bayedsolid Chapter 275 King Qin Refuses to Appoint Crown Prince
Chapter 275 King Qin Refuses to Appoint Crown Prince
Ying Zheng, who had been silent all along, slowly opened his mouth. His deep and authoritative voice instantly silenced the previously noisy court. Everyone held their breath, not daring to relax for the slightest, for fear of missing a single word Ying Zheng spoke.
Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly, surveying the assembled ministers below, and then said unhurriedly, "I understand the intentions of my beloved ministers. However, Qin is currently at a critical juncture, and the world is not yet fully pacified. To hastily establish a crown prince at this moment would be too hasty. I believe that the most urgent and important matter at present is to recuperate and establish economic zones, so that Qin will be even stronger and able to unify the world. As for the matter of establishing a crown prince... let's set it aside for now and discuss it when the time is right."
As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Yanli, who was standing in the queue, suddenly changed his expression and looked extremely anxious. Without hesitation, he stepped forward again, walked straight to the center of the hall, knelt down on both knees with a thud, clasped his hands above his head, and respectfully pleaded with Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty is wise! But I dare to offer my advice. I know that the cause of unification is of utmost importance, but the position of Crown Prince has been vacant for a long time, which will inevitably cause many changes."
After a pause, Wu Yanli continued, "Establishing a crown prince as soon as possible will not only stabilize the hearts of the people and the court, but also allow the crown prince to study the ways of governing the country in advance, thus better assisting Your Majesty in handling important military and national affairs. In this way, when the crown prince officially ascends the throne and becomes emperor, he will be able to easily and skillfully govern the country! I hope Your Majesty will think carefully before acting and make a decision on this matter as soon as possible!"
Ying Zheng's sharp, hawk-like gaze shot directly at Wu Yanli. He slowly rose from the throne, a symbol of supreme power, his movements unhurried yet carrying an invisible pressure. With steady, powerful steps, he descended the throne, saying, "My dear Wu, your concern for the very foundation of our Great Qin is truly commendable! However, what you do not know is that although our Great Qin is currently powerful, the six states still resist desperately, like cornered beasts fighting for their lives, unwilling to surrender easily. Every battle is a matter of life and death; the slightest mistake could render all previous efforts futile and in vain."
With a sigh, Ying Zheng continued, "At such a critical juncture, if we rashly establish a crown prince, then the eyes of everyone in the country, from top to bottom, will be focused on this matter, and people's hearts will inevitably be unsettled. In this way, it will probably have a great negative impact on the morale and fighting spirit of the army."
As Ying Zheng spoke, he walked to the center of the hall. He stopped, looked around, and scanned each minister present before continuing, "Furthermore, our Great Qin has always upheld the rule of law, using military merit as the standard for determining rank, and everything depends entirely on individual ability. The princes are still young, and it is difficult to determine who among them is capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of becoming the future ruler. If we hastily and hastily determine the crown prince now, not only will it be difficult to ensure fairness and impartiality, but it is also highly likely to sow the seeds of infighting among the princes. This situation is absolutely not what I intend."
Just then, Chunyu Yue stepped forward, respectfully cupped his hands, bowed to Ying Zheng, and said, "Your Majesty is wise and insightful, and what you say is very true. However, in my humble opinion, the ancient rites and systems should not be abandoned. Establishing a crown prince is to follow the rules passed down from our ancestors, and it is also in accordance with the principles of Heaven and human sentiment!"
Ying Zheng's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. His voice was icy and authoritative as he said, "The laws of our ancestors? Hmph! The reason why my Great Qin has achieved its current prosperity is by no means due to blindly adhering to old rules and clinging to outdated practices! Since Duke Xiao implemented the reforms, Qin has always upheld a spirit of continuous innovation and progress. It is precisely because of this that it has grown stronger day by day. Now, the grand undertaking of unifying the world is not yet complete, yet you want me to be bound by those outdated and corrupt ancient rituals when appointing a crown prince. Do you want my Great Qin to stagnate and become stagnant?"
Seeing that Ying Zheng was angry, Shusun Tong quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, please calm down. We had no such intention. However, the crown prince is the foundation of a country. Establishing the crown prince as soon as possible can stabilize the hearts of the people."
Ying Zheng waved his hand impatiently, his eyes blazing, and replied with unwavering resolve: "The world is not yet at peace, so how can we discuss the foundation of a nation? We will discuss the appointment of a crown prince only after our Great Qin has completely swept away and pacified the six states and unified the four seas. At that time, it will be legitimate and proper, and we will be able to select the most virtuous and capable successor for our Great Qin. Until then, all you ministers need to do is fulfill your duties and work together to help me achieve my goal of lasting hegemony."
Upon hearing Ying Zheng's words, the ministers, though harboring differing opinions and views, had no choice but to ponder them in the face of this brilliant and powerful ruler. Ultimately, they concluded that the King of Qin's words were indeed not without merit. Wu Yanli, Chunyu Yue, and Shusun Tong, though feeling somewhat disappointed, could only helplessly retreat.
After the court assembly concluded, the ministers emerged one after another from the solemn and imposing Zhangtai Palace. Some chatted quietly in small groups, while others hurried away. Li Si and Wang Wan walked slowly side by side, seemingly discussing some important matter.
Li Si moved closer to Wang Wan and lowered his voice to ask, "What is your opinion on the matters discussed in court today, Prime Minister?"
Wang Wan shook his head slightly and replied with a solemn expression, "In my opinion, Your Majesty is currently focused on conquering the world and achieving the grand ambition of unification. It is indeed somewhat inappropriate to bring up the matter of establishing a crown prince at this moment. However... this matter cannot be avoided, and I'm afraid there will be another fierce debate in the future."
Upon hearing this, Li Si couldn't help but sigh deeply and echoed with concern, "That's right, the matter of establishing a crown prince is of great importance, directly affecting the future of our Great Qin. If there is any mishap or improper handling, it will inevitably cause a huge uproar or even internal strife! Therefore, we must be extremely cautious about this matter."
Meanwhile, the vast sky over Xianyang remained as clear and blue as ever, without a single cloud. The bright, warm sunlight bathed the magnificent Zhangtai Palace, making it appear even more imposing and awe-inspiring. However, behind this seemingly calm surface, a fierce struggle for the ultimate power in the Qin state was quietly unfolding.