Chapter 57 The King of Qin's Scheme (Bonus Chapter for 4000 Nutrient Solution Combined) ^^...
Ying Zheng only said, "When have I ever mocked you?"
He always acts so serious, but he's actually up to no good. He's not as calm and serious as he seems.
Banban rolled her eyes, pretending not to know, and reluctantly said, "Alright, I'll take a look." She didn't believe he knew kung fu; wasn't that just something made up in martial arts novels and TV dramas to fool people? She had only seen some of it on the TV in a small shop.
The orphanage's security guards were lax, so she could run around freely, but she didn't dare go too far. As a result, she often watched some random TV dramas with the owner.
The teachers in the college were hired by the dean and were not very dedicated to teaching. Fortunately, the textbooks were usually left unattended in the office, so she picked out the ones she could understand and read them. She enjoyed reading all the junior high school textbooks except for physics, chemistry, mathematics, and English.
Good heavens, if you think about it, it seems that the only books she read back then were Chinese, history, biology, and politics.
With that thought in mind, Ying Zheng had already changed into a set of light clothes.
She couldn't wait and opened her arms for a hug.
He picked her up in his arms, his gaze falling on the building not far away. Just as Banban was about to speak, he suddenly raised his gaze into the air, and her hair, which had been hanging down her neck, fell back down.
The two appeared on the rooftop. She looked dazed and kept looking around.
Banban: "?"
Suddenly, the view opened up, and the eunuchs, palace eunuchs, and guards around them saw this and quickly gathered around, fearing that something might happen to the King of Qin.
Li Si happened to be entering the palace on important business. As soon as he arrived, he saw the King of Qin holding the Queen, standing on the upturned glazed tiles of the roof. His long hair was flowing down, and his figure was clearly tall and strong like a tiger or wolf, yet he was as light as a swallow, shuttling between several adjacent palaces. The Queen in his arms was so frightened that she screamed.
Li Si: "..." Never mind, the King of Qin is nineteen years old, he probably still has the heart of a child.
Otherwise, why would he laugh so loudly, as if scaring the queen was a very enjoyable thing?
Li Si was indeed seeing the King of Qin for the first time. His laughter was loud and clear, his eyebrows were narrow and his lips were upturned in a bright smile.
What's even funnier is that every time he moves, the guards and eunuchs below stick their butts out and move along with him, yelling "Hey hey hey," as if they're afraid they won't be able to catch him.
A quarter of an hour later, the King of Qin came down with red marks all over his face.
His skin is fair, so even a few pinches make it very noticeable.
The queen left with a huff, and the King of Qin straightened his clothes, coughed twice, and said seriously, "What brings you here, my guest minister?"
Li Si had no choice but to pretend that the scene from just now hadn't happened. "Your Majesty, just now you issued an edict saying that you wanted to grant Taiyuan Commandery as a fiefdom to meritorious officials. This is really inappropriate."
"What's wrong with that?" The King of Qin glanced at him, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Strangely, just now the King of Qin was clearly receiving Prince Dan of Yan, and it is unknown when the edict was drafted. Both Chancellor Lü Buwei and the Queen Dowager affixed their seals, and no one raised any objections. It seems that this was not a whim of his today.
"I wonder what you intend to do with the rewards from this fiefdom..." Li Si hesitated, then stopped himself.
At first glance, it seems to be prepared for Cheng Jiao, since Cheng Jiao is about to lead troops. It is precisely because of this news that the Crown Prince of Yan wanted to form an alliance with Qin and came to Qin as a hostage in order to gain the trust of the King of Qin.
But Li Si felt something was amiss. Would the King of Qin be the kind of person to go along with the wishes of those two regents? Although he had always opposed Cheng Jiao leading the army, Li Si felt that the King of Qin seemed to be going with the flow, rather than genuinely opposing it.
"Li Si," the King of Qin said, letting the eunuch change his clothes. He leaned back lazily in the soft chair, lifted his foot to have his shoes changed, and looked up at Li Si's face. "You are talented, but you are too self-protective. You dare not speak your mind, nor do you dare to do anything. Are you afraid that one day I will demote you?"
