Chapter 19 Qin 19
Looking at the dense text on the bamboo slips, Zhu Qing'ai decided to scan them anyway, scanning one scroll first before trying to decipher the content.
Fortunately, the relevant books and scrolls are all kept together, so that the contents of a book or several volumes are not scattered around.
Zhu Qing'ai studied it for a whole day, and it made her feel that if she ever went to the modern world, she could use the pre-Qin materials to get rich.
She created a folder specifically for these materials, just in time to use them when taking online classes in the future.
****
When she first started taking online classes, 'Qin' did appear. Since both of them could see her, she didn't try to hide herself.
This time, the class took place in Ying Zheng's dream. As the main part of the dream, the scene was set in the small courtyard where Ying Zheng currently resides.
Outside the courtyard was the road he walked every day, and further away, a strange scene of broken pieces floating in the air appeared.
The sky was the same; in the courtyard, the spring sun shone brightly, but the further out you went, the darker the colors of the world became.
While adjusting the brainwave connection, Zhu Qing'ai used energy to stabilize the dream. Finally, she thought for a moment and secretly slipped her alias 'Zhao' into the dream as well, but 'Zhao' did not appear in front of anyone directly.
Zhu Qing'ai appeared in the dream as 'Qin'. She stood outside the door with Ying Ji, and she naturally instructed Ying Ji to knock on the door, as if kings and nobles were born to serve her.
Ying Ji responded without hesitation. He stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard gate, even rubbing his fingers together in surprise, as the feeling of knocking on the door in his dream seemed almost the same as in reality.
However, considering that this was also a dream created by his motherland, Ying Ji was not surprised.
Ying Ji pushed open the door and walked in front, while 'Qin' followed behind him, only glancing up at the top of the building next door before entering.
Ying Zheng was in the courtyard looking at the familiar scene when a strange feeling of still being awake arose in him.
He had never had such a vivid dream before; he could see every single leaf swaying on the big tree in the yard.
The last time I entered such a wondrous dream was when I saw my great-grandfather in the Qin Palace. Every pillar in that hall, even the traces of time on them, were clearly visible.
Last time it was in the Qin King's palace, this time it's in his courtyard.
He looked at his great-grandfather with some doubt, and then made a guess when he saw the unfamiliar yet unusually kind woman behind him.
"Zheng'er, come here quickly, this is your great-grandfather Qin Ji." 'Qin' took light steps past Ying Ji, who was standing in front, and waved to Ying Zheng with a gentle and loving smile.
The gentle female voice was all too familiar; Ying Zheng instantly matched the face in front of him with the figure he had imagined.
Ying Zheng ran over to Qin with his short legs and stood naturally under her hand, so that she could easily stroke the top of his head with a slight raise of her hand.
Qin thought the little tuft on Ying Zheng's head felt pretty good, and couldn't help but touch it a couple more times.
"Didn't Mother say she might not come again?"
Ying Ji tried to ignore the awkwardness of sharing a title with his great-grandson and did not interrupt the conversation between the two people and the country.
“I’ve reached a small agreement with Zhao, and I will come to see you often in the future,” Qin smiled gently, then changed the subject to Ying Ji, “but your great-grandfather is different; he can only see you once a month in his dreams.”
Ying Zheng nodded, understandingly refraining from asking why his father hadn't come to see him. His motherland must have paid a price to allow the two of them to meet, and he couldn't push his luck and ask for more.
Moreover, his father was shrouded in mystery in his memory; he had no recollection of his father's voice, appearance, or anything else. It could be said that his father only existed in his mother's words, and he himself had no memory of him at all.
Ying Ji did not mention Ying Zichu. He cherished this opportunity so much that he would not be generous enough to give it to his grandson. However, if his grandson got such an opportunity first, he should selflessly give it to him and relinquish the opportunity.
His inner thoughts were unusually double-standard, yet when he looked at Ying Zheng, he tried his best to present the image of a loving great-grandfather.
Qin symbolically introduced the two to each other, then conjured up three straw mats and spread them on the ground. He chose one, knelt down, and watched as the two first became intimate before chatting about other topics.
"Zheng'er, what do you think is the right path for our Great Qin in the future?" Ying Ji asked a very straightforward question before starting his one-on-one tutoring.
Although he was very pleased with the bright child, he still wanted to confirm the other party's thoughts first.
Asking such a question at this age may be early, but it's not too early either. At this age, one is naive and impulsive, yet also the most genuine. Ying Ji wanted to observe Ying Zheng's personality first.
A person who initially has lofty ambitions is always different from one who later receives careful guidance and instruction.
Having such ambitions at a young age, and with his guidance, he is sure to become a gem.
Those who lack ambition in childhood are unlikely to achieve much in the future, no matter how much guidance they receive.
Such a person is more suited to a peaceful and happy life, while his son Zheng is destined to embark on a difficult path, eventually ruling the world!
Ying Ji did not have the ability to predict the future, but he had a certain confidence when he saw Ying Zheng. This confidence came not only from Ying Zheng but also from 'Qin'.
The fact that Zheng'er could see his motherland is already so extraordinary. If there hadn't been an unusual phenomenon, he would have been at least at the level of "the Heavenly Mandate of the Mysterious Bird descended to give birth to the Shang Dynasty".
