Queen Mother Xia had been carefully observing Zhao Gao's expression.
Compared to the Queen Mother Huayang who had a smooth life, Queen Mother Xia was confused for a while because of her natal family after her son became the crown prince. However, during the more than ten years when she was out of favor, she was better at observing people's words and expressions than the Queen Mother Huayang.
Zhao Gao's sudden request for help even alerted the Queen Mother Huayang, and Queen Mother Xia, who had suffered many losses, became even more alert.
Zhao Gao's worries were real, but his panic also brought a strange sense of incongruity.
After all, Zhao Gao was still just a young man and could not deceive Qin Shihuang to the extent that later generations could.
Originally in history, Zhao Gao was still doing odd jobs in the palace at this age. He was appreciated by Qin Shihuang after he was thirty years old.
Now, because King Qin promoted the favorite minister in his dream ahead of time, he came to King Qin when he was not yet fully shrewd, but had greater ambition and gambling nature, and less patience.
Even Queen Mother Xia noticed the weirdness about him.
When Ying Xiaozheng's breathless cry for help sounded from outside, Zhao Gao's unconcealable excitement made Queen Dowager Xia's heart tremble violently.
Why are you excited when the King of Qin is in danger
Queen Mother Xia didn't have time to think about it, and immediately grabbed Queen Mother Huayang who was about to run outside and said, "Wait, the king will not put himself in danger."
Queen Mother Huayang said anxiously, "What are you waiting for? Zheng'er is so anxious that he doesn't care about his face. Either Xunzi beats him, or Zhu Xiang comes back."
She paused and said, "Xunzi is very polite and would not pursue him in the harem. Zheng'er must have done something bad to make Zhu Xiang so angry that he lost his mind."
Queen Mother Xia was stunned, and then subtly felt that she had lost.
Queen Mother Xia asked, "Why not Xue Ji?"
Queen Mother Huayang said with a confident look: "If it was Xue Ji, Zheng'er would not run away, but would kneel down and listen to the lecture obediently."
After analyzing the situation, Queen Mother Huayang pulled Queen Mother Xia up and hurried out: "It must be Zhu Xiang who has returned. Zheng'er will only run away when Zhu Xiang is scolding him. Even if Xunzi is so angry that he loses his mind, Zheng'er should just accept the scolding obediently."
Queen Mother Xia didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Why didn't the king accept the reprimand in front of Duke Xiang of Zhu? Duke Xiang of Zhu is the most indulgent to Zheng'er. He would not punish Zheng'er for trivial matters."
Queen Mother Huayang said: "It's just too indulgent. Even if Zheng'er knows that he is very wrong, he will not accept punishment obediently when facing Zhu Xiang."
Queen Mother Xia smiled bitterly and shook her head, actually feeling somewhat envious of her grandson.
The two queen dowagers ignored Zhao Gao and went out together without calling for palace maids to accompany them.
Zhao Gao's expression of excitement, which he could hardly conceal, froze on his face.
What's going on? What is Zhu Xianggong? What is connivance
He could understand every word the Queen Mother said, but why couldn't he understand when they were put together
Zhao Gao intuitively felt that there was something wrong with his judgment, but he didn't know where the problem was.
Just when Zhao Gao was confused, the two queen dowagers had already seen Zheng'er fleeing frantically.
Although Zhu Xiang had expended a lot of energy riding his horse all the way to Xianyang Palace, Ying Xiaozheng had also expended a lot of energy. Moreover, when people are angry, they will ignore their physical condition and exert extraordinary strength.
Ying Xiaozheng has been caught up by Zhu Xiang.
Zhu Xiang waved the scabbard in his hand, and Ying Xiaozheng dodged left and right, jumping and leaping, his movements becoming more and more skillful. The two of them circled in the small square in front of the Queen Mother's Palace.
Lin Zhi and Cai Ze had already stopped. Cai Ze kept holding his forehead and sighing. Lin Zhi kept pointing and commenting, and no one knew what he was saying.
Seeing the two empress dowagers come out, Lin Zhi and Cai Ze immediately bowed to them.
The Queen Mother Huayang waved her hands casually at Lin Zhi and Cai Ze, and walked over anxiously to protect Ying Xiaozheng: "Duke Zhu Xiang, let's talk it over. Zheng'er is already so old, how can you chase him and beat him in public?"
