HCT – Chapter 199 The Elder Brother is Friendly, the Younger Brother is Respectful

Although many years had passed since they last met, Meng Yi, as Meng Tian’s younger brother, instantly sensed his elder brother’s gloating.

Having long been given plenty of “mental preparation” by Meng Tian, Meng Yi was not too shaken when Ying Zheng stumped him with a question.

He knew well that the Crown Prince was a prodigy personally taught by Lord Zhu Xiang, unmatched among his peers. For him to be defeated in questioning by the Crown Prince was perfectly normal. The Crown Prince himself would also see it as normal.

The key for him to win the Prince’s favor, besides displaying as much of his own talent as possible, was to show a good attitude.

Meng Yi had been doing very well—sweating profusely to show his effort, yet keeping a composed and neither humble nor arrogant expression to show his mindset, which made a satisfied look appear on Ying Zheng’s face.

But when he caught sight of Meng Tian’s gloating expression, the youthful Meng Yi’s composure collapsed. He couldn’t help but glare angrily at his elder brother.

Ying Zheng also noticed Meng Tian’s little expression and stopped testing Meng Yi.

“Speaking of which, you’ve been following Teacher in the army for so long—have you neglected your studies?” Ying Zheng asked sternly with hands clasped behind his back. “Even on warships and on horseback, Teacher never let a book leave his hand. Surely you haven’t let your lessons slip?”

Meng Tian: “…”

He hadn’t, originally. But during the time he was preparing to defend the city, military duties had been so overwhelming that… well…

Meng Tian immediately said: “I will work hard!”

Ying Zheng said unhurriedly: “Anyone can make vows. They don’t count for much. Have you worked hard before? Let me test you.”

Meng Yi’s lips curved upward at once, and he gave his elder brother a dazzling smile.

Meng Tian shot him a glance, already thinking about how to teach his disrespectful little brother a loving lesson later.

The two brothers exchanged looks, and the atmosphere became one of warm brotherly affection, which made Ying Zheng inwardly quite amused.

He promptly stumped Meng Tian, then praised Meng Yi and scolded Meng Tian, saying that as the elder brother, Meng Tian had failed to set a good example.

After the scolding, he also reminded Meng Yi: studying is important, but martial training is also important. Meng Yi’s body was relatively frail, not looking much like someone who could command troops in battle. Meng Tian already had military merits, far surpassing others his age. Meng Yi could not bury himself solely in books; in the future, he must also go to the battlefield when the chance arose.

When it came to playing brothers off each other, Ying Zheng was a natural.

Yes—praise one, belittle the other—that was the art of an emperor.

After “successfully sowing discord” between the brothers, Ying Zheng took the imperial decree written by his father, went to the bow of the ship, and fished while reading.

Xue Ji rarely saw Meng Yi. She regarded the children of Zhu Xiang’s friends as her own, though naturally even among her own children there were differences in closeness—Xiaozheng was, of course, unique.

Feeling bored on the ship, Xue Ji took out some cloth to make Meng Yi a set of clothes.

Meng Yi knew nothing of this. When he later received the clothing sewn by Xue Ji’s own hands, he was both delighted and embarrassed, while his elder brother teased him endlessly.

With no Xue Ji keeping watch over him, Ying Zheng could freely read the letters while speaking disrespectfully of his father.

“Hm? I’ve been stabbed in the back by Uncle?” Ying Zheng frowned, discontented. “Uncle has gone too far. Once I return to Xianyang, I’ll complain to Elder Xun!”

What Ying Zheng meant by “stabbed in the back” was that Zhu Xiang, vexed by his own heavy workload, had written a lengthy memorial to Qin King Zichu listing all the difficulties Qin would face in its territorial expansion, thus dampening Qin King Zichu’s spirits as well.

Whether Qin King Zichu was upset or not aside, when he saw Zhu Xiang’s letters had arrived but Ying Zheng had not, he immediately knew the boy must have been playing along the way. He promptly issued an edict reprimanding him and ordering him back to Xianyang to be scolded.

Ying Zheng, however, paid no heed to Qin King Zichu’s harsh tone, wearing an expression that said, Father, you may be angry, but what can you do to me?

