UGB Chapter 86: 5 Days, Just 5 Days
Chapter 86: 5 Days, Just 5 Days
Zhangtai Palace.
Inside the main hall, the light was still dim, with only a few bronze palace lamps casting a hazy yellow glow.
"Squeak—"
The heavy palace doors were slowly pushed open, and the setting sun shone in obliquely, as if a dusty tomb had been opened.
Zhao Gao instinctively wanted to bow and go inside.
But in the brief moment he paused, a hint of disdain curled at the corner of his lips. He straightened his back and walked toward the hall that symbolized imperial power.
In his mind, "Ziying" was just a cowardly and weak puppet that he had personally chosen.
Even during court assemblies, the cowardly new emperor secretly wept amidst the solemn presence of civil and military officials in the grand hall.
Thinking of this, Zhao Gao's steps became even lighter.
The sound of his shoes striking the ground was exceptionally clear.
"Your subject, Zhao Gao, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
The seemingly respectful voice echoed in the hall, but Zhao Gao's bow was perfunctory and casual.
"Um."
A low, resonant response came from the imperial desk, revealing no trace of emotion.
This was completely different from the panic Zhao Gao had anticipated.
He slowly raised his head and looked up, only to see a stern and upright figure kneeling solemnly on the mat.
In the flickering candlelight, his figure appeared exceptionally tall.
With just one glance, that calm and steady demeanor, as solid as a mountain, struck Zhao Gao's mind like a thunderbolt.
That posture, that majesty...
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...?"
Zhao Gao shuddered violently, a chill instantly shooting from his tailbone to the top of his head.
It made his scalp tingle and even his heart feel like it had stopped beating.
Only when his panicked gaze finally pierced through the nine strings of tassels and saw the face behind the beaded curtain did Zhao Gao secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
"An illusion...it must be an illusion..."
Zhao Gao forced himself to suppress the turmoil in his heart and comforted himself.
Without realizing it, he subconsciously restrained himself and bowed deeply once again.
"Your Majesty, bandits have risen up in the east, and the former territories of the six states have all rebelled against Qin, causing Qin's territory to shrink daily."
Zhao Gao paused, carefully observing the reaction behind the imperial desk, and continued.
"To claim the title of emperor only invites the armies of the world and does nothing to benefit the state."
"In order to preserve the ancestral sacrifices of Qin and protect the ancient lands of Guanzhong, I request Your Majesty to temporarily revive the title of Emperor, resume the title of King of Qin, retreat to the old territory, appease the anger of the feudal lords, and then devise a plan for the future."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Gao stared intently at the face behind the crown.
However, Ziying did not react to Zhao Gao's words.
He remained expressionless as he slowly picked up the precious sword from the imperial desk and carefully wiped it along its cold spine.
Seeing that Ziying remained unmoved, Zhao Gao frowned slightly, and a surge of anger at being slighted rose within him.
He suddenly raised his voice, urging in an unquestionable tone, "This matter concerns the survival of the Qin dynasty; I beg Your Majesty to grant permission immediately."
The sound echoed in the hall, breaking the silence.
But Zhao Gao's response was still a chilling silence.
Ziying remained deaf to his words, his hands moving without pause, the silk even wiping the jeweled hilt of the sword.
His fingertips traced the cold sword with an almost devout focus.
Seeing that "Ziying" ignored him again and again.
Zhao Gao could no longer maintain his respectful demeanor. He slowly straightened up, his gentle expression vanishing, replaced by undisguised scrutiny and gloom.
Like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, it prepares to attack its prey.
Just as Zhao Gao's throat bobbed, preparing to utter even more threatening words—
suddenly!
Ziying spoke.
"Oh!"
Ziying slowly put down the sword in his hand, raised his head, and looked straight at Zhao Gao below the steps through the gap in the beaded curtain.
"Since the Prime Minister has said so, why should I disagree?"
Ziying's voice was calm and unwavering, as if he was unaware that this was actually an act of surrendering national sovereignty and humiliation.
Zhao Gao, however, did not care.
Seeing that he had achieved his goal, he put on his signature obsequious smile again and addressed 'Ziying' respectfully.
"Your Majesty is wise."
Just then—
"Crackling sound."
Suddenly, the wick of a palace lantern at the corner of the hall burst forth with a small cluster of bright flames. The rising flames illuminated the hall for a moment.
The firelight reflected off the sword, sending a sharp, cold glint into Zhao Gao's eyes.
"hiss......"
Zhao Gao gasped and instinctively closed his eyes.
An unease, originating from his very soul, coiled around his heart like a cold, venomous snake.
It's getting tighter and tighter!
At this moment, Zhao Gao seemed to realize something, but his past knowledge told him that Ziying was a cowardly person and how could he possibly resist him?