Li Si's heart tightened, and he was about to explain when he heard the King of Qin's amused tone: "Or are you afraid of being targeted by the Prime Minister?"
A subject cannot serve two masters.
This is a major taboo.
Li Si, a man of few words, finally tentatively asked, "Is Your Majesty fishing?"
The fiefdom is a piece of fat meat, thrown onto the chessboard by the player. There are three groups of forces on the chessboard. Even though they know that this piece of fat meat may be a trap, they can hardly resist the temptation and are eyeing it covetously.
After all, once a king makes a promise, there is no room for reneging; the fiefdom is a real and tangible one.
The King of Qin put on his shoes, chuckled, and stood up, saying, "Where can we go fishing this season? Come, let's play a game of chess."
Li Si felt reassured and followed behind the King of Qin, saying, "I have heard the proverb 'One peach can kill three warriors.'"
King of Qin: "Oh?"
Li Si: "Legend has it that there was a great drought one year, and the people were suffering. The farmers were being harassed by three enemies, and everyone was starving. There was only one peach left on the tree, and the farmer wanted to eat it himself, so he put the peach on the table. The three enemies fought each other for the peach that was on display, and in the end, they killed each other. The winner was exhausted, and the farmer picked up his farm tool and smashed the exhausted winner to death."
"The most ingenious part of this plan is that it is an open scheme. Even if the three enemies saw through the peasants' plan, they were helpless and still harbored illusions that they would be the ultimate victors."
"According to what you said, this farmer is very cunning."
“No, no.” Li Si sat down with the King of Qin, and a servant served tea. “These peaches were originally planted by farmers themselves. How could he be trying to kill someone? He was clearly trying to protect himself. How can this be called cunning? On the contrary, he used the weak to sow discord among the strong and used the small to defeat the large. He is no ordinary person.”
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin burst into laughter, giving Li Si a strange look. "Guest Minister, you mentioned your eldest son, Li You, last time. I intend to have him accompany me to the front lines this time. What do you think?"
Li Si immediately became solemn, rose, knelt down respectfully, and bowed his head, saying, "Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses gratitude on behalf of You'er!"
"Why are you kneeling all the time? Get up now." The King of Qin placed a piece on the board. "The game isn't over yet, are you trying to slack off?"
Li Si was excited and loudly replied, "Yes, sir!"
The King of Qin was displeased: "Keep your voice down, the Queen has gone to sleep."
"..." Li Si fell silent, bent over and used his bottom to find a seat, and quickly sat down.
"Uh, what if the Queen is awakened?"
"She's super fierce."
"...Oh, oh, then you should speak more quietly."
Li Si wiped his sweat, feeling both speechless and amused.
After three rounds of chess, the King of Qin won two out of three. He glanced at Li Si, who lowered his head and put away the chessboard, pretending not to see the King of Qin's gaze.
As he left Zhaoyang Palace, he praised, "Your Majesty is also quite talented in martial arts. I just saw your agile movements and light body. Those who are not skilled in this art would probably think Your Majesty can fly."
The King of Qin strolled leisurely through the courtyard, his steps unhurried. "I began practicing martial arts at the age of four and have continued for over ten years without stopping. This is not a difficult task," he said, then turned and looked at Li Si for a moment. "My guest minister seems to value literature over military affairs. Why is that?"
Li Si: "Uh, I am not in good health. I have been coughing since I was a child and I am a medicine addict. I do not like to sweat much."
"Then you need to take good care of yourself. The Queen is an expert in medicinal cuisine. I have her copy a recipe for you to take back, so that your chef can cook it for you every day."
The King of Qin treated his own people with great affability, and would even occasionally make harmless jokes, which made Li Si feel quite flattered and touched.
The emperor and his minister went to Chengzhang Hall to discuss the situation of the various states. Not long after, Lord Changping requested an audience, and Li Si paid close attention to him.
