HCT – Chapter 256 Do You Want to Hear a Story? (Part 1)

Empress Dowager Xia had been quietly watching Zhao Gao’s expression.

Compared to Empress Dowager Huayang, who had lived her whole life smoothly and favored, Empress Dowager Xia—though muddled for a period when her son became crown prince and her natal family tried to manipulate her—had spent over a decade out of favor. During those years, she had become far more adept than Huayang at reading people’s faces.

Zhao Gao coming out of nowhere to ask them to send reinforcements immediately put Huayang on alert. Having suffered far more losses, Empress Dowager Xia became even more alert.

Zhao Gao’s worry was real, but the panic he displayed carried a faint, inexplicable sense of wrongness.

After all, Zhao Gao was still young—far from the level of cunning he would have in later generations when he deceived the First Emperor of Qin.

In actual history, Zhao Gao at this age was still running errands in the palace; he didn’t gain the First Emperor’s favor until after his thirties.

But now, because Qin King Zheng had prematurely promoted the “beloved minister” from his dreams, Zhao Gao had arrived at Zheng’s side while his scheming was unrefined, his ambition and gambling nature inflated, and his patience lacking.

That sense of dissonance in Zhao Gao— even Empress Dowager Xia could detect it.

So when Ying Zheng’s breathless cry for help suddenly sounded from outside, the excitement Zhao Gao failed to hide caused Empress Dowager Xia’s heart to jolt sharply.

The Qin King is in danger—why are you excited?

Before she could think it through, she grabbed the panicking Empress Dowager Huayang, who was about to rush out. “Wait. The king would never let himself fall into danger.”

Empress Dowager Huayang said anxiously, “Wait for what? Zheng’er is panicking to the point of losing all decorum! Either Xunzi is beating him, or Zhu Xiang has returned.”

She paused, then added, “Xunzi values etiquette greatly—he would never chase him into the harem. It must be that Zheng’er did something terrible and angered Zhu Xiang to the point of losing all rationality.”

Empress Dowager Xia froze, then suddenly felt… defeated.

“Why couldn’t it be Xue Ji?” she asked.

Huayang replied with absolute certainty, “If it were Xue Ji, Zheng’er wouldn’t run. He would kneel and accept the scolding.”

After analyzing the situation, Huayang immediately pulled Xia along and hurried outside. “It must be Zhu Xiang. Zheng’er only runs when Zhu Xiang is the one disciplining him. Even if Xunzi went mad with anger, Zheng’er would only obediently stand there and take it.”

Empress Dowager Xia couldn’t help laughing and crying at once. “Why doesn’t the king obediently accept punishment from Zhu Xiang? Zhu Xiang spoils him the most. Ordinary matters wouldn’t make him punish Zheng’er.”

Huayang sighed. “Exactly because he spoils him too much. Even if Zheng’er knew he was very wrong, as long as he’s facing Zhu Xiang, he won’t behave himself.”

Empress Dowager Xia could only shake her head with a bitter smile, unexpectedly feeling some envy toward this grandson.

The two empresses didn’t spare Zhao Gao a glance, nor did they bother to summon palace attendants. They simply walked out together.

Zhao Gao’s excited expression froze on his face.

What’s going on? Who is this Zhu Xiang? Spoils him? What?

He understood every individual word the empresses said—but the moment they were strung together, none of it made sense.

His instincts screamed that his judgment was catastrophically wrong, but he had no idea what he’d miscalculated.

While he stood there bewildered, the two empresses had already spotted the wildly fleeing Zheng’er.

Zhu Xiang had galloped all the way back to Xianyang Palace, exhausting plenty of stamina, but Ying Zheng wasn’t in much better shape. And when someone panicked, they often ignored physical limitations and displayed unexpected abilities.

Ying Zheng had already been caught up to by Zhu Xiang.

Zhu Xiang swung the scabbard in his hand as Ying Zheng dodged left and right, hopping and leaping. His movements grew more and more practiced as the two of them circled around the open plaza before the empresses’ palace.

