Inside Zhangtai Palace
"Your Majesty, I report"
"The mother of General Wu'an is waiting outside the hall."
Ren Xiao's voice came from outside.
"Quickly, summon her in."
Ying Zheng was visibly excited.
After all these years, husband and wife could finally reunite.
At his command, the palace doors opened.
Ying Zheng's eyes focused.
The figure he had longed for, day and night, gradually appeared before him.
But then, noticing the imperial guards outside, Ying Zheng immediately commanded, "Ren Xiao, take everyone five zhang (about 15 meters) away from Zhangtai Palace. Without my order, no one is allowed to approach."
"As you command."
Ren Xiao obeyed without hesitation.
He then shut the palace doors and withdrew.
Although curious as to why Ying Zheng was treating this matter with such seriousness, he dared not ask.
"Ah Fang…"
Seeing his beloved wife at last, Ying Zheng could no longer contain his longing. He rushed forward and embraced her tightly.
"Zheng-gege…" (Brother Zheng)
Xia Dong'er called out tenderly, her voice choked with emotion.
After years of suffering, she could no longer hold back her tears.
Tears streamed down her face.
Even Ying Zheng's eyes bore traces of moisture.
They held each other in silence.
A long while later
"Ah Fang, don't worry."
"Qi State will soon be conquered."
"The entire world will be under my rule."
"By then, I will let the officials witness, let the entire world witness"
"You, Xia Dong'er, are my wife my only wife!"
"I will let the world know that Feng'er and Ying'er are my children!"
"Everything you three have lost, I will restore!"
Ying Zheng's voice was resolute.
"Zheng-gege…"
"As long as our family can be together, I do not long for anything else." Xia Dong'er spoke softly.
"You may not, but I must give it to you."
"Besides, Ah Fang"
Ying Zheng gazed at her deeply. "Our son is extraordinary truly extraordinary."
"This Great Qin will be his, sooner or later."
"The first time I met Feng'er, I thought 'If only such a brilliant young man were my son.'"
"Heaven truly has eyes! He is my son, and it has even brought you back to my side."
As he spoke, Ying Zheng's smile became even more radiant.
To him, being reunited with Ah Fang and gaining such exceptional children how could he not be overjoyed?
"Feng'er may not want it."
Xia Dong'er said softly.
"He doesn't want Great Qin?"
Ying Zheng's expression shifted slightly, showing his surprise.
"All these years, Feng'er has been preparing for the end of Qin." Xia Dong'er sighed helplessly.
"The end of Qin?"
Ying Zheng was even more astonished. "He's preparing for the downfall of my Great Qin?"
"As long as I live, how could Great Qin fall?"
Xia Dong'er shook her head and explained, "Feng'er is not referring to your reign. He is preparing for what happens after you pass."
"He says… he says that after Zheng-gege is gone, your sons will not be able to hold onto Great Qin. If Zheng-gege truly passes away, chaos will erupt."
Hearing this
Ying Zheng let out a bitter laugh.
"This brat thinks far ahead. But he isn't wrong."
"Aside from Feng'er, none of my other sons are capable. If I were to entrust Great Qin to them, it might truly fall into disorder."
"Great Qin has conquered the world through military might. On the surface, it seems secure, but the remnants of the fallen states are still lurking in the shadows. The moment Great Qin shows weakness, they will rise against us."
"The next ruler of Qin must be a man of iron will only then can he hold the empire together."
"But…"
"If this boy is preparing for Qin's downfall, what else is he plotting?"
"Tell me everything. I want to see what he's been up to behind my back."
At this moment, Ying Zheng's curiosity grew even stronger.
His son, Zhao Feng, was filled with too many mysteries.
"Feng'er said that once the world is unified"
"He will request to guard a distant frontier. As long as Zheng-gege is alive, he will loyally serve as your subject, because he acknowledges that you have treated him well. But once Zheng-gege passes away, and one of your other sons takes the throne when chaos erupts he will march his army to sweep across the land and establish his dynasty."
Xia Dong'er smiled as she spoke.
She understood how much Ying Zheng valued Zhao Feng, and she knew he would not harm their son.
By telling him now, she hoped to mentally prepare him so he wouldn't be too shocked in the future.
"This brat…"
"No wonder he requested to lead the expedition against Baiyue, then stay behind to govern it."
"So he was planning this all along!"