Lord Changping was a member of the Chu faction because he had the blood of the Chu state. However, he never colluded with Empress Dowager Huayang. But because he was a prince of Chu, he was never given important positions by the King of Qin.
The King of Qin sent these members of the royal family to supervise the construction of the canal in Zheng State.
As expected, the news reported by Lord Changping was related to the Zheng Guo Canal. It turned out that Zheng Guo's identity as a spy had been exposed for some reason and spread among the canal builders, causing public outrage. "With the end of the year approaching, the people are gathering to protest. Why not let them go home to have a good New Year and then regroup the people to repair the canal after the New Year?"
"Let them go back; they won't return the following year." The King of Qin frowned. "Who is spreading rumors about Zheng's identity?"
"I haven't investigated it thoroughly yet; it's too scattered and difficult to clarify in a short time."
"Send more manpower to find out who is spreading the information behind the scenes. The culprit will be torn apart by chariots and displayed to the public, and the accomplices will be beheaded." The King of Qin remained expressionless, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes. "The monthly allowances of the other people who are building the canal will be doubled. Give them an extra month's pay so they can have a good New Year."
"Whether Zheng Guo is a spy or not, I don't care. The strategy of exhausting Qin is nonsense. My Qin soldiers and people are always in high spirits. Let the people not be afraid. With me in charge, who dares to plot against them?"
Changping Jun responded softly, "Yes."
It seems the King of Qin has completely trusted Zheng Guo and has no intention of giving the people a short holiday for the New Year.
He didn't know what to say, but he thought about the people who were building the canal. Although they received money every month, the construction had lasted for several years, with no rest and no sleep. Just a few days ago, another man was worked to death and his body was buried in the woods by the canal. They were suffering so much.
He came out of Chengzhang Hall with Li Si.
Li Si called out to Lord Changping, "Lord Changping, please wait."
"Guest Minister Li," Lord Changping said with a polite smile.
Li Si was a retainer of Chancellor Lü Buwei. Because Lü Buwei was favored, Li Si was also able to enter the court to participate in politics. However, he did not have any official position. The King of Qin often summoned him to the palace, but did not give him any official position, which was quite strange.
"Has Lord Changping had any complaints about the King?"
Changping Jun felt a chill run down his spine, quickly looked around, and was extremely displeased. "Li Si, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Li Si, with his hands tucked into his wide sleeves, smiled and said, “Lord Changping, there is no need to be nervous. Throughout the country, and even among the other states, there are many who have opinions against the king, but Lord Changping, as a minister of Qin, should not be like this.”
Changping frowned and remained silent.
Li Si said, "What Lord Changping is worried about is that the identity of the Zheng spy and his intentions seem to be slowly emerging. The people who are building the canal are indeed suffering. Do you think His Majesty is unaware of this?"
"It is not that Your Majesty does not care about these people; it is the duty of a king to love his people."
Changping's expression softened. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I would say that the strategy of weakening Qin is actually a strategy for strengthening the country," Li Si said with a slow, confident smile.
Changping-kun: "?"
Li Si: "Zheng Guo's identity as a spy was exposed long ago, when none of you knew it." He looked at Lord Changping with surprise, "At that time, the king was furious and wanted to tear Zheng Guo apart by chariots to vent his anger. Zheng Guo argued that although he was a spy, the completion of the canal would benefit Qin for generations to come, and he had only extended the life of Han by a few years."
"South Korea is undoubtedly putting up a last-ditch effort, hoping that by living a few more years it will find a way to save the country. What do you think of South Korea's plan, Changping-kun?"
Changping Jun immediately sneered, "What difference does it make whether we die sooner or later, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"
Li Si bowed and said, "Lord Changping is indeed worthy of being Your Majesty's uncle. Great minds think alike, which is why Your Majesty tolerated the State of Zhao and ultimately spared his life."
Everyone liked hearing this, and Changping Jun's expression relaxed slightly.
