General Qin

The second year of the third emperor of Qin Dynasty, spring.

Zhao Tuo, who was ordered to go to Yongcheng to worship God, returned to Xianyang.

His face was cold, as if spring had not yet entered and he was still in the cold winter.

He walked through the streets of Xianyang controlled by the Lieutenant Army and entered the Qin Palace. However, he did not go directly to see the emperor, but came to the Tianbao Platform in the depths.

The tower stands tall and the wind howls.

A huge golden man stood here, facing the strong wind, looking proudly into the distance.

The First Emperor wanted something big.

Zhao Tuo and Fusu got him a big golden man, which was 18 feet tall, six times the emperor's liking.

His clothes and appearance were all modeled after the First Emperor, so lifelike that when he saw them, he felt as if he was seeing the eternal emperor standing in front of him.

Zhao Tuo walked to the front of the statue of the First Emperor and looked at the majestic emperor in front of him, emotions rising in his heart.

He sighed softly: "Your Majesty, my children and grandchildren have been deceived by others, and they don't know the seriousness of it, and they almost ruined a big thing. Now that it's like this, it's hard for me to deal with it."

No one responded to him.

Zhao Tuo's personal guards, led by Peng Yue, stood dozens of meters away and did not dare to approach.

There was only the sound of wind blowing around Zhao Tuo, whimpering, as if someone was whispering.

Zhao Tuo looked at the statue of the First Emperor and fell silent.

When he went to Yongcheng this time, he did not expect such a change to happen in Xianyang.

The little emperor was only more than ten years old and had not yet been crowned to rule. He, Zhao Tuo, was the appointed minister of Tuogu by the second emperor. It was normal for him to control the affairs of the country and act on behalf of the emperor. He did not think there was anything wrong with it.

If there is something wrong, it may be to prevent Li Yu, a Legalist court official from causing trouble, and Zhao Tuo suppresses him.

This made Li Yu resentful and eventually instigated the chaos.

Fortunately, Zhao Tuo's old troops mostly occupied a position of real power in Xianyang.

People like Shejian, Heiyi, Zhongli Mei and others have stayed in the Lieutenant Army, Weiwei Army, and Langwei Army for more than ten years. They have deep roots. Many generals and soldiers in the army listen to them, even Lieutenants, Weiwei, etc. People also rely on them to run the army.

This led Li Yu and the young emperor to surrender and not dare to take the risk of calling in Xianyang's army, intending to rely on the clan. In the end, they were captured by Zhao Che and others.

Zuo Prime Minister Wang Wan, Yushi doctor Feng Quji and others were shocked when they learned about the incident that night, but at this time the situation was completely under Zhao's control and they could not interfere.

On the grounds of clan rebellion, Shejian and others issued a martial law order through the Taiwei Mansion, which was in charge of military affairs, and controlled the entire Xianyang City. In particular, the Qin Palace and the Wentong Marquis' residence were heavily surrounded. Even Wang Wan, Feng Quji and others Unable to enter the palace to see the emperor.

Xianyang was controlled by the army.

Everything is waiting for Zhao Tuo to come back and solve it.

"solve……"

Zhao Tuo whispered softly.

When he just came back and met Zhao Che, Chen Ping, Li Shiqi and others, the two counselors told him the difficult problem in the power struggle.

In the political arena, either you die or I live.

When we reached Zhao Tuo's position, something like this had just happened. If the Zhao family didn't act ruthlessly, they would definitely be liquidated by the king in the future.

From ancient times to the present, no king can tolerate such ministers who have mastered military and political power.

Even if you die peacefully, your family will not escape disaster after death.

Huo Guang, Zhang Juzheng and others are an example.

Only by taking advantage of the situation and taking a step forward can we achieve stability for generations to come.

Zhao Tuo was noncommittal about this.

He only chose to enter the palace to see the First Emperor.

One person and one image, looking at each other silently.

After a while, Zhao Tuo nodded to the huge golden man and sighed: "I know."

He did not go to see the third emperor, but went straight out of the Qin Palace.

A few days later, the blockade of Xianyang City was lifted.

At the same time, there is an official conclusion about what happened that night.

The princes of various clans were seduced by traitors and took advantage of the time when the marquis of Zhenguo was in the suburbs of Yong. They raided the residences of Marquis Wentong, the marquis of Zhenguo and the Qin Palace in an attempt to control the emperor and plot rebellion.

The emperor thought of his bloodline, and the princes were instigated by others, so he opened the door to one side and abolished their status as princes and demoted them to common people. They were imprisoned in Lishan for life and kept filial piety in front of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor to atone for their sins.

Those who followed the rebellion of the princes had no blood to protect them, and thousands of them were killed on the banks of the Weishui River as a warning to others.

Throughout the entire incident, because Zhao Che, the lieutenant prime minister, responded promptly and mobilized troops to suppress the incident, the Zhenguo Hou Mansion did not suffer any losses.

But the Wentong Marquis Mansion was not spared, because the mansion was breached by the rebels. Wentong Marquis Li Yu did not want to be humiliated and committed suicide in the mansion.

Seeing the death of Marquis Wentong, the rebel army slaughtered the Li family in anger, causing heavy losses to the Li family and almost annihilating them.

