Come on, "Have you even seen the King of Qin before you start talking nonsense?"...
Perhaps because of their long conversation the night before, Ying Zheng took a day off the next day and ordered people to prepare several sets of robes for him to take her out of the palace.
After having breakfast, Banban happily chattered and bustled around, asking himself which outfit looked best.
"This one!"
"nice."
"This one?"
"It looks good too."
"Then this one?"
"My cousin is so beautiful, she looks good in anything."
Unlike Ying Zheng, who wore the same black robes for eternity as if he could never get tired of them, Banban frowned, saying that he was just being perfunctory. He turned his head and ordered Congyun to fetch clothes: "Go and fetch the new clothes that I ordered to be made for the King a few days ago."
"What new clothes?" Ying Zheng didn't think there was anything wrong with what he was wearing. "Weren't they made by the Queen herself?"
When he was not attending court, his everyday clothes were much more understated, with simple designs, but mostly black.
This only made him appear even more aloof, imposing, and unapproachable.
Unfortunately, he was also a person who loved beauty and had a high aesthetic sense. He often dressed his cousin up in a luxurious and beautiful way. In his spare time, he would even draw jewelry himself and have it made and given to her.
It's clear that he doesn't dislike dressing up; rather, he genuinely feels that he looks quite good in his clothes.
"...I haven't practiced enough yet." Banban mumbled the answer. She had indeed been practicing making clothes lately. "My cousin is always dark-skinned and lifeless. His stern face can scare away many palace servants. He should dress differently when he goes out to play."
"I've hardly ever seen you wear the navy blue robe that your aunt made for you." If it weren't for the fact that navy blue robes have historically been associated with the emperor, he wouldn't have even glanced at it.
“Dark blue is too undignified.” It’s a bit too flamboyant. Ying Zheng only wears it when he meets his favorite ministers in private. “In recent years, the medical level in Qin has steadily improved, all thanks to the Six Diseases Clinic opened by the Queen.”
Banban is someone who can't stand being praised. If you praise her, she'll definitely get cocky. When she heard her cousin praising her, she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips, but she had to pretend to be reserved and said, "Your Majesty flatters me."
Then he said, "Recently I met a doctor whose medical skills are excellent. He is proficient in all aspects of medical practice and diagnosis. In addition, he also knows about prescriptions and numerology."
"That sounds so mysterious." Banban pouted. "But it's a good thing that my cousin is starting to pay attention to health preservation. I've heard that alchemy is included in the arts of medicine. You don't still believe in that, do you?"
"...Two years ago, the alchemists in the palace frequently caused their furnaces to explode, so I punished them. As a result, many fake alchemists in the folk have been dealt with."
This made Banban curious, "So what exactly does this doctor do?"
Speaking of him, Ying Zheng was very interested and had a lot to say: "Besides alchemy, the most important skills are guiding exercises, medicine, and sexual techniques."
Accurately capturing three words, Banban: "...Huh?" Is there anything else about her?
She was a little embarrassed to listen and asked in a low voice, "What is guiding?"
"It involves using special physical movements and specific breathing techniques to unblock meridians and harmonize qi and blood. I read in ancient books that this is called 'guiding qi into the body,' and maybe one can cultivate immortality."
"..." Banban gently pressed her forehead. Doesn't this sound like yoga? It is indeed beneficial to the human body, but drawing qi into the body is an exaggeration.
"Numerical arts are even more mysterious. This doctor's numerological skills are so precise and profound that I greatly admire them!"
"Is numerology astrology, divination, geomancy, physiognomy, auspicious date selection, and talismans?" It sounds like a Taoist practice, but there was no Taoism at that time. It is clear that Taoism was absorbed by later Taoists. I have read about these in some miscellaneous books.
"I'd also like to have my face read." She was quite interested in face reading.
These things are indeed a bit mysterious.
"His name is Xia Wuqie. I will have him come to see you after the holiday."
Goose? That name sounds familiar.
Was it him who shouted "King with sword in hand"?
Banban immediately perked up, eager to see Xia Wuqie.
As they spoke, Yun took out the newly tailored clothes, which turned out to be a pure white robe. In his memory, Ying Zheng wore white robes when he was still the crown prince. He had several white robes in his everyday clothes. At that time, he could not wear them as he pleased. King Zhuangxiang loved white clothes, so he would wear them occasionally.
Ying Zheng: "I won't wear it."
Pretending not to see her cousin's disgusted expression, she said, "Wear it."
"..."
So in the end he changed into it, and Banban personally helped him re-tie his hair, holding his face in her hands and looking at him from side to side with great affection, "Dressed up like this, cousin looks like someone's kept actor."
He was born with fair and delicate skin, but he was usually expressionless and had aggressive features. Wearing black robes made him even more imposing, while wearing white robes actually diluted that coldness.
"Smile!" She forcefully pulled his face up, lifting the corners of his mouth upwards.
