Chapter 20 Waking Up at Night "Cousin, can you stay with me tonight?"...

Qin Ju hurriedly reached out to peel the orange.

"Is that so?" Ying Zheng glanced at his cousin lightly, waved his hand to indicate that he would peel it himself, "Then I must thank you, cousin."

"You're welcome~" Banban said, cupping her face in her hands and looking at him with great interest.

Ying Zheng looked at her again, a slight smile on his face.

He would occasionally be amused by his cousin's strange yet appropriate remarks, finding her childlike and adorable.

Qin Ju sliced ​​the venison and placed it on the grill to roast. Soon, the sizzling aroma of the meat filled the air.

Banban was a little tempted, but still longed for tangerines.

My cousin peeled the skin casually and slowly, his fingers becoming increasingly defined with each movement, the edges gleaming like jade.

Although his fingers were long and elegant, his palms were calloused.

When they held hands, she often stroked his calluses, finding them firm and fun to touch.

Her gaze refocused, and she noticed that he hadn't picked out the white silk; instead, he had broken off a small piece and put it in his mouth.

Banban unconsciously held her breath and stared at her cousin tentatively.

He always ate with elegance and grace, chewing slowly and deliberately, swallowing the second piece as it reached his lips.

Perhaps noticing that she was staring at him, he asked, "Why are you looking at me?"

"Huh?" Banban hesitated when asked. "Um... is it delicious?"

"It's acceptable." Ying Zheng didn't say much, and ate the second segment of orange at a moderate pace, making it impossible to tell whether he liked it or not.

But Banban knows him well; this is how he behaves when he eats something delicious. He won't eat a second bite of food that isn't good, and he's extremely stingy with praise. Whether it's delicious or not, he'll always say "acceptable."

Could it be that she was just unlucky and ate the sour one while everything else was sweet?

Wait a minute, why did Princess Yangman say that people in the palace don't eat many citrus fruits? Wasn't that because they were very sour?

Was he lucky enough to get the only sweet orange?

"..."

"..."

"..."

For a moment, the only sound in the room was the sizzling of the roasting venison.

His expression was normal, not feigned.

Banban, skeptical, asked, "Is it really that sweet?"

"Didn't you already eat?" Ying Zheng raised his eyebrows in confusion, picked up his cup, and took a sip of wild pear juice. "It's sweet."

Banban said, "Cousin, I want to eat too."

Ying Zheng teased her, "Didn't you say this was for me?" As he spoke, he broke the orange in half, keeping one half for himself and giving the other half to her.

Having witnessed his actions, Banban now truly believed him. She regretted not having tasted it beforehand; it was the only sweet orange, and she could only eat half of it.

Despite a slight resentment, she couldn't wait to stuff two pieces into her mouth.

She didn't notice that Ying Zheng had stopped what he was doing, gently sipping the wild pear juice in his cup, staring intently at her.

He chuckled softly the first moment the orange was chewed.

The next second, she drooled, her teeth ached, her tongue flew out, her face contorted and her eyes twitched. She almost fell off the stool, feeling so sour that she lost all sense of time.

Ying Zheng rested his forehead on one hand, laughing uncontrollably.

Banban was taken aback. She helped Qianyin sit up, her finger trembling slightly as she pointed at him. "You...you...you...you—"

“It’s sweet, I didn’t say it was citrus.” He was holding a bowl of wild pear juice.

"You're playing a trick on me!"

"Weren't you trying to play a trick on me?"

"I……"

She pouted, her voice strong despite her lack of conviction, her face flushed red, perhaps from the sourness.

Ying Zheng personally poured her a full glass of juice, saying, "Sweeten your lips."

In a fit of anger, she drank two glasses of wild pear juice.

"Don't you think it's too sour?!" Could it be that my cousin has a problem with his sense of taste? But this thought was immediately dismissed.

"It's very sour, extremely sour," he said earnestly.

"...Then how did you manage to endure it???" He even ate two slices, showing no sign of the 'especially sour' he mentioned!

"A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan."

"..."

So, it was all just to lie to her?

No matter how grand or small the scheme, none of them are good schemes.

She chased after him, trying to hit him, but he dodged around the dining table, and everyone in the room tried hard to suppress their laughter.

"My hits don't hurt!"

"Attack me? How dare you!"

He wasn't angry at all; he said it lightly, with a hint of teasing.

After circling around four or five times without hitting anyone, a strange memory came to mind: the famous story of "King Qin circling the pillar".

Let's rehearse beforehand, like King Qin walking around the table, haha... that's not fun either.

