The candidate for Grand Tutor is "one idiot."

After Zhao'er turned one year old, his speed in learning to walk and talk progressed in a step-by-step manner, as if he had mastered the trick and immediately learned to apply what he had learned.

However, the big thing that has happened recently is not that my son is gradually learning more and more words.

Xu Jinghe proposed to massacre all the people of Han, send troops to be stationed on the border of Han, put pressure on Zhao, and completely take over the territory left by Han.

Many people agreed with the opinion, but Ying Zheng pondered for a moment and did not give a direct answer, only saying that they would discuss it later.

Banban, holding Zhao'er's hand, stood by the side gate, taking in the expressions of all the officials.

Zhao'er pointed to Ying Zheng's side and asked, "Mother, shall we go?"

“Mother can go to your father’s side, but the officials will have objections… Besides, if I go, I’ll have to go every day, and I really can’t get up.” Banban squatted down and pinched his little face with a wry smile. “When you’re a little older, you can go too.”

"Father, over there?" Zhao'er tilted his head in confusion.

"I can't be," Banban said tactfully after feeling embarrassed. "That's where only the king can sit. You are the crown prince, so you should stand below with them."

"Why?"

Goodness, this is the sentence he pronounced most clearly and with the most force.

"Because there is a difference between ruler and subject." Banban tried to explain to him clearly, "Although you are father and son, your father is not only your father, he is also the King of Qin. When you are older and can call him Father, you will understand."

"Why?"

"...Because—" Does this mean we have to start from the very beginning of the monarchy?

Banban was at her wit's end. Looking at her son, whose eyes were clear and suspicious, she scratched her cheek.

After a long while, she sighed resignedly, hugged her son, and explained these things to him in the simplest and most straightforward way. She talked for so long that her lips were dry, and she didn't know if he understood. After all, he was just a child who had just learned to walk.

"Did you understand, son?" Banban asked uncertainly.

Zhao'er didn't answer, but pointed to the throne and said decisively, "I want it!"

Upon hearing this, Banban clapped his hands gently in encouragement: "That's great, it's all yours. But you'd better study hard. Your father was very strict back then. If you were a slow learner, how could you manage these people? They wouldn't listen to you."

"You must not only be smart, but also know how to care for people, whether they are your ministers or the common people of the world."

"Don't be like your father. He was always scolded and did thankless work. No one cared about him."

Banban rambled on and on about trivial things, much of which he didn't really want to tell his son. Zhao'er didn't say anything, and it was unclear whether he understood or not. He probably didn't understand much; his little brain couldn't comprehend anything too profound at the moment.

"How can no one care about me? Isn't it my cousin?"

A soft laugh rang out.

Banban turned around abruptly, and Ying Zheng was standing right behind her, his crown tassels swaying slightly, casting flowing shadows on his fair eyelids.

Because of his height advantage, he had to look down at people. His thick eyelashes were quiet and beautiful, slender and straight, slightly drooping, exuding a small, clear smile.

His beautiful appearance contrasts sharply with his tall stature, yet upon closer inspection, they are paradoxically blended, making it impossible to look away.

As the officials were leaving Xianyang Palace, many noticed that the King of Qin was standing at a side gate and had not left. The Queen would occasionally observe the government from there, something that was common knowledge among the officials.

No one said it was against the rules, just because the Qin state didn't follow the rules much either. However, it was still hard to accept that the queen could openly "enter the house".

In the history of Qin, there has always been a regency of the empress dowager, but no regency of the queen. Admittedly, the queen has some real power, but her power as empress cannot be compared with the power of the king. Moreover, the king of Qin is strong and healthy and in his prime, so there is no reason for him to let the queen share power.

As Li Si observed, King Zheng of Qin seemed not to care much about whether the Queen could sit beside him on the throne, which was somewhat contradictory to his adherence to Legalist centralized power.

Legalism advocates for a highly centralized monarchical system, where the rule of the entire country must be firmly in the hands of the ruler, not to mention the queen.

King Zheng of Qin was good in every way, except that he was too devoted to one woman, so much so that even other men found it puzzling. However, this was not a flaw. As puzzling as it was, it could also comfort some of his subjects who were afraid of his ruthless methods.

The fact that the Queen has favored him for so many years proves that the King of Qin is not a pure tyrant. Beneath those decrees lies a heart that proves he is still a normal person. Perhaps all of this will end after the war is quelled.

Special times call for special policies, which is understandable; all of this is for the greater good.

Li Si speculated that if he were fortunate enough to witness the unification of the states, the queen would eventually "enter the hall" and the couple would rule the country together.

As a subject, he had no right to interfere with the King of Qin's decisions; what he cared about was the Crown Prince.

If I'm not mistaken, the person standing next to the Queen is His Highness the Crown Prince. Can this little prince even understand what's going on? He's already allowed to attend court.

