It was discovered that "Ying Zheng doesn't fall for that."...
I thought it was just a minor incident that would pass, but when I woke up, I found that she had been tossing and turning all afternoon without resting and was sulking to herself.
She was dumbfounded, and quickly pulled the man, who exuded a cold aura, to coax him and help him follow the logic. It took almost half an hour before he finally calmed down.
He called out to his cousin, the king, and his husband in turn, showering them with kisses and hugs, almost lifting them high in the air.
...Naturally, she couldn't lift him either.
He's more like her.
The kiss, which was an hour apart, was not so tender. She passively endured his pressing down on her cheeks, her soft arms encircling his broad back.
Their warm breaths mingled and intertwined, making her dizzy. She just wanted to get closer to him, even closer, and let him have his way without any defenses.
The kiss was so intense that they couldn't bear to part, and their breathing became rapid. They had no choice but to separate their necks and embrace each other to calm down.
Listening to her cousin's rapid heartbeat, Banban buried her face in his chest, pressing her ear against his skin to try and hear more clearly, not just his heartbeat, but as if she could even hear the subtle sounds of blood flowing in her veins.
"Cousin, your heart is beating so fast," she whispered secretly.
Ying Zheng did not speak immediately, but after a moment, he stroked her cheek and said in the same manner, "My cousin's cheeks are so hot."
They're evenly matched.
Is my heart beating fast?
"I can't hear you."
"..."
"Let me hear it."
The next moment, she was lifted up and hugged, startling her so much that she immediately hugged his neck, “!!”
"Did you hear that?" Xie Xiang wasn't wearing much, and his profile was close to her chest, his hair tickling her.
"A little bit."
"Perhaps there's too much meat here, so I can't hear clearly."
She slumped against his face, a hint of embarrassment and annoyance flashing in her watery eyes, "Annoying!"
He kissed her palm and asked, "Want to go for a walk outside again?"
"Yes." We're already here; we can't just stay in bed all afternoon, can we?
After getting ready, the two went out onto the street again.
In the afternoon, there were fewer food vendors, and more pottery stalls, ironware stalls, farm tool stalls, and a few wheel repair shops and saddle sellers near the town entrance.
Aside from the street vendors, the items sold in the various houses and shops were much more valuable.
There was only one tavern on the entire street, and it was run by the government and sold legally. Each household was limited in the amount of alcohol they could buy.
Several butcher shops were located around the tavern, selling not only neatly cut mutton, pork, and venison, but also some unfamiliar meats whose names I couldn't recall.
"What kind of meat is this?" Banban asked out of curiosity.
"Madam, this is wild game that my son hunted this morning. Look at the leg meat, it's even fatter than chicken or duck, and there's a thick layer of fat on it. Roast it over a high heat and then simmer it, it'll be very fragrant!"
"This stick-shaped thing—is it snake meat?"
"Madam has a good eye! It's snake meat. It'll make a delicious snake soup!"
"What about this one?"
"This is fox meat, and fox meat has a unique flavor."
Fox meat? Is fox meat edible?
Banban glanced at Ying Zheng suspiciously, and Ying Zheng looked at the vendor with a subtle expression. "You have rather unusual tastes."
The vendor's expression faltered for a second, but he quickly became even more enthusiastic, saying, "Someone likes this, how about trying some?"
Ying Zheng shook his head and left with Banban.
The vendor's expression hardened, and he spat dismissively, muttering angrily, "What's the point of showing off if you don't have money? Bah!"
He rearranged the skinned fox meat, still muttering curses under his breath, whether out of righteous indignation or simply resentment, his face darkening.
"Bringing such a beautiful woman along, but not buying anything, who are you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, shadows fell over the stall.
The vendor looked up and met four or five tall, burly men in black. They were all expressionless and looked fierce. He almost dropped the small round fan he was holding.
Could it be that the servants of that couple were just that unlucky that their casual remarks could be overheard?
The vendor was unwilling to give up, but dared not show it on his face. He quickly lowered his head and whispered, "I wasn't cursing them, I was just saying, just saying."
The five remained unmoved, and the leader looked down at them condescendingly, saying, "You, pack up."
The vendor immediately became furious, "What are you talking about? Why should I pack up my stall? You're interfering with my business. Get out of here right now, or I'll report you to the authorities! Don't think you can do anything just because you have money!"
"Is this legitimate meat you're selling? You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!" The man took out a token from his pocket and flipped it over with a cold smile.