Speechless at her own vivid imagination, she stopped.

Ying Zheng asked, "Why are you making such a strange face? What little trick are you thinking of now?"

"No..." Banban sat down nonchalantly, saying in a sweet voice that she wouldn't hold it against him.

Judging from her expression, it didn't seem like she didn't. As soon as Ying Zheng sat down, he saw her glancing at him repeatedly. "Cousin, isn't your Qin King sword a little too long?"

"Is it long?" Ying Zheng took it down and examined it. The Qin sword was indeed slightly longer than the swords of other countries. This was for the convenience of killing enemies and taking a favorable position. Even the Qin halberd was longer and sharper. However, "This is a sword for an adult man. It is indeed a bit long for me. It will be just right when I grow up."

This sword was given to him by King Xiaowen of Qin, Ying Zhu, when he first returned to Qin. Logically, this sword should have been given to the current Prince Zichu of Qin, but he bypassed his son and gave it to his grandson instead.

“Yes.” Banban also leaned closer to take a look.

The scabbard of the Qin King's sword is a blend of black and vermilion, with a layer of gold plating at the top and two translucent jade stones inlaid. The hilt is jet black, and the blade is incredibly long, with the entire sword measuring over four feet in length.

But if you compare them, they're not so long that they can't be pulled out. Why is the story different in later generations? Is it just a fabrication? Strange.

He couldn't understand it either. "The king didn't receive the sword, but instead gave it to his cousin. Doesn't the king feel embarrassed?"

"No." Although the King of Qin was weak-willed, he was gentle and kind, and had a good temper.

One of the famous figures slain by the Qin King's sword was none other than the God of War, Bai Qi.

Before Ying Zhu died, Ying Zheng learned that he bore a resemblance to Ying Ji, the longest-reigning king of Qin, who was none other than the king who ordered Bai Qi to commit suicide with this sword.

Although Ying Zhu was the crown prince for his entire life and only reigned as King of Qin for a few days, he deeply admired, feared, and loved his father Ying Ji, a man of great talent and ambition, and never complained.

Ying Ji reigned for fifty-six years. In the Battle of Changping, he destroyed the main force of the Zhao state, ordered Bai Qi to bury alive 400,000 surrendered Zhao soldiers, and weakened the six states. In Ying Zheng's mind, he was the greatest Qin king of all time.

Although it was thus branded as a tyrannical Qin, it truly did make Qin the strongest of the six states.

Before his death, Ying Zhu said that he also had the ambition to unify the six kingdoms, but his health was not good. When he saw Ying Zheng, he was amazed by his appearance and dreamed of his father every night. Therefore, on his deathbed, he ordered Zi Chu to make him the crown prince, hoping that he could fulfill all the expectations and ambitions of his predecessors.

Thinking of this, Ying Zheng gently stroked the Qin King's sword.

My cousin said no, so of course he wouldn't. He wouldn't speak so confidently about something he wasn't sure about. Banban began to eat.

During the meal, the two men talked about citrus fruits from the Chu region.

"There's also a rare loquat that can be used in medicine, but it tastes sour. If you like it, I'll have someone get it for you." Ying Zheng placed the remaining half of the orange in front of her.

Banban got angry, turned her head away and said she wouldn't eat it, "I won't eat loquat either."

But, cousin, how do you know everything?

“You’ve read a lot of books, as you know,” Ying Zheng said seriously. “I’m not talking about picture books.”

He once absorbed knowledge with great eagerness, not confining himself to serious books, but also reading miscellaneous tales and strange stories.

That's what I meant...

Banban muttered "Oh dear," picked up a piece of roasted venison, and put it in her mouth. She was instantly amazed by its deliciousness, exclaiming, "So delicious, so fragrant!"

"I wonder if my sister-in-law has ever tried it."

“This deer is very large. I divided it up early this morning and sent some to Empress Dowager Huayang, Empress Dowager Xia, Father, Mother, and the Prime Minister. These are specially reserved for you.” Ying Zheng was always thoughtful.

Banban bit his chopsticks. He remembered that his cousin had also hated Lü Buwei when he was in Handan. He seemed to have changed after returning to Xianyang. However, he was able to help the King of Qin ascend the throne. He must not be an ordinary person.

She knew nothing of the previous dynasty and simply uttered an "oh."

The sweet and sour wild pear juice paired with fresh roasted venison was incredibly delicious. She asked the kitchen to send over some tender bean leaves, dipped the venison in the sauce, and rolled it up with pickled vegetables. The flavor was rich and it went perfectly with rice.

