The shameless Guo Kai "took the poop three times in a short period of time."
Ying Zheng was furious.
He did not directly express his anger. General Huan Yi and Wang Jian returned to Qin, and the group had a long talk in Chengzhang Hall.
It is said that when Huan Yi came out of the palace, his clothes were soaked, and he almost fell when he stepped over the palace gate. Fortunately, Wang Jian, though old, was still strong and helped him up in time.
"Did you insult Huan Yi?" Banban advised. "Li Mu is a talented general, and Huan Yi was once invincible. He did underestimate his enemy, but we can't erase all his past achievements. Cousin, you can't be too harsh on them."
“If I had reprimanded him in court, he wouldn’t have reacted this way. He only acted this way because he felt guilty and fearful.” Ying Zheng slammed the memorial heavily on the table. “Zhao Qian’s enfeoffment of Li Mu as Lord Wu’an is most shameful for Huan Yi.”
In this attack on Zhao, the Qin army split into two routes. Wang Jian's Qin army advanced like a whirlwind, winning every battle, while Huan Yi's army fell into Li Mu's trap, suffering a great loss, with countless Qin soldiers killed and losing face.
Ying Zheng believed that he had done his duty as a monarch by suppressing his anger. He was a man who held grudges and would get back up wherever he fell, and he would never leave room for others to mock him: "Next time we attack Zhao, Huan Yi must return to the battlefield, not only for me, but also for the Qin Dynasty to regain its lost face."
Upon hearing this, Banban suddenly understood. No wonder General Huan Yi was sweating profusely, his clothes soaked through. With the King of Qin making such a demand, he must have felt immense pressure and even worried that he might lose his life if he suffered a second defeat.
“No,” Ying Zheng began to ramble on, like a still somewhat impetuous young man. In front of his wife, he always showed his most authentic self. “We cannot allow Zhao to catch its breath. We must take Handan as soon as possible!”
"Zhao cannot withstand Qin and must seek external assistance. At this time, Qi is the best ally." The Queen of Qi is a princess of Qin, and the King of Qi has always adhered to a pro-Qin policy. "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. Qi will probably hesitate. Whether Yang Man can persuade the King of Qi is another matter."
If the King of Qi chooses to send troops to aid the State of Zhao, Yang Man cannot be blamed.
The meaning of Banban's words lies in this.
“Then Zhao Qian is just daydreaming.” Ying Zheng sneered. “Even without Yang Man’s intervention, the King of Qi would never dare to oppose me, not to mention Yao Jia, who has already gone to Qi.”
The Qin army suffered some casualties and needed to rest. Recently, the number of patients at the Six Diseases Clinic has increased, and various problems have arisen, keeping Banban extremely busy.
This year's annual banquet was held in such an atmosphere.
Bu Xianglian helped Banban decorate her headdress, and looking at her reflection in the bronze mirror, she said with concern, "The Queen seems tired lately, perhaps because the end of the year is approaching and affairs are numerous."
"That rascal Huan'er has entered the palace to become His Highness the Crown Prince's study companion, so I have plenty of free time. If you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to ask me to come."
“It’s nothing more than the matter of the Six Diseases Hall,” Banban shook his head. “To be honest, Huan’er is still well-behaved. Don’t talk about him. It’s all because of the Crown Prince who has led him astray. The Crown Prince is almost three years old now, and the mischievous King and I often have headaches.”
"As for you," she felt a little embarrassed, but pretended to pat Bu Xianglian's hand and put on a kind and virtuous expression, "I have seen how hard you worked managing the Meng family in the past few years. You should take a rest these next few years. I am very pleased that you have this intention."
We were so familiar with each other's polite conversation, you flatter me, I flatter you, it wasn't very interesting, but what can I do when she's the queen?
She loves to act dignified and elegant.
Bu Xianglian waved her hand, "Look at what Your Majesty is saying. I only take care of a few people in the Meng family. How could I be as tired as Your Majesty?"
"Last year, my father-in-law remarried. My mother-in-law is easy to get along with. She is gentle, kind, well-educated, and good at managing the household. Although she brought a daughter with her when she entered the family, the child is so well-behaved and sensible that I envy her. Her life is incredibly leisurely."
Banban truly didn't know what kind of person Meng Wu's stepmother was, as she had never met her. Hearing Bu Xianglian say this, she couldn't help but feel curious.
The two talked for a while, and then the topic turned to the marriage between Geng'er and Li Menghua.
"I heard that the wedding date of the second young master of the Ji family and the young lady of the Li family is set for March next year. I was just talking to Meng Tian about it the other day. It's going by so fast. There are only a few days left until the New Year."
"Indeed." Banban smiled, without saying more.
She was young when she married Ying Zheng and didn't think much about it. Now, thinking about it more carefully, getting married so young, she must have had to consider having children. Li Menghua was only sixteen years old...
Giving birth too early is more harmful to a woman's body. Back then, my cousin loved her dearly and didn't want her to get pregnant too early, so he waited until she was twenty years old before she had a son. Other men didn't have my cousin's sense of responsibility.
But marriage is a joyous occasion, and it's really unreasonable to forbid people from getting married or having children; that would be too outrageous.