With a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, Li Si felt he needed to make plans as soon as possible.

"It wouldn't be good if they saw you talking to me like that." Banban lowered his voice and peeked at the gate of Xianyang Palace. Sure enough, some officials turned their heads to look in this direction.

"So what? If they have objections, I'll just take you to court tomorrow." Ying Zheng was quite indifferent.

"I don't want to!" Banban bristled. "Is the emperor even human? He has to get up before dawn and work until dark. If he takes a break, he'll be accused of being a tyrant. If I doze off up there, I'll lose all face."

Speaking of this, Ying Zheng thought of Ji Changyue. He squatted down and teased Zhao'er a couple of times. "Back then, the Empress Dowager often dozed off up there. Even if she slept openly, no one dared to object."

"Father, hug me!"

Upon hearing the unfamiliar address, Ying Zheng hesitated, his gaze becoming serious.

Zhao'er snuggled up and hugged his neck, twisting and turning, wanting him to pick her up.

"I only taught him once, and he already got it." Banban was somewhat surprised.

"Hold me." Ying Zheng stood up, lifted him up, and held his wife's hand with one hand. "Let's go back to Zhaoyang Palace."

Speaking of Ji Changyue, she hasn't been staying in the Qin Palace much lately. She returned to the Ji family for a month and didn't really want to come back. Banban made a decision and suggested that she open a flower teahouse in Xianyang.

Living in the Qin Palace was stifling, so she wanted to go for a walk. Since she was under Ying Zheng's watchful eye and there was no danger, he naturally had no objection and let his wife and mother do as they pleased.

The shopkeepers and passersby were unaware that the shopkeeper was the Empress Dowager. Occasionally, when a minister bought flower tea for his wife, he would recognize her and be terrified, trembling as he offered to buy all the flower tea for the day.

Then Ji Changyue blasted him out.

The resolute "Get out!" left them completely bewildered.

Some, fearing the Empress Dowager was being sarcastic, stubbornly refused to leave. However, Ji Changyue was guarded by a squad of Qin King's personal guards. With a single order, they were thrown out and forbidden from revealing her identity.

Then something interesting happened: the people of Xianyang City discovered that many ministers liked to patronize this flower tea shop, sometimes without buying anything, but just lingering by the door for a while.

Over time, flower tea shops have become synonymous with tea that only the powerful and wealthy can afford.

Ji Changyue didn't care about making money. She became a commoner simply because she wanted to see the outside world and meet people from other places. She was too idle every day and always wanted to get stuck on trivial matters.

After lunch, the family of three prepared to leave the palace to find Ji Changyue, but they were stopped halfway there.

Han Fei requests an audience.

Ying Zheng stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? It seems he has finally calmed down."

Han Fei had come to a decision, and of course he wanted to see him, so the matter of going out to find Ji Changyue was temporarily put on hold.

Banban covered his mouth with his hand and whispered, "Cousin, was Xu Jinghe's suggestion at the morning court something you hinted at, meant to scare Han Fei?"

“Nonsense.” He grasped his wife’s hand, but his tone was indifferent.

After walking for a short while, Zhao'er started to fuss and refused to walk any further. Qin Ju happily carried the little prince on his back, coaxing him like a horse, sometimes trotting and sometimes walking slowly, making him giggle and laugh uncontrollably.

Before long, they arrived at the detached palace.

Han Fei had become emaciated and was no longer the handsome young man who was famous throughout the states.

Upon meeting King Zheng of Qin, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Han Fei is willing to serve as King Zheng's subject."

Ying Zheng looked down at him condescendingly, "You have a deal to make, don't you?"

In desperation, Han Fei crawled several steps on his knees and pleaded pitifully, "I only wish that Your Majesty would spare the people of Han and leave them alive!"

After saying this, he prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed forcefully until his forehead was covered in blood and his thin face turned deathly pale.

Ying Zheng chuckled, "Han Fei, everyone has weaknesses. Your weakness is obvious and I don't need to investigate it carefully."

"Remember this: I want your own willingness, not being forced by others!"

“I will not kill ordinary South Koreans.”

Han Fei was slightly stunned, not knowing what was going on. After a moment, he realized what was happening and an indescribable emotion quickly rose in his heart. Was he going through all this just to break his wings, knock him into the mud, and then enjoy his bitter struggle?

How could he possibly serve the Qin state willingly?

Never! The Qin state was his sworn enemy, having been destroyed by him!

His arms, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, trembled discreetly.

At that moment, a silky handkerchief was lifted up and gently wiped his chin.

Han Fei turned his gaze and saw a little boy with his hand raised crookedly. His clear eyes reflected the blood and tears on his face.

