Chapter 44 Changing Faces Like Turning the Page (Part 2) "What I, the Queen, did..."

The following evening, Banban arrived at Empress Dowager Huayang's palace on time. There were actually not many members of the Ying clan, but they all showed exceptional support for the Huayang faction.

Prince Zichu of Zhuangxiang had only one brother named Ying Xi, who was now enfeoffed as the Lord of Weiyang. In a sense, he was the son of Empress Dowager Huayang and was the most promising candidate to be made crown prince. However, Lü Buwei led Zichu back to Xianyang. Ying Xi was furious and feared that his position as crown prince would be taken away, so he sent people to hunt down Zichu.

When this was exposed, he was banished to his fiefdom of Weiyang. He returned to Xianyang with Ying Zheng when they returned to Qin.

Apart from Ying Xi, who was the only younger one, the other four were all much older, and two of them even had gray beards.

On the way there, Ying Zheng had mentioned not allowing Banban to come, feeling that Empress Dowager Huayang had ill intentions. It was already unusual that these relatives of the royal family had paid their respects to the King of Qin and were kept in the palace by Empress Dowager Huayang.

She was determined to find out what Empress Dowager Huayang really wanted.

Someone came in to report that the Queen had arrived.

Everyone stood up and bowed slightly. Banban was quite surprised, thinking that these people were going to use their seniority to intimidate others and remain seated.

"Get up quickly." Banban didn't want to give anyone cause for criticism, so she quickly had someone help them up and apologized to the eldest one, "It's really because some things happened in Xianyang Palace last night. The King and I dealt with them together and forgot to send anyone to tell you. It's my fault for making you uncles wait."

"Grandmother, why didn't you send someone to call me?" Banban said this deliberately in a coquettish and silly manner, but in reality, she was shifting the blame.

It's not my fault that I forgot, but it's your fault that you didn't call me.

"..." Empress Dowager Huayang was speechless. She wasn't going to be disrespectful to the king, so she immediately smiled and said, "We're all family, so why should we wait? Hurry up and sit down, you silly child."

The man with the white beard smiled kindly, stroked his beard, and waved his hand, "Naturally, matters of the previous dynasty are more important, Your Majesty need not be nervous."

Banban didn't recognize him.

Empress Dowager Huayang introduced, "This is Lord Huayang."

The words of his cousin floated into his mind: "The current Lord Huayang is the son of Lord Huayang, one of the four nobles of Qin during the reign of Empress Dowager Xuan. He inherited the title of Lord Huayang. When King Zhaoxiang expelled the four nobles, they all returned to their fiefdoms. They were not members of the Ying clan, but rather maternal relatives of the Chu royal family."

“For example, this Lord Huayang, whose father was Mi Rong, was also a member of the Mi clan. He was from the same clan as Empress Dowager Huayang and his name was Mi Lai.”

Banban indeed met Huayang Jun Mi Lai, and knowing what was going on, she treated him with exceptional respect.

"This is Lord Weiling."

Ying Zheng: "The name of Lord Weiling is Ying Yu. He is the son of King Zhaoxiang. He is very close to King Xiaowen, like brothers born of the same mother. He served under King Xiaowen when King Xiaowen was the crown prince. After King Xiaowen ascended the throne, he personally conferred upon him the title of Lord Weiling."

Banban smiled and nodded to Weiling Jun.

It seems that Lord Weiling was also a member of the Huayang faction. Empress Dowager Huayang was the wife of King Xiaowen, and she had a very close relationship with him. King Xiaowen even enfeoffed Empress Dowager Huayang's younger brother, Mi Chen, as Lord Yangquan in order to promote his wife's relatives.

It's a pity that Lord Yangquan, who launched the Huayang Palace Coup, had his arms and legs cut off by his cousin. He is now living in "golden care," which is actually imprisonment.

The other two, who were slightly younger, were somewhat recognizable. They followed Lord Weiyang, Ying Xi, and were led by him.