Of course, the rebels who broke into the Wentong Marquis Mansion were also punished by being cut in half, which was regarded as revenge for the Li family.

After the matter was finalized, the people of Xianyang, who had been panicked for a long time under military management, breathed a sigh of relief.

"It turns out that it was the princes of the clan who were responsible for this. It's really abominable. It made Nai Gongdan frightened and frightened for a long time."

"That's it, it's a pity that Marquis Wentong was so unlucky that his family was killed by the rebels. It was a tragedy."

"Hey, if our little Lord Zhao hadn't reacted decisively, if he hadn't dealt with it in time, let alone Marquis Wentong, maybe even the palace would have fallen into the hands of those rebels. The Zhao family is really the backbone of the empire! "

The bearded man with gray hair boasted to everyone in the restaurant, his face full of pride.

Compared with the people who have limited knowledge, although the officials and ministers in the Qin Dynasty's court are not sure about the truth of the matter, they can vaguely guess a general idea.

They were all very frightened and did not dare to say anything about this matter.

Even if you are a loyal and loyal minister, it is difficult for you to say much.

When the incident happened, the Marquis of Zhenguo was worshiping in Yongcheng according to the emperor's order. This incident had nothing to do with Zhao Tuo.

First of all, the problem of Zhao was eliminated.

And it was indeed the princes of the clan who sent troops to rebel, no one could deny it.

No matter what the real purpose of the clan is, gathering so many servants and taking to the streets with weapons is already a violation of the law, let alone intending to attack the princes' mansions. Who dares to defend them?

As for the death of Wentong Marquis Li Yu, because the army controlled the whole city at that time, the ministers did not know how he died. Even if they had some guesses, they did not dare to say more. They could only accept the explanation given by Zhao.

The matter was resolved, and Zhao Tuo continued to handle state affairs with all his heart as usual, as if nothing had happened.

But the court also fell into terrible depression.

Because of the death of Wentong Marquis Li Yu, left prime minister Wang Wan, imperial censor Feng Quji and others all feared the Zhao family and did not dare to disobey Zhao Tuo in government affairs.

In addition, the Tingwei Li Yu, who had always been at odds with Zhao Tuo, died, and the new Tingwei was appointed by Zhao Gao, the imperial servant recommended by Zhang Han. There was no one in the court who dared to openly oppose Zhen Guohou.

As for the third emperor, the teenage boy was already frightened by the death of his uncle Wentong Marquis Li Yu. In addition, he had not yet been crowned an adult and had no power to govern. He could only watch Zhao Tuo handle state affairs in the court hall without daring to say anything.

But in the heart of the little emperor, remembering his mother's words, there was still hope.

"The Zhao thief is so powerful that he dares to destroy my Li family, but looking at his current appearance, he does not dare to kill the king and usurp the throne. My son will be patient for the time being. I will pretend to cooperate with the Zhao thief and let him handle the affairs of the country in order to survive and let him I dare not do anything treasonous. Zhao thief is not young anymore, and my son is like the rising sun. As long as he endures, Zhao thief will be able to survive. When Zhao thief dies, we will unite the courtiers. , it’s time to liquidate the Zhao family!”

His mother's words echoed in the mind of the third emperor.

Yes, the old thief Zhao Tuo is already forty-three years old this year, while the third emperor himself is only seventeen years old.

He has plenty of time.

But Zhao Tuo did not live for many years.

If he endures it until Zhao Tuo is killed, the little emperor will have a chance to stand up.

Before that, he couldn't give Zhao Tuo any leverage.

With this plan, the third emperor no longer shackles Zhao Tuo.

After Zhao Tuo broke up, he was not polite and took all the power he could in his hands.

Especially the military.

Political power comes from the barrel of a gun, and he understands this very well.

In addition to the lieutenant army and the guard army, even the palace guards were infiltrated by his party members.

As for the big families in the court, they also have their own attitudes.

After Taiwei Wang Ben died of illness that year, his son Wang Li inherited the title of Marquis of Wucheng and was recommended as Taiwei.

Wang Li once followed Zhao Tuo to destroy Qi and capture Henan, and he was considered Zhao Tuo's old tribe.

Zhao Tuo was his eldest father and his father's old subordinate. The relationship between the Zhao and Wang families was entangled. Compared with the unfamiliar third emperor, Wang Li naturally leaned more towards the Zhao family.

"My eldest father and my father both say that when it comes to matters in the court, do more and talk less. It is better to do less than to do more. It is better for me not to participate in the current situation."

Wang Li sighed and shook his head.

Compared with the neutrality of the Wang family, Meng Yi of the Meng family was very dissatisfied with the Zhao family's dictatorship.

It's a pity that the newly appointed court captain Zhao Gao recommended Meng Yi, a legal expert, to Zhangye County in Hexi Province as the county governor on the grounds that the barbarians in Hexi Province were troublesome and the law was difficult to enforce.

Regarding this recommendation, Zhang Han, the general of the Shaofu, Wang Wu, the governor of Su Nei, and others all agreed. Finally, after Zhao Tuo reported it to the emperor, Meng Yi was sent to Zhangye County as the county governor to govern the Yueshi people and people there. Qiang people.

