Unwavering loyalty: "Mandarin ducks are not birds of unwavering loyalty."...
On June 13th, Banban officially finished her postpartum confinement period.
Li Si sent a letter back from Hangu Pass. She couldn't wait to come out and happened to see Ying Zheng reading it:
"I have heard that the officials are discussing expelling guests, and I believe this is a mistake."
Almost the instant she heard those words, Banban recalled a text she had learned in her past life, and her mind automatically went: "In the past, Duke Mu sought out talented men, and in the west he acquired You Yu from the Rong, and in the east he obtained Baili Xi from Wan..."
It turned out to be "A Letter of Advice Against Expelling Foreign Guests".
It tells the story of Li Si's remonstrance against the King of Qin's order to expel foreign guests, citing examples of how Duke Mu of Qin employed You Yu and Baili Xi, Duke Xiao of Qin employed Shang Yang, King Hui of Qin employed Zhang Yi, and King Zhao of Qin employed Fan Sui.
None of these four men were from Qin, yet they played a crucial role in the rise of the Qin state.
As Ying Zheng read on, he laughed out loud, “Expelling foreign guests to enrich enemy states, harming the people to benefit enemies, weakening the state internally while making enemies of other states resentful, it is impossible to ensure the safety of the state.”
"Its logic is rigorous, its parallel structure elaborate, and its language sharp; I have never heard of anything like it before." Ying Zheng laughed, leaning on his desk, unable to contain himself. "Regardless of right or wrong, those who are not from Qin shall leave, and those who are guests shall be expelled."
"How dare you warn me!" Though he said this, he was clearly laughing heartily.
This shows how much he liked this letter advising against expelling foreign guests.
"Go, Qin Ju!"
Qin Ju hurriedly bowed and entered, and then heard Ying Zheng say, "Copy this book hundreds of times and send it to all the officials for their review. Tell them that I do not know how to respond and ask for their help."
"How could anyone possibly remember?" Banban pouted. If someone did, it would be another text from her textbook, one she had already studied.
"You don't understand. Those people are very stubborn. They won't give up until they're completely defeated. The Zheng Guo Canal is now a pile of dog shit, and no one is willing to admit their mistakes. They just don't want to acknowledge that foreign officials are more useful than them."
Banban was slightly startled; it was the first time she had ever heard her cousin use such vulgar language. She was incredibly surprised. "Cousin, they've really angered you."
She quickly went around to him, patted his chest, and said with concern and anxiety, "Don't be angry, don't be angry. Getting sick from anger will leave you with no one to take your place."
Ying Zheng grasped her hand. "What a slang term! Concise and witty."
"Tell me if it works or not?" Banban stroked his eyebrows and eyes, then leaned down and lightly kissed his cheek. "It even rhymes."
“If every line of your poetry rhymed, that would be amazing,” he said seriously.
Nothing interesting, so she pouted and rolled her eyes at him.
Then she changed the subject, "Now that the position of Prime Minister is vacant, has my cousin thought of a successor?"
Not only was the position of prime minister vacant, but there were many vacant official positions in the court, as many were created after the expulsion order.
"Changping Jun".
"Lord Changping?" Mi Qi was astonished. "Lord Changping is a prince of Chu." Wasn't it only with great difficulty that he managed to wipe out the Chu faction?
“There isn’t a good candidate for prime minister right now, and we can’t choose one anyway, so we can only choose someone who won’t make a mistake.” Ying Zheng said helplessly. “After Empress Dowager Huayang passed away, she handed over a group of people to me.” He had already digested the information and was able to control the situation. “Let Lord Changping serve as prime minister for now.” “I thought my cousin liked Li Si very much and would want him to be prime minister,” Banban said casually, resting her chin on her hand.
“He’s not qualified enough, and his temper needs to be tempered; he’s too arrogant.” Ying Zheng frowned slightly. “Besides, it would be too conspicuous to bring him up right after the order to leave was rescinded.”
