For teacher, for father

The night was getting darker, and after Lu Buwei and his party came out of Anyang Jun's mansion, the thick night had engulfed the entire sky, but there were still crowds in the market, the streets were brightly lit, and the shops were booming, everyone was telling This is the bustling and bustling metropolis 2000 years ago.

Lu Buwei deliberately sent Yiren back to the resting courtyard first, and then called Zhao Zheng to continue walking with him.Today's boy is already ten years old. Compared with the thin and slender boy who first came to Xianyang City three years ago, he has grown up and matured a lot.

The young man became more silent and introverted. The man tilted his head and looked at Zhao Zheng beside him with anticipation and satisfaction.In the past three years, everything has gone according to Lu Buwei's hope. Under his deliberate attention and training, Zhao Zheng has become strong, tolerant, and intelligent.

Zhao Zheng is definitely the best candidate for the throne of Qin, and only Zhao Zheng can give him the political status he wants.

In the spacious carriage, the man raised the window curtain beside him, looked at the lively market around him, with a smile on his lips.Lu Buwei is very satisfied with his choice three years ago, even a little proud.

Ever since he fled back to Qin from Zhao with the two of them, Lu Buwei often brought strangers and Zhao Zheng to visit Mrs. Huayang. He spent a lot of money, and all kinds of rare treasures piled up to pave a very smooth road. .Even Mrs. Huayang's younger brother, Mr. Yangquan, and her eldest sister defected to Lu Buwei's camp.Under the repeated persuasion of the two, the Yiren had been successfully considered as his heir by Mrs. Huayang two years ago. Now that the King of Qin is suffering from a long illness and is facing an advanced age, I believe it will not take much time... Anyang Jun ascended the throne, and the day when a creative person becomes the prince is just around the corner.

……

"Hehe... Zheng'er has been watching for so long, but there is nothing you want to ask?" Perhaps the expression on his face was too obvious, and Zhao Zheng, who has never been interested in these gossips, couldn't help turning his face to look at it. He, however, is limited to 'watching'.

Lu Buwei was very happy that Zhao Zheng was so silent and restrained.Patting the top of the boy's black hair, the man tried his best to make his tone gentle and gentle: "Just ask whatever you think of, uncle is not an outsider."

"Uncle took me to visit Cheng Xu today? Then this outfit..." The young man gently rubbed the luxurious silk clothing on his body, and looked at the smiling Lu Buwei calmly with his dark eyes: " Cheng Yu will not think too much when he sees it, it's better to replace it."

Zhao Zheng understood that half of the credit for Mrs. Huayang's liking for him and his father was in this Chufu.Otherwise, my father would not have to change his name to 'Zi Chu' to please Mrs. Huayang.

Mrs. Hua Yang, who was born as an aristocrat of the Chu State, even though she has lived in the Qin State for so many years, she still misses her hometown Chu State in her heart.

As for Lu Buwei, he discovered this detail cleverly, and specially asked Zhao Zheng to put on Chu clothes every time he visited Mrs. Huayang, to show his loyalty to Mr. Anyang's favorite concubine.

Zhao Zheng was silent. From the bottom of his heart, he didn't like this overly flattering approach.But now he is nothing, just like Lu Buwei said, if he wants to get ahead in the future, he must be patient.

Therefore, for three years, the boy has been patient, patiently not asking about his mother's current situation, patiently obeying all Lu Buwei's arrangements, patiently... not thinking about the gentle white clothes in his memory.

Now is not the time, not the time to pick them up.

……

"Zheng'er is talking about this Chufu?" Lu Buwei thought for a while, then laughed.He rubbed the young man's soft cheek affectionately, curled the corners of his lips but did not give a clear explanation: "It's okay, Cheng Yu won't think too much about it, Zheng'er can rest assured."

"..."

The black-haired boy frowned slightly, and didn't question Lu Buwei's actions again.In my mind, I unconsciously thought of the quiet figure of my younger brother, who was only eight years old this year, Cheng Yu.