Given the current environment, anything she says would be considered unusual.
Bu Xianglian noticed the Queen's restrained demeanor and wondered to herself, "Could it be that the Queen doesn't like the Li family's daughter?"
What did Meng Tian say about how much the Queen liked Li Menghua?
...Were you teasing her on purpose?
Bu Xianglian's smile was about to crumble.
Just then, an announcement came from outside that His Highness the Crown Prince had arrived.
"Mother!!"
Almost at the same time, Bu Xianglian saw the Queen prop herself up on her arm, press her temples, and sigh softly.
"Mom, you're too slow! I've been waiting for you for so long. Don't you know it's cold outside? Mom did it on purpose! Mom, hurry up! Can I eat chili peppers later? I can eat spicy food very well now! I'm three years old this year! Three years old! There's a big difference between three and two years old. I'm not a little kid anymore, you understand!"
Before the person even entered, that earnest yet slow and endearing tone drifted in from outside, sweeping in like a gust of wind, leaving no room for obstruction.
Only after entering did the voice realize there were other people in the room, and the words stopped abruptly.
Bu Xianglian had already stood up when she heard the announcement, and now she curtsied, saying, "This concubine, Lady Bu, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Ying Zhao glanced at the queen, who had her back to him, and put on a serious expression with his hands behind his back. "Rise, madam, there's no need for such formalities."
He stood up, and immediately revealed his true colors, his tone forceful and surprised, "Are you Meng Huan's mother?"
"It is indeed me, Your Highness has excellent eyesight," Bu Xianglian praised with a beaming smile.
Glancing at the Crown Prince, she noticed his hands waving haphazardly behind his back, revealing his undisguised liveliness and restlessness. Her smile deepened uncontrollably, and she lowered her head to conceal it.
"Oh." After asking the question he wanted to know, he fell silent again.
He jogged in a few steps, poking her several times with his short fingers, silently urging her on.
His temperament is somewhat similar to Banban's; he cares a lot about his image and wants to appear dignified in front of others, especially someone like Ying Zheng.
Everyone feared him; many people would kneel down in fear upon seeing him.
Ying Zhao felt quite proud of himself, and every time he saw his father, he would worship him like a little shadow, unable to shake him off.
Banban pinched his cheek, "Why didn't you go find your father? You even said I deliberately left you outside."
Ying Zhao struggled, his little hands flailing as he was being pinched: "Ugh! Mother, let's go quickly!"
It's not fun anymore once kids can speak fluently.
Han Fei did indeed stutter and was a quiet person. Ying Zhao was the opposite of him; he was talkative, loved to talk, and talked a lot.
They're still putting on airs.
For example, at this moment, she even knows to address her mother properly in front of others.
He is intelligent and has his own ideas.
Once inside the carriage, he spoke freely. It turned out that Ying Zheng disliked his son for talking too much and causing trouble, so he forbade him to follow him. Now that his son could run and jump without any restraint, he had no competitors in the palace and was practically a little king. Who dared to reprimand him? Even the King of Qin rarely punished him.
It's not good to always say that the child is too naughty and mischievous.
Ying Zheng could always give examples to prove that Zhao'er was not even half as naughty as he was when he was a child.
...After all, no one would dare to tie up a foreign prince, hang him upside down from a tree, feed him water, and arrogantly say: "In my opinion, the water will flow backwards, and what you said is not entirely correct!"
Compared to the young Ying Zheng, Zhao'er was much more obedient.
Ying Zheng also had his own considerations regarding which school of thought the child should study, and even said he planned to find him a Confucian teacher, since the Qin state was currently promoting Legalism, which was completely different from the national situation.
There were dissenting voices among the court officials, so he said that the various states were saying that Ying Zheng was afraid of Confucianism and regarded it as worthless, but this was just to cover up his fear.
How could he possibly listen to such words?
Han Fei, on the other hand, strongly opposed it, and went to see Ying Zheng every few days. Sometimes, when he got anxious, he would stammer several sentences in a row, and they would argue until their faces turned red and their necks were thick.
Banban pulled his son and said, "Don't refute either of them. Your father's decision is reasonable, and your teacher's words are also correct. However, in governing the country and cultivating oneself, one must combine Legalism and Confucianism, and neither can be lacking."
Ying Zhao pouted, "Mother, I'm very clever. I always pretend to be stupid at times like this!"
She quickly hugged her son and gave him a big kiss, saying, "You're so clever! You're truly a good son to your mother."
"Of course I am my mother's good son. My father also said that I am very much like my mother. So my mother must be very good at pretending to be stupid."
"..."
Why isn't Mother saying anything?
"He is naturally quiet."
"I made my mother lose face."
"???" Banban immediately pretended to tickle him, "How come you're so clever at such a young age? Are you doing this on purpose!"
He giggled from the tickling sensation, rolling around and snuggling into her arms.
In the main hall, the New Year's banquet began. Banban and Ying Zheng arrived together, surrounded by a sea of people. She made a point of looking around and noticed that Ying Zhao, as the only son of the King of Qin and also the Crown Prince, was sitting alone.
