"Mother...."

Ying Zheng was lost in memories, recalling his days in the State of Zhao. Back then, the two of them depended on each other for survival. To ensure he had enough to eat and wear, his mother worked tirelessly day and night, doing odd jobs during the day and doing needlework when she returned home at night.

Those were tough times; the mother and daughter endured countless cold stares and humiliations. But after the mother returned to Qin, she seemed like a completely different person.

He doesn't even care about his own son anymore!

Even though he hated Zhao Ji to the core, he was filled with sorrow at this moment, for she was, after all, his own mother!

The wicked man took in the sorrow on Ying Zheng's face and thought to himself, "A short pain is worse than a long one. If you want to do what others cannot, you must first endure what others cannot endure."

He had no other thoughts. At this time, Ying Zheng was just a teenager. It would be too harsh to judge him by the standards he would achieve as the future First Emperor.

After a long while, Ying Zheng finally came to his senses from his grief and looked at the officials below who were showing concern. "I am exhausted. Let's end the morning court session here."

"Empress Dowager Huayang has arrived!"

"Empress Dowager Xia has arrived!"

The eunuch's shrill voice made Ying Zheng, who was about to leave, stop in his tracks and look towards the entrance of the main hall.

Empress Dowager Huayang and Empress Dowager Xia arrived together. Ying Zheng dared not delay and took a deep breath before quickly descending the high platform to personally greet them.

"Grandson greets his grandmother!"

Empress Dowager Huayang and Empress Dowager Xia simultaneously raised their hands to help Ying Zheng up, saying, "Good child, get up quickly."

Since Ying Zheng ascended the throne, the court has been in turmoil. His father died and his mother no longer loved him. Empress Dowager Huayang and Empress Dowager Xia became the only elders he could rely on, and he respected them greatly.

Empress Dowager Huayang gave Empress Dowager Xia a subtle wink, and the latter nodded slightly before saying, "We already know about your mother's matter."

At this point, a look of anger rose on her face, and she rebuked sharply: "As the Queen Dowager of Qin and the mother of the current king, how could she do such a thing? To commit suicide is too good for her."

As the late king's biological mother and the current king's grandmother, if she wanted to reprimand her daughter-in-law Zhao Ji, no one could really find fault with her.

"Little sister, don't get upset and ruin your health."

Lady Huayang picked up the thread, glanced at the officials present, and finally focused on Lü Buwei, "Don't think you've covered your tracks perfectly. Lao Ai was the one you recommended, and don't forget your affair with Zhao Ji."

Lady Huayang held immense influence, her status actually surpassing that of Empress Dowager Xia. With her words, Lü Buwei's fate was essentially sealed.

"The Empress Dowager is wise!"

The wicked man's eyes darted around, and he was the first to shout at the top of his lungs, followed by the other ministers echoing his words.

Lady Huayang and Empress Dowager Xia both turned their gazes to the wicked husband. A warm smile appeared on their usually cold and solemn faces. "Thanks to the wicked general, who risked his life to protect the King. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

The wicked man said with a serious face, "As a subject of Qin, this is how it should be. Your Majesties are too kind."

Seeing his serious expression, Ying Zheng almost burst out laughing.

"Your Majesty is still young, so it is only right that Empress Dowager Xia and I discuss this matter on your behalf." Lady Huayang gently patted Ying Zheng, and then said in a deep voice, "Issue the decree: Zhao Ji has lost her virtue and manners. Remove her from the position of Empress Dowager, expel her from the imperial clan, and she shall not be buried in the royal ancestral temple."

"That is indeed the case," Empress Dowager Xia agreed.

Now the ministers understood. These two "mothers-in-law" personally stepped forward, working together to eliminate the last bit of criticism that could have been directed at Ying Zheng.

If a daughter-in-law is not virtuous, and the mothers-in-law stand up, who would dare to say anything against it?

"This mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship is truly something else. No one can find fault with Zhao Ji's death." The wicked husband smiled, and with the intervention of the two empress dowagers, the matter was brought to a perfect end.

Little did they know, this was not the end of it.

Empress Dowager Huayang went straight to Lü Buwei and said softly, "You have served the late king for many years, and the late king has not treated you badly."

"Now that His Majesty has assumed personal rule, shouldn't you contribute your share?"

Lü Buwei immediately raised his head, a complex smile playing on his lips. "Empress Dowager, could you please release my relatives...?"

Lady Huayang flicked her sleeves and nodded slightly as she turned around.

Upon seeing this, Lü Buwei instantly drew his sword from his waist, placed the cold blade under his neck, and laughed loudly, shouting, "With my death, Your Majesty can establish your personal rule. I hope Your Majesty will not forget your long-cherished wish to conquer the world from the east."

As soon as he finished speaking, the longsword slashed fiercely, and a spray of bright red blood appeared. The life of the powerful prime minister Lü Buwei came to an end!

Ying Zheng's mind was filled with mixed thoughts, which ultimately turned into a long sigh.

Lady Huayang was completely unconcerned about Lü Buwei's death, and laughed, "The wicked general saved the king and helped him quell Lao Ai's rebellion, and even challenged Lü Buwei. His loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon, and he deserves to be rewarded!"

These words were exactly what Ying Zheng wanted to hear, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Grandmother is right. I had already planned to do this, but I just haven't had a chance to announce it yet."

Lady Huayang took Empress Dowager Xia's hand, and the two turned to leave, leaving behind only the words, "His Majesty is about to assume personal rule. We are old, how can we interfere in court affairs?"

With this, the court was completely purged, and Ying Zheng officially assumed personal rule.

With the two empress dowagers' interference, Ying Zheng finally let go of his inner turmoil, and his chaotic thoughts were calmed. Although the deaths of Lü Buwei and Zhao Ji moved him somewhat, his hatred for them ultimately outweighed his feelings.

The joy of assuming power overwhelmed Ying Zheng, banishing all his worries from his mind. After returning to the high platform and standing still, he shouted, "You wicked husband!"

"Your subject is here!"

Ying Zheng laughed and said, "This time, the suppression of Lao Ai's rebellion was entirely due to your desperate battle and protection. You deserve a reward for this achievement."

Wang Jian and Zhang Han had different expressions, and their faces turned green. They were both involved, and to say that this kid fought to the death was tantamount to lying through their teeth.

"Ahem...ahem..." Ying Zheng happened to see the expressions on their faces and, unable to contain himself any longer, quickly cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness. "Promote the wicked husband to the rank of Right Chancellor, award him 300,000 coins, grant him a fief of 1,000 households, and bestow upon him servants..."

A series of rewards poured out of his mouth; all the others were dispensable, but the two-level promotion was the most important thing.

Many military officers looked at the wicked man with envy. His rank had already surpassed that of many of them, and if a few more years passed, he might even surpass the status of veteran generals like Wang Jian.

The wicked man bowed and thanked the king, shouting, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for the reward!"

Ying Zheng nodded, then his gaze fell on Li Si, and he said in a mysterious tone, "I originally intended to expel the guests from the six states, but your existence has shown me another side of things."

The first half of the sentence made Li Si break out in a cold sweat, but the second half filled him with joy. The feeling was something that no one else could understand.

"Li Si was upright and honest, and he was also meritorious in secretly passing on intelligence!"

"Therefore, he was promoted to the position of Minister of Justice, in charge of the nation's judicial system..."

Li Si was filled with excitement and immediately bowed his head in gratitude. He knew that from this day forward, he had established a firm foothold in the Qin state and could now realize his ambitions.