After seeing Yang Duanhe off, the wicked man smiled bitterly and asked Zhang Erhe to escort him to the palace, feeling that he had truly worried himself sick for the Qin state.
"Brother Zheng, can't you just give me a break?"
Calling him the Grand Commandant of Qin is less accurate than describing him as Ying Zheng's all-around steward, managing everything from the top to the bottom, and even having to dispel Ying Zheng's unrealistic dream of immortality.
The carriage sped along and soon arrived at the palace gate.
Although it was already dark and the gates of Xianyang Palace were under martial law and closed, the guards immediately opened the gates when they saw the wicked man arrive, without even conducting the usual questioning.
The wicked man entered the palace, grabbed a random eunuch, and said, "You, take me to find the King!"
The young eunuch trembled and hurriedly led the way.
After several twists and turns, they arrived at the outside of an unnamed palace. The young eunuch whispered, "Grand Commandant, the King is currently meeting with Empress Dowager Xia... Shall I go and inform him, or would you like to go in directly?"
"Hmm, I'll go in myself!" The wicked man strode into the palace. The eunuch waiting at the door, seeing that it was the wicked man, immediately announced, "The Grand Commandant has arrived!"
Ying Zheng, who was chatting casually with Empress Dowager Xia inside the palace, was stunned for a moment. "Why is this kid looking for me here instead of setting off?"
"I suppose your wicked husband has something to ask you!" Empress Dowager Xia smiled kindly, showing great appreciation for Ying Zheng, her trusted minister.
A series of footsteps approached, and the wicked man strode in, displaying a swift and decisive demeanor.
"Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, pay my respects to the Empress Dowager!" The servant stood still, bowed deeply, and showed great respect.
Empress Dowager Xia's kind expression deepened, and she quickly helped the child up, saying, "Child, please get up!"
She only met the evil husband once, when she and Empress Dowager Huayang entered Zhangtai Palace to remove Zhao Ji's identity.
However, although she lived deep within the palace, she had heard plenty of stories about her wicked husband, and she was overjoyed that her grandson had the support of such an important minister.
Given that she was around the same age as her grandson, she grew to like her wicked husband more and more the more she looked at him.
The wicked husband stood up and glanced at the kind-faced Empress Dowager Xia. He noticed that her hair was gray, but she still had an elegant and noble demeanor. He figured she must have been a stunningly beautiful woman in her youth.
At this moment, Ying Zheng suddenly spoke, feigning seriousness, "What, does our Grand Commandant not even acknowledge me?"
He was genuinely jealous. This kid only had eyes for the Empress Dowager and wouldn't even glance at him. What was going on?
"snort!"
The wicked husband snorted coldly and immediately complained to Empress Dowager Xia, "Empress Dowager, I... want to impeach the King!"
Impeach?
These words stunned not only Empress Dowager Xia, but also Ying Zheng, who stood frozen in place.
I thought he had something urgent to do when he entered the palace so late at night, and that he was probably here to impeach me.
"Why did the Grand Commandant impeach the King?!" Empress Dowager Xia smiled, her eyes lingering between the two men, the emperor and his minister.
Upon seeing this, the wicked man immediately said, "Today, a treacherous minister proposed sacrificing human lives to Heaven to avert a great calamity! Such absurd words have actually been agreed to by Your Majesty!"
"Not only that, I have also heard that Your Majesty is obsessed with the path to immortality and has sent people to seek out alchemists from beyond the borders in search of the so-called elixir of immortality."
He had heard it with his own ears, and given Ying Zheng's personality, he must have already sent people to search for it.
Upon hearing this, both Ying Zheng and Zhao Gao felt a jolt in their hearts. Ying Zheng even gave Zhao Gao a cold look, thinking that he had leaked the information!
"Who... leaked the news?!" A shadow crossed Zhao Gao's eyes. He had been extremely careful in this matter, so how did his wicked husband find out?
"Zheng'er, is the Grand Commandant's statement true?!" Empress Dowager Xia's sharp gaze fell upon Ying Zheng.
Ying Zheng nodded helplessly, "Yes, Grandmother."
"How foolish, how foolish!"
Empress Dowager Xia slammed her hand on the armrest of her chair, stood up angrily, and said with utter disappointment, "As the ruler of a country, how could you so easily believe such nonsense?!"
"Our Qin rulers have worked tirelessly for generations, overcoming countless hardships and striving for a better future. How could we have ever entrusted the fate of Qin to ghosts, gods, or the will of Heaven?"
"And what about the art of immortality? If it truly existed... would you even be the next ruler? And how come your father died after only three years on the throne?"
Her words were full of reproach, but even more so, they expressed her concern and care for Ying Zheng.
Empress Dowager Xia was already in her twilight years and had long since become indifferent to matters of life and death, no longer believing in the so-called immortality of ghosts and gods. As the ruler of Qin, Ying Zheng's every move was related to the safety of the country and the well-being of the people; how could he do such a foolish thing?
"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Seeing that the Empress Dowager was angry, the wicked man quickly tried to persuade her, "Your Majesty is young and inevitably a little gullible, but we will do our best to assist you and prevent you from going astray."
He didn't intend for Empress Dowager Xia to reprimand Ying Zheng; it just so happened that she was also present. Given her status in Ying Zheng's eyes, it would be more effective for them to join forces in admonishing him.
The wicked husband's words calmed Empress Dowager Xia's anger slightly. She naturally knew that Ying Zheng was still young and had a desire to explore the so-called immortality of ghosts and gods.
After all... who hasn't dreamed of living forever?
Even when she was young, she had fantasized about it several times.
"Zheng'er, listen to me!" Empress Dowager Xia turned around, her tone becoming serious. "As a monarch, you should prioritize the country and not easily believe in heretical words, much less be obsessed with the illusory art of immortality."
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are unavoidable for humankind. You are not yet of legal age; your life is just beginning. Do not go astray, causing unnecessary trouble and wasting resources, which may even harm your health!"
Ying Zheng bowed his head to accept the instruction, and then thought about it and realized that it made sense. Before him, there had been countless monarchs in the world, but none of them could achieve immortality. In the end, they all turned into a handful of dust. If such a good thing really existed, would it be his turn?
After figuring out the key point, he felt much clearer-headed, and a hint of guilt appeared on his face.
"Grandson understands!" Ying Zheng replied respectfully. "From now on, I will prioritize the affairs of the state, no longer easily believe falsehoods, and will not fantasize about such unrealistic things."
Empress Dowager Xia nodded in satisfaction. She knew that although Ying Zheng was young, with a loyal minister like the wicked husband assisting him, the future of Qin would surely be brighter.
Seeing this, the wicked man breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "Your Majesty, immortality is unattainable, but living to be a hundred years old is not a difficult thing!"
Instead of seeking elixirs, you'd be better off focusing on improving your health; I guarantee you'll stay healthy and free from illness...
Ying Zheng's eyes lit up immediately, and his gaze towards his wicked husband was full of passion. He gave up his idea of immortality, but he would naturally be happy if there was a chance to live longer.
"Alright, you may all leave. I'm getting tired," Empress Dowager Xia waved her hand, indicating that the two could leave.
The wicked man and Ying Zheng agreed in unison, and then respectfully withdrew from the palace.
The night was deep outside, but the wicked man had no intention of leaving the palace just like that.
"Is there anything else?"
"Something's happened, something really serious!"
"Let's go then, let's talk about it at Zhangtai Palace. We haven't finished dealing with the political affairs yet..."
The two walked and talked, their figures gradually disappearing into the shadows.
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