Chapter 40 The Grand Wedding (Part 2) "His heart pounded..."

When Ying Zheng saw Banban enter, he carefully checked her over to make sure she was alright before passing through her and looking behind her.

Following behind was Cheng Jiao, while Lü Buwei's wife, Lady Zhao, trailed at the very back.

As soon as Cheng Jiao entered, he knelt down with a 'plop', 'Brother Wang—!'

Ying Zheng didn't even listen. "I will not agree to what you are asking for. Get up."

Cheng Jiao was taken aback, looking somewhat bewildered.

"Chengjiao, you are only two-tenths of the way there now. Swords and spears have no eyes on the battlefield. If something unexpected happens to you, how will I explain it to Lady Han? How will I explain it to Empress Dowager Huayang?"

Ying Zheng waved his hand and looked at Qin Ju, "Add one more seat."

"Today is a family dinner, please stay for the meal."

Ying Zheng settled the matter in a few words. Cheng Jiao was anxious to say something, but Ying Zheng glanced at him and Cheng Jiao immediately fell silent, trembling as he obediently sat down.

Lü Buwei picked up the wine cup and took a small sip, a slight smile playing on his lips.

It seems that when King Zheng of Qin cut off Lord Yangquan's arm and leg, Cheng Jiao was also with Queen Dowager Huayang and saw the bloody limbs.

"I told you the King wouldn't agree, but you insisted on pestering me. My brother says Sister Chaoyang is trustworthy, but he doesn't really believe me at all." Banban pouted and complained directly to Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng believed him as expected, and was extremely displeased. "Is that so?"

Cheng Jiao was alarmed and hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying, "It was Cheng Jiao who was too hasty. It will not happen again."

"Princess Chaoyang is usually very busy, so don't disturb her when you have nothing to do." Ying Zheng emphasized his tone, which was undoubtedly a warning.

Cheng Jiao nodded hesitantly, "Yes."

Banban didn't like Gongzi Chengjiao; he only stopped when she scolded him.

After the family banquet ended, Lü Buwei and his family left the palace. Banban was too tired to walk, so she stayed at Zhaoxin Palace to rest for the afternoon. Her cousin looked even more tired than her and fell asleep as soon as he touched the bed.

Banban called in a palace servant to help him take off his clothes and shoes.

Qin Ju hesitated with difficulty, "Princess, His Majesty has always forbidden palace servants from entering the inner chambers to serve him. He dresses and undresses himself."

Seeing Ying Zheng lie down and fall asleep immediately, Qin Ju was so surprised that his jaw dropped, and the importance of Princess Chaoyang in his heart increased by more than one degree.

"Huh?" Banban asked, puzzled.

Upon careful recollection, she realized that when they rested together, he did not allow anyone else to attend to him; he did it all himself. However, he was always at Taxue Pavilion at those times, and the personal attendants there were all palace maids, so she hadn't thought much of it.

“…Then I’ll do it.” Banban muttered to herself, and told the person to leave.

Banban took off her cousin's shoes, laboriously lifted his legs and placed them on the bed, untied his belt and casually hung it by her side. He was fast asleep and couldn't turn over, so his clothes remained still.

She removed his crown, smoothed his long, black hair with her fingers, and gently massaged it with her fingertips.

My cousin's hair is exceptionally black, thick, and very stiff. When it's let down, it hangs straight down, truly reflecting his personality.

After finishing with Banban, she lay down to rest. She always made sure to rest in the afternoon; it had become a habit, and she would be so sleepy at that time that she couldn't keep her eyes open.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, a heavy arm wrapped around her waist and forcibly dragged her backward until her back shoulder pressed firmly against his chest.

Banban mumbled something, touched the cheek resting on her neck, and drifted into a deep sleep.

She awoke from a hazy dream to find the sun setting in the west, and she was alone on the bed. She knocked on the edge of the bed to summon the palace servants who helped her dress and wash. As she left the inner palace, she saw Ying Zheng sitting at a table in the corridor, with books and scrolls arranged around him. He was watching the eunuchs bustling about on the thousands of steps.

The monk knelt down and diligently cleaned the steps, his face showing no sign of distress.

Banban touched her hair to make sure it was combed and not messy, then said to the person beside her, "Who is that eunuch? Call him over for questioning."

Ying Zheng turned around upon hearing the voice, took her hand in his, and asked, "Aren't you going to sleep?"