Lin Zhi and Cai Ze had already stopped chasing. Cai Ze kept rubbing his forehead and sighing, while Lin Zhi pointed and commented nonstop, clearly critiquing something.

When they saw the two empresses exit, both men immediately bowed.

Huayang waved them off impatiently and rushed forward to shield Ying Zheng. “Lord Zhu Xiang, if you have something to say, say it properly. Zheng’er is this big already—how can you chase and beat him in public?”

Ying Zheng instantly slipped behind her in one swift move.

Zhu Xiang’s mouth twitched.

And the boy had the nerve to complain earlier that Chengjiao’s habit of hiding behind the empress was too well-practiced—wasn’t he exactly the same from childhood to now?

Lin Zhi couldn’t help laughing. “That move of Zheng’er’s is clearly one he practiced many years. It’s a bit rusty now, but with some practice he’ll pick it right back up.”

Ying Zheng glared at him furiously.

Cai Ze groaned. “Lin Li, enough.”

Empress Dowager Xia also stepped forward to shield the king. “Lord Zhu Xiang, why are you so angry?”

Zhu Xiang saluted the two empresses, face dark. “Zheng’er knew Yan would send assassins, yet he used himself as bait, luring the assassins to attack in public!”

Both empresses’ expressions changed.

Zhu Xiang continued, “There were guards hidden in the palace, but Zheng’er—obsessed with bravery—refused to let them protect him. He insisted on fighting alone, using only a longsword, against three assassins armed with lethal weapons.”

Huayang and Xia’s faces sank. They stepped back, grabbing Ying Zheng by each arm.

Ying Zheng: “???”

Zhu Xiang said, “Assassins use poison. A single scratch might be enough to kill. Even with armor, what about his hands? His face? Fighting three men alone—one misstep and he could have been cut.”

Even Lin Zhi and Cai Ze turned pale.

They inhaled sharply and bowed. “We failed to consider thoroughly. Please punish us, Your Majesties.”

Huayang snapped, “You two spoil him too much! Everything he does—you indulge! For matters of life and death too! The late king entrusted him to you, but was it so you could blindly indulge him? If you allow Zheng’er to do whatever he wants, how are you any different from traitors?!”

Her fury made her slip into words that cut to the bone.

Lin Zhi and Cai Ze immediately knelt again to plead guilty.

Ying Zheng quickly said, “It wasn’t Uncle Lin or Uncle Cai… I—”

Huayang and the silent, stone-faced Xia Dowager pushed him forward.

Empress Dowager Xia bowed slightly to Zhu Xiang. “Lord Zhu Xiang, you are the king’s foster father and teacher. Please discipline him properly.”

Huayang took the scabbard from Zhu Xiang’s hand, then put it back. “This scabbard—I gift it to you. Hit him!”

As grandmothers and empress dowagers, even though the Qin King had already begun ruling on his own, as long as they were scolding him as family and he respected them, they could still interact as grandmother and grandson in private.

Many emperors in later generations performed filial displays before their mothers and grandmothers—even in old age, if the elders were angry, they would kneel and admit fault.

Empress Dowager Huayang normally never flaunted her authority as the great-grandmother. But the moment she chose to wield that authority, Ying Zheng had to give her face.

And this time, there were two grandmothers.

Xia Dowager said sternly, “King, you must be punished.”

Ying Zheng: “…”

It’s over. Even the empress dowagers won’t save me?

He closed his eyes and stuck out his hand. “Be gentle, I still need to review the memorials.”

The two empresses: “…”

This carefree attitude left them utterly speechless.

Lin Zhi and Cai Ze, who had been earnestly reflecting, nearly burst into laughter.

They forced the corners of their mouths down and quickly bent in a deep bow to hide their expressions.

Ying Zheng had always behaved this way when Zhu Xiang punished him—if he could run, he’d run; if he couldn’t, he’d put on an air of “I’ll never learn anyway, hit me if you want, you won’t hit hard anyway.”

