Fu Su pretended to flip through the military intelligence in his hands. These reports had been delivered by swift horses to King Zheng of Qin, who would have copies made and sent to him immediately. It was not that he expected this Prince Fu Su who had not yet come of age to have any extraordinary insights, but rather to subtly cultivate his governing abilities.

Just as he couldn’t help but shift his gaze from the bamboo slips filled with intelligence reports to the young man beside him, Fu Su suddenly discovered that the youth had actually turned his head, and their eyes met directly. Fu Su suppressed the impulse to look away and stared at him steadily.

The young man’s still-tender face was completely calm as he spoke indifferently: “If Young Master wishes to ask about the palace rumors, please feel free to do so.”

Fu Su naturally welcomed such an opportunity. He set down the bamboo slip in his hands and asked in a deep voice: “I have heard people say that you were once a retainer of the criminal Lü Buwei. Is this true?”

The young man’s thin lips curved in a contemptuous smile as he said slowly: “Young Master actually believes this? When Chancellor Lü departed, how old was I? Where does this talk of being a retainer come from?”

Fu Su naturally knew such rumors were absurd, but there is no smoke without fire. He took the opportunity to continue pursuing the question that had always puzzled him: “Your grandfather once left Qin, and his fief was seized, so… where did you reside?” Fu Su weighed each word carefully, afraid of giving offense.

But despite being so cautious, when the young man heard this, his facial expression stiffened slightly. His hands hanging at his sides quietly clenched into fists, and he lowered his eyelids, concealing the emotions in his eyes. “After grandfather’s departure, the Gan family was like a great mansion on the verge of collapse, beyond all redemption. I was fortunate that my master took me in, which is how I have today.”

“Master?” Fu Su raised an eyebrow, making no effort to hide his interest in the master the young man spoke of. Someone who could train a child to become a High Minister of Qin – what kind of stunning talent must that person possess?

The young man pressed his lips together, as if hesitating about something. After a long moment, he said with difficulty: “My master… was once a retainer under Chancellor Lü… just an idle person, seeking elixirs and studying medicine.”

Fu Su was startled, only now realizing that these rumors actually had some basis. Only then did he notice that the young man had consistently referred to Lü Buwei as “Chancellor Lü” throughout their conversation. It seemed that although there was no direct connection, this young man was definitely not someone who would step on the low to lift up the high.

Seeing the young man’s expression that was wooden yet could not hide his tension, Fu Su couldn’t help but smile: “No matter. Chancellor Lü once had three thousand retainers under him – most were just making up the numbers.” After saying this, he felt something was off – wasn’t he essentially calling the young man’s master someone who made up the numbers?

Sure enough, he saw the young man’s face darken. Fu Su found it awkward to continue asking about his master, but anyway, knowing such a person existed was enough. He could report this to Father Emperor, and they would eventually find him. Fu Su brazenly acted as if his previous words didn’t exist – after all, Father Emperor’s countless teachings through word and deed had made him understand that as a superior, one needed skin as thick as a city wall.

“Does your master have only you as a disciple?” Fu Su swore he was just unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere in the hall and asked casually – definitely not trying to extract information.

The young man’s expression had returned to normal as he answered respectfully and methodically: “Before my master came to Qin, he had one disciple. I have heard my master mention him several times, but I have never met him. That senior fellow disciple should be in Zhao.”

The corner of Fu Su’s eye caught sight of the military intelligence in his hands, and he couldn’t help but chuckle lightly: “Zhao has become history.” He then passed the bamboo slip in his hands toward the young man.

Qin had launched another attack while Zhao suffered consecutive years of natural disasters. General Li Mu led troops to meet them. Li Mu had guarded the frontier for many years and defeated Qin several times, so Wang Jian chose not to confront him directly but instead used a stratagem of sowing discord against King Qian of Zhao. Li Mu’s achievements overshadowed his lord, and King Qian had long harbored suspicions. When the discord stratagem was employed, King Qian stripped Li Mu of his military authority. With Qin’s great army pressing at the frontier, Li Mu, as a general in the field, had the prerogative to disobey certain orders and refused to surrender his military authority. This action made King Qian even more uneasy, and he ordered people to secretly arrest Li Mu and seize his tiger tally.

