The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 37 If you want to take revenge on them, the only way is to become the King of Qin!

Enjoy a bath in Huaqing Pool in autumn, and let the warm spring water wash away your wounds.

Ying Zheng lay on his back beside the hot spring pool with a white cloth covering his face.

The slightly bright yellow spring water ripples, hitting the carefully carved Suanni, Bi'an, Taotie on the white wall...

A cool breeze blew by, Ying Zheng covered his hands on the white cloth, and he felt someone squatting next to him.

"My master asked me to ask the eldest master if he met anyone else besides mother today."

The voice paused for a moment and then quickly resumed.

“The young master said, please tell me the truth.

“If you don’t meet other people, it’s not a big deal.

"If there is, but the eldest master doesn't say anything, then everything we have done in the past two days will be in vain."

The white cloth hand moves slightly.

"No, I only saw my mother."

"I understand. I will not disturb the eldest son from bathing. I will take my leave now."

The rustling of his robe when he stood up turned into the sound of footsteps.

Ying Zheng took off the cloth.

On that hard and stern face, there was a very clear slap mark.

Ying Zheng took a bronze mirror and looked at himself, then turned his face to the side and frowned slightly.

"Why is it so obvious?"

If Ying Chengjiao were here, he would explain to him that the hot spring water was hot, which accelerated the blood flow and caused the subcutaneous congestion to also accelerate.

Ying Zheng scooped up the hot spring water with both hands, poured it on his face, and rubbed it vigorously twice, hoping that the mark would disappear quickly.

I sniffed and felt that the hot spring water had a faint smell of rotten eggs.

"Cheng Jiao... I really don't know who is the elder brother between you and me."

The nine-year-old boy was splashing water, enjoying the rare tranquility in the misty water.

When he closed his eyes, he had the illusion that he was the only one in the world, and he liked this feeling.

"Qin Wang Dunlun, you break open the gate.

"Take the Qin King's seal and smash the head of the court judge.

“They drove the queen and the prince out of the palace, and put up a wooden sign listing them alongside the dogs, saying they were not allowed to enter.

"One by one, I thought you were hot-tempered, irritable, impulsive, and unscrupulous, so I didn't dare let you know that my mother beat me, for fear that you would hurt her.

"did not expect……"

Ying Zheng remained silent, his hands unconsciously stirring the water, making a splashing sound.

The questions my younger brother sent someone to ask seemed irrelevant.

In fact, it was to save his face while getting to the truth of the matter.

The real person didn't come, didn't see him being beaten with his own eyes, and the questions asked didn't include him being beaten, so he saved face.

I have only seen my mother and no one else. It means I was beaten by my mother. My younger brother will not get involved in this matter.

If I get beaten by other people, I need to get to the bottom of it, otherwise all the big fuss I’ve made in the past two days will be in vain.

"Such thoughtful consideration... Is this the political strategy that mother talked about?"

Ying Zheng talked to himself, stroking his cheek, and recalling the beating.

Zhao Ji ate the fried dishes in the food box and asked her son.

"What did the child do with you?"

Ying Zheng told the truth, and he could not hide his joy and gratitude between his brows as he spoke.

Zhao Ji chewed slowly, interrupting from time to time and asking her son to speak more carefully.

After finishing the whole story, the meal was almost over.

Ji Yaotiao stood up and went to pour water for herself. She had a slim figure.

"Do you think he treats you well?"

The boy nodded without hesitation.

Apart from his mother, his younger brother is the best person to him.

The water splashed into the bowl, and Ji Yaotiao drank it all in one gulp. "Why do you think he treats you so well?"

Ying Zheng thought about this question, but couldn't figure it out, so he answered hesitantly:
"…Because we are brothers."

"My dear brother..." Ji Yaotiao was extremely disappointed. She didn't expect her son to be so childish. She said in a critical tone: "Childish!"

She pointed at her son and whispered:

"The King of Qin will die soon. Your father has only two sons, and you are the eldest son!

“Legally speaking, since your father is the queen, you are the crown prince of Qin, and it is difficult for him to compete with you.

"Only if you are incompetent and far inferior to that brat, will he have a chance to become king."

Pointing at the food box.

“This dish tastes great. Even at the banquet held by King Zhao, my mother has never tasted such delicious food.

"He invites you to eat, telling you to have as much as you want, intending to steal your heart with the cooking!
“The same goes for taking you to a hot spring bath.

“How many of those who have accomplished great things actually indulge in pleasure?
"If mother's prediction is correct, he will play with you next and make you lose your ambition!"

Ying Zheng felt that what his mother said was wrong, but since he seldom refuted his mother, he couldn't say it directly, so he said in a roundabout way:

"He also broke the head of the court judge for this, and..."

Ji Yaotiao interrupted harshly.

"That's him trying to gain fame!"

I think the sound is too loud.

She looked back at the back room door, walked over quietly and opened it suddenly.

There is no one outside the door.

I glanced at the front hall, still no one was there.

relieved.

As early as when Ying Zheng came to deliver the food box, she had asked the eunuchs and palace maids to leave.

He closed the door to the back room and walked back, his voice lowered, but the fierceness between his brows became even more intense.

"Your ability is not as good as his to begin with, and you have been distracted by him with cooking and other things, so the gap between you and him is getting wider and wider.

“His ability far exceeds yours, so the next step is to prove his character.

“By using you and standing up for you, he has gained a good reputation for valuing family affection and caring for his siblings. This is character!
"Qin is a country of tigers and wolves. Orthodoxy and legal principles are important, but we will not be limited to them. (Note 1)
"You are incapable of anything. You only have the title of eldest son. How can you be the crown prince? If you are not the crown prince, how can you be the king?"

Ji Yaotiao grabbed her son's thin shoulders, shook him hard, and spoke earnestly.

"That bastard is trying to take your throne, and you're still thinking about his kindness.

"My son, wake up!"

Ying Zheng was very unhappy. He didn't like his mother talking about his younger brother and tried hard to defend him.

“My brother doesn’t think so.

"Without my brother, we would have no way of returning to Qin. It was my brother who begged the King of Qin to take us home.

“Without my brother, we would have been killed outside Hangu Pass.

“He is so favored in Qin, if he wants to be king, then he is the king, he doesn’t have to do anything.

"Why do you want me to come back? Why do you want to save me? Isn't this just adding more competitors to himself?"

Ji Yaotiao sneered.

"Can you return to Qin just by relying on that boy?
"No matter how favored he is, he is just a child. Can you see which major event in the Qin State was caused by that boy?

"Your return to Qin and your rescue are all due to your father's efforts! This is what your father said himself."

Ying Zheng felt some pain and lowered his head.

Ji Yaotiao forced her son's face up and made him look into her eyes.

Those eyes, which were usually full of charm, now lacked a trace of coquettishness.

“My political son.

"Have you forgotten the whips of those Zhao bastards? Have you forgotten the pain your mother had to watch you being dragged away? Have you forgotten the countless scars on your body?
"You want to avenge them, the only way is to become the King of Qin!"

…………

(Note 1: confined to, trapped in.)
(End of this chapter)