"Since this plan is insignificant, why not use it to maximize the benefits? Zheng Guo, being a spy sent by the state of Han, must have a foolproof plan to deceive the king. In fact, after being tested by professionals, the map he possesses is indeed flawless. Once completed, it will be the greatest water conservancy project and the best strategy to benefit the people."
"This is an open conspiracy, aimed at crippling Qin's finances and manpower."
"But Lord Changping, look at the present situation. Has the Qin Dynasty's finances and manpower suffered a large-scale collapse?"
"His Majesty is a very farsighted ruler. After weighing the pros and cons, he believes that the benefits of the project outweigh the drawbacks. Moreover, he is confident in Qin's cohesion, its finances, and its manpower, and firmly believes that Qin is the most powerful among the states and cannot be defeated by any conspiracy or trickery."
"As the saying goes, 'no pain, no gain,' once the irrigation canals are completed, the people will reap the rewards."
Lord Changping was not unaware of these things; what he objected to was that the King of Qin did not give the people any time to rest.
Then, Li Si abruptly brought up abrupt changes: "The canal has been under construction for several years now, and Your Majesty is about to come of age and assume personal rule."
Changping looked into his eyes.
"The Chancellor will soon return power to the King," Li Si said, his tone much softer as he leaned closer to him. "During his years in office, the King has faced many restrictions. How many more years does Lord Changping think he can remain Chancellor? When the position of Chancellor becomes vacant, who, besides members of the royal family and court officials, is qualified to fill it?"
Changping Jun's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly increased the distance between them.
Li Si keenly caught the fleeting change in Changping Jun's expression, knowing his purpose had been achieved. He smiled subtly, "So, repair the canal well and finish it as soon as possible. I'll take my leave first."
No one wants to be a prime minister; Li Si was one, and so was Lord Changping.
Qin had a tradition of employing officials from outside the state, and many prime ministers were officials from different surnames. Most of the officials who were given important positions were also from different surnames. Did the royal family not have any objections?
I have so many complaints!
If the current situation can be changed, Changping Jun will be tempted.
Since the king intends to wipe them all out in one fell swoop, Li Si can also take advantage of the situation and reap the benefits.
Being a minor guest is his starting point, not his end.
The king told him to choose a side, so he did. This was his first list of nominees. What future was there in following the prime minister?
As for which three forces attracted that piece of fat meat?
Li Si pondered for a moment.
The factions of Empress Dowager Xia, Empress Dowager Huayang, and the Chancellor's faction?
Empress Dowager Xia has not made any moves for several months, and the officials with the surname Han among the court officials have also behaved themselves. Some of them have even been transferred to other positions. Can this really arouse the king's suspicion?
If it wasn't Empress Dowager Xia's faction, then who else could it be?
Li Si thought of someone, hesitated slightly, and turned around to look at the vast Xianyang Palace complex.
...Lao Ai, the Marquis of Changxin?
When Lao Ai returned to Yongdi, the Queen Mother was taking a walk with the help of her maid to relieve her fatigue. When she saw him return, she smiled and said, "You're back."
Lao Ai's face lit up with joy. "Empress Dowager, His Majesty intends to establish Taiyuan Prefecture as a fiefdom to reward meritorious officials. Was this your suggestion to His Majesty?"
The Empress Dowager looked puzzled and said with a hint of doubt, "No, that's not true."
"It's alright, it's alright!" Lao Ai pulled her down to sit and gently touched her belly. "I've figured it out. He's trying to fish for trouble, making the fishermen fight each other, with Empress Dowager Xia, Empress Dowager Huayang, and the Prime Minister vying for power." Then the fisherman will reap the benefits!
When the Empress Dowager heard him say this, she understood the key point. "This is to urge you to make contributions. There's nothing major happening recently. If there's anything to say, it's that Chengjiao is about to lead troops. I asked you and Zheng'er to request to go with him last time. Did you say so?"
"I brought it up, but he didn't give a direct answer." Lao Ai suddenly asked, "Last night, the king suddenly came to Yongdi. Could it be that he discovered something?"
"No." Empress Dowager Wang shook her head, her expression natural. "You did not return from Xianyang last night, and Zheng'er did not see me. The palace servants said he took a walk in Xiyang Palace and then went back."