"If I sleep any longer, I won't be able to sleep tonight." Banban sat down next to him, feeling a little annoyed. "What are you looking at, cousin?" The book cover had a name she didn't recognize, and the inner pages had marks of brushstrokes and annotations, showing how serious Ying Zheng was.

“Look at that eunuch, he’s been here for two months straight without complaint.” Ying Zheng rested his chin on his hand, his gaze falling on the eunuch who was being led over from a distance.

"Could it be that he knows you can see him and is putting on an act here?" Banban was very suspicious, staring at the eunuch with a critical eye.

“If he has this kind of perseverance in acting, is there anything in this world that he cannot do? He has merits, so the purpose is not important.” Ying Zheng has always admired people who persevere, and he cares more about what he can learn from others and what strengths he can absorb.

As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuch was led to the two of them.

Banban pouted, clearly unhappy, but she cooperated with her cousin and didn't show it too much or delay his business.

Upon seeing the King of Qin, the eunuch immediately knelt down, his eyes revealing a hint of reverence and joy.

"What are you doing over there?" Ying Zheng asked.

"Your Majesty, after the Huayang Palace coup, there were bloodstains on the steps that could not be cleaned properly. This Thousand-Step Platform is a place that court officials must pass through every time they come and go, so how can we not ensure that it is clean? I thought that it must be cleaned up to uphold the prestige of our Great Qin. However, the bricks are exposed to the sun every day, and the bloodstains will show up. Therefore, I come to clean it every day."

Banban said, "The gaps between these bricks are deep and narrow. Even if you wipe them every day, you still won't get them clean." The blood had already seeped into the soil between the bricks.

The eunuch straightened his expression and said, "Princess, it is precisely because it cannot be wiped clean that it needs to be wiped every day."

Ying Zheng smiled slightly, "A bit slow, but you sound loyal enough. What's your name?"

Qin Ju stood beside King Zheng of Qin, his gaze fixed on the eunuch, a sense of wariness rising within him. Those in power often favored subordinates who were somewhat clever but not exceptionally so, because intelligence wasn't the most important factor; obedience and loyalty were.

The eunuch was slightly taken aback, then overjoyed, exclaiming, "I am Zhao Gao!"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense and awkward.

Banban nearly knocked over the books on the table and suddenly grabbed her cousin's arm.

Zhao Gao admitted that he had a purpose in wiping the bricks every day, but he spoke the truth. He was obsessed with serving the King of Qin. King Zheng of Qin returned to Qin from Handan in Zhao and transformed from the son of a minor official into the king of Qin. He was the person Zhao Gao worshipped in his dreams at night.

When King Zheng of Qin personally beheaded Liu Xi, Zhao Gao was also present. He was so frightened that his legs trembled and he knelt on the ground, not daring to get up. Liu Xi's head rolled around, which not only drove Lord Yangquan crazy, but also kicked him and rolled right to his side.

The cut below her neck was clean and neat, slowly oozing blood. Her wide-open eyes remained frozen in terror, tinged with a hint of bewilderment.

His eyes were fixed on Zhao Gao for a long, long time. Zhao Gao was so frightened that he went limp and tried to get up several times, but fell back to the ground. He was terrified to the extreme, and he also developed an extreme longing for the King of Qin.

He bribed the eunuchs and got the opportunity to work on the Thousand-Step Platform.

Unexpectedly, the King of Qin actually noticed him and summoned him. He had already thought that if the King of Qin didn't care about him, it wouldn't matter. He would spend his whole life cleaning the Thousand-Step Platform and see every day how the civil and military officials knelt and bowed to the King of Qin and how they stepped on the steps he had knelt and cleaned.

Thinking about these things, he felt his blood boil and was extremely excited.

Wait, why is there no sound?

Zhao Gao cautiously raised his head.

The young monarch stared intently at him, his gaze sharp and unfathomable. Princess Chaoyang, standing beside him, kept staring at him, her wary gaze seemingly trying to see right through him.

Was the fleeting killing intent in the young monarch's eyes just an illusion?

Zhao Gao began to tremble involuntarily, feeling utterly lost, and he started to think frantically.

Oh no, the King of Qin dislikes cunning people? Did he slip up somewhere? Or did he say something wrong? Yes, the King of Qin is suspicious and prone to distrust, so he must think he has ulterior motives.

"Qin Ju".

The King of Qin remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.

In an instant, Zhao Gao prostrated himself even lower.

"Take him away, and from now on he will serve you."

Qin Ju's heart skipped a beat, but a smile appeared on his face. "Well," he said in a sharp voice, "why aren't you getting up? You've hit the jackpot. Come with me."

