Chapter 91 Zhu Di regretted forgetting to deal with this eunuch!

The tender moment between the master and disciple made Zhou Yu's teeth ache.

I just couldn't bear to watch it.

He turned and left.

Anyway, it's almost time to get off work, so let him figure it out himself. Or maybe he should send Cao Cao a demand letter? Or should he give Cao Cao a piece of his mind?

—-

Although Qin Shi Huang failed to bring back the legendary elixir of immortality upon his return to Qin, he felt no disappointment. After witnessing the lustrous, jade-like elixir of immortality with his own eyes, his blood seemed to be infused with boundless vitality, and even his breathing became hot and surging.

Inside the hall, several alchemists knelt tremblingly, holding meticulously crafted "elixirs" in their hands, attempting to offer them as tribute. Ying Zheng merely glanced at them indifferently, a slight smile playing on his lips, revealing an almost contemptuous expression.

"Step down." His voice was deep and authoritative, like muffled thunder rolling across the sky.

Having seen the true elixir of immortality, how could these mundane things be worthy of his attention?

From now on, he will never take these inferior pills again.

The immortals are right before his eyes, within reach, so why should he bother chasing after those ethereal legends?

Inside the grand hall, the assembled officials held their breath; even the air seemed to freeze. Those alchemists who had sworn to find him a divine destiny were now ashen-faced, their foreheads pressed against the cold floor tiles, afraid to raise their heads. They knew in their hearts that they had not only missed a tremendous opportunity, but might also lose their lives as a result.

However, Ying Zheng did not punish him.

He simply gazed silently at Fusu in the crowd. Fusu was gentle and kind. He knew that his father had also gone to Songyang County, but he couldn't ask too many questions, especially since his father hadn't brought it up himself.

In this magnificent Xianyang Palace, they were not only father and son connected by blood, but also ruler and subject.

Fusu's fingertips trembled slightly as he thought of Huhai—his younger brother still in swaddling clothes. Ever since the day he was punished, Huhai's little face had been burning red, his body feverish, and even his cries were barely audible. In the infant's hazy consciousness, perhaps he only vaguely remembered that his father, who had once held him in his arms and gently soothed him, had not appeared for a long time.

Thinking of this, Fusu's breathing became even lighter, as if even his breath was a transgression. He dared not raise his head, much less look directly into those sharp, sword-like eyes.

"Fusu."

Ying Zheng's voice suddenly rang out, deep and resonant, like a thunderclap splitting the stagnant air.

“Raise your head.”

The tone was calm and even, yet it made Fusu's spine stiffen. He slowly raised his eyes and met his father's gaze—there was no anger, no warmth, only a bottomless scrutiny, as if it wanted to pierce through him.

He was still afraid of his father.

When those deep, unfathomable eyes looked over, Fusu felt his heart pounding so loudly it was deafening, and even his fingertips trembled slightly. He tried to keep his back straight, but his taut jawline betrayed his unease.

"You're even afraid of me? How are you going to inherit the Qin Dynasty?"

Ying Zheng's voice wasn't loud, yet it struck Fusu's heart like a heavy hammer. A hint of disappointment flashed in the emperor's eyes; his gaze was so sharp it almost pierced Fusu's gentle, jade-like exterior. What he wanted to see was the same sharpness as himself, that fearless disdain for the world—only such spirit was worthy of ruling this empire forged in iron and blood, and only such a spirit could ensure the eternal glory of Qin.

Ke Fusu...

Ying Zheng's disappointment was almost tangible. He stood with his hands behind his back, the gold thread on his black dragon robe gleaming coldly in the candlelight, making him appear like a drawn sword. This silence was more suffocating than any rebuke; the air in the hall seemed to freeze.

The brothers Meng Tian and Meng Yi lowered their eyes simultaneously, while the veteran general Wang Jian cast his gaze towards the sky outside the hall. These seasoned ministers all tacitly chose silence at this moment—the affairs of the imperial family were ultimately not for ministers to comment on.

Fusu's pupils contracted slightly, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. This was the first time his father had spoken to him in such a stern tone, but he clearly... hadn't done anything!

The young master pursed his lips, a hint of confusion appearing between his gentle brows. He couldn't understand why his father seemed like a completely different person after returning from Songyang County.

In fact, Fusu did nothing wrong.

But after witnessing the miracle of the elixir of immortality, Ying Zheng suddenly realized that the only person in the world who could perfectly implement his iron-fisted rule was himself.

——

Like Ying Zheng, Liu Che became incredibly energetic after seeing the elixir of immortality, even his breathing became heavier.

Immortality?

This thought grew wildly in his mind. He was the Son of Heaven, an emperor ordained by Heaven; if he could truly live forever… Liu Che's thoughts drifted far away. At that time, he would naturally need several capable men to serve him. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing were essential; one was steady and reliable, the other brave and skilled in battle—both indispensable right-hand men. As for the others… He narrowed his eyes, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the table, needing to carefully consider his options.

At this moment, Liu Che was not considering the issue of money at all.

As a pampered and privileged child raised in luxury, Liu Zhuzhu was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. With mountains of gold and jewels piled up in the Weiyang Palace and the treasury always overflowing, he never worried about money.

At this moment, my heart and eyes are filled with the captivating dream of immortality.

He kept chanting about immortality and summoned alchemists to discuss it together.

Wei Zifu stood quietly outside the palace, her fingertips unconsciously clenching her sleeves.

Liu Che's voice still echoed in my ears—His Majesty summoned the alchemist to discuss the matter of immortality, and even mentioned that he wanted to take Wei Qing and Qu Bing with him.

