams.

One of her champas had long been soaked in tears, and Meng Jiang left her hometown like this. When the car drove past Yishui, Meng Jiang sang again: "The wind is sluggish and the water is cold, and the 'daughter' will never return!" Everyone was shocked.

In more than one day, they came to the territory of Kasaka Prefecture. Meng Jiang saw a temple on the mountain in front of him from the car window, so he asked the messenger to visit the mountain. And the messenger agreed. Meng Jiang was accompanied by two women to the temple. The host was an old man, and when he saw a pilgrim coming, he greeted him respectfully. After Meng Jiang entered the temple and bowed, he clasped his hands together, prayed, and then asked for a signature, and the signature was: In the vast world, Shun can be preserved; Adverse is dangerous, and the blue sea is stormy. Meng Jiang saw it, and knew that the road ahead was very dangerous, so he said goodbye and went down the mountain.

After walking for more than ten days, they finally came to Xianyang. The envoy saw that Meng Jiang was very tired on the road, so he asked her to bathe in the pavilion for a day and rest, and then enter the palace to meet the first emperor.

When the first emperor heard that the goddess had been invited, he asked Meng Jiang to come to Xianyang Palace to meet him after he finished grooming. Meng Jiang came to the palace gate, and the messenger went in first to report. Half an hour later, a deacon and eunuch came out to pass the word: "Youbeiping ordered Meng Jiangnu of Zhixian County to come in!" Meng Jiang's heart was up and down at this time. At this time, two palace maids came out and helped her out of the car. After Meng Jiang got out of the car, he looked up and saw that Xianyang Palace was towering and splendid. The crimson palace gate is tall and majestic, like the gate of the Emperor of Heaven. There are also six huge bronze figures placed on the left and right, and the bronze figures shine golden in the light of the sun. Meng Jiang thought to himself: These are the twelve bronze giants cast by confiscating the weapons of the world, and you see that there are still many armor soldiers standing below. All this shocked Meng Jiang's heart, she had long heard that the Xianyang Palace of Qin was rare in the world, and it was the most majestic and luxurious palace. Now that I've finally seen it, it's as spectacular as people say. Under the guidance of the eunuchs, Meng Jiang slowly walked up the white marble steps and entered the first palace gate.

When Meng Jiang saw such a tall gate, he thought to himself that there were many emperors and generals, strong men and celebrities who had walked out here, and he had actually arrived today! She cautiously entered the door, and when she saw the neat array of armor soldiers on both sides of the royal road, she did not dare to look left and right, but walked with her head down. The passage is about a few hundred meters long and fifty meters wide. After walking through the passage, she came to the second palace gate, there were still tall armor soldiers on both sides, Meng Jiang became more and more incredible, she thought to herself: This gate is so strict, but why couldn't he stop Jing Ke and Qin Wuyang's footsteps back then, they are really great. Meng Jiang was excited for a while, and walked into the second palace gate, followed by the third and fourth gates...... She finally came to the Xianyang Palace.

It turned out that there was a huge pool in front of this hall, and the water was very clear and glowing with a cold light. Meng Jiang cautiously bypassed the pool and came to the gate of the Golden Palace. Then the eunuch turned back and told her to wait. Meng Jiang stopped, and then glanced ahead, only to see that the majestic golden hall was located on a pedestal six or seven meters high, the width of the hall was about fifty meters, and there were different side halls on both sides. Those halls and the Restoration Pavilion were all interconnected, but the guards were very tight, and no noise could be heard. Meng Jiang immediately remembered that Jing Ke, the warrior of the Yan Kingdom, came here sixteen years ago, that time Jing Ke almost killed Ying Zheng, that kind of scene must be thrilling, and it must have disturbed the entire Xianyang Palace, right? This invincible king must have been terrified, Jing Jun is really great! He is not only a hero in the eyes of the Yan people, but also a hero in the eyes of the whole world. Look at the old guards standing on both sides, and maybe there are people who witnessed that incident back then. When Meng Jiang thought of this, his heart suddenly burst into ecstasy. "Meng Jiangnu enters the hall!" The voice of the deacon official interrupted her thoughts.