This stark contrast in perception was tearing him apart.
"Your Majesty, then I will go and issue the edict to proclaim it throughout the land."
Zhao Gao spoke almost impatiently; he just wanted to leave immediately.
So before Ziying could respond, Zhao Gao had already turned around quickly and hurried towards the palace gate.
However, just as he turned around and lifted his foot, a chilling coldness suddenly came from behind him.
Zhao Gao's raised foot suddenly froze in place.
His survival instinct, born of life itself, screamed and warned him frantically in his mind.
At that moment, he was clearly aware that if he dared to take another step forward, he would immediately be beheaded.
The shadow of death descended instantly.
He turned his body with difficulty, and what he saw made Zhao Gao's heart tremble with fear.
Suddenly, the figure on the imperial desk stood up, sword in hand.
He was slowly descending the long steps, one step at a time.
"Tap...tap...tap..."
The deep sound of footsteps echoed through the hall.
Each sound seemed to step on Zhao Gao's taut nerves, suffocating him.
In Zhao Gao's eyes, the expressionless figure was getting closer and closer, and becoming increasingly blurry.
A terrifying, boundless pressure emanated from in front of him, pressing down firmly on Zhao Gao's shoulders.
"Impossible...impossible!!!"
"He's dead!!!"
In extreme fear, Zhao Gao's shouts trembled uncontrollably.
In a daze, he even saw Ying Zheng's face superimposed on his own, and saw that the emperor of all ages seemed to have returned from the underworld, standing right in front of him.
Behind the crown were those icy eyes that seemed to see through everything.
"Zhao Gao..."
The voice, deep and majestic, pierced through the barriers of time and space, striking directly at Zhao Gao's soul.
"...Your Majesty...Your Majesty...?"
Zhao Gao's legs went weak, and his pupils contracted sharply in horror.
"Your Majesty, spare me... Your Majesty, spare me..."
Faced with the nightmare that haunted him day and night, fear completely overwhelmed his reason.
At this moment, Zhao Gao forgot his position as prime minister, forgot that Ying Zheng was dead, and even forgot to resist...
"thump!"
He knelt down, his forehead slamming wildly against the ground, making a "thump...thump..." sound.
Blood spurted from his head instantly, staining the floor tiles beneath his feet and creating a glaring dark red pool.
But Zhao Gao seemed oblivious, mechanically and desperately repeating the action over and over again.
"Your Majesty, spare me... Your Majesty, spare me..."
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...please spare me..."
The moment that cold gaze fell upon Zhao Gao, he finally snapped out of his daze.
"Ugh—"
Zhao Gao let out a strange cry, stopped bowing, and frantically lunged backward with his hands and feet, like a startled worm.
Just to get away from the "Ying Zheng" in his eyes.
A little further!
His magnificent prime minister's robes dragged on the ground, stained with dust and blood, making him look utterly disheveled.
"Oh."
Ziying smiled.
He said nothing and no longer looked at Zhao Gao's ugly posture.
He raised his sword, and a cold light burst forth, transforming into a golden lightning bolt that slashed downwards.
Time seemed to slow down at that moment.
The sword tip continued to fall downwards, Zhao Gao fled backwards in a twisting motion, and the candlelight flickered slowly.
Everything became very slow, very slow.
There was no familiar thunder, and there was no need to invoke astrology.
At this moment, destiny reveals itself.
Five days!!!
Scarlet-red and black text frantically popped up around Zou Yun.
Five days have passed; Zhao Gao's fate is now entirely at your disposal.
From this day forward, I will not interfere in your destiny. As long as you do not alter fate, I can assist you in attaining supreme power and authority.
The terrifying supernatural power that could overwhelm mountains and shift stars also lingered in Zou Yun's mind.
Even the Heavenly Emperor could do it.
Then all the scenes converged, transforming into a supreme deity residing in the nine heavens, receiving the worship of all living beings.
It shone with golden light, its power overwhelming all the heavens!
【how】
All the words eventually converged into these two characters, which floated before Zou Yun.
We waited quietly for his decision.
Zou Yun remained silent.
Time seemed to stand still once again.
"Oh!"
After a long silence, he finally managed to squeeze out a mocking sneer from between his teeth.
That previously expressionless face instantly clenched its teeth, its eyes widened in anger, and its pupils turned blood red.
Five days?!
Not even for a second!
"Die, you bastard!!!"
The next second, the sword fell fiercely.
"Pfft—"
Blood splattered all over the ground, and a head with an expression of disbelief rolled down in the hall.
The air froze instantly!
Even the dark red and black words "How" suddenly froze.
Only Ziying, or rather Zou Yun, remained expressionless.
He slowly wiped the bloodstains off the longsword, not even glancing at the dark red characters, and walked straight out of the hall.