It is said that Qin Shihuang was controlled by a daughter

On Ying Zheng's desk sat a slightly worn lacquered box, inside which was a black wristband that Zhao Ji had sewn for him in his early years. The stitches were rough, but a crooked black bird was embroidered on the wrist—it was the only item he was willing to wear when he was a child.

From the inner chamber came the suppressed whispers of the palace servants, followed by a very light cough that felt like a needle pricking his heart.

Hu Wan held a warm bowl of deer antler broth in his hands. The broth was served in a small silver phoenix-patterned bowl, which slightly dispelled the chill in the hall.

She curtsied three steps away from the bed, her voice softer than the glow of the palace lanterns: "Your Majesty?"

Ying Zheng raised his hand, and a palace servant took the soup she offered. She stood up, and as soon as she looked up, she heard Ying Zheng casually ask about Princess Yong'an.

The content of these words and the fleeting glimpse of Ying Zheng's gaze terrified Hu Wan, who finally managed to utter, "...Your Majesty, I do not know the details."

She pondered that, even though Ying Hehua had demonstrated extraordinary political skills and cunning years ago, she seemed to have foreseen Hu Hai's birth.

Without hesitation, Ying Hehua threatened her, her words cruel, not hesitating to use the traitorous Lord Changping as a pretext. But what Ying Hehua wanted was simple—as long as she behaved herself, it didn't matter whether she and Huhai were far from Xianyang.

Is there competition between a son born out of wedlock and his elder brother?

Hu Wan turned around and glanced at Zheng Li on the couch. She smiled to herself and said to herself: He Hua, only your lively childhood self resembles you.

Yao Jia's words were seen by everyone in the palace as a trial balloon.

Yong'an nowadays is too preoccupied with its own thoughts and too ambitious.

To outsiders, the political struggle was not between the court officials or the princes, but between the empress and her own children.

No one can say for sure what kind of successor a pioneering emperor would have.

Amidst this fog of uncertainty, criticism spread, and the Empress fell ill at this time.

Before long, Hu Wan heard the announcement that Xu Fu was already waiting for the emperor in the main hall.

Hu Wan was about to go forward into the inner hall; even through the gauze curtain, she really wanted to see her.

“My beloved.”

Hu Wan turned his head. The woman, dressed as a palace maid, stopped talking and moved quickly, swiftly placing a medicine bottle on the table.

The bottle, with its exquisite and unique design and crystal-clear appearance, seemed as if it were created by the gods. Xu Fu and Mo Qi called it a "glass bottle".

Hu Wan was surprised to discover that this was the item that had been stolen from the palace, the one that Ying Hehua had requested to obtain for her mother!

"This contains medicine from Bian Que!"

The palace maid remained silent.

Hu Wan chased after her for a few steps, but the palace robes were too elaborate for her to walk quickly. "This medicine has been found... You, you are Princess Yong'an's person?"

Tian Yi remained silent, wanting only to leave quickly. Little did she know that Hu Wanzhen was an extremely naive palace woman; her gaze returned to the medicine bottle, her eyes lighting up with delight. "You've brought such a precious gift; when the Empress awakens, His Majesty will surely reward you handsomely."

Hu Wan's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground. He immediately tensed up and asked warily, "Who are you?"

Tian Yi lowered her beautiful eyes. "I was just doing this on someone's behalf. Madam doesn't need to know who I am."

She should have hated Qin to the core. She too bore the pain of a fallen kingdom, yet she was also deeply indebted to Qin… to Zheng Li…

Years ago, her mother was abandoned in Korea and never heard from again. Zheng Li, the orphaned daughter of the Zheng royal family, chose her mother as a maid and took her to the Zhao state.

Later in the State of Zhao, she met a savior.

The benefactor, unwilling to expose them and subject them to severe torture, distanced herself from the situation.

Li Xian was not as stern and ruthless as rumored. In Tian Yi's opinion, the truly mean-spirited and cold-blooded person was Ying Hehua.

No matter who it is, whether it's Zhang Liang, Li Xian, or even Tian Dan and Zhao Jia, she manipulates people at will, and shows no mercy to anyone who escapes her control.

Since Ying Hehua is extremely skilled in political maneuvering and prioritizes personal gain.