Only Xue Ji ever beat his little backside mercilessly.

Zhu Xiang’s voice was cold. “Turn around.”

Ying Zheng: “Huh?”

The two empress dowagers, acting like execution assistants helping bind a criminal, grabbed his arms and spun him around.

Zhu Xiang raised the scabbard and struck hard across Ying Zheng’s back.

The boy—who wouldn’t even blink when smashing vases on himself—jumped up violently. “Uncle! You really hit me?! Ow ow ow! I was wrong! Stop stop stop!”

The two empress dowagers nearly failed to hold down the oversized bouncing bear of a grandson.

Zhu Xiang struck him several more times. “Now you know what pain is? When you were alone facing three assassins, were you not worried about pain? If something happened—if you were injured—what then? Xue and I raised you this far! You throw your life around like this—how is that worthy of us?!”

Hearing the trembling in Zhu Xiang’s voice, Ying Zheng didn’t dare dodge anymore.

Carefully he said, “I wore armor and had a long sword. They couldn’t hurt me. Uncle… ow! Still hitting?”

Zhu Xiang snapped, “What if they threw hidden weapons with better aim? What if it grazed your face or hand?”

“It’d just be a scratch—ow! Okay okay! I was wrong!”

Zhu Xiang bit out, “And if those weapons were coated in fast-acting poison?”

Panting in pain, Ying Zheng still argued, “It’s not like I never listened to Bian Que’s lectures. There’s no such thing as poison that kills instantly just by touching a blade.”

The empress dowagers both looked like they were losing strength.

This child… must you contradict every sentence?

If they knew the term “troll,” they would have joined Zhu Xiang in sighing that the “First Emperor” was probably a dragon shaped like a pull-up bar—born to argue.

Zhu Xiang could only say weakly, “Oh, you make so much sense, don’t you?”

Ying Zheng peeked back, saw that his uncle wasn’t quite as angry anymore, and quickly said,  “I—I know I was wrong. I won’t do it next time.”

“Next time?” Zhu Xiang asked coldly.

“No next time! Absolutely no next time!”

Zhu Xiang threw the scabbard down, grabbed the boy’s head, and rubbed it fiercely until his face was twisted out of shape.

Seeing the fear-tinged tears in Zhu Xiang’s eyes, Ying Zheng’s stubborn mouth finally softened.  “It’s my fault, Uncle. I was wrong. A gentleman does not stand near a collapsing wall—I shouldn’t have fought assassins alone. As king, I should value my own safety.”

Zhu Xiang kept rubbing his head. “You know all this, yet you still had to act recklessly!”

After calming down, he immediately guessed the real reason.

His nephew was someone who valued face above all. As a child, he had often muttered things like “that damned Crown Prince of Yan” or “does beating the zhu sound nice?”—words that would instantly raise flags for any time-traveler who knew the historical references.

Zheng’er was clearly unhappy about losing face when assassins chased him around the pillars. Now he wanted to restore that lost face.

And what better way than single-handedly defeating three assassins in public?

Zhu Xiang was utterly exasperated.

But in the original history he remembered, Qin Shihuang had endured so many hardships that logically he should have grown into someone cautious and restrained. Yet, at his core, he was about as “lively” as this Ying Zheng. What could he do about that?

He could only hope this beating would actually have some effect.

Ying Zheng asked, “Not hitting anymore?”

Zhu Xiang: “……”

Empress Dowager Huayang and Empress Dowager Xia both sighed.

They first helped Lin Zhi and Cai Ze up, then complained, “Why do I feel like this beating was useless?”

Zhu Xiang said, “It’ll still keep him in line for a few days.”

Empress Dowager Huayang suggested, “How about letting Xueji discipline him?”

Ying Zheng’s eyes widened. “Grandmother, isn’t that too much! I’m not even injured!”