Ying Xi was not close to Empress Dowager Huayang before, but now they are getting along well.

The family sat down for a meal. Banban loved to talk and always had so many topics to discuss, so the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

After several rounds of drinks, Lord Huayang recounted the amusing story of Empress Dowager Huayang marrying King Xiaowen.

Empress Dowager Huayang was filled with disappointment. "If I had been able to leave a son or daughter for Prince Xiaowen back then, I wouldn't be so childless..." She sighed, took Banban's hand, and looked at her belly. "You too, it's been more than half a year since you married Zheng'er, why is there still no sign of pregnancy?"

Banban's hair stood on end.

Good heavens, are they pressuring us to have a baby?!

She immediately lost her temper, but knew she couldn't show it on her face.

"My periods are irregular, and I'm taking care of myself," Banban explained, of course, this was a lie, just an excuse. "My cousin also said there's no rush, we're still young."

“The Queen is already seventeen. Normally, a seventeen-year-old woman would have a one-year-old child. How can she still be young?” Lord Huayang, Mi Lai, suddenly spoke up. He thought the Queen was just making excuses and felt somewhat dissatisfied. “Indeed, the royal physician should be asked to take a closer look.”

"Yes, I'll take a good look at it."

Seeing that the young queen's face stiffened slightly and her anger was almost impossible to conceal, Empress Dowager Huayang, not wanting the situation to become too tense, quickly stepped in to smooth things over:

"Lord Huayang has brought some sweet and delicious fruit wine from Huaxian. It's still early, so why don't you, Queen, try it? You've certainly never tasted it before."

Sure enough, the young queen's attention was diverted, and she nodded in agreement.

Empress Dowager Huayang waved her hand, signaling for someone to enter the palace.

Outside the towering palace gates, a graceful lady entered, carrying a tray in her hands. A crystal-clear jade wine pot reflected a delicate shimmer in the moonlight.

But what's even more eye-catching isn't the wine jug, but the lady herself.

She wore a light blue floral dress, the hem of which swayed like a lotus flower as she walked. Beneath her thick, black hair was a small, fair face, no bigger than a palm. Although she kept her head down, her moist lips and delicate, curled eyelashes were captivating.

Banban stared at her floral dress for a while, then turned to look at Empress Dowager Huayang.

"This woman looks familiar?" Ying Xi stared at the woman and carefully examined her.

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Huayang smiled and praised, "Lord Weiyang has a good eye. This is Ziyi, Lord Huayang's granddaughter. She is sixteen years old this year and is in the prime of her life."

Banban, still unsure of anything, immediately spoke up, "Since she is a member of the Mi clan, we are family. How can I allow her to serve me as a palace slave? Qianyin."

"Yes, madam." The maid who had been kneeling beside the queen stood up abruptly, took the tray from the woman's hands, and said respectfully, "Please sit down and rest, Miss Mi."

Mi Ziyi was taken aback, knelt down helplessly, and looked up at Empress Dowager Huayang and Lord Huayang, "Your Majesty."

Huayang Jun Mi Lai's expression changed slightly, clearly displeased with the hostility and defensiveness on the Queen's face.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Huayang said gently, "Chengyin, Ziyi is a woman from Chu. Since Zichu passed away, I have lost all attachment to the Chu Kingdom. Ziyi is obedient and sensible, so why are you so wary of her? I want her to enter the palace. What do you think?"

Banban stood up abruptly. "If you want her to serve you in the palace, that's fine, but if you want her to serve the King, she won't pass my test!" She refused with a cold laugh. "Tell her to go back to where she came from!"

Mi Ziyi's cheeks flushed red, then quickly turned pale, and she knelt down, not daring to get up.

Huayang Jun Mi Lai's face turned ashen. "Queen, you married the King without any dowry. We all understand the deep affection between you and the King, but this concerns the fate of the Qin dynasty and its heirs. How can the King favor only the Queen?"

"Besides, you have been married for almost a year, and the Queen has yet to bear a child. How can this appease the clan?"