So she simply threw out this answer, to a woman who remained detached from the situation and completely uninvolved in the power struggle...

Hu Wan noticed that the woman's speech had quickened.

"Didn't the imperial physician say that the Empress's days are numbered? The medicine is already in your hands, my lord, please consider it carefully. However, the medicine's effects will only last for less than half an hour while it's still in the bottle. I urge my lord to make a decision quickly."

The black bricks felt cool, and the curtains in the hall swayed in the breeze.

Winter was approaching, and Hu Wan was frantic with worry. She couldn't help but sob, "...Sister, I used to always beg you for what to do. But what do we do now?...What if it's poison? What if it really is...what if it really is..."

She clenched her fists and looked again and again at the person on the bed.

Her past in the Changping Lord's residence flashed through her mind countless times. During her time in the palace, she feared seeing Ying Zheng most, and she also feared not seeing him at all.

She thought and thought, her thick, long eyelashes covering her tearful eyes, and she took half of the pill.

A cold wind was blowing, especially outside. It was getting dark, and the crowd of onlookers, teetering on the edge of curfew, had dwindled to almost nothing. Some well-meaning people advised her, "Young lady, let's talk about this tomorrow, no matter how big the grudge."

Another half hour passed, and everyone had disappeared.

The doorman ran out again, shook his head, and since she wouldn't take the umbrella, he placed it in front of her and said, "Please go back."

Xu Zhi's mind was buzzing from the cold. Her breathing became heavier and heavier, and the veil almost clung to her cheeks, clearly revealing the faint paleness beneath.

She thought she hated snowy days the most.

Just before nightfall, the servant came out for the fifth time to persuade her to leave. The servant was calm and composed, and seemed to have the same good temper as Zhang Liang.

He sighed, “Miss, why do you have to do this? The master is a man of principle. No matter what you do, if he says he won’t see you, he means he won’t. Perhaps… Miss, you could come again tomorrow.”

Xu Zhi looked up and grasped the dagger.

"Urgent matters should not wait until tomorrow."

The doorman hurried back, then returned, his attitude more forceful than ever before.

"The master said that this place does not welcome cunning and treacherous people. Even if you kneel here until dawn, the master will not come out."

……

Yes, she was so arrogant and intimidating in the bamboo forest, and now she's so humble and groveling, begging him. It's quite a split personality.

If Lu Heng hadn't said he had hired skilled guards and settled here under the pretense of a noble migration, she would have ordered her men to storm in and arrest him.

She was startled by the robber mentality that had spontaneously arisen within her, but then suddenly she understood.

Even with amnesia, he still dared to express his dissatisfaction to the Qin princess; deep down, he was still the unruly Zhang Liang.

Since it was inevitable that he would hate her, she didn't mind using some means to lure him out.

She cannot kidnap children, nor can she cause trouble outside Xianyang.

So... the show of weakness that she hadn't used in her early years has been brought up again today.

Zhang Liang would not allow anyone's life or death to be in his sight, even if she was a princess of Qin.

It got colder, and light snowflakes fell softly on her hair. "My desire to ask questions is sincere and without any falsehood."

Her parched lips cracked, and her voice emerged from her throat, slow, soft, and resolute.

"If you don't believe me, sir... I will prove it to you."

"I only told Mr. [the man] this, and I will prove it to him."

If they are the same, they are worlds apart.

Back then, when she said something similar, she left a kiss on his cheek.

Today, will it be the blade that falls?

The moment the sharp knife sliced ​​open the delicate skin of my neck, blood seeped out, and the snowy wind whipped into the wound, making the pain even more intense.

The doorman shouted, but slipped and fell to the ground while running too fast.

It's understandable that she's in pain, but she didn't use any force and certainly didn't puncture any arteries, so why is her body so cold?

She thought of many absurd things from the past.

She was happy to see his rationality crumble step by step; at that time, she thought she could change everything.

Now, she suddenly felt an urge to cry.

But she can't cry.

The dagger fell to the ground, his body tilted, and he swayed as he collapsed.

Unforgivable sins lay between the Qin and Han dynasties, and she saw traces of destiny there.

She heard footsteps, then felt a commotion around her, and then someone covered her throat.

"Hehua, are you insane?!"

Hehua.

Why would Zhang Liang call her that? (End of Chapter)