Chapter 76 Lao Ai's Coup "You've fallen for his trap. You think the King doesn't know..."
She didn't say anything, but ran over.
What could be more terrifying than seeing your pregnant, heavy-bodied wife suddenly staggering towards you?
Ying Zheng immediately dropped his sword, caught her in a few quick steps, and the playful expression on his face vanished, replaced by a hint of worry. "Had a nightmare?"
"To have a nightmare about my cousin's face, how terrifying would that be?" Banban didn't dare to think about it. She just kept snuggling into this man's arms, saying, "I miss you, I miss you so much."
"Dreaming of me, could it be a nightmare?" Ying Zheng gently stroked his wife's cheek. These days, she had been taking care of her pregnancy, and her face was chubby. With a little pressure, his fingertips could sink into her soft cheeks. His reflection was in her clear, bright black eyes. "Perhaps it was because I left this morning without saying goodbye."
"Actually, I wasn't dreaming," Banban said honestly. "Just now, Congyun and I went to the study to look through some old things and saw many of my cousin's annotations. How did you manage to peek at my notes?"
"..." Ying Zheng laughed out loud, pinched her cheek and said, "I haven't seen it before, but I haven't seen it again."
"I don't write anymore." Where can you find that? It's as if you're making yourself sound like you don't like writing anymore.
He couldn't admit that his possessiveness and exclusion of his wife were most intense when he was a teenager. He did try to find out what she was thinking, and those little notes were right under his nose.
In his spare time, he would even skim through the picture books she loved to look at.
She glanced at him, who remained silent, and pretended not to read the sentence in the picture book. "I remember a line in the picture book that said it very well: 'You are in the prime of your life, your hair is tied up in the cold frost, we look at each other without getting tired of each other, why should we envy the immortals?'"
"I read it and really liked it. I've read it many times. I wonder what the author was feeling on the day he wrote this sentence?"
The time marked above is four years, autumn and winter.
This refers to the fourth year of King Zheng of Qin's reign, which was the last year before she married Ying Zheng, and it left a deep impression on her.
The dates in those notes are very messy, only roughly recording several years. In fact, these dates include those of three Qin kings. For example, the 'third year' of King Zhuangxiang's accession to the throne and the 'third year' of King Zheng's accession to the throne are not the same period, but both are recorded as 'third year'.
This is because King Zhuangxiang was still alive when the writing was done. They were both Kings of Qin, and she couldn't write the name of the King of Qin on the bamboo slips. King Zhuangxiang was only called 'King Zhuangxiang' after his death, and she was too lazy to look them up and change them one by one.
"What was the author's mood? Did the person who wrote the sentence not know?"
"I don't know."
"Just keep being stubborn."
She wouldn't listen and kept pestering him to explain what was wrong.
Helpless, he could only recount those past events in detail.
"Rain and snow fall together, pattering outside the window, while the stove inside burns brightly, warm and cozy. My usually noisy cousin is quiet and asleep in my arms. How could this not be the most pleasant thing in the world?"
"That sounds great, but do you think I'm too noisy?" she asked, feigning grievance and looking pleadingly.
Ying Zheng picked up a piece of pastry from the plate and stuffed it into her mouth to stop her from talking nonsense.
Just then, a thick spring rain began to fall outside. Banban leaned against the window watching the rain, while her cousin was handling government affairs at his desk. At noon, the two of them ate a steaming bowl of noodles together in Chengzhang Hall.
She thought, this is indeed the most pleasant thing in the world.
A spring rain brings warmth, and the days pass by at a leisurely pace, until we reach the middle of March.
Reports arrived that the three Jin states were stirring up trouble and seemed to be launching a joint attack. The King of Qin immediately mobilized a large army to meet the enemy, sending Wang Jian and Meng Wu to lead troops to form a battle array at Hangu Pass.
At this critical juncture, when this incident occurred, Chancellor Lü Buwei proposed postponing the coming-of-age ceremony, but the King of Qin rejected the proposal.
The preparations in Yongcheng had lasted for half a year, and the crowning of the King of Qin was of utmost urgency.