What a refined and elegant gentleman!
"Do you really want to keep entertainers?" Ying Zheng leaned forward, his gaze sweeping over her face, his slightly narrowed eyes holding an ambiguous meaning.
"I was just joking! It was just an analogy!"
"Really? Last time when we talked about Yang Jiang hiring entertainers and Han Fei being displeased when he bumped into them at the door, you looked so envious. Was that a joke too?"
"You must have been mistaken." With such sharp eyes, why didn't you say so back then?
Banban felt a little guilty, "My cousin is so powerful, one of him is stronger than all six of them."
Ying Zheng paused for a moment: "...What do you two usually talk about?"
Of course, that means talking about things that are not meant to be discussed in public.
What kind of best friends are they if they don't talk about dirty stuff?
"It's not good to tell my cousin," Banban stammered. "Oh dear, let's go quickly."
Since they were going on a private tour, the two of them did not dress like royalty, nor did they wear gold or silver. Instead, they chose simple light yellow skirts and a deep robe of the same color as Ying Zheng. As they walked, the skirts fluttered, like tender yellow petals among green grass.
Her long, black hair was simply tied up and inserted diagonally with a jade hairpin, and her earrings were also a matching set.
The carriage traveled all the way from Xianyang to Liyang, a neighboring city.
Upon seeing Liyang City, Banban was reminded of Princess Liyang, with whom he had played in the past. He lifted the curtain and looked out. The scenery along the way was not as prosperous as that of Xianyang City, but rather filled with a solemn atmosphere.
When asked why, I learned that this was the capital of Qin during the early period of Duke Xian of Qin and Duke Xiao of Qin. Shang Yang's reforms were implemented here, so the laws were naturally more severe.
As soon as he got off the bus, he was proven wrong.
"You two, hand over all your valuables."
Banban and Ying Zheng stood in front of the carriage: "...?"
Before they could react, the three robbers were taken hostage by a strong man who appeared out of nowhere, without the three of them even touching a hair on their heads.
The leader of the robbers, who had initially intended to be arrogant, became docile. "Brother, I didn't know you had your eye on this couple," he pleaded obsequiously. "Come on, come on, we'll leave right away, we won't bother you at all."
"Look at these two, so fair-skinned and delicate. They're obviously from wealthy families who've never suffered hardship. They could easily make enough to live on for years. I wonder which family they're out having fun with their concubines. I won't fight you for them. It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, hehe."
The room fell silent.
Those people didn't dare to speak, while Ying Zheng frowned and stared at the man.
Banban flew into a rage and stepped forward, demanding, "What gives you the right to call me a concubine?"
"Hey you—do you even have the right to speak?" You fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
The next second, the man holding the sword and escorting him was sweating profusely and asked, "Master, Madam, should I deal with these bandits on the spot?"
"?!" The robbers were dumbfounded, looking back and forth at them in utter disbelief.
These men were strong and muscular, and they came and went without a trace. He and his brothers came out to rob, but they didn't notice that the couple was following them in the dark. Could they be ordinary people?
Once he realized this, he hurriedly knelt down and changed his tune, saying, "I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness! I misjudged you!"
"It's true that the wives of those powerful and meritorious families are all not very good-looking! On the contrary, their concubines are all beauties. Looking at your figure and appearance, I thought..." He didn't dare to say the rest and slapped himself in the face with trembling hands.
Ying Zheng waved his hand gently, and the three robbers were pulled away.
Turning her head away, his cousin's angry expression had completely vanished. She smiled broadly, took out a small bronze mirror, touched her face, and stood on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss.
"You're happy just like that?"
“When others praise me, it’s probably because I’m the queen. It’s only when strangers praise me that they truly appreciate me.” From childhood to adulthood, she has always loved beauty. Putting away the bronze mirror, she revealed her displeasure again. “But those wives and noble ladies, I think they are all very beautiful. How can they be as exaggerated as he says? Maybe he can’t even find a wife himself, yet he’s commenting on other women.”
"Although marriage does not take into account birth, powerful families naturally want to form alliances. For families of noble birth, appearance becomes secondary."
Once you have money and power, does it still matter what your face looks like?
"But even in the heart of the capital, there are bandits." The fact that the King and Queen of Qin were robbed while traveling, though comical, also illustrates a point.
If Liyang is like this, wouldn't it be even worse in places far from Xianyang?
"Oh, right, Qin law is so strict, yet someone would still risk doing such an unethical thing. Aren't they afraid of losing their head?" Banban asked curiously.
Just then, the attendant returned to report the situation: "This man said that his family is starving. After paying rent and taxes on the wheat harvest, there are hardly any coins left. His whole family is starving and can't afford clothes. Being a bandit is a quick way to make money, but joining the army carries the risk of dying on the battlefield. They are all afraid of dying."
"Does being a robber mean you won't die?" Ying Zheng asked coldly.