After having dinner, the two took a walk together outside Taxue Pavilion.

Ying Zheng asked her what she had learned that day, and she answered him one by one.

She asked him the same question, and he answered, but she didn't quite understand, so she quickly told him to stop talking.

Immediately, he asked her about the letter, "Didn't you say you were going to write a letter back to Handan? Why haven't you heard anything today? Don't you miss your father and mother?"

Banban glanced at Qianyin secretly, then leaned close to her cousin's ear and whispered, "Cousin."

"Hmm?" Ying Zheng turned to cooperate.

"There are many characters that people don't know how to write."

Ying Zheng: "..."

Qianyin thought she was knowledgeable, and she didn't want to lose face in front of her, so she pretended to write it tomorrow.

This sounds so serious...

She spoke in a soft, breathy voice, which tickled his ear.

Ying Zheng gently tapped her forehead. "Your cousin will write it for you. Come on."

Back at Taxuexuan, Banban took out the bamboo slips she had written and showed them to him.

Ying Zheng read two sentences, paused, and raised his hand to prop up his face.

Banban suspected he was making fun of her, so she leaned over to check his expression.

He stroked the bamboo slips, feeling their uneven texture, and thought that his cousin had inexhaustible strength, enough to be a carpenter and plan wood.

"You write first, and I'll polish it for you if there's anything wrong."

The words were phrased tactfully, but Banban understood them and quickly sat down, saying, "Okay."

Time suddenly quieted down, the bamboo forest outside the lattice window swayed in the wind, a cool breeze rustled, and the faint, stumbling sounds of a child's voice could be heard in the air. When she forgot how to write something, she would tilt her head and ask her cousin for help.

He would take the brush and write the character in the appropriate position.

Qian Yin's idea was correct. Banban was indeed a talkative person. After writing a letter, he could roll it into a thick roll, wrap it up, and put it in a case and tie it up.

"It's a pity I left in such a hurry that day, my periwinkle is still in Handan, I didn't even bring the seeds. I wonder how it is doing? Is anyone watering it on time... I also want to go to the clouds."

besides--

Ying Zheng continued, "If you count the days, your aunt is already eight months pregnant and will soon give birth."

Banban felt inexplicably depressed. She was still very bothered that her mother was going to have another child. She didn't say anything because it was a fact that couldn't be changed. Besides, her father and mother still loved her and hadn't fallen out of love.

It's commonly said that when there's no other way, you have to accept it.

Ying Zheng patted her head, then picked her up and placed her on his lap.

Banban was slightly startled and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck to maintain her balance. "Cousin?"

For the past two years, the two have not been this intimate. At most, they would hug each other and lean on each other.

He held her more when she was little, but now she's all grown up.

Although he is not yet ten years old, Banban is not even nine.

However, according to the palace's calculations, the two were not children.

"There are no extra seats." Ying Zheng said succinctly, his gaze falling on the table before he asked suspiciously, "Have you gained weight?"

“You’re the one who’s gained weight,” Banban immediately raised her voice. “Did you say I’m fat?”

"She has gained a little weight." Ying Zheng nodded, indicating that she had been taking good care of herself and was doing well.

"How could you say that about me, cousin?" Banban crossed her legs and looked at herself. "Am I really fat?"

Qin's trousers weren't sewn up, and when she slightly lifted them, her two fair and tender legs were immediately exposed. She quickly put them down, and her floral skirt drooped down, covering her skin again.

She was sitting sideways on her cousin's lap, which made her feel a little embarrassed.

Ying Zheng pulled her skirt back to stop her from moving around. "Weight or fat is just a visual difference, it has nothing to do with beauty or ugliness. Why are you angry? Being a little plump is a good thing, as it means you are healthy."

"Oh." Seeing that he wasn't disgusted, Banban stopped thinking about it and said with a grin, "Cousin hasn't visited anyone in a long time."

The last time he kissed her cheek was at the Ji family home in Handan, she remembered it vividly.

He cupped her small face in his hands and gently touched her forehead.

"Why don't you kiss my cheek?" She touched her forehead; the touch was soft and elusive.

"Kissing the cheek and kissing the forehead are different; you'll understand later."

"Then I'll kiss you!"

She leaned in and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

"It's wet. Did you drool on my face?" Ying Zheng wiped it off.

“No! You’re slandering me,” Banban said. “I’m not a drooling child.”

The two bickered back and forth, and soon it was time to go to sleep, and they parted ways.

The next morning, I woke up to find the sky had fallen.