After Meng's family, Yang Xiong of the Yang family was a good friend of Zhao Tuo. The Xin family had many contacts with Zhao Tuo due to their relationship with Xin Wu in the past, so they were not rivals. Needless to say, Li Xin of the Li family was the only one who had some discord with the Zhao family because a woman married Wentong Marquis Li Yu.

But Feng Quji, the head of the Feng family, was an old man who knew what to do. With him around, the Feng family did not show any hostility.

Wang Wan and Feng Quji were old and had lost much of their energy. For the sake of their family, they tried their best to avoid conflicts with Zhao Tuo, making the entire Qin court completely the subject of Zhao Tuo's speech.

He said one, no one said two.

In this political environment, Zhao Tuo ignored the advice of Chen Ping, Li Shiqi, and even Heiyi, Zhongli Mei and others to persuade him to advance. He only focused on national affairs and seriously eliminated old disadvantages and carried out innovation.

In the third year of Qin Dynasty, without the obstruction of Legalist disciples such as Li Yu, Zhao Tuo's plan of various schools was successfully implemented in the world and won the hearts of scholars all over the world.

All the scholars, except for the disciples of the Legalists, said that the prince of the country was enlightened and willing to pass on the knowledge of other scholars, and he was a wise minister in the world.

The promotion of Zhuzi's schools has cultivated a group of intellectuals.

The best among them were recommended to become officials, and the rest had their own way out. For example, some people were inspired by policies and ambitious to go to barbarian areas to carry out cultural propaganda in exchange for qualifications and a better future.

In short, the Qin State is moving from suppression to openness in terms of ideology and culture.

In the fourth year of Qin III, Li Xin, who led his army to conquer Liaodong, returned.

He brought back the head of the traitor Maodun and thousands of Hu captives, and personally solved the troubles he had left in the Northeast.

Li Xin didn't know what happened in Xianyang, and he didn't want to know.

Li Xin is already over fifty, almost sixty years old. Decades of war have made his face weathered, and his temples have been dyed white by frost and snow.

After the victory ceremony, Li Xin seemed to have completed all the tasks in his life. Two months later, his old illness relapsed and he was lying in bed.

"General Lee."

Zhao Tuo knelt in front of Li Xin's bed and burst into tears looking at the aging man in front of him.

Li Xin smiled and said weakly: "You are now a majestic prince of the country. You should have put aside the matter of life and death. There is nothing to cry about."

Zhao Tuo said: "No matter what my status is in this life, General Li is my Zhao Tuo's boss. Without the general's appreciation back then, Zhao Tuo would not be here today."

These words brought back Li Xin's memories.

He sighed: "You are in a high position, but you still remember these past events, which makes me very happy. It's just the word Bole, but I don't deserve it. In the final analysis, I, Li Xin, am just a willful general."

"In the battle against Chu, I didn't listen to your advice from Zhao Tuo, and I was arrogant. As a result, I was killed by the rebels, and an army of 200,000 fell on the Chu land. This was a pain in my life, Li Xin. Although I accept your words, I may have the opportunity to defeat Liaodong and rise again, but the past will always be indelible in my heart."

Having said this, Li Xin held Zhao Tuo's hand.

He looked at Zhao Tuo and said as if he had spent all his life: "Zhao Tuo, I just want to tell you that I, Li Xin, was wrong. I didn't listen to you back then. Everything is my fault."

On his deathbed, Li Xin sincerely admitted his mistakes to Zhao Tuo.

Zhao Tuo lamented: "General Li, there is no need for this."

Admitting his mistakes in front of Zhao Tuo seemed to completely relieve Li Xin of his life's burden.

He smiled and said: "Zhao Tuo, I, Li Xin, am lucky to meet you in this life."

As the words fell, Li Xin's hands lost strength and his eyes slowly closed.

Zhao Tuo also closed his eyes, his face full of sadness.

What emerged in his mind was the scene when Yan Yan returned.

Outside Xianyang City, he stood beside Li Xin and rode in triumph, enjoying the moment of glory.

Li Xin was very important to Zhao Tuo's life.

"It is my great fortune, Zhao Tuo, to meet General Li in this life."

Zhao Tuo murmured, feeling a heart-wrenching pain in his chest.

Li Xin's death seems to have opened the curtain of the end of an era.

The fifth year of Qin III.

Prime Minister Zuo Wang Wan, who was over seventy years old, could not resist the erosion of time and passed away suddenly in his mansion.

His position as prime minister to the left was filled by Feng Quji, the imperial censor.

It's just that Feng Quji and Wang Wan are about the same age. They are both in their seventies, which is considered a long life in this era.

In the second year after becoming Prime Minister Zuo, Feng Quji also passed away.

Two left prime ministers died in two consecutive years, which filled the Qin court with an atmosphere of sadness.

In the blink of an eye, it was the seventh year of Qin III.

Zhao Tuo was forty-eight years old this year, and the third emperor was twenty-two years old.

According to the etiquette system, after the third emperor held a crowning ceremony in Yongcheng, it represented that he had reached adulthood and could rule personally.

But Zhao Tuo turned a blind eye to all this. After the emperor was crowned, he did not return the power to him. He still clung to power and the army was full of Zhao's subordinates.