Zhao Gao was overjoyed. He hurriedly got up from the ground, nodded frantically, and followed Qin Ju.

"Cousin!" Banban exclaimed in fury, "Cousin, do you not believe what I said?"

"I believe you." Ying Zheng gestured for her to calm down, but was slapped away hard by a hand.

"Then why not just kill him?! I hate him. The moment I found out he was Zhao Gao, I wanted nothing more than to kill him with my own hands!"

Ying Zheng simply hugged his cousin tightly, letting her sit in his lap, and gently patted her back to comfort her, "Now that you know who he is, it is safest to keep him by your side. There are still many things I don't understand. Not killing him for the time being does not mean that I am letting him live."

"Look, you're in a hurry again." He said helplessly, knowing that his cousin was angry because of him. "Don't be afraid, I won't repeat the same mistake."

"Ask me what you want to know," Banban urged. "Even if I don't know the answer, I'll try my best to think of it!"

Ying Zheng looked at her calmly and said, "Banban, you are not a tool I use to change my fate."

Banban froze, instinctively asking, "What?"

He slowed his tone, repeating each word slowly, "You are not a tool for me to change my fate. You are my future wife, my lover, the mother of our child, a partner who will weather the storms with me, and certainly not a tool to be used."

"Even if that person were me, it would never be possible."

"You've told me enough. How pathetic would it be if I had to rely on so-called 'prophecies' to figure out how to live my life? Knowing one's predetermined fate would also numb one's mind, making me stop thinking and leaving me with no choice but to rely on the future you speak of."

“I am not that kind of person, and I will never allow myself to fall into depravity.”

"I want to disrupt the future, so I will no longer ask you what happened in the future."

Banban unconsciously slumped down, staring blankly at her cousin, processing these words. "Cousin, don't you want to know how you... died, and how others viewed you?"

"It won't be a very respectable situation; I already guessed it." Ying Zheng had already thought about it. He couldn't sleep all night; he thought about many, many things.

He even anticipated how absurd and embarrassing it would be if this became widely known.

As for how future generations will view me?

He never actually set foot on that road, so does it matter how future generations view him?

Even if he were that king who died a shameful death, he would never care how the world viewed him. He was the one who unified the six kingdoms, he was the one who brought peace to the powerful nation, he was the one who quelled a century of war, and he was the one who saved the people from suffering!

"The path I have walked is beyond the comprehension of others, nor can they have walked it themselves. What right do others have, or how dare they, to judge my achievements?"

Even though Ying Zheng was only fifteen years old at the time, Banban saw in him the ruler of the great nation described in history books.

Even the arrogance and disdain on his face were so captivating.

Banban's eyes sparkled, her heart pounding with admiration. She quickly lowered her voice, "Cousin... beyond this land, across the ocean, there are many, many other lands belonging to other countries."

"Many people in later generations worship you and want you to be resurrected. Some countries are very bad; they attacked our China and killed many, many of our people. They are the real enemies!"

"Oh?" Ying Zheng's curiosity was rekindled. "Is there land on the other side of the ocean?"

"Yes, yes." Banban nodded vigorously, wrapping her arm tightly around her cousin's arm. "Cousin, you're going to kill them all in the future."

Ying Zheng seemed to be thinking about something, then gently touched his cousin's cheek, "Don't rush, let's take it one step at a time."

Banban snuggled into his arms, "Cousin, I will never question your decisions again."

“You can question me,” Ying Zheng said seriously. “You and I are one. If there is anything my cousin doesn’t understand, I will tell you. If I have made a mistake, my cousin should also speak up.”

Banban nodded vigorously, leaving a string of wet kisses on his cheeks and lips. He pinched her chin, captured her trembling lips, and exchanged a tender, wet kiss with her.

Banban gently nudged him, "Cousin is wrong."

He asked, "Where did we go wrong? Did we go wrong so quickly?"

"I made a mistake," Banban said, embarrassed. "My chest doesn't hurt."

He chuckled softly and pulled her into his arms. "Okay, it's my fault."

The two hugged quietly for a while. Ying Zheng continued reading, while Banban also stayed by her cousin's side to study diligently. She wanted to be a useful queen and share her cousin's burdens.

Remembering something, she peeked out and whispered, "Cousin, is it true that there will be a seat for the Queen next to the throne in Xianyang Palace?"

"When have I ever lied to you?" Ying Zheng gently pushed her head away. "Study hard and don't be lazy."

They were overjoyed to receive the answer.

