Sword Dance and Dancing: "So, it was lust that got the better of you."...
Banban dreamt of the day after Ying Zheng ascended the throne and together with Meng Ao suppressed the Huayang Palace Coup. Bathed in the lingering smell of blood in the air, he lifted her high up, and the two of them looked down on the entire Xianyang Palace from a high platform.
Both smiling faces showed the same excitement.
When he woke up, it was still dark, and he was sleeping peacefully in her arms.
Banban gently stroked his long hair and the back of his neck. He didn't wake up. Subconsciously, he tightened his arms around her waist, his cold face pressed against her chest.
...This area, which was already soft, was squeezed into an arc by his face.
She gradually fell asleep again.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but it was probably around the time of the morning court session when she vaguely sensed her cousin getting up and kissing her forehead before leaving.
Once she was fully awake and it was broad daylight, she had someone carry the little princess to the inner palace. The mother and daughter played on the bed for a while before she got up.
In May, Ying Zhao's fifth birthday was celebrated in a grand manner.
The clothes he wore today were personally tailored by Banban. It took her more than two months to finish them. She was very slow, and sometimes when he came to pay his respects, he would see her making clothes.
He was very opinionated; he had his own aesthetic sense regarding what colors and patterns he wanted to wear. While Ying Zheng favored black, his son was the complete opposite, liking anything flashy and colorful.
Not only do they like it, they also like to give orders and point fingers.
“Mother, I should wear a bright red robe for my birthday, it’s festive.”
"This color isn't red enough, I don't really like it."
"This pattern isn't as nice as yesterday's. Shall we go with the fabric we looked at yesterday?"
But as flashy as he may be, this kid has a great sense of style and knows how to dress well. According to the eunuch in his room, everything he wears, accessories, and jewelry is his own idea.
In this respect, he's just like his father, who's even a bit obsessive-compulsive. He not only likes things that are beautiful and pleasing to the eye, but also insists that they be arranged neatly and not messy.
Banban didn't care about such things. She often grabbed and put things away haphazardly, and then she couldn't find the items she wanted. Fortunately, the palace servants cleaned and tidied up every day.
After changing into a bright red robe, Banban squatted down, tugged at his sleeve, and cupped her face in her hands, saying, "My precious little prince is as delicate as a carved jade."
Ying Zhao raised his hand to touch his headdress, grinned, and revealed a small canine tooth on one side.
Feeling smug, he ran over to his younger sister, wanting to pick her up. "Xing Shu, today is your elder brother's birthday. Happy birthday!"
Little Xing Shu struggled, his little hands flailing wildly, and he slapped him twice.
"Ah~ Ah~" He plunged into the baby cradle and forcefully sucked on the baby's cheek.
Banban remained silent, and You Congyun went to help her with her dressing and grooming.
With the prince's wet nurse watching over them, the brother and sister played happily. Qian Yin helped Banban to style her hair, saying, "This servant hasn't styled the Queen's hair in a long time."
Banban still liked Qianyin very much, and praised her with some nice words, "The palace maid who is currently combing my hair is called Kui, but she can't do it as well as you do."
Qian Yin smiled shyly, pursing her lips, while Cong Yun chimed in with a few jokes.
"How are you doing? Is Xu Jinghe treating you well?" Banban asked. "Tell the truth, don't hide anything."
"How could it be bad?" Qian Yin told me everything without any concealment. "Besides my husband, the Xu family only has one younger sister who is fourteen years old. She will be looking for a husband in two years. My mother-in-law and father-in-law treat me very well. My husband is often away on military campaigns. The four of us depend on each other for survival. There are no conflicts between us."
"Indeed, families with fewer members have fewer problems," Yun said.
“In wealthy and powerful families, there are seven or eight children. Once the men get married and establish their own households, several families live together. They fight tooth and nail over who should manage the household affairs. Who doesn’t want a say?”
"Tell me more, tell me more." Banban listened with interest, perhaps because she had automatically unlocked her love for stories of domestic intrigue and palace intrigue as she had reached a certain age. "How do they fight? Are they the kind where they don't allow other people to have children, and all the male fetuses are poisoned to death?"
Cong Yun paused for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Qian Yin, and both covered their mouths to chuckle.
"How dare you make fun of me! Tell me quickly!" Banban urged repeatedly.
Qian Yin recounted several stories she had heard during the reign of King Zhuangxiang: "Lady Xia brewed a fertility-enhancing medicine every day, which made her mouth bitter, but she couldn't conceive for a long time. This was because Lady Huayang had someone put something in her prescription."
"This eliminates the possibility of another woman becoming pregnant at the root. If she becomes pregnant and then has an abortion, many people may suffer the retribution of a stillborn child."
"There is another matter. When Lady Huayang was the Crown Prince's wife, she was not without pregnancy. It seems that she was given a strong contraceptive by the then Crown Prince's concubine, which damaged her health. She had menstruation for more than half a month in a row. The imperial physician carefully examined her and found that she had miscarried."
"King Zhaoxiang was furious and immediately executed his concubine and her entire family."