The dark gold-plated Qin character and the black hand token symbolize status.
This hand of cards can only be possessed by officials, and the black one is reserved for the highest-ranking officials. Legend has it that under the leadership of Wei Liao, King Zheng of Qin launched a vast intelligence network, and his secret guards also increased in number, each with extraordinary skills and ruthless killing ability.
Local folklore says that what they held was a black handplate.
As if struck by lightning, the vendor was so frightened that he turned and ran away.
The men quickly drew their swords, and with a clang, the merchant was pinned to the ground, unable to move.
Banban and Ying Zheng have already gone far away.
Ying Zheng was explaining to her in detail why fox meat could not be eaten.
"In short, it's not just because the fox's odor can't be removed, but also because foxes are very dirty, and eating them can make people sick, and those sick can even die."
“When I was young in Handan, Lü Buwei and my father once acquired a fox. Not long after, it died. When it was cut open, its flesh was covered with wriggling worms.”
It's easy to understand why eating fox meat can cause illness and even infect humans. Wild game carries a lot of bacteria and viruses, and you can easily get infected if you're not careful. There are very few edible wild game options, and they need to be prepared properly.
The latter sounded creepy, and Banban shuddered. "It seems that meat stalls still need to be properly regulated. If someone deliberately catches these wild animals to sell in order to make money, wouldn't that be terrible?"
As she spoke, she quickly turned back to look at the meat stall she had just left.
The vendor was nowhere to be seen; the entire stall was deserted, with only a few pieces of meat left on the stall, and the fox meat had also disappeared.
"Hmm?" Confused.
Turning her head to meet her cousin's eyes, she immediately understood. She took his arm excitedly and said, "Let's go up ahead. I just saw some fortune-telling and witch doctor stalls."
The streets and shops of Qin were not noisy or bustling. On the contrary, they were strictly orderly and had limited goods. Every now and then someone would shout: "Those who live in the market and those who pass by, do not dare to make noise or cause trouble!"
The person holding the black token silently led the butcher away. The man who had been shouting walked up to the stall, frowned deeply, and asked, "Where is this person?"
Next to it was a ceramics stall, and the shopkeeper stammered, "I...I just saw four or five people take him away. The one in the lead was holding a black token with a golden Qin character engraved on it. My lord...no, no, it couldn't be..."
The man was filled with doubt and suspicion, his expression turning serious: "Where did they go?"
This question is not directed at the person holding the card.
The ceramics stall owner's fingers trembled as he pointed in the distance. "A man and a woman, dressed in luxurious and extraordinary clothes. The woman's face was so beautiful and unforgettable. You'll know once you see her, sir."
"So...so, they are the king and queen..." The shopkeeper's legs trembled.
"This is none of your business," the man scolded, but seeing that the man was too frightened to stand, he softened his expression and said, "Go sell your ceramics. No one will punish you without cause if you have done nothing wrong."
On the other side.
There were quite a few people in front of the witch doctor's stall. The Qin people have valued divination since ancient times. The two of them finally got to the front after queuing up.
Many people consult divination about this year's harvest, marriage, and offspring, while others seek information on military achievements and wealth.
Banban sat down, cupped her little face in her hands for the shopkeeper to see, and asked, "Shopkeeper, can you tell my fate?"
The shopkeeper, who was about fifty years old and had a beard, looked her over carefully. "Is Madam pregnant?"
After these words were spoken, not only Banban, but even Ying Zheng began to take him seriously.
Banban, who had initially been joking, now hesitated and deliberately said, "No, shopkeeper, you must have miscalculated. I am still unmarried, why would you slander my innocence?"
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Madam, there's no need to be nervous. Whether a woman is pregnant or not will be reflected in her gestures, her gait, and her tone of voice. This is not something I can determine through divination."
"..." She was embarrassed. She said "Oh," and then asked, "So, can you tell my fate by looking at my face?"
The shopkeeper carefully examined her face, asked about her birth date and zodiac sign, and displayed a row of yarrow roots on the stone table.
He closed his eyes and pondered for a long time, then slowly opened them and said, "Madam, your destiny is noble..." He hesitated for a moment, "You are—"
Only then did the shopkeeper notice a tall, muscular man standing beside the woman. At just one glance, the shopkeeper was stunned.
This man has sharp, penetrating eyes and a noble countenance, a sign of extreme nobility, certainly not that of an ordinary king or nobleman.
