As Zhao Gao approached, he dared not lift his head. Instead, he kept his gaze low, stealing glances with the corners of his eyes.
A group of attendants followed, setting the table and carefully placing dish after dish upon it.
"Leave us."
With a wave of Ying Zheng's hand, he dismissed them.
"As you command."
The attendants all bowed respectfully, Zhao Gao included. However, as he turned to leave, his eyes unconsciously landed on Xia Dong'er.
At that glance, his entire body trembled, and an indescribable shock surged through his heart.
"It's her."
"That Miss Xia from back then."
"She's still alive."
"How could she still be alive?"
"No wonder… No wonder His Majesty dismissed everyone. So it was because of her."
Zhao Gao was utterly shaken, his mind in turmoil.
How could he not recognize Xia Dong'er's face?
Back when Ying Zheng had just returned from Zhao, before ascending to the throne, he had established a residence outside the palace. Zhao Gao had been serving by his side as a eunuch even then. Xia Dong'er had lived in that residence during that time.
Everyone in that household had known that Xia Dong'er was the mistress of the house.
How could Zhao Gao have dared to offend her?
Even now, despite his high status as the Minister of the Palace Chariots, overseeing the entire royal household, Ying Zheng could strip him of everything with just a single word.
Slowly, he left Zhangtai Palace and closed the hall doors behind him.
But as he stepped outside, a sudden realization struck him.
"Lady Xia is still alive."
"Then what about the position of the queen?"
"And just now… His Majesty summoned the mother of the Marquis of Wu'an."
"Could it be…?"
Zhao Gao's eyes widened, and his breath became ragged.
He had uncovered a great secret an earth-shattering secret.
"Zhao Feng is Lady Xia's son. He is His Majesty's son."
A shiver ran down his spine at the thought.
If his suspicions were correct, then the future of Great Qin was about to be completely rewritten.
"If Zhao Feng is truly His Majesty's son, then he is the eldest prince the rightful heir of Qin."
"The entire political landscape of Great Qin is going to change."
Zhao Gao was deeply unsettled.
This revelation left him at a complete loss.
After all…
He had always been Hu Hai's mentor.
He had even regarded Hu Hai as his path forward.
All of his power and authority came from the Qin King. Once the King was gone, everything would vanish.
Supporting Hu Hai had been his way of securing his future he had been striving for power.
But now, everything seemed to be changing.
Inside Zhangtai Palace
For the first time in twenty-eight years, Ying Zheng and Xia Dong'er sat down together for a meal.
There were countless words left unspoken between them.
After lunch, an hour passed.
"Ren Xiao."
"You will personally escort Lady Xia back to the Zhao residence."
Ying Zheng's voice rang from the hall.
"I obey." Ren Xiao responded loudly.
Moments later, Xia Dong'er cast one last, reluctant glance at Ying Zheng before turning to leave Zhangtai Palace.
"My lady, please."
Ren Xiao bowed deeply.
Xia Dong'er nodded gently and made her way toward the carriage prepared for her.
Inside Zhangtai Palace
Ying Zheng's gaze was filled with longing.
"Very soon…"
"Very soon, our family will be together in the open, without hiding anymore."
"But Feng'er… the surprise you've given me is far greater than I ever imagined."
"I never expected that you had done so much in secret, nor that you had inherited the legacy of an immortal."
"I look forward to the day you learn that you are my son the rightful heir of Qin. I want to see the expression on your face when you realize it."
A smile of anticipation spread across Ying Zheng's face.
At that moment!
Zhao Gao led a group of servants into Zhangtai Palace to clear the table and remove the dishes.
Just as they were about to withdraw, Ying Zheng looked up and fixed his gaze on Zhao Gao.
"You stay behind."
Ying Zheng's voice was calm but carried a sharp edge.
Zhao Gao froze in place, a deep sense of fear surging through him.
Yet he had no choice but to turn back and kneel.
"I await Your Majesty's command," he said respectfully.
"You recognized her, didn't you?"
Ying Zheng's gaze was cold and piercing.
At those words
Zhao Gao could no longer suppress his fear. He fell to his knees, trembling.
"Your servant… Your servant did recognize her."
"But please, Your Majesty, rest assured I would never reveal a single word of this secret!"
"If I do, may Your Majesty have me torn to pieces at any moment!"
Zhao Gao was filled with terror.
Having served Ying Zheng for decades, he knew him well. The King was ruthless and unyielding in his decisions.
Anyone who crossed his boundaries would face certain death.
And without a doubt
Xia Dong'er was one of those boundaries.
"I hear…"
"You've been gathering quite a few court officials in support of the eighteenth prince."
