Upon hearing these words, the entire court's attention turned to Chunyu Yue.
Many officials had a look of anticipation in their eyes.
The matter of selecting a crown prince!
Ever since Ying Zheng took full control of the government, some had raised the issue of appointing a crown prince, but he had never entertained the idea, nor had he taken it seriously.
But now, the empire was unified.
Yet, the position of the crown prince remained undecided.
For a nation, this was undoubtedly a major issue.
"Your Majesty,"
"In the past, when the empire was not yet unified, and external threats remained, delaying the decision on the crown prince was understandable. However, now that the world is at peace, the state must have a designated heir."
"Only by doing so can the foundations of Great Qin be stabilized and the empire prosper."
"Establishing a crown prince is crucial to securing the nation's foundation."
"Only then can Great Qin be passed down for generations."
Chunyu Yue spoke again.
At this point, he was just short of outright stating his support for Fusu as the crown prince.
Faced with this situation,
With Chunyu Yue bringing up the matter, the eyes of all the officials turned to Ying Zheng.
Of course,
For those like Han Fei and Li Si, who had participated in the open examination at Zhangtai Palace, they remained calm.
They had already known Ying Zheng's thoughts on this matter of who the future crown prince of Great Qin would be.
At this moment!
Fusu and Huhai, standing below the grand steps, were also filled with unease.
As princes were allowed to participate in court affairs, it was only natural that they had ambitions for the position of crown prince.
"Appointing a crown prince is essential to securing the nation's foundation."
Ying Zheng finally spoke.
The eyes of the court officials were locked on him.
However, Ying Zheng's expression was particularly cold.
"Indeed."
"Great Qin needs a crown prince."
"And in my heart, I have already chosen someone." Ying Zheng said slowly.
Hearing that he had already made a decision,
The officials' gazes sharpened.
Fusu and Huhai's hearts were pounding.
At this moment,
Looking around the court, the choice could only be between these two.
"In the past,"
"When I first returned to Qin, there was a woman who grew up with me, a childhood companion. She was with me in Zhao, standing by my side when I suffered humiliation at the hands of the Zhao people. When I was nearly killed by them, she risked her life to save me."
"For my sake,"
"She left her homeland and followed me to Xianyang."
"When I first ascended the throne, full of youthful ambition, I declared before the court that I would make her my queen."
"But in the end, this promise brought her nothing but disaster. She nearly lost her life and was separated from me for many years."
Ying Zheng spoke slowly, his voice echoing through the grand hall.
Apart from some older officials who had been present at the time, most of the court had never heard this story before.
"Afang... was it her?"
"The woman in history known as Qin Shi Huang's one true love, the reason he never took a queen."
Among the court,
As Ying Zheng recounted this past, Zhao Feng couldn't help but think of the historical records and legends.
Afang...
The Afang Palace...
After unifying the empire, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the most magnificent palace in the world, naming it Afang Palace.
Perhaps only he knew the true meaning behind its name.
"So His Majesty had such a story in his past."
"She shared hardship with him but never got to enjoy his glory."
"And she nearly lost her life because of it."
"Why would His Majesty bring this up now? Does it have some deeper meaning?"
"No wonder he never named a queen. Perhaps, in his heart, only this woman was ever his true wife."
"The concubines in the harem must have meant nothing to him."
"So there was such a past..."
The officials couldn't help but speculate.
To them,
This revelation was an unprecedented glimpse into the private life of the First Emperor.
"But the crown prince..."
"Surely, it won't be Fusu..."
At this moment, Ying Zheng spoke again.
As soon as these words fell, Fu Su's expression darkened, and he forced a bitter smile.
The ministers who supported Fu Su also turned pale, their hearts sinking to rock bottom.
Chunyu Yue's face twisted in frustration.
"Your Majesty," he could not help but speak, "among all the princes, is there anyone more qualified than Prince Fu Su to take this position?"
"This Chunyu Yue is truly brainless he still dares to question the First Emperor."
"But wasn't it Fu Su who was ultimately made Crown Prince in history? He was supposed to inherit the throne."
"Why is it different now? Fu Su has no chance at all?"
"This must have completely shocked Fu Su and all those who supported him."
"If Fu Su isn't chosen, Hu Hai must be overjoyed right now."
"But would the First Emperor choose Hu Hai? Hu Hai isn't exactly known for his competence."