At this time, Wang Wan, Feng Quji and other veterans had passed away. Feng Jie, who had just taken over, was also an old man in his sixties and did not have the courage to compete with Zhao Tuo.

All the people in the dynasty were members of the Zhao family.

The emperor's words are not as effective as Zhao Tuo's.

The third emperor had no choice but to endure as much as possible.

"Zhao Thief, you are already forty-eight, and I am only twenty-two. I want to see how many more years you can live!"

The third emperor gnashed his teeth and wished he could kill the Zhao family after seizing power.

Li Shu was also extremely angry, but she still had a way: "There are many members of the Zhao family in the court, and they are afraid that once Zhao Tuo is gone, his son Zhao Che will still seize power and not give up. My son is looking for help, marriage This is a way out."

For this way out, Queen Mother Li Shu even lost face and asked Zong Zheng Ziying to come forward and let the emperor marry Wang Li's daughter.

In the eyes of Li Shu and the third emperor, the Wang family was the only prince in the court who could compare with Zhao Tuo. Although Wang Li seemed to be neutral, his father and ancestors were both veterans of the Qin State, so he would definitely favor the emperor in his heart. .

As long as the emperor can marry Wang Li's daughter, once Zhao Tuo dies in the future, if the emperor wants to seize power, the Wang family will be a helping hand.

Zhao Tuo did not interfere with Li Shu and the emperor's calculations, and even actively facilitated the matter.

Wang's daughter became the queen, and Wang became a relative of Qin. This gave the third emperor and the queen mother a little more peace of mind, and they continued to wait for the day when Zhao Tuo died.

The third emperor of Qin lived for eight years.

The Qin people discovered a large number of gold and silver mines on the Japanese islands, which triggered a craze. Many people from Yan, Qi, Liaodong, Haidong, Rizhao and other places smuggled across the sea, hoping to go to Japan to seek gold and wealth.

There are savage tribes living on the Japanese islands, and they often have conflicts with the Qin people.

Zhao Tuo took advantage of the situation and brought the Japanese islands under the rule of Qin. However, due to its remote geographical location, it was extremely inconvenient to travel across the sea. Therefore, Zhao Tuo established a Protectorate in Japan that was different from the counties and counties, giving the officials sent to govern more free power to control the local tribes.

In this year, Xu Shi, a famous sailor from the Qin State, died of illness in Japan.

The ninth year of the third emperor of Qin.

The eldest son of the third emperor was born. The emperor named him Zhao and couldn't wait to make him the prince.

According to the speculation of Chen Ping and others, this name may come from the character "Zhao" of King Zhaoxiang of Qin.

During the reign of King Qin Zhaoxiang, the royal power was also on the back burner. He was ignored by the Empress Dowager Xuan and Ranghou for more than 40 years. It was not until he was sixty years old that he succeeded in seizing power.

Maybe the third emperor wanted to use the deeds of this ancestor to inspire himself.

Zhao Tuo just smiled after hearing this.

One month later, he sent dozens of beautiful women from the Western Regions, Japan and other places into the palace on the grounds that the emperor was the supreme one and should enjoy the beauty of the world.

The third emperor was privately very angry about Zhao Tuo's actions.

"What does Zhao Tuo think of me! Are these barbarian women worthy of me?"

In the tenth year of the third reign of Qin Dynasty, several new princes were born in the palace.

Seeing that it would take a long time to seize power, the third emperor could not release his depression, so he could only temporarily indulge in beauty.

In the same year, Li Shiqi, the most famous counselor under Zhao Tuo, was over seventy years old and on his deathbed.

Before Li Shiqi died, he was in a very good state of mind. He smiled at Zhao Tuo who came to visit him and said, "I had no achievements in the first half of my life. I could only amuse myself by being a drunkard. It was not until I met the king that I showed what I wanted in my heart." I have made a great contribution to the destruction of the country. The kindness of the prince is so unforgettable that Li Shi will never forget it. I also hope that the prince can have a drink with me to say goodbye."

"Sir, sir, at this time, don't forget to drink."

Zhao Tuo smiled and asked Li Shang to get drinks and pour them for the two of them.

"You kid, why don't you fill it up for me? Even if your brother dies, I still have to drink a full cup."

Li Shiqi glared at Li Shang and asked him to fill up his cup before he and Zhao Tuo toasted with a smile.

"Drink this cup to the full, I will eat it, and say goodbye to you, your lord!"

Li Shiqi laughed loudly and drank the wine in the glass.

After a while, Zhao Tuo's advisor, who had made many meritorious deeds, passed away.

Zhao Tuo silently watched Li Shang crying in front of the bed.

He is fifty-one years old this year, and his friends or old subordinates are almost all in their fifties to sixties.

I am afraid no one can stop the invasion of time.

Compared with Zhao Tuo's sadness, the third emperor clapped his hands happily after hearing the news.

"What the Queen Mother said makes sense. Now that Li Shiqi is dead, it is equivalent to breaking Zhao Thief's arm, and his subordinates such as Heiyi, Zhongli Mei and others are all in their sixties and have only a few more years to live! All I need is If you wait quietly for them to die, you will win, time is my greatest helper!"

The third emperor placed his hope on defeating Zhao Tuo through time, and in the following days he became indifferent to the government affairs and focused on enjoying himself.