When the King of Qin mobilized his troops, Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, sat upright in his residence in Taiyuan Commandery, already making solemn vows.
The attendants smiled and clasped their hands in congratulations, saying, "Lord Changxin's strategy is brilliant. As expected, the King of Qin has mobilized his troops. Now that the defenses within Qin's territory are weak, it will be as easy as turning one's hand to kill the King of Qin."
"Good!!" Lao Ai laughed heartily. "Send the order! Assemble the troops and prepare." He took out the Empress Dowager's seal and the King of Qin's seal. "With these seals, there will be no place in the entire Qin Kingdom that we cannot pass through! The Imperial Guards will also be at your command!"
At this moment, in the State of Zhao.
King Zhao Yan was enjoying himself with several beautiful women, playing the game of pitch-pot, while Marquis Guo Kai stood to the side.
Amidst the graceful movements of the beauties, their sleeves exuding fragrance, Zhao Yan seized one of them and, chuckling, kissed her cherry lips. After a while, he lost interest and instead brought up another matter:
"Is Zhao Zheng going to assume personal rule?"
Guo Kai immediately replied, "What Your Majesty says is true."
"He's finally made it," he clicked his tongue and shook his head, his face full of undisguised schadenfreude. "I've never experienced the feeling of losing power; it must have been unpleasant."
Guo Kai seized the opportunity to suggest, "Shall we cause him some trouble?"
How to cause trouble?
"Your Majesty has not heard of the Marquis of Changxin of Qin having an affair with the Queen Dowager recently. He even claims to be the King of Qin's stepfather, which has made Zhao Zheng lose face."
"Oh? Is that so? That's not surprising," Zhao Yan said in astonishment, then shook his head. "Let's leave it at that. At this critical juncture, we shouldn't cause trouble. If the three Jin states unite, we can give them a good beating." He also felt regretful about it.
Zhao Yan was not a fool; he was quite adept at assessing situations and situations.
Guo Kai had no choice but to give up.
The Queen's entourage arrived in Yongcheng two days in advance. She was feeling unwell, and it would be inconvenient for her to arrive in Yongcheng on the same day. Therefore, the King of Qin also went to Yongcheng at the same time to make preparations.
There was no Qin king to oversee Xianyang.
Before dawn, an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager was issued from Xianyang Palace, stating that a rebellion had broken out in the Qin King's palace in Yong, and that treacherous officials were interfering in the government and attempting to prevent the King of Qin from being crowned. The edict stated that the Empress Dowager, as the Marquis of Changxin, should lead troops to Yong to quell the rebellion and protect the King.
The seals of the Empress Dowager and the King of Qin are absolutely genuine and cannot be forged.
In an instant, his call was met with overwhelming response.
At the same time, Lord Changping sighed and then opened his eyes. "Lord Changxin has made his move. He really intends to forge an imperial edict and send troops. He's courting death!"
Lord Changwen sneered, "How could we allow his troops to leave Xianyang? No one can stop His Majesty from being crowned in Yongcheng!"
Having said that, he immediately rebuked, "What was the Prime Minister's reaction? Surely he wouldn't believe that edict?"
"There's still no reaction; it doesn't seem like they believe the forged edict."
Yongdi, within the Qinian Palace.
Banban is eight months pregnant. Although she has not experienced any discomfort since becoming pregnant, her legs feel uncomfortable when she stands upright for a long time. Congyun served her a bowl of ginseng soup and she rested on a soft cushion.
Where is the king?
Cong Yun sat in front of her footstool and gently massaged her calves. "The Prime Minister has arrived. He looks hurried and is discussing important matters with the King."
"Is there anything wrong with the Queen?"
The court robes were heavy and the fabric was stiff. The headdress had been made as light as possible, but it still felt tight around her neck. "It's alright, I can take it off after the capping ceremony."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ying Zheng appeared at the door. "How is the Queen?"
"Didn't Lü Buwei come looking for you? Why are you here?" Banban asked, looking surprised.
“He has left.” Ying Zheng first stroked her swollen belly.