He flipped the decree noisily, then tossed it aside, lay back on a bamboo chair padded with cotton, crossed one leg over the other, closed his eyes, and fished.

This leisurely pose, too, was something he had learned from Zhu Xiang.

Zhu Xiang always found the most comfortable posture, never caring about appearances. Ying Zheng had picked up this bad habit.

Seeing this, Meng Yi looked on with admiration and envy, and said to Meng Tian: “The Crown Prince truly resembles Lord Zhu Xiang.”

Meng Tian nodded at first, but then noticed Meng Yi’s envious expression and frowned: “You don’t mean to say you want to imitate Lord Zhu Xiang, do you?”

Meng Yi nodded vigorously.

Meng Tian immediately put on a stern face and scolded: “Lord Zhu Xiang is worthy of reverence, but not of imitation.”

Meng Yi was stunned, not understanding why his elder brother, who filled his letters with words of respect for Lord Zhu Xiang, would say such a thing.

Meng Tian sighed: “Lord Zhu Xiang is a sage. A sage is to be revered, but not imitated.”

Meng Yi lowered his head in thought for a while, then nodded. “I understand, brother.”

Meng Tian patted his younger brother’s shoulder and said: “Still, if you can remain by Lord Zhu Xiang’s side, that is a blessing. A sage like Lord Zhu Xiang needs disciples who are not sages, to protect him.”

Meng Yi nodded firmly this time. “I’ll definitely work hard.”

Meng Tian gave his younger brother an encouraging smile, but what he was really thinking was: Want to become Lord Zhu Xiang’s disciple? The Crown Prince would be the first to object. But if Lord Zhu Xiang takes a liking to my little brother, then he’ll be able to come with me to Zhu Xiang’s house for meals. With us brothers working together, we’ll be unbeatable—we could even suppress Li Si and Han Fei.

Meng Tian still harbored some resentment over being constantly suppressed by Li Si and Han Fei during his years as a student.

Although he had now joined the army and was no longer on the same path as Li Si and Han Fei, he hadn’t forgotten it.

With such a smart younger brother, plus my help, surely he can defeat Li Si and Han Fei in debates? Meng Tian thought optimistically.

Ying Zheng might have dismissed Qin King Zichu’s summons with disdain, but still, the ship sped up.

In just three days, combining sails with rowing, the Crown Prince’s great vessel reached the Han River, where they saw Qin King Zichu waiting with hands clasped behind his back and a stormy face.

Ying Zheng bowed respectfully, his expression perfectly deferential.

But Qin King Zichu wasn’t having it. He reached out and grabbed Ying Zheng’s face. “Without Zhu Xiang keeping an eye on you, you think you can run wild, is that it? I sent three decrees in a row ordering you to return for training, yet you dawdled along the way sightseeing? Speak! Where did you go? Xue Ji, don’t you dare defend him.”

Xue Ji laughed. “My lord, I won’t defend him.”

She waved at the child hiding behind Qin King Zichu. “Cheng Jiao, don’t you recognize your aunt?”

Although already seven, because he was picky with food and disliked exercise, Cheng Jiao was still smaller and frailer than Ying Zheng had been at five. He poked his head out. “Aunt has come back?”

Xue Ji bent down with a smile, reaching out her arms. “Yes, Aunt has come back.”

Cheng Jiao carefully shuffled out from behind Qin King Zichu, taking tiny steps until he stood before Xue Ji. “Aunt?”

Xue Ji gathered him into her arms. “Yes, it’s Aunt. Ah, Cheng Jiao, why have you gotten so thin?”

She lifted him up and weighed him lightly, frowning. “Have you been picky with food again?”

Still held by the face, Ying Zheng butted in: “Of course he has. When I left Xianyang, even eating vegetarian meals he was still round and plump. Now the mourning period’s been over for more than a year, and yet he’s thinner… Ow! Father, lighter, please!”

Qin King Zichu scolded, “I’m teaching you a lesson—why are you interrupting? Get over here!”

He dragged Ying Zheng by the face onto the carriage and continued his scolding.

Ying Zheng looked pitifully at the man standing behind Qin King Zichu with hands folded—his beloved Uncle Lin Zhi.

Uncle Lin grinned in schadenfreude, even showing eight teeth.

Ying Zheng: “…”

As expected of you, Uncle Lin. You really are this kind of person!

Lin Zhi cheerfully followed Qin King Zichu onto the Qin royal carriage, even though Qin King Zichu hadn’t invited him.

How could he miss out on the fun of watching Zheng’er being scolded? Afterwards, he’d even write it all down and send it to Zhu Xiang, to enrich Zhu Xiang’s “Diary of Raising Zheng’er.”

Xue Ji, holding Cheng Jiao, boarded the following carriage.

Cheng Jiao’s arm curled around her neck, and soon, in her embrace, he rediscovered the familiar warmth he had once known.

Resting his head on Xue Ji’s shoulder, he grumbled, “Elder Brother the Crown Prince scolded me as soon as we met.”

Xue Ji smiled. “He wasn’t scolding you—he was distressed for you. When he left, you were still plump and round. Less than a year has passed, and now you’re so thin. How could he not be distressed?”

Cheng Jiao tilted his head. “Really? He was distressed? If Elder Brother feels sorry for me, does that mean he won’t assign me homework?”

Xue Ji ruffled his soft little head. “He’ll give you double the homework.”

Cheng Jiao let out a wail and squeezed his eyes shut in despair.

Although still so young, just hearing his elder brother’s reprimands brought back memories of being taught—albeit impatiently—hand in hand by his brother. The weight of those memories made the seven-year-old wear an expression like a seventy-year-old.

He had known it would be like this, yet he had still begged Grandmother to send word to Father to fetch him, so that he could wait at the dock for his elder brother.

Xue Ji gently asked about his life these past years, and how Grandmother Empress Dowager Huayang and Lady Dowager Xia were faring.

After answering her questions, Cheng Jiao gradually began confiding some of his little troubles.

These worries he had never told even his grandmother, for he thought Grandmother was a bit foolish and didn’t want to trouble her.

And Father was too strict, always comparing him to Elder Brother the Crown Prince, asking about his studies the moment they met, which Cheng Jiao greatly disliked.

He knew he wasn’t very clever, nowhere near his elder brother, but he didn’t like always being told he was stupid.

“But Uncle says Cheng Jiao is very smart,” he said, aggrieved.

Xue Ji’s expression instantly turned stern. “Of course Cheng Jiao is very smart. Does one have to be first in everything to be considered smart? If so, then in court, apart from the Chancellor, no one else is clever? Zheng’er’s wisdom makes him suited to be Chancellor, while Cheng Jiao’s wisdom makes him suited to be Vice Chancellor or Great General. Compared to the rest of the world, Cheng Jiao is still among the most intelligent.”

Cheng Jiao pouted. “Uncle says that too. Uncle says, apart from Elder Brother the Crown Prince, Cheng Jiao is the smartest child—the second smartest in the world. The most amazing Elder Brother will be King of Qin, and the second smartest Cheng Jiao will be Chancellor.”

Xue Ji nodded. “That’s right. No matter how capable Zheng’er is, he’s only one person. He needs others to assist him, to help him, to protect him. Cheng Jiao will be the most powerful prince, protecting and supporting the King of Qin. Look—your uncle isn’t the smartest man in the world either, but has anyone ever said he was worthless?”

Cheng Jiao blinked in surprise. “Uncle isn’t the smartest man in the world?”

Xue Ji chuckled. “Of course not. Apart from Master Xunzi, your Uncle Cai, Uncle Lin, Uncle Li, even your father—each of them is smarter than your uncle.”

Cheng Jiao thought carefully, then whispered, “Really? Father is smarter than Uncle?”

Xue Ji rubbed his head again. “Of course. Next time your father calls you stupid, just say: Uncle and Aunt told me that Uncle isn’t the smartest in the world, far worse than Father—so does Father think Uncle is stupid too?”

Cheng Jiao hesitated. “Can I… really talk back to Father like that?”

Xue Ji smiled. “Of course you can. As long as you say it was your uncle and aunt who said so, your father won’t blame you.”

Cheng Jiao lifted his little head. “Alright!”