She only knew that the empress of the Han Dynasty had great power, but there was no empress in the Qin Dynasty. Her cousin did not establish an empress, but she did not know the reason. Perhaps it was because of the maternal relatives mentioned by her aunt?

With a solemn expression, she resolved to study hard and become a good empress.

For several months in a row, she truly did not slack off.

In the blink of an eye, Meng Ao achieved a great victory in his campaign against Han, capturing thirteen cities. But sadly, Wang He did not survive the winter, passing away as early winter approached.

Banban and Ying Zheng went together to see the elderly, frail general off for the last time. Wang Jian knelt before the bed and wept uncontrollably.

Wang He's funeral was grand, and Wang Jian continued to serve his monarch faithfully.

Banban was very nervous about Zhao Gao's movements and would ask Qin Ju about them from time to time. Qin Ju was also worried that this eunuch who had appeared out of nowhere would take his place and often suppressed him.

In November, Banban's birthday arrived. This year's birthday was different from the past, as she had already reached the age of marriage.

The coming-of-age ceremony was exceptionally grand, and Ying Zheng was very pleased. On that day, he announced that he would marry Princess Chaoyang as his empress on April 28th of the following year, when spring and summer were intertwined.

"April 28th is the day I met my cousin." Banban counted the days on her fingers, "There are still five months before I can marry my cousin."

That rainy night, Ji Changyue knocked on the door of the Ji family. It was on that day that Banban met her cousin, who was standing next to her aunt. He was neither shy nor warm, but his eyes were gloomy, calm and indifferent.

They were initially happy, but they started arguing about whether the bride should go home after getting married.

Banban wanted to go home, but Ying Zheng wouldn't allow it.

"The palace is also your home, why do you want to go home?" Ying Zheng's gaze was deep.

"That's how it is when you get married, the bride has to go home to live!" Okay, Banban's statement was just an excuse; she really hadn't stayed at home for an extended period in far too long. "My cousin is being so unreasonable, then I don't want to—"

Just as Banban was about to utter her defiant words, Ying Zheng stopped her, "Banban!"

Panpan regained her senses, bit her lip, and turned her head away, not wanting to talk to him.

The two remained deadlocked for a long time before Ying Zheng relented, "Alright, you can go home, but you'll have to wait until February."

He compromised slightly, and Banban immediately forgave him, opening her arms to hug him, "Cousin is the best, we're not angry anymore, let's kiss."

Ji Changyue said that Ying Zheng knew how to compromise once he had a weakness.

How important is a weakness?

He wanted to teach her everything he knew.

Although it was difficult, Banban never complained. She always stayed obediently by his side, reading books when he did.

On Ying Zheng's birthday, the family had a meal together, and Ji Changyue returned to Ganquan Palace very early.

Banban bit her chopsticks and asked curiously, "Cousin, have you heard? My aunt has recently changed several batches of actors, and she only wants actors who are strong and healthy."

"Yes, I heard about it. Don't worry about it." Ying Zheng pretended not to hear. As far as he was concerned, he would not stop his mother from having fun in any way she wanted, as long as she was happy.

He not only knew these things, but also knew that Lü Buwei, in order to please the Empress Dowager, was collecting strong men from all over Qin, preparing to train them and send them to the Qin palace.

This scope even extended to those accompanying the army.

Banban thought to herself, "My goodness, playing the chime bells all night? That must be exhausting!"

After February, Banban officially moved back to the Ji family to await her marriage.

Upon returning to the Ji family, Lady Zhao, Lü Buwei's wife, paid him a visit.

At that time, Banban and Princess Yangjiang had invited a storyteller to listen to their story. When the story reached an exciting part, the two of them were still not satisfied and reluctantly asked the storyteller to stop and go to a side room to rest.

When Zhao arrived with her daughter, she was surprised to find Yang Jiang also at the Ji family's residence. She immediately knelt down to pay her respects, saying, "This humble woman greets Princess Chaoyang and Princess Yang Jiang."

Zhao's daughter was seven years old. She looked young, but she was very clever and sensible. She knelt down and bowed with utmost care.

"It's Zhao'er, Zhao'er has grown taller again." Banban called her over to come closer and take a look.

The name Lü Zhao was cleverly chosen: Lü Zhao Lü Zhao, with Zhao being the same as Zhao. It sounded like Lü Buwei and Zhao were very much in love, but Banban keenly sensed that Zhao had an unusually complicated relationship with her sister-in-law, and she didn't quite believe that this love was real.

