Chapter 59 concludes: "If a man lies to a woman..."
After Qin Bing finished reporting the battle report and left, Banban raised her hand to touch the back of her cousin's neck to comfort him. She guessed that she felt a thin layer of sweat. The next moment, she pulled him into her arms.
She was slightly startled, then obediently snuggled closer, her fingers gently tracing the hair at his temples to soothe his tense mind. "Cousin, did we succeed?" she asked softly.
"Success, of course it will succeed." Ying buried his head in his cousin's neck, took a deep breath, and the fragrance from her body soothed all his emotions.
The two hugged quietly for a while.
Banban could clearly sense a sense of fear from her cousin. She didn't know how to describe the emotion. It was probably because it was the first time her cousin had directly participated in a power struggle, and had personally killed his own brother and made things develop according to his expectations. He seemed to have prepared several plans, and he hadn't slept well these past few days.
She was worried about Geng'er, and occasionally when she woke up at night, she would see her cousin sitting on the porch wearing a robe.
But now that Cheng Jiao is dead and the matter is settled, he is clearly relieved and becomes even more excited.
It was an indescribable excitement; his forearm, which was holding her, trembled slightly. "I am overjoyed."
Banban saw his own reflection deep in his eyes, accompanied by an uncontrollable, powerful ambition.
She gently lifted his face, placed a kiss on the corner of his lips, and affectionately rubbed her cheek against his.
Ironically, news of the Qin prince's rebellion reached the ears of the Yan army, plunging them into a state of panic. King Xi of Yan, already hesitant and indecisive, was so alarmed by this that he immediately withdrew his troops.
The Qin army was resting and regrouping, and they guessed that the Zhao state would be on high alert after this incident. They were considering whether to continue the fight, but unexpectedly, the Yan state fled, so there was no point in continuing the fight.
At this moment, in the State of Zhao.
King Zhao Yan cursed and immediately threw out a bamboo slip, "Attack! Give them a good beating! The troops stationed on the border of Yan, launch a direct attack! If those Yan people cry and beg for mercy, I will not be a Zhao!"
Guo Kai had been trying to persuade him for some time, and he was also worried about the alliance between Qin and Yan. So he lined up his troops at the border of Yan early in the morning, waiting for Yan to come out in full force to catch him off guard.
If the Yan state is unable to defend itself in time, it will be forced to break its alliance with Qin.
However, things changed too quickly.
"How dare you join forces with Qin to invade Zhao! You've got some nerve!" Zhao Yan's face was ashen, his teeth itching with hatred as he roared viciously, "And what about Cheng Jiao? He died inexplicably in the camp! You had such a great opportunity to kidnap the King of Qin, and you couldn't even seize it? I pay you salaries every month, am I just feeding you to do nothing?!"
The men below were trembling with fear. In order to quell the King of Zhao's anger, Guo Kai carefully chose his words and said, "Your Majesty, I have ordered an investigation of all the Zhao soldiers from that day. None of them saw any Qin faces. I am certain that the King of Qin is treacherous and cunning. He bribed my Zhao soldiers to assassinate Cheng Jiao."
Zhao You sighed slowly. Was Guo Kai really not talking about himself?
Zhao Yan: "?"
He strode down from above, kicked Guo Kai in the backside, and laughed angrily, "Are you saying that I, Zhao Bing, am greedy and easily bribed by the Qin people???"
He really wanted to chop the kid's head off with an axe and see what he was thinking!
Guo Kai fawned, slapping his own mouth repeatedly. "I misspoke. That's not what I meant. I meant that the Qin people are cunning. We Zhao people have always been honest and straightforward. We've never seen such a trick before."
Zhao Yan stared coldly at Guo Kai's round, chubby face, annoyed and not bothering to argue further. He had other matters on his mind, harboring resentment. "Send troops to attack Yan, now, immediately!"
If Cheng Jiao hadn't suddenly rebelled, Qin and Yan would have attacked Zhao from both sides. Even if they couldn't destroy Zhao immediately, they could have severely weakened Zhao.
How could this not make him furious and enraged?
Guo Kai immediately raised his hands and bowed, leading Zhao Chen in submission, "Yes!"
In just half a month, Zhao's iron cavalry broke through Yan's borders and plundered Yan's resources with overwhelming force.
The King of Yan was unable to return in time to defend the city, and coupled with the fact that the Zhao state already had a strong and well-equipped army, he lost nearly twenty cities in succession.
The day was sunny and breezy.
Banban is arranging flowers. The newly fired porcelain vase is as white as jade and very beautiful, making it perfect for flower arranging.