Things developed just as he suspected.

In the next few years, Zhao Tuo's old men who were over sixty years old embarked on the road to death one after another.

"My entire life, Black Hips, I have relied on the support of the Lord and Marquis. Otherwise, how could a son of an urn and a rope pivot have been able to sit in such a high position? It's a pity that the Lord and Marquis were trapped by the righteousness of monarchs and ministers. Otherwise, with just one word, I, Black Buttocks, would have risked my life." If you want to kill the emperor, help the princes or junior princes to ascend to the position of emperor."

Hei Butu was full of regret before he died, but after seeing Zhao Tuo looking at him silently, Hei Butu cried again.

"Junhou, I still want to go back to when we conquered Yan. I just want to be a pawn under Junhou."

As he cried, the sound of Black Butt suddenly stopped and became silent.

Zhao Tuo lowered his head and sighed softly.

Li Shiqi and Hei Butt are just the beginning.

After this comes Wabuma.

Zhao Tuo's once closest partner had always been thin, and in the last stage of his life, he looked even more out of shape, as if he had changed into a different person, which made Zhao Tuo the most heartbroken.

"Your Majesty, I have a request."

Shejian leaned on the couch and looked at Zhao Tuo weakly.

Zhao Tuo sat next to him and said softly: "We have grown up together in humble beginnings, and our affection is stronger than others. There is no need to talk about requests. You have to be the same as you were when you were young. Just tell me what you have to say." "

Shejian smiled and nodded, and said softly: "I want to hear you read that poem again."

Zhao Tuo was startled and his eyes became softer.

He looked at Wabama.

Shebama also looked at him.

It's like going back to that winter decades ago.

"How can I say that I have no clothes? I share the same robe with you. The king raised an army and repaired my sword and spear. I share the same enemy with you..."

In Zhao Tuo's voice.

Shibama closed his eyes peacefully.

Tears slid down the wrinkles on Zhao Tuo's face.

His closest comrade-in-arms was gone.

Time is the easiest thing to throw people away. In the fifteenth year of Qin III, Lu Wan also left.

He was full of gratitude to Zhao Tuo, but before he died, he kept calling another person's name: "Liu Ji, you thief, where have you been hiding? I really want to find you and spit in your face." Take a sip!"

Then came Zhongli Mei.

This man from Chu people was quite free and easy. Before he died, he smiled at Zhao Tuo: "Junhou, Junhou, I, Zhongli Mei, still remember that it was on the Huai River that you deceived you into boarding the boat. Once you lie, it will last a lifetime!"

Zhao Tuo also laughed and said, "Is that called cheating? I called it saving you! Otherwise, you would have died with the Chu State."

Zhong Lizhen left with a smile. He felt that the most correct choice in his life was to get on Zhao Tuo's ship.

In the 16th year of the third reign of the Qin Dynasty, the Huns entrenched in Mobei went south to invade the Southern Huns and Yueshi tribes who were grazing in the Yin Mountains. Qin general Han Xin led his troops to Mobei, plowed the courtyard and swept holes, defeated the Huns, beheaded 30,000 people, and established A big victory.

After this great victory, Qin general Meng Tian, ​​who had been presiding over major affairs in Baiyue in the south, died of illness.

In the same year, Feng Jie, the left prime minister of the Qin Dynasty, passed away.

In the seventeenth year of Qin III, Fan Kuai, the former general under Zhao Tuo, passed away.

Before he died, he kept muttering that he was the king's star, and he never forgot what Zhao Tuo told him, Cao Shen, and Xiao He about the three stars falling into dreams.

The eighteenth year of Qin III.

The Qin State formally established its rule in the Western Regions and established the Western Regions Protectorate. The Protectorate was served by Peng Yue, a disciple of Zhao Tuo.

The nineteenth year of Qin III.

Zhao Tuo was sixty years old, and his beard and hair had turned white.

Although he is old, he is in very good spirits due to long-term health training, and he still holds on to the power in the court.

Especially as the old emperor and his ministers passed away one by one, his power in the court became huge.

Chen Ping believed that the time was ripe and once again advised Zhao Tuo.

"The king is now in his sixties, and the emperor is in his prime in the Spring and Autumn Period. If something unexpected happens to the king in the future, the Zhao family will be in danger. Why not take a step forward to ensure the safety of the Zhao family and us."

Zhao Tuo shook his head, rejected Chen Ping's proposal again, and conveniently made him a county guard.

Regarding the fact that Zhao Tuo was sixty years old, the third emperor sneered in response, feeling more and more that his patience was right, as Zhao Tuo's lifespan was coming to an end.

But compared with his expectation of Zhao Tuo's death, Queen Mother Li Shu could not hold on for the first time amid the resentment and depression all day long, and died in the palace that year.

Before she left, she told her son: "Hold it, Zhao Tuo is only a few years away, you must endure him to death!"

The third emperor responded sadly.

Then he plunged into the land of gentleness and left the hope of seizing power to time.

After Zhao Tuo entered his sixtieth year, he saw his old friends die one by one. While feeling sad, he also invited his old friends to meet him many times.

For example, Nong Heng was the first person who made him feel warm after he came to this world.

Today, Heng is in his sixties, with gray hair, and looks like an old farmer.

