A scheme to sow discord.
My cousin doesn't know.
She seemed to understand where her sister-in-law's pain stemmed from.
In her youth, she was given away as a commodity to Gongsun Yiren of Qin. After having a child, her husband abandoned her, and she became a disgrace to her family and country, a scoundrel. She may have even heard those rehearsals with her own ears. After enduring seven years of hardship, she returned to Qin and was overshadowed by Lady Huayang.
Less than three years later, her husband passed away, and she held the reins of power, becoming an object of flattery and manipulation by others. It seemed that she had never truly rested in her life.
As for her, everyone around her is willing to protect her, and these storms and tsunamis have never harmed her over the years.
After tidying himself up, he reappeared at the table.
Ying Zheng was having a lively conversation with the King of Qi and others when he subconsciously squeezed his wife's hand. He was immediately taken aback by the cold touch and his spirits lifted.
"What's wrong?" he asked in a concerned whisper.
Banban didn't know what to say, so she could only shake her head first.
He noticed her hesitation, took her hand and gently rubbed it before tucking it into his wide sleeve. His hands were much larger than hers, and he could hold her hands and wrists with both of his, using his wide sleeve as a shield to warm the backs of her hands perfectly.
Fortunately, the two were sitting at the same table, so their little action didn't attract much attention.
"I'll tell you after the banquet." She had no secrets from her cousin, so of course she would tell him.
From her vantage point, Queen Zhao could see right under King Qin's table and witness their actions. She was surprised that King Qin would feel so sorry for Queen Qin, whose fingers were only slightly cold after she left her seat, and personally warm her hands for her.
With her wide sleeves connected, her fair skin was cherished and protected.
It was widely believed that the King of Qin favored the Queen of Qin in order to elevate the Zhao faction, but in reality, his affection was largely unrealistic and was merely an act for others to see.
Seeing is believing. Queen Zhao carefully observed King Qin's expression for a while and felt that the affection between the couple was genuine. A man's love might be acted out, but a woman's reaction could not be faked.
Queen Qin clearly took it for granted and didn't think there was anything wrong with a king protecting his wife; she even moved a little closer to him because of it.
Even the child born to the Queen of Qin was named Crown Prince by the King of Qin on the very first day of his birth.
Looking at him, Queen Zhao glanced at Zhao Yan beside her and felt a little displeased. Her child with Zhao Yan was not made crown prince; instead, Zhao Jia, born to Zhao Yan's first wife, became crown prince.
After Zhao Yan took a liking to her and married her, she tried every means to make the original wife lose favor. When Zhao Yan ascended the throne as King of Zhao, she naturally became the queen.
However, her son Qian'er was not valued by the court officials. They said that because she was a prostitute, Qian'er's lineage was questionable and he could not be made crown prince. In the end, Zhao Yan's eldest son, Zhao Jia, was made crown prince.
Zhao Jia was not Queen Zhao's biological son, so she couldn't be happy.
If Zhao Jia were to ascend the throne one day, would she and Qian'er still have a good life?
As Queen Zhao thought this, she clenched her hands inside her sleeves.
How could Zhao Yan not consider her feelings?
The more she thought about it, the more resentful she became, and she pinched his thigh hard under the table.
Zhao Yan nearly jumped up from being pinched, his face as black as coal. "What are you doing? Are you crazy? We're outside."
That jerk, did he think she was playing with him?
Queen Zhao pinched him hard again, so hard that Zhao Yan couldn't sit still and kept trying to avoid her hand. "What is it now? What is it now? Tell me, my ancestor, do you need to use the toilet?"
I am like you***.
Just as Queen Zhao saw the undercurrents between King Qin and Queen Qin, Banban, holding hands with his cousin, naturally also noticed Queen Zhao's subtle actions.
She gently tugged at Ying Zheng's wrist, gesturing for him to look.
After the banquet ended, Ying Zheng still needed to entertain guests and could not rest on his own. The following conversation was the main event, so Banban would not stay any longer.
She helped him change into lighter clothes and asked thoughtfully, "Cousin, is the Crown Prince Zhao not the son of Empress Zhao?"
