On August 16, the first year of the Second Qin Dynasty, the Xianyang City vegetable market, which had not seen blood for a long time, once again ushered in the baptism of blood.
More than 700 members of the Sima clan in Xianyang over the age of six were executed by Long Weiyi in the vegetable market. This case of treason and treason by an important official shocked the entire Qin Dynasty, and the reputation of the Sima clan, which had been famous in Guanzhong for hundreds of years, was ruined. destroy.
No one doubted the authenticity of the Sima Xin case announced by the imperial court. Not only because they believed in the emperor, but it could be seen from the fact that the person who was executed by the supervisor was Meng Tian.
What's more, news is spreading throughout Xianyang that Meng Tian, who has always been known for his kindness and loyalty, as well as the left prime minister of the Qin Dynasty Feng Quji, the right prime minister Li You, the Taishi Wei Liao, the Taiwei Yao Jia and other important officials of the Qin Dynasty all came to the emperor. He requested an order to exterminate the nine Sima clans, but was finally rejected by the second emperor.
So many important officials of the Qin Dynasty wanted to kill all nine Sima clans at the same time, which naturally further confirmed the certainty of Sima Xin's crime.
The emperor's name of benevolence once again spread throughout Guanzhong.
However, what the people of Xianyang didn't know was that although Hu Hai only killed the three Sima Xin clans, he also included more than 10,000 people from all over Guanzhong who had some relationship with the Sima clan, not just the nine clans. They were all captured and sent to the three counties of Liaodong, Liaoxi and Youbeiping.
These three counties have just been plundered by the Xiongnu barbarians, and they are almost deserted. These more than 10,000 Sima clan members will shoulder the responsibility of defending the land and borders of the Qin Dynasty. If the three counties are destroyed, the entire clan will be wiped out. It is possible to restore the glory of the Sima clan. These are Hu Hai's original words to the more than 10,000 Sima clan members.
The northern border land originally belonged to the Yan Kingdom, and the rule of the Qin Dynasty has always been extremely weak. Distributing these more than 10,000 Sima clan members who were grateful to the emperor for their lives to the emperor to these three counties can greatly promote the Qin Dynasty's control over the three counties. effective governance of the county.
Hu Hai was not worried that these more than 10,000 people would cause chaos for him. There were at least more than 1,000 Long Guards who were charged with various trumped-up charges and added to the Sima clan. They were Hu Hai's advance troops to strengthen the three northern border counties. .
Now Hu Hai has no energy to effectively rule and control the more than ten counties on the northern border. He can only focus on this area after Xiang Liang and the south are pacified.
Therefore, these more than a thousand dragon guards also shouldered the important task of drawing for Hu Hai a map of the vast land north of the Great Wall of Liaodong that has now become the territory of the Xiongnu. This was naturally Hu Hai's preparation for the future use of troops against the Xiongnu. Of course, this is a story later.
The impact of Sima Xin's case is huge.
Many ministers in the court were implicated and demoted. The most eye-catching one was naturally Zhang Han, the emperor's famous doctor, who was demoted from Xianyang and sent to Bashu.
Although Zhang Han's position of Lang Zhongling was not removed by the emperor, everyone knew that since Zhang Han had been demoted from the court of the Qin Empire, the position of Lang Zhongling was no longer in name only.
Maybe Zhang Han had just left Xianyang City and had not yet entered the main road. The emperor's decree to remove Zhang Han from the post of Lang Zhongling had already been issued. Everyone thought that Zhang Han's career was completely ended because of the Sima Xin case. The former emperor's The confidant has lost the emperor's trust.
On August 17, the first year of the Second Qin Dynasty, which was the second day after the Sima Xin clan was executed, Zhang Han led dozens of guards alone on the road to Bashu.
Everyone in the government and the public knew that Zhang Han would leave Xianyang today and rush to Bashu to take over Meng Kuo's position and guard the two counties of Bashu for the emperor.
Looking at the deserted South Gate of Xianyang and the crowds of people, Zhang Han was speechless. None of the officials in the court came to see Zhang Han off. Even the Shaofu Mansion, where Zhang Han had been serving, there was no Zhang Han.
Officials from Han Dynasty came to bid farewell to the old boss who was about to be demoted and leave Xianyang.
"Brother, let's go!"
The person who spoke was Zhang Ping. The Emperor of Xianyang Palace was assassinated. Although the matter was eventually found out and nothing happened, Zhang Ping was still punished and dismissed from his post as General of the Forbidden Army and left idle in the palace.
This time Zhang Han was demoted from Xianyang to Bashu. Zhang Ping, who was unemployed in Canada, decided to follow his brother Zhang Han to Bashu. Zhang Han was demoted because of Sima Xin's case. The whole Zhang family was in a state of gloom, and Zhang Ping was too lazy to stay in Xianyang to accept others.
Roll your eyes.
Once upon a time, Zhang Han was the emperor's most trusted confidant. When he was so red that he almost turned purple, how many officials in the court came to curry favor with Zhang Mansion. Zhang Han never looked down on anyone who came to curry favor with him because of his promotion.
As an official, being kind to others is Zhang Han's consistent way of life.
However, now that he is still holding the position of Lang Zhongling, many ministers in the court who have come to curry favor with him have already regarded him as a snake or scorpion and are afraid to avoid him. Only now Zhang Han can truly understand the taste of each.
The warmth and warmth of human relationships are undoubtedly revealed at this moment.
The group of people silently followed the flow of people and embarked on the road to Chencang. From Xianyang to Bashu, the Chencang Road starting from Chencang Pass is the northernmost section of the passage leading to Bashu.
Outside Xianyang City, there is a thirty-mile long pavilion with dozens of people.