Cong Yun took the scissors from her hand, covered her mouth and chuckled, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince of Yan has not been to the palace for some time. This morning, after news of Yan ceding twenty cities reached Xianyang, he was furious and threw a huge tantrum in his residence, smashing many things."
Banban wrinkled his nose, not very happy. "Do you think my things just fell from the sky and didn't cost money? Who's going to pay for them if I break them?"
She works hard every day to find ways to earn money to support the Sixth Hospital. It's not easy for her. Although she doesn't pay for it herself, her cousin's money is still her money, and she feels very sorry for it.
"Those who request others to fill in the gaps, or those who cause damage without cause, shall be compensated at the original price."
As the two were talking, a palace servant stationed at a clinic for treating six diseases in southern Qin handed over a token to request an audience with the palace. He was then led by a palace attendant to Banban's presence.
"This servant Chun greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed."
Chun is a dark-skinned, short woman. She used to be a female slave who worked as a rice miller. Before Banban improved the stone mill, the rice grains that the wealthy ate were all hand-milled by these serfs. She ate poorly and was malnourished, and the daily exposure to the sun made her look like this.
This wasn't Chun's first time meeting the Queen, but she was just as nervous. With a slight lift of her head, she could see the Queen above her, who was like a goddess. Her skin was as white as snow, and she was as beautiful as an angel. She always had a sweet smile on her face, and she was gentle and approachable, making people afraid to reach out and touch her for fear of soiling her.
In fact, on the day these female slaves were chosen to become palace slaves, they lived in Xianyang Palace for a period of time. The Queen sent professional female officials to teach them how to supervise the Six Disease Halls. She also said that there were military camps stationed near the halls, and that if they encountered any problems, they should go there for help and not be afraid.
They even carried tokens that the Queen had commissioned to be engraved, symbolizing the Queen's status and deterring others from easily humiliating her.
During her time working at the Six Diseases Clinic, she often woke up from nightmares, fearing that it was all just a beautiful dream and that she would still have to work and eke out a living in the hands of the powerful and wealthy.
No, nothing at all. She's sleeping soundly in the Six Diseases Clinic.
"I remember you, Tsubaki."
The Queen's voice was truly beautiful. It took Chun a second to understand what she was saying, and she was flattered and surprised. "You remember me?"
"Your name is very beautiful."
Chun was at a loss, hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude.
The queen's maid helped her up and told her that she didn't need to kneel so often.
This is the first time someone has said that her name sounds nice.
Kneeling and kowtowing to express gratitude is an action ingrained in Chun's bones; she is used to kneeling.
"I remember you were very strong. Strength is a very fortunate quality. If you want to make money and have a bright future, health is your asset." The Queen smiled. "Tell me quickly. Is there something important that you suddenly want to see me about?"
Chun didn't know what expression to make, only that her eyes were sore and swollen. She realized that praising a woman didn't have to be about her beautiful appearance or charming figure, but rather about her strength and good health.
She took out two round, brownish-yellow things from her bag. “They were brought by a mother and son who wanted to exchange them for three days’ worth of medicine to ward off the cold. I felt sorry for them, so I gave them my monthly allowance in advance.”
"I don't know what this fruit is called. The mother and child said it was a gift from a foreign businessman whom her deceased husband met while fishing at sea."
Upon seeing what Chun was holding, Banban's pupils contracted, and for a second she even felt a sense of unreality and disorientation.
Isn't this... a potato?!
Chun: "The mother and son said that their foreign friends said this fruit is soft, sweet and delicious, but they all found it unpalatable, not crisp or sweet, like eating dirt. Since it is not a crop from any country, I thought the Queen might be interested, so I brought it to you to see."
Excited, Banban squeezed the thing, brought it close to her nose and smelled it. The familiar smell of potatoes instantly gave her goosebumps.
Holding her breath, she casually used the scissors on the table to peel off a layer of skin, revealing the tender yellow potato flesh.
"...!!!"
I haven't seen or smelled potatoes in almost twenty years, who would understand?
In the future, we'll have another food source, and I've heard that potatoes are easy to grow and can grow almost anywhere. Aren't they tastier than millet?
I'm not saying corn is bad, I'm just really tired of eating it.
The queen's reaction was so strong that everyone was taken aback.
Before they could express their feelings, the Queen, holding the potato with delight in her eyes, waved her hand and declared with boundless generosity, "Reward! Reward Xiaochun with three times her monthly allowance, and all the doctors and apprentices at the Six Diseases Hall where she works will also receive a month's allowance!"