“King Qian of Zhao destroys his own arm! General Li Mu’s loyalty is foolish.” Fu Su tapped the table lightly with his index finger, beginning to consider whether to rescue this peerless famous general Li Mu. But this question had probably been considered by his father as well. Of the four great generals of the Warring States period – Qi Jian, Po, and Mu; Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Lian Po, and Li Mu – Qin and Zhao each possessed two, but Bai Qi was already dead, Lian Po was old, leaving only Wang Jian and Li Mu… Forget it, it was probably already too late. Li Mu’s prestige in Zhao likely exceeded even that of King Qian. Once King Qian decided to act, he would certainly strike with thunderous force.

Even someone as foolish as King Qian would probably understand the principle that long nights bring many dreams.

Fu Su’s gaze fell on the young man beside him. Seeing that he had just finished reading the bamboo slip and raised his head, when their eyes met, both knew the other was thinking similar thoughts, and they fell silent over this famous general’s fate.

No one would call Wang Jian despicable. The stratagem of sowing discord had been used to perfection since ancient times. They were in different opposing camps, and Wang Jian had merely used gold, silver, and precious stones to bribe the treacherous minister Guo Kai, thereby sparing Qin soldiers from the slaughter of war – this was a great achievement. Moreover, if King Qian had trusted Li Mu as completely as King Zheng of Qin trusted Wang Jian, such a thing probably would not have happened.

The young man’s mood was somewhat low. He stroked the patterns on the bamboo slip and sighed quietly: “What are laws? What are rules? Are they the words of kings? The words of the wise? Or the words of sages?…”

Fu Su was startled to hear this. He had not expected that the young man would keep in his heart these words he had spoken when they first met.

“Rules are divided into heavenly rules and human rules. Clear springs flow from high to low, the sun, moon, and stars rise in the east and set in the west – these are heavenly rules that human strength cannot reach. We also do not presume to expect otherwise.”

Fu Su turned around and picked up the box containing the green ceremonial tablet from behind him, placing it on the desk. He wanted to touch the surface of the green ceremonial tablet but restrained himself and withdrew his hand, clenching it into a fist. He was not yet king, so he had no right to pick up that green ceremonial tablet.

“But how many troops to command, how much tax to collect, how much currency to mint – these are human rules.”

“Therefore, rules should be what rulers and fathers decree.”

Fu Su took a deep breath, looked down at the green ceremonial tablet before him, and said indifferently: “This world has been in chaos for long – someone should establish new rules.”

He did not say it explicitly, but the young man understood his implication perfectly.

Han had already been destroyed, Zhao was in imminent danger, and Qin’s unification of the six states was within reach.

The rules of this world should rightfully be established by the most supreme person!

Fu Su sat peacefully in the hall, waiting for the latest battle reports from the front. Although Jing Ke’s assassination attempt on the King of Qin had not succeeded completely, it had provoked the king’s great fury and shaken the world. King Zheng of Qin dispatched General Wang Jian to lead troops against Yan. The day when Yan’s capital city Ji would fall was also imminent.

Even though nearly a year had passed, whenever Fu Su thought of that perilous moment in the great hall of Xianyang Palace, he couldn’t help but feel deeply afraid.

Jing Ke had brought Fan Yuqi’s head and a map of Yan’s Dukang region to present to Father Emperor. No one had expected the hidden dagger to be revealed when the map was unrolled. Father Emperor’s decree that ministers attending court were not permitted to carry weapons had made the scene extremely chaotic. Although Father Emperor had a sword and many ministers desperately rushed forward to intervene, Jing Ke was only brought down after being wounded eight times.

Fu Su touched his right wrist. He had also reflexively wanted to rush out then, but the person standing behind him had been firmly gripping his wrist the entire time. He had never imagined that such a thin, small body could contain such powerful strength.

Until Jing Ke was dismembered, the other person had never released his hand.

Fu Su smiled bitterly. Perhaps he was the most despicable one. How much strength could a teenage boy have? If he had truly wanted to break free, how could he not have managed it?

In that moment of turning thought, he had considered too much.

If Father Emperor had truly been assassinated to death, then he would ascend the throne… This was what the young man had thought of in that instant as well, right? That’s why he refused to let him risk danger.

Afterward, the young man had even specifically gone before Father Emperor to confess his guilt, taking full responsibility for Fu Su not going forward to protect the emperor, willingly accepting punishment.

But he could explain nothing, could say nothing.

He could only remain silent.

The familiar crisp sound of jade ornaments colliding came from outside the hall. Before the other party could speak, Fu Su said first: “Bi Zhi, come in.”