There are groups of children under his command, and they have begun to enjoy the happiness of family harmony.

During the years of Zhao Tuo's campaign, Heng served as a farmer under Zhi Su Neishi Mansion, specializing in various agricultural techniques. He lived an ordinary life and had a very peaceful mentality.

This made it difficult for Zhao Tuo to overlap him with the young Zhao boy who was sworn in with the Qin army.

"Thanks to the Lord's kindness in the past, if it weren't for the Lord, I would have died tragically in Xianyang long ago because of Jingke's incident."

Talking about the past, the gap between the two due to class quickly narrowed a lot, and they all sighed.

Jing Ke attacked Qin.

Speaking of which, it was already forty-five years ago.

Because the status gap was too big, after talking about the past events, Heng became silent and did not dare to say anything.

Zhao Tuo sighed secretly.

As time goes by, people will eventually travel farther and farther.

In the 20th year of the third reign of Qin Dynasty, the Duhufu established by the Qin State in the Western Regions clashed with the Dawan State. The Qin envoys were killed and several small countries under the jurisdiction of the Duhufu were invaded.

Zhao Che remembered his former heroic words as a general in conquering the West and led his troops there in person.

At this time, Zhao Che was already in his forties, his children had grown up, and his younger brother was in Xianyang. There was no need to worry that after he left, the Zhao family would be in danger once Zhao Tuo passed away.

From the 21st to the 25th year of Qin III.

Death once again swept the old people of old.

Zhao Tuo's former subordinates Su Jiao, Zhao Guang, Xiqigu, Zhang He, Bai Rong and others died one after another.

In addition, even the aging Tingwei Zhao Gao could not hold on.

"My brother, I, Zhao Gao, am able to become a court captain and a nine-level minister in this life, all thanks to you. You saved my life from Meng Yi back then, and I will always remember it in my heart, but I also saved you. Zhao's calamity has not failed you."

Before Zhao Gao died, he met Zhao Tuo, with a smile on his face.

This made Zhao Tuo sigh.

Zhao Gao, the great traitor in history, with the participation of Zhao Tuo, did not go down that path in the end. Instead, he became a court captain of the Qin State and dedicated the rest of his life to the construction of the Qin State. It is really unspeakable. a feeling of.

After Zhao Gao left.

His disciple Hu Hai did not last long either.

This hedonistic young man was still a little depressed before his death.

"I really listened to the teacher's nonsense. I thought my sister-in-law would depose Qiming and let me become the emperor. What a shame, I, Hu Hai, am not destined to be the emperor!"

This year, Zhao Tuo was sixty-six years old and Emperor Qin III was forty.

Zhao Tuo, who has been practicing health-preserving techniques for many years, is still vigorous and vigorous, walking as fast as flying.

The third emperor, who was obsessed with beauty and drank all day long to drown his sorrows, was getting weaker and weaker day by day.

The body that had been hollowed out finally could no longer hold on in the second year.

"Why! Why isn't Zhao Thief dead yet?"

The third emperor of Qin was lying on the bed and roared angrily.

All the women in the palace were so frightened by the voice that they trembled, and no one dared to answer.

"Damn it, why can't I survive this evil thief Zhao Tuo!"

The third emperor died in anger.

When the emperor died, Zhao Tuo behaved very calmly, hosted a grand funeral for Fusu's son, and supported Prince Zhao to ascend the throne as the fourth emperor of Qin.

Regarding this new little emperor, Zhao Tuo, as the "Minister Tuogu", did not suppress him too much, but instead sent him more beauties and various fine wines brewed by the Shaofu.

The young emperor has lived in the shadow of Zhao Tuo since his birth. Even his father was suppressed and was trembling with fear, unable to resist.

The fourth emperor had no idea of ​​resisting, not to mention that he had not yet been crowned and had no reason to take power. So he followed his father's example and plunged into the land of gentleness to find the dignity of the emperor.

The fourth emperor of Qin lived for three years.

Zhao Tuo was seventy years old. In this year, he suffered a huge blow.

After countless old friends passed away, he thought he could accept everything, but when he faced the impending death of his wife who had been with him for most of his life, he was still filled with sadness.

"Zhao Tuo, promise me not to usurp the throne, at least you and Cheer can't."

Before Ying Yinman died, she thought of her father and brother.

She didn't want her husband and son to steal the country and become as infamous as the Tian family of Dai Qi, and she didn't want them to see the first emperor and the second emperor.

But she knew very well what might happen in the future, so she didn't force it too much.

Zhao Tuo smiled and said softly: "Don't worry, as long as I am here, this world will never change hands."

"I trust you."

Ying Yinman smiled and nodded. Looking at Zhao Tuo's white hair and wrinkled face, she stretched out her hand.

Zhao Tuo leaned his head over.

Ying Yinman used her thin hands to straighten the hair around Zhao Tuo's ears, her movements gentle, just like she had done for decades.

She said softly: "I'm no longer here, you have to take good care of yourself."

Zhao Tuo cried.

"Manman."

He held Ying Yinman's hand, tears falling like rain.

"Don't cry. I'm so lucky to have met you. I'll be lucky all my life."

Ying Yinman smiled and closed her eyes.