People and things associated with toon are indeed wonderful!
Toona sinensis is a very delicious food. The best thing Banban ever ate in her past life was scrambled eggs with Toona sinensis made by Aunt Li in the kitchen.
This thing is useful...?
Chun stood there, stunned.
It was only when the Queen's maid nudged her that she came to her senses. She immediately kowtowed repeatedly, expressing her gratitude on behalf of the mother and child, on behalf of everyone at the Six Diseases Clinic, and especially on behalf of herself, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward! Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward!"
On her way out of the palace, Chun held her March allowance, weeping with joy, her face full of anticipation.
Thanks to the Queen's medical clinic policy, nearly half of the apprentices in these clinics were women, and the palace slaves who oversaw the work were all female slaves. Many people lived a good life because of the Queen.
In the Qin state, titles of nobility were not based on family background, but only on military merit. It was not difficult for men to rise to prominence, but the world had always been unkind to women.
Now, things seem to be slowly changing.
When Ying Zheng returned from lunch, he happened to see the Queen summoning the farmers. Upon seeing him, the Queen immediately presented him with two yellowish-brown objects, saying, "Cousin, take a look."
"What is this?" Ying Zheng took it and examined it carefully.
“It’s potatoes,” Banban boasted. “These were presented by my Six Diseases Hall. They can be planted and grow into many.”
"This is..." He squeezed it; it was firm and hard, not a fruit. He could smell a faint earthy smell mixed with a powdery fragrance. He hesitated, "It grows underground?"
"Yes, I've been discussing this with the farm workers for a long time, and we're planning to plant a variety that can be steamed, roasted, boiled, stir-fried, made into pancakes, or even used as a staple food." After going through all that, I realized that potatoes seem to be able to be eaten in almost any way.
The farmers didn't find anything wrong with it. After all, the queen came from a merchant family, and this stuff was a gift from a foreign merchant caravan she knew from the fishing caravan. It wasn't surprising that she had eaten it before.
"What is its growth cycle? What are its habits?" Ying Zheng asked the farmer next to him.
The farmer respectfully explained, "Your Majesty, we can only draw conclusions after planting and trying it."
Banban gave the farm worker a potato and told him that it was planted in the soil and that potatoes would sprout, so he should be able to cut it open and plant it directly. Although she knew the farm worker was a professional, she was still worried that he would plant it badly, so she kept one to plant herself.
"..." Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng was speechless, a rare occurrence.
I have no idea where my cousin's confidence comes from.
It's ridiculous that someone so seriously worries that a professional might ruin the result, but isn't it just that a professional worries that the queen might ruin the result?
But when he looked at his cousin's serious yet innocent face, Ying Zheng couldn't say anything. His heart softened, and he wanted to laugh, and he did laugh. "Cousin can do anything."
“I’m sure I can grow them well. Cousin, haven’t you seen how tall the daily jasmine in the palace has grown? I planted them all, so don’t look down on me!” Banban said with dissatisfaction.
The expression was so obvious!
"Was it just planted by my cousin alone?" Ying Zheng asked in return.
That's an amazing statement!
Then she lacked confidence, "...Then this time my cousin will plant it with me too."
She glanced at him, but he didn't speak, so she began to plead with him.
"Is it good? Is it good? Is it good?" She was like a busy little bee, hovering around Ying Zheng, tugging at him here and there, and even massaging his shoulders.
"When have I ever said anything bad about you?" Ying Zheng was deliberately maintaining a haughty demeanor, but upon seeing his cousin's reaction, he immediately took her hand and went out together to discuss the best course of action.
Ji Dan entered the palace late at night and witnessed a loving scene between the couple, which was extremely jarring and made him feel uneasy.
In the past, in Handan, he was the crown prince of Yan. The people of Zhao dared not treat him harshly. Among all the hostages, he was the most important. Ying Zheng was the one with the lowest status, and anyone could scold him.
Now their positions have reversed. Ying Zheng is the high and mighty King of Qin, and the two can no longer go back to the days when they could talk about anything. He has become the one who is down on his luck and has to be mindful of others' feelings.
Moreover, with such a major event occurring in the Yan state, he was restless and unable to eat or sleep properly.
"When does the King of Qin intend to release his foreign envoys back to Yan?"
Ji Dan got straight to the point, speaking frankly and expressing his eagerness to return home.
Ying Zheng smiled and leisurely held his wife's small hand, "Why is the Crown Prince of Yan in such a hurry? The army of Qin has not yet returned to Xianyang. I must wait until things have settled down before making any plans."