Before Yiren returned to the country, the son Cheng Yu, who grew up surrounded by the contempt and scorn of the nobles in the palace, was unexpectedly not infected with the unique city and cunning of the palace, but was quiet and gentle, a little timid and cowardly, and timid. He called him brother, and asked him carefully and curiously about his experiences in Zhao country these years.

After seeing the scars of feather arrows on his shoulders, Cheng Yu will show a distressed expression again, his fair and chubby little face is full of unbearable, and gently caress the two hideous wounds with those fat little hands , and then gently blowing towards the wound, as if to drive away all his pain.

Facing such a brother, Zhao Zheng has unconsciously replaced himself in the role of the elder brother. He is as clean as a scorpion. He wants to be an outstanding elder brother so that his brother will no longer be afraid.

However, Lu Buwei's attitude today seems a little too strange.

Zhao Zheng lowered his eyes and didn't let the man notice his contemplation. He believed that everything Lu Buwei was doing now was planning for his future, but... there was something wrong with it, and even Zhao Zheng couldn't figure it out.

He didn't like this uncle who was well-mannered and treated him purposefully.There is no way to like it.May I ask, who likes the other party to use you as an ax for their future political status?

There was a flash of coldness in the boy's dark eyes, so fast that even Lu Buwei couldn't catch it carefully.

"Zheng'er, look." Lu Buwei didn't notice anything wrong with Zhao Zheng, lifted the curtain of the carriage with a smile, and looked at the people on the surrounding roads who were avoiding the carriage in fear.Of course, this carriage belonged to the royal family of Qin State, so some people on both sides even bowed deeply to the carriage.

"Look... the admiration, the fear, the respect of these people, you'll get more later."

"..." Zhao Zheng glanced over casually, and was not in a hurry to answer. Instead, there was a stiff sneer on the corner of his lips.

He is very clear about the panic of these civilians outside the carriage - in Zhao State three years ago, he used to have such a frightened expression, wearing tattered clothes, covered in dust, and haggard , staring fixedly at the official carriage of Zhao State passing by on the road.

As if the iron hooves of the horses could easily trample him to death in the next second, he was displaced and barely survived, if he hadn't met Mr.... who would really care what he thinks in his heart?

The young man's lips became even colder, and the cold light in his pupils lingered, which surprised Lu Buwei who was next to him.

……

"Okay, Zheng'er." Lu Buwei frowned, stretched out his broad palm to cover the pupils of the boy's eyes, just now the violent coldness in Zhao Zheng's eyes made the man a little surprised.Gently patted his slender shoulders, the man said gently: "Stop looking, we are almost at the mansion in Chengyu City. You should think about how to make my brother happy."

"Let Uncle worry, Zheng'er is fine." Pushing away Lu Buwei's palm on his eyes, Zhao Zheng suppressed the agitation in his heart, and did not look at the man behind him with complicated eyes, until the coachman stopped the carriage After that, he was the first to jump out of the car neatly and lightly.

This mansion of Chengyu in Xianyang City was also bought by Lu Buwei with money, for the purpose of a temporary rest and convenience for meeting. It is very close to the downtown area and far from the Qin Palace, so it is the best place to gather outside the palace.

Breathing the hot and stuffy air at night, Zhao Zheng tidied up the silky clothes on his body, his mind was occupied by his brother's silly appearance, he couldn't help but relax a little, and stepped into Chengyu's place happily. A luxuriously furnished and spacious courtyard.Although Cheng Yu is cowardly and timid, he is still a cute little brother.

"Xiao'er, what are you still doing hiding there? Don't you welcome big brother?"

Zhao Zheng laughed, looking at the little guy who was hiding behind the pillar from a distance, he walked over and easily pulled him out, rubbing his brother's soft black hair: "What's wrong? Huh?"

"Uncle Buwei is here too..." The little guy looked obsequiously at the tall man behind him, then approached Zhao Zheng timidly, and whispered in his elder brother's ear: "Uncle Buwei is very fierce, I'm afraid of him... ...he, he's the bad guy, brother."