As the shouting ended, the official who delivered the message led Meng Jiang into the hall. Meng Jiang walked into the hall, but was dazed by the color in front of him. It turned out that there was a red carpet inside, and walking on it by yourself was like walking in a rainbow. Meng Jiang was still wearing a red cloak, at this time the red reflected red, she seemed to have walked into an execution ground, because the red carpet was like flowing blood at this time, this feeling made her feel dizzy, coupled with the bumpy exertion in the past few days, she almost felt a little faint. Isn't it? When Qin destroyed the Six Kingdoms, he heard that he was killing people like hemp, and the general named Bai Qi once buried 400,000 Zhao pawns alive in a battle. Their generals are so cruel, their king can imagine that this must be a large slaughterhouse.

Meng Jiang thought strangely as she walked, and she came to the bottom of the Danqi. Meng Jiang thought to himself: Since ancient times, everyone who has entered the king has to kneel, but I don't kneel today, and see what that unprincipled king can do to me, just stand there motionless. Suddenly, a person next to him spoke, and he said, "Why don't you kneel when the country woman sees the emperor?" Meng Jiang pretended not to hear. The man said loudly again: "Village woman, don't kneel yet!" Meng Jiang was stunned in his heart, thinking that this person must be an uneducated guy, why did he call me a village woman, he was so uneducated, he didn't have to pay attention to him at all, see what she could do to me. After a while, the man shouted again, "What a countryman who doesn't know the rules!" Suddenly, the person in front of him said nonchalantly: "Forget it, the countryman is like this, don't kneel." Lift up your head and let me see. Meng Jiang was surprised, thinking that the person in front of him was the famous First Emperor, but why didn't he get angry at himself? Instead, say I'm a countryman who doesn't understand the rules? The countryman is not fake, but it is a joke to say that I don't understand the rules! I don't understand, you know? Are you a human or a ghost, I haven't figured it out yet? Why do I kneel down to you? Meng Jiang thought wildly, and slowly raised his head. She also wanted to see what kind of person the murderer of her husband was? At this time, she noticed that the person in front of her was looking at her obliquely, looking very arrogant, but the jade pendant in front of his crown almost covered his face, and he couldn't see clearly for a while. At this moment, the man suddenly picked up the jade pendant with his hand, sat up straight, and stared at himself motionlessly, as if he was stunned.

Meng Jiang was suddenly a little flustered, and then he heard the man ask softly, "You are Meng Jiangnu?" "This voice is very hoarse, not very good, but very gentle. Meng Jiang did not answer. He asked again, "Why are you crying for the Great Wall?" Although the First Emperor asked very sweetly, Meng Jiang still did not answer. When the man next to him saw that the master was like this, he immediately changed his attitude, and said with a pleasant face: "Your Majesty asked you something?" Why don't you answer? Meng Jiang ignored him. The First Emperor suddenly laughed loudly, and then said in a tone of admiration and admiration: "Hey, I really didn't expect it, it's really a goddess!" Mowgli, when you said that there was a goddess in the north, I still didn't believe it? Now that I've seen it, I believe it's true. Isn't it? You see that she is glamorous but not charming, delicate but not dripping, elegant but not vulgar, sad but not resentful, which woman in the palace can compare with her? Meng Jiang heard that the name of the person next to him was Wuji, and he despised him very much in his heart. Song Wuji hurriedly echoed: "Yes, yes, the women in the palace can't compare!" There is a poem praising Meng Jiang Dao:

Yunshang is young, and the void and the snake go to the gate.

I want to vomit infinite things in my heart, but I have bitterness on my brows.

Xi Fei fell into the city and fell in love with the Lord, and Xizi entered Wu by no one.

The only thing to pay for the eternal is death, and the bitterness is stained with tears.