Cong Yun clicked his tongue, "King Wen was physically weak, and Lady Huayang's pregnancy was probably hard-won. It was probably her only legitimate son, but it was miscarried before it was even formed. King Zhao was naturally furious, as it was his grandson who was not born in time."
"Come to think of it, both King Wen and King Zhuang were in poor health, so it's a rare and wonderful thing that my cousin is healthy and strong." Banban sighed, feeling somewhat fortunate for Ying Zheng's diligence and studiousness in his childhood.
Cong Yun smiled and said, "Your Majesty is skilled in martial arts, but it seems that King Wen and King Zhuang did not have any outstanding achievements in martial arts?" She looked at Qian Yin as if asking for instructions.
“Indeed.” Qian Yin nodded.
Banban's feelings deepened, "It seems that all my children should learn martial arts."
"I'm already practicing martial arts."
The three turned around and saw Ying Zhao standing not far away. It was unclear how long he had been listening. The Crown Prince's wet nurse, holding Xing Shu, stood beside him. "His Highness the Crown Prince couldn't wait any longer and wanted to come in to find the Queen."
"When Xing Shu grows up, I will teach her martial arts," he assured her.
"That's great!" Banban joked. "You'd better remember this promise you made today, so you don't go back on your word later."
"I won't go back on my word." Ying Zhao ran over. "Mother, you look so beautiful today. Did you dress up so carefully because it's my birthday?"
"You say all sorts of things, how are you so smart?" Banban tapped his head in annoyance.
The group left Zhaoyang Palace and arrived at Zhangtai Palace, where they happened to see Ying Zheng and Li Si discussing matters under the corridor, with Wang Wan and Ji Chenghong standing beside them.
Ji Chenghong returned to the capital with Li Xin's army, presumably to report to the palace.
The crowd dispersed shortly afterward, and Ying Zheng walked over, admiring her for a moment before saying, "The Queen looks beautiful today; I am pleased with her."
“Of course, today we’re using the newly tribute eyebrow powder from Shu,” she said, shoving her daughter into his hands. “What were you talking about just now? I noticed that Wang Wan’s expression was off.”
Ying Zheng said, "With Yan destroyed, Chu will naturally be next."
Banban nodded. She remembered that her cousin originally wanted to destroy the State of Chu first. Among the states, only the States of Zhao and Chu were the strongest. If they could be destroyed one after the other, the rest would be no match for them.
If it weren't for Crown Prince Dan and Zhao Jia joining forces and angering him, he wouldn't have attacked the Yan Kingdom so quickly.
"The blood flowing in the veins of Lord Changping and Lord Changwen is from the state of Chu."
Lord Changping was a man of the Mi surname. His name was Mi Qi, and his younger brother, Lord Changwen, was named Mi Dian.
Upon hearing this, Banban was unusually caught in a moment of confusion and hesitation. "In the past, when we attacked other states, the Prime Minister never had any objections. He even greatly approved of my cousin's grand ambitions and frequently proposed good measures for attacking other states. Could it be that he has some objection and does not want our Great Qin to attack the State of Chu?"
“He has no objection.” Ying Zheng shook his head, “but…” In truth, a hint of doubt crept into his words.
Wang Wan believed that he was unwilling, and it would be best to avoid attacking Chu this time.
Banban said, "Lord Wang Wan's concerns are not without merit. Even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance, we should still take precautions."
Ying Zheng did not speak again.
Two months after Ying Zhao's birthday banquet, Ying Zheng suddenly moved Chancellor Changping Jun Mi Qi to Yingchen, the former territory of Chu, to pacify the people of Chu.
This was the most direct signal that he was about to attack Chu.
Banban lazily lay on his desk, casually fiddling with the memorials. "I think my cousin still wants to give him a chance and test his stance."
"The position of prime minister will be reserved for him. If he can calm down and appease the people of Chu, he will still be the prime minister of Qin. I will not make any other arrangements," Ying Zheng said. "He has done a very good job as prime minister over the years and has made no mistakes. I have no reason to dismiss him."
"What about Changwen Jun?" Banban suddenly remembered this person and said with a sneer, "He has always been a domineering and brainless person, living up to his name."
"..." Ying Zheng ruffled her hair. "Naturally, we'll observe the situation before making any plans."
Lord Changping thus took office in Yingchen. He was a relative of Ying Zheng, and Banban saw him off that day.
Ying Zhao waved to him, "Grand Uncle, I hope you return home soon."
Changping Junwen waved his hand at him and said, "Okay."
Coincidentally, today is Han Fei's birthday, and Ying Zhao went to play at the detached palace after returning home.
Banban and Ying Zheng ate dinner alone. As the weather turned cooler, they had someone make a "Crimson Snow Cloud" pastry. When cut open, the cream filling contained peach flesh. The two shared it together. After dinner, they played with their daughter and then sent her back to the side hall to rest when she was sleepy.
They would play music and sing when they had nothing else to do.
Banban has already mastered the Seven-Stringed Zither quite well. Most of the songs she has learned are lyrics taken from the Book of Songs. After singing them a lot, Ying Zheng can also learn a few lines, but he is not very good at singing.