"Yes, we came from Xue's place. She has already given birth," Zhao said with a smile.

Lady Xue was the widow of Ji Hao, the deceased tutor of Ying Zheng. After observing a year of mourning for Ji Hao, she married a promising young general in the court through the introduction of Lü Buwei. Many years later, she gave birth to a child.

"That's wonderful, I haven't heard of it before." Banban called for money and asked her to go to Madam Xue's place to give her some rewards.

Yang Jiang subtly observed Zhao Shi, then glanced at Xiao Zhao'er, and remarked, "Zhao'er has a good name."

Zhao hurriedly said, "These names were all chosen by Xue. Our two families have become closer in recent years. Xue and I get along well and have become close friends who can talk about anything."

Yang Jiang didn't say much, "Zhao'er, go play in the backyard. Geng'er is practicing martial arts over there."

Upon hearing this, Zhao gently nudged her daughter's shoulder from behind, saying, "Go on, go on."

Seeing this, Yang Jiang exchanged a glance with Banban.

Lady Zhao was a good talker and chatted with the two princesses for a long time before leaving with her daughter at sunset.

Yang Jiang slammed her hand on the table and said angrily, "How could you tolerate this? Lü Buwei has huge ambitions, doesn't he? He wants to become a maternal relative?"

"I wouldn't call him a relative of the empress," Banban shook her head. "It depends on whether Geng'er likes Zhao'er or not." Her thinking was simple: if she didn't like him, she didn't like him; if she liked him, she liked him. It didn't matter. Her cousin wasn't the kind of monarch who would promote officials based on nepotism.

"Lu Buwei has already risen to the position of prime minister, what else does he want to do?" Yang Jiang was puzzled.

Banban was also thinking. She had learned to restrain herself now and would no longer be so reckless as to speak her mind carelessly. Besides, this was outside the palace, not inside the impregnable palace.

However, "I don't think Zhao'er likes Geng'er either, so this won't work out." She told Yang Jiang not to worry about it.

"I'm not worried about you," Yang Jiang snorted. "Hurry up and call the teacher out to continue. I'm not going back to the palace today until I finish listening. It's so annoying!"

"Then you stay, we'll sleep together." Banban smiled and took her hand.

"?"

"Who wants to sleep with you!"

Shameless.

In the end, they still slept together.

Yang Jiang slept very obediently, and the two of them slept together until dawn. When she opened her eyes, she saw Banban and blushed completely.

Knowing that her friend was shy and particularly hypocritical, Banban pretended not to see it and called her to get up, wash, and have breakfast.

Days passed, and April arrived as scheduled.

The six rites of the Zhou dynasty wedding were simplified by the Qin dynasty, which placed more emphasis on practicality. Even so, the various arduous steps would still be exhausting and unbearable.

Regardless of the betrothal gifts sent by Ying Zheng, the dowry from the Ji family alone was too numerous to count.

However, Qin Shanghei's wedding attire was also predominantly black.

Banban held a pair of baby rabbits in her arms. These were the offspring of the female rabbit, which was one of the live animals sent by her cousin when she was betrothed. The live animals were mainly geese and mandarin ducks, which symbolize loyalty and love. Because Banban's zodiac sign was rabbit, Ying Zheng also sent a pair of rabbits. Who would have thought that the female rabbit would become pregnant and give birth to a litter of baby rabbits a few days later.

Banban decided to take the two little ones back to the Qin Palace, while the rest stayed with the Ji family.

The wedding day finally arrived on April 28th.

Early that morning, Banban, dressed in her wedding attire, waited at the Ji family home. When she heard music coming from the royal city, she knew that the King of Qin had already set off.

This day was the wedding of the King of Qin, a day of national celebration. People came and went to join in the festivities, and laughter filled the air.

Ying Zheng personally led the Queen out by the hand. Their hands touched, and they noticed a layer of sweat on them, unsure whose sweat it was or if both of them had it. The two rode together in a brand-new, magnificent carriage, with red curtains covering all sides. The black carriage frame was decorated with gold patterns. There were six carriages in total, with the King and Queen's carriage at the very front.

However, when they arrived, Ying Zheng was sitting in a carriage. When he was about to take Banban back to the Qin Palace, he personally drove the carriage to show his importance.

Banban sat nervously inside the car, only able to see her cousin's back.

She kicked it, making a 'thud' sound.

Ying Zheng turned around and saw her smiling face, which she carefully covered her lips. She called him softly, "Husband."

Ying Zheng's heart throbbed as if a wooden board had been kicked.