Chapter 298 Forced Love, Fake Mother and Son, Kill Him
“It’s mother’s fault.” Queen Mother Zhao said calmly, handing over a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice: “I added honey, Yaoyao said you like it.”

Ying Chengjiao took it and took a sip.

The natural sour taste of orange mixed with the sweetness of honey fills his mouth. This taste is exactly what he likes and drinks every day.

“Too sweet.” The boy handed it back.

Queen Mother Zhao took it back and told the maid to pour another glass of juice and put half less honey in it.

“Why doesn’t my mother prepare the drink for me herself?” the young man asked, questioning as he sat on the chair.

Perhaps because the boy’s tone was too stiff, Queen Mother Zhao was obviously not used to it, and her movements and expressions were a little stiff.

Just for a moment.

“Okay.” She agreed with a smile, and really followed the palace maid into the side room of the palace. Her graceful figure was beautiful beyond words.

Soon, Queen Mother Zhao came up with a glass of juice in her hands, handed it to Ying Chengjiao, and said with a smile:
“Taste it and see if it suits your taste.”

Ying Chengjiao stood up, took it, and glanced down:
“It’s too sour. Please, mother, make another cup.”

The white jade-like forehead of Queen Mother Zhao was slightly blue, but this time her movements and expression were not stiff:

“it is good.”

“How do you know when you haven’t tasted it yet…” Ji Ruxue, the maidservant behind Queen Mother Zhao on the left, could no longer bear it and her voice became slightly sharp.

Ji Ruxue is fourteen years old this year. Her surname is Ji and her clan name is Lin. She is from the same clan as Queen Dowager Zhao. According to the seniority in the clan, she should call Queen Dowager Zhao “Gu”.

The Queen Mother Zhao saw that he was very beautiful, smart, observant and able to read people’s expressions, so she let him stay by her side and doted on him very much.

Ji Ruxue was speaking up for her aunt, but she was halfway through.

Queen Dowager Zhao took two steps towards Ji Ruxue and slapped her in the face before she even stood firmly on her feet.

With a crisp sound of “pa”, Ji Ruxue fell to the ground, and all the hairpins on her head fell to the ground. Three of the beads on the hairpins were untied and “da da da” fell to the ground.

Ji Ruxue covered the half of her face that was beaten, and looked up at her clan aunt. Her narrow, willow-shaped eyes were full of grievance and quickly filled with tears.

“Get lost.” Queen Mother Zhao spoke to her niece in an unbelievably cold and stern manner.

“Yes.” Ji Ruxue responded with a crying voice, struggled to get up and ran out of the palace, shedding seven tears along the way.

“Sit down.” Queen Mother Zhao turned to Ying Chengjiao and said with a smile on her face, pointing to the side room where he had just come out: “I’ll go make you some juice.”

Ying Chengjiao sat down and waited, staring in a trance at the white beads on the ground that changed from “da da da” to “lu lu” sounds.

[Is this pearl or jade?] The boy thought, and then he didn’t think about it. He himself didn’t know why this question flashed through his mind at this time.

Time seemed to pass very slowly, and it seemed like a long time before he received the third glass of juice.

When he came to his senses, a glass of juice was already in his hand, and he didn’t remember when he took it.

“Try it and see if it suits your taste.” Queen Mother Zhao said with a smile as she stood in front of the young man.

His words were exactly the same as when he handed over the previous glass of juice, not a single word was different, not even the tone changed.

The boy raised his head somewhat woodenly, and the charming smile in front of him was the same as when she urged him to drink a glass of juice.

The boy was silent, and for a moment he wondered if he was stuck in a time loop.

To find out if you are stuck in a time loop, it’s easy to just do something different than last time.

The boy let go.

Snap!
The carefully crafted porcelain cup, made by a master craftsman, broke into pieces, and the freshly squeezed orange juice splashed on Queen Mother Zhao’s red high heels and the hem of her skirt embroidered with gold thread.

“It was too hot, I couldn’t hold it.” The boy said seriously.

Queen Mother Zhao pressed her red lips into a straight line, and the two ends of the line quickly turned up to form an arc.

“Come here.” She pulled the boy up, asked him to be careful to avoid the debris under his feet, and sat at another table.

The three palace maids did not need to be told and cleaned the room on their own after the empress dowager and the young master left.

They tried to control their eyes so as not to look at each other, and their hands were shaking a little.

cold.

The juice was cold.

Colder than the hearts of the three palace maids.

Those who are in a higher position fight and those who are in a lower position die.

“I’ll make you another drink.” Queen Mother Zhao said with a smile after settling the young man down.

About to leave but not yet gone.

“Ji Yaotiao.” Young Master Cheng Jiao called her by her name.

“What’s wrong?” Queen Mother Zhao responded naturally. Her fair forehead was whiter than white jade, without any other color.

“Do you know where I am being held?” the young man asked calmly.

Without waiting for Queen Mother Zhao to answer, he answered himself:
“you do not know.

“There are probably only six people still alive in the place where I am imprisoned.

“How can you accompany me when you don’t even know where I’m imprisoned?

“You have a reason, why don’t you tell me? Why don’t you explain it?
“And this juice.”

The young man pointed at the palace maid who was cleaning up the mess:
“Can’t you see that I’m deliberately making things difficult for you? Why are you so submissive?”

“Isn’t this what being a mother does?” Queen Mother Zhao stood up and waved her hand.

The palace maids and eunuchs in the palace bowed and saluted, then ran out of the palace.

It was running very fast, as if it was running for its life.

“Isn’t that how my sister treats you?” Queen Mother Zhao sat on the chair opposite Ying Chengjiao. “Haven’t you been spoiled since you were a child? Why can’t you get used to it here?”

“Because I’m not your biological child.” Ying Chengjiao said expressionlessly, “Because we didn’t have much contact, because you wanted to kill me when we first met, because…”

Ying Chengjiao listed eight reasons in one breath, took a breath, and said:

“Is that enough? Do you still want to hear the reason?”

“That’s enough.” Queen Mother Zhao nodded with a smile: “That’s enough.”

“Then let me ask you.” The boy closed his eyes and opened them again: “Why.”

“Why?” Queen Mother Zhao leaned back, holding up two big sins with her arms: “Juice? I like to make juice recently.”

Ying Chengjiao sneered:
“How about I observe mourning for my father for a year?

“Your male favorites range from imperial physicians to palace officials, from people of the underworld to children of aristocratic families. They can form a long street from Zhangtai Street to here.

“I would rather believe that my brother really loves Afang than believe that you will observe mourning for my father.”

“What’s wrong?” Queen Mother Zhao leaned forward and lay on the table.

He rested his chin on one hand and tilted his head.

He reached out one hand, lifted Ying Chengjiao’s chin, and stroked it gently.

“Is my little husband jealous?” Her naturally charming eyes were curved, as if Bao Si was reborn, playing with the beacon fire to trick the princes into smiling.

Ying Chengjiao said coldly:
“You are not Qin Qi. You can stay in Yongcheng for a year or two and still retain your power and influence the situation.

“The power of the clan is in the clan.

“As long as the Qin royal family still has the surname Ying Zhao, Zongzheng will never lose its influence.

“You are a relative by marriage, so you can only retain your influence in Xianyang, the political center of our country.

“You left Xianyang, and the Zhao clan, centered around the Lin family, was leaderless. If they wanted to continue to prosper, they had to join another clan.

“When you come back, perhaps the Lin family will still be active in the court, but it is very likely that you will no longer be the leader. This is the best possibility.

“And the worst case scenario is that you lose power completely.

“I heard that you worship Queen Dowager Xuan and imitate her in everything.

“When you come back from Yongcheng in a year, you can live like the Queen Mother Xuan in her later years.”

As Queen Dowager Zhao listened, she leaned over the table, resting her head on her arms, staring at Prince Chengjiao without blinking.