Ying Xiaozheng immediately dodged and hid behind Queen Dowager Huayang.
The corner of Zhu Xiang's mouth twitched.
Ying Xiaozheng had the nerve to complain that Cheng Jiao was too skilled at hiding behind the Queen Mother. Hasn't he been doing the same thing since he was a child
Lin Zhi laughed and mocked Ying Xiaozheng mercilessly: "Zheng'er's movements show that he has practiced for many years. Although they are a little rusty now, he will be proficient again after practicing."
Ying Xiaozheng, angry and humiliated, glared at Lin Zhi.
Cai Ze held his forehead with his hand: "Lin Li, please say less."
Queen Mother Xia also protected Ying Xiaozheng and asked, "Duke Zhu Xiang, why are you so angry?"
Zhu Xiang saluted to Queen Mother Huayang and Queen Mother Xia, and said with a straight face: "Zheng'er knew that Yan would send assassins to assassinate him, and he actually used himself as bait to trick the assassins into assassinating him in public."
Queen Dowager Huayang and Queen Dowager Xia's faces changed.
Zhu Xiang continued, "There were guards lying in ambush in the palace, but Zheng'er was brave and aggressive, and he refused to allow the guards to protect the emperor. He held a long sword and fought alone against three assassins armed with sharp weapons."
Queen Dowager Huayang and Queen Dowager Xia's faces darkened. They took a step back and grabbed Ying Xiaozheng's arms, one on the left and one on the right.
Ying Xiaozheng: “???”
Zhu Xiang said, "When assassins kill, their weapons should be poisoned. Perhaps all they need is blood. Zheng'er may be wearing armor, but what about his hands? What about his face? He's fighting three people alone. One mistake could lead to blood."
Lin Zhi and Cai Ze's expressions also changed.
The two took a deep breath, bowed and said, "It is my fault for not considering it carefully. Please punish me, Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother Huayang scolded, "Just dote on Zheng'er! Dote on him in everything! Dote on him even in such a life-threatening matter! Did the late king entrust his son to you so that you two could indulge Zheng'er without distinguishing good from bad? If you let Zheng'er decide everything, what's the difference between you two and the evildoer!"
The Queen Mother Huayang spoke without thinking, and her words were heartbreaking.
Lin Zhi and Cai Ze immediately knelt down and pleaded guilty again.
Ying Xiaozheng immediately said: "It has nothing to do with Uncle Lin and Uncle Cai... I..."
Queen Dowager Huayang and Queen Dowager Xia, who had a sullen face and remained silent, pushed Ying Xiaozheng forward.
Queen Mother Xia bowed slightly to Zhu Xiang and said, "Duke Zhu Xiang, you are the king's adoptive father and teacher. Please discipline the king well."
The Queen Mother Huayang took the scabbard from Zhu Xiang's hand and returned it to him: "I gave you this scabbard. Beat him!"
As the eldest mother and the queen mother, even if the King of Qin has already taken power, if the queen mother only scolds the King of Qin about family matters and the King of Qin respects the queen mother enough, the two of them can interact in private as the eldest mother and grandson.
In order to show their filial piety in front of their mothers or grandmothers, many emperors in later generations would kneel down and apologize when their mothers or grandmothers were angry, even when they were old.
Although Queen Dowager Huayang did not act like a great mother in front of Ying Xiaozheng, this meant that once she started to act like a great mother, Ying Xiaozheng had to give her the face.
What's more, there is not just one big mother here.
Queen Mother Xia said sullenly, "King, you should be punished."
Ying Xiaozheng: “…”
It’s over. Even the Queen Mother can’t save me
He closed his eyes and held out his hand: "Be gentle, I still have to correct the documents."
Queen Mother Huayang and Queen Mother Xia: "..."
Zheng'er's carefree attitude really opened their eyes.
Lin Zhi and Cai Ze were originally reflecting on themselves, but they almost couldn't hold back their laughter when they saw this scene.
The two men tried hard to turn down the corners of their mouths and leaned over neatly to make a gesture of kneeling in order to hide their smiles.