A blister appeared on the corner of her mouth, red and swollen, so painful that she hissed unbearably when she touched it. It was tantamount to disfigurement. She sat sadly in front of the bronze mirror and cried for a long time, looking miserable.

Taxuexuan was flustered by the crying and called for a physician.

"Young lady, please bear with it for a moment, the physician will be here soon." Qian Yin was also in a hurry and brewed some tea to cool her down.

"It hurts so much." Banban couldn't even speak because she had sores in her mouth. When she pulled open her lower lip, there were two inside, one red and one white, which looked terrifying.

The physician hadn't arrived yet, but Qin Ju had.

"Your Highness, it is not convenient for you to leave, so you have sent your servant to check on my lady."

Banban was disheartened. "It's all because of yesterday's roasted venison!" Though she complained, she knew in her heart it wasn't its fault. "I was greedy yesterday, even though my cousin told me to eat less, boohoo..."

Her eyes were brimming with tears from the pain.

Qin Ju examined her carefully and comforted her, saying, "This is not an illness, just internal heat and toxins. The physician will prescribe some medicine for you to decoct and drink, and you will be fully recovered in a few days."

Banban weakly cupped the corner of her mouth and said, "Then you should go. Tell your cousin not to worry about me."

Qin Ju smiled and said, "Yes."

Qian Yin was still worried and anxious. "Is heat poisoning?" How could poisoning be cured in just a few days of medicine? And where is the poison? Her daughter eats through her hands every day. If she gets poisoned because of this, she will die a thousand deaths.

"No, that's not it." Banban didn't know how to explain. She did know she had mouth ulcers, but at this moment, that term didn't seem to apply. "It's just that I'm feeling hot and bothered."

Qian Yin sat down by the bed with a worried expression, taking her mother's hand. "Mother, you don't know, when I was a child, there was a brother in our neighbor's house who was possessed by evil spirits. He fell into a coma several times and couldn't wake up. Even the medicine he was given didn't work. So my uncle took it upon himself to invite a sorcerer to exorcise the evil spirits."

Banban was stunned. She wanted to say that there was no such thing as worshipping evil in this world and that it was too foolish to be so ignorant. But she herself had transmigrated, so how could she explain that there were no such things?

...Could there really be ghosts?

She shivered and suddenly felt a chill.

"Did he get better later?"

Qian Yin shook her head. "No, he was burning up, and then he went crazy." She lowered her voice and said, "The sorcerer said they invited him too late. That brother had a piece of his soul taken away, and there was no way to save him."

The master and servant were so frightened that they huddled together until the physician arrived, at which point everyone hurriedly welcomed him in.

The physician was a middle-aged man over forty years old. He was surrounded by a group of eunuchs and palace maids, completely bewildered. He kept saying, "Hey, hey, don't rush, don't rush," and then he saw the young woman weeping in front of him.

She was born with striking good looks; her bright eyes sparkled, her gaze was lively, and she exuded charm.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that her nose was smooth and delicate, with a straight and well-proportioned shape and a refined tip.

A quick glance reveals her fair cheeks, whiter than snow, with almond-shaped eyes and dimples.

In short, she is a stunning beauty.

A small blister the size of a bean appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Physician, please take a look at me quickly." Banban pleaded pitifully, revealing a hint of coquettishness.

The physician thought of his daughter at home, who was also so charming and loved to act coquettishly. He figured she must be in great pain, so he quickly went over to check on her.

You won't be surprised if you don't look, because once you do, you'll be shocked.

"This is a bit too much liver fire. What did you eat yesterday, young lady?"

Qian Yin hurriedly replied, "Breakfast consisted of rice porridge, pickled vegetables, and side dishes; lunch consisted of steamed rice, several dishes of refreshing seasonal vegetable salad, roasted lamb chops, and oh, steamed fish; dinner consisted of roasted venison, and there was no nighttime tonic."

The physician suddenly realized and nodded, "Venus meat is a highly nourishing food; it seems the reason lies in this."

Banban sighed, "His Highness the Crown Prince said the same thing."

In front of outsiders, she always addressed Ying Zheng as the Crown Prince, and only called him "cousin" in private or in front of acquaintances.

"Your Highness has discerning eyes." The physician, showing respect to the Crown Prince, bowed towards the East Palace and then opened his medicine chest to prepare the medicine. "This humble servant happens to have some bitter ginseng in his medicine chest. Please take one tablet."

I did as instructed.

The moment the bitterness of the sophora flavescens tablets entered my mouth, an indescribable bitterness shot straight to my inspiration.