While it's not exactly tone-deaf... it certainly doesn't sound good.
I can't sing, but I love to listen; I not only listen, but I also appreciate it.
"If you can't sing, don't comment." Banban covered his mouth. "You may not be good at singing, but your cousin Wu should be very good at dancing, right? Martial arts and dance have similarities."
"Sword dancing is fine." Ying Zheng became interested and pulled her into the courtyard to practice sword dancing.
"I composed a melody to accompany my cousin's song." Banban had the seven-stringed zither moved to the corridor. Her water-red dance dress swayed in the moonlight, and her long hair spread out, trailing on the ground like the finest satin.
Ying Zheng held his sword upright before his brow, the sharp blade seemingly slicing through his eyebrows and eyes. He suddenly opened his eyes and swung his sword, cutting through the autumn wind.
The movements lacked any of the graceful elegance of a noble sword dance; instead, each slash carried a ruthless ferocity that severed the lifeblood of the six kingdoms, showing no mercy.
Each string is pressed down, producing a deep, poignant melody, the fingertips seemingly both forceful and gentle.
A gust of autumn wind swept by, causing her wide, light red sleeves to flutter loudly.
Ying Zheng swiftly severed the slightly withered branch with a backhand stroke. As he turned, his jade pendants clattered, producing a clear and melodious sound. The branch and the gauze split apart. He abruptly stopped, the tip of his sword hovering above the bronze candle. The flame was cut in half, trembled for a moment, and then reignited.
The flickering flames reflected the lingering smoke in his pupils on the spine of the sword.
This is hardly a sword dance.
Banban quickened the pace of her plucking the strings, keeping up with his imposing aura.
Finally, the Qin King's sword was slammed heavily onto the floor tiles, instantly creating a layer of cracks resembling a tortoise shell.
He immediately sheathed his sword and turned to look at the people under the corridor.
Her music faded away, and the wind seemed to stop. In this scene, she smiled brightly and said, "The swordsman and the dancer are indeed a perfect match."
"My cousin is so handsome and extraordinary, I'm really smitten."
Ying Zheng gazed at her for a long time before saying, "The red dance dress truly suits you."
"Of course!"
"Me too, me too! It's your turn to play the zither!" Banban couldn't wait to get up and shove him to the corridor to play the zither.
He doesn't know how to play any instruments. He did compose a couple of pieces in his younger days, which were all for her to dance with. He hasn't played for a long time and has become quite rusty.
Banban danced for him countless times, but she never danced with him in public. She danced only for her own amusement, and as the strings of the zither were plucked, she danced gracefully.
As she was about to rest, she didn't do much makeup or hair. Her long, black hair, like a waterfall, was simply tied up with a jade hairpin, with a few strands falling around her cheeks and swaying gently in the wind.
The long sleeves are thrown out like a white rainbow piercing the sun, or flowing clouds swirling like snowflakes; the movement of the sleeves and the movement of the sleeves combine strength and gentleness.
As the music quickened, her dance steps also accelerated. With a rapid spin, the jade hairpin suddenly fell off, and her long, black hair cascaded down, enveloping her.
After the dance, all the steps came to a graceful pose gazing at the moon.
Banban was breathing slightly, her gaze following the moonlight.
She was enveloped in the moonlight, with fallen leaves at her feet and her hair like dark clouds at her temples. Bathed in the moonlight, she seemed like a goddess from heaven who had fallen to earth, as if she might fly back to heaven at any moment.
She pretended to pose beautifully for a long time, but didn't hear her cousin praise her. She turned around angrily, ready to scold him.
He was standing just a foot behind her, and she had no idea when he had walked over.
She was startled, her heart pounding. Regaining her composure, she raised her voice and snapped at him, "Cousin!"
"Come back inside with me, it's cold outside." With that, he picked her up in his arms without further ado.
"???" Banban was stunned for a moment. "Was my dancing good or not? Why don't you say so?" The topic changed too quickly. She had praised him several times when he was practicing his sword dance.
"That's wonderful." Ying Zheng carried her all the way back to the inner room. "Go to sleep."
"..." She punched his chest hard several times, it turned out she had been lustful.
She reached out and pulled down his pants.
Ying Zheng: "That's not what I meant."
"Don't pretend to be so serious." Banban glanced at his lower body. She didn't mean anything by it, so why did it suddenly change shape after just one touch? "You're not allowed to move today. I'm going to do it myself."
Ying Zheng: "Ah."
Not satisfied with just talking, she simply got out of bed barefoot, retrieved her hair ribbon, and tied him, who was lying on the bed in disheveled clothes, to the side of the bed. "You are not allowed to struggle, and don't ruin my hair ribbon."
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Author's note: No extra chapters today, taking a break.
I'm shocked... My darlings, the nutrient solution has reached 32,000! Does anyone understand? I only managed to add 21,000 chapters, and I still owe eleven chapters! I remember before I started adding chapters, I only owed seven. Is this some kind of predatory loan? How did it snowball?! I can't take it anymore, I really have to stop for now. I won't add any more chapters; I need to finish paying off those eleven first. [wiping tears.jpg]
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