Lao Ai was completely relieved.
A fiefdom, that's a fiefdom! If he had one... it wouldn't be impossible for him to accumulate his own power and declare himself king, perhaps even—
He looked at the Empress Dowager's belly, his heart surging with boundless ambition, his eyes hiding greed. "I was originally a soldier, strong and healthy, how can I not follow Cheng Jiao?"
Empress Dowager Wang smiled gently and straightened his clothes. "Go in peace. Listen to Zheng'er and patiently do things for him. Zheng'er will not treat you badly."
On the other side.
With a 'bang,' the fish on the cutting board was stunned by the cleaver. Its tail twitched slowly a few times before gradually calming down.
Ying lowered his gaze, confirming that the fish had been stunned, and personally scraped off the scales, cut open the fish and removed the fish entrails from its belly, his hands getting stained with bright red blood.
His queen was leaning against him, watching him prepare the fish.
He carefully processed the fish, slicing it into thin sheets, lightly frying it, rolling it up, and quickly scooping it out. He then placed it in a porcelain pot along with some side dishes to remove the fishy smell, added water, and simmered it slowly.
Deep-fried, it has a wonderful aroma.
Banban sniffed, "It smells so good."
Since his wife mentioned that raw fish contains many bacteria and invisible insects, Ying Zheng has stopped eating raw fish as frequently. He values his life and has started eating cooked fish more often.
"Cousin, you're such a good cook! I admire you so much, I want to marry you!" Ying Zheng rarely cooked, and she couldn't help but praise him. She didn't hold back her infatuation, pouting and clutching her heart. "I have such good taste! To marry such a wonderful husband who is both scholarly and martial, a perfect husband who can grace the hall and cook at the kitchen, is truly a blessing I've accumulated over several lifetimes!"
Ying Zheng scoffed, "These are nothing but foolish words meant to trick me into cooking more."
Oh my, you can still understand me?
Why is the tiger's tail wagging so happily behind it?
The cook looked embarrassed, but couldn't have been more smug.
Sometimes, she also felt that the King of Qin was only slightly more cheerful and smiling when he was with the Queen, showing the liveliness that was appropriate for his age.
During the meal, Banban pondered, "If my cousin really wants to eat raw fish, we might as well set up a fishpond in the palace and have someone raise them for us. They'll be kept clean, so it's fine for us to eat some regularly."
She wanted to freeze it before eating, but the conditions here wouldn't allow freezing to reach the temperature needed to kill the insects.
"Let's talk about it later. Am I the kind of monarch who would undertake massive construction projects for his own selfish desires?" Every single thing he had built was for the benefit of the people.
After dinner, Qin Ju presented two gifts, saying, "These are special gifts from Prince Dan to the King and Queen, presented in the capacity of Ji Dan."
He was drunk and forgot to take it out; he must have sobered up by now.
Upon opening the package, the Queen was presented with a complete set of phoenix crowns made of pink crystal and gold wire, which radiated a luxurious and beautiful luster under the subtle light. The necklace was made with the same craftsmanship.
Banban fell in love with it at first sight, exclaiming, "Wow! It's so beautiful!"
She hasn't worn any necklaces or jewels this year, mainly because she finds them too heavy and is lazy. Unless it's a big occasion, she dresses up simply but elegantly, unlike when she first came to Qin a couple of years ago, when she loved extravagant and luxurious things.
"I want someone to tailor a dress to match it, and I'll wear it to this year's New Year's banquet!"
"I made that crown for you, but I've never seen you take it out to wear it." Ying Zheng said sarcastically.
"That's too heavy." Banban pouted and kissed his cheek.
He simply grabbed her face and bit her lips hard, licking them slowly after the bite hurt. She then bit his neck even harder, and after biting, she imitated him by licking it.
The next moment, he picked her up and she was startled.
Thrown onto the bed, she kicked him wildly, "You used to say you didn't like me calling you Crown Prince Brother, was that because of Ji Dan?"