"Does your cousin think there's something wrong with him?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
Ying Zheng said something completely unrelated: "My preferred candidate for prime minister is actually Han Fei, what a pity."
"..." You haven't forgotten him yet, even after all these years.
Is it the white moonlight?
The domineering CEO's white moonlight might not be a woman, but a beloved subordinate, a delicious sashimi, or something else entirely.
Thus, the appointment of the Prime Minister of Qin was made, and Lord Changping indeed became the Prime Minister. This signified that the ministers had returned to the forefront, and as a result, the "Memorial on Expelling Foreign Guests" that the King of Qin had his ministers review did not cause much protest.
That night, the King of Qin withdrew his order to expel Li Si and reinstated him to his original position.
The following day, Crown Prince Ying Zhao's full-month celebration was held as scheduled.
The Queen's long absence from public view aroused the curiosity of many. This time, she stood beside the King of Qin, dressed in full regalia, with a dignified and approachable smile on her face. With her delicate features, fair skin, and graceful bearing, she was the most beautiful and charming woman in the world.
People below kept expressing their curiosity:
"Truly a beauty that could topple kingdoms, neither flower nor mist, a peerless beauty who walks alone in the spring breeze."
"The Queen's smile could turn the colors of the world to dust."
"The Queen's face is secondary. Only you stinking men are so shallow. What merit of the Queen is not more outstanding than her appearance? Now she has even given birth to the Crown Prince for Great Qin. If the position of Queen were not already the limit, she should be rewarded even more."
"Yes, yes, we have offended the Queen."
Looking at His Highness the Crown Prince, he was dressed in thin clothes in the summer, and was being held upright by his wet nurse, who gently supported the back of his head so that everyone could see his little face clearly.
This was the first time he had ever seen such a grand scene since his birth. He showed no fear whatsoever, laughing incessantly, waving his chubby arms back and forth, and looking around curiously with his dark eyes.
Not only that, he recognized his father and mother, and soon he opened his arms and cried out "ah ah" for his father to hold him.
Ying Zheng gave him face and symbolically hugged him for a short while.
The Ji family was showered with compliments from beginning to end. Madam Pang smiled constantly, her demeanor impeccable and flawless. However, when no one was around, she said a sorrowful remark to her son, Ji Xiu, "The good fortune that my Ji family has achieved is inseparable from the recommendations of Yue Ji and Ban Ban. It seems that Geng'er will also become a useful person."
"But apart from our family, all the other branches of the family are no longer here."
Upon hearing this, Zhu's eyes suddenly reddened. She had already escaped death when she left Zhao, and even Ji Hao was implicated and killed, not to mention Zhu's maternal family and Pang's maternal family.
In times of war, the lives of the powerless are not considered lives; they can be killed at will without any accountability. This was especially true for the Zhao state, which harbored deep hatred for the Qin state and wished to kill everyone associated with them.
As she left, Zhu saw that some people from the State of Zhao had erected a sign at the former site of the Ji family, with the words "Traitors of the State of Zhao" written in blood red. If the Ji family was treated like this, what about Ji Changyue, the "culprit" who married a Qin man?
The people of Zhao even staged many songs and dances, some of which portrayed Ji Changyue as a wicked monster who brought disaster to the country and its people. The monster took human form, seduced the human ruler, disrupted the court, and indulged in debauchery, ultimately leading to the destruction of the country. The monster's fate was to be beheaded.
Over the years, Banban has created many things that benefit the country and its people. Those people dare not criticize her for fear of arousing public anger, so they direct their anger towards Ji Changyue.
Ji Changyue was suffering greatly.
How could Pang not feel sorry for her daughter?
The family even came to hate the Zhao state, and had no feelings for them whatsoever.
"Let's not talk about that. Today is a good day, why make people cry for no reason?" Ji Xiu comforted his wife, wiping away her tears, and then carefully reassured his mother, "We've gotten through even the worst days."