After Master Chengjiao finished speaking, he stared at her for a long time before she realized what was going on and said,
“Finished?”

Ying Chengjiao said “hmm” coldly, and said the three words he had already said:

“why.”

“Why?” “You paid such a high price for my freedom, why.”

“Mi Buming is also a relative by marriage, didn’t she do the same thing?”

“She didn’t leave Xianyang to go to Yongcheng to mourn for her grandfather. My brother is not her biological son.”

“because I love you.”

Ying Chengjiao took a deep breath.

True abstraction cannot be faked.

He recites jokes every day, but he can’t beat the talented players.

“Hahahahaha!” Queen Mother Zhao pointed at Ying Chengjiao’s face and laughed, trembling: “When I heard Zheng’er fall in love with you, the late king also looked like you. It’s true.”

After laughing for a while, Queen Mother Zhao waved her hand in boredom as she could not wait for Ying Chengjiao to respond.

“No fun.

“They all say you’re the funniest, but that’s all fake. There’s no fun at all with you.”

After straightening her clothes and stuffing her balls, Queen Mother Zhao looked down at the red high-heeled shoes produced by the Hidden Palace and yawned:

“I really don’t want to think about these things. Every time I think about them, I feel like I owe you too much.

“Without you, Zheng’er and I wouldn’t be able to return to Qin.

“Without you, Zheng’er wouldn’t be the crown prince, let alone the King of Qin. The Qin people don’t like us.

“You were the only one who cared about the assassination of my mother and me. It was you who intimidated the person behind the scenes with the three-day red Wei River.

“No, that’s wrong.

“It was your action that caused the person behind the scenes to stop.

“Even if you didn’t kill those thousands of people, Ji Yaoyao wouldn’t continue to send assassins.

“But I appreciate your kindness. At that time, you didn’t know it was your biological mother who did it.

“You are wrong again. It was your biological parents who did it. Qin Yiren, the Jizhi, is an insider.

“Look, aren’t we mother and son very pathetic?

“When we were in Zhao, the people of Zhao wanted us dead. After we came to Qin, the people of Qin also wanted us dead.

“The people who assassinated us came right under the nose of my husband, Zheng’er’s father, which makes your help even more precious.

“You can’t blame me for being hostile to you. If I wasn’t so sensitive, Zheng’er wouldn’t be able to wait for you.

“Zheng’er is the son of Qin. It is really difficult for us, an orphan and a widow, to live in Handan after the Battle of Changping.

“This hostility didn’t completely dissipate until you ran from Xianyang to Yongcheng to find Lü Buwei on New Year’s Day.

“We all know that Lu Buwei has been keeping an eye on you.

“How can I still doubt you when you broke into Lu Buwei’s residence for Zheng’er?
“We Zhao people, we take revenge when we have revenge, we repay grievances when we have grievances, and we repay favors when we have been favored.

“I really can’t treat you as my own child in my heart, but I will learn and pretend.

“We will treat you the same way you treat us.

“Zheng’er believes in you from the bottom of his heart.

“I forced myself to believe in you, forced myself to be nice to you, forced myself to treat you as my second son.

“I will treat you the same way Yaoyao treats you.

“Is this explanation enough?”

Ying Chengjiao’s eyes were like a quiet lake, reflecting the charming empress dowager who was nearly thirty years old but looked like a young girl in her twenties.

Studying and pretending are the two things he has been doing.

He can understand.

[You’re so good at pretending…] He thought to himself, his voice slowing down:
“enough.”

If someone forces himself to be nice to you, will you accept this kindness or not?
This problem is not a problem for Ying Chengjiao.

If he had not shouted out these eight words, “Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers born of different species?” would Lu Buwei still have treated him like this?

will not.

There is no love without reason in the world.

“Cheng Jiao has returned to the palace. Mother, please bring Lao Ai here later. I’ll be waiting for you.” Ying Cheng Jiao bowed.