Cong Yun waved for the palace servants to leave.
"He wanted me to kill Lao Ai, and suspected that the coordinated action in Shanxi was also the result of Lao Ai tipping me off." It felt like a child has grown up and now needs nursing.
Ying Zheng remained expressionless, seemingly unconvinced.
“Since he dared to come and tell you all this, if you don’t take his advice, he might go back and execute Lao Ai on his own,” Banban said. “Is he trying to protect himself?”
"The imperial guards and soldiers in Xianyang have all been taken over by Lao Ai. The Prime Minister is short-handed and cannot capture him."
Upon hearing this, Banban was stunned. But then he realized that his cousin had set a trap to lure Lao Ai into a snare, and his ultimate target was Lü Buwei. In reality, Lao Ai was just a pawn who couldn't cause any trouble.
An hour later, news of the Xianyang Incident reached Yong.
Officials were alarmed; the situation was urgent.
Ji Changyue sat upright beside the King of Qin, a cold smile playing on her lips, and said, "Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, stole the imperial seal and caused chaos, acting perversely and bringing calamity to the Qin state. He must not be let off lightly!"
“In the past, I believed his slander and personally appointed him as the Marquis of Changxin, allowing him to enter the court and participate in government affairs. This was a great mistake. I hope you will help the king quell the rebellion.”
The Empress Dowager's self-reflective remarks caused a stir among the officials. They looked at each other in bewilderment and knelt down in unison, shouting, "Your Majesty, we obey your command!"
A resolute look appeared on the King of Qin's face. "Issue the order: Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, is utterly wicked and his crimes are heinous. Every citizen of Qin has the right to kill him."
"Whoever captures Lao Ai alive will be rewarded with one million coins! Whoever kills him will be rewarded with fifty coins! Whoever kills or beheads the enemy during the suppression of the rebellion will be granted a title and rewarded according to his merits!"
Banban sat to the right of the King of Qin. Upon hearing this, he slightly raised his wide sleeve to cover his lower lip, and then immediately became serious.
Yun stood at the side door, terrified, fearing the Queen might burst out laughing.
Half an hour later, the King of Qin was officially crowned.
"The King of Qin is crowned, let it begin!"
As the official's booming voice echoed throughout the high platform of Qinian Palace, all was silent. The imperial majesty was immense. The dark clouds overhead drifted slowly, as if blown away by the wind, and a few rays of clear sunlight poured down, falling precisely on the King of Qin, who was kneeling at the head of the table.
"One cloth crown."
Banban sat not far behind the King of Qin. It was clear that the one who was crowning the King of Qin was the oldest member of the Ying clan. His hands trembled, and the skin on the back of his hands was like tree bark.
"Two-piece leather cap".
A black leather cap was worn over his high-tied hair.
“Three additional titles and hats”.
Below, a dense crowd of people, all dressed in dark red robes and wearing red hairpins, faced each other solemnly. Banban had three layers of cushions under her, so she didn't feel uncomfortable.
Finally, the last proclamation was heard: "May the crown of heaven be bestowed upon you, displaying the glory of the former kings and receiving the blessings of Heaven. May the mandate of Heaven grant you the rule over the land, and may your blessings last for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years!"
The crown of the King of Qin was slowly placed on Ying Zheng's head, with red tassels hanging down on both sides of his face.
Banban was helped to her feet. The person in front of her turned slightly to look at her, as if to confirm that she was alright. Seeing the King of Qin's reaction, Zong Chen softened his tone and left a gap for the Queen to prepare before continuing.
The King of Qin's sword was brought forward by a kneeling attendant, who raised it high.
The scabbard is jet black, with a coiled dragon rising from it. The hilt is dark gold, with a dragon head pointing skyward and hissing, revealing sharp teeth. Once the dragon's roar is uttered, destiny will be ordained.
The senior members of the royal family used both hands to lift the Qin King's sword and personally put it on Ying Zheng.
"Congratulations to my king! Crown and sword! May Heaven bless my king, and may the Great Qin Dynasty last ten thousand years!"