"Don't vomit, or the medicine won't be effective," the physician advised.

So much suffering that I could only roll my eyes and look up at the sky.

The physician then said, "Don't swallow it, young lady, just hold it in your mouth."

Banban: "..."

What do you want from her?! What do you want from her?!

Waaaaaahhhhhh!

He wrote out a prescription, and Qian Yin followed him to the Imperial Physician's Office to get the medicine.

The decoction is taken three times a day, and the Sophora flavescens is taken sublingually twice a day.

When Ms. Lu went to Taxuexuan to teach in the afternoon, she was surprised to see the blisters on Banban's lips. After hearing the reason, she couldn't help but teach, "Any good thing, if you take too much of it, will become a bad thing."

How could I not heed the teacher's teachings?

"I understand."

Whether it was because the medicine contained some kind of sleep-inducing ingredient or not, Banban felt drowsy after taking it, and Madam Lu had no choice but to let her rest.

She had just woken up when Ying Zheng arrived.

He held her small face and examined it carefully, but she didn't want him to see it and covered her face, trying to avoid his gaze.

"What are you hiding from?" Ying Zheng pinched her fidgeting chin again. "Don't move, let me see."

She stammered, unable to explain why, her eyelashes trembling, clutching the bed beneath her tightly. "I... I'm fine now. I took the medicine, and I don't feel bad anymore."

"Really?" Ying Zheng called her a liar because she kicked her feet in pain as soon as he touched the blister.

"Don't touch it, it'll leave a scar if you break it." Banban was on the verge of tears.

"You've learned your lesson from having a scar," Ying Zheng snorted lightly. "You don't listen to me." When he told her to eat less, she immediately complained that she wasn't full and that he had kept her in Qin to mistreat her.

After saying this, she sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling wronged and dejected.

He felt sorry for her and softened, but still kept a stern face. "Come here."

She hesitated for a moment, then finally opened her arms and threw herself into her cousin's embrace.

"Cousin..."

"Um?"

"I miss you."

"..."

"Trying to please me?"

They actually resorted to this tactic.

"No," Banban said with a serious little face, "I haven't seen my cousin all day, and I miss him very much."

Ying Zheng's cold expression gradually softened. "Alright, I'm not angry with you anymore."

Seeing that his expression had returned to its usual gentleness, Banban secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said shamelessly, "I knew my cousin wasn't angry. I said this willingly. I just missed my cousin."

You'd be a fool to believe you.

Ying Zheng pursed his lips, "Is the medicine bitter?"

He was decisive and said, "It's not bitter."

What a joke! We've come this far, we have to pretend it's not bitter.

She continued to plead, "Cousin, can you stay and sleep with me tonight?"

Ying Zheng paused for a moment, his expression softening slightly, but then hardened again. "No, this is Xianyang Palace, with strict rules. If others find out about your reputation, it will be ruined."

"Then what am I going to do if I miss you?" Banban persisted.

"Go to sleep, I'll stay here and watch over you until you fall asleep, okay?" Perhaps because of her illness, she was unusually clingy, and her tone of voice was always pitiful.

Ying Zheng softened his voice and discussed it with her.

She agreed, and even after getting into bed, she didn't forget to hold her cousin's hand.

She wanted to hear her cousin talk about his childhood, and he did as she asked, picking out a few of the most memorable things to tell her. When he mentioned the funny parts, she giggled.

She wanted to ask him what his first impression of her was.

Ying Zheng thought for a moment and then didn't hide anything, saying, "My wife is simple-minded, mischievous, lazy, gluttonous, and loves to pretend to be clever."

When did she ever pretend to be clever?

At that time, she thought that just because she was a ten-year-old girl and older than her cousin, she was smarter than him!

Being overtaken is one thing, it doesn't count!

"Having seen how you eat, I thought you were out of favor in the Ji family and that your uncle was mistreating you." Ying Zheng said this jokingly, not seriously.

There's a reason for this!

In her past life, she spent many years in an orphanage where she was often hungry. She would feel heartbroken if even a crumb of food got spilled, and it would be even more painful to share with others.

"Then why does my cousin like me?" Banban asked sullenly.

They made her sound worthless.

Ying Zheng became serious. "Because no matter when or where, you always share my hatred for the enemy." You don't question right or wrong, unlike your elders. She makes him feel that he is not alone. "It's as if even if I were a bad person, you would only say, 'Cousin, you fought well.'"

It was from this point on that he began to consider his cousin as one of his own and started to care about her.

