Chapter 84 - founding Duke and Empress -ThirdhWatchatch)
Even if eternal immortal sect’s Liu Liangfeng obtained great forest temple’s heartless Monk’s crystal cores, he still wouldn’t be able to compete with Ye Sheng.
On the highest peak of the West Mountain, a golden cauldron was built. It was extremely gorgeous, and it was guarded by imperial guards. The security was tight.
Qin Ershi and the current Empress were in the main seat. Below them were a few imperial concubines. Big Sister Ye Sheng was among them.
Below them were civil and military officials. They were led by quasi-sage Zhou Yuan and the founding Duke Yang Ji.
Yang Ji was a one-armed martial artist. He had a valiant temperament and his face was cold. No one was allowed to enter.
Qin Ershi looked at the hundred or so people walking over and sighed, “The west mountain hunting this time is even more intense than the previous years.”
Quasi-sage Zhou Yuan said, “The western mountain hunting is a little too cruel. They are all pillars of the country. The lower officials think that it should be reformed.”
The civil officials all spoke up. They wanted to reform the western mountain hunting. Many people died every time, and many people felt that it was inappropriate.
Founding Duke Yang Ji snorted coldly. “The western mountain hunting has a history of twenty years up to now. It is a rule set by his majesty of the previous generation. You Dare to reform it without permission?”
Zhou Yuan lightly said, “Everything needs to keep up with the times. is the founding Duke making trouble now?”
“Zhou Yuan, you scholars love to change everything. The Confucian scriptures have been messed up by you, and the old scholars have all been angered to death, “Yang Ji said mockingly.
The reason why quasi-sage Zhou Yuan had become a quasi-sage was because after Great Qin had been established, he had used great perseverance to reform the Confucian scriptures. He had discarded the dross and used their essence to fuse with legalism, Mohism, and other essences to create new Confucianism, moreover, he had spread his teachings across the world. There were tens of thousands of academies in Great Qin, and 60% of them were his former students. He had taught the new Confucianism that he had created so that everyone could learn it.
This achievement had allowed him to receive the descent of the hundred sages in the hundred sages literary temple and be crowned a quasi-sage.
What Zhou Yuan had done back then had attracted a wave of criticism. Countless old scholars and sour scholars had cursed and cursed, and the literary world was in a state of disunity. The country had been affected, and countless people had impeached Zhou Yuan, the impeachment memorials flew over like snowflakes and landed on Qin II’s table.
Fortunately, Qin II had just ascended the throne, and what he needed to do was reform. He suppressed these voices and supported Zhou Yuan with all his might. Later, under the gaze of all the scholars in the world, Zhou Yuan entered the hundred sages literary temple and read his new Confucianism to the Hundred Sages, in the end, the hundred sages descended and justified Zhou Yuan’s name. From then on, the name of quasi-sage lived up to its name.
The neo-confucians loved reform. Whether it was court matters, the official system, or the military reform, all of these were systematically reformed under Zhou Yuan’s supervision.
Now, only the military reform was left. It was the most difficult to carry out because the military was the territory of the founding Duke, the Marquis of Zhenhai, King Ye, and others. Outsiders could not interfere. Even if it was Qin 2nd generation, it would be a little difficult for them to interfere.
Zhou Yuan looked at the founding Duke with a cold expression, he said, “As a general, you should manage your own army well. We civil servants are responsible for the matters of the imperial court. There is no need for a general to manage it. Ever since His Majesty ascended to the throne, there have been countless reforms. Each time, the country has been thriving day by day. This is enough to prove the benefits of the reforms. Every time the western mountain hunt, hundreds of young talents have to die. They did not die on the battlefield, nor were they killed by the enemy. Instead, they died in the hands of their own people. How tragic. With such a drawback, what use is there if we don’t reform?”
“Are you disregarding the old Emperor?”The founding Duke glared at Zhou Yuan. He was personally promoted by the old emperor, so he was naturally loyal to the old emperor. Moreover, he loathed Zhou Yuan’s reforms and extended his hand to the army.