"They said they were imitating other robbers, and that if they happened to encounter a wealthy person who was not accompanied by guards, they would rob them of everything and then kill them without being discovered."
Given the choice between dying themselves and others, they chose to die others.
"Are there other robbers?" Banban frowned. "Are they also from Liyang?"
"This..." The attendant hesitated slightly, then looked cautiously at Ying Zheng. "I have learned from these people that bandits have been rampant in Qin in recent years, and not just in Liyang."
Ultimately, it's because everyone is struggling to afford food.
Banban was speechless and waved for him to leave.
Ying Zheng didn't speak, his brows furrowed slightly, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, noticing his cousin's repeated glances, he patted her head and said, "When you're out and about, don't think about politics. We'll talk about it when we get back."
"Okay~" She quickly hugged his arm and changed the subject, "Cousin looks so handsome in white today, everyone on the street has misunderstood."
In her opinion, it was no exaggeration to describe Ying Zheng in white as handsome. He was very handsome when he was young, and as an adult, his appearance gained a touch of the toughness of a mature man. White clothes could dilute this coldness and played a neutralizing role.
Who would have thought that he possessed such high martial prowess? He rarely made a move, and in the minds of the various states, he was probably a weak monarch who couldn't even kill a chicken.
Around noon, the two found a restaurant to have lunch.
This was the first time the two of them had dined out together.
Seeing that the two were dressed in fine clothes, the shopkeeper quickly put on a warm smile and personally led them to a prime spot on the second floor for their meal.
"What are your signature dishes? Bring me one of each." Banban was still fresh and looked very lively.
She took a tael of gold from Yun and handed it to him with a smile, saying, "Our lady is pregnant, so she has to be careful when cooking. If she cooks well, you will be rewarded."
"Yes, yes, yes, definitely, definitely." The shopkeeper's eyes widened, and he happily pocketed the gold, saying auspicious words one after another, "I wish you a son soon, you are blessed at first glance, and you will definitely have a smart and sensible child."
Ying Zheng also smiled slightly, "Thank you for your kind words."
This place is simple, lacking the grandeur of a royal palace, yet it has its own unique charm.
“It feels like I’ve gone back to my childhood, when we used to dine out often.” Banban wanted to sit next to her cousin. The two were used to being close, and she subconsciously put her legs on Ying Zheng’s thighs. His large hand then fell down and gently massaged the inside of her thighs.
Both of them were doing it out of habit, and only realized they were outside after they finished. They looked at each other.
Just then, footsteps came from the stairwell, indicating that other guests were coming up.
Banban hurriedly tried to put her leg down, but Ying Zheng held on firmly and scolded her in a low voice, "Slow down." Only after gently putting her leg down did he release his wrist.
The noise at the stairwell stopped abruptly after the person came up. "There's someone here," the man muttered. "Old Tian, you've already got business so early today."
The Qin law required people not to make loud noises in public places, perhaps also to avoid conflict.
The two men who arrived nodded to Ying Zheng and then sat down at another table next to him. Both tables were quiet, with no sound of conversation.
Neither Banban nor Ying Zheng had much experience in talking to strangers, so they simply sat and waited for their food.
After a while, the dishes started to be served one after another. The main dishes were roasted venison ribs, wild boar meat, elephant trunk, accompanied by boiled beans and beans, boiled sunflower greens, pickled tripe slices, bean soup, and steamed East China Sea carp.
One of the two strangers struck up a conversation, "Hey, you guys aren't from Liyang, are you?"
"How did you know?" Banban asked.
"You look like you're from a wealthy family, but we know all the rich families in Liyang very well. We live here all the time, so we don't recognize you."
Banban fabricated a story: "My husband and I traveled from Qi to Xianyang to visit relatives. We've been on a long journey, and we heard that Xianyang isn't far away?"
"Oh! Xianyang, that's not far, it's just over there."
"That's the territory right under the King of Qin's feet. It must be incredibly rich and dazzling. I really want to go and see it."
"Come on, you want to see wealth and power, don't you want to see the King of Qin?"
"You want to see it? Don't you want to see it? Pfft."
"I have heard that Wang Shangsheng is broad-shouldered and imposing, and I admire him greatly."
Everyone gets excited when this is mentioned.
"No, that guy, what's that official named Wei Liao who's been in office these past two years, he said the king has a bee-like nose, long eyes, and a jackal's voice. If that's the case, the king should be like a jackal. Jackals are all small, not even as big as tigers. Don't exaggerate without thinking, okay?"
"..."
"..."
Cong Yun slightly raised her hand to cover her lips, her eyes focused on her nose and her mind on her heart.
Ying Zheng could no longer hold back, "King Qin is just an ordinary person, like you, and like me."
"Come on, have you even met the King of Qin? You're just spouting nonsense."
-----------------------
Author's note: Here it is, as usual, an extra chapter at 11 PM.
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