"Later I discovered that you have many other endearing qualities."

"Tell me quickly, tell me quickly!" Banban immediately sat up, beaming with excitement, eager to hear him praise himself.

Ying Zheng said, "I'll tell you on your birthday."

"...That's still a long, long time!" she snapped.

It's July now, and Banban's birthday is in November.

He replied slowly and deliberately, "You don't even have this much patience, yet you expect to hear others praise you?"

Banban, eager for her birthday to arrive, shouted, "I'm going to sleep!" and then closed her mouth to drift off to sleep.

Ying Zheng was reading aloud from a bamboo slip beside her, reading exactly what she was supposed to learn that day.

Before long, she really fell asleep. Ying Zheng called her but she didn't respond, so he leaned over to check on her.

She looked completely relaxed, her mouth slightly open, her expression completely at ease. Her legs were restless as she peeked out from under the covers, revealing a round, plump foot.

After covering her with the sheet, Ying Zheng got up and left.

On the way, he recalled his cousin's sleeping face and couldn't help but feel a little envious.

He had never slept so relaxed and comfortably.

My cousin is right, he often wakes up in the middle of the night.

But she only knew that he had nightmares, but she didn't know what kind of nightmares he had.

He didn't have a good life when he was a child in Handan; the word "bitter days" is not enough to describe those years.

At that time, he didn't understand and even resented his great-grandfather Ying Ji for letting Bai Qi massacre the 400,000 surrendered soldiers in the Battle of Changping. Did he really not know that he had a great-grandson in the State of Zhao?

After this incident, his father, Zichu, fled the State of Zhao, leaving him and his widowed son, Ji Changyue, to suffer the hatred of the people of Zhao.

At that time, almost all the able-bodied men in the State of Zhao had died, leading to widespread suffering among the people and a sharp decline in the country's strength. Every household had men who had died on the battlefield, and every night, the streets were filled with curses and cries; it was no exaggeration to call it hell.

They hated the Qin people to the core.

Not only ordinary people, but even the Zhao royal family ordered the pursuit and killing of him and Ji Changyue.

In this situation, he couldn't sleep soundly. He would often fall asleep in the middle of the night and then suddenly realize he was about to escape. When he opened his eyes, he would see sharp spears, countless resentful and distorted faces, and endless curses.

The first time he injured someone was when a strong woman forced him to immerse himself in the river, intending to drown him to avenge her father and brothers. In his desperate struggle, Ying Zheng smashed her head with a stone to catch his breath.

At that moment, Ji Changyue knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, her head bleeding profusely, holding him tightly in her arms, and roaring shrilly, "My child is innocent! He was born innocent in Zhao, what wrong has he done?! If you want to kill someone, kill me!"

Perhaps these words plunged the strong woman, who had lost both her son and husband, into despair. Tears streamed down her face as she looked up to the sky and cried out in anguish, "Heaven has no eyes! I curse the Qin state to die a horrible death!" She then jumped into the river and drowned.

He couldn't tell anyone these things, not even his cousin.

He and Zhao Ji (also known as Ji Changyue) depended on each other for survival. Even though Zhao Ji's words were unpleasant and she was too strict, it was all for his own good. Therefore, no matter what, his mother was someone he could not abandon.

His cousin is a fool; she never thought of this. She occasionally complains that Zhao Ji treats him badly, which is actually a blessing in disguise for him.

A few days passed in the blink of an eye, and the mouth ulcers in Banban's mouth subsided, while the blisters on the corners of her mouth gradually shrank.

She repeatedly asked the eunuch when the letter would arrive in Handan, wondering how Ji Xiu and Zhu Shi would react upon seeing it.

At this time, Handan is even hotter in July.

A servant dismounted, held up a bamboo slip case, and shouted, "My mistress has sent a letter! My mistress has sent a letter!"

A quarter of an hour later, the entire Ji family gathered in the main hall to read the letter.

Ji Xiu read the letter, and couldn't help but chuckle when he read the funny parts. "It's like seeing you in person, Father, Mother, Mother. It's evening here. I just had dinner and visited His Highness the Crown Prince's East Palace. It's so big! But it's heavily guarded and not a place to play around in. Mr. Lu said that others can't easily go to the East Palace, but I'm not an outsider. My cousin brought me here, hehe."

Zhu Shi's eyes were red, but she was amused by the girl's sweet words and laughed through her tears. "This girl."

"By the way, my cousin hired Lady Lu as my female tutor. She is very knowledgeable and a very gentle teacher. I'm going to Jingyin Palace for my lessons now. My classmates are all the king's princesses..."