This is how Ying Xiaozheng punished Zhu Xiang since he was a child. If he could escape, he would escape. If he couldn't, he would act fearlessly, as if "I can beat you as much as I want if you don't change your ways."
Only Xue Ji would spank Ying Xiaozheng's little butt hard.
Zhu Xiang said with a sullen face: "Turn around."
Ying Xiaozheng: “Ah?”
Queen Dowager Huayang and Queen Dowager Xia were like helpers helping the executioner tie people up. They grabbed Ying Xiaozheng's arms and turned him around.
Zhu Xiang raised the scabbard and hit Ying Xiaozheng hard on the back.
Ying Xiaozheng, who would not frown even if someone hit him with a vase, jumped up and shouted, "Uncle, you really want to hit me? It hurts! I was wrong! Stop it, stop it!"
Queen Mother Huayang and Queen Mother Xia almost failed to hold down their jumping, big, brave grandson, Prince Qin.
Zhu Xiang slapped him hard a few more times and said, "Do you feel the pain now? When you face three assassins alone, aren't you worried about the pain? What if you get hurt accidentally? Xue and I raised you up, and you don't take care of yourself like this. Are you worthy of Xue and me?!"
Hearing his uncle's trembling voice, Ying Xiaozheng didn't dare to hide.
He said carefully, "I'm wearing armor and holding a long sword and fighting them. They can't hurt me, uncle... Oh, are you still fighting?"
Zhu Xiang cursed: "What if the assassin's aim was better when throwing hidden weapons and daggers, and they accidentally grazed your cheek or hand?"
Ying Xiaozheng said: "It's just a scratch... Ouch! Stop hitting me, stop hitting me, I know I was wrong!"
Zhu Xiang gnashed his teeth and said, "What if their hidden weapons and daggers are poisoned with a fatal poison?"
Ying Xiaozheng gasped in pain, but continued to be stubborn: "I thought I had never listened to Bian Que's lectures. There is no poison in the world that can kill people instantly when applied to weapons."
The Queen Mother Huayang and the Queen Mother Xia looked increasingly powerless.
Zheng'er, if your uncle scolds you, do you just talk back
The Queen Mother Huayang and the Queen Mother Xia did not know what a polemical person was, otherwise they would have sighed with Zhu Xiang that the title of "Ancestral Dragon" was probably a dragon that looked like a horizontal bar.
Zhu Xiang was also helpless: "You are right?"
Ying Xiaozheng turned around quietly and saw that his uncle was no longer very angry. He said, "I, I know I was wrong. I won't do it again next time."
Zhu Xiang asked: "Will there be a next time?"
Ying Xiaozheng quickly said: "I won't do that next time. There won't be a next time!"
Zhu Xiang threw the scabbard on the ground, reached out and grabbed Ying Xiaozheng's head, rubbed it hard, and rubbed Ying Xiaozheng's face crooked.
Seeing the tears of fear in Zhu Xiang's eyes, Ying Xiaozheng finally softened his hard mouth: "I was wrong, uncle, it's my fault. A gentleman does not stand on a dangerous wall. I shouldn't have fought the assassin alone. As a monarch, I should put my own safety first."
Zhu Xiang continued to rub: "You know it in your heart, but you just want to mess around!"
After Zhu Xiang calmed down, he guessed why Ying Xiaozheng was like this.
His nephew was a man who valued his reputation above all else. When he was young, he was not very good at hiding his feelings, and he often muttered things like "Damn the Crown Prince of Yan" or "Does the zither sound good?" These were things that any time travelers who understood certain allusions would be able to associate with immediately.
Ying Xiaozheng must be upset about being chased around the pillar by an assassin and now wants to save his face.
Is there any better way to wash away the stain on your face than to capture the assassin alone against three people
Zhu Xiang was really impressed by his nephew.
But Qin Shihuang had experienced so much hardship in his original history, and logically should have grown up to be a cautious person. However, it turned out that he was almost as "lively" as Ying Xiaozheng in his bones. What could he do
I hope this beating will really be of some use.
Ying Xiaozheng asked, "You don't want to fight anymore?"
Zhu Xiang: “…”
Queen Dowager Huayang and Queen Dowager Xia both sighed.