Ying Zheng's voice was low and unreadable.
As soon as these words fell, Zhao Gao broke out in a cold sweat.
"Your servant... your servant would not dare."
"Your servant will never dare again."
"Your servant has always been a humble servant by Your Majesty's side and would never overstep any boundaries."
"The reason... the reason I helped Prince Huhai was simply because I was his teacher."
"From this day forward, your servant is willing to resign from this position as his teacher and never see Prince Huhai again."
"Your servant swears absolute loyalty to Your Majesty." Zhao Gao expressed his fear and submission with utmost sincerity.
Historically, after Qin Shi Huang's passing, Zhao Gao used his position as a close attendant to conspire with Li Si to alter the imperial edict, allowing Huhai to ascend the throne.
It wasn't that Zhao Gao held great power on his own.
As long as Qin Shi Huang was alive, he was nothing more than a dog serving by his master's side. How could he dare to harbor any ambitions?
Now, after uncovering the secret of Xia Dong'er and the shocking truth about Zhao Feng's identity, Zhao Gao wouldn't dare to have any thoughts of his own.
"In that case…"
"What are you waiting for?"
Qin Shi Huang's voice was cold.
Zhao Gao repeatedly kowtowed. "Your servant understands. Your servant understands."
With that, he scrambled to his feet and hastily crawled out of Zhangtai Palace.
Only after stepping outside did Zhao Gao let out a breath of relief, feeling fortunate to still be alive.
With just a single word, Qin Shi Huang could have crushed him like an ant.
After all, he was merely a lowly eunuch.
"Now that Feng'er has grown his wings…"
"The imperial court is also changing…"
"There is no need to keep things hidden anymore."
"It's best to shatter their hopes early, so I can live in peace in the future." Qin Shi Huang murmured to himself.
In the past, he had allowed Huhai to rise, making Fusu and Huhai compete, simply to keep their focus away from Zhao Feng. This allowed Zhao Feng to grow without drawing attention.
At the time, Fusu had too many supporters in the court.
With Huhai's presence, the competition kept the court occupied, diverting attention from Zhao Feng.
But now, seeing how his son had obtained the power of an immortal, making him nearly invulnerable, Qin Shi Huang was no longer afraid.
His son was so formidable that all his prior efforts seemed insignificant in comparison.
"Martial power…"
"Immortal power…"
"I am truly curious to see it with my own eyes."
Qin Shi Huang's eyes shone with anticipation.
…
Inside Consort Hu's palace.
"The Chief of the Central Carriage Office has arrived!"
A eunuch outside the palace announced loudly.
Upon hearing this, both Consort Hu and Huhai immediately stood up, their faces lighting up with smiles.
The next moment, Zhao Gao entered slowly, his face still pale from the shock, as if he had narrowly escaped death.
"Teacher, what happened to you?"
"Why do you look so pale?"
Huhai asked in confusion as he looked at Zhao Gao.
Consort Hu, standing nearby, also showed concern.
"Did something happen?" Consort Hu asked, worried.
This was the first time they had ever seen Zhao Gao in such a state, which meant that something major must have happened.
"Consort, Prince."
"From this day on…"
"I have come to resign from my position as the prince's teacher."
Zhao Gao's voice carried a trace of helplessness.
As he spoke, he felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
He understood that if he didn't make this choice now, he might not have survived his visit to Zhangtai Palace.
"Why?"
Consort Hu and Huhai's expressions changed instantly.
They couldn't understand the reason behind this sudden decision.
Everything had been fine why was Zhao Gao resigning now?
"Consort."
"If it were not for the will of Heaven, I would not be making this decision." Zhao Gao spoke with a hint of resignation.
Though he didn't explicitly state it, in Qin, "the will of Heaven" was synonymous with "the will of the King."
Both Consort Hu and Huhai instantly understood.
"It was Father?" Huhai's expression darkened.
"Consort, I cannot say more."
"In any case…"
"From now on, the prince must abandon any ambitions for that position. Otherwise… the consequences will be dire."
"This is my final, heartfelt advice."
"Your servant takes his leave."
Zhao Gao respectfully bowed to Consort Hu, then quickly retreated from the palace hall.
He had come swiftly and left just as quickly.
The terrifying ordeal in Zhangtai Palace had made Zhao Gao unwilling to linger.
From now on, he had to sever all ties with Huhai to ensure his survival.
As Zhao Gao's figure disappeared, both Consort Hu and Huhai's expressions turned grim.
"Mother, what on earth is going on?"
"Why would Zhao Gao suddenly sever our teacher-student relationship?" Huhai asked, his face dark with displeasure.
Just moments ago, he had still been calling him "Teacher," but now he referred to him directly by name evidence of his shifting emotions.