Fortunately, there were no unusual phenomena, allowing his son Zheng to survive in the State of Zhao.
Qin was also concerned about this issue, but on the surface she remained indifferent. She raised her hand and conjured a scroll, staring at the words on the bamboo slips, nodding from time to time as if she agreed with the contents of the scroll.
Her ears were already perked up, her attention entirely focused on Ying Zheng, waiting for him to give her an answer.
"Although I am in a foreign land, I have heard of your great ambitions from your teachings. If I have the opportunity to return to the country, I will definitely follow in your footsteps, sweep across the six kingdoms, and unify the world!"
Ying Zheng was not afraid to reveal his ambition to Ying Ji. The fact that he saw his great-grandfather instead of his father in his dream already tells a lot.
His great-grandfather needed a qualified, ambitious successor, not a humble, polite, and courteous gentleman.
"Excellent! Excellent!" Just as he had expected, his great-grandfather clapped his hands and laughed heartily, and his motherland also showed a faint smile.
"It's good that you think this way. Your great-grandfather will come to teach you the way of being a ruler at this time every month from now on. Don't let down your motherland and your great-grandfather's expectations."
With a wave of his hand, Ying Ji conjured up a pile of books and said, "Your teacher will naturally teach you what's in the books. What I want to teach you is about politics, about people's hearts, about governing subordinates, and of course, about the forbearance you had in your youth."
At this point, he sighed and looked at Qin: "Presumably, you sent Zheng'er to see me because Zhu and Zichu didn't have much time left, right?"
Qin looked up at Ying Ji and nodded slightly: "Both of them are destined to die young, but I cannot accurately predict how many years they have left."
She thought for a moment, but decided not to tell Ying Ji that his son had died just three days after his official coronation, nor did she mention that Ying Zichu had also died young after only three years on the throne.
Let's not provoke Ying Ji. What if we upset him so much that he leaves prematurely?
Three power shifts within five years—who can withstand that?
Ying Ji's expression was somewhat solemn, but it quickly dissipated: "Regardless of their fate, it is ultimately their own. It is a blessing that I have the opportunity to see my motherland and Zheng'er before I die. If we seize this opportunity, my Great Qin may become even stronger."
As he spoke, Ying Ji handed Ying Zheng a scroll and gestured for him to read its contents.
"This is a scroll of letters that my great-grandfather once reviewed. You can take a look at it and give your opinions..."
The scene of an elderly person explaining something to a young child is particularly heartwarming.
After watching for a while, Qin's figure faded away, leaving them in place to impart the ways of being a ruler.
****
When 'Qin' reappeared, she was on the roof of a house next door, her gaze fixed on the broken, floating debris of the building in the distance.
"Why are you standing here? Aren't you going over to see what's going on?" Anyway, Ying Ji and Ying Zheng have already met you.
Zhao gave a soft snort and said, "I won't go and bother you. But why are you here looking for me when you weren't even watching?"
Qin tilted his head slightly, finally focusing his gaze on Zhao: "I'm becoming more and more curious about your thoughts."
Suddenly, Zhao said out of the blue, "Back when we were born one after the other, we even had a period of peaceful coexistence."
"...That only applies to you and me; friction is bound to occur between neighboring countries."
Zhao scoffed, "Hmph, yes, Qin and Zhao are both of the same surname, Ying, so why did things come to this...?"
This question wasn't directed at 'Qin,' nor at herself. She had long understood that wherever there are people, there is conflict, especially when the people are divided into two factions, and only unification can bring peace.
Even brothers can fall out over dividing the family property, let alone relatives with the same surname.
"Since the Zhou dynasty established its fiefdoms, hundreds of states have been established, but only seven of us have been born with consciousness and are still alive today. You have devoured the Zhou dynasty, so even if it is restored in the future, it will have no national consciousness. Do you really think you can have the last laugh?"
Qin smiled confidently and arrogantly, and without any modesty, she retorted, "Why not?"
“You know I’m not talking about just a few of us, I’m talking about… somewhere much farther away.”
“The closer ones, the Quanrong, would occasionally raid the border from the south; the more distant ones weren’t even on this land.”
"If the world is truly in a state of constant unification, can you really survive to the end?"
At this moment, Zhao asked these questions with utmost calmness, not as if he were facing an enemy country, but as if he were asking an old friend if he had the confidence to carry on with their desire to live... to live.
Qin's smile remained unchanged: "Of course I can!"
She took a small step forward, staring into 'Zhao's' eyes, her tone firm and powerful like a drawn blade: "On this land, on this planet, there will only be one will, and that is Qin!"
"Hahaha, I should have known! You Qin people have always been wolves in sheep's clothing! Amazing!"
Qin suppressed his sharp aura and smiled shyly and gently at Zhao: "Thank you for the compliment."
A note from the author:
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Did I say Zhao wasn't a villain? (eyes shift) They both belong to the same social class, and their relationship is quite complex. In short, they aren't absolutely hostile, although they often fight to the death. (eyes shift)
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The phrase "ambition of a swan" first appeared in the "Discourse on the Demeanor of a Scholar" in the *Lüshi Chunqiu*: "The spirit of a fine steed and the ambition of a swan resonate with the hearts of men; this is truly sincere." The *Lüshi Chunqiu* was compiled by a group of scholars, which suggests that this idea already existed at that time.
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