"That unruly Geng'er is running around making friends all the time. You need to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't cause trouble for Banban." Madam Pang wiped her eyes and reprimanded Ji Xiu with renewed vigor.
Ji Xiu naturally agreed: "Yes, son understands."
After the full moon celebration, Banban sat cross-legged on the bed, counting the gifts one by one. "We're rich! We're rich!"
Ying Zheng, resting his head on his pillow, glanced at his wife's bewildered, money-grubbing expression and said helplessly, "Haven't you ever looked at the decorations in the storeroom before?"
How can you call this making a fortune when it's so little stuff?
“That’s different,” Banban said without looking up. “Those belong to us, to the Great Qin. These are all for my son, so they are for me.”
"He's still young. His mother keeps the gifts he received before he turned ten!"
"..." Ying Zheng simply moved his body and rested his head on her lap. "What about mine?"
"What's yours is mine too." Banban gave him a perfunctory kiss. "Don't delay me from settling accounts, don't say anything first."
King Zheng of Qin: Manually muted by the Queen.jpg
After she finally finished calculating the accounts, she was immediately pinned down and executed.
Banban thought that after so long without sex, her cousin would be impatient, but to her surprise, he just kissed and touched her, leaving a bunch of marks on her body, and then did nothing.
She was left breathless and confused by his kisses. When she came to her senses, she poked him with her finger and asked, "Is that all?"
"What's gone?" he asked.
"Why are you pretending to be stupid?"
Just a few days ago, it was buried in her chest, and she couldn't pull it off.
Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the baby who had just turned one month old.
He could only pat his wife on the back of the shoulder and say, "Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, just bear with it a little longer."
It's as if she's the one who's lustful?
Is that her?!
…While she is, he is even more so!
She angrily turned her back to him, and as soon as he tried to hug her, she pushed him away. This happened three times, until finally... she couldn't push him away anymore. He held her tightly in his arms and she couldn't move. Only her toes could swing a couple of times, making the string of golden bells jingle.
On ordinary nights, the ringing of these bells would match the rhythm of their breathing, but now it sounded like they were fighting.
The Li family moved back to Xianyang.
On the day they returned, Banban sent people to help.
As she watched her baby nurse and then close her eyes to rest, her hands started itching to embroider something. After several days of embroidery, she ended up with a mess that didn't resemble anything.
Ying Zheng was very displeased, saying, "You promised to embroider a tiger for me when we were young, but I still haven't seen it."
The tiger is his zodiac animal.
"I never said that." Banban said confidently, refusing to admit her mistake.
He immediately took out the evidence: a purse embroidered with a tiger's head in a crooked manner. The tiger's head had simple threads, and it looked exactly like a tiger-colored raccoon dog.
"Then I'll just have to keep wearing this."
"Threatening her?"
How embarrassing would it be if the court officials saw this and spread the word?
"I'll embroider it, calm down." Banban reached out to snatch the purse, but her cousin was too tall and she couldn't catch it at all.
"Give me!"
"This is mine."
Unable to get an answer, she had no choice but to give in, feeling discouraged. "Being a tiger is too difficult. Otherwise, I'll embroider a pair of mandarin ducks for you."
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng frowned and denied it immediately, saying, "I don't want to."
Are you a child?
Enraged, Banban launched a blatant act of slander: "Yuanyang is faithful and unwavering. You don't want Yuanyang; you want to take a concubine!"
"Who told you that mandarin ducks are faithful and unwavering?" Ying Zheng leaned closer.
She lost her balance and nearly fell off the veranda. Her shoulder hit a pillar firmly, and the next moment his strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her back into his embrace.
Banban was startled, but thankfully she didn't fall. Still shaken, she clutched her cousin's robe. "Mandarin ducks are monogamous. The male and female birds build a nest together and hatch their chicks. They are inseparable and very affectionate."
“Then you’ve misunderstood.” Ying Zheng chuckled and said slowly, “The ‘fidelity’ of mandarin ducks only lasts for one breeding season. When the breeding season comes the following year, they will each find new partners and will not rekindle their relationship with the previous mate.”