Even dressed in snow-white brocade, his upright posture and unquestionable, light aura revealed his overwhelming power. Looking at the solitary peak between his brows, which was steep at the front and gentle at the back, it not only symbolized his extremely firm will but also his aloofness and suspicion as a lonely person.
The latter half, however, tends to be more moderate, as if it has been soothed by someone.
The shopkeeper's brow twitched violently, and his heart pounded like a drum.
The man lowered his gaze and fixed it on the shopkeeper. The two looked at each other from a distance of a few inches.
In that instant, the shopkeeper trembled violently, muttering to himself, lost in emotion, "Qian is Heaven, Fire over Heaven is Great Possession." Ultimate masculinity and power will eventually rule over everything and illuminate the world.
"What are you talking about? Why are you asking about other people's identities and how noble they are? Tell me quickly!" Banban urged him from the side.
The shopkeeper snapped back to reality, avoiding the man's gaze, and dared not conceal anything from the lady. "Madam, you are pregnant with a child, aren't you? Including the fetus in your womb, I have calculated that there are three beams of golden light piercing the sky. They are intertwined with your fate, providing each other with energy, and are inseparable."
"I saw a phoenix."
"Are you saying I'm a phoenix?" Banban asked.
"Indeed." The shopkeeper was about to say something more when he looked over the woman's shoulder and saw a large group of people kneeling behind her. He forced himself to remain calm and said, "They are of inestimable value."
“But, three golden lights… three?” Banban hesitated, unconsciously raising his head to look at his cousin.
My cousin is one, Zhao'er is another, and is the baby in her womb also one? How is this determined? Could it be that the second child is also a boy?
If it were a girl, would there be female rulers in this era? She hesitated and was extremely doubtful.
Never mind, regardless of gender, they are all her good babies.
She had just suspected him of being a fraud, but now that she was being praised so highly, she thought he was an unparalleled diviner. She asked Cong Yun for three gold ingots and gave them all to him, saying, "Since you said it was three golden rays, I'll give you three."
"Cousin, would you like to have your fortune told too?" Although there are countless fortune tellers in the palace, it's still novel to find one outside.
The shopkeeper, flattered and speechless, accepted the gold coins. Then he heard the man look at him and say, "Qian is Heaven, Fire Heaven is Great Possession. I've heard the same thing from others before. May I ask your name, shopkeeper?"
The shopkeeper honestly replied, "My name is Xia Xingshan."
"Xia?" Banban asked in surprise, immediately asking, "Do you know Xia Wuqie?"
Xia Xingshan was slightly taken aback. "My son's name is indeed Xia Wuqie."
“Great! Xia Wuqie is with my cousin right now. I like his father. Let’s take him with us!” Banban shook Ying Zheng’s arm affectionately.
"You like whoever praises you," Ying Zheng said irritably.
"I want to keep him by my side as a diviner, to help me judge people!"
Xia Xingshan finally confirmed who these two people were. His son had previously written to him, explaining that he was currently serving in the Qin Palace as the King of Qin's personal physician.
Listening to the conversation between the King of Qin and the Queen of Qin, his heart pounded and he swallowed hard.
"Very well, we'll do as you say." The King of Qin actually complied.
Xia Xingshan's heart leaped into his throat, and he immediately stood up excitedly, "I thank Your Majesty and Your Majesty!"
Banban was slightly startled, her eyes widening.
Xia Xingshan winked at her from behind.
She turned her head instinctively, and was immediately startled, "...?"
Ying Zheng supported his wife's waist, carefully protecting her, and looked at the dark mass of people kneeling down, saying, "Your information network is so advanced."
The leading man was an older man, about sixty years old. He said, “I was unaware that Your Majesty had come from afar on an inspection tour. I have not been able to attend to Your Majesty and the Queen. I deserve to die for this.”
One by one, the surrounding vendors came out to kneel and welcome them, and for a moment, the scene was completely silent.
"Doctor Liyang, are you Qin Zhi?"
"Qin Zhi is indeed my name." Qin Zhi bowed down.
"Get up." A hint of annoyance appeared between Ying Zheng's brows. "The King and I came here for a visit, not for any kind of pomp and circumstance."
Qin Zhi did not get up, because he still had something to advise him: "How can Your Majesty treat yourself like a child's play? When you travel, even with the Queen, there should be a grand procession and a large number of elite guards to protect you. Commoners should give way and kneel down. Only in this way can all dangers be eliminated."