He suddenly held his breath, perhaps because he had been stiff for too long, and the subtle fluctuations in his heartstrings were so obvious in an instant.

"If you are unwilling to serve me, I will not trust you either. However, my Great Qin does not support idle people. You will become the Grand Tutor and teach the Crown Prince."

For a moment, Han Fei looked up at Ying Zheng, still unsure of what he had asked, "...The Crown Prince is your only heir, aren't you worried that I'll corrupt him?"

"As long as you dare." A faint smile appeared on Ying Zheng's face, his confidence and disdain were evident. "If the Crown Prince loses even a single hair, I will cut all the brats of Han into a thousand pieces."

Han Fei took a deep breath, clenched his fists tightly, and almost ground his teeth to powder in his mouth.

Banban hurriedly tried to smooth things over. His cousin's words and actions were so fierce, there had to be a gentler one. It was like the saying goes, one plays the good cop and the other the bad cop.

She knelt down, picked up Zhao'er, and stepped forward. "Zhao'er, quick, this is your husband. Help him up. Your father is fierce, so you must treat your husband gently and politely."

Zhao'er instinctively followed her mother's lead, and really did tug at Han Fei's sleeve with her little hands, trying to pull him up. After tugging for a long time without success, she raised her little face and looked at him expectantly, then picked up a handkerchief and wiped his face again.

Even though Han Fei was unwilling, he was threatened by the King of Qin and given a way out by the Queen and the Crown Prince, so he could only stand up with the Crown Prince's help.

His body stiffened, and he almost fell as soon as he stood up. He felt dizzy and his vision went black, and he immediately fainted.

When Han Fei woke up again, he saw the little prince sitting by his bedside, studying a small wooden bow. When he saw that Han Fei was awake, the prince quickly patted the edge of the bed.

Han Fei: "..."

What is there to teach?

Could he possibly understand what he's saying? That's ridiculous...

He figured this was still the King of Qin's way of testing him. If he could teach the Crown Prince well, he would be allowed to enter the court to listen to the government. If he could enter the court, he could learn from Guo Kai and sow discord, kill a few Qin officials, and disrupt his country's politics to avenge Han.

After much thought, I really need to focus on teaching this young prince first.

As soon as the young prince slapped the door, palace servants filed in, some bringing food tables, some carrying medicine chests, and others presenting brand-new robes.

A young, unfamiliar eunuch knelt beside the bed, helped the young prince get off the bed and stand up, and left without saying a word.

Han Fei suspected that he couldn't speak at all, but he did have a stunningly beautiful face. Upon reflection, it made sense. The Queen was incredibly beautiful, and the King of Qin was handsome, which was envied by both of them. The Crown Prince, who had their blood in his veins, couldn't be too ugly.

With hatred as his support, Han Fei was meticulous in everything he did, from washing and grooming to eating and changing clothes, and his previous aloofness and arrogance were no longer visible on his face.

Stepping outside, the young prince was sitting on the veranda watching the rain. A palace servant, presumably his wet nurse, was feeding him small spoonfuls of minced chicken. On a small plate beside him was a small piece of soft, fragrant peach.

After finishing the minced meat, he held the peach pieces in both hands and ate them carefully, one bite at a time.

The wet nurse was facing Han Fei and saw him first. She gave a slight bow and said, "Mr. Han."

The little prince turned his head and glanced at him, then quickly patted the cushion next to him with his little hand.

The wet nurse explained, "Our prince asked you to sit down."

Han Fei sat down as instructed, and the young prince reached out and handed him a piece of peach flesh.

He didn't eat, politely declining, "No need." It wasn't that he disrespected the Crown Prince's reward, but simply that he was wary of children.

You never know what a child's food has gone through. Ever since he ate the salty apricot that his son had taken out, he never ate any food that a child offered him again.

"Where are the King and Queen of Qin?" Han Fei asked the wet nurse.

The wet nurse said respectfully, "His Majesty and Queen have left the palace."

A question mark slowly appeared above Han Fei's head: "?"

They just dumped the child on him like that?

Are you really that relaxed about it?

The thought flashed through Han Fei's mind, and he withdrew his gaze from the circle of Qin soldiers standing outside the eaves.

He was really curious whether the little prince could speak. Generally speaking, a child who is a little over one year old has very low comprehension ability. Being able to say "mother" or "father" is already the limit. He acts entirely on instinct.

He's teaching him? What a load of rubbish!

Han Fei held up one finger and tentatively asked, "Your Highness, how many is this?"

The crown prince looked at his hands, then at his face.

"Don't you recognize her?" Han Fei glanced at the wet nurse beside him. "It doesn't matter if you don't recognize her."

The prince slowly opened his mouth: "One, an idiot."

Han Fei suddenly turned his head back, "???"

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Author's Note: Here we go, there's an extra chapter today!