Now, the imperial court was ruled by neo-confucianism. It was dressed in the cloak of Confucianism, but it was the bones of legalism. It was extremely hypocritical.
“Alright, there are still two years left for the next west mountain hunting. In these two years, we can discuss as much as we want. I also think it’s time for reform, “Qin Ershi said lightly, interrupting Zhou Yuan and the founding Duke’s argument.
Zhou Yuan immediately shut his mouth and stood silently.
The founding Duke was a little angry. His Majesty liked to side with Zhou Yuan. These years, Zhou Yuan’s reforms had been bold and decisive, offending people everywhere. If it weren’t for Qin Ershi’s protection and Zhou Yuan’s own strength, he would have died a long time ago.
Just when the atmosphere was very stiff, Ye Sheng and the others walked in.
“Congratulations on your triumphant return. This time, three hundred people went in, and more than one hundred and eighty people came out. You can see how tragic it is. I wonder how many crystal cores everyone has?”Qin II smiled and asked in a broad voice.
Below, Noble Consort Ye had been looking for Ye Sheng and was very nervous. When she saw Ye Sheng walk in unscathed, she heaved a sigh of relief. She was completely relieved and looked at him with satisfaction.
“Something’s not right. Where’s Ye Kun?”Noble Consort Ye suddenly realized that something was wrong.
The eldest son of the Ye Imperial residence, Ye Kun, was not in the team.
What did this mean?
Ye Kun was dead. He had been killed in the western mountain hunt.
Not only did noble consort ye discover the problem, but the empress also discovered it. Her face sank as she said, “Did the eldest son of the Ye residence, Ye Kun, not come out?”
Only after the empress asked did everyone notice that Ye Kun was really no longer there.
Yang Ji frowned as he felt a conspiracy attack. Ye Kun had actually died in the western mountain hunting?
Ye Kun did not come out.
The people who participated in the western mountain hunting all looked left and right and were surprised to find that Ye Kun was really not there.
He was dead!
Who Killed Him?
Qin ershi narrowed his eyes and did not say a word as he watched quietly.
The Empress was very beautiful. She was Qin Ershi’s wife and later became the empress. Her family was the Zhang family, one of the five great families of Great Qin. King Ye’s first wife also came from the Zhang family, therefore, strictly speaking, Ye Kun was the Empress’s nephew. In addition, Ye Kun was the eldest son of the Ye family. The empress naturally paid attention to him and wanted to pull him over to her son’s side.
However, she did not expect that Ye Kun, who was the most popular person in the west mountain hunt this time, actually did not make it out alive.
No one answered the empress and looked at each other. Even these people were shocked to realize that Ye Kun did not appear during the entire process of the West Mountain Hunt.
Who Killed Ye Kun?
This question lingered in everyone’s mind. “Your Majesty, this is what I said. It’s too cruel. Even the eldest son of King Ye died in there. It’s time for reform.”Zhou Yuan Zaidu brought it up.
The founding duke shouted angrily, “Now that Ye Kun has been killed, why are you still here talking about reform? Shouldn’t we immediately find the murderer?”
The empress also immediately said, “We need to find the murderer and give King ye an explanation.”
Qin ershi listened quietly and didn’t say a word.
However, Zhou Yuan rebuked angrily, “What explanation? When we participated in the West Mountain Hunt, didn’t we all know that people would definitely die? Since he, Ye Kun, dared to participate and was killed, that was also within the rules. Why should we find the murderer for him alone? This time, more than a hundred people died. Why Don’t you find the murderer for everyone?”
“In addition, this kind of national affairs is decided by his majesty and can not be ordered by others. Now that we are looking for the murderer for Ye Kun, who should we look for after so many people have been killed in the past?”Zhou Yuan coldly said, shocking the entire place, the aura of a quasi-sage was something that even the founding Duke could not resist. Zhou Yuan’s words were said to the founding duke. It was awe-inspiring justice, but the meaning behind his words was that he was scolding the empress and not to get involved.
The Empress’s face alternated between green and white as she coldly looked at Zhou Yuan.