"The Crown Prince of Zhao was Zhao Jia, the eldest son of Zhao Yan's first wife. Zhao Yan appointed him as the Crown Prince immediately after ascending the throne. Zhao Qian, the son of Empress Zhao, was indeed not a candidate for Crown Prince."
After saying that, he gently stroked his wife's wrist. "What's wrong?"
"How could Queen Zhao be willing to let someone who is not her son become the crown prince?" Banban said. "Lord Wei Liao also suggested that the states be divided into different parts, and that gold be used to bribe the powerful ministers of each state to reduce the difficulty for Qin to attack them."
She helped him put on his clothes, then gently leaned against his chest and whispered, "If we help Queen Zhao depose Zhao Jia and let Zhao Qian ascend to the position of Crown Prince, shaking the foundation of the Zhao state and splitting the core faction of Zhao, wouldn't it be much easier to attack Zhao?"
This was the first time his wife had offered constructive advice regarding the conquest of the six states; previously, she had mostly just listened to him and never questioned the policies.
Ying Zheng gently lifted her face from his arms, and after careful consideration, gave an affirmative answer: "It is feasible."
"Since ancient times, deposing the eldest son in favor of the youngest has caused discord within the court and political turmoil, so this should not be done lightly."
"Back then, King Hui clearly favored King Zhaoxiang, but he dared not easily depose King Wu and install him instead, and that was the reason."
He stared at her face, not missing any change in her expression: "But why would you suddenly think of these things?"
After a slight hesitation, Banban immediately told everything he knew.
From a moment of slight surprise to a sudden darkening of his face, Ying Zheng only took a few breaths. His heart was pounding wildly, burning under her palm.
She had already calmed down, but seeing her cousin's face, the grievances and sadness that had subsided filled her heart again. She didn't want to cry, but in front of her cousin, she was always a girl who couldn't stop crying.
Ying Zheng wiped away the tears that rolled down his wife's cheeks. "I will definitely avenge you and the Queen Mother. Don't be sad. I will never forget the grudge in Handan, and I will only hate you more in the future."
The hand that wiped away her tears trembled slightly. He didn't say anything, but the emotions surging in his heart were probably no less than hers.
Banban nodded vigorously and was pulled into his arms.
"Then what should I do? Cousin, please teach me." She asked for advice with reliance.
Ying Zheng barely managed to pull himself out of his hatred. After calming down, his brain worked at high speed. After thinking it over, he carefully whispered some instructions in his wife's ear.
She listened attentively, nodding earnestly from time to time.
What a ruler cannot tolerate most is being deceived by his subordinates, especially when they use the pretense of fearing his wrath to conceal the truth. In particular, if a ruler does nothing when his wife and mother are humiliated, it is considered cowardly!
He, Ying Zheng, was never a coward!
Watching his wife's departing figure, Ying Zheng's face darkened, and his breathing became rapid and labored. This was something that enraged him even more than the insult itself, so how could he remain completely unresponsive?
However, one of them needs to be calmer than the other; going crazy all the time is pointless and will only make her suffer too.
Qin Ju led Xia, who was serving tea, into the inner hall. They were greeted by a table that had been split in two. The King of Qin stood to the side, his long arms supporting his sword, his aura surging, his body tense like a beast, and his face extremely ugly.
Qin Ju knelt down instinctively, raising his teacup high. "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
Ying Zheng turned to the side, his expression calm. "Qin Ju, is there anything about the Qin Kingdom that you don't know?"
Qin Ju's heart skipped a beat. As the King of Qin's personal attendant and the head of the Imperial Carriage Office, he was in charge of almost everything concerning the King of Qin. In many cases, he could even represent the King of Qin. He was very observant and well-informed. To be honest, there was almost nothing in the Qin Kingdom that he did not know.
Ying Zheng curled his lips into a smile, revealing an expression filled with danger and disappointment.
Inside the hall, the King of Qi and the King of Zhao had just taken their seats. The King of Qin was late, but since this was Qin, he might want to hear about something that had happened in another country. Neither of the two kings from other countries seemed to have any complaints.
However, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere in the hall became very tense for a moment.