Zhu Xiang said, “No need. He’s already the King of Qin, after all. He deserves some dignity. I already beat him once; there’s no need for a second punishment. I’ll speak to Xueji and have her scold him by letter. That’ll be enough.”

Ying Zheng let out a breath of relief.

Lin Zhi and Cai Ze shared a look.

See? Zhu Xiang is still the one who spoils Ying Zheng the most. So the reason Ying Zheng has become the way he is… Zhu Xiang bears the greatest responsibility.

But Zhu Xiang had truly been furious this time. When he struck Ying Zheng’s back, he hadn’t held back at all.

When the imperial physician came to apply medicine, Ying Zheng’s back was swollen.

Zhu Xiang cried at the sight.

Ying Zheng didn’t make a sound, but Zhu Xiang was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Ying Zheng muttered, “I knew Uncle would cry. So why beat me in the first place— ow!”

Empress Dowager Huayang applied the medicine with a heavier hand.

Even she couldn’t tolerate this “unfilial” nephew anymore. “Your uncle loves you, and this is how you repay him—by hurting his heart?!”

Ying Zheng hurriedly shut up.

He hadn’t meant to hurt his uncle’s feelings; he was just stating the truth.

Empress Dowager Xia also sighed helplessly. “Zheng’er, change your ways. Don’t chill your uncle’s heart anymore.”

Ying Zheng had something to say about that. “Uncle would never be heartbroken. Right, Uncle?”

Zhu Xiang, still crying, shot him a fierce glare. So you think you can act with impunity?!

Ying Zheng lifted his chin—exactly.

Empress Dowager Huayang couldn’t help poking the bruise on his back. Ying Zheng instantly quieted down.

Lin Zhi sighed with a faint smile. “Every time Zheng’er sees Zhu Xiang, he becomes like this. Completely uncontrollable.”

Cai Ze couldn’t help nodding.

Zhu Xiang wiped his tears. “I almost forgot about you two. Just wait—when I beat you, I definitely won’t feel distressed.”

Lin Zhi and Cai Ze immediately shut their mouths.

Cai Ze thought for a moment. “It truly was my fault for failing to remonstrate. I request to resign……”

“Get lost! Zheng’er is already injured, and you want him to exhaust himself even more?!” Zhu Xiang scolded. “Drop your little schemes right now and properly assist Zheng’er!”

Lin Zhi folded his hands behind him. “Exactly, exactly.”

Ying Zheng also nodded. Exactly.

Cai Ze was speechless.

According to Qin law, he and Lin Zhi had made mistakes and should be dismissed to reflect. How was this a “little scheme”? He was just being a normal person.

Empress Dowager Huayang added, “Lord Cai, you cannot leave. If you do, no one will restrain Lord Lin or Zheng’er.”

Empress Dowager Xia, who normally never interfered with Ying Zheng, also couldn’t help saying, “Better let Lord Cai remain Chancellor. While he was Chancellor, none of this ever happened.”

Cai Ze: “……” Nothing like this ever happened? Empress Dowager Xia, touch your conscience and repeat that. Do you remember your good son sending troops to surround me several times? At least Zheng’er only torments himself, not others!

Lin Zhi said, “I agree. What do you say, Cai Ze?”

Cai Ze replied, “No. I’ve held the position too long. I cannot monopolize it.”

Ying Zheng said, “Alright, alright—no changes in office. I’ll fine the both of you, and… and I’ll fine myself too.”

He turned to the two empress dowagers. “It was your grandson’s fault for alarming great Grandmother and grandmother.”

To elders other than his uncle, Ying Zheng was always extremely filial and spoke graciously.

Empress Dowager Huayang and Empress Dowager Xia sighed several times, reluctantly accepting his placation.

Compared to how wild and unruly he was in front of Zhu Xiang, they supposed they should be content.

Zhu Xiang scolded, “If only you behaved this well in front of me and Xia Tong. If Xia Tong learned of today, he’d definitely beat you hard.”