"... Nonsense." Holding his younger brother's fair face, Zhao Zheng frowned, and hurriedly covered his younger brother's open mouth.After making sure that Lu Buwei behind him didn't hear it, he breathed a sigh of relief. The young man stretched out his arms to hug his thin brother, and said in a low voice, "From now on, you can only talk to your elder brother alone, and don't talk about it outside. ,Understood?"

"Hmm! It's not good, it won't happen in the future."

The little guy stuck out his tongue cutely, buried his head in his brother's not generous chest, carefully observed Lu Buwei who was walking towards them, and unconsciously grabbed Zhao Zheng's clothes.

He was very afraid, very afraid of this smiling and kind uncle, for some reason... As long as those dark eyes looked at him, Cheng Yu felt uncomfortable all over.

"Brother will protect you. Shu'er, don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Clenching his fleshy little hands tightly, Zhao Zheng hugged the little one in his arms.The softest corner of my heart seemed to be lifted by these words.He remembered very clearly that there was once a young man who held him in his arms like this, and whispered these words softly in his ear...

...Mister will protect you, Zheng'er, don't be afraid, don't be afraid.

gentlemen……

What interrupted Zhao Zheng's contemplation was Lu Buwei's laughter. The man's voice was resonant, and his movements were graceful. I don’t see you anymore, but I don’t know my uncle anymore?”

"Uncle, don't blame me, how could the scorpion not recognize you?" The young Cheng scorpion was obviously very scared, but he still tried his best to put on a calm appearance, and replied gently: "A few days ago, the scorpion gave birth I didn’t go to visit my uncle in person, so I hope my uncle won’t be offended.”

"How come? Your elder brother heard about your illness, and he was eager to ask me to bring him to see you every day. How is it better now?"

"It's much better, but it's just a little dizzy and feverish in the summer. Thank you brother and uncle for your concern." The little guy politely broke away from Zhao Zheng's arms, saluted the two, and took the lead in walking in front very sensiblely. Lu Buwei and Zhao Zheng led to the living room that had already been prepared, and there were already hot meals quietly placed on the low wooden table.

After the three sat down, Cheng Yu took the initiative to raise his wine cup, but Lu Buwei held down his palm and gently stopped it.

The man's tone was gentle, with a hint of pity, he couldn't help but replace the wine cup in front of Cheng Yu with a pottery bowl filled with clear water, and put the wine cup in front of him: "Your son is just recovering from a minor illness, you must not drink alcohol, replace it with water. That's fine."

"... Thank you, thank you Uncle for understanding, Cheng Yu first toast to Eldest Brother and Uncle." The young boy blushed, seemed a little touched and shy, and quickly drank the clear water in the pottery bowl, nodded to Lu Buwei: "Just It's just a minor illness, please trouble Uncle to be so caring."

"It's all from my own family. My uncle is kind and loving, so I don't need to be too polite." Zhao Zheng spoke to appease him, and without hesitation drank the wine cup in his hand toward Cheng Yu: "This glass of wine, elder brother will respect Uncle on behalf of Yuer."

"Brother, I..." The little guy smiled shyly, as if thinking of something, just when he opened his mouth, his expression suddenly changed.With difficulty, a painful monotone came out from the depths of his throat: "Ugh..."

In an instant, Cheng Yu's lips were bleeding, his body stiffened and tremblingly covered his abdomen, and he fell straight towards the low table in front of him when Zhao Zheng and Lu Buwei were stunned.

In the next second, the low table was dyed bright red, tearing apart Zhao Zheng's only rationality——

"Chicken——!"

The young man was shocked, his eyes were bloodshot, his tone was roaring, he got up suddenly and wanted to rush to his little brother, but unexpectedly his figure was crooked, and he was limp in his own cushion.The cramping pain in the abdomen instantly occupied all of Zhao Zheng's nerves and senses.

At the last second when the darkness engulfed his mind, the young man gritted his teeth fiercely, and what he saw was the motionless figure of his younger brother who was still smiling at him a moment ago, and...their uncle Lu Buwei, with a calm and cold expression.