Chapter 62 Preparing to go to Shu "Ying Zheng... Cheng Yin..."
How could Ying Zheng not hear the sarcasm in his wife's tone? Most likely, she was still upset about what happened today and was full of resentment. When she was sulking, she didn't want to talk to anyone.
In the afternoon at Chengzhang Palace, she briefly mentioned that she suspected Geng'er had gone to a brothel to pick up the drunk Ji Xiu and take him home, which led to the words Zhu Shi had said that were for her own good.
Fearing that a courtier might have important matters to report, the two did not discuss the topic further and left without further conversation.
At this moment, he propped his face up and found his sulking wife adorable no matter how he looked at her.
He simply picked the person up in his arms.
"?what you do."
"Take a bath," Ying Zheng tilted his head slightly, "and continue what we didn't finish this afternoon."
"...!!!"
"And you're saying that? We almost got overheard. Brother Changping and Li Si were outside at the time."
Both startling and frightening, a double dose of horror.
As they spoke, they arrived at the bathhouse, where steam swirled and heat rose. Her cousin was particularly enthusiastic and attentive in undressing her. In his haste, he liked to get straight to the point, forgetting to kiss her lips, and instead kissed her neck first, leaving a light mark with a gentle caress.
Banban gently nudged him, "Go ahead and say it."
"say what?"
“Tell me what you’re thinking, ah—”
She nearly fell off the edge of the bathtub, then grabbed the man's neck, exclaiming, "You!"
He deliberately misbehaved, which made her face flush red with anger.
“There’s no such thing as complete empathy in this world. Your mother thinks your father is good, and no matter how much you plead, it won’t make a difference.” He hooked her leg around his. “Why do you have to get involved? It would be worse if your father found out.”
"Why? What do you mean?" Banban instinctively tightened her grip around his waist to prevent herself from falling again.
He supported her waist, and the two of them pressed even closer together.
Two tiger-skin reclining chairs were placed beside the bathtub, their surfaces becoming incredibly smooth and silky when wet. He sat down with his wife in his arms, a casual expression on his face. "Your father has certainly treated your mother well enough. You don't understand, but that's just how the world is."
“I don’t like that sentence,” Banban said somewhat sullenly. “If women treat men the same way, is that also allowed?”
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Her cousin frowned subconsciously, gently pinching her waist. After a moment's thought, he continued, "If a woman has power and influence, she can do the same, there's nothing wrong with that. But you must understand that this is not because of gender, but because of the power structure."
"Those with power and influence can do whatever they want, regardless of anything else."
He lifted her cheek and said meaningfully, "If a woman's family is powerful, her husband, who has married into the family, will certainly not dare to question any of his wife's decisions. I'm afraid that if the woman brings her lover home, the husband will have to make arrangements for her."
"Under absolute power, how can a husband resist? If he dares to oppose, the wife can divorce him and find a better husband."
"If a woman were in power in modern times, the status of men and women would be completely reversed, and the situation would be the same. Who among the rich and powerful wouldn't want to seek pleasure? This is about human desire, not gender, and the phenomenon would not be any different."
Banban didn't quite understand. This was a completely new perspective for her. "My mother said that all the shops and money in the family are in her name. Doesn't that mean that she is the one who can control my father externally? But she has never thought about changing this situation. She even thinks that my father treats her very well."
"Isn't this a case of my mother being the dominant one, which is unusual?"
“This only applies to your family. You need to look at the whole era. Your mother’s thinking is influenced by inertia, and that’s not her fault.”
Banban pondered for a long time, then nestled in his arms, "Don't you find it strange that I'm saying all this, cousin?"
"It is strange." Ying Zheng did not hide his thoughts; he was always frank with his cousin. "But since you asked, I will definitely think carefully about my answer. If I don't think about you, who will?"
Touched, Banban leaned forward and exchanged a warm, wet kiss with him, then affectionately nuzzled her head against his neck.
"However, I do have a question about this."
"Go ahead and ask." Banban smiled happily. This was the first time her cousin had a question to ask her; usually, she was the one asking him questions.
Ying Zheng pulled his cousin's face from his bosom, gently cupping it in both hands. The humid steam around them dampened their black hair. His hair was unbound, cascading down and winding its way onto her skin, intertwining with hers, making them indistinguishable.
"Have you told Zhu Shi and Ji Xiu all of this?"
"No." Banban shook her head. "I only told my cousin."
"Then, I will be your only family in this world."