From a distance, Zhang Han saw that all the three officials and ministers of the Qin Dynasty including Meng Tian, Feng Quji, Wei Liao, and Li Youzai were present, including those who were supposed to be still in Xianyang Prison.
Fengchang Hu Wujing was also there, and none of the important officials of the Qin Dynasty were there.
And standing in front of Meng Tian and others was a figure, it was Hu Hai, the second emperor of the Qin Dynasty.
The moment he saw Hu Hai, Zhang Han, who had aged almost ten years in just a few days, burst into tears.
Because of Sima Xin's case, he was demoted from Xianyang. Zhang Han felt aggrieved, but he had no complaints. Sima Xin was able to participate in many court meetings that only important officials in the court could attend, all because of Zhang Han's good words in front of Hu Hai.
It was precisely because of Zhang Han's kind words that Xiang Liang's hundreds of thousands of troops besieged Hu Hai in a corner of Chengwu, and he almost lost his head.
If it were Zhang Han himself, he would certainly not make things easier for the person who spoke so kindly, let alone His Majesty the Emperor.
Zhang Han himself also believed that he had completely lost the emperor's trust. But at this moment, seeing the emperor personally leaving the city and leading a group of three ministers and nine ministers to see him off at the thirty-mile pavilion, Zhang Han felt almost as guilty as
Let him die of shame.
"Veteran Zhang Han, I would like to pay my respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"
Zhang Han got off his horse a few feet away and cried out to Hu Hai, who was standing in front of him wearing a black brocade robe like a boy next door.
Looking at Zhang Han, who had aged almost ten years in just a few days, Hu Hai felt an inexplicable tremor in his heart.
"Zhang Aiqing is safe." Hu Hai said and took a few steps to hold up Zhang Han, who was crying.
Zhang Ping and other members of the Zhang family who followed Zhang Han to Bashu did not expect that the emperor would personally come with all the important officials to see off Zhang Han who was demoted from Xianyang. After a brief shock, they all got off their horses and saluted.
Holding Zhang Han by one hand, Hu Hai led Meng Tian, Feng Quji and other important officials to the pavilion on the roadside.
A huge copper case has been placed in the originally empty pavilion. On top of the copper case are more than ten bronze wine bottles.
"Serve the wine!" Hu Hai let go of Zhang Han's hand, took the bronze wine bottle filled with wine from Long Jiao, turned around and said, "Zhang Aiqing has been wronged these days. I'd like to toast you!"
Hearing the emperor's words, Zhang Han was shocked and quickly knelt down on one knee and said: "I don't dare!"
Among the ministers, except for Meng Tian and Wei Liao, who smiled and said nothing, the rest, including Feng Quji, were shocked when they heard the emperor's words. From the emperor's words, they had keenly heard that it seemed that the emperor was going to Zhang Han.
The banishment from Xianyang was not as simple as he and others imagined. More importantly, it seemed that even the person involved, Zhang Han himself, did not know the reasons.
"The land of Bashu is the granary of our Qin Dynasty. It is important in the chest and abdomen. Only by sending Aiqing to the two counties of Bashu can I put an end to Xiang Liang's rebellion. Aiqing must not let me down." Hu Hai waved his hand and followed.
Behind him, Long Mei, who was outlined in a black outfit and had a slim figure, handed Zhang Han a huge envelope sealed with red paint with both hands.
At this moment, all the ministers in the court understood that Zhang Han was not demoted from Xianyang, but that the emperor needed Zhang Han to go to Bashu to guard. However, the two counties of Bashu were located behind Guanzhong, and the rebellions in various parts of the Qin Dynasty did not spread to Bashu and Shu at all.
There was already Meng Kuo on guard, so it seemed that there was no need to send Zhang Han, an important minister, and there seemed to be no need for Qi to come up with an excuse to demote Zhang Han out of Xianyang.
The emperor must have other plans. The mystery lies in the secret letter that the emperor gave to Zhang Han.
Zhang Han, who originally thought that he had really been demoted, heard Hu Hai's words and realized at this moment that the emperor did not no longer trust him at all, but had entrusted the important areas of Da Qin to him to guard, or that he had more important things to entrust.
Do it for yourself.
After thinking about this, Zhang Han's depression was suddenly wiped away, and he became energetic. He took the secret letter handed over by Hu Hai with respectful hands and said solemnly: "Even if I die, I will definitely live up to your majesty's wishes."
Trust.”
"Haha, love for you is serious! Love for you is my great minister of the Qin Dynasty. I still need you to continue to serve me and serve my country for a hundred generations." Hu Hai patted the back of Zhang Han's hand and helped him up.
, said with a smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Han choked with sobs.
"In this case, Aiqing, let's go on the road early. Long Xuan, from now on you will lead ten dragon guards to guard Zhang Aiqing. If you go on a business trip, you don't have to come back to see me!" Hu Hai turned around and looked at the man standing outside the pavilion.
Long Xuan, a ray of warmth flashed in his eyes, and then he said in a deep voice.
Long Xuan has been with Hu Hai since he took control of Black Ice Platform. He trained troops in Ba Shang, went north to Jimo, fought bloody battles in Chengwu, and assassinated people in the palace. Long Xuan has always been with Hu Hai. His loyalty to Hu Hai is unreasonable.
Doubtful.
But precisely because of this, Hu Hai sent Long Xuan to protect Zhang Han.
"I obey the decree!" Long Xuan had already known two days ago that he would leave the emperor's side to guard Zhang Han, but at this moment, tears still filled his eyes when he heard it.
Hu Hai didn't say anything else. He just walked forward slowly and patted Long Xuan's shoulder. Then he suddenly turned around and said, "I'll see you off not far away. After drinking this glass of wine, Zhang Aiqing will be on his way." (To be completed.)
Continued)
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