They first asked Lin Zhi and Cai Ze to stand up, and then complained: "Why do you feel that this beating is useless?"
Zhu Xiang said: "It will still take some time."
Queen Mother Huayang suggested: "Why not let Xue Ji take care of her?"
Ying Xiaozheng's eyes widened: "Mother, why is it so? I'm not injured!"
Zhu Xiang said, "No need. He is already the King of Qin, so we should give him some face. I have already beaten him once, so there is no need to punish him a second time. I will talk to Xue Ji and ask her to write a letter to reprimand him."
Ying Xiaozheng breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Zhi and Cai Ze exchanged glances.
Look, the one who doted on Ying Xiaozheng the most was Zhu Xiang. So Zhu Xiang himself was most responsible for Ying Xiaozheng's current state.
However, Zhu Xiang was really angry this time and he did not hold back when he hit Ying Xiaozheng on the back.
Zhu Xiang watched and burst into tears.
Ying Xiaozheng said nothing, and Zhu Xiang burst into tears.
Ying Xiaozheng muttered: "I knew my uncle would cry, so why did he beat me, ouch!"
The Queen Mother Huayang personally applied medicine to Ying Xiaozheng with a bit of force.
She couldn't stand this "unfilial" nephew anymore and scolded him, "Your uncle loves you, so you want to hurt his heart?"
Ying Xiaozheng quickly shut up.
He didn't mean to hurt his uncle's feelings, he was just telling the truth.
Queen Mother Xia was also helpless and said, "Zheng'er, please change it and don't disappoint your uncle."
Ying Xiaozheng had something to say: "Uncle won't be disappointed, right, uncle?"
Zhu Xiang, with tears in his eyes, glared at Ying Xiaozheng fiercely. You are so confident? !
Ying Xiaozheng raised his chin and said, yes, that’s it.
Queen Dowager Huayang couldn't help but poke the bruise on Ying Xiaozheng's back, and Ying Xiaozheng quickly shut up.
Lin Zhi sighed and said with a smile: "Zheng'er is like this every time he meets Zhu Xiang. I can't control him."
Cai Ze couldn't help but nodded.
Zhu Xiang wiped away tears and said, "I forgot about you two. Wait, I won't feel bad if I beat you up."
Lin Zhi and Cai Ze shut up immediately.
Cai Ze thought for a moment and said, "It is indeed my fault for not giving advice this time. I resign..."
"Get lost! Zheng'er is already injured, and you still want him to work hard?!" Zhu Xiang yelled, "Put away your little thoughts now and assist Zheng'er well!"
Lin Zhi put his hands in his pockets and said, "That's right."
Ying Xiaozheng also nodded. That’s right.
Cai Ze was speechless.
According to Qin law, he and Lin Zhi made mistakes, so they should be dismissed and asked to reflect on themselves. What does "your little thoughts" mean? He is just a normal person.
Queen Mother Huayang also said, "Cai Qing, you can't leave. If you leave, Lin Qing and Zheng Er will have no one to control them."
Queen Mother Xia had never interfered with Ying Xiaozheng before, but this time she couldn't help but say, "Let Cai Xiang be the prime minister. When Cai Xiang was the prime minister, there was no such thing."
Cai Ze: "..." This kind of thing didn't happen when I was the prime minister? Queen Mother Xia, can you tell me again with all your heart? Do you know how many times your good son sent troops to surround me? Zheng'er at least only messed with himself and not others!
Lin Zhi said, "I think so too, Cai Ze, what do you think?"
Cai Ze said: "No. I have been the Prime Minister for too many years. I cannot take the position of Prime Minister alone."
Ying Xiaozheng said: "Alright, alright, the position remains unchanged, I will fine you, and I will also fine myself."
He said to the two queen dowagers, "It is my grandson's fault that I frightened my grandmother."
Ying Xiaozheng has always been filial and kind to elders other than his uncle.
Queen Dowager Huayang and Queen Dowager Xia sighed a few times and reluctantly accepted Ying Xiaozheng's comfort.
Compared with Ying Xiaozheng's rebellious attitude in front of Zhu Xiang, they should be content.
Zhu Xiang scolded, "It would be better if you behaved so well in front of me and Xia Tong. If Xia Tong knew what happened today, he would definitely beat you up."