The reasoning was irrefutable, and Ji Dan had no choice but to listen. He could only grit his teeth and say, "What the King of Qin said makes sense. I was being rash."
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.
Banban sensed that her cousin intended to prevent Ji Dan from leaving Qin, so she raised a gentle smile and said kindly, "Has the Crown Prince eaten yet? Why don't you stay and join us?"
Ji Dan could hardly eat it, so he gave a slight bow and said, "Yes."
The three of them shared a lunch, each with their own hidden agendas. The Queen wanted to rest, so Ji Dan went with the King of Qin to Chengzhang Palace.
When it came to Cheng Jiao's rebellion, Ji Dan had no idea what to say. Could he say that he harbored resentment?
Cheng Jiao chose this particular time to rebel, which allowed Zhao's army to exploit the situation and cause Yan to lose twenty cities, greatly humiliating Yan in front of the other states. How could he not be furious?
Unfortunately, the King of Yan withdrew his troops at the last minute, and in the end, instead of winning the battle against Zhao, he was attacked.
How did the State of Zhao learn about the alliance between Yan and Qin? Was there a spy involved, or was Qin already allied with Zhao?
Upon considering this possibility, Ji Dan's face turned extremely ugly, and he couldn't help but cast a suspicious glance at the King of Qin.
The King of Qin was gazing into the pit, where the distribution and occupied areas of the various states were displayed on a giant map at the bottom of the pit, scaled down proportionally.
Would it be better for the King of Qin to form an alliance with the State of Zhao?
Ji Dan believed this was impossible.
In fact, the first state the King of Qin wanted to destroy was the State of Zhao.
However, people change. This year, after arriving in Qin, he realized that the King of Qin was no longer the same Zhao Zheng he knew.
He often looked at him with a gentle yet slightly mocking gaze, as if he could see through all his little thoughts.
“Ji Dan, I have studied this matter and found that no matter what the King of Yan does, the result will be the same. Although there are spies from various countries, your Yan court officials have probably leaked a major secret.”
The King of Qin spoke casually, turning to the side and beckoning him over to look.
Ji Dan's expression stiffened slightly as she took a step closer.
"This is also my guess."
"The Zhao army lined up early in the morning and waited outside the Yan border. This shows that they had heard about the Qin-Yan alliance at least half a year ago, but they held back their troops. They probably wanted to catch Yan off guard after the Yan army set off, so that Yan would have to return to defend."
As he spoke, a hint of a smile, though not reaching his eyes, appeared in the King of Qin's eyes: "Furthermore, I have also discovered Zhao soldiers' camps not far from Hangu Pass."
Ji Dan was startled: "What? Are you sure about that?"
The King of Qin nodded. "Cheng Jiao's rebellion was suppressed, and he fled on horseback. The Zhao soldiers opened their tents and took him in."
"this……"
This news was shocking. Ji Dan couldn't sit still. He didn't know whether he was more miserable or the King of Qin was more miserable. He had never heard of being blatantly betrayed by his own brother.
"And now?" Ji Dan pressed for an answer.
"We do not yet know the outcome, and I am also waiting for Marquis Changxin to return to the capital in triumph."
The King of Qin spoke with a pointed remark, "Why don't you send a letter back to Yan, Your Highness, and have your father investigate thoroughly to find out who leaked the information?"
Is this a case of turning the tables?
The spies planted by Zhao in Yan were aware of the Yan-Qin alliance, and even knew about Cheng Jiao's rebellion.
It's uncertain whether the news of the two states' uprising was leaked by Qin or Yan. Was the King of Qin saying this to embarrass him?
Sometimes Ji Dan couldn't tell whether the King of Qin was doing it intentionally or unintentionally.
Ying Zheng was just speaking casually, but he knew that Ji Dan had been living in constant fear under the King of Yan for many years, which had made him sensitive and thoughtful.
If he really said something on purpose, Ji Dan would definitely not be able to sleep at night and would be thinking about it all night.
He sent Ji Dan away.
The next day, Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, returned to Xianyang with two generals.
Fan Yuqi escaped and did not return. Li You had injuries on his face. According to Wang Jian and Meng Wu, the entire rebellion was successfully suppressed under the precise command of Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, and the number of casualties was kept to a minimum.
Li You was dispatched to lead troops to pursue and kill Cheng Jiao, and successfully annihilated him.
The King of Qin granted Taiyuan Commandery as a fiefdom to Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai.
The issuance of this edict caused an uproar both inside and outside the country.
Banban sensed something unusual.