At this time, the smooth man said: "Your Majesty, the minister observes this woman, not only is she good-looking, but she is also a virtuous woman of good family!" How could she cry down the Great Wall? I think someone must be trying to frame her! Qin Shi Huang also nodded obliviously: "Yes, yes, yes, someone must want to frame her!" How can a woman from a good family cry down the Great Wall? What a big joke, pure nonsense, nonsense! Meng Jiang suddenly spoke: "This is true, the folk girl did cry down the Great Wall!" Your Majesty doesn't believe it, but you can summon Lingzhi County Commander to ask and find out. The First Emperor smiled: "No need to ask, ask him what he is doing?" But I want to ask why you are crying on the Great Wall? Meng Jiang said with a heartfelt voice: "Just because the husband of the folk girl was arrested by the government to build the Great Wall, more than half a year has passed, and there is no news. However, when the folk girl found her husband, he turned into a corpse that was about to decay! What made the folk girl even more sad was that the body of the husband was actually built into the city wall! The folk girl was so grief-stricken that she began to cry, but who would have thought that my cry would move the heavens! God sent the god of thunder to release thunder and lightning and collapse the Great Wall. The people's daughter is extremely evil, please Your Majesty execute me, right? But before I die, I have to ask Your Majesty for justice: Is my husband dead like this? Meng Jiang complained with grief and indignation, and exaggerated that she had indeed cried down the Great Wall for hundreds of miles. The First Emperor couldn't answer for a while, but he didn't get angry, so he casually asked, "How did your husband die?" Meng Jiang replied: "How can the people's daughter know, you have to ask your generals!" The First Emperor said angrily: "Is there such a thing? How unreasonable! I must find out the truth and find out who killed your husband. I still want to avenge your grievances, and I must punish the murderer! Meng Jiang immediately said: "Your Majesty Xie is the master of the people's daughter, you must punish the murderer!" The First Emperor even claimed to be.

That night, while sending someone to investigate the cause of Fan Xiliang's death, the First Emperor thought about Meng Jiangnu, and he wanted to personally 'visit' this strange woman from afar, but he still lost face and was afraid of other people's jokes, so in the end, reason overcame impulse, and he did not dare to visit easily. However, this night, the First Emperor's heart was fluttering, and he was very relieved, so he summoned Song Wuji to ask Meng Jiang where he lived and what the conditions were. Song Wuji replied, "I have already arranged her in a side hall, and I have sent hundreds of palace maids to serve her." When the first emperor heard that hundreds of palace maids were serving Meng Jiang, he was satisfied and said: "I have swept the world, and the beauties of the six countries have filled the palace. But I have never seen such a beautiful and courageous woman, and I admire her very much! Love her too! Song Wuji said happily: "Your Majesty likes her so much, why don't you take her as a beauty and stay in the harem?" In this way, she has something to rely on, and His Majesty can also be happy, what the best of both worlds! This sentence was said to the heart of the first emperor, and he said with great joy: "Qing's words are exactly what I want!" Song Wuji hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, the minister will definitely handle this matter for you!" ”

After Song Wuji left, the great king of the world completely lost sleep, and for a while his heart was as soft as a pool of spring water. He thought that Meng Jiangnu could go all the way to find her husband, and such a woman was the one I respected the most. Think about my harem, although the palace is prepared for seven countries, the lord is listed as eight products, what ladies, beauties, belovers, eight sons, seven sons, long envoys, young envoys, etc., but these people are all intertwined, on the surface like puppies and kittens to me, but they have their own thoughts, so for many years, I just don't stand up. Why? "Book" said: The chicken is in the morning, but the family is the rope. If the concubine interferes in politics, it will often lead to evil things. In the past, the regent of the Queen Mother was a lesson from the past, and I have already experienced it. The queen mother also defiled the harem, causing the foreign family to almost seize the throne, so the harem must be strictly controlled, and women must not be allowed to mess with the government. This woman from the people, she must be very pure, I have not established a queen so far, if she can be my queen, the harem will definitely not form a party for personal gain. When the First Emperor thought of this, his heart became even sweeter.

