BSI Chapter 12 Emperor Zulong, do not be hasty. Who said that Prince Fusu would succeed to the throne?
Chapter 12 Emperor Zulong, do not be hasty. Who said that Prince Fusu would succeed to the throne?
"I have never doubted Prince Fusu's talent and virtue; the team Your Majesty has built for Fusu is indeed the best in the world, and can be described as flawless."
His Majesty's painstaking cultivation of Fusu is evident to all.
If everything unfolds as Your Majesty envisions, and Fusu successfully ascends the throne, the Qin Dynasty will surely continue, though the number of generations is uncertain, but it will not perish after only two.
Just as Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, was beginning to feel a glimmer of hope.
Jiang Qing spoke slowly, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable certainty:
"Your Majesty, please don't be in a hurry. There is something I must make clear to you first."
The heir you've chosen will never have a chance to sit on the throne of Qin.
In other words, the one who ultimately sits on your throne is not Prince Fusu at all!
"boom!!!"
These words were like a bombshell, exploding loudly above the main hall of Xianyang Palace!
The civil and military officials inside the hall instantly erupted in chaos!
Amidst the rising tide of doubt and opposition, voices of doubt and opposition resounded throughout the court, with many refuting and refusing to accept such subversive remarks.
"What?! The one who succeeded to the throne wasn't Prince Fusu? How is that possible!"
"Prince Fusu is both talented and virtuous, and is the crown prince personally groomed by His Majesty. Who else but him could succeed to the throne?!"
Ying Zheng himself froze instantly, as if struck by lightning, standing rooted to the spot, unable to move.
His pupils suddenly contracted!
Fusu was not the heir?
Who can succeed him?
How is that possible!
All the effort he put into nurturing Fusu over the decades was for nothing?!
"What...what did you say?! Sir, say it again!"
"The one who succeeded to the throne...wasn't it Fusu who succeeded?"
He frowned, leaned forward slightly, and stared intently at Jiang Qing.
His tone was full of astonishment and doubt, completely disbelieving Jiang Qing's words: "What do you mean by that, sir? What nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Fusu is my eldest son, my legitimate son, and the crown prince whom I personally nurtured!"
"Besides him, who else is qualified to inherit my throne?!"
Ying Zheng's voice suddenly rose, carrying an air of imperial certainty and bewilderment.
In his view, Fusu's succession to the throne was a foregone conclusion, a natural outcome. Jiang Qing's words completely overturned his understanding!
The civil and military officials in the hall all turned their heads, their eyes filled with incomprehension as they looked at Jiang Qing.
Their only choice for heir apparent was Fusu, whom the First Emperor personally groomed, a man of strong foundation and both talent and virtue.
How could such an heir not have a chance to succeed to the throne?
Fusu, dressed in the robes of a young nobleman and standing beside the ranks of civil officials, was deeply shaken and his face turned ashen.
He was already filled with suspicion because of Jiang Qing's words, and now, surrounded by the tense atmosphere in the hall, he became even more tense.
His hands unconsciously clenched his sleeves, his fingertips turning white.
As the central figure in this controversy, he was groomed to be the crown prince of the Qin Dynasty from a young age.
He devoted himself to studying the art of governing the country, hoping to inherit his father's legacy and become a benevolent and wise ruler who loved his people. Little did he know that he would not even have the opportunity to realize his ambitions!
Fusu looked up at Jiang Qing, his eyes filled with confusion, apprehension, and a hint of barely concealed panic.
He couldn't understand why he was not destined for the throne, despite being favored by his father and supported by the court and the people.
"Sir, that's outrageous! That's absolutely impossible!"
A young civil official couldn't help but gasp, his finger trembling as he pointed at Jiang Qing, his face full of astonishment.
He was a supporter of Fusu and had no doubt about Fusu's talent, virtue, and status. Hearing Jiang Qing's words, he felt dizzy.
Right Chancellor Li Si also frowned, looking at Jiang Qing with a solemn expression, his eyes full of incomprehension and doubt.
He was Fusu's grammar teacher and witnessed Fusu's growth firsthand.
They had always believed that Fusu was the future emperor, so how could they accept the claim that "Fusu cannot succeed to the throne"?
At this time, he had not yet conceived the idea of making Huhai emperor. The emergence of this idea was due to the instigation of Zhao Gao and others; otherwise, he would never have had such a thought.
General Meng Tian's eyes widened, his aura of righteous indignation surging around him. He strode out of the ranks and asked Jiang Qing in a deep voice:
"Mr. Jiang! Do you have any evidence to support your claim? Prince Fusu has been carefully cultivated by His Majesty for many years, and no one in the court or among the people dares to disobey him. How could he be unable to succeed to the throne?!"
All eyes of the court officials were focused on Jiang Qing, filled with shock, confusion, doubt, and intense curiosity.
Everyone was captivated by this bombshell news, filled with curiosity and eagerness, wanting to know who the "successor" Jiang Qing was talking about was.
Upon hearing these words, Zhao Gao, who was kneeling in the corner of the hall, collapsed to the ground.
His body pressed tightly against the cold bluestone slab, and he trembled uncontrollably.
My teeth started chattering.
Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, soaking his clothes, but he dared not wipe it away.
Zhao Gao knew that since Jiang Qing dared to say that "the successor will not be Fusu," he must know all the secrets of the future.
Having served the First Emperor for many years, all the little thoughts he harbored seemed to have nowhere to hide in front of Jiang Qing.
"Sir, please tell me quickly! Why did Fusu not inherit the great achievements of my Immortal Yuanmai? Could it be that he died young?"
This seems to be the only explanation!
All the officials held their breath and focused their gazes on Jiang Qing.
The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone was waiting for Jiang Qing to reveal the final answer.
He simply couldn't accept that all his life's work would ultimately go to waste.
The prince Fusu, whom he had raised, was not destined to succeed to the throne. The Qin Dynasty perished under a second-generation wastrel, and he himself could only live for a few more years. How could he possibly accept this?
Jiang Qing took in everyone's reactions in the hall and stopped trying to keep them in suspense.
"Since Your Majesty is in such a hurry, I will no longer conceal anything."
"You poured your heart and soul into nurturing Prince Fusu, clearing all obstacles in his path, hoping he could inherit the throne and continue the Qin Dynasty's eternal legacy. But the truth of the future is far more cruel than being denied the throne—"
Jiang Qing's voice was clear and cold, piercing the deathly silence of the hall and striking everyone's ears:
"Fusu not only failed to ascend the throne of Qin, but also met a tragic end."
Driven to desperation by a forged imperial edict in your name, he ultimately drew his sword and committed suicide with tears in his eyes, dying unjustly!
Even though he commanded a large army, and even though he had the opportunity to resist and protect himself, he ultimately offered no resistance and died unjustly, becoming the most tragic sacrifice for the position of Crown Prince of Qin!
This news is even more explosive than the last one!
The court was instantly thrown into an uproar, with the entire court in an uproar.
The core ministers, all ranked among the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, had their pupils constrict violently, their expressions filled with extreme horror.
Ying Zheng's anxious expression froze instantly, and his face turned ugly at a visible speed.
His face was as gloomy as a cold pool, and the anger in his eyes, though suppressed, was like that of a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey, sending chills down one's spine!
Even with his composure, he was now on the verge of collapse.
Even tigers don't eat their cubs, let alone his favored eldest son.