She looked at Lao Ai, who was kneeling in the palace to express his gratitude and receive the title. His face was filled with undisguised excitement and smugness.
At the head of the table, a faint smile played on the corners of the King of Qin's lips. His gentle demeanor was concealed beneath a calm exterior, and his gaze held a playful interest, as if he were looking at a lamb about to be slaughtered or a fish tail on a chopping board.
Meanwhile, Mi Chen, the younger brother of Empress Dowager Huayang, harbored resentment towards Empress Dowager Xia and his assassination attempt was exposed.
Empress Dowager Xia died of illness that night, and Mi Chen was executed on the spot. Empress Dowager Huayang was implicated in Mi Chen's assassination attempt and Cheng Jiao's rebellion. She fell ill overnight and was imprisoned in the deep palace to await her fate.
Of the three maternal relatives, two fell in an instant, leaving the Zhao family in a position of absolute power. Although the Marquis of Changxin was at odds with the Queen, his status rose accordingly.
Chancellor Lü Buwei was once again implicated in the strange tales surrounding the King of Qin's origins and was forced to remain silent.
As a result, all political affairs, both inside and outside the court, were decided by Marquis Changxin alone.
In a secluded corner where no one paid attention, Li Si was appointed as the Chief Secretary and served by the side of the King of Qin.
Zhaoyang Palace.
The young warrior sat at the table, marveling at the delicious food, and happily ate his rice: "The food here is still the best, sister!" He spoke incoherently.
With his fair complexion and beautiful features, he could convincingly portray a woman, but his voice was rough and hoarse, like a hunchback.
Banban rolled her eyes at him and said, "Shut up."
Do all male voices with voice changers sound like this? My cousin never had this voice when he was little. It seems like his voice suddenly changed after he woke up one day. I've never experienced such an awkward period.
Ying Zheng gently patted his brother-in-law's shoulder, "Geng'er, you have made the greatest contribution this time, and I will surely bestow upon you a high honor in the future."
Banban nodded vigorously from the side, looking quite serious. "My brother was wronged, cousin. He was the one who took care of the person. What is Lao Ai?"
"Sister, it's alright if you don't reward me. I'm still young. Showing off too early will only make many people wary of me. I want to be my brother-in-law's hidden blade!" Geng'er was beaming. She was about to touch her waist when she found nothing. Then she remembered that she was not allowed to bring any weapons into the palace.
"..." Ying Zheng pretended not to see his actions and held his wife's hand with a smile.
"Lao Ai has been very arrogant lately. I heard that he has nearly a thousand servants at home. He has changed his previous low-key lifestyle and goes out to indulge in debauchery every day. Last time I saw him drunk in the capital. Although he doesn't have a family and doesn't have to worry about his wife being angry, he is not a real man."
Geng'er scratched his head and grumbled, "That's how it is when a petty person gets ahead; he gets so carried away that he forgets everything else."
Ying Zheng's smile faded slightly. After a moment of silence, he smiled again, "His smugness won't last long."
When they went to get the wine, Banban quickly approached his cousin, saying, "Cousin, you're trying to flatter Lao Ai to death."
Ying Zheng squeezed her hand, his gaze fixed on the dish, unconcerned. "He's not worthy."
Dealing with him was a side effect; he personally promoted a seemingly powerful maternal relative, making Lü Buwei feel that the situation was still under his control. In reality, this Zhao maternal relative was like a castle in the air, which he could destroy at any time.
Lao Ai was nothing more than cannon fodder in his power struggle with Lü Buwei.
It is estimated that Lü Buwei has already realized that Fan Yuqi's escape was a bit strange, and that he was probably someone the King of Qin had turned against him.
Yes, Fan Yuqi told Cheng Jiao that the order for him to be of non-Ying blood was given by the King of Qin himself. Otherwise, the message would not have reached Xianyang. He also pretended to be angry at the court meeting that day so that Lü Buwei would lower himself and make a small concession to avoid suspicion.
The fiefdom was tossed out by him, and the ultimate winner, the King of Qin, was predetermined from the very beginning.
Once Lao Ai and Lü Buwei are on equal footing, who would be willing to take the other's orders?
If Lao Ai is to be killed, Lü Buwei can no longer appear in court; he will not personally take action.
"Cousin, if a woman is deceived by a man, wanting to give him everything good, only to find out that the man was just putting on an act and wanted to devour her flesh and drink her blood, what would this woman do?"
Ying Zheng asked in a slow voice.
"Of course I'd kill him with my own hands, wishing I could tear him to pieces and curse him to never be reincarnated," Banban replied matter-of-factly.
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