The next morning, as soon as Meng Jiang got out of bed, those flowery maids were busy going in and out. After Meng Jiang finished grooming, he saw that the uneducated person from yesterday walked in again, he asked this and that like a puppy, and finally said: "With the beauty of a nobleman, it is so easy to get rich!" Meng Jiang was stunned and asked what he meant. Song Wuji said: "There are thousands of beauties from all over the world, but none of them can please Your Majesty. And you are different, His Majesty was very happy to see you yesterday, which shows how much His Majesty likes you. Why don't you stay in the palace and serve Your Majesty? When Meng Jiang heard this, he said angrily: "The people's daughter is a married woman, I came thousands of miles to meet the emperor and seek justice for my husband, but you are talking nonsense here, are you really an uneducated dumb official?" Song Wuji was not angry, but became more respectful, and said: "I know that you are a married woman, but isn't your husband already dead?" Why do you still think about him, besides, you are serving Your Majesty, the first noble lady in the world! Meng Jiang said: "You don't want to talk nonsense? The people's girls are difficult to obey! Song Wuji saw that Meng Jiang didn't obey, so he smiled and said, "If you don't obey, then you have to be careful!" Meng Jiang's heart trembled, and said, "Couldn't you kill the people's daughter!" Song Wuji smiled and said, "Not only kill you, but also your whole family and clan!" ”

Meng Jiang was stunned, thinking that he was already a sheep in the mouth of a tiger, so it was better to agree for the time being, and then reason when he had the opportunity, so he pretended to say: "Your Majesty is the body of ten thousand times, and the people's girls are just ordinary women among the people, how can this jackdaw match Luan Feng?" Song Wuji said: "It's okay. The king of the beauty pageant, send officials to the people to read the virgins of the good family, more than thirteen years old, less than twenty years old, as long as it is beautiful, in line with the law, they will be carried back to the harem, choose to see the emperor, this is not the jackdaw with the phoenix? Meng Jiang said: "Let the folk girl act as a harem, I never thought of it." However, if Your Majesty promises me three things, the people are willing to serve Your Majesty. Song Wuji saw that Meng Jiang agreed, so he happily asked which three things. Meng Jiang said: "First, Your Majesty will punish the murderer who caused the death of my husband, and rebury my husband with solemn etiquette; secondly, I will have His Majesty personally take me to the sea to repent, and I will be married; Third, when burying my husband, His Majesty needs to personally wear linen and filial piety and preside over the funeral. Song Wuji asked: "Why did you go to the sea to repent of your oath?" Meng Jiang said: "Because Fan Lang and I once swore to the sea that we would live and die together and never be separated, so we had to go to the sea to repent." If one of these three things can't be done, I, Meng Jiang, would rather die! Song Wuji retreated overjoyed.

The first emperor heard that Meng Jiang had three covenants with him, and all of them were indispensable, so he said: "The first two things are easy to do, but the third one can't be agreed to." I am the king of a country, how can I give a man linen and filial piety? Wouldn't this make the world laugh when it spread! Song Wuji said: "Meng Jiang said that if she didn't agree to one of them, she would rather die than obey." "Qin Shi Huang was very embarrassed. Song Wuji said: "Your Majesty agreed, there are three pennies." Qin Shi Huang asked which three pennies. Song Wuji replied: "Your Majesty took Meng Jiang out on patrol on the grounds of inspecting the Great Wall, and it was convenient to bury him on the way, which was the first convenience; Your Majesty wears linen and filial piety for an ordinary people, so as to show his love for the people, and will surely inspire the army and the people to guard the four yi, which is the second convenience; This trip will not only win Meng Jiang's heart, but also shock the Huns, and fulfill your desire to patrol the north for many years, which is the third penny. With these three pennies, why don't you do it? The First Emperor pondered for a long time, and then said with pride: "The Great Qin State is made of countless soldiers and civilians with blood and life, if I enjoy the world, how can I not mourn for every martyr?" I want to inspect the Great Wall, inspect the north, and comfort the souls of the heroes who died for the construction of the Great Wall! Ha ha! ”