“Young Master, Yan’s capital Ji has been broken. King Xi of Yan and Crown Prince Dan fled to Liaodong, hiding beyond the Yan River. King Xi of Yan beheaded Crown Prince Dan and presented his head to the King of Qin.” Before even entering the hall, the young man’s clear voice had already reached him, obviously also unable to wait.

Fu Su frowned upon hearing this. Although he hated Crown Prince Dan to the bone, the two served different masters with different positions, so he did not feel there was anything improper about what the other had done. Assassinating the most important person in the enemy camp to defuse a crisis was the simplest and most brutal political solution. If Crown Prince Dan had truly succeeded with one strike, then even if he ascended the throne as king now, Qin would certainly be like scattered sand.

After all, he was too young, and Qin had become such a tall tree that it attracted the wind and had become a target for all. If Father Emperor truly went west, then even the countries that had already been destroyed would immediately rise up in rebellion and be revived.

Such a talent with unique vision would actually die at the hands of his own father, King Xi of Yan. This was truly lamentable. Fu Su recalled that many years ago, he had also had several encounters with Crown Prince Dan when the latter served as a hostage in Qin. Now everything had changed, and he couldn’t help but feel his gaze grow heavy.

Everyone would die, but in such a world beautiful as brocade, who would not be reluctant to leave?

Fu Su thought of how Father Emperor had begun summoning alchemists in recent years and couldn’t help but sigh deeply. He had never expected that his scholarly attendant’s master was actually an alchemist. Although that person had only remained in the palace for one year before wandering the four directions, perhaps his unintentional introduction back then had led to the current situation that might even spiral out of control in the future.

Although it was only a moment of distraction, thousands of thoughts had already passed through Fu Su’s mind, yet his handsome face showed no change in expression.

He had grown accustomed to hiding his thoughts in front of others. This had gradually become an instinct, even when facing his closest scholarly attendant.

The young man before him had also gradually transformed during his growth. He no longer always maintained a tense expression, stubbornly insisting on his pride, but had softened his features and adopted a kind smile. Anyone who saw him for the first time would think he was a handsome young man who gave an extremely approachable feeling. But Fu Su knew that the young man, like himself, had also learned to wear a mask, burying his thoughts deeply and carefully in his heart.

Taking the bamboo slip the young man handed him, Fu Su read it carefully once more. When he raised his head, he found the young man staring fixedly at the green ceremonial tablet placed on the desk, and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and ask: “Bi Zhi, is there something improper?”

This green ceremonial tablet had never been returned since he had brought the box to the desk last time. Now, when he was alone in private, he had also secretly touched that cold surface several times.

The young man bit his lower lip, hesitating for a moment, but finally spoke: “According to Qin law, ministers attending court above may not carry foot-long weapons. All palace attendants bearing arms must array themselves below the hall and may not ascend without imperial decree. The rule established by the King of Qin himself nearly cost him his own life. How exactly should such rules be established?”

Fu Su set down the bamboo slip in his hands and quietly contemplated in the curling smoke from the incense burner.

This question had obviously existed in the young man’s heart for a long time. Having begun, he continued eloquently: “This military report states that among Yan’s royal family and high ministers, apart from Crown Prince Dan, all were spared their lives. When destroying the four states of Han, Zhao, Wei, and Chu, there was also no slaughter – the King of Qin’s actions were benevolent and righteous. Now only Qi remains among the six states, and unifying the world is within reach, but I fear the nobles of the six states will not be content with this and will surely become a source of trouble in the future.” He paused, then said with each word striking like metal on stone: “The throne is painted with fresh blood. The King of Qin should let those people know: either submit or die.”

Fu Su’s eyes showed deep thought. He had vaguely considered this question before. But Father Emperor did not engage in great slaughter, which was quite agreeable to him, having studied under the great Confucian scholar Chunyu Yue. The core of Confucian thought was the “benevolence, righteousness, and propriety” proposed by Confucius – these three characters Fu Su still quite agreed with. He often debated with the young man and knew this was today’s topic. Fu Su thought carefully, a smile playing at his lips, quite satisfied that the young man had begun to learn to question.

Questioning all the rules that exist in this world in order to establish the rules in one’s own heart – this was a signal of growth.

In everyone’s heart, there exists their own green ceremonial tablet.

It’s just that some people will completely copy the appearance and form of others, while some people prefer to carve their own.