Having said all that, he had used both harsh and gentle words. "We chose the intelligent and sensible Ziyi to accompany the Queen in the palace. She will be loyal to the Queen and have no other intentions. Now, she will give birth to the King's first child. Ziyi is healthy and has a rare fertile body. This is also for the sake of stabilizing the country."

"To appease the clan?" Banban spoke bluntly, tearing away the veil of pretense. "Choosing someone from the Mi clan to appease the clan? I think it's to appease the Chu faction, isn't it? If you had brought in a woman from Qin, I would believe you a little more!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions.

Lord Ying Xi of Weiyang raised the corners of his lips slightly, turned his head away to hide his smile, and coughed twice to pretend to be solemn.

"What are you saying, Queen?" Mi Lai's face turned dark and then pale.

"How can the Queen speak to her elders in such a manner?"

"Yeah yeah."

"So what if I say this?" Banban was practically cursing. "You two have the nerve to put concubines in a marriage that's only been half a year since your wedding, saying it's for my own good and for the King's good. Have you even asked the King what he thinks? I'm afraid you don't dare to say it to him, so you're just trying to pick on me, this soft persimmon!"

"You are an elder of the Mi clan, not of the Zhao clan! What relationship are you trying to claim? Shameless!"

One sentence after another, Mi Lai could hardly catch his breath. He was over sixty years old and had never been scolded by a woman, especially a girl in her teens. How could this not be the ultimate humiliation?

He clutched his chest and pointed at her, calling her "you" for a long time. When she uttered the word "shameless," he fainted from shame and indignation.

When King Zheng of Qin arrived, the imperial physician had already been treating him for quite some time.

A woman was crying with her face covered nearby. As soon as he came in, he heard his cousin pointing at her arrogantly and scolding, "Why are you crying? What's there to cry about? Are you mourning for him? It's just bad luck!"

Qin Ju had just opened his mouth and announced, "The King has arrived!"

Her expression changed drastically, and tears welled up in her eyes. She pitifully threw herself into Ying Zheng's arms, saying, "Cousin, you weren't here, and I was bullied terribly. These people insulted me, cursed me so much that I didn't dare to talk back, and even said that I couldn't have children and that it would affect the Qin Dynasty."

As she spoke, she seemed to have reached the extreme of grievance, and burst into tears, crying out, "What's the point of being queen? I might as well quit, waaaaah!"

Empress Dowager Huayang and others: "?"

Is there no justice in this world? Who was it that was cursing? If it wasn't her who cursed them, why didn't they dare to talk back?

Who said she can't have children? That's slander! Slander!

"If that's the case, I might as well just kill myself, resign, and hand over the position of Queen to that Mi Ziyi."

Ying Xi put away her gloating: I ask you, who dares to answer that question?

So everyone knelt down on the ground with a thud, all wanting to defend themselves, "Your Majesty, we—" They were wronged!

But if they really wanted to defend themselves, they wouldn't know where to begin. Could it be that they never said Mi Ziyi should enter the palace? Never said that the Queen was not yet pregnant?

...But it's true that I didn't dare to scold her! Absolutely true!

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng's face turned ashen with anger. "Lord Weiyang, is what the Queen said true?"

Banban nestled in her cousin's arms, secretly opening her eyes and blinking hard at Lord Weiyang, almost blinking her eyes out.

Ying Xi's back stiffened, and he lay on the ground, his mind racing. He wanted to say, "Don't give me that look, ancestor!" "Ah... I just drank some wine, and my head is throbbing badly right now. I don't know anything."

“Cousin doesn’t believe what I say!” Seeing that Lord Weiyang wouldn’t help her, Banban pushed him away and started to argue unreasonably, “As expected, I’m not doing a good job as queen at all.”

When has he ever disbelieved her? Isn't this just an attempt to find a witness for her so he can expose them?

It's a pity that Lord Weiyang is so slippery; he doesn't want to offend anyone, which is truly despicable.