Banban paused for a moment, looking somewhat bewildered, her pupils reflecting her cousin's expression.
"You think differently, you have different views, the only connection you have is that I gave you this physical body, am I right?"
She couldn't refute it. After thinking it over carefully, she realized that she came with her memories. Although her memories didn't immediately return when she was born, Ji Xiu and Zhu Shi were indeed just her physical parents.
What am I to you?
“Childhood playmates…” Banban recalled, following his train of thought.
All of my childhood memories came back to me.
At that time, they planted flowers, studied, went shopping, roasted chestnuts, built snowmen, and did naughty things together.
These memories are vivid, every frame so clear.
Then what?
He was her cousin, who was just beginning to experience romantic love and would steal her entire heart.
Compared to her peers, she was a little more mature. Her earliest manifestation of this was that she loved to imitate adults. For a period of time, she loved to imitate Zhu Shi. Her cousin practiced martial arts hard every day, so she would imitate her mother to wipe his sweat, serve him rice, and fold his clothes.
Although she wasn't very good at cooking, she spilled food and mixed dirty and clean clothes together, so the servants had to wash them all over again.
Thinking back, it turns out that when she was so young, she was doing the things that only a wife would do. Her cousin never refused, and would even bend down to wipe up the spilled food on the table and refold the clothes when she stood on tiptoe to shake the handkerchief.
Later, they actually became husband and wife.
She was completely honest with him about everything, and so was he.
“My cousin is my soulmate,” she said, summarizing their relationship.
Ying Zheng was probably quite satisfied with the answer, and praised with a smile, "Good cousin."
However, he usually only said such compliments when she was almost there. So when he said those three words in such a serious context, Banban curled up her toes, her hair stood on end, and she felt an indescribable sensation.
He seemed oblivious, cupping his face and gently coaxing, "A soulmate is of course more important than one's biological parents."
She seemed a little absent-minded, not even knowing what she was saying, and just kept pursing her lips and saying softly, "I know, I'll listen to you."
"You'll listen to everything I say?"
"Of course." She was puzzled.
“There are parts of you that don’t seem to obey me as much as I would like.” Ying Zheng said meaningfully, gently rubbing her waist with the arm around her waist.
"What?" She didn't understand, and two seconds later, her cheeks suddenly turned bright red.
"Let me go." She punched him a couple of times and immediately struggled to get up.
"Where are you going?" Having just managed to pull away a little, he suddenly tightened his grip, causing her to fall back down in a disheveled state. The man who had exposed her shame showed no remorse; instead, he chuckled softly. He leaned close to her ear, "After saying all that, I thought someone as easily moved to tears as you would shed a tear, but I never expected…"
"My cousin's eyes didn't get wet first, but..."
Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was covered tightly.
"It wasn't my idea, it was your fault—" They were talking about something serious, so why did it turn out like this? She wanted to know too, it was all his fault, she felt ashamed and embarrassed, and she really wanted to cry.
How could she have known how captivating her tearful eyes and rosy cheeks would be?
"It's my fault, it's my fault." He chuckled softly, trying to soothe her, and lifted her arm to his ear. At first glance, this gesture looked a lot like the wall slam that Banban remembered.
She was already above him.
“Didn’t you do this this afternoon?” Ying Zheng gently stroked her forearm. “You can’t leave things unfinished halfway.”
The two leaned back, and the recliner made a soft creaking sound. The ticklish sensation seeped into their bones, stirring their hearts.
“Then you’re not allowed to move,” Banban said, untying her long hair and binding his wrist with the ribbon that held it up. “This is one of my favorites, so don’t break it.”
“Okay.” He readily agreed.
After she finished tying him up, she glanced at him. He waited with great interest for her 'service,' though she really didn't know how to serve him at all.
She loosely removed his clothes, and in her mind, she imagined doing what her cousin had done, leaning over to kiss his chest. The firm, elastic pectoral muscles were bitten by her teeth, leaving trailing red marks.
She was completely disorganized, kissing here and biting there, her little hands groping around haphazardly.
Ying Zheng's originally steady breathing gradually became out of control, intermittent and uneven.
After touching him for a while, he couldn't resist anymore and hurriedly sat on top of him.
His hands were tied, preventing him from fully embracing her. She almost fell off her seat, and in fright, she quickly bent down and hugged his shoulders tightly.
They collided almost at the speed of falling.