"It seems that something must have happened with your father."
"If not for him, Zhao Gao would never have abandoned you."
Consort Hu's expression also turned grim.
As Wang Wan fell and Fusu's maternal family lost favor, Fusu's support in the court had been greatly weakened. Meanwhile, Hu Hai naturally gained even greater backing, and the political landscape of the court became increasingly clear. Fusu's momentum was even suppressed by Hu Hai's supporters.
However, given the current situation, it seemed that something had changed with the King of Qin.
How could Lady Hu possibly accept this?
"Fusu's maternal grandfather has already betrayed the state, yet does Father still intend to favor Fusu?"
"The unification of the world is imminent does Father want to choose Fusu as the Crown Prince?"
"No, I refuse to accept this!" Hu Hai shouted, his face twisted in madness.
"Since we've already set foot on this path, there's no turning back."
"Fusu may act all kind and righteous, but the people under his command are far from virtuous. If he truly becomes the Crown Prince, then you and I will have no place to survive in the future," Lady Hu said through gritted teeth, clearly unwilling to back down.
Since they had already started competing for power, the struggle would not end until their goal was achieved.
If they failed, death was inevitable.
"But now even Zhao Gao refuses to support us and is advising us to give up," Hu Hai said worriedly.
"This means he has received news from Father.
"If it's truly bad news, then we're in trouble."
"As long as nothing has been officially announced, nothing is set in stone.
"Even if it is announced, can Fusu live forever? Is he immune to all illnesses?" Lady Hu sneered, revealing her thoughts.
"What about Zhao Gao?" Hu Hai asked.
"He's just a mere eunuch it makes no difference whether he's with us or not."
"The reason I had you go out of your way to win him over was because he was one of your father's close attendants."
"Now that he has severed ties, let it be.
"After all, you still have plenty of supporters in the court."
"Understood." Hu Hai nodded, saying no more.
Zhao Residence
"Mother is back!"
Seeing his mother return, Zhao Feng's face lit up with a smile.
"Yes."
Xia Dong'er nodded.
"Why did it take so long?" Zhao Feng asked curiously.
It had been over two hours since she left for the palace.
"The King had me stay for a meal before I returned," Xia Dong'er replied gently.
"The King didn't do anything to you, did he?" Zhao Feng asked with some concern.
"Feng'er, what kind of question is that?"
"He's the King what could he possibly do to me?"
Xia Dong'er rolled her eyes at him.
"Haha."
"I don't know why, but I just feel like the King was acting strangely today." Zhao Feng laughed awkwardly.
Just then
"Madam, Lord and Lady Wang are here to visit."
A voice called out from outside.
Wang Jian and his wife strode in quickly.
"Sir and Madam Wang."
Xia Dong'er nodded slightly, smiling warmly.
For Wang Jian and his wife, coming to visit Xia Dong'er in Shacheng was a natural gesture.
However, Zhao Feng had been away at war at the time.
"Uncle!"
A young man, Wang Li, ran over. Though only in his teens, his eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Zhao Feng.
"You've come at just the right time."
"Stay for a meal at the mansion today."
"Zhang Ming, bring out the fine wine we've stored away." Zhao Feng laughed.
"I heard that Madam has arrived."
"So of course, I had to come and visit." Wang Jian chuckled.
"There's no need for such formality between family."
"I was just about to visit your estate myself, Father-in-law," Zhao Feng replied with a smile.
"Enough."
"Let's not just stand here."
"Let's go inside and have a seat." Xia Dong'er spoke at the right moment.
"Yes, yes, let's go inside." Zhao Feng smiled and led the way.
The group made their way toward the main hall of the mansion.
But just as they had taken their seats
"My Lord."
"The Minister of Justice has arrived with his son and seeks an audience."
Han Chenyan entered quickly to report.
Hearing this, Zhao Feng turned to look at Zhao Ying, who was standing beside his mother.
"Ying'er, they're here for you." Zhao Feng smiled.
A blush crept onto Zhao Ying's face.
"Invite them in," Zhao Feng instructed Han Chenyan.
"Yes, my Lord." Han Chenyan quickly left.
Not long after
Li Si arrived swiftly, followed by his son, Li You.
With the war over, Li You had returned to Xianyang.
And this time, his return was for an important personal matter.
"Greetings, Lord Wu'an."
Li Si stepped forward with a smile and cupped his hands in salute.
"Minister Li, please take a seat."
Zhao Feng smiled and waved his hand.
"Lord Wu'an, I won't waste words today."
"I have come here today on behalf of my son."
Li Si smiled, his gaze shifting toward Zhao Ying.
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