"Of course I trust the Queen." Ying Zheng had a headache. He gently hugged her and coaxed her, then turned his head and coldly scolded her impatiently, "The Queen is not well. You are making her so angry. You are really disregarding the country. If you make her sick, who can bear the responsibility?"

Banban was quick to understand; she immediately clutched her chest and leaned against her cousin's chest like a willow in the wind, saying, "My chest hurts, and I feel terribly dizzy."

Empress Dowager Huayang was furious. "Look at your rosy complexion! Is this what you call being unwell?"

But the King of Qin has said so, do they dare to refute him!

They had no choice but to swallow their pride and respectfully agree.

As a result, members of the Mi clan were sent out of the Qin palace, and on the grounds that they had upset the Queen, they were forbidden from entering Xianyang unless summoned. Ying Xi was fined half a year's salary, and the others were punished differently.

That evening, the Zhaoyang Palace summoned a royal physician, who said that the Queen, unwilling to waste the people's contributions, ate too many locusts, overdoing it, and was also angered by the Mi clan relatives, causing her to faint. Her health suddenly deteriorated, and the royal physician diagnosed that she would be unable to conceive for three years.

This news has enraged the people of Qin. The Queen had won the hearts of the people and was deeply loved for her meritorious service in saving them from the insect plague. How could they tolerate that she had fallen ill from anger, especially since it was the Chu faction that was causing trouble?

Mi Lai's carriage passed through Xianyang City, becoming filthy and disorderly from being pelted with rotten vegetable leaves.

What a huge cauldron that was placed on the heads of the Mi clan! Mi Lai arrived all smiles, but left with a dark expression, and even took a backlash from Empress Dowager Huayang.

However, Empress Dowager Huayang was confined to her palace by the King of Qin on the grounds that she was unwell and needed to rest in bed.

After it was all over, Ying Zheng asked, "Are you happy?"

His wife lay on the inner side of the bed with her back to him, humming.

"I am innocent, my cousin can't treat me like this."

That sounds like she's actually quite aggrieved.

Banban peeked at him through a crack in her eyelids, thought about it and realized it made sense. She slowly moved over and rested her head on his lap. "Cousin, you're just attracting attention."

Ying Zheng found the explanation quite novel and replied with a smile, "My cousin is right."

After thinking for a long time, Banban asked him, "Will my inability to conceive really affect my cousin's throne?"

When Ying Zheng heard her ask that question, he knew she had been persuaded. That was just how she was; although she seemed loud and boisterous on the surface, she was actually very self-reflective and soft-hearted. "No, you shouldn't think that way."

He pulled the person from the bed and held them in his arms. "Didn't you know their original intention was to prolong the life of the Mi clan? How did you get taken away like that?"

"They spoke so righteously..." Banban muttered to herself, "I was just worried about my cousin."

"That's good. They're all bad people with ill intentions."

"Don't be angry."

Ying Zheng gently stroked Banban's long hair that cascaded down her lower back. In truth, he did not like children and did not want anyone to interfere between him and his cousin. He chose not to have children for two reasons: first, to protect his cousin's health, and second, for this very reason.

However, he was no ordinary man, but the King of Qin. He still wanted to have a child, but not now.

"I will carefully teach my cousin and my child, whether it is a boy or a girl," Ying Zheng said softly. His cousin nestled obediently in his arms, as if trying to figure out what he was thinking, her eyes constantly looking at him. "You did very well today. Be more assertive so you won't be bullied."

Is that being assertive?

Banban immediately abandoned his hesitation, not entirely convinced, "Cousin, I was bullied, I was very pitiful, how was I strong?"

Ying Zheng pinched her little face hard. Didn't he see her change of expression?

"That Mi Ziyi...did you see her?" she asked, feigning indifference.

In reality, she had been watching him intently, ready to tear down the inner room if he gave her an answer that didn't satisfy her.

Ying Zheng: "No."

Is there even a need to think about it? There's no other answer.