"Guarding Baiyue, waiting for Great Qin to descend into chaos, and then launching his campaign to unify the world?"
"This cunning brat…"
At this moment, Ying Zheng finally understood why Zhao Feng had been so adamant about requesting to guard the Baiyue region. The realization left him feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Just how much does Feng'er look down on his brothers?" Ying Zheng said helplessly.
"Zheng-gege," Xia Dong'er replied gently, "Feng'er is only thinking about the future."
"But once he knows you are his father, he might change his mind," Xia Dong'er added with a smile.
"This brat…" Ying Zheng shook his head and chuckled. "Now I'm even more eager to see his reaction when he finds out I'm his father."
"He planned to wait for his own father to die before reshaping the world. Couldn't he just wait for me to hand the empire over to him instead?"
Despite his words, Ying Zheng felt no anger at all.
After all, it was clear to him now Zhao Feng truly had no regard for his other sons.
If Zhao Feng had been merely a minister, Ying Zheng would have needed to take measures to suppress such thoughts. However, as a future successor, this concern was unnecessary.
Because the future of Great Qin would belong to Zhao Feng.
"Feng'er grew up in Shacheng. How could he have known?" Xia Dong'er rolled her eyes at him.
"Hahaha!"
"You're right," Ying Zheng laughed heartily.
Then, as if recalling something, he asked, "Previously, Qi'er lifted a rockery weighing dozens of shi in front of the Zhangtai Palace and mentioned something about martial arts. What was that about?"
"Well…"
Xia Dong'er hesitated briefly before answering, "Feng'er said that only family members and his most trusted confidants can know about this."
"This martial power is the legendary power of immortals."
As she spoke, Xia Dong'er raised her hand, and an invisible energy gathered in her palm.
Ying Zheng watched in astonishment.
Then, the next moment
Xia Dong'er turned her gaze to a table a few meters away and casually flicked her wrist.
A surge of true energy shot forth.
With a loud bang, the table shattered instantly.
Ying Zheng's eyes widened in shock, his expression frozen.
"This… what is this?" Ying Zheng asked in disbelief.
"This is the true energy of the martial path," Xia Dong'er explained calmly.
"This is martial arts?" Ying Zheng was utterly stunned.
Even as the supreme ruler of Qin, the soon-to-be master of all under heaven, he had never seen anything like this before.
"And this is only the basic level of martial arts," Xia Dong'er continued.
"The Xiantian Realm."
"What Qi'er demonstrated before was only the Houtian Realm."
"The Xiantian Realm is above the Houtian Realm and allows one to wield true energy."
"It is the power of immortals…"
"How did Feng'er achieve this?"
"How did he give you immortal power?" Ying Zheng asked curiously.
"Feng'er passed down cultivation techniques to us. Any of his wives and children can practice them."
"I also reached the Xiantian Realm thanks to the techniques and elixirs he provided," Xia Dong'er replied.
"This brat…"
"No wonder he never showed any fear in front of me."
"No wonder his eyes never held any reverence for the throne."
"He possesses the power of an immortal," Ying Zheng suddenly realized.
Back when Zhao Feng first entered the palace, his demeanor had been different from that of other ministers.
Other officials faced Ying Zheng with trepidation, but Zhao Feng spoke to him in an almost equal tone.
For a king, such behavior should have been intolerable.
But Ying Zheng was not just any king.
Even though Zhao Feng always addressed himself as a subject, deep down, he never truly regarded himself as one.
Perhaps, it was all because he possessed the power of an immortal.
"Feng'er said he once received the inheritance of an immortal, which led him to embark on the path of cultivation," Xia Dong'er added.
"This brat stumbled upon an incredible stroke of luck," Ying Zheng muttered, still in shock.
His mind was in turmoil from everything he had learned that day.
"If that's the case, then immortals do exist in this world."
"But they must be hard to find… unless one is as lucky as my son, who inherited an immortal's legacy."
Ying Zheng laughed, feeling a strange sense of pride.
"Zheng-gege," Xia Dong'er suddenly said.
"Guiguzi is an immortal."
Her words dropped like a heavy stone into a calm lake.
"What?"
"Guiguzi is an immortal?"
Ying Zheng was once again stunned.
"Feng'er visited the Ghost Valley and spoke with Guiguzi."
"Since the founding of Qin, Guiguzi has existed. He has watched over the world's changes all this time."
"And Feng'er said that in the future, after the end of Qin, if he establishes a new dynasty, Guiguzi will descend from the mountains to aid him."
Xia Dong'er's words sent another shockwave through Ying Zheng's mind.
Hearing the words "the end of Qin" once again, Ying Zheng couldn't help but feel a bit helpless.
However, upon hearing that Guiguzi would descend from the mountains, his eyes lit up.
"Feng'er no longer needs to conquer the world Great Qin will belong to him in the future."
"Guiguzi, huh…"
"A figure who has transcended time, revered throughout the land. Every disciple of his can stir up storms in the world. And to think he is an immortal!"
"The entire world has been deceived by Guiguzi. Everyone believed that Guiguzi was merely a title passed down to the victor of his disciples' rivalry. But it turns out, that was never the case."
Ying Zheng sighed with a smile.
His meeting with Xia Dong'er today had not only eased his longing but had also completely broadened his horizons.
Not only did he gain a deeper understanding of his son, but he also came to see the true nature of the world.
Immortals truly existed!
"Zheng-gege."
"Feng'er is a man of deep emotions and loyalty. He never forgets those who treat him well."
"But for those who wrong him, he will seek revenge."
"You have treated Feng'er well, and he remembers it."
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have warned you about the poisoned elixirs, let alone given you the real ones."
"In the end…"
"He doesn't truly wish for you to fall ill or suffer any unexpected mishap," Xia Dong'er said softly.
His mother, Xia Dong'er understood her son completely.
She could see the struggle in his heart.
Zhao Feng held a certain respect for the King of Qin. Otherwise, he wouldn't have intervened to stop Ying Zheng from continuing to take the poisoned pills.
However, he also knew the fate that awaited Qin. He knew that, due to the issue of succession, Great Qin would eventually fall apart. And there was nothing he could do to change that.
All he could do was wait until the day Ying Zheng passed and then use his strength to sweep across the land and reshape the world.
"Perhaps…"
"All Feng'er truly wants is a stable world," Ying Zheng said slowly.
Though he could not put it into words, he understood his son.
"Yes." Xia Dong'er nodded. "In that way, he is just like you."
"Now that you're back in Xianyang, you have nothing to worry about."
"I am not the same as before I can protect you now."
Fearing that something might happen to Xia Dong'er again, Ying Zheng immediately pulled her into an embrace.
"Zheng-gege, I am no longer the weak, powerless Xia Dong'er of the past," Xia Dong'er said, raising her hand with confidence.
Recalling how she had just shattered a table with a simple gesture, Ying Zheng smiled warmly.
"You're right. My Ah'Fang has now become a warrior unmatched by thousands."
As he spoke, there was a hint of jealousy in his tone.
"Don't worry, Zheng-gege," Xia Dong'er reassured him.
"When you and Feng'er acknowledge each other, he will surely teach you as well."
"If he refuses to teach me, then I'll have you deal with him," Ying Zheng said smugly, looking at Xia Dong'er.
Seeing this more playful side of him, Xia Dong'er was momentarily stunned.
Over twenty years ago, this was how her Zheng-gege had been he would always speak his mind, sharing everything with her without any barriers caused by status or power.
And now, he was still the same.
"When you return, do not tell Feng'er that I am his father," Ying Zheng suddenly said.
"I want to wait until after the unification of the world when all eyes are upon him, and then catch him completely off guard."
He grinned mischievously.
Seeing Ying Zheng's playful side, Xia Dong'er simply smiled and said nothing.
Time passed unknowingly.
Outside the hall, a voice called out.
"Your Majesty."
"It is now noon."
"Shall we prepare the meal?"
It was Zhao Gao's voice.
Hearing this, Ying Zheng finally released Xia Dong'er from his embrace.
"Stay and have lunch before you go."
"It has been so long since I've shared a meal with Ah'Fang."
"I've already informed your father of your return. You'll see him soon."
Ying Zheng's voice was warm.
"Alright." Xia Dong'er nodded obediently.
Then, Ying Zheng spoke toward the door.
"Serve the meal!"
At his command, the hall doors swung open.
Zhao Gao entered, leading a group of attendants.
But the moment he saw the figure sitting across from Ying Zheng, his heart clenched with unease.
A strange sense of familiarity washed over him!
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