Zhao Tuo was hit by his wife's departure for a period of time.

But he got through it because he had more important things to do.

Zhao Tuo insisted on maintaining his health and exercising. Even though he was over seventy years old, he was still sharp and clear, and firmly held the power of the country. He was the ancestor of the Zhao family, with great prestige and many descendants.

Without his special arrangements, the Zhao family has firmly occupied all the power agencies in the entire Qin State.

Over the years, the emperor's identity gradually faded, and he seemed to have become a mascot responsible only for sacrifices.

The world only knows that there are princes who govern the country, but it does not know that there is an emperor.

But Zhao Tuo still adheres to his bottom line. As long as he is around, no one can interfere with the throne of Qin.

At the same time, time is still harvesting the lives of every old era.

In the fourth year of the fourth emperor of Qin, the Qin Taiwei Wuchenghou Wang passed away. He will be the eldest son of Shaofu Zhang Han.

In the fifth year of the fourth emperor of Qin, Meng Yi, the governor of Zhangye County, died. Qin general Cao Shen died.

In the sixth year of the fourth emperor of Qin's reign, Xiao He, the governor of Su Nei, died. Qin general Li Shang died.

In the seventh year of the fourth emperor of Qin, Qin generals were appointed as Hao soldiers.

People died one after another, but Zhao Tuo was still alive.

In the year when he was seventy-six years old.

His son-in-law Han Xin arrived at the last moment.

"Woman, do you know what scene Xin will never forget in his life?"

Zhao Tuo smiled and said, "Could it be the scene when you saw me outside Huaiyin City?"

Han Xin shook his head and said with a smile: "What I can't forget is actually the night when the old lady fought with the false king Xiong Qi. At that time, I lay on the mountain and watched secretly. I saw the Chu army was besieged on all sides, and the Chu army fled in all directions. At that time, I knew that this woman must be the most powerful general in the world, and I, Han Xin, will never forget that scene."

Zhao Tuo was a little shocked.

Besieged on all sides.

It turned out that Han Xin was so shocked.

After Han Xin finished speaking, he suddenly sighed: "But I still have one regret that I can't forget."

Zhao Tuo said softly: "What a pity that Han Xin can't forget it even now."

Han Xin smiled bitterly and said: "My wife, I still remember Liu Bang. Back then, he reported the traitor Xiang Ji and was ordered to go to the south to hunt down A Tugu. But after he left, he disappeared from sight. His reward of hundreds of gold is still with me. I have been keeping it for him in my house. Alas, I cannot give this money to Liu Bang, and I, Han Xin, will never forget it."

"Liu Bang."

Zhao Tuo squinted his eyes.

The last time he mentioned this name was decades ago, which made him feel a little dazed.

"Perhaps he died in the south, but maybe he settled down in the south and never returned to Daqin."

He sighed quietly.

Liu Bang and Xiang Ji, these names sound like they are from another world.

Han Xin left this world with regret.

After Han Xin, Chen Ping, who had proposed enterprising ideas to Zhao Tuo, also left.

Before he passed away, he sighed: "It's a pity that I can't see you ascend to the throne. If you are willing to listen to my plan, everything will be worry-free."

Zhao Che left when Zhao Tuo was seventy-nine years old.

"Che'er, have you ever regretted not taking the position of emperor?"

Zhao Tuo stood in front of the weak Zhao Che and asked his question.

Zhao Che said with a smile: "Father, you are wrong. My greatest ambition in this life is not to be an emperor, but as I once told my wife, I, Zhao Che, want to be the general of Qin in the Western Conquest!"

Zhao Tuo smiled and nodded.

His son destroyed the Dawan Kingdom in the west and became famous in the Western Regions. In this way, his dream was fulfilled.

After Zhao Che died.

Zhao Tuo personally carved an inscription for him.

The tomb of Zhao Che, the general of the Qin Dynasty who conquered the west.

In the second year after Zhao Che's death, the fourth emperor of Qin, who had been addicted to wine and sex for more than ten years, also came to the end of his life.

His son, the teenage Emperor Qin V, ascended the throne.

Only this time, Zhao Tuo did not use the same methods to deal with the third and fourth emperors, but married Zhao Che's granddaughter to the fifth emperor.

"I know what you want to do, Junhou, Junhou, you really played a big game."

The white-haired Zhang Cang came to Zhao Tuo with his huge belly and smiled at Zhao Tuo with his withered mouth.

Zhao Tuo pointed at his mouth and smiled: "You really live a long life. I heard that you have lost all your teeth and rely on human milk for food."

Zhang Cang smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I'm almost dead, but thanks to my survival, I know what you think. Why bother?"

Zhao Tuo said calmly: "Everyone pursues different things."

Zhang Cang shook his head and sighed: "It's a pity, it's a pity. If you were more cruel, maybe my apprentice could become the emperor. I, Zhang Cang, will inevitably have the title of emperor master in future generations."

Hearing this, Zhao Tuo became furious and cursed: "You fat boy, you have the nerve to say that, if you hadn't taught Che'er bad, let him find dozens of concubines, and ruined his body, He might live to be as old as we are."

"Junhou, you have wronged me. Look, I have hundreds of wives and concubines in Zhang Cang's house, and I still haven't survived until now."