"Long live the Great Qin! Long live my king!"
"May the Qin Dynasty live ten thousand years, and may my king live ten thousand years!"
"May the Qin Dynasty live ten thousand years, and may my king live ten thousand years!"
The shouts of the crowd were like thunder, surrounding Banban. She looked at the man standing in front of her. His figure was so tall and imposing, exactly the same as the image that had appeared in her mind when she first awakened her memories as a child.
She could hear her own heart pounding rapidly, as if it were cheering for him at that moment. Suddenly, her stomach twitched, and she quickly touched it to comfort herself.
Perhaps the child had been waiting for this moment, for it was excitedly moving around in its mother's womb.
Touching her belly, Banban looked ahead again, unwilling to miss a single second of her cousin's life.
Before all the people of the world, he drew his sword and pointed it straight at the heavens. The dark clouds above his head instantly dissipated, as if they had been awed by the Qin King's sword. Golden sunlight streamed down, and the sword's edge reflected a dazzling brilliance.
At this moment, the King of Qin on the high platform was like a god, truly the chosen one by Heaven.
Seeing this, the crowd's excited voices grew even louder, almost to the point of hoarseness: "Long live the Great Qin! Long live our King!"
The golden sunlight shone on the faces of every minister, and they were all equally excited, their faces bloodshot and their eyes red. In particular, the King of Qin was bathed in the sunlight, and everyone knelt down.
The congratulations and shouts continued unabated.
Hearing this, Li Si knelt below the stage, raised his head, and stared intently at the King of Qin, not daring to look away for a moment. His blood was boiling and surging. No one knew how long he had been waiting for this day.
After the King of Qin drew his sword and asked Heaven to bestow blessings, he was surprised to find that his palms were covered in sweat. He was afraid that someone might disrupt the coming-of-age ceremony, but thankfully the trip went smoothly.
The chaos and bloodshed of war in Xianyang, far away, contrasted strangely with the majestic and excited atmosphere of Qinian Palace, creating a harmonious blend without any sense of incongruity.
Chancellor Lü Buwei drew his sword and personally killed the enemy. He faced off against Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, on horseback from afar. The veins on the back of his hand gripping the sword bulged, and his bloodlust was ignited at that moment.
"Capture Lü Buwei alive! There will be a hefty reward for whoever captures him!" Lao Ai shouted, his eyes filled with provocation.
In Xianyang, every household, men and women alike, picked up hoes and wooden sticks and opened their doors to meet the enemy.
Lord Changping rebuked him, pointing his sword at Lao Ai, "Lao Ai, you dare to falsely convey the Empress Dowager's edict, you deserve to die ten thousand times!"
"You think you can punish me?" Lao Ai laughed wildly. "All soldiers, listen to my command! Break through the encirclement! Our target is Qinian Palace! Kill those two traitors, Lord Changping and Lü Buwei, and head to Qinian Palace to rescue the King!"
"To this day, you haven't even left Xianyang City, so how can you talk about going to Qinian Palace?" Lord Changping waved his hand, indicating, "Do you really think the King is unaware of your scheme?"
Lü Buwei suddenly turned his head to look at him.
Changpingjun scoffed, "Listen carefully."
"Scar-mongering, huh?" Lao Ai said, then stopped.
The ground was trembling faintly, making 'bang, bang, bang' sounds.
He frowned and suddenly looked towards the city gate.
As the tremors grew more and more pronounced, a black flag rose from the horizon, billowing in the wind, its large character 'Qin' captivating the soul.
Heavy hooves clattered as hundreds of thousands of armored imperial guards marched in perfect unison, their chariots thundering.
Who else could be standing on the chariot but Wang Jian?
Lao Ai was shocked. His eyes widened instantly, and he nearly fell off his horse in terror. "This is impossible! Wasn't he leading troops to meet the enemy from the Three Jin states?!"
Lord Changping sneered, "Lao Ai! You have colluded with foreign enemies, a crime deserving of death! Prepare to die!!"
"Withdraw! Withdraw!" Lao Ai shouted, urgently ordering his men to turn around and retreat to the Qin Palace.