“No,” he said.
With a 'rip' sound, Banban's pants were accidentally torn.
"!!!" She jumped up and punched him. "You barbarian, you owe me, you owe me, you owe me!"
"It's in the way." He was indeed annoyed, so he ripped it off and pressed the person back down with one hand.
Banban had no strength to resist her cousin, so she bit his arm in anger, ruining a pair of pants. She had actually been quite fond of the color of those pants lately.
The bed curtains were shaken down, and from behind, the Queen could not be seen at all; only the King of Qin's broad figure could be seen. She was completely covered, and then the King of Qin spread her legs apart.
A pair of fair, slightly trembling calves were revealed.
My period is coming soon, and I'm a bit sensitive these days.
He was exceptionally greedy in this matter, more energetic than usual, and more willing to cooperate with Ying Zheng.
They were most compatible during this period.
However, she was also more delicate. She would whine and cry at the slightest discomfort, like a rabbit with insatiable desires, constantly rubbing against him, and even pushing him away to take the initiative.
He loved the way she leaned in, her waist arching, her face nuzzling against his neck. Her naturally red lips were even more alluring, and then she would say in a pitiful voice, "I'm tired, my back aches."
With that little bit of strength, she just kept grinding and prodding, not satisfied with herself but insisting on going on.
In the end, I had to ask my cousin.
Usually, she would be so aroused that her mind would go blank with spasms, and she would drool all over as he kissed her mouth one by one.
For Yu Banban, her cousin was like a human aphrodisiac; this was the period when she needed him the most.
She liked to sit on his abs.
Then they soaked someone's abdomen.
Haha, that'll get you punished by him.
That's great.
I didn't have to do any crafts for him tonight; we didn't go to sleep until very late.
I woke up the next morning feeling great.
I've heard that increased libido before menstruation is a female physiological phenomenon, perhaps a way of urging you to hurry up and have a baby.
That's a pretty scary statement.
She changed her mind and started thinking about how to make money from rich people.
Whether in ancient or modern times, women's money is the easiest to earn.
To address the issue from the perspectives of beauty and health, she summoned many skilled physicians to discuss the matter and determined that different flowers could be used to extract hair oil, which would protect the hair and emit a natural floral fragrance.
Pearl powder can be used as a face mask;
High-end spices with different styles created for literati, merchants, scholarly families, and noble families;
They offer uniquely styled luxury jewelry, as well as custom-made pieces, which are said to be exclusively for the royal family. Anyone else who wants them will have to pay a high price, and they are limited in quantity.
For example, precious tonics were used to make nourishing products and ointments, which were renamed such as "Beauty Cream" and "Jade Complexion Powder," and the Queen herself used them! Only by using them could she firmly attract men; didn't you see that the King of Qin did not take two women as concubines?
How convincing! It fooled those wealthy ladies into believing it was true.
Qian Yin and Cong Yun were speechless with astonishment, and several of the physicians also couldn't hold back their laughter.
It was only then that everyone remembered, oh, the Queen was indeed the daughter of a merchant family, and she was exceptionally skilled in business...
These methods were completely unheard of to them.
When Ying Zheng heard about her plans, he laughed and said that she was truly robbing the rich to help the poor and was a real heroine.
Banban thought it made a lot of sense, "That's right, I'm a chivalrous woman!" So she became even more enthusiastic about robbing the rich to help the poor.
Ying Zheng's birthday arrived at this time.
His birthday was celebrated with a state banquet.
He will be twenty years old after this birthday.
Because of Cheng Jiao's impending command of troops, neither the Prime Minister nor the Queen Mother immediately brought up the matter of the King of Qin's coming-of-age ceremony, nor did the King of Qin himself discuss it.
Ji Dan repeatedly urged Qin to send troops, as if he would only feel at ease once the troops were deployed. He had been in Qin for nearly four months, yet he still could not persuade Qin to send troops, and he was extremely anxious to explain this to the officials of Yan.
Gradually, he began to suspect that the King of Qin was deceiving him.