"Really?" Banban peeked to check his expression. "She's wearing the dress my cousin likes. I don't know who told me. She also has her hair styled in a high bun. She's beautiful and charming. Anyone would want to take a look at her so it wouldn't be a wasted trip."

"Such keen observation." Ying Zheng raised his voice, "Why does it sound so sour? It's making my teeth ache."

Banban slapped him irritably and said fiercely, "You tell me now!"

"What I like is what the Queen wears, not the dress itself, and the same goes for her hair."

Standard answer, full marks!

Banban fell completely silent, then began to sigh, "When I lost my temper in the palace, she seemed to be frightened and knelt on the ground trembling. It seems she didn't come to the Qin Palace willingly. It's all those ambitious old men's fault."

Should I reward her with something as an apology?

"Then let's not." Ying Zheng quickly stopped her. "My cousin is the queen. If the queen bestows gifts upon her, it will only be seen as the queen taking a liking to her and wanting to elevate her."

"Never mind then," Banban said honestly. "Actually, she is indeed very beautiful. If she were to enter the palace to serve the Empress Dowager, I would be willing." Having more friends makes one less lonely.

"But I'm afraid that if Empress Dowager Huayang has such thoughts, she might secretly interfere. It's really annoying."

"If Yang Jiang hears this, she'll be angry."

"..."

Yes.

Banban felt embarrassed and tried to defend himself, saying, "I just thought she was pretty."

She couldn't take her eyes off people with outstanding looks, and Ying Zheng knew this from the beginning. He must have even observed how long their eyelashes were back then.

The happiest person about Empress Dowager Huayang being confined to her quarters was Ji Changyue.

On the day of the New Year's banquet, she made a rare appearance in full makeup, with a beautiful smile on her face, and the first thing she said was a curse, "That old hag deserves it."

Zichu relied on Empress Dowager Huayang back then. When she, as the queen, was wronged, he dared not stand up for her and let her suffer in vain.

What a useless man, her son is much better.

Banban, feeling refreshed after being bowed down to by all the officials, walked hand in hand with his cousin to the highest position and sat down.

She sat to Ying Zheng's right, while Empress Dowager Ji Changyue sat to Ying Zheng's left.

At this time, the left is considered the most honorable position. As the Queen Mother and regent, Ji Changyue should rightfully be on the left.

As soon as she sat down, Banban noticed a stranger standing beside the Empress Dowager, attending to her every need meticulously.

"Is Weiyang unwell, Mother? I haven't seen her with you lately."

Wei Yang was a palace slave who used to serve Ji Changyue closely. Ji Changyue trusted her a lot and often listened to her advice when making decisions.

Ji Changyue smiled and said, "You're so thoughtful. This is Lao Ai, a eunuch recently trained by Yongxiang. He's clean-handed and serves well, so I've been using him a lot. Weiyang is of marriageable age, and I'm looking for a husband for her. I'll make sure she gets married in style next year."

Ji Changyue indeed treated her own people well, and flattered them in various ways, saying, "Those who serve Mother are very fortunate. Mother is very kind to everyone."

Ying Zheng glanced at the eunuch a few more times. Apart from being a little taller than ordinary palace slaves, he was no different from anyone else.

Her face was painted extremely white, incredibly delicate, and her eyebrows were drawn, slender and gentle.

The eunuchs in the Qin Palace were fond of adorning themselves. Many of them would wear makeup, and even those who didn't would apply white powder to their faces. This was because after they were cleansed, their appearance would gradually become more feminine, and applying powder would make them look even fairer and more pleasing to the eye.

Some monarchs even harbored desires to play with or admire attractive eunuchs.

Ying Zheng had no interest in men, and just thinking about such things made him feel disgusted, so he quickly looked away from the eunuch.

Across the many tables, Banban spotted the Ji family. Geng'er, already eight years old (by Chinese reckoning), sat beside Ji Xiu, his skin incredibly fair. As he grew older, his striking good looks, identical to Banban's, became increasingly apparent.