"Whatever happens, the Qin Dynasty will still fall in the second generation. The title 'Qin Er Shi' (Second Emperor of Qin) is unavoidable."
"I'll just wait for my opportunity and create an empire of my own in the future."
Zhao Feng appeared calm on the surface, but in his heart, he was deep in thought.
Just as Zhao Feng predicted, with Ying Zheng's announcement that Fu Su would not be the Crown Prince, Hu Hai's breathing grew rapid, his heart pounding with excitement.
"If Fu Su won't be the Crown Prince, doesn't that mean Father will choose me?"
"Am I going to be the Crown Prince?"
Hu Hai was overwhelmed with anticipation.
However…
Standing beside Ying Zheng, Zhao Gao noticed the uncontrollable joy on Hu Hai's face and sighed inwardly.
"The choice of Crown Prince was already decided long ago. No one knows yet, but who would have thought that the current State Guard would be the future Crown Prince of Qin?"
"The next two rulers of Qin will be powerful monarchs."
"There's no changing it now."
"I need to start currying favor with the new Crown Prince if I want to maintain my position in the palace."
For Zhao Gao, this was a critical realization.
He was merely a eunuch. Though he had ambitions and had once considered helping Hu Hai seize the throne since Hu Hai would be easy to control things had changed.
Hu Hai no longer had any chance.
And with the First Emperor still in power, the future Crown Prince would also be a formidable ruler, someone Zhao Gao couldn't manipulate.
The infamous "pointing at a deer and calling it a horse" event from history would never happen in this Qin Dynasty.
Then, Ying Zheng's next words shattered Hu Hai's dreams.
"Hu Hai will also not be the Crown Prince," he declared.
As soon as these words fell, Hu Hai, who had been full of excitement and confidence just moments ago, instantly froze.
The ministers who had supported Hu Hai who had just moments ago been ecstatic felt their hopes crash down like a falling mountain.
One moment, they were dreaming of the future, and in the next, those dreams were shattered.
Now, more than half of the court's ministers turned to Ying Zheng with confusion and doubt in their eyes.
If neither Fu Su nor Hu Hai was chosen, then who could it be?
"I can tell you all," Ying Zheng continued.
"The one who shared hardships with me in the past has returned."
"She has given me a son. By age, he is the eldest among my children, the foremost among the princes."
"By status, I will soon confer upon Ah Fang the title of Empress. She will be the Empress of Qin. As her son, he will be my legitimate eldest son."
"He will be my heir the Crown Prince of Qin."
Ying Zheng's voice resounded through the grand court.
This statement sealed the decision.
Everyone now understood the First Emperor had made his choice.
"Your Majesty," a voice rang out.
"If that Lady Xia from the past has returned and has indeed given birth to a son, he was never recorded in the royal family registry nor granted an official jade token of identity. He has lived among commoners can his bloodline truly be verified?"
For the first time, the usually silent Imperial Clan Minister, Ying Xi, stepped forward and spoke loudly.
At this moment, he had no choice but to act.
When Ying Zheng first took the throne, the royal clan held great power. But after their failed attempt to control him, everything changed.
Once Ying Zheng took full control, he relied on talented outsiders rather than the aristocratic royal family, gradually stripping them of their influence.
The royal clan had also been involved in the plot against Xia Dong'er.
If Xia Dong'er were now crowned Empress and her son made Crown Prince, Ying Xi knew his fate would be grim.
With this in mind, he could not sit still.
Thus, he stepped forward, using the legitimacy of the royal bloodline to challenge the First Emperor.
Hearing Ying Xi's argument, Ying Zheng's expression grew cold.
"Are you suggesting that I do not recognize my son?" he asked icily.
"I would not dare," Ying Xi quickly replied.
"But this concerns the royal bloodline of Qin Your Majesty's lineage it must be treated with utmost seriousness."
"So Ah Fang truly existed, and she even gave birth to Qin Shihuang's son."
"The timeline has completely changed because of me."
"Fu Su is not the Crown Prince, and Hu Hai will never be Qin Er Shi."
"The future Qin Er Shi will be Ah Fang's son."
"This is too much of a divergence."
"From the way Ying Zheng speaks, he has already found Ah Fang's son. Whoever he is, since Ying Zheng values him so highly, he must be under heavy guard. After all, he is the future Crown Prince of Qin there can be no room for carelessness."
