Chapter 58

"Only loyal to the Great Qin?"

"Hahaha... what well-spoken words!"

"Since that is the case, then you shall die!"

Ying Zheng, in a rage, drew his sword and thrust it straight at Li Si!

In that instant, Li Si panicked!

However, Ying Zheng's sword did not pierce through!

His blade halted before Li Si's chest, and he said to Li Si:

"Beg for mercy immediately, and write down the method of paper-making used by that rebellious son for Guaren Society, and Guaren Society will spare your life!"

"Otherwise, Guaren Society will surely kill you!"

Ying Zheng's gaze was cold and grim!

Li Si's body trembled violently!

This... was naturally out of fear!

One must know, this is the First Emperor!

How could the First Emperor's pressure be endured by an ordinary person?

In that moment, he trembled incessantly!

Yet amidst the constant trembling, he still kowtowed to Ying Zheng: "Your subject... would rather die!"

"What?"

"Would rather die?"

"Would rather die than betray that rebellious son?"

Ying Zheng was stunned!

He was overwhelmed with shock!

At the same time, he could not help but feel furious!

He roared at Li Si!

"Why?"

"Just because of that rebellious son?"

"Just because that rebellious son has Li Yuanba, can you be certain that rebellious son can hold that position for long?"

"Just because he has a Li Yuanba, have you completely chosen to be loyal to him?"

"Guaren Society tells you, even if he has Li Yuanba, Guaren Society can deal with him!"

"Once Li Yuanba is eliminated, Guaren Society will ascend the imperial throne again!"

"After Guaren Society returns to the imperial throne, the rebellious son will not die, and Li Yuanba will likewise not die, because one is Guaren Society's son and the other is a person of outstanding ability; Guaren Society will not kill either of these two!"

"But... you... Li Si! You must die!"

"Not only must you die, but your family, and that group behind you, Guaren Society will kill them all!"

"Do not think that because you have those noble families behind you as backing, Guaren Society will not move against you; Guaren Society will kill them all!"

Ying Zheng was furious!

At this moment, he was boundlessly angry, his eyes bulging as if about to split!

Yet, behind all this, he merely wanted to see Li Si beg for mercy!

But... no matter what he said, Li Si remained unmoved!

Finally, Ying Zheng grew tired; he cast aside the sword in his hand, sat back on the couch, and waved his hand at Li Si:

"Come, speak, why are you so loyal to him?"

"Speak of what reason could make a fence-sitter like you willingly fall to his side!"

"What charm does this rebellious son possess?"

"Or perhaps, what did you see in him that is stronger than Guaren Society?"

"Or perhaps, on what basis can you be certain this rebellious son can secure the imperial throne?"

"Do not talk to Guaren Society about loyalty!"

"If others speak of loyalty, Guaren Society believes it, but if you, Li Si, speak of loyalty, Guaren Society would not believe it even if beaten to death!"

In that moment, Ying Zheng spoke in an angry voice.

Li Si's body trembled!

After a moment, he sighed and said:

"Your subject indeed is not a loyal person, but... as the Left Chancellor of the Great Qin, I do have affection for this Great Qin!"

"Your subject also hopes the Great Qin can become powerful, and Young Master Ying Su is the only Young Master Your subject believes can make the Great Qin powerful!"

In that moment, Li Si bowed down and spoke!

And upon hearing these words, Ying Zheng laughed:

"Heh... the only Young Master who can make the Great Qin powerful?"

"You are far too high in your estimation of him!"

"Just because he frequently grants general pardons to the world?"

"Just because he frequently leaves the court without Qian Liang?"

"Just because he frequently kills people indiscriminately?"

"Just because he frequently dismisses officials and openly replaces them with his own trusted men?"

"Heh!"

"Guaren Society admits, he did earn some money by selling paper!"

"But that is all there is to it!"

"Tell me, in the month and more since he took power, what else has he done?"

"Nothing. The only achievement is selling paper!"

"But... what can that meager profit from selling paper prove?"

"Does this prove he has the ability to govern a state?"

"It does not prove that!"

"Even if he sells vast amounts of paper and earns vast sums, it only proves he is a competent merchant!"

"Not a competent Emperor!"

"As Emperor, one must bestow grace and terror upon the four seas, constantly preparing for a strong nation, constantly laying the groundwork for a strong nation!"

"For example, build the Great Wall to repel the Xiongnu!"

"Or, build the Dujiangyan and the Zhengguo Canal to bring blessings to all the people under heaven!"

"Or, construct the Epang Palace, so that all under heaven may see how magnificent the future palace of our Great Qin will be!"

"He?"

"Relying solely on selling paper?"

"Can selling paper make a nation strong?"

"Moreover, how can something like paper be put up for sale?"

"If I possessed paper, I would certainly implement it throughout the entire nation, so that everyone above and below the realm has paper to use and books to read!"

"Selling paper? It enriches his own pockets, yet brings suffering to the people under heaven!"

"With such governance, can he be considered an Emperor who makes our Great Qin strong?"

Ying Zheng sneered; he was utterly contemptuous!

However, no matter how Ying Zheng spoke, Li Si's single sentence caused Ying Zheng to lose his composure:

"May I ask Your Majesty, since the fall of Qi and since the First Emperor ascended the throne, has the treasury of our Great Qin ever reached an annual tax revenue of ten million coins?"

"What?"

The moment the words left his lips, Ying Zheng exploded on the spot!

For, as the First Emperor, he knew the state of the Great Qin treasury's tax revenue all too well!

Since Great Qin destroyed the six states, it has been engaged in construction, constantly exhausting the people!

The treasury's tax revenue has always been poor!

Yet Li Si dares to use these matters as an argument?

He was furious to the extreme!

Li Si continued: