The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 40: Ying Zheng's Revenge on Prince Gao

Han Ming, who was humming a Qin song and sprinkling salt on the grill for the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren, stopped singing and kept the salt in his hand without throwing it away.

He felt the murderous intent, and it was very close.

"Reeds are lush and green, white dew turns to frost, the so-called sweetheart is on the other side of the water~"

One breath passed, less than two breaths.

He sang the ballad again, looking intoxicated.

I don’t know if it was the aroma of the lamb skewers that intoxicated me, or if it reminded me of some little girl.

The snow-white salt crystals fell down and melted on the greasy lamb.

"Yes, Zhao Gao." Ying Zheng repeated, turning to ask his father what the spices on the mutton were and if he could take some away.

Qin Wangzhu agreed with a smile.

He was as kind as an old father-in-law who could not eat much, but felt really happy when he saw his grandson wolfing down the food.

Ying Chengjiao ate the lamb skewers silently.

Han Ming, who was standing by, saw that one of the three had finished eating and offered him a skewer.

While Qin Zhu and Ying Zheng ate two skewers, Ying Chengjiao ate five.

The sun sets and a cool breeze blows.

In addition to grilling, charcoal fire also has a lighting function.

Today's activities are over and it's another pleasant day.

Ying Chengjiao patted his butt, and grass debris flew everywhere, floating in the red light of the fire.

"Brother, proper exercise is good for physical and mental health. How about we go and meet this Zhao Gao tomorrow?"

Qin Wangzhu waved his hands as if to shoo away a fly, and cursed with a smile:
"Go away! Don't bother me tomorrow! I need to rest! I haven't rested for ten days, and all I did was eat, drink and play. How can my body compare to yours?"

Ying Zheng was just about to wash his hands.

Two eunuchs in black were holding a copper basin one third full of water and an exquisite wooden box, in which was a smooth rectangular pale yellow object.

Ying Zheng wet his hands in the water, then picked up the slippery object and rubbed it gently a few times, and something like grease appeared on his hands.

"Brother, what is this called?"

"Soap." Ying Chengjiao answered the same question for the third time.

"Yes, yes, soap." Ying Zheng chuckled and explained, "I've seen too many new things these days, and it's hard for me to accept them all at once. I keep forgetting them."

He rubbed his hands together and put them in the water.

The clear water became turbid, and the sheep fat on your hands floated on the water, making your hands clean.

Shaking her hands, a palace maid stepped forward and handed over a rectangular piece of white silk embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water.

"In Zhao, this handkerchief can be exchanged for money, which is enough to keep my mother and I warm for the whole winter."

Ying Zheng said casually, wiping the precious white silk that could warm him all winter on his hands, and threw it into the palace maid's hand without even looking at it.

In the first few days, he was not used to being served, so he handled these precious objects from the past with great care. He always looked distressed when wiping his hands, and for the first time he even asked the King of Qin for permission to take them back.

Now, he is very familiar with doing these things and is obviously used to it. He learns faster and adapts better than he did when playing mahjong and poker.

He had been in Qin for less than a month, but he already had more noble airs than Prince Cheng Jiao, who grew up in Qin.

Wearing a simple yet elegant robe, he walked with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, looking very majestic.

It seemed as if he was born to be a nobleman, rather than a discarded pawn held hostage by the Zhao State.

"Brother, are you going to find Zhao Gao?" Ying Chengjiao, who had not received a positive response from his brother, asked.

Ying Zheng sighed.

“I really don’t want to recall it.

"But my brother wanted to help me vent my anger, so how could I not go?"

He looked at the Prince of Qin who was supported by the Minister of Chariots with inquiring eyes.

"Father, can I hit him?"

Qin Wangzhu made a "tsk" sound, somewhat unhappy.

"What are you talking about? My Qin's imperial doctors are not as good as Zhao's? As long as they can't kill me, we can save them!"

The two brothers drove away.

The wind blew the grass low and the campfire roared.

Han Ming, the officer in charge of the carriages, picked up the two wooden sticks used by Master Cheng Jiao and examined them in the light of the fire without saying a word.

Seeing that his confidant was hesitant to move, Qin Wangzhu came over, stretched out his two old hands to warm the fire, and asked:
"What are you looking at?"

Han Ming threw the skewer into the fire.

"Your Majesty, I did not add salt to the skewers that Prince Chengjiao ate."

The wooden sticks burn, and orange flames rise up along with the bonfire.

After a moment of brightness, it turned into carbonized black powder when blown.

Qin Wangzhu shrank back.

As people get older, they start to fear the cold.

"Got it, cough, cough."

He took out the black silk handkerchief he carried with him, put it to his mouth, and spat forcefully.

Then he threw the valuable black silk handkerchief into the fire, and the flames became even more intense.

The red color burned in the fire, leaving a little at the corner of Qin Wangzhu's mouth.

Han Ming took out a black silk handkerchief from his arms and handed it to King Qin.

"Your Majesty, the Zhao envoy was killed and most of the convoy members were killed. This has caused dissatisfaction in Zhao. If Prince Gao of Zhao died in Qin..."

The King of Qin coughed twice again, wiped the corners of his mouth carefully, and said:

"Didn't I say that if he's not dead, he can be saved? Jiao'er is a child prodigy, he will definitely understand."

"...My son is young, and I'm afraid he is not as wise as the king." Han Ming chose his words carefully.

"Then just kill him." Qin Wangzhu threw the black handkerchief into the fire and said nonchalantly, "My father was able to kill the King of Chu, so what's the big deal for me to kill the son of the King of Zhao?"

Smile a little.

"Zhao State, huh.

"What else can they do except be dissatisfied? Are there any men left in Zhao?

"I ascended the throne too late, I can't fight, I don't have time.

"Ten years younger, I will not only kill the King of Zhao's son, but also ride on his queen in front of the King of Zhao in the palace! What can he do?

"The late king lived too long, which brought disaster to me and the Qin Empire..."

Han Ming said nothing.

It was Duke Xiao who saved Qin and laid the foundation for the state of Qin.

It was King Zhaoxiang who led Qin to become the most powerful country in the Central Plains and dominate the world.

The King of Qin could talk about the previous king, but he could not, not even a word of agreement.

I can't refute it, or I'll make the king unhappy. The king really can't be angry anymore.

Silence is the only option.

Wait until Qin Wangzhu's breathing stabilized, the fire was ready, and he stretched out his arms.

Han Ming supported and helped King Qin to stand up.

"The king favors Prince Zheng, and this move may cause criticism in the court."

Qin Wangzhu's steps were unsteady.

"I am not in charge of this matter. It is not my business. I just need to not hear it. They can say whatever they want."

"Your Majesty, I have something I shouldn't say, but I want to say it."

"Say, just say whatever you want to say."

"If the king doesn't want to be tired, then he should let the crown prince be the regent. Why do you always cause trouble for the crown prince?" "Hahaha, without trouble, how can he show his ability?"

He laughed too happily and exhaled too quickly. Qin Wangzhu stopped, bent over and coughed for a long time.

"Cheng Jiao won't be here tomorrow, ahem, call two beauties to play with." Qin Wangzhu's lips were red, and he cursed dissatisfiedly: "If you don't let me play with women, bah! What's the point of living? Besides, if I don't play with women, how can he? What a fool! Don't you think so?"

Han Ming, the commander of the Chariot Office, lowered his head again and did not express his opinion.

[The young master really sees through the king.]
He decided to go find Master Cheng Jiao tomorrow.

Before leaving, Ying Chengjiao specifically told him to keep an eye on the King of Qin.

Han Ming's plan was good, but the plan could not keep up with changes.

Day two.

The King of Qin was having sex in the back room of the palace and asked Han Ming to wait with the eunuchs in the front hall and did not let him leave.

Since arriving in Qin, Prince Gao of Zhao had been in a state of fear and anxiety for quite some time.

When he was in Zhao State, he bullied Ying Zheng a lot and was afraid of the treatment he would receive from Ying Zheng in Zhao State every day.

But more than ten days had passed, and he was worried that most of the time he had gone there, and he thought that he would have taken revenge long ago.

Now, I'm actually starting to enjoy it.

The house he lived in was far inferior to the Zhao State Palace, but it could also be called a wealthy home.

The servants in the house were all sent by the Crown Prince of Qin and were well disciplined in the palace.

He didn't need to worry about money. All Qin officials received annual salaries, and he received a full year's salary as soon as he arrived.

Two thousand stones was the highest salary in the Qin State.

An adult man consumes 18 shi of grain a year. Two thousand shi can keep a hundred adult men alive, which is enough for his expenses.

His furniture, clothes, food... were all provided by the Qin treasury, so he didn't need to spend any extra money.

Crown Prince Qin Zichu also came to see him and asked him kindly whether he was used to living there and whether there was anything he needed to buy.

He shook his head tremblingly and said no at the time, but after a few days he realized that nothing serious had happened and he regretted it.

He hit his head and questioned why he was so scared and didn't dare to ask for anything.

He found that the Qin people were not as barbaric and rude as his parents had said.

Nor do they discriminate against the people of Zhao.

In Zhao State, almost all Zhao people hated the Qin people and would spit on the Qin dogs in public or in private.

But when Zhao Gao walked on the streets of Xianyang with a Zhao accent, he rarely received strange looks, and no one called him Zhao Gou.

"This Zhao dog! He lives much better than me and my mother!" Ying Zheng cursed angrily.

He and his younger brother Ying Chengjiao came to the house where Prince Gao of Zhao lived. As soon as they entered the door, they couldn't help themselves.

Although this house has no pavilions or waterside terraces, the courtyard is quite large and is equipped with stables and kitchens.

There are also servants, butlers, and grooms.

According to the introduction of the guards nearby, there are even performing actors and actresses.

Ying Zheng's face showed both sadness and anger.

His mother was from the Lin family, and his grandfather was Lin Xiangru, who should have been the most outstanding female prince in the State of Zhao.

But because of him, she became an actor and tried her best to survive.

The room they lived in had no front hall or back room, and was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It was far worse than here.

All the servants stepped aside after seeing the two brothers.

Initially, the gatekeeper heard the knocker banging and ran over angrily to ask questions. (Note 1)
After opening the door, he saw Ying Chengjiao and immediately changed his expression.

These servants all came from the palace, so naturally they knew Master Cheng Jiao.

Ying Zheng led some guards into the house.

Ying Chengjiao was afraid of losing his life and did not go in. The remaining guards stood in an arc behind him, and a group of people were waiting in the courtyard.

After a commotion, the elder brother grabbed a young boy and threw him to the ground.

The ground was compacted and did not stir up much dust.

"Please spare me! Spare me!" Zhao Gao pulled Ying Zheng's trouser leg and said pleadingly.

Ying Chengjiao looked carefully and saw that Zhao Gao had a sturdy build, with obvious muscles on his arms and thighs.

Nourish your lips.

Two guards tied Zhao Gao's arms behind his back and forced him to kneel on the ground, right in front of Ying Chengjiao.

When Zhao Gao was in Zhao State, he had heard of the name of the child prodigy Ying Chengjiao. He also met the real person in Zhangtai Palace. He knew that this young man Chengjiao was even more difficult to deal with than that Qin dog who had turned over a new leaf.

He was about to kowtow and beg for forgiveness.

Suddenly, a kick flew up in front of him. He instinctively wanted to dodge, but he was held down and unable to move, and was kicked hard in the stomach.

"What level are you? I don't even have any muscles! How dare you!"

Ying Chengjiao shouted and kicked again.

Zhao Gao screamed and pretended to be in pain, but in fact it was only a little painful.

He has been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and there are few people in Zhao who do not practice martial arts.

Ying Chengjiao was only seven years old and had lived a life of luxury, so the two kicks he made on Zhao Gao's stomach were cushioned by his abdominal muscles, causing very little damage.

Zhao Gao cried out in pain but could not even shed tears.

[The Qin people are indeed rude and unreasonable. What is the reason?]
He was still complaining in his heart when Ying Zheng next to him kicked him.

Zhao Gao's shouting stopped abruptly, his body bent into a bow shape, his face began to turn pale, and sweat began to appear on his body.

[Ying Zheng! You damned Qin dog!]
Although they are only two years apart, Ying Zheng, who also practiced martial arts since childhood, is much stronger than his younger brother.

"Noisy."

Ying Zheng gave a cold rebuke and ordered the guards to tie Zhao Gao to the wooden pillar of the stable.

He was in Zhao State and was often tied here.

"Master, please forgive me, please forgive me!"

Beads of sweat the size of soybeans flowed down Zhao Gao's forehead, his forehead was shiny, and his body was shaking.

Half of it was a stomachache, and half of it was fear.

The way Ying Zheng held the horsewhip dipped in water made him start to feel scared before he was even hit.

Apart from the victim, the perpetrator knows best how painful the injury is.

Ying Zheng did not answer, but swung his whip and hit Zhao Gao.

Zhao Gao's screams appeared almost simultaneously with the long bloodstain.

Ying Zheng listened to Zhao Gao's screams and looked at his distorted face with satisfaction in his eyes. He whipped him one after another without interruption.

The tragic situation of the State of Zhao kept appearing before his eyes, and every whip he lashed out was a redemption for his past self.

Tooth for tooth, blood for blood!

Zhao Gao's screams gradually became smaller and smaller, and the scars on his body gradually became more and more.

The ten and a half year old boy had a ferocious face. He used to be the one who whipped others, but now he was the one being whipped.

"Qin dog! Qin dog! You are a Qin dog!"

Knowing that begging for mercy was useless, he simply started cursing, which aroused the Zhao people's hatred for Qin and poured out all the ugliest words he had ever heard in his life at Ying Zheng.

"Your mother is a prostitute! She sold her body to support you! You are a Qin dog who grew up eating your mother and still wants to drink her blood! If I were you, I would die!
"Every bite of food you eat is begged by your mother with open legs! Every sip of water you drink is breathed in by your mother's red lips that have been tasted by thousands of people. Why don't you just die?"

The more Ying Zheng fought, the angrier he became, and the more fiercely he fought, while Zhao Gao cursed him more harshly.

Zhao Gao's cries for mercy became weaker and weaker, but his curses became louder and louder.

…………

[Note 1: A lichen is a male criminal who was sentenced to serve in the government and had a lower status. There is also a liqie, which refers to a female criminal who was also sentenced to serve in the government and had a lower status. The sentence for both is often lifelong service, but it is allowed to redeem with money or military merit, farming, or labor.]

(End of this chapter)