"Don't move, don't get up!" Her delicate eyebrows furrowed in pain. "It's all your fault." She said aggrievedly that it hurt, pinching his face, but she didn't dare to move.
"Who told you to be in such a hurry?" He chuckled softly. "Are you going to untie me?"
"I don't want to, hehe, even the King of Qin has to listen to his wife." She calmed down, straightened her back, and pushed him back, her cheeks full of arrogance. "Alright, alright." She rolled her eyes and pretended to be reserved. "Don't make a sound."
Is he going to repeat everything he's ever said?
He raised an eyebrow and didn't object, "Okay."
What followed was a struggle between softness and hardness, a mixture of water vapor and sweat.
Night had fallen, and the young couple returned to their bed to rest.
Banban lay on the bed, letting her husband gently massage her sore lower back. "I'm so tired..." she complained drowsily, her voice nasal. Perhaps because the massage was so comfortable, she really did feel sleepy.
Noticing her cousin approaching, she snuggled into his arms until she could smell his scent before she felt at ease. "Ying Zheng."
"Hmm?" he responded softly, his voice slightly hoarse, "Chengyin."
So that's how her cousin pronounced her name.
"It seems you've never said my name before." She couldn't open her eyes anymore, her whole body enveloped by his warm body temperature, and she didn't feel hot at all, only wanting to get closer and closer.
"There are people with the same name, but my cousin is the only one who is unique to me."
"If you like it, I'll read it more often in the future."
Ying Zheng indeed almost never called his cousin by her given name, because it was a name known to everyone, not a nickname known only to close relatives.
He initially called her Banban, then her cousin, and in front of outsiders and on formal occasions, he called her Queen. The latter was at the request of his cousin, who felt that the title of Queen sounded very dignified and powerful, and could highlight her status.
Others would love for their husbands to call them by more affectionate names to show their deep affection, but she was different; she was shrewd, calculating, and adorable.
After waiting for a long time, I still didn't get a response from her.
She was asleep, so he placed a kiss on her forehead and closed his eyes as well.
I woke up the next morning.
Banban couldn't open her eyes. Her cousin was already dressed and ready to go to court. Hearing the noise on the bed, he leaned down and kissed her.
She hurriedly instructed, "Come back early at noon, I want to eat antique soup."
"Okay, go to sleep," he replied gently.
I slept until the early morning, when I was fully awake. When I asked what time it was, it turned out to be exactly nine o'clock in the morning.
The Queen wanted to eat antique soup, so the kitchen prepared it early in the morning.
Before anyone could ask, the cooks had already sliced the beef and mutton and prepared a spicy broth with butter and various seasonings to suit the Queen's taste. She also ordered some chicken feet and pork belly, and instructed the palace servants to bring some duck blood, as duck meat is also delicious in hot pot.
My cousin loves to eat fish, and fish slices are a must. Fish offal is also stir-fried separately with these seasonings and served on a plate.
Pickled vegetables to cut through the richness are essential, and in addition to these, we also ordered some fresh seasonal vegetables and packed them together.
After giving the instructions, Banban went to check on the potatoes in the yard. The potato seedlings were already as tall as his palm.
After finishing what she liked, she could finally sit down and deal with palace affairs. Since there were no concubines in the harem and Empress Dowager Huayang had not yet been dealt with, she only needed to consider her food, clothing and daily necessities. Then she would settle accounts.
The Qin Palace was vast, and she was very concerned about what money was spent each day and where it went.
Because her cousin was one with her, she knew exactly where the money from the previous dynasty went, and she would keep an eye on the officials who received more rewards and whisper among themselves about it.
He always ignored the tributes from various places and just threw them at her.
Receiving gifts is something that everyone enjoys, and it's the thing I look forward to the most every year. It's like opening a blind box; you open the gift first, and then you see the report.
"Your Majesty, why don't you take a look at this first? It seems to contain ice; it's quite heavy." Congyun knelt on the ground and held up a box.
"Let me see." Could it be that a cake has been delivered?
Surely not, she's the one who 'invented' the cake.
Upon opening the box, I found a thin, white, noodle-like substance inside. It was coated with oil but didn't stick together. When I gently picked it up with chopsticks, it was incredibly smooth and tender.
The small dish next to it contained a little bit of the prepared sauce, and you could smell its spicy aroma without even having to sniff it.
"What is this?" Cong Yun was completely bewildered. He went to look through the memorials on the ground, found them according to the place names, and placed them on the table to examine them one by one.
Isn't this liangpi (cold skin noodles)?
