The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Chapter 243: The Death of the Ancestral Dragon

On the other side, Meng Tian took advantage of the night and sneaked onto the roof of Zhangtai Palace like a ghost.

He was agile and quick in his movements, as if he had blended into the night.

It happened that at this moment, Hu Hai, Tu You and others came out from the side hall, and their figures appeared a little blurry in the moonlight.

At the entrance of the side hall, several imperial guards stood upright, with the long spears in their hands flashing with cold light.

Meng Tian thought to himself: "Could it be that His Majesty is in the side hall?" A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, but more of it was determination.

Then, Meng Tian walked around to the side of the hall, jumped lightly, climbed over the window, and entered the hall.

The light in the side hall was dim, and Meng Tian groped his way forward cautiously. His footsteps were as light as feathers landing on the ground, making no sound at all, and he looked around vigilantly.

Suddenly, Meng Tian's sharp gaze was like lightning, projected directly onto the bed.

He stared intently, his heart trembling suddenly, and he couldn't help but call out softly: "Your Majesty?"

These two words seemed to carry a tremendous force, echoing in the silent room.

The person on the bed seemed to be touched by Meng Tian's call and his body trembled slightly.

Although the movement was extremely slight, it still did not escape Meng Tian's keen observation.

Meng Tian did not dare to delay for a moment and hurried forward with big strides. When he finally saw the First Emperor lying on the bed, he could not help but feel a pang of sorrow in his heart.

The First Emperor's face was as pale as a piece of white paper, without a trace of blood; his originally strong body had now become skinny, as if it would fall down with a gust of wind.

Seeing this scene, Meng Tian's eyes instantly became moist, and tears flowed uncontrollably. He sobbed and said, "Your Majesty! I am late. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

The First Emperor slowly opened his eyes with great effort, and his gaze gradually focused on Meng Tian in front of him.

When he recognized that the person in front of him was his trusted general, a barely perceptible look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Then, as if using up all his strength, he struggled to sit up from the bed.

Seeing this, Meng Yi, who was standing by, hurried forward and carefully supported the First Emperor, allowing him to slowly lean on the backrest of the bed.

The First Emperor was breathing heavily, his chest heaving violently, and it took him a long time to calm down a little.

He slowly asked in a weak and hoarse voice, "Meng...Qing, you...how did you get here?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Tian immediately knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I have been worried about your health and well-being, so I have come to visit you."

The First Emperor nodded slightly to show his approval, and a smile of relief appeared with difficulty on his face, which was as pale as paper.

He gestured for Meng Tian to stand, then said softly, "Meng...Qing, I know you are loyal to me. But the situation is complicated now, so you must proceed with caution."

Meng Tian said solemnly: "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will protect you."

The First Emperor shook his head, sighed, and said, "Alas, the current turmoil in the court is all my fault. I shouldn't have trusted Zhao Gao and shouldn't have been obsessed with immortality."

After the First Emperor finished speaking, his face suddenly turned rosy and his complexion seemed to be better.

Meng Tian hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty, please don't blame yourself. You should take care of your health first." His voice was full of concern and anxiety.

The First Emperor gave a bitter smile and said, "I know my own health very well. I'm afraid I don't have much time left."

As he spoke, he began to cough violently again, his body trembling slightly.

Meng Tian clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Your Majesty, as long as I am still breathing, I will not allow the treacherous to succeed. I will escort Your Majesty from this place and gather loyal men to restore order."

The First Emperor waved his hand, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness, "I am no longer able to struggle any further, but I have something to give you, sir."

As he spoke, he took out a brocade robe from under his pillow.

"This is my blood letter. I know you are upright. If I am not here, you take it. In the future, you will be in charge of all the troops in the Qin Empire and assist Fusu."

The First Emperor stared at Meng Tian closely, his eyes full of trust and expectation.

Meng Tian was horrified. His eyes widened, his lips trembling slightly, and he quickly knelt down to refuse. "Your Majesty, this thing is precious. I dare not accept it." There was a hint of panic and uneasiness in his voice.

The First Emperor said sternly: "I have made up my mind. You don't have to refuse any longer. I believe you can take on this important task." There was unquestionable majesty in his voice.

Meng Tian took the brocade robe with trembling hands. His fingers gently touched the soft brocade, and a strong sense of responsibility and mission surged in his heart. "Your Majesty's kindness, I will never be able to repay you even if I am torn to pieces."

The First Emperor patted Meng Tian on the shoulder, a hint of relief flashed in his eyes, and said: "Mr. Meng, I believe in you. With you here, I am relieved about the Qin Dynasty." His voice gradually became low, as if he had used up his last strength.

The First Emperor closed his eyes tiredly and said, "Go, Meng Qing, I am tired."

His breathing became weaker and weaker, like a candle in the wind, which could go out at any time.

Meng Tian knelt down and bowed with tears in his eyes, his eyes full of sadness and reluctance.

When Meng Tian raised his head again, the First Emperor had already passed away.

Meng Tian could no longer hold back his tears, and they burst out like a flood. He cried loudly, and his cries echoed in the palace, as if he wanted to vent all the grief and sorrow in his heart.

At this moment, several guards at the palace gate seemed to sense movement inside the palace. One of them shouted, "Who?"

His voice echoed in the silent palace, with a hint of tension and vigilance.

Several other imperial guards immediately became alert, tightening their weapons and preparing to push the door open to check.

However, at this moment, a "whoosh" sound suddenly came from outside the hall. The sound was sharp and short, as if a sharp arrow was passing through the air.

A guard fell to the ground, his body hitting the ground heavily with a dull sound.

Seeing this, several guards nearby changed their expressions and shouted, "There's an assassin! Come quickly!"

Their voices were filled with fear and anger, causing a commotion in the palace.

Then, everyone chased in the direction where the sound came from. The sound of footsteps and shouts intertwined, breaking the original tranquility.

At this time, Meng Yi also climbed in from the window of the side hall.

Meng Yi walked forward quickly and saw that the First Emperor was no longer alive. He couldn't help but feel sad and regretful.

Meng Yi stared at the remains of the First Emperor. A genius of his generation, an emperor of all ages, just left before his eyes, which made him feel extremely helpless.

Meng Yi took a deep breath, tried to collect his thoughts, then quickly helped Meng Tian up and said, "Brother, we can't stay here for long. We must leave here as soon as possible."

Meng Tian suppressed his grief, his eyes firm and resolute. He carefully put away the brocade robe, as if it were the last relic of the First Emperor, carrying his endless longing and loyalty to His Majesty.

The two looked at each other, and they could see determination and resolve in each other's eyes.

Meng Tian looked up at the sky and secretly vowed to fulfill His Majesty's last wish.