As spring arrived, the King of Qin finally ordered his troops to prepare for battle and appointed his younger brother, Cheng Jiao, as the Lord of Chang'an, to lead the army to attack the State of Zhao.
At that time, the State of Yan will send troops from the north to attack the State of Zhao from both sides, forming an encirclement with the Qin army.
The deputy generals are: Fan Yuqi and Li You.
Furthermore, Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, was stationed in charge, and in case of any indecision, one could await his orders.
After the Qin army set off, Banban learned that Geng'er was also among the entourage.
On the day of his departure, Ji Xiu wailed and howled in the streets, acting utterly pathetic. After all, Geng'er was only eleven years old, and he was worried that he would die out there, a white-haired man burying his black-haired son.
Subsequently, the King of Qin issued another order, appointing Meng Wu and Wang Jian to lead 100,000 troops as reinforcements.
This finally put Ji Xiu's mind at ease.
Wang Jian, as a general, is still as capable as ever, and Meng Wu, being the son of Meng Ao, must also be exceptionally capable.
"Fan Yuqi..." The name sounded familiar; Banban clearly remembered that it was a character mentioned in a classical Chinese text.
Ying Zheng was painting and told the Queen not to move.
"Fan Yuqi was a man of the Prime Minister."
“Li You is Li Si’s son,” Banban added. “What are you planning to do by sending Lao Ai along? Are you going to let him die out there?” Her cousin was her husband. Others might not know, but she could tell just how much her cousin hated Lao Ai.
"He died on the battlefield, how could Mother agree to my request?" Ying Zheng said slowly, his expression showing no particular change.
"Does my cousin still remember when the Prime Minister took a soldier to Ganquan Palace? You said that man kept peeking at you." As Ying Zheng finished speaking, the painting was almost finished, and all that was left was to add other colors.
"I remember." Mentioning that man, Banban's face showed disgust. "Didn't my cousin execute him?"
"If there's no body, how can you really be dead?" Ying Zheng slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze steady. "People, once their ambitions are exposed, those tails that weren't properly concealed will show."
Banban was stunned. If that person really wasn't dead and had entered the palace disguised as a eunuch, wouldn't that mean that Lü Buwei had spies among the King of Qin's personal guards?
He wouldn't harm the King of Qin, but he would keep a pair of eyes around him, watching him constantly, as disgusting as a fly.
"When was my cousin born—?"
"I knew it from the beginning."
Ying Zheng meticulously applied the color, his tone devoid of joy or sorrow, "I didn't speak up or hold it against you before because I understood that the Prime Minister had no ill intentions. He is my father's prime minister, not mine. He would also worry that I would dislike him and that he would lose his position."
"I reassured him, and pretended not to know anything. I also let him go when he wanted to save his retainer." At first, he really didn't realize that Lao Ai and that person were the same person. But when he went to Yongdi last time, the Queen Mother was determined to confer the title of Marquis of Changxin on Lao Ai, and then he understood everything.
Ying Zheng could overlook Lü Buwei's other actions, but his attempt to control the Empress Dowager through Lao Ai was suicidal! Utterly suicidal!
He wanted to throw away the prize of the fiefdom to see if these two traitors could still be of one mind! Or perhaps, they were never of one mind to begin with.
Even a dignified prime minister can lose his grip on people's hearts and be betrayed by Lao Ai; that would be a huge joke.
What he hadn't expected was that Lao Ai was having an affair with the Queen Mother, but rather—
Ying Zheng curled his lips, revealing a cold and complex expression: Mother, I am giving you a choice, so please choose carefully.
Banban pondered, "No wonder I don't like Lao Ai; I always find the way he looks at people disgusting."
"What's so good about him that my sister-in-law likes him?" She even wants to bestow upon him the title of Marquis of Changxin.
His cousin's words pulled Ying Zheng away from his hatred: "..."
"...skilled at acting, putting on an act of deep and unwavering affection."