I don't recognize the clouds, but I recognize everything.
Why are there cold noodles so early?
Opening the memorial, it reads: This year's drought has caused the villagers to have no harvest, unable to pay their taxes and having no surplus. This is a clever plan by the local gentry: soak old rice overnight, grind it into a paste, steam it, and make it into cold noodles to present as tribute to Your Majesty. Please taste it.
Upon seeing these words, Banban lost his appetite and sighed, "I wonder when the canal built by Zheng Guo will be fully completed."
Ying Zheng waited until noon before slowly appearing outside Zhaoyang Palace.
The portions of liangpi (cold skin noodles) were generous. "I sent a lot to my aunt, I don't know if she'll like it. I also sent some to the Ji family, and kept two portions for my cousin to try."
Ying Zheng had never eaten anything like this before. It was smooth, fragrant, and spicy, and he was immediately amazed. "Delicious!" he exclaimed. He immediately ordered that it be sent to him every year and listed the cold noodles as a tribute.
"The Zheng Guo Canal is nearing completion; it will take at most two more years to finish," he comforted his cousin, and then the two had their meal.
During the meal, Ying Zheng mentioned his trip to Shu.
Banban questioned, "You don't mean you want to go see the Chu princess, do you?"
"I am innocent, Your Majesty, please see the truth."
Lü Buwei wanted to revive the power of the Chu state, so this Chu princess must have had some connection with him. In order not to arouse Ying Zheng's suspicion, the Chu princess stayed in Shu and did not go to Xianyang.
As it happened, he wanted to see what these two were planning to do and how they would do it.
"It just so happens that the Temple of the Divine Physician in Shu is quite famous. Let's go and pay our respects together, so that the people will know that the Queen has recovered."
Upon hearing her cousin's explanation, Banban immediately forgot her worries. "When are we going? I need to prepare several outfits for the trip, pack my jewelry, and shoes too!"
"We can travel light. We can buy new clothes when we get to Shu. The local customs and clothing are quite different from those in Xianyang." Ying Zheng smiled as he watched his wife bustling around.
Banban happily wrapped her arms around his neck, "Should we go on a clandestine visit, or should we do it openly and honestly?"
"Traveling incognito? That's an interesting phrase." Ying Zheng seemed to understand the meaning behind the words. He smiled and said, "Then let's travel incognito."
"Take Li Si with you and send a troop of soldiers to clear the way ahead."
Banban's face fell. "Why is Li Si like a light bulb?"
What is a light bulb?
"It's just..." How do you explain that? "It means he's superfluous!"
There was no electricity or glass at that time.
Unfortunately, she didn't know how to make it.
"Oh, by the way, can you bring my younger brother and Liao Liao along?"
Ying Zheng paused for a moment, then said, "Indeed, it's superfluous."
He was displeased, but couldn't resist his wife's pleas and finally agreed.
"There must be a lot of bamboo in Shu." She could even bring back some novel varieties of bamboo shoots. "It's a pity that Xuanxi and Xuanjiao have grown up now and are not easy to take care of." She could no longer carry them.
Speaking of these two Pixiu, Ying Zheng was speechless. Who would have thought that the black and white cubs that were once as small as kittens would grow into such large creatures that strangers dare not approach them for fear of being bitten?
Who knew that they were even more timid than mice and easily stressed. If they were frightened, they would not eat. They were only familiar with the palace servants who had taken care of them since they were young, and they were also very dependent on Banban and Ying Zheng. However, at this moment, Ying Zheng dared not let them attack Banban.
They didn't bite her, but they were strong and powerful, and she couldn't even get up when they pounced on her.
They are quite clever and can understand many commands. Wherever Ying Zheng points, they pounce on it. After catching the bamboo shoots, they run over eagerly to eat them. They bite into extremely precious fruits like naphthalene, crunching them down in one bite.
Like their owner, they love peaches.
Banban often eats half of the food herself and cuts the other half for them. The Pixiu, which is almost a year old, still needs to drink milk every day, and it must be milk with honey added; it won't drink milk without honey.
Ying Zheng: Sigh.
Before heading to Shu, Banban instructed the palace servants who cared for the Pixiu on what to feed them at each meal, how long to let them out to play, and to bring them back when it got dark. The procedures were quite particular.
No one else dared to approach and take the Pixiu, so Yun stayed behind to take care of them.
After everything was arranged, three days later, under the cover of night, a carriage quietly left the palace gates.
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