“What do you want?” Queen Mother Zhao said unhappily, “The king can have countless concubines, but the queen can’t have one? You men are romantic when you find women, but why are we women dissolute when we find men? You read a lot, so they call you Yingzi. You used to be the chief priest of Jixia Academy, and now you are the chief priest of Guozi. Tell me, why is that?”

“I will give my mother an answer in my palace.” Ying Chengjiao turned and left, ignoring Queen Mother Zhao’s words: “My mother will definitely fulfill my wish. That palace maid is pretty, so please don’t embarrass her.”

He asked Queen Mother Zhao to bring Lao Ai to the palace just to test her, but he didn’t expect Lao Ai to actually enter the palace…

Half an hour later.

Chengjiao Palace, Li Yi Palace.

Ying Ping went inside to report that Queen Mother Zhao had arrived.

Ying Chengjiao picked up the half cup of orange juice with honey on the table, drank it in one gulp, and wiped his mouth.

The young man did not let Queen Dowager Zhao and Lao Ai into the bedroom, but pushed open the palace door and walked out.

In the square in front of Li Yi Palace, Queen Mother Zhao’s carriage with four horses was parked.

Seeing Ying Chengjiao coming out, Ji Ruxue, whose face was still a little red and swollen, hurriedly reported in a low voice.

After a moment, Queen Mother Zhao lifted the curtain of the carriage.

Ying Chengjiao’s attention was not on Queen Dowager Zhao, but on the man who was close to the carriage among the palace maids surrounding the carriage.

The man had a rough face and was very strong, and his exposed muscles were no less than those of the bodybuilders in his previous life.

[Lao Ai.] These two words popped up in the boy’s mind.

He watched Lao Ai squatting on the ground, watched the Queen Mother Zhao step on Lao Ai’s back to get off the carriage, watched Lao Ai follow behind the Queen Mother Zhao with a look of honor and flattery on his face, like a huge noble.

“Lao Ai!” the young man shouted.

Jugui ignored her and continued following Queen Mother Zhao, as if he didn’t hear anything.

Queen Mother Zhao frowned.

He quickened his pace and brought Lao Ai to Ying Chengjiao.

“You brat! My son is calling you, didn’t you hear me?” She turned her head and cursed.

Looking at Zhao Ji’s charming face, Lao Ai felt refreshed after being scolded. His mind was full of scenes of him climbing onto the Queen Mother’s bed and scolding her back.

“It’s Lao Ai’s fault, Lao Ai’s fault.” He nodded repeatedly and turned his gaze to Ying Chengjiao.

“Young Master.” Lao Ai bowed slightly.

“Come here.” Ying Chengjiao ignored him and walked to the center of the square and stood still.

Lao Ai looked at Queen Dowager Zhao.

“Go.” Queen Mother Zhao raised her chin.

“Yes.” Lao Ai followed Prince Cheng Jiao.

The two men stood face to face, and Ying Chengjiao was completely in the shadow of Lao Ai.

Lao Ai’s sturdy body blocked out all the sunlight.

“Leave my mother.” The young man tilted his neck and said seriously, “Otherwise I will kill you.”

Lao Ai laughed.

He had a very deep understanding of Prince Chengjiao from his lord, and knew that Prince Chengjiao was a most virtuous person and would not kill people for no reason.

It is a good opportunity to use Prince Chengjiao’s noble status to express his feelings to the Queen Mother and please her!
“When Lao Ai is alive, he is the Queen Mother Zhao’s man! When he is dead, he will be the Queen Mother Zhao’s ghost!” Lao Ai shouted loudly, looking as if he was ready to die.

“I told you I would kill you, and you still chose this.” The young man said slowly as he backed away.

While speaking, he was waving his hands.

All the eunuchs in front of Li Yi Palace gate gathered around and surrounded Lao Ai in the center.

“Kill him.” The young man’s voice was somewhat distorted when it reached Lao Ai’s ears from outside the crowd.

(End of this chapter)