However, he must have gotten used to it and didn't know what it was like to have brothers and sisters. He followed the crowd, stood up and bowed, and after sitting down, he didn't look around. He obediently raised his head to look at his father and mother on the high platform.
The annual banquet was the same every year. Ying Zheng said some polite words, and then the banquet began.
Banban sat at the same table with her cousin, so close that they could whisper to each other.
"What important matter were you discussing just now, cousin? Zhao'er said you forbade him to come along."
"It's nothing, just the matter of attacking Zhao." Zhao'er couldn't sit still, asking for food and drink one minute, and loudly asking about any words he didn't recognize. "This matter should be handled quickly. After the New Year, I will take my cousin and Mother to revisit Handan."
“Zhao Qian is foolish. Guo Kai slandered him, implying that Li Mu and Sima Shang were plotting a rebellion. He was indeed hesitant and wanted to replace Li Mu. In this light, it seems that he deliberately made the title of Marquis of Wu’an to mock me.”
What great things can such a monarch accomplish?
Ying Zheng shook his head, a hint of disdain and mockery appearing on his face.
“Alas.” Banban hesitated. “This is truly the same fate as Lian Po, the veteran general in the Battle of Changping. It’s just a pity that Li Mu, such a talented general, could not find a wise ruler. No matter how much talent he had, he had nowhere to use it.”
Ying Zheng paused, seemingly lost in thought, "You think highly of Li Mu?"
Would he be willing to come to the Qin Dynasty?
“It’s hard to say,” Ying Zheng never had such a thought from the beginning. “Generals like this usually have a loyalty that is hard to judge, just like Lian Po, whom you mentioned.”
"In the past, he was replaced by King Xiaocheng of Zhao in the midst of battle, which led to the defeat. After Zhao Yan ascended the throne, he listened to Guo Kai's words of exclusion and dismissed Lian Po from his military post. Lian Po left in anger and went to the State of Wei. However, even though he was in the State of Wei, his heart was always with the State of Zhao."
"When our Qin army attacked Zhao many times, Zhao Yan remembered Lian Po and wanted to reinstate him. Lian Po actually wanted to go back," Ying Zheng recalled these ridiculous stories and sighed that Guo Kai was a really clever person. "Guo Kai then slandered Lian Po and bribed the Zhao envoy who went to pick him up. So the Zhao envoy said many things that were not good for Lian Po to Zhao Yan, and Zhao Yan gave up after hearing them."
"Later, when the King of Chu saw that Lian Po was frustrated and unsuccessful, he sent someone to bring him to the State of Chu. Lian Po was appointed as a general of the State of Chu, but he said frankly that he wanted to command the soldiers of the State of Zhao. Naturally, the King of Chu did not dare to entrust him with this task. He died of grief and illness while waiting for the King of Zhao."
"Lian Po traveled to three different states, and the blood of Zhao flowed in his veins. No matter how well he was treated or won over, it was to no avail."
Ying Zheng raised the question, "Li Mu and Lian Po are the same kind of people. What can be done if someone with such great talent cannot be recruited?"
"Isn't this blind loyalty?" Banban had never been on a military campaign and couldn't truly understand such feelings. "How can one serve a foolish ruler?"
But that wasn't what she was most interested in. Lowering her voice, she quietly asked, "Cousin, what did the Zhao envoy that Guo Kai bribed say about Lian Po?"
Ying Zheng did not speak immediately, but instead raised his hand to cover his nose.
Banban nudged his arm before he said, "When Lian Po received the envoy, he ate a peck of rice and ten pounds of meat in one meal, and put on armor to show that he was strong and healthy and could continue to lead troops into battle."
...?
Is it really possible for someone to eat ten pounds of meat in one go?
What kind of concept is "ten dou of rice"?
They were all dumbfounded.
"The envoy from Zhao reported back to Zhao Yan that although he had a good appetite, while chatting with the envoy from Zhao, he suddenly defecated three times."
Ying Zheng paused strangely halfway through his sentence, and then replaced it with a more euphemistic version of the story.
This means that he defecated three times in a short period of time.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The couple sat at the table without saying a word.
"Can you still eat?"
"No, it's impossible."
"It's all my cousin's fault."
"You have to listen."
After a while, Banban couldn't hold back any longer.
"No way, how could Guo Kai be so despicable???"
Ying Zheng: "Guo Kai is my beloved general."
"..." Did Guo Kai admit it?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Today, I went out with my family for the holiday and watched "A Writer's Odyssey Part Two." I won't comment on the plot, but the villain, the Red-Haired Demon, is a complete rip-off of Qin Shi Huang! Not just me, several viewers said, "Isn't that Qin Shi Huang?" In the story, the Red-Haired Demon is tyrannical, enslaving ordinary people and causing widespread suffering. He devours six other capable individuals, keeping them inside his body to provide him with a continuous source of power. Later, the protagonist rescues the six and they gang up on the Red-Haired Demon. Unable to fight back, the Demon chooses to commit suicide. I was completely baffled. He went in all smiles, and came out chillingly calm. [Serious.jpg]
I'm just sending out red envelopes to celebrate the holiday. I didn't update today either, but I'll be free starting tomorrow.
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