In the evening, Concubine Zheng left food here.
Zhao Ying and Wang Nan cooked in person. Seeing this, Concubine Zheng became interested and got up to help in the kitchen. So everyone simply crowded into the kitchen. Even the little girl Zhao Xi was chattering excitedly in the kitchen. , "helping" back and forth.
As a result, the work that could have been completed in less than half an hour ended up taking more than an hour.
Except for the stewed venison, which they did not have a hand in and was spared, several other dishes were prepared in various ways. However, everyone was very busy working and eating happily, so Zhao Ying was too lazy to care.
Obviously, everyone regards cooking as farm entertainment...
When Concubine Zheng was leaving, Zhao Ying used a bowl to serve a steaming portion of venison to the First Emperor, and deliberately poured out a few more spoons of broth.
"My eldest father likes to eat this, please remember to bring it back to my eldest father..."
Zhao Ying smiled and handed the nugget in Concubine Zheng's hand. Concubine Zheng glanced at her eldest grandson with a guilty conscience. Seeing that there was nothing unusual about the child's expression, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and pretended to be calm. He reached out and took the venison handed over by Zhao Ying, smiled and nodded.
"You are a filial child. No wonder the old man dotes on you so much..."
Looking at Concubine Zheng leaving in the car, Zhao Ying sighed softly.
Alas, it’s really difficult for me as a grandson——
…
Zhangtai Palace.
The First Emperor pinched his eyebrows tiredly, put down the brush in his hand, stood up, and stretched out. Although after this period of recuperation, the physical condition has improved slightly, but there is no reason for a body that has been overdrawn for a long time to be okay?
What's more, during this time, Zhao Ying went on an expedition, and most of the government affairs that were originally shared by Zhao Ying fell back on him. In addition, without Zhao Gao, the commander of the CRRC Mansion, to help, he had become accustomed to his lax body. , feeling more and more tired and uncomfortable.
"That bitch Ying'er, why didn't you come today? Do you know what he is busy with today..."
The First Emperor glanced at the unfinished memorial and looked at Hei who was standing aside.
Black replied with a smile.
"This morning, Mr. Gao and his wife went to the emperor's grandson's house as guests. In the afternoon, Concubine Zheng also went there..."
Hearing that Concubine Zheng had also passed by, the First Emperor was startled and asked subconsciously.
"How did she pass..."
"I heard that I went to deliver a newly made robe to the emperor's eldest grandson..."
Hearing this, the First Emperor seemed to have remembered something. He snorted softly, turned around and lay back on the couch, rocking the chair gently every now and then, closing his eyes to rest.
Hei didn't bother him, and stayed by quietly.
Seeing that it was already time for dinner, Shang Shiling came in to ask for instructions whether to serve dinner. The First Emperor stood up with a smile. He had worked hard all day, but he didn't have much appetite.
Just as he was about to be served a few mouth-cleaning side dishes, he heard brisk footsteps coming from outside.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Zheng said that His Royal Highness the Emperor's eldest grandson specially asked her to bring you food. Please come and have a meal..."
The First Emperor nodded slightly.
"Um--"
The main thing is that I can't live up to my grandson's filial piety.
That night, the First Emperor once again visited Concubine Zheng in her palace.
…
Zhao Ying, on the other hand, stayed in the courtyard where Yue Ji and her seven concubines were.
After such an episode, Yue Ji's face became visibly brighter, and she was no longer as evasive and submissive as before when she spoke and judged people. Although she still respected Mi Ji and Wang Nan very much, she finally felt a bit like a hostess. posture.
The other seven concubines also breathed a sigh of relief.
When they came from Xianyang, they didn't dare to expect a high status. Now when they saw Yue Ji's treatment, they couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They are not afraid of being left out, but they are afraid of being thrown out there like garbage and completely forgotten.
It’s already the third day back to Xianyang.
Although the First Emperor did not send anyone to urge him, Zhao Ying did not stay at home longer. He got up early the next morning and went straight to the palace. After being away for more than three months, all government affairs must have fallen on the First Emperor's head. Based on his understanding of the First Emperor's temperament, during this period, the old man may have started working as a workaholic again.
It would be a real big trouble if we got tired and came anyway.
When he arrived at the palace, he found that the First Emperor was not there. He couldn't help but reveal a faint smile, turned around and went to the palace of his eldest mother, Concubine Zheng. When he got there, he saw that, sure enough, the old couple were sitting opposite each other having breakfast.
"Greetings to my eldest father and eldest mother——"
Seeing this boy strolling in, the First Emperor felt that something was wrong with the way this brat looked at him, so he cursed angrily.
"You brat, you still know how to come over here - have you eaten? If not, come over and eat. After eating, go and help dad with the work..."
When Zhao Ying heard this, he squeezed over with a grimace, and while calling the maid on the side to prepare chopsticks for him, he complained to Concubine Zheng who was sitting next to him.
"Auntie, you see, eldest father knows how to catch me as a coolie..."
"That's not because you took your eldest father's order from the Zhongche Palace and worked as a coolie. If your eldest father doesn't arrest you, who will be the worst?"
Concubine Zheng replied with a smile, then stood up and served Zhao Ying a bowl of porridge.
"Thank you, aunt——"
Zhao Ying took it with both hands, then looked at the First Emperor who seemed to be drinking porridge nonchalantly, but was actually listening to what was happening on his side, and replied with a smile.
"Auntie, you don't know something. Although Zhao Gao is good at writing, proficient in laws, adept at government affairs, and cautious in doing things, he was born in a hidden palace and has a handicapped body. He is fearful of the power of the Qin Dynasty and is unethical. He stays here. I don’t think it’s a good thing to be around my eldest father…”
When the First Emperor heard this, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and looked at Zhao Ying sitting opposite with some surprise. Zhao Ying stopped what he was doing and looked at the First Emperor calmly.
"I know that my eldest father is so powerful that he won't care about Zhao Gao's small CRRC government order. But you, the old man, don't care, but I, the grandson, have to think about my eldest father..."
Having said this, Zhao Ying winked at the First Emperor with a sly expression.
"What's more, Zhao Gaojing's crime of offering the poison pill is unforgivable, and now he has become a lowly servant of mine who raises horses and drives carts. As the emperor, my eldest father, you will not go back on your words and steal someone from me, your grandson." …”
First Emperor:……
Not to mention, he really thought that without Zhao Gao as a helper, he would really feel inconvenienced during this period. But in front of my wife, I was so embarrassed by this brat that I couldn't help but groan in annoyance.
As if angry, he picked up his rice bowl and drank porridge.
Concubine Zheng couldn't help but laugh.
Zhao Ying didn't care about him. When he saw him finish drinking, he stood up happily and served him a bowl himself.
First Emperor:……
"No more drinking!"
"Good -"
Zhao Ying put away the First Emperor's bowls and chopsticks very simply.
First Emperor:……
Such a grandson should be thrown away!
After eating, Zhao Ying was naturally captured by the First Emperor and made into a young man. After working hard for three months, he finally regained the feeling of relaxation and joy. The First Emperor, who was lying on the rocking chair, rocking the chair every now and then, looked leisurely at the emperor's grandson who was at the desk handling government affairs, with a trace of light in his eyes. A happy smile.
He just checked several memorials that his grandson had just handled, and compared to before, he seemed more calm and mature.
The speed of growth is visible to the naked eye.
"The imperial examination is coming soon. I am going to let you, Li Si, and Meng Yi serve as the examiners for this imperial examination - you can go back and think about it and come up with the questions..."
Zhao Ying:......
Somewhat unexpectedly, he stopped the brush in his hand and looked back at Yun Danfengqing, who was talking to the First Emperor about a trivial matter.
"My eldest father, the imperial examination is a great ceremony for the country to recruit talents. After all, I am still a little young..."
The First Emperor glanced at him and said calmly.
"So what? Who dares to gossip..."
Zhao Ying:......
Seeing that the First Emperor had made up his mind, he could only smile and nodded.
"good--"
Only then did a smile appear on the Emperor's face.
"You just go ahead and do whatever you want, your great father is here to guide you - whatever ideas you have, you can express them, and let the world see the mind, courage and talent of the eldest grandson of Emperor Qin..."
Zhao Ying nodded seriously.
"I will never let my father down!"
The First Emperor ignored him and closed his eyes lazily. Although he didn't feel anything was wrong with his body recently, his energy was getting weaker and weaker.
But fortunately, I still have the emperor’s eldest grandson!
…
Silence returned to the hall.
Grandfather and grandson, one is responsible for handling government affairs with pen and paper, while the other is responsible for closing his eyes and resting his mind, rowing and fishing, each performing his own duties and working together in a tacit understanding. Looking at the scene in front of him, Hei's eyes flickered slightly and he lowered his eyes again.
"Li Shiqi..."
Zhao Ying, who was handling government affairs, suddenly stopped the brush in his hand and picked up a memorial in front of him with some surprise, because the signature on it was a very familiar name - Li Shiqi!
Unexpectedly, just over three months after he went on the expedition, this guy would suddenly transform into the censor of Great Qin, and infiltrate the team negotiating with the Xiongnu between Great Qin and the Xiongnu.
The memorial in front of me originated from the hand of Li Shiqi.
This made him pay more attention to it.
He extremely doubted that it was this person who had Hu Hai take the initiative to be appointed as the Royal Guards School Captain in the palace. Moreover, even now, he is unable to break this arrangement.
He couldn't jump out and tell the First Emperor, Father, your little son has ulterior motives. He may falsely pass on the imperial edict, slaughter the royal family, and ultimately destroy the entire Qin Empire after your death...
From the perspective of being a grandson, it is not appropriate to even propose that Hu Hai be removed from this position.
The only thing he can think of now is checks and balances.
Ziying was the first step, and he was the second step. If the First Emperor really wanted to go on patrol again, he would try to get himself included in the patrol team.
"What happened to Li Shiqi..."
The First Emperor, who was closing his eyes to rest his mind, could not help but open his eyes slightly when he heard this.
Li Shi also had the impression that he was a talent recommended by his youngest son Hu Hai. He had personally interviewed him. He was quite intelligent and was indeed a rare talent.
By agreeing to let him join the team negotiating with the Huns, he actually wanted to further promote him and reuse him.
"He submitted a memorial..."
Zhao Ying frowned, took the memorial, stood up and walked to the side of the First Emperor.
"Father, take a look..."
The First Emperor glanced at Zhao Ying with some surprise. As his eldest grandson became more and more mature in handling government affairs, it was rare to see him in such a difficult decision situation.
This is a memorial requesting the imperial court to retain the strength of the Xiongnu to contain the Donghu.
Compared with the Huns, in this era, the Donghu were the real overlords on the grasslands. Originally, he lived next to the Yan State, but after the Qin Dynasty destroyed the Yan State, he became bordering the Qin Dynasty.
This is a powerful tribe bordering the Xiongnu to the west and Qin to the south.
The strength is even higher than that of the Huns.
I don't know if it was because of the Xiongnu's restraint. In this era, Donghu was different from the Xiongnu who often thought of going to the Qin Dynasty to fight the autumn wind. He focused his attention on the grassland, and wars often broke out between him and the Xiongnu.
But it was precisely because of Li Shiqi's memorial that Zhao Ying found it a bit tricky.
Because Li Shiqi made a suggestion that he couldn't refuse.
Cure chaos with chaos!
It is recommended that the imperial court try its best to make concessions in negotiations with the Xiongnu to preserve the strength of the Xiongnu in order to contain Donghu.
"The Huns are weak, so the Donghu are strong. Your Majesty is wise and sees thousands of miles away. Why should you seize the meager gains of the Xiongnu to strengthen the Donghu and add another tiger or wolf neighbor to our Qin Dynasty?"
This is a restraint strategy!
If he hadn't subconsciously felt that this bitch Li Shiqi might be harboring evil intentions, he would have almost approved it directly.
Because Li Shiqi's proposal was almost a conspiracy.
Properly maintaining the strength of the Xiongnu can indeed contain Donghu.
If the Xiongnu lose their strength due to this negotiation, they will most likely be directly annexed by the eyeing Donghu. By then, a nomadic people with extremely terrifying strength may really appear in the north of the Qin Dynasty.
Looking at the memorial in front of him, the First Emperor couldn't help but show a hint of excitement in his eyes.
The current situation is there. Although the Qin Dynasty has encompassed Yunei and swept across Liuhe, the world is still undecided, especially in the six kingdoms of Shandong. Undercurrents are surging and the people's hearts are not yet attached.
Da Qin must not sit back and watch a strong and unified tribe emerge on the grassland.
"I always feel like something is wrong..."
Zhao Ying looked at the First Emperor hesitantly, and the First Emperor pondered for a long time.
"Call the left prime minister Li Si and the superior minister Mengyi to come and see you!"
Although it was said that the two of them were summoned for discussion, Zhao Ying knew that his eldest father might have really thought about it, and the rest would be to discuss practical measures.
sharp!
This Li Shiqi is indeed extraordinary. As soon as this idea came up, even if he knew that this guy's purpose was not simple, he had to be tempted.
This was the first time he had encountered such a difficult opponent after traveling through time.
Soon, Left Prime Minister Li Si and Shangqing Mengyi walked in quickly.
"Have seen His Majesty——"
The First Emperor nodded slightly and motioned to Zhao Ying to pass the memorial to the two of them for viewing.
(End of chapter)