The states of Zhao, Han, Wei, Yan, and Chu had been promoting the strategy of vertical alliance, uniting with other states to resist Qin. Only the state of Qi was ignorant and foolish, always pro-Qin, believing that its queen was a member of the Qin royal family and that as long as it was close to Qin, it would be safe.
Naive! If the other states are defeated and conquered, how far away is Qi? Qin wants to annex the six states, why would it leave Qi out of its way?
It's just a matter of dying sooner or later!
Whenever Zhao Yan thought of that stupid pig, King Qi, he would feel a dull pain in his chest and had no desire to talk to him at all.
The King of Qi was aloof and arrogant, considering himself a friend of Qin. He believed that if he served Qin carefully, he would be treated well. Why should he collude with other states? He was a clear-headed neutral and not a warmonger. He refused every request for military assistance from any country.
He looked down on the King of Zhao, believing him to be unbecoming of a ruler who had deposed his noble wife to favor a prostitute. He found this utterly absurd, and he didn't even glance at the Queen of Zhao.
Suddenly, a voice begging for mercy came from outside, and then the King of Qin appeared in the hall.
King Zhao, being gossipy, peeked through the gradually closing door and saw Qin Ju being dragged away. He was shocked and looked at King Qin several times.
The king's personal eunuchs were usually spared such direct punishment because of the king's reputation. The Qin state was indeed strange; they never cared about etiquette, and everyone was ruthless and decisive.
"The subordinates made a mistake and should be punished, which caused the delay and kept you all waiting."
King Qi immediately waved his hand, "What's the big deal? Not punishing those who should be punished only emboldens the servants. King Qin was decisive."
King Zhao's lips twitched: "..." You can actually praise this against your will? You're a genius.
Why don't you go lick Zhao Zheng's shoes?
If he accidentally gets even a little bit on himself, it's enough to make you have a feast.
On the other hand, Banban entertained the queens of the various kingdoms. She was acquainted with Queen Yangman of Qi, and she did not neglect Queen Zhao either, taking them to see the stage play that Ying Zheng had arranged for her.
"I asked them to revise this play many times, you must take a good look." Banban affectionately took their arms. "The dragon in the palace is burning brightly, it's definitely warmer than outside."
"Don't I know you?" Yang Man poked her forehead. "Tell me quickly, what other delicious food and drinks have you prepared?"
Queen Zhao was intrigued, looking left and right before being led to a seat. “The Qin Queen’s ingenious ideas have long been known throughout the states, and I am curious about them too,” she said.
"When you have nothing to do, you naturally have the mind to think about these things." Banban seemed embarrassed and awkward, then remembered something and became quite troubled. "My aunt Yangman has never seen Zhao'er before. I'll bring him here for you to see. This child is very clingy in the afternoon. If he can't see me for a moment, he will make a fuss. He has a very loud voice. He can howl so loudly that he can break the roof."
As they spoke, the palace servants lifted the curtain and helped the wet nurse and the Crown Prince enter together.
"Oh, I was just about to say that, my dear Zhao'er, let Aunt Wang give you a kiss." Yang Man took Zhao'er and skillfully picked him up, gently patted his shoulder, and kissed his forehead twice with great joy before turning his face towards everyone.
Queen Zhao noticed Queen Qin's words about having "nothing to do" and deduced that there were no concubines in the Qin palace. It is said that King Qin did not even have any maids. In the years since he married Queen Qin, he has always been loving and devoted to her and has never had any disloyalty.
Then he was truly free, as he didn't usually have many concubines or official cases to manage, and his only heir was the one born to him.
She was genuinely envious. Unlike her, although Zhao Yan doted on her, he would go out to cheat on her every now and then. Which brothel in Handan hadn't he visited?
There were even several unofficial tea-serving maids kept in the rear rooms of the council hall.
He truly loved her and would not tolerate any woman jumping in her face. If she wanted to deal with those people, he would have no objection even if she beat several of them to death, and he would not care at all.
Whether she was favored or not was relative. Compared to the insignificant concubines, she was very favored, but compared to Empress Qin, she felt somewhat resentful.
Staring at the young body of the Qin crown prince, a sense of injustice began to sprout in her heart.
The Queen of Qi's son was also the Crown Prince of Qi...
She is the queen. If she doesn't have wholehearted love, why shouldn't her son be the crown prince?