Ji Xiu pointed to the differences on the bamboo slips and said with great emotion, "Look, some of the characters were written by the Crown Prince."

“Let me see,” Pang said, beckoning.

Ji Xiu actually handed it over and looked at it with her.

Madam Pang's eyesight was failing, and she could barely see the words. She squinted and examined them for a long time before nodding approvingly. "Yes, yes, Zheng'er's handwriting is better. Banban has been studying for so long, but his handwriting is still a mess. This won't do."

Zhu thought to herself, "I don't even know if you saw it clearly or not," but smiled and defended her daughter, "Mother, Banban is still young."

Ji Xiu said, "We're not young anymore, it's time to get serious."

Turn to continue reading the letter:

“I have made a friend, Princess Yangman, who is fifteen years old this year. She will probably be betrothed in the next two years. I don’t know how much longer we can stay together. If she marries into another country, I’m afraid we will never see each other again in this lifetime.”

Hearing this, Zhu felt a little sad and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

“I miss my father, mother, and aunt. I’ve been dreaming about you and the Zhuxiang in Handan for the past two days. I want to eat the meat soup from my mother’s kitchen. The chefs in Xianyang Palace are very skilled, but none of them taste like my mother’s. I also want to ride on my father’s shoulders to inspect the shops. My father’s shoulders are broad and strong, and he will never let me fall off. My aunt would hug me and secretly feed me delicious food and give me gold hairpins and jade hairpins.”

"I still want to talk about Congyun. I wonder if you will send Congyun away from the mansion while I'm not here. She is a very good older sister."

Listening from the side, Cong Yun sobbed and kept wiping her eyes with her sleeve, "Little Mother, Cong Yun misses you too."

This crying made everyone a little uncomfortable. Ji Xiu wiped his eyes and said, "Alright, what are you crying about? There's more good news to come."

Cong Yun asked, sobbing, "What other good news is there? Did my mistress say when she would be back?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiu suddenly became heavy-hearted. "It's impossible for me to come back." He shook his head and said, "There's one more thing. My cousin said he would marry me when I grow up. I will be his wife when I grow up."

Pang smiled and pointed at the bamboo slips, "What did I tell you?"

Zhu was happy for her daughter, but also a little worried. "The King of Qin has few children, only the Crown Prince and Prince Chengjiao. Yueji is now the Queen. In terms of primogeniture, the Crown Prince is the only choice to succeed to the throne."

"Being a queen is glamorous, but who can know the bitterness behind the scenes?"

Ji Xiu did not take a concubine because he had promised Zhu Shi before proposing marriage that he would never have any ulterior motives. He was not an official, so not taking a concubine was not particularly noticeable.

How could a king not take concubines?

With such a pure and simple nature, I fear I will suffer.

Ji Xiu continued reading and was pleasantly surprised to find that the Crown Prince had added a few strokes: "Zheng'er also wrote two strokes."

"My aunt is about to give birth, and there should be no rush, but the matter is urgent and cannot be delayed, so we have to set out early. I have already sent someone to bring Mr. Ji Hao to Qin, and I wish to send someone to invite my aunt and uncle to come as well. I wonder what your opinion is?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Pang's expression hardened slightly. "This..." She had planned to wait until Madam Zhu had given birth and celebrated her full-month birthday before going to Qin.

Ji Xiu looked solemn and gently stroked Zhu Shi's high belly. "What the Crown Prince said is very true. We should set off as soon as possible, or something might happen if we delay."

Ying Zheng did not directly state the reason, but everyone present understood it.

The situation between Qin and Zhao is tense. King Zhao's health is deteriorating. If anything unexpected happens, Crown Prince Zhao You will ascend the throne. No one knows what he will do. He and his brother Zhao Yan are inseparable and grew up together.

Just then, a servant entered and reported, "Master, Mr. Ji Hao has come to visit."

"Quickly, welcome them in."

Before long, Ji Hao appeared before the group. After exchanging greetings, he spoke frankly, "The Crown Prince has sent someone to fetch me. I have been busy preparing to leave Zhao these past few days. Last night, my wife and I discussed it at length, and we were thinking that we might as well leave Zhao together."

"Are you leaving today?" Ji Xiu was taken aback.

"Within three days," Ji Hao pondered for a moment, "in my humble opinion, the Qin army will definitely launch another attack on Zhao within a year."

Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions, and Madam Zhu was filled with bewilderment.

