“Isn’t the Meng family’s support for Fu Su enough? You won’t even let the Wang family go?” Ying, who had been observing all along, bit into a sweet date after Wang Li left and scoffed with slurred speech: “If this continues, His Majesty will become wary of the Eldest Prince.”

Why wouldn’t Wang Jian let Wang Li serve as Meng Tian’s vice general? Wasn’t it to avoid having the Wang family actively connect with the Meng family? This was different in nature from Wang Jian letting Meng Wu serve as his vice general—who was dependent on whom couldn’t be the same! The Meng brothers’ public support for Fu Su was known throughout court and countryside. Once Wang Li went to serve as Meng Tian’s vice general, this would directly represent the Wang family’s choice.

How could the young Minister not understand these principles? However, he had observed the stars at night—the Imperial Star flickered uncertainly. He feared the First Emperor’s lifespan couldn’t last long.

Time was completely insufficient. Qin had unified the world for only four years. The nobility of the six states still harbored treacherous hearts in their respective territories. If the First Emperor died, the Central Plains would certainly fragment and collapse, with war fires rising everywhere, returning to the Warring States era.

What he could do was naturally to extend the First Emperor’s life as much as possible. But everything required dual preparation. In case the First Emperor died, Eldest Prince Fu Su’s side also needed to possess a sufficiently powerful army.

Wu—composed of the characters for dagger-axe and stop—the ultimate purpose of martial force was to stop conflict. Only through war could war be stopped. Absolute strength was what made people submit.

Just like the First Emperor.

Therefore, it wasn’t enough—completely insufficient.

The young Minister wanted to open his mouth to explain a few lines, but the originally cool jade armillary sphere at his chest suddenly warmed, making him swallow back the words at his lips.

Perhaps because it had absorbed Fu Su’s fresh blood two years ago, the jade armillary sphere seemed to have recognized its master. Whenever Fu Su came within a hundred paces of him, it would warm up.

Because Master had never returned, there was no way to inquire. The young Minister had never told anyone about this matter.

The young Minister lowered his eyes, reaching through his lapel to press against his chest. The jade armillary sphere worn close to his body warmed his skin. Even in hot summer, it was enough to bring peace of mind.

Perhaps this was why he preferred staying by Fu Su’s side.

Ying was just complaining for two lines, knowing the shrewd young Minister absolutely couldn’t fail to understand this point. Even without receiving a response, he didn’t particularly care. These years he’d been indulged to the point of extreme laziness. Seeing the handkerchief had been thrown far away earlier, he casually used the garment on his body to wipe the water droplets on his hands.

When Fu Su pushed open the hall door, what he saw was exactly this slovenly appearance of Ying. He helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose. Behind him, a child timidly poked out his head, curiously looking around inside the side hall.

The young Minister, who had originally raised a smile to welcome his return, froze the smile at the corners of his lips when he saw that child.

In the entire Xianyang Palace, the only child who could wear crimson-red robes was young Prince Hu Hai.

The young Minister also learned from Fu Su to pinch the bridge of his nose. Wasn’t his Eldest Prince causing him enough trouble? Could young Prince Hu Hai be casually picked up and brought back to the palace to play?

Hu Hai was initially quite shy, but upon discovering the ice mirror containing fresh fruit beside Ying, he cheered, kicked off his wooden clogs, and ran over barefoot with pattering steps. Seeing him as such a small person grasping the ice mirror and looking inside, Ying feared he’d fall in entirely and quickly sat up to help him fish out fruit.

“When leaving the Warm Pavilion, I saw him standing alone in a corner. He was too pitiful, so I couldn’t help bringing him back.” Fu Su knew his momentary impulse was somewhat improper, but Hu Hai truly was adorably fair as snow. When those clear eyes looked straight at him, he couldn’t even speak words of refusal.

The young Minister sighed. His Eldest Prince was just such a soft-hearted person. The corners of his lips curved in a light sneer as he said lightly: “How old is the young prince this year?”

“Only twelve, still a child…” Fu Su’s words halted.

“When I was twelve, I had already been appointed Minister of State.” The young Minister spoke calmly—he was merely stating facts. He didn’t believe Hu Hai was truly an ignorant child. Just seeing that this child could make Fu Su bring him back to Gaoquan Palace and make even Ying, who was too lazy to move, busily wait on him hand and foot, showed everything.

Fu Su narrowed his eyes, clearly taking these words to heart.

Wang Li felt a headache coming on. He knew children were rather difficult to attend to, especially the one the First Emperor most doted on—simply the most difficult child in the entire world to serve!

“I want to ride a horse, not take a carriage.” Hu Hai maintained a small serious face, giving stern instructions. Accompanying Father Emperor on tour, he had thought it would be such a pleasant journey. Instead, in reality, it was complete suffering. The roads were uneven—riding in the carriage was simply torture, jostling him until he vomited every single day. No, he really couldn’t stand it anymore. Today no matter what, he had to ride a horse.

Wang Li looked down at Hu Hai’s head and the heavy ceremonial robes and cumbersome jade ornaments on his body, thinking that if he dared let this young prince ride a horse himself, he’d probably fall off along the way. Moreover, was riding a horse so easy? With the young prince’s delicate tender skin, after riding for a day, the inside of his thighs would definitely be rubbed raw! Wang Li couldn’t help casting his gaze toward the First Emperor’s direction seeking rescue, only to be startled to discover the latter had long since boarded his carriage and leisurely set off.

Was this being too lazy to even manage his own son, directly throwing the responsibility to him? Wang Li looked around with a headache, hoping to seek rescue. But everywhere his gaze reached, everyone sped up—no one was willing to help. Just as Wang Li was about to go crazy and disregard Hu Hai’s wishes by grabbing his hand to throw him into the carriage, Hu Hai suddenly laughed.