Zhang Cang rolled his eyes, and as he spoke, he sighed: "But I know that I am going to die soon, Lord. If I, Zhang Cang, die, there will be few people in the world who can talk to you like this." .”

Zhao Tuo shuddered.

Half a month later, Zhang Cang died in the arms of his wife and concubines.

The last friend left, and the terrible loneliness hit Zhao Tuo like a wave.

He took it.

Zhao Tuo waited until the child named Xun was born.

This is the eldest son of the fifth emperor and the son of Zhao Tuo's great-granddaughter.

The merging of bloodlines not only continued the royal inheritance of the First Emperor, but also ensured the security of the Zhao family for generations to come.

Unlike the previous emperors, Zhao Tuo took the child out of the palace and trained it himself.

As the years passed, Zhao Tuo raised this child to grow up day by day.

Eighty-five years old.

Ninety years old.

Ninety-five years old.

One hundred years old.

The old people from the past died one after another.

Zhao Tuo moved forward in time, and taught this child all he had learned and thought in his life.

Until the death of the fifth emperor of Qin, the child raised by Zhao Tuo himself ascended to the throne with the support of the Zhao family by virtue of his status as the eldest son.

The burden that has been weighing on Zhao Tuo for decades has finally been let go.

He handed over all power to the new emperor.

In the last stage of his life, Zhao Tuo came to Qin Palace again.

"Gaozu, please be careful."

The sixth emperor was a young man with an impressive figure. He personally supported Zhao Tuo to climb the Tianbaotai slowly.

He should have been called Zhao Tuo, his great-great-grandfather, but because of their upbringing, he and Zhao Tuo were very close, and they were actually called great-great-grandfather.

Zhao Tuo heard this and shook his head at the Sixth Emperor.

"Xun'er, only the second emperor is your great ancestor, I am not."

Zhao Tuo corrected the title. The sixth emperor smiled and said nothing. He was raised by Zhao Tuo himself. He spent the first half of his life in the Zhao family and was full of affection for Zhao Tuo and the Zhao family.

The Sixth Emperor carefully helped Zhao Tuo to the stage.

Zhao Tuo let go of his hand and came to the stage tremblingly.

"Gaozu, it's windy there."

The sixth emperor was worried and wanted to put a shirt on Zhao Tuo, but was rejected by the old man in front of him.

Zhao Tuo waved his hand and came to the towering giant golden man with staggering steps.

Because there are dedicated personnel to maintain it every year, the statue of the First Emperor is still shining brightly in the sunset, looking mighty and majestic.

Zhao Tuo first looked at the scenery under the stage.

Tianbaotai is so tall that Qin Palace and Xianyang City look very small.

At this moment, Zhao Tuo suddenly felt a strong sense of loneliness.

"My enemies are all dead."

"My friends are all dead."

"I'm alive."

He sighed softly.

Wait until you get over the sadness.

Zhao Tuo turned around, tried his best to keep his eyes wide open, and stared at the statue of the First Emperor in front of him.

"His Majesty."

He called softly,

In the setting sun, Zhao Tuo seemed to see the statue of the First Emperor come to life in front of him, and his golden eyes looked at him.

Zhao Tuo said softly.

"Your Majesty, look at this world. I, Zhao Tuo, have not failed the Qin Dynasty, nor have I failed your Majesty."

Under Zhao Tuo's decades of governance, today's Qin State has become extremely prosperous and powerful.

Its territory is vast, extending to Congling in the west, Mobei in the north, Yingzhou in the east, and Baiyue in the south.

Even in Qinghai and Tibet, there are signs of Qin people coming and going.

In the four seas, all nations and ethnic groups respect the people of Qin.

Within the prefectures and counties of Jiuzhou, the treasury is full, the barns are overflowing with grain, and the money ropes are rotten.

All the people in Guizhou are smiling with joy and no one suffers from cold or hunger.

As for technology, there are even gunpowders that can crack mountains and rocks, and hot air balloons that fly into the sky...

In terms of governing the country, Zhao Tuo could hold his chest high and report his efforts to the First Emperor.

As for other aspects.

Zhao Tuo looked at the sixth emperor in the distance.

"Nine hundred years ago, Qin and Zhao were of the same family."

"Nine hundred years later, Qin and Zhao became one family again."

"Your Majesty, your descendants are still the emperors of Qin."

"And I, the Zhao family, can live with Qin, live together with the country, and support each other until the end."

"I, Zhao Tuo, am a general of Qin, and the Zhao family will always be a general of Qin."

Zhao Tuo said softly.

He saw the golden statue of the First Emperor nodding to him in the light.

Outside the high platform, the sun sets.

Zhao Tuo showed the last smile of his life.

In the sixth year of the sixth emperor of Qin, Zhao Tuo, the Marquis of Daqin, passed away in Xianyang at the age of 120.

Plenty of time, long life and huge power can solve most problems.

Thank you all book friends for your support all the way. I hope you will live as long as Zhao Tuo.

There will be a follow-up chapter about two thousand years later, which will be posted together with the closing remarks probably next week.

The content should be related to the Gongshu fragments, Zhao Tuo, Liu Bang, Zhang Liang and Li You, as well as the archeology of the Qin Mausoleum.