"It's hard to say exactly when. Prince Zichu of Qin has just ascended the throne and is eager to make a name for himself. With Chancellor Lü Buwei assisting him with strategies, it will only be quick, not slow!"

"Maybe next month, maybe the month after, or even sooner."

After speaking, Ji Hao glanced at the bamboo slip in Ji Xiu's hand. The Qin insignia on the back of the slip was faintly visible. His tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he tentatively asked, "A letter from the Crown Prince?"

Pang hurriedly said, "Zheng'er wants us to enter Qin as soon as possible."

Ji Hao sighed, "If that's the case, then my guess is probably true. The Crown Prince goes in and out of Xianyang Palace every day, and he must be well aware of the situation between Qin and Zhao."

Pang and Ji Xiu exchanged a glance and made a decision. "Then let's go. The Ji family has many affairs to attend to, so we need to prepare for two days."

Ji Hao was pleased and said, "Good." indicating that he was willing to wait for them for two days.

As the weather grew hotter, Taxuexuan used ice, but not all day long, as Banban was still growing and they were afraid of harming her.

Ying Zheng and she enjoyed the cool air together.

The kitchen staff made ice bowls, supposedly made according to Lady Ji's instructions. They were very fresh, and many of the concubines in the Western Six Palaces heard about it and wanted to try them.

Qin Ju opened the food box and took it out.

"I've been waiting for so long." Banban couldn't wait any longer, peeking out eagerly.

"What is this?" Ying Zheng frowned slightly.

A small mountain of apricots and peaches was piled high in the porcelain bowl, covered with a thick layer of milk, and diced apricots and peaches were arranged in a circle around the mountain.

He picked up the spoon and scooped it up lightly. The spoon suddenly and floated into the small mountain, like digging through snow. He scooped up a spoonful and looked closely. The thick milk dripped down, and the 'small mountain' was indeed floaty, but it contained ice crystals.

"I haven't named it yet." Banban was overjoyed and eagerly explained, "I had the cook squeeze out the milk, mix it with peach juice, stir it well, and then put it in the ice to cool."

"These are all made of ice. Just like planing wood, we plan them into fine sand. They melt in your mouth and are refreshing and cooling!"

Ying Zheng found it amusing, "You always seem to have a talent for food." He had heard that she had been coming up with many clever ideas lately that she needed the kitchen staff to help her with.

He took a bite and said, "Why not name it Crispy Mountain?"

Crispy and lightweight little hills.

Banban clapped his hands and exclaimed, "This is great! Let's call it Crispy Mountain!"

Within two days, the name "Sushan" spread throughout Xianyang Palace and even beyond. It became a popular dish among nobles and royalty, quickly sparking a craze.

However, Ying Zheng forbade his cousin from eating too much, fearing that she would feel uncomfortable if she ate too much.

"Cousin, how's the paper you mentioned coming along?" Before going to sleep, Banban didn't forget to ask this question that had been bothering her the most lately.

"The pulped and dried paper is crisp, soft, and hollow, with no resilience, making it impossible to write on it," Ying Zheng shook his head.

Upon hearing this, Banban panicked, "Huh?"

Before she could even try to say anything, Ying Zheng continued, "Perhaps there's a problem with the materials used. There are many other resilient materials, such as cloth, hemp, bamboo, and plant roots. Let's try them one by one and see how they turn out."

"But don't get your hopes up too high," Ying Zheng sighed. "These things are all sorts of colors, how can you write beautifully with them? They're fine as tools for writing and drawing in private."

But the paper she used in her previous life was always snow-white.

Banban rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought, sighing repeatedly.

Why are you sighing?

"I need to think about it some more, cousin, don't bother me!"

Okay, okay, he's not going to say anything more and is reading his own book.

After a while, she was still unwilling to give up, "Clothes can be dyed, so can paper?"

Ying Zheng asked, "What color do you want to dye it?"

“White,” she said, running to the table and taking out the ink stick to show him. “The ink stick is black, so writing on white paper will make the black and white characters stand out clearly and be easy to read.”

Ying Zheng went along with her, "Okay, I'll listen to you." Whether the paper was even usable was still another matter.

As the two were talking, Qin Ju suddenly strolled in and whispered something in Ying Zheng's ear.

His expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and the scroll in his hand immediately rolled to the ground. "What did you say?!" He jumped up abruptly, staring intently at Qin Ju.

I was completely confused and didn't know what had happened.

Qin Ju knelt down and bowed his head to the ground, glancing at Banban.

She immediately had a bad feeling. "What?" She quickly ran to Ying Zheng. "Cousin? What's wrong?"