“Wang Li, last night I saw you appear furtively before my Father Emperor’s carriage.” Hu Hai raised his face. On his fair beautiful face hung an innocent smile, but the words spat from his mouth carried cold threats.

Wang Li was so frightened he shuddered and nearly dropped the Hu Hai he was holding. Last night he had gone to the First Emperor’s carriage to change that tin danglou! He’d already coordinated with the Grand Coachman in charge of carriages and horses! He just hadn’t personally told the First Emperor! After all, such a small matter didn’t need to disturb the old man, right? Although the Son of Heaven had six carriage teams, to confuse observers, all carriages used four horses. Even the First Emperor decided by mood which carriage to ride today. He had just randomly changed the danglou of one horse among the First Emperor’s carriages. Moreover, because danglou were all silver, without careful inspection, one wouldn’t notice the tin danglou’s difference.

Just as Wang Li was pondering how to explain, Hu Hai’s crisp childish voice continued ringing in his ears: “Do you want me to tell my Father Emperor? He’s very suspicious.”

Wang Li wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, thinking this little ancestor had latched onto him. They couldn’t possibly not depart because of entanglement over this matter here. Today they definitely had to reach Yangwu County—the schedule couldn’t be delayed. Wang Li placed Hu Hai back on the ground and had the coachman in charge of carriages drive the empty carriage that originally belonged to Hu Hai to quickly follow the First Emperor’s carriage. He himself went to find a young, docile mare, helped this troublesome young prince mount it, then personally led this mare at the front.

Hearing the young prince complain he couldn’t ride a tall strong horse, Wang Li twitched the corners of his lips and lowered his head, turning a deaf ear. He didn’t feel leading a horse for the young prince was any humiliation—he just felt such a life was inevitably too boring. How could it compare to the satisfaction of sword flashes and blade shadows on the battlefield?

Wang Li secretly decided in his heart that after this tour returned to Xianyang, he must apply to garrison the borders. Even willing to be a common soldier!

The long carriage procession slowly entered Bolang Sands. People began gathering at the roadside. Officers of the Commandant had long since gone to drive the people to stop at a safe distance from the procession, sounding gongs to clear the way ahead. Wang Li led the small mare Hu Hai rode all along. The speed wasn’t fast—just maintaining position in the middle-rear of the procession. The surroundings were silent. The First Emperor’s mighty reputation and the orderly ceremonial procession made all onlooking commoners harbor awe, kneeling on the ground with heads deeply lowered.

Looking at this scene no different from usual tours, Wang Li inexplicably felt an indescribable unease. He attributed it to usually riding on horseback, looking down from above at all sides, whereas now standing on ground level with obstructed vision, he felt unable to grasp the overall situation.

Just as he was pondering whether to have someone else lead young prince Hu Hai’s horse, Wang Li heard alarmed cries from ahead. Looking up, he saw an enormous iron hammer suddenly fly up from flat ground, striking a carriage with lightning speed and precision. The four horses before the carriage neighed miserably as the carriage shattered to pieces with a thunderous sound.

The scene instantly descended into chaos. Wang Li, who had fought his way through battlefields, was only startled for a moment before recovering.

Seeing chaos all around, he couldn’t care about etiquette for the moment. He mounted the mare young prince Hu Hai was riding, galloped to the scene, and concisely and forcefully commanded the panicked soldiers to capture the criminal, clear the scene, rescue the injured, pacify the people, thoroughly investigate accomplices…

The soldiers following the First Emperor were all well-trained. It was just because this was the first time encountering such a powerful, heavy assassination that they were initially somewhat panicked. However, they also instinctively followed Wang Li’s instructions. Before long, they regained calm, rapidly controlled the scene, and captured the assassin who threw the large iron hammer. However, according to onlookers’ intelligence, there was an accomplice with him who couldn’t be found no matter how they searched.

Fortunately, there were people with higher official rank than Wang Li. They had already rolled to the front of the First Emperor’s carriage to beg forgiveness. Wang Li only needed to ensure the scene didn’t descend into further chaos. After he finished checking everything once, he discovered the clothes on young prince Hu Hai sitting before him were completely soaked with cold sweat.

“Young Prince, may this subject help you change clothes?” Wang Li felt he had truly been negligent just now. The young prince was only twelve years old—letting him directly face such a tragic scene was really inappropriate. However, in that situation, entrusting Hu Hai to others was even more worrying, so he had simply kept him along all this time.

Hu Hai’s small body trembled for a long while, as if finally finding his voice again. He asked hoarsely: “This carriage was empty.”

Wang Li was stunned, then reacted to Hu Hai’s meaning. His entire body instantly went cold.

This carriage should have been ridden by Hu Hai. If today he hadn’t made a fuss insisting on riding a horse, then the one who would have died miserably under the iron hammer would certainly have been him.

He lowered his head but because of his posture, fundamentally couldn’t see Hu Hai’s expression clearly—could only see his small hands tightly clenched, pitifully trembling. Wang Li also felt somewhat frightened. He waved over an attendant who had been waiting nearby for a long time. He remembered this person serving the young prince seemed to be called Sun Shuo.

Wang Li first dismounted, lifted the sweat-soaked Hu Hai down from the horse, instructed Sun Shuo to take him to change clothes and rest well, then walked to the side of the carriage struck by the iron hammer.

The iron hammer’s aim was formidable—the carriage had become fragments, but the coachman sitting in front had only fallen to the ground, injuring his legs and feet. However, one horse had broken its hind leg in the panic and been trampled to death by other horses.

Wang Li stood beside the corpse of that horse, standing still quietly for a long time. Only when someone came to clear the scene did he bend down to remove the twisted and deformed danglou from the horse’s forehead.

Only he alone knew—this tin danglou, he had just put on this horse last night.