The main force fled back to the Qin palace as if their lives depended on it. Lao Ai, in a panic, ordered everyone to guard the palace gates at all costs, fearing that if the gates were breached, they would all perish.
He was clearly venting his anger, killing the eunuchs one by one with his sword, shouting, "You little King Qin, how dare you fool me!!"
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the attendant had the idea of escaping, but he was trapped in the Qin Palace and there was no way to change the situation: "Lord Changxin, the most important thing now is to escape. As long as we live, we can always fight again! Let's go."
"Leave? Where to go?" he roared. "Wang Jian has 200,000 heavily armed soldiers and has surrounded this place completely. We can't leave!"
Enraged, Lao Ai pounded the sword in his hand. Suddenly, he remembered the Empress Dowager and forced himself to comfort himself, "The Empress Dowager will save me. She won't let the King of Qin kill me." In reality, he knew that he had made such a grave mistake that Ji Changyue couldn't protect him. Besides, Ying Zheng had already assumed power and could issue orders on his own.
He's going to die, he's doomed! He's on the verge of death...
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a faint cry of a baby came from the edge of the flower bed.
Lao Ai quickly turned his head to look.
"who!"
It's unlucky that some of the rootless palace slaves are still alive.
"If you don't come out, I'll chop you into mincemeat!"
Upon hearing this, a pale-faced eunuch appeared by the flower bed, carrying two infants dressed in Qin-style clothing on either side. He was so frightened that he knelt down, trembling, and tightly hugged the infants.
"A child?" Lao Ai tilted his head and squinted, a wicked thought suddenly rising in his mind. "Then the little queen didn't give birth either."
As he examined the girl's clothes, he sneered, "The King of Qin's child? I knew he couldn't possibly not take two women as concubines. So she's capable of stealing too. If the Queen finds out..."
The eunuch was none other than Zhao Gao. He held the two children tightly and trembled as he said, "You cannot kill the princesses, otherwise even the Empress Dowager cannot protect you."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the blood-stained sword plunged into the baby's swaddling clothes, silencing the infant's cries.
Zhao Gao collapsed to the ground in a panic, stammering, "You—you, you…"
"So what if I kill him?" Lao Ai suddenly raised his voice, already insane, only thinking about making Ying Zheng suffer. Even if he died, he would take his child with him. "I will not only kill his child, but I will also kill you! Die!" With one sword strike, blood splattered, and the little eunuch also breathed his last.
Before his death, Zhao Gao had a last thought: Qin Ju had said that as long as he held the child and survived from Lao Ai's clutches, he would surely serve the King of Qin personally; Qin Ju had said that as long as he mentioned the Empress Dowager and the "princess," Lao Ai would not kill him; Qin Ju had said that wealth and honor are found in danger, and that to gain power, one must know how to take risks.
He lied to him! How unwilling he is... He hasn't accomplished anything yet. He's worked diligently and humbly under Qin Ju for so many years, but he still hasn't been able to gain the Qin King's favor.
Lao Ai approached and lifted the blood-stained swaddling clothes. "Heh heh, I want to see what this damned King of Qin's child looks like. He must have the same repulsive features as him."
The dead infant came into view, and he paused for a moment before suddenly picking it up and examining it closely.
A few seconds later, he fell silent. It was unclear what he had discerned, but the sword slipped from his hand with a crisp sound.
"Marquis Changxin?" the attendant asked, puzzled.
The Marquis of Changxin, as if waking from a dream, couldn't believe it. He hurriedly and haphazardly wiped the dead infant's face, trying to clean away the blood. The infant's small face was clearly visible.
"Rui'er... Rui'er." He trembled violently; this was actually his child.
He had placed great hopes on this child, the one he wanted to replace Ying Zheng as King of Qin. This child should have been King of Qin! His King of Qin!
He could be the father of the King of Qin!
What did he just do?
He stabbed his own hope to death with a single sword!
The King of Qin had actually plotted this far! Lao Ai went mad, his heart breaking as he knelt on the ground, clutching his two infants, screaming, "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"
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