Zhao Feng thought silently, observing the unfolding drama.
This was a grand spectacle.
As long as it didn't involve him, he would simply watch from the sidelines.
"No one will change my decision," Ying Zheng declared.
"Once I complete the Fengshan Ceremony at Mount Tai, I will announce his identity before Heaven and Earth, proclaim Empress Ah Fang, and officially appoint the Crown Prince."
His words were final.
His voice carried an undeniable authority.
At this moment, the world was unified.
Ying Zheng no longer cared much about the opposition.
Let the court ministers object if they wished there was nothing they could do to change the course of events.
He would make his beloved Afang the empress and appoint Feng'er as the crown prince.
Ying Zheng had waited for this day for a long time, and no one could change his decision.
He was no longer the young Qin king who had yet to grasp power.
Now, he was the ruler of all under heaven the almighty First Emperor of Qin.
"Does the First Emperor not care about the ancestors?"
To protect himself, Ying Xi had thrown all caution to the wind and spoke loudly.
"I rule this world," Ying Zheng declared.
"The ancestors will bear witness."
"On the day of the Mount Tai Fengshan ceremony, I will personally explain everything to them."
"You have no right to overstep."
"Stand down!"
Ying Zheng raised his hand and dismissed him without a trace of courtesy.
"The legitimacy of the bloodline is the foundation of the Qin dynasty."
"If the bloodline is tainted or unclear, how will the First Emperor answer to the ancestors?"
"I would rather die than allow the Qin royal bloodline to be sullied!" Ying Xi declared solemnly as he knelt.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"The royal lineage must not be desecrated!"
"The matter of the eldest prince must be handled with utmost caution!"
"The bloodline of our Qin royal family must remain pure!"
"Your Majesty, please think twice!"
Following Ying Xi's lead, many ministers stepped forward to voice their agreement.
At this moment, they understood Ying Xi's motives.
Likewise, for the sake of their interests, they had no choice but to step forward.
"On the day of the Mount Tai Fengshan ceremony, I will personally conduct a blood test with my eldest son."
"Court dismissed!"
Ying Zheng swept his gaze across the court and waved his hand decisively.
To be honest, he wasn't worried he knew that Zhao Feng and Zhao Ying were indeed his children.
He also knew that his beloved Afang had always been his alone and had never been with another man.
But to officially legitimize his children as true descendants of the Qin royal family, this step was necessary.
As he watched Ying Zheng's departing figure, a flash of unwillingness crossed Ying Xi's eyes.
But he understood.
The blood test was the First Emperor's final concession. If the results confirmed the father-son relationship, then the decision would be set in stone.
Looking at the various reactions among the court ministers disappointment, frustration, and all kinds of emotions Zhao Feng remained calm.
"What a grand spectacle."
Zhao Feng chuckled softly.
Then he rose and walked toward the palace exit.
"Son-in-law."
At that moment, Wang Jian caught up with him and called out.
"What is it, Father-in-law?" Zhao Feng asked with a smile.
"What do you think of what just happened?" Wang Jian asked with a knowing grin.
"The affairs of the royal family have nothing to do with me."
"This is the First Emperor's matter," Zhao Feng replied casually.
"Aren't you curious about who the eldest prince is?" Wang Jian asked, still smiling.
"Curious? Sure."
"But clearly, the First Emperor has already hidden him away. Otherwise, there would be plenty of people in the court plotting his death." Zhao Feng chuckled.
He saw through the court's schemes completely.
The eldest prince's identity had not yet been revealed.
But once it was made public, there would be many who wanted him dead.
Even with the First Emperor's protection, compared to the potential benefits of eliminating him, those who wished him harm would find a way scapegoats were easy to find.
"You're quite straightforward," Wang Jian said with a laugh.
"It's the truth."
"After all, this is about the supreme throne."
"Many people won't hesitate to act."
"But none of this concerns me. The war is over, so I can finally rest at home in peace," Zhao Feng said lightly as if it were all trivial.
He then turned to leave the hall.
"Lord Wu'an!"
A voice called out.
Zhao Feng turned to see Han Fei walking toward him with a serious expression.
"Han Fei, since when did you become so serious?"
Seeing Han Fei's demeanor, Zhao Feng couldn't help but tease him.
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