Ying Zheng immediately stumbled and almost fell to the ground.
Lu Li was also greatly shocked. Zhao Ji was dying?
He had never received any news before. It seems the Black Ice Platform monitoring Zhao Ji needs to be properly dealt with.
Ying Zheng scrambled onto the horse farm in a panic, his voice trembling as he said, "Quickly, to Yongcheng!"
The group then rushed to Yongcheng. Lu Li and Ying Zheng rode in the same carriage. He could see that Ying Zheng was completely panicked. His hands were scratching back and forth, and his eyes were unfocused.
Although Zhao Ji's past actions had broken Ying Zheng's heart, she was still his mother. They were bound by blood!
"Sir...my mother, my mother will be alright, right?"
Finally, Ying Zheng couldn't hold back any longer and spoke.
Lu Li sighed; he didn't know how to comfort Ying Zheng.
"Your Majesty, calm down."
Ying Zheng looked up at Lu Li, regaining some composure.
In his heart, Lu Li was like a pillar of strength; as long as he was there, Ying Zheng would not panic.
The carriage arrived in Yongcheng quickly. When the servants learned that the King of Qin had arrived, they all knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.
Ying Zheng got off the carriage and hurriedly went to Zhao Ji's palace.
The moment he pushed open the door, he saw Zhao Ji lying on the bed with her white hair, barely alive.
Ying Zheng looked at Zhao Ji in disbelief and walked step by step to her bedside.
"Mother...Mother Empress."
Zhao Ji then opened her eyes, and upon seeing that it was Ying Zheng, tears streamed down her face.
"Zheng'er... Zheng'er!"
Ying Zheng fell to his knees beside Zhao Ji, tightly grasping her wrinkled hand.
"You've come... Your mother thought she wouldn't see you again."
Zhao Ji spoke weakly, trying to reach out her other hand to stroke Ying Zheng's face, but she was too exhausted to move.
"Mother...Mother, please stop talking!"
Ying Zheng's eyes were red and tears streamed down his face. He was truly afraid of losing his mother.
Lu Li silently left the room, leaving the mother and son alone.
Ying Zheng held Zhao Ji and wept bitterly. He had endured far too much repression over the years, and he needed to release it.
"Zheng'er, my dear Zheng'er, your mother can't bear to part with you." Zhao Ji gently patted Ying Zheng's hand, her eyes filled with love.
"Mother, your son is unfilial."
"No, Zheng'er, I am already very happy that you came. In this life... I am sorry for you."
"Mother, please stop!"
Ying Zheng shook his head abruptly. He didn't want to hear Zhao Ji mention those sad things from the past anymore. Those were all dust in the past and there was no need to dwell on them.
"Zheng'er, do you still remember when you were little, your mother carried you as you fled the State of Zhao?"
Ying Zheng nodded heavily. When they returned to Qin, they were hunted down by the people of Zhao. Zhao Ji carried the nine-year-old Ying Zheng on her back all night.
At that time, she was not the Queen Dowager of Qin, nor was he the King of Qin.
The past events are still vivid in my mind, but the people I know have all gradually passed away.
"Mother, I remember, I remember!"
Zhao Ji forced a smile and said weakly, "Zheng'er, carry your mother on your back... how about it?"
Without hesitation, Ying Zheng immediately squatted down beside Zhao Ji and carried her on his back.
The two moved forward slowly. Zhao Ji leaned on his shoulder, a smile on her lips, as if she had returned to the past, to the scene of her fleeing with Ying Zheng.
With her last breath, she cried out, "Zheng'er, promise your mother you'll take good care of yourself, okay?"
Ying Zheng gritted his teeth and said, "Your son promises, Mother, your son promises..."
"That's good...that's good..."
Zhao Ji's voice grew softer and softer until it disappeared completely.
Ying Zheng stared blankly at Zhao Ji's closed eyes, and suddenly burst into tears.
"Mother...Mother!!!"
He screamed like a madman, while Lu Li stood to the side, his brows furrowed, his mood complicated.
After a long while, Ying Zheng regained his composure. He slowly stood up, turned to look at Lu Li, and asked, "Sir, is my mother... dead?"
Lu Li hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, please accept my condolences."
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng roared to the sky, his eyes bloodshot and bloodshot.
"I have no mother anymore... I am truly all alone!"
Lu Li remained silent, knowing that words were futile at this moment; the only option was to wait and let Ying Zheng slowly accept this cruel reality.
After a while, Ying Zheng calmed down and personally placed Zhao Ji into the coffin, then brought her back to Xianyang.
Meanwhile, preparations were already underway at Xianyang Palace, with white cloth and mourning garments hanging everywhere. All the ministers of Qin had received the news and, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt to welcome the arrival.
After returning to Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng did not sleep all night, and the next day he summoned Li Si and others.
"Li Si, announce to the world that the Queen Dowager of Qin has passed away, and Qin will not initiate any war within one year."
According to tradition, Ying Zheng should observe a three-year mourning period after Zhao Ji's death. However, with the unification of the world imminent, he could only observe a one-year mourning period.
A year is enough time for the Qin state to fully digest the territories of the Han and Zhao states.
"Here you go!"
"Meng Tian, tell Wang Jian that he doesn't need to come back, and to stabilize the morale of the army."
"Here you go!"
"All death row inmates in the Qin state will have their sentences postponed by one year!"
"Here you go!"
After arranging everything, Ying Zheng knelt before Zhao Ji's spirit tablet.
Lu Li did not appear; at this moment, he was dressed in plain white robes and looking at a map in his villa.
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