The Death of an Emperor and a Fateful Decision

In 210 BCE, China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, lay dying during one of his imperial tours. The visionary unifier who had conquered warring states and standardized writing, currency, and measurements left behind a critical document—his final will. This document, properly sealed and entrusted to Zhao Gao, the emperor’s chief eunuch and palace official, contained instructions for the succession: it named the emperor’s eldest son, Fusu, as heir apparent.

The stakes couldn’t have been higher. Only two men knew of the will’s existence: Zhao Gao and Li Si, the empire’s chancellor. As they stood together in the emperor’s absence, a dangerous conspiracy began to take shape—one that would alter the course of Chinese history.

The Mastermind Behind the Coup

Zhao Gao had once been the tutor of Qin Shi Huang’s youngest son, Huhai. Unlike Fusu—a capable and decisive leader who was stationed at the northern frontier under General Meng Tian—Huhai was weak-willed and easily influenced. Zhao Gao saw an opportunity.

“Chancellor,” Zhao Gao murmured, his voice low and persuasive, “have you ever wished to truly wield power? To shape the empire as you see fit?”

Li Si hesitated. Though he had served as chancellor, much of his authority had been under the emperor’s directives. The idea of acting independently—of controlling the empire through a pliable ruler—was tantalizing.

Zhao Gao pressed further: “If Fusu ascends, he will appoint Meng Tian as chancellor. Where does that leave you?”

The implication was clear. With Huhai on the throne, Zhao Gao and Li Si could rule from the shadows.

The Forgery and Its Deadly Consequences

The decision was made. Using the imperial seal in his possession, Zhao Gao altered the will, declaring Huhai the heir instead of Fusu. But the conspiracy didn’t stop there—Fusu and Meng Tian had to be eliminated.

A forged edict was dispatched to the northern frontier, commanding Fusu to commit suicide for his alleged disloyalty. When the message arrived, Fusu, ever the filial son, prepared to obey without question.

General Meng Tian, however, was suspicious. “This decree is sudden,” he argued. “Why would the emperor act so hastily without returning to the capital?”

But Fusu refused to doubt his father’s command. He took his own life, while Meng Tian, refusing to comply, was arrested and later executed.

Concealing the Emperor’s Death

To ensure their plot succeeded, Zhao Gao and Li Si needed to hide Qin Shi Huang’s death until Fusu was dead. They transported the emperor’s body in a wēnliáng carriage—an elaborate, climate-controlled vehicle—while maintaining the illusion that he was still alive.

Court rituals continued: meals were delivered, and an imprisoned eunuch was forced to eat them to avoid suspicion. But as the corpse began to decay in the summer heat, a new problem arose—the stench.

Li Si devised a clever ruse. He ordered all officials to carry barrels of salted fish in their carriages, masking the odor of death with the overpowering smell of preserved seafood.

The Aftermath: A Dynasty Doomed

With Fusu dead and Huhai crowned as the Second Emperor, Zhao Gao and Li Si secured their power—but at a terrible cost. Huhai proved incompetent, and Zhao Gao’s ruthless machinations led to widespread purges. The Qin Dynasty, once a formidable empire, crumbled under corruption and rebellion within just four years.

Legacy of the Conspiracy

The forgery of Qin Shi Huang’s will remains one of history’s most consequential acts of deception. It exposed the fragility of imperial succession and set a precedent for palace intrigues that would plague Chinese dynasties for centuries.

More than two millennia later, the story endures as a cautionary tale—of ambition unchecked, of loyalty betrayed, and of how a single act of treachery can unravel an empire.