Chapter 108

Lao Ai's ambition was even greater than Lu Lu Buwei imagined.

Lu Lu Buwei thought he could use his illicit affair with the Empress Dowager to coerce Lao Ai, not knowing that Lao Ai had long since developed the intention to rebel.

Even without Lu Lu Buwei's letter, he would have taken action. He had even planned it out: first kill Ying Zheng, then execute Lu Lu Buwei, and then, using an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, appoint his own son as the new King of Qin, turning the world of the Ying clan into his own world!

Ying Zheng was busy with the capping ceremony.

Lu Lu Buwei and Lao Ai were not idle either; they each had their own intentions.

Also having his own intentions was... Zhao Gao.

Zhao Gao was a confidant of the Empress Dowager, and before he served the Empress Dowager, his previous superior was none other than Lao Ai.

After King Zhuangxiang died, Lu Lu Buwei and Zhao Ji rekindled their old flame and frequently entered and exited the palace.

But because of his old age and physical weakness, Lu Lu Buwei's body was not what it used to be, and he gradually could not keep up with Zhao Ji, who was in the prime of her life. Thus, he found someone with extraordinary natural gifts from the Net.

This person was Lao Ai.

Lao Ai was recommended by him and became a guest of the Empress Dowager, deeply favored by Empress Dowager Zhao Ji.

At first, Lu Lu Buwei used Lao Ai to gain the Empress Dowager's favor.

But gradually, Lao Ai broke free from Lu Lu Buwei's control. Even Empress Dowager Zhao Ji, because of Lao Ai, gradually grew distant from Lu Lu Buwei. Later, Lao Ai used Zhao Ji's favor to step by step go from a man who was not truly castrated to the Marquis of Changxin.

Because he was not a true eunuch, at certain times, for convenience, he still needed some trustworthy eunuchs to serve him.

Zhao Gao was discovered by Lao Ai under such circumstances and was subsequently introduced to Zhao Ji, becoming a confidant to both of them.

However, even Lao Ai would not have thought that Zhao Gao was more ambitious than he imagined.

To be precise, it was because Zhao Gao watched Lao Ai become the Marquis of Changxin under the name of a eunuch that he also developed a desire for power.

Since a person like Lao Ai could rely on the Empress Dowager's favor to become the Marquis of Changxin, could he not also be enfeoffed as a Marquis one day?

However, he also knew very clearly that compared to Lao Ai, he did not have the other's "strengths."

He was a true eunuch.

Therefore, it was impossible to gain the Empress Dowager's favor through his own strengths.

Continuing to rely on Lao Ai, although he was highly valued by him, Lao Ai was a man who, because he came from the Net, was cold-blooded and heartless. Although he was currently used by him, it was only because he still had value. If he lost his value, Lao Ai would sacrifice him without hesitation.

Therefore, he had to find another way out.

Until he learned of Lao Ai's intention to rebel.

Actually, it could not be considered "learning," because Lao Ai did not hide it from him, perhaps because he had never violated the orders of Lao Ai and the Empress Dowager over the years and had done everything they entrusted to him very well.

When Lao Ai developed the heart of rebellion, he first informed Zhao Gao of this matter.

After all, rebellion was not something one person could do; there had to be accomplices.

Zhao Gao verbally did everything Lao Ai instructed.

But in secret, this matter allowed him to see an opportunity.

Since there was no path to advancement with Lao Ai and the Empress Dowager, could he change his thinking and look for a breakthrough from the King of Qin's side?

He decisively chose to betray Lao Ai to seek glory.

"Lao Ai, don't worry, after you die, I will take over everything you have."

Zhao Gao's voice was low as he whispered to himself.

Lu Lu Buwei found Lao Ai from the Net and entrusted him with important tasks, not knowing that after Lao Ai gained power, he quietly influenced the Net through his familiarity with it.

The Net organization appeared to be controlled by Lu Lu Buwei, but in reality, a large portion of its power was already used by Lao Ai. Lao Ai often issued missions under the guise of Lu Lu Buwei's orders.