As they talked, the topic naturally shifted to raising children.
The Queen of Qi had two sons and a daughter, and she was very experienced in raising children, speaking eloquently about it.
Queen Zhao's child is also quite grown up, and can certainly offer some advice.
Yang Man asked naturally, "Zhao'er is almost a year old now. When are you and Zheng'er planning to have another one?" Her tone was sincere and friendly. "It's better if the children are too far apart in age. They won't be able to talk to each other, and it will be more difficult to build a relationship. Older brothers are too playful and don't want to take care of their younger brothers."
Queen Zhao nodded in agreement, "Yes, if my health hadn't deteriorated so early, I would have given birth to her too."
Banban shook his head. "Zhao'er is already the Crown Prince. I have to think about his future." The brothers are too close in age, which could lead to a power struggle.
Of course, she was saying this to outsiders. Women of this era thought this way, and she couldn't change it. In reality, childbirth was harmful to the body, and she should at least wait until she was fully recovered before making any plans. Her cousin didn't want her to have any more children, so why should she rush to harm her body?
As she spoke, she casually pretended to remember something, "How old is Sister Zhao's child this year? Is he twelve? Is it time to arrange a marriage? Time really flies."
Queen Zhao sighed, "I get angry as soon as I mention it. I had my eye on two families before, but the King assigned them to the Crown Prince's quarters."
She didn't say much, but her expression was depressed and resentful.
Banban was astonished, "How could this be?"
Yang Man understood Banban's meaning and quickly replied, "The King of Zhao values the Crown Prince so much? How is this supposed to put you, sister?"
Upon hearing this, Queen Zhao's expression turned slightly unnatural. "What can I do?" In truth, no one in Zhao was willing to be close to her. Queen Qin and Queen Qi spoke up for her, and she couldn't help but pour out her grievances. "I want Qian'er to be enfeoffed as a nobleman as soon as possible, so that he can live more freely in his fiefdom. But this child has neither achievements nor merits. Even if I want to put in the effort, there is nowhere to use it."
Before Banban could utter the words her cousin had taught her, words that had been swirling in her mind for so long, Yangman interjected, "I think you're too kind, sister. Does the king's son need merit to be granted a title? He's not some subject."
She sighed and grasped Queen Zhao's hand. "I speak frankly, please don't take it to heart, sister. But what I said is true: the king's love is all poured into the crown prince, for the sake of stability in the court. But we mothers must also plan for our own children. King Zhao is like this, probably because your family doesn't have much power. That's not a big deal in itself, but once you have a child, there are many more things to consider. You have to work hard, otherwise... what will happen to your child in the future?"
The "future days" here refers to the time after Crown Prince Zhao Jia ascends the throne.
Yang Man here twists the King of Zhao's care for the Crown Prince into a situation where he had no choice but to do so to appease the court officials. After all, the Crown Prince of Zhao was backed by the royal officials and nobles of Zhao. He was the legitimate son of the King of Zhao's first wife, of noble birth and legitimate bloodline, and naturally enjoyed the love and support of all the officials.
The reason why the Queen of Zhao's son was not well received was because the Queen of Zhao had no power of her own and no one to support her.
Queen Zhao understood Yang Man's words, her expression changed slightly, and her eyes showed a thoughtful ripple.
Banban wanted to applaud Yang Man. She truly lived up to her reputation as a princess who had survived under the tyrannical rule of King Zhaoxiang. The moment Banban showed her face, Yang Man immediately understood and launched an attack, without Banban even needing to say a word.
These words, spoken by the Queen of Qi, would not arouse the vigilance of the Queen of Zhao, who was already under the influence of the long-standing feud between Qin and Zhao.
Yang Man smiled, looking at the deep-thinking Queen Zhao with satisfaction. She glanced to the side and bumped into Banban's adoring gaze. Banban's posture was just like before her marriage, her eyes shining like the stars in the sky. "..." She nudged her, telling her to tone it down.
-----------------------
The author says: I went to see a doctor and it turned out to be conjunctivitis. He prescribed some medicine, and a friend recommended that I buy eye drops for dry eyes. I had never used eye drops before, but I will use them every day from now on!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