Ying Xiaozheng said: "With my father's physical strength, he can't catch up with me at all!"
Zhu Xiang flicked Ying Xiaozheng's head hard, just like he did when Ying Xiaozheng was a child: "Be careful that your father will come into your dreams and scold you at night."
Ying Xiaozheng covered his head and said, "My father only appears in your and your uncles' dreams. He has long forgotten about me, his son."
Queen Mother Xia's expression darkened.
She had also heard about Zichu appearing in her dreams, but not only did Zichu not appear in her dreams, he also did not mention her in the dreams.
Just like after Zichu left, she rarely thought of this son unless someone else mentioned it.
Although they are mother and son, they are also strangers.
Zhu Xiang said, "He hasn't forgotten you. He has shouted that he wants to beat you in the dreams of Lin Li, Cai Ze, and me. I'm afraid it's because he wants to beat you so much that your great-grandfather and great-grandfather stopped him from appearing in your dreams."
Ying Xiaozheng said: "That's true. If Great-grandfather and Great-grandfather were here, you wouldn't dare to hit me. Great-grandfather and Great-grandfather would even praise me for my good skills."
Zhu Xiang: "…" Who said I spoiled this child? King Zhaoxiang of Qin and King Renwen of Qin, you are the culprits!
The assassination of the King of Qin was originally a big deal, but because Duke Zhu Xiang suddenly appeared, entered the palace with a sword, and killed the assassin together with the King of Qin, this matter became a topic of conversation among the people in Xianyang City after dinner.
As for the rumor that the King of Qin was later hunted down by Duke Xiang of Zhu, it was only spread within a small circle of top aristocrats and was not dared to be told to outsiders.
The Qin kings of all dynasties were very vengeful. They would just laugh it off behind closed doors but would not dare to tell anyone about it.
I heard that the imperial physician was summoned to the Xianyang Palace, and the King of Qin did not summon his ministers to discuss the assassin the next day. It seems that the King of Qin was really beaten, and beaten quite severely.
Although it was difficult to understand why the King of Qin was beaten, if they thought that their naughty child was in his twenties and was still messing around and almost got hurt, they would understand the beating.
If their own children did such things, they would definitely beat them with the soles of their shoes and make them kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment.
The King of Qin was indeed an extraordinary person, but King Wu of Qin was even more extraordinary.
They were really worried that the Qin king, who was held in the palm of his hand by three generations of Qin kings, would die from another speechless "feat" like lifting a tripod.
Although Zhu Xiang beat him severely, he did it through his winter clothes and applied medicine in time. As a result, Ying Xiaozheng only had some bruises left on his face the next day and was able to work again.
However, Zhu Xiang seldom came back, and it was New Year's Day, so Ying Xiaozheng took a day off.
Zhu Xiang would also stay until Ying Xiaozheng's birthday was over before leaving.
Unfortunately, Xue Ji is very busy now and cannot come back. It will be next year before she can fulfill her promise to Ying Xiaozheng to "spend the first month of the new year together every year".
Ying Xiaozheng was curious: "Uncle, why are you back? Did Uncle Lin and Uncle Cai tell on you?"
After Lin Zhi and Cai Ze were beaten by Zhu Xiang, they were impeached by Zhu Xiang and sent to prison for self-reflection. During the self-reflection, the two had to bring their documents and could not delay their work.
Ying Xiaozheng slapped his thigh. I got it! It turns out you can do this!
Xunzi was still out patrolling the construction of schools and colleges and was unaware of the assassination of Ying Xiaozheng, otherwise Lin Zhi and Cai Ze would probably have been beaten again.
Duke Lian was almost half-undressed. He seemed to have decided not to go to war, but to stay in Zhao and transform it into the image of Qin as soon as possible.
Zhu Xiang did not dare to tell Lian Gong.
If Lord Lian got angry and beat Lin Zhi and Cai Ze, these two would probably have to lie in bed for a month.
Zhu Xiang said, "They didn't tell on me. I didn't know the envoys from Yan State came until I arrived in Xianyang."
Ying Xiaozheng's eyes flashed. Uncle, you only know that the envoys from Yan State are coming, and you know that they will assassinate me
My uncle’s little secret makes me feel itchy.
