novelhk Chapter 442 The King of Qin's Late-Night Decision
Chapter 442 The King of Qin's Late-Night Decision
That night, Ying Zheng strolled to the ancestral temple. A solemn and dignified atmosphere permeated the temple. The ancestral tablets of the Ying clan were neatly arranged, seemingly recounting the rise and fall of the Qin dynasty in the dim light. Ying Zheng's gaze slowly swept over each tablet. Behind those names lay countless battles, strategies, and sacrifices—historical witnesses to the gradual rise of the Qin dynasty.
Ying Zheng's fingers traced the cool branches of the bronze lamp tree, the nine layers of candlelight casting dappled shadows on his dark robe. The white gauze hanging from the dome of the ancestral temple trembled slightly in the night breeze, much like the soul-summoning banner that covered his father's coffin twenty-two years ago.
"The third year of King Zhuangxiang..." he murmured, reading the gilded inscription on the memorial tablet. The edge of the jade tablet hurt his palm. The smoke rising from the incense burner before him blurred the familiar yet unfamiliar posthumous titles: Duke Xiao, King Huiwen, King Zhaoxiang—the great rulers of the Qin Dynasty rested here, but no one could tell him how to choose.
The candlelight cast his shadow on the wall painted with the black bird totem, making him appear like a giant bird about to take flight. At the age of thirteen, he stood here alone, listening to Lü Buwei and Zhao Ji arguing behind the curtain about how many jade discs should be buried with the late king.
The ticking of a water clock echoed from the depths of the ancestral temple. Finally, Ying Zheng's gaze settled on the memorial tablet of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, Ying Yiren. Ying Zheng sighed softly. He and his father were indeed not very close. What were his father's true feelings when he passed the throne to him? Ying Zheng had pondered this question countless times, but he still had no answer.
These days, besides Fusu's marriage, Ying Zheng was thinking more about the position of Crown Prince, the future leader of the Qin Dynasty. Originally, this position seemed to belong to Fusu without any controversy. As the eldest son, Fusu was kind and benevolent, and had experienced hardships in the Baiyue region, giving him a certain prestige in both the court and among the people. Precisely because of this, his marriage was particularly important; a suitable marriage might give Fusu an advantage on his future path to governance.
However, deep within Ying Zheng's heart lay an unspeakable inner conflict. Among his many children, the most outstanding was not Fusu, but Princess Jiayang, Ying Wuyou. Ying Wuyou's intelligence was astonishing; her insight into the court's situation was exceptionally keen, often discerning subtle changes before others even realized them.
What's even more remarkable is that Ying Wuyou possesses many ingenious ideas, and these unique ways of thinking bring endless opportunities for innovation and development to the Qin Dynasty. Her suggestions and strategies are often unconventional yet practical, enabling the Qin Dynasty to grow stronger under her leadership.
Ying Zheng greatly admired Ying Wuyou's talent. She often offered unique insights unintentionally, which impressed him greatly. He clearly remembered that a series of major events, such as the reform of the Qin bureaucracy, the downfall of Li Si and Wang Wan, and the establishment of an economic zone among the four states of Qin, Chu, Qi, and Wei, were all proposed and actively promoted by Ying Wuyou.
Although Ying Zheng could not foresee the future rise and fall of the Qin Dynasty, as long as Ying Wuyou was there, he firmly believed that the Qin Dynasty would prosper for a hundred years. She was like a bright pearl, illuminating the future of the Qin Dynasty and injecting this vast empire with a continuous stream of vitality and hope.
"Passing the throne to a woman is unprecedented..." Ying Zheng murmured to himself, his voice echoing in the empty ancestral temple, filled with endless worry. Involuntarily, the intelligent and decisive face of Ying Wuyou appeared before his eyes.
In the past two years, Ying Wuyou has demonstrated extraordinary strategy and decisiveness. Many thorny problems faced by court officials have always been easily resolved by her. But she is, after all, a woman. Ying Zheng's fists clenched unconsciously, and a sense of unease welled up in his heart.
Throughout history, there has never been a precedent for a woman ruling. Once he breaks this tradition and passes the throne to Ying Wuyou, how could those deeply entrenched forces in the court let it go? Those ambitious ministers might outwardly submit to Ying Wuyou while secretly trying to manipulate her and control the Qin Dynasty's politics. In that case, the Qin empire that has been built up with such difficulty might fall into the hands of others.
Ying Zheng thought of Fusu again. Fusu was quite good, but in terms of strategy and decisiveness, he was indeed slightly inferior to Ying Wuyou.
At this time, the Qin Dynasty was like a giant ship sailing on a turbulent sea. It had not yet unified the six kingdoms, and everything was in ruins. Domestically, the old and new forces were fighting each other openly and covertly; externally, the Xiongnu were eyeing it covetously, and powerful states such as Chu, Qi, and Wei were surrounding it, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
At this critical juncture, what the Qin Dynasty needs is a crown prince with great talent and vision, decisiveness and perseverance, to lead the country through numerous obstacles and sail towards a more glorious future.
Ying Zheng paced back and forth in the ancestral temple, his footsteps heavy and hurried, the scales of his heart swaying constantly. Each step felt like stepping on a blade, painful and arduous. He thought of the countless efforts and lives sacrificed by the Qin kings throughout history for the rise of Qin.
Duke Xiao of Qin appointed Shang Yang to implement reforms, which gradually strengthened the Qin state; King Huiwen of Qin heavily relied on Zhang Yi, who used alliances to break the vertical alliances and expand Qin's territory; during the reign of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, the Qin state repeatedly defeated the allied forces of the six states, laying a solid foundation for the unification of Qin. Now, this heavy responsibility rests on his shoulders; how can he make a decision lightly?
After a long while, Ying Zheng stopped, took a deep breath, and slowly raised his head to look at the ancestral tablets high above. "Ancestors above," he said, "Ying Zheng faces a difficult choice today, truly unsure of which path to take. Passing the throne to Ying Wuyou might cause unforeseen changes; not passing it to her, I fear, will stagnate the future of Qin. I humbly beseech the spirits of my ancestors to grant me guidance, so that I may make the right decision and ensure the eternal stability of my Qin dynasty." His voice was deep and solemn, filled with reverence for his ancestors and concern for the fate of his nation.
Just then, a gust of cold wind blew by, causing the candlelight in the ancestral temple to flicker violently. Ying Zheng's gaze was drawn to one of the candles; it swayed uncertainly in the wind, yet it never went out, instead growing brighter with each flicker. A thought struck Ying Zheng, as if he had received an inspiration from it.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t be bound by tradition,” Ying Zheng said softly. “Whether it’s Ying Wuyou or Fusu, as long as they can lead Qin to prosperity, they are suitable candidates.” His eyes gradually hardened, and he had made up his mind.
Ying Zheng stepped out of the ancestral temple, gazing at the dark night sky, where stars twinkled. He knew this decision concerned the fate of the Qin Dynasty; whoever was ultimately chosen would have a profound impact on the nation. But he believed that as long as it was for the future of Qin, his choice would not be wrong. At this moment, he was ready to face all the challenges that lay ahead.
Days passed, and the academy entrance exam drew ever closer. The atmosphere in Xianyang grew increasingly tense. The candidates seized every moment to study, while various factions closely watched the exam, knowing that it not only concerned the candidates' fates but also the future direction of the Qin Dynasty.