"I don't believe it." Banban pouted. "What kind of storms hasn't my aunt seen? She's so easily captivated by someone else's affection? I think your father is quite affectionate too, but I haven't seen my aunt love him to death. Lao Ai must have some other merits."
She felt that although Ji Changyue wasn't that smart, she wasn't exactly love-obsessed either.
Ying Zheng remained silent.
He couldn't very well tell the truth, saying that Lao Ai could turn a paulownia wood wheel with his penis, that he was incredibly strong, hard, and could last a long time, and that he was a first-rate bed partner, could he?
He lied frankly, saying, "He's good at playing the victim."
“Oh…” Banban awkwardly said, “That makes sense then. I’ve heard that some women are easily swayed by kindness, especially towards the pitiful, thinking they can save handsome but fragile men from their predicament.”
"…handsome guy?"
"That's exactly how my cousin is."
Ying Zheng looked disgusted. "I am neither weak nor handsome."
The main reason is that I don't want to be compared to Lao Ai.
Oh? Denying handsomeness, denying fragility, but not denying good looks.
My cousin is clearly a handsome man who is also aware of his own good looks.
And perhaps because of the long time they've spent together, she's grown to love her cousin more and more. When they were little, she preferred Prince Dan's appearance, thinking he was gentle and refined, like a noble and eye-catching gentleman.
Now I actually think my cousin is the epitome of handsome.
—Oh dear, what a mess this is.
She's also a hopeless romantic, but luckily her cousin treats her very well, so her romantic tendencies are worthwhile.
Why are you staring at me like that?
"My cousin is handsome and dashing."
Banban smiled, resting her chin on her hand. "I love my cousin the most. If there is a next life, I still want to marry my cousin." She raised her hand and blew him a kiss.
"..." Ying Zheng didn't speak, but he couldn't find the right brush to paint for a long time, and almost mixed up the colors.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" When she didn't get a response, she immediately got angry.
"I will marry you again in the next life." Ying Zheng's voice suddenly became calm, like spring water rippling with blue waves. On the overturned easel, the girl resting her chin on her hand smiled, her eyes filled with happiness. Her smile was extremely bright, and two sweet dimples appeared on her cheeks. She was looking ahead, her eyes full of love.
"Wow, is this how I usually look at my cousin? I'm so cheesy." Banban didn't dare touch it, afraid of ruining the painting. She leaned closer, pouted, and blew on it, trying to dry it.
"Oh dear... can other people see this too?" she said, a little embarrassed, touching her eyes.
"how?"
"I need to control myself."
Why?
"Doesn't this make you very proud?"
"…I don't."
Ying Zheng was often amused by his wife's thought process. He leaned down, put his arm around her slender waist, and intimately leaned close to her cheek, asking, "What if I'm smug?"
"When you get complacent, you'll think people are easy to fool and won't take them seriously. You'll fall for someone else later."
Ying Zheng was very patient, a smile playing on his lips. "Ten years have passed, how come I haven't fallen for someone else?"
Banban was uncertain, "Is it because I'm too pretty?"
"..." He flicked her head.
In her eyes, he was such a shallow person? While belittling him, she didn't forget to praise herself.
He clutched his head in pain, saying, "You're so annoying."
She was unconvinced. "I want to paint too, to paint my cousin as I see him."
“Alright, come on.” Ying Zheng switched places with her and waited for his cousin to start painting.
“I have never heard of you being able to paint,” Ying Zheng said.
"There's a lot you don't know." Banban put on a disdainful little expression. "Don't move around, sit still."
Half an hour later, Ying Zheng was repeatedly scolded by his wife for not moving around, and finally she finished painting.
The scroll was turned over, and Ying Zheng was immediately impressed.
The painting depicts a man's distorted outline, the ink blurred into a mess, with long, flowing hair, a pointed face that could stab someone to death, broad shoulders like small mountains, and long, disproportionate limbs.
Black Sesame has one eye on each side and a wickedly hooked mouth.
Ying Zheng: "???"
Banban stroked his chin seriously, "I think it looks quite similar. If it were passed down to future generations, it could fetch a lot of money!"
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