Ying Zheng said, “With Father’s stamina? He couldn’t even catch me!”

Zhu Xiang flicked his forehead just like when he was little. “Careful—your father might show up in your dreams to scold you.”

Ying Zheng clutched his head. “Father only appears in your dreams and Uncle’s dreams. He’s already forgotten his own son.”

Empress Dowager Xia’s expression dimmed.

She had also heard of Zichu appearing in dreams—but he had neither appeared in hers nor mentioned her. After his death, if not for others bringing him up, she rarely thought of him at all. 

Mother and son, yet already strangers.

Zhu Xiang said, “He hasn’t forgotten you. In the dreams he showed up in for me, for Lin Li, and for Cai Ze, he was always shouting that he wanted to beat you. Probably because he too wants to hit you, your grandfather and great-grandfather are holding him back so he can’t enter your dreams.”

Ying Zheng admitted, “That’s true. If Grandfather and Great-grandfather were around, Uncle wouldn’t dare hit me. They’d praise my skills instead.”

Zhu Xiang: “……”

Who said I spoiled this child? King Zhao of Qin and King Renwen—you two are the real culprits!

The assassination attempt on the King of Qin should have been a major national crisis, but due to Lord Zhu Xiang’s sudden appearance—entering the palace with sword in hand to kill assassins alongside the king—the whole matter became idle gossip in Xianyang.

As for the rumor that the King of Qin was then chased and beaten by Lord Zhu Xiang, it circulated only among the highest nobles, not spoken aloud.

Every Qin king across generations was famously vengeful. They could laugh privately, but not dare say a word publicly.

Rumor had it that the palace summoned physicians, and the next day the King of Qin didn’t convene the ministers regarding the assassination—so he must indeed have been beaten, and beaten hard.

Although it was difficult to comprehend the King of Qin being beaten, replacing him with a twenty-something family troublemaker acting recklessly and nearly getting himself killed… everyone understood perfectly why he got a beating.

If it were their own kid, they’d have taken off their shoe soles and thrashed him, then made him kneel at the ancestral hall.

The King of Qin was certainly skilled, but King Wu of Qin had been even more skilled.

They genuinely feared that this Qin ruler—treasured for three generations as Heaven’s Mandate—might die from another absurd “feat of strength” like attempting to lift a cauldron.

Though Zhu Xiang hit hard, the blows landed over thick winter clothing and the medicine was applied promptly. By the next day, Ying Zheng only had some bruises left and could work normally.

But since Zhu Xiang rarely returned, and New Year was approaching, Ying Zheng rested for a day.

Zhu Xiang would stay until after Ying Zheng’s birthday before leaving.

Unfortunately, Xueji was very busy and couldn’t return. Next year, she would finally be able to fulfill the promise she made with Ying Zheng—to celebrate every first month of the year together.

Ying Zheng grew curious. “Uncle, why did you come back? Did Uncle Lin and Uncle Cai tattle on me?”

After being beaten by Zhu Xiang, Lin Zhi and Cai Ze had been jailed for reflection per Zhu Xiang’s impeachment. While reflecting, they still had to bring their documents and continue working.

Ying Zheng slapped his thigh. He’d learned something new! So that was also an option!

Xunzi was still in the provinces inspecting academies, unaware of the assassination attempt. Otherwise, Lin Zhi and Cai Ze might have gotten beaten again.

Lord Lian was practically half-retired, determined to never campaign again, and was focused solely on transforming Zhao into a Qin-like state.

Zhu Xiang didn’t dare tell him.

If Lord Lian got angry and beat Lin Zhi and Cai Ze, those two might be bedridden for a month.

Zhu Xiang said, “It wasn’t them. I only learned upon arriving in Xianyang that envoys from Yan had come.”

Ying Zheng’s eyes flickered. So Uncle knew Yan’s envoys came, and immediately concluded they would attempt to kill him?

Uncle’s little secrets… itchy, itchy.