She lowered her eyelashes, concealing the fleeting worry in her eyes. As the Empress, she knew her husband all too well. Liu Che had always been this way; he would get whatever he wanted, and the more elusive something was, the more it fueled his almost obsessive pursuit.

Now that they hear about immortality, how could they not be tempted?

The promise of immortality... is ultimately an illusion.

She recalled the lesson of Qin Shi Huang, whose alchemists had wasted countless resources, only to find it all to be empty talk. But she couldn't say such things, nor dared she. Liu Che's nature was such that he hated being contradicted, and even she, the empress, could only offer gentle advice.

“That child Qu Bing…” she murmured softly, a hint of tenderness appearing in her eyes.

That child has a fiery temper; if he knew His Majesty harbored such thoughts, he would likely speak frankly and offer his advice. She knew her nephew all too well—Huo Qubing never understood the meaning of "tact"; his loyalty was as sharp as his sword, never concealing its edge.

Wei Zifu sighed softly, turned around and instructed her personal maid: "Go and tell the General that... His Majesty has been troubled lately, and ask him to come to the palace more often to talk with His Majesty when he has time."

She could only offer this roundabout suggestion to her brother. Wei Qing was always composed; if he knew about this, perhaps he could persuade His Majesty to stay, or at least… be able to take good care of Qu Bing.

As for herself—

Wei Zifu looked towards the direction of Weiyang Palace, her gaze calm and restrained.

She was, after all, the Empress, a woman confined to the deep palace. Some things couldn't be said aloud; some things could only be observed and waited for.

—-

After Li Shimin returned with a large number of items that were enough to change the fate of the Tang Dynasty, he went straight to Empress Zhangsun's residence.

"Father, what did you bring us?"

He didn't even care about the child behind him.

His heart was now filled with Guanyinbi. They wanted to live forever and be together forever. The air in his chest seemed to turn into bubbles, surging through Li Shimin's heart.

As the vermilion palace doors were suddenly pushed open, a waft of sandalwood incense wafted out. Empress Zhangsun was reviewing the memorials submitted by the noblewomen, the wolf-hair brush spreading ink across the Xuan paper. "Erlang?" Just as she looked up, Li Shimin appeared before her.

"Guanyinbi, do you know? There really is an elixir of immortality in this world..." Li Shimin's voice was full of excitement. Although he hadn't obtained it yet, after this battle, Li Shimin felt that people from other dynasties—if they were weak, they should practice more!

The Tang Dynasty will surely prevail!

He already considered immortality to be his for the taking.

Empress Zhangsun took out a plain white handkerchief from her sleeve, her slender fingers pinching the corner of the handkerchief, and gently wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

The handkerchief was embroidered with twin lotus blossoms, the stitches fine and dense, made by her own hands. When her fingertips touched Li Shimin's face, a gentle smile appeared in her eyes, as if she were not wiping the face of the emperor, but only her beloved Erlang.

"Look at you, running so fast all the way." Her voice was like the melting snow in early spring, clear and refreshing, washing over Li Shimin's heart.

In truth, she had never longed for immortality. During her years in the deep palace, while perusing ancient texts, she had witnessed too many people driven mad by the pursuit of immortality, and she found it all pitiful. To be separated from one's beloved for a thousand years, watching the love in each other's eyes fade away with time—that would be the true calamity.

She only wished to share the four seasons with her beloved Erlang—in spring, to see the apricot blossoms adorning his temples as he reviewed memorials; in summer nights, to fan him and ward off mosquitoes; in autumn, to watch the southward-flying geese side by side; and in winter, to admire the white mist exhaled as snow fell.

For her, a century is the greatest blessing from heaven.

Li Shimin felt a warmth in his palm and instinctively wrapped Empress Zhangsun's slender hand tightly around his chest. The rapid, powerful beating there mirrored the turbulent emotions churning within him.

He lowered his gaze to her, his eyes filled with unyielding affection, and whispered, "Guanyinbi, I want to be with you forever." Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt something gently nudge his waist. The force was light, but it made him freeze.

The emperor, a veteran of countless battles, actually showed a hint of grievance, his brows furrowing slightly: "Guanyinbi, don't you want to be with me forever? Why did you kick me?"

Empress Zhangsun pursed her lips, suppressing a smile, gentle lines appearing at the corners of her eyes. She took Li Shimin's hand and gently placed it on her slightly protruding belly. Just then, she felt a slight movement beneath her palm, as if something was responding to her father's touch.

“Erlang,” she said, her voice tinged with barely suppressed laughter, “it’s not me, it’s him.”

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up with surprise. He carefully bent down, put his ear close, as if he could hear the heartbeat of the little life, and chuckled as he whispered a scolding, "You little rascal! You're really not honest."

Meanwhile, Zhu Di returned to the Ming Dynasty weary from his journey. Though he had returned laden with riches, he felt a strange emptiness in his heart, as if he had forgotten something important. He sat at his desk, his brow furrowed, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, producing a dull thud.

"What exactly have I forgotten..." he murmured to himself, his gaze sweeping over the familiar furnishings in the hall, but he still couldn't find the answer.

Zheng He walked hesitantly into the hall, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Zhu Di looked up at him and said in a deep voice, "Speak your mind."

Zheng He took a deep breath and finally reported Wei Zhongxian's treasonous remarks in detail.

Especially that line, "If he had eggs, he would want to be emperor."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Di slapped his thigh, stood up abruptly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"I knew something was missing!" he sneered, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. "Turns out I forgot to deal with that eunuch!"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Please add my upcoming novel to your favorites! [Let me see][Let me see][Let me see] Please, please! [Please] Please add my new upcoming novel to your favorites too!