Muttering to myself, what else is there to play?
Did Ying Zheng not value his life? Not entirely.
However, he would not tell others that he was out traveling. He had a large number of attendants and guards with him in secret, and there were also Qin soldiers and marquises outside Liyang City. They were just waiting for an emergency in the city to be signaled by smoke, so that they could break down the gates directly.
He's not stupid.
Qin Zhi wasn't stupid either.
I heard that someone who looks like the King of Qin has arrived, so he led a huge crowd of people to kneel and greet him. Is he the King of Qin?
He must have already verified it, and may have even seen the Qin soldiers outside the city.
In this way, his purpose in offering these seemingly plausible but ultimately misleading words of advice becomes quite obvious.
Ying Zheng wasn't buying it.
He admired simple and unpretentious ministers and disliked empty formalities, finding them extremely hypocritical.
If Li Si were here, he would only kneel down in admiration and flatter him, saying, "All under heaven are subjects of the king. How could there be any danger for the king to relax in his own home? This shows that the king loves his people."
He knew the King of Qin wasn't a fool; he wouldn't risk his own safety by saying those things. Why not just praise him instead of pretending to be a loyal minister?
Seeing that the King of Qin was displeased, Qin Zhi dared not show off any longer and quickly got up to follow behind him.
"It's getting late, let's head back to Xianyang." Banban felt that staying was pointless, so she might as well go home. "Xia Xingshan, you come along too. I'm sorry to trouble you to ride in the same carriage with the servants for now."
Xia Xingshan followed along eagerly, his bag full of divination tools, nodding repeatedly in agreement, "No, no, it's not unfair."
"Oh, by the way, Qin Zhi, the King and I just saw some unscrupulous merchants selling fox meat. You must keep a close eye on them and not allow them to sell fox meat indiscriminately."
"Your subject obeys." Qin Zhi hurriedly bowed in response, and then listened to the Queen explain in detail the dangers of wild game, and that if he were to sell it, he must identify which ones were edible and which ones were not.
Ying Zheng was pleased to watch his wife directing those people to work around, and he thought she was like a busy bee, turning back and forth, and her concern for the people and children was very beautiful.
As dusk began to fall, the group set off back to Xianyang.
Liyang and Xianyang are neighbors, not far apart. The journey there was quiet, but the palace was packed with people waiting to greet us on our return.
Ying Zhao clenched his fists so hard that he shouted loudly when his father and mother didn't come down: "Father and Mother have left Zhao'er alone in the palace without even saying a word!"
Its posture resembled that of a little tiger with its fur standing on end.
Banban felt guilty. "That's because my baby still has to study. Your father and I brought you some delicious food, look!" If she told him, wouldn't he insist on going with her? A romantic getaway for two shouldn't involve the child.
Yun took out the steaming hot rice cake from the bag. This item was wrapped in oiled paper and placed in a heated stone. It did not cool down even after an afternoon.
Ying Zhao peeked at the golden rice and wheat, "What is this?"
"I knew you'd never eaten this before. It's something your mother and father ate when they were young. Why don't you try it?"
Cong Yun smiled and fed him by hand.
Ying Zhao hesitated for a moment, then took a bite. The salty and savory flavor instantly filled his nostrils, and his eyes lit up immediately: "Mmm! Delicious!!"
"..." Ying Zheng was speechless. "Whatever you haven't eaten is delicious."
The mother and son are cut from the same mold.
Upon returning to the Qin palace, Ying Zheng immediately summoned Xia Wuqie.
Xia Xingshan had already dressed and groomed himself with the help of palace servants, and changed into proper clothes. However, at this time, a man's beard was more important than his dignity, and he could not shave it easily, so he kept his beard.
Speaking of beards, Ying Zheng also had a beard, but he shaved it off because he didn't like it.
Qin men would grow beards and cultivate them from their teens. They disliked the prickliness of the beard when kissing, so whenever there was a sign of beard growth, they would carefully trim it themselves.
No one dared to ask, "Why doesn't Your Majesty grow a beard?" After all, no one had ever seen him grow one. If he was born without a beard, asking would be an offense.
Besides, this beard not only pricks my mouth, it pricks... other places too.
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Author's Note: We had guests today, so there was no extra chapter, but this chapter is a little longer, with 5,000 words! Mwah!
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