"Even more so, male birds will attempt to mate with other female birds while they are with female birds."
Banban was slightly stunned upon hearing this.
...? ? ?
Who! Who deceived her into believing in the unwavering loyalty of a loving couple?
It seems that this is how she remembers mandarin ducks.
“Wild geese are the most loyal birds,” Ying Zheng raised his eyebrows, leaned down, and pecked at the corner of her lips. “When we got married, I personally caught two and sent them to the Ji residence. Have you forgotten?”
Wild geese were indeed a symbol of betrothal and fidelity in marriage at that time. They were the most important betrothal gift among the six rites, and the groom was required to present wild geese to the bride to symbolize marital bliss and a long and happy life together.
"I think I remember now." Banban said honestly, somewhat bewitched by her husband's light kiss, and couldn't help but gently hug his neck and tiptoe to rub against his chin.
She was thinking of bringing the wild geese into the palace, but she soon forgot all about it.
She felt quite guilty and was easily coaxed into agreeing to embroider two wild geese for Ying Zheng.
Upon asking, they learned that the two geese were still alive.
The two went to visit the flower and bird room.
The palace servants carefully fed them every day. Two geese were eating side by side when they smelled the unfamiliar scent and both raised their heads, warily staring at the humans with one eye.
Banban reached out and quietly poked the plump rump of a goose. The soft feathers gave it an indescribable feel. Its feet were very similar to a duck's, and the color was also similar.
Ying Zheng was slightly startled and immediately grabbed her wrist. "You dare to touch anything? Do you think you can touch a goose's rear end? What if it pecks you?"
I've touched a tiger's backside, so what's a goose's backside?
Banban said, "It didn't move, so it shouldn't bite, right?"
The palace servants explained with a smile, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, these two geese have been raised for many years and have no wariness of people."
"It's fortunate that the Queen poked the male goose; if it had been a female goose, the male goose would have really pecked people."
What a novel way of putting it.
Banban wanted to touch it again, but the palace servant immediately stroked the goose's neck and head to prevent it from suddenly turning around and pecking at people.
I ran my palm along the goose's tail feathers a couple of times, then gently pinched it with my fingers. Surprisingly, it wasn't completely soft; it was warm and pleasant, with fluffy feathers, like carefully touching a dandelion.
"The mother goose has a very big belly, is she about to lay an egg?"
"Your Majesty has a good eye, indeed."
Even if she forgot about them later, the palace servants would still take good care of them if she wanted to raise them.
After returning home, Banban actually started embroidering wild geese. Perhaps because she had seen those two geese, she was moved and embroidered with extra care.
It took two days to finish embroidering one.
Ying Zheng found this strange.
These past two days he's been acting strangely, like he's been on steroids. When asked, I learned that he recently met someone he really likes and who is very talented. He's determined to recruit him and is therefore trying his best to be courteous and friendly.
She wanted to eat, wear, and use the same things as that person, and even wanted to sleep with him.
The man turned around and cursed him, saying, "The King of Qin has a high nose, narrow eyes, a chest like a bird of prey, and a voice like a jackal. He lacks benevolence and has the heart of a tiger and wolf. He can be humble and kind to others when he is in trouble, but once he gains power, he will surely trample on others easily."
"Although I am a commoner, he often acts as if he is inferior to me. How terrible is that? If the King of Qin really gains power over the world, everyone in the world will become his slave. Who would want to associate with him for long?"
He tried to run away after cursing, but Ying Zheng wouldn't let him go. He waited for him at the city gate and scared him half to death.
Regardless of whether the person was willing or not, he appointed him as the Grand Commandant on the spot.
Banban: "..."
She only said, "I can't stop you from wearing the same clothes as him outside, but change them immediately when you get back to Zhaoyang Palace, or don't come in."
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Author's note: I'm going out for a while, so I don't know if I can update again tonight. If there's no update by 11:30, then there won't be any.
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