Chapter 131: National Sacrifice_1
News of the happenings within the imperial court quickly spread throughout the Qin Dynasty. The announcement of Emperor Qin’s abdication, in particular, struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving many dumbfounded!
What in the world is going on?
Why would Emperor Qin, in the prime of his life, choose to abdicate?
Countless people were puzzled. Some even speculated that the Crown Prince had staged a coup in pursuit of the throne, causing the people’s fondness for Qin Wudao to plummet.
"If he lacks respect for his parents, how can he bring peace to the country?" an old scholar, leaning on his cane, exclaimed furiously, his beard bristling.
The Qin Empire was a nation that traditionally valued filial piety. If Qin Wudao were to seize the throne through a coup, it would not only be considered illegitimate but would also incite public outrage.
Just as public outrage was intensifying, the Emperor issued a royal edict. It stated that the Crown Prince was intelligent and exceptionally capable, a skilled governor with great merit. Therefore, the Emperor was voluntarily abdicating to become Emperor Emeritus, intending to enter seclusion to pursue the Great Dao.
Upon hearing the edict’s contents, the populace calmed down, filled with regret for having misunderstood the Crown Prince.
This storm of sentiment arose and subsided quickly, much like the straightforward nature of the Old Qin people: to admit when wrong and promptly correct their mistakes.
「On the fourth day」
The Ministry of War released its statistics: in the recent war, 170,000 soldiers had perished, and 230,000 were gravely wounded. The losses were catastrophic.