And within the Net, Lao Ai had another identity—Li Yanyan!

If one were to understand "Li Yanyan" (Covering the Sun) from a different angle, covering up that "thing," it was precisely the man who was not truly castrated.

A capping ceremony caused various factions to have different intentions.

There were those seeking to break the deadlock, those plotting mischief, and those who were opportunists.

Amidst the chaos, Su Xuan was actually idle.

This was mainly because, through his understanding of history, he was very clear about the general direction of the capping ceremony.

Every day, he cultivated in his mansion, occasionally accompanying Yan Yan Lingji for a game of chess in his spare time, and going out for a stroll from time to time.

After all, since he had come to Xianyang, it would be unreasonable not to go out and look around.

Back when he was in the Han State, he spent most of his time in the palace and rarely went out. By the time he became a wanted criminal in the Han State, it was difficult to go out even if he wanted to.

Time drifted by.

In the blink of an eye, it was already April.

The day of Ying Zheng's capping ceremony was drawing closer and closer.

As the Marquis of Changxin, Lao Ai, sent word back to Xianyang that the preparations for the capping ceremony were all ready.

Ying Zheng officially left the capital city of Xianyang, arrived in Yongcheng, and took up residence in the Qinian Palace.

Yongcheng was the former capital of the Qin State. One hundred and twelve years ago, the Qin State moved its capital to Xianyang, but the ancestral temple of the Ying clan remained in Yongcheng. The capping ceremony had to be held in the ancestral temple to report to the ancestors. If Ying Zheng wanted to perform the capping ceremony, he had to come to Yongcheng.

From the Western Zhou to the current Qin State, many ancient rituals had ceased to exist, but the capping ceremony, as one of the ancestral systems of the Qin State, had been passed down.

The capping ceremony is the beginning of ritual and the most important of auspicious events. Therefore, the ancient sage kings valued the capping ceremony.

A wedding might happen more than once, but growing up only happens once, and the capping ceremony only happens once, so it naturally needs to be treated with caution. The capping ceremony had strict regulations regarding details. The location had to be within one's own ancestral temple. The time also had strict requirements; divination was performed beforehand, and after a complex and rigorous procedure, the inevitable and unique solution was found, and finally, an auspicious day was chosen. There was no doubt that this was done by the Yin-Yang School.

At the capping ceremony, besides the person being capped, there was another important role—the "guest," that is, the host and witness of the ceremony. This person could not be chosen casually and also needed to be determined through divination.

Nine years, nearly ten years, had passed since Ying Zheng's succession ceremony, and the Qin State finally welcomed another large-scale grand ceremony. For someone of Ying Zheng's level, the cost and expense of a capping ceremony would naturally not be small. How could Ying Zheng begrudge the money! This capping ceremony represented his image and the image of the Qin State; naturally, the more magnificent and grand, the better.

However, not everyone could participate in the viewing ceremony of this capping ceremony; only a few hundred people were truly qualified to participate. These people were all powerful nobles of the Qin State and the hub of the imperial court.

Without these people, the Qin State might not necessarily be destroyed, but it would certainly fall into turmoil.

This was also the reason why Lao Ai believed he could succeed in his rebellion.

The capping ceremony was held in Yongcheng. As long as he started a rebellion in Yongcheng, killed Ying Zheng, and captured these people, while on the other side, another large army marched into Xianyang to occupy the empty Xianyang city, then the majority of the entire Qin State would be under his control.

Afterward, by utilizing the Empress Dowager's imperial edict, making the Qin State his own would be an easy matter.

When Ying Zheng arrived at the Qinian Palace in Yongcheng, Su Xuan and Yan Yan Lingji also quietly arrived in Yongcheng, the ancestral land of the Qin State.

"Compared to Xianyang, this place is really small!"

After looking around, Yan Yan Lingji evaluated Yongcheng, which was inferior to Xianyang in both prosperity and scale.