Those around who noticed the boy frequently glanced at him.

Speaking of him, Ying Zheng really liked him quite a bit.

"Yesterday I rode a horse with Geng'er. He is very good at riding and archery. At such a young age, he hunted a wild boar and roasted it that day. The rendered lard filled half a vat and was incredibly fragrant."

Ying Zheng has said this three times already; Banban is tired of hearing it and doesn't want to hear it anymore.

Moreover, the wild boar meat wasn't tasty; it was tough and dry. The only good thing was that a lot of lard was rendered, which could be used to make other dishes.

“Cousin, just spoil him. He’s a devil, hated by everyone and even dogs. He always bullies the servants.”

Ying Zheng disagreed, saying, "He has plenty of energy, so let him vent it. I've been thinking of sending him to the army for training lately. What do you think, cousin?"

Banban didn't interfere much, saying, "You like him, so you wouldn't hurt him."

With his wife's consent, Ying Zheng immediately summoned Ji Xiu and Geng'er after the New Year's banquet.

When Ji Xiu heard that his son was to be sent to the army camp, he was terrified. He thought that his family had angered the King of Qin and that his son would be punished. Without thinking, he knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

Geng'er, however, was incredibly excited, running around the palace. "Brother-in-law, is it true? When? When? Tomorrow! I want to go tomorrow!"

Ji Xiu wished he could slap his son on the head.

Ying Zheng comforted Ji Xiu at length before she reluctantly agreed.

"I'm still thinking about whether I should grit my teeth and go back to school these days because my brother-in-law is short of civil officials!" Geng'er couldn't sit still with excitement. "I still want to lead troops into battle!"

“You are not suited to be a civil official,” Ying Zheng shook his head. “Why force it?”

Moreover, Qin had a long-standing tradition of employing foreigners as ministers, and half of the ministers in the court were not Qin people. Talented people from all over the country flocked to Qin, so Ying Zheng did not lack civil officials.

"However, you still need to study. Otherwise, how can you lead troops into battle? Throughout history, the generals who have made their mark on history have all been extraordinary individuals, not illiterate bumpkins. You still need to study military books."

Geng'er seemed to be thinking about something, and then said "Oh".

After a while, he couldn't sit still any longer. "Brother-in-law, where is my sister? Can I go see her?"

Ying Zheng gave him a subtle look. "It's getting late. Let's do it another time. The Queen is already resting."

Geng'er pouted. He was naturally perceptive and knew all too well that his brother-in-law was narrow-minded. He would get angry if Geng'er showed even the slightest affection to his sister.

He won't listen to him.

After leaving Xianyang Palace, I sneaked into Zhaoyang Palace under the cover of night.

The palace servants in Zhaoyang Palace were terrified when they saw him and hurriedly asked, "Young master, why did you break into Chaoyang Palace at night!"

"What do you mean by breaking in at night?" Geng'er said impatiently, telling them to leave.

However, fearing the King of Qin's anger, he dared not linger, leaving behind a bag of things before making a hasty escape.

After washing up, Banban saw a bag of charred, roasted things left by her younger brother. It looked like he had roasted them himself. When she broke them open, they were sweet and soft. She exclaimed in surprise, "Taro!"

The Qin state has never had taro; it's mostly grown in the south. How did he get it?

It's still a full bag!

Pour out all the taro, underneath which are some brand-new sketchbooks, as well as various kinds of dried fruit and other strange and unusual things.

"Oh, spices." Qian Yin picked up a small box.

"This thing is worth a fortune. Although the raw materials are not expensive, the amount of money spent on transporting it from outside to Qin, after the burning, killing and looting along the way, means that this small box could buy several houses."

"What kind of house?"

Ying Zheng has returned. His gaze fell upon the bag of miscellaneous items.

"Geng'er gave this to me." Banban held it up proudly. "These spices smell so good, I love them!"

"Isn't what I gave the Queen enough? You're overjoyed when others give you gifts so casually." Ying Zheng's expression was unfriendly.