But even his father had held back his entire life from asking. Ying Zheng felt he should be even more capable than his father. He could endure as well.

He changed the subject. “So… did you come to celebrate my birthday?”

He was joking—of course he knew that wasn’t the reason.

Zhu Xiang answered, “I came because of that man named Zhao Gao.”

Ying Zheng startled. “Ah? Him?”

Zhao Gao had come to request reinforcement troops from the empress dowagers, which was inappropriate, even presumptuous. But since he had good intentions, Ying Zheng had only given him a beating and dismissed him temporarily.

Raising him up high, then placing him down lightly—clearly Ying Zheng valued Zhao Gao and intended to use him in the future.

Regardless of which version of Ying Zheng it was, he always treated people he trusted extremely well.

Zhao Gao had once committed a capital crime under the great Ying Zheng; Meng Yi had sentenced him to death. Yet Ying Zheng had pardoned him.

That was how Meng Yi offended Zhao Gao.

If a death sentence could be pardoned, then a bit of overstepping now was something Ying Zheng would naturally overlook.

Zhu Xiang knew his nephew was overly generous to those he trusted. When Ying Zheng punished Zhao Gao, Zhu Xiang hadn’t spoken immediately.

He was considering how to persuade him.

Zhu Xiang understood well that his nephew never listened to him in major decisions. Though dealing with Zhao Gao wasn’t a major issue now, if he merely expressed dislike, his nephew might send Zhao Gao away to some minor post.

But it was obvious that Ying Zheng trusted Zhao Gao’s loyalty and ability. In matters he had already decided, unless given a truly convincing reason, he’d compromise on the surface but hold to his view inwardly.

This was a king. A future emperor. Emperors were decisive and never swayed by others.

Not even by his uncle.

A ruler could be persuaded, but never controlled.

He had always been this way.

Zhu Xiang felt extremely vexed. Knowing there was a filthy cockroach like Zhao Gao lingering near his nephew irritated him; discovering Ying Zheng had also nearly gotten himself killed only worsened his mood.

Now his nephew might even argue with him over that cockroach—the irritation made him want to call Xueji over to beat his stubborn nephew again.

And so Zhu Xiang “blackened.”

A peaceful smile appeared on his face. “Zheng’er, do you know why your uncle can always recognize extraordinary genius at a glance?”

Ying Zheng saw the smile and instantly grew wary. “Why?”

Zhu Xiang said, “Because your uncle is very similar to you.”

Ying Zheng: “……”

He immediately said, “I’m not!” Absolutely not. I don’t have cheats.

Zhu Xiang ignored his denial. “Zheng’er, you can only see things ‘before your death,’ but you don’t know what happened after you died, right?”

Ying Zheng: “……Uncle, are you really revealing your secret?”

He was excited. Should he exchange his secret for his uncle’s? Uncle had already spoken first.

He hesitated. Though they both long knew one another’s secrets and simply avoided exposing them, facing it openly made his naturally suspicious heart uneasy.

But Uncle had confessed first.

“Zheng’er, come. Uncle will tell you a story.” Zhu Xiang’s voice was gentle.

Ying Zheng snapped back. “A story?”

Weren’t they confessing secrets? How did this become a story?

Zhu Xiang’s smile became even more kind and gentle. “For example: a story about mistaking a stag for a horse, annihilating one’s own clan, dismantling the Great Wall, and the dynasty ending in its second generation.”

Ying Zheng: “……”

Ying Zheng: “?”

His expression stiffened. His body trembled.

He didn’t understand “mistaking a stag for a horse” or the abstract “annihilating one’s own clan,” but “destroying the Great Wall” and “perishing in the second generation” were far too clear.

“Un… Uncle… you’re joking, right?” Ying Zheng’s voice cracked back into his adolescent duck-squawk.

Zhu Xiang smiled.

The little troublemaker had successfully infuriated Zhu Xiang into going full dark mode and exploding his secrets.