But even his father could endure it all his life without asking, so Ying Xiaozheng felt that he must be better than his father. He could endure it too.
Ying Xiaozheng changed the subject: "Is it for my birthday?"
He was just joking, of course he knew it wasn't because of this.
Zhu Xiang said: "I am doing this for the man called Zhao Gao."
Ying Xiaozheng was surprised: "Ah? Him?"
Although Zhao Gao was a bit presumptuous when he came to the Queen Mother to ask for reinforcements, Ying Xiaozheng only beat him with a stick and asked him to resign and reflect on his actions, considering his good intentions.
Lifting it high and putting it down gently like this shows that Ying Xiaozheng still attaches great importance to Zhao Gao and will make use of him in the future.
No matter which Ying Zheng it was, he was very kind to those he trusted.
Zhao Gao had committed a capital crime under Emperor Ying Zheng, and Meng Yi had convicted him for it, but Emperor Ying Zheng pardoned him.
This is how Meng Yi offended Zhao Gao.
He could even be spared the death penalty, so of course Ying Xiaozheng indulged him in his act of being clever.
Zhu Xiang knew that his son Zheng was too kind to the people he liked. When Ying Xiaozheng punished Zhao Gao, he did not speak immediately.
He was thinking about how to convince Zheng'er.
Zhu Xiang knew very well that his nephew would not listen to him on important matters. Although dealing with Zhao Gao was not a big deal at the moment, if he said he was not happy, his nephew would probably send Zhao Gao away so that he would not be an eyesore to him.
But the nephew obviously trusted Zhao Gao's loyalty and ability. If he did not provide convincing reasons for the matter he had already decided, he would compromise but would also stick to his point of view.
This is a king, a future emperor. Emperors are always arbitrary and will not be influenced by others.
Even my uncle can't do that.
Emperors can be persuaded but not swayed.
It has been like this since I was a child.
Zhu Xiang was very upset. He was upset when he found out that there was a big, smelly cockroach next to Zheng'er. When he arrived in Xianyang and found that Zheng'er was courting death, he became even more upset.
Now Zheng'er might argue with him over a cockroach, and he was so annoyed that he wanted to call Xue Ji and give this disobedient nephew a good beating.
So Zhu Xiang turned evil.
A peaceful smile appeared on his face: "Zheng'er, do you know why your uncle can always find out who is the most talented person in the world?"
Ying Xiaozheng looked at the smile on his uncle's face and immediately became alert: "Why?"
Zhu Xiang said: "My uncle is very similar to you."
Ying Xiaozheng: “…”
Ying Xiaozheng immediately said: “No!” Denial, I didn’t cheat.
Zhu Xiang ignored Ying Xiaozheng's denial and said to himself, "Zheng'er, you should only be able to see the things that happened before you died. You don't know what happened after you passed away, right?"
Ying Xiaozheng: "... Uncle, are you really going to reveal the secret?" He was a little excited. Do you want to exchange your secret for your uncle's secret? Uncle has already said it.
Ying Xiaozheng was a little hesitant. Although he and his uncle already knew each other's secrets, they just deliberately avoided touching upon them. But if he confessed directly, his inner suspicion still made him feel a little worried.
But my uncle confessed everything.
"Zheng'er, come here, let your uncle tell you a story." Zhu Xiang said gently.
Ying Xiaozheng came back to his senses: "Story?" Wasn't it about confessing a secret? Why did it turn into telling a story
Zhu Xiang's smile became even gentler and kinder: "For example, stories like calling a deer a horse, destroying one's entire family, destroying the Great Wall, and dying in the second generation."
Ying Xiaozheng: “…”
Ying Xiaozheng: “?”
Ying Xiaozheng's expression gradually stiffened and his body trembled slightly.
Although he didn't understand what "calling a deer a horse" meant, and "destroying one's entire family" was very abstract, "destroying the Great Wall by oneself" and "death in the second generation" were too straightforward.
"Uncle, uncle, are you kidding?" Ying Xiaozheng's voice turned back into the duck voice of his voice change period.
Zhu Xiang smiled.
The naughty boy Ying Xiaozheng successfully angered Zhu Xiang so much that he turned evil and exploded.
(End of this chapter)