But the next second, I watched as the fat guy hoisted Little Hu Hai up on his back, snatched the game console, and started playing by himself, muttering, "Don't play around, kid! Your most important task right now is to study!"
Chapter 132 Bianzhong (Chime Bells)
To this, I can only feel utterly speechless. Back when game consoles first came out, I only ever heard about kids pestering adults to do their homework while they were playing, which sparked debates, with some saying that generation was a lost generation, and even giving them a nice-sounding nickname: Little Emperors.
I never expected to see the old emperor bullying the young emperor today. Do you think a child who is oppressed like this won't grow up to be cruel? Actually, from what I've observed, young Hu Hai is a decent child, although a bit simple-minded, he is kind-hearted by nature.
The little guy was squeezed flat on his back, pounding the ground and crying. The fat man glanced at his son with a smug look, then continued playing his game…
I finally snapped out of my petrification and whispered to Qin Shi Huang, "Brother Ying, this isn't how you raise children."
Baozi scooped little Hu Hai up from the ground, and seeing his tear-streaked face, she was immediately overcome with maternal instinct: "Oh, this child is so cute—"
Speechless again. I don't see what's so funny about this kid wiping his snot.
Baozi, holding Hu Hai, scolded the fat man, "Can't you play with him?"
Under our insistence, Fatty Ying reluctantly made room for Little Hu Hai to sit down, shoved the No. 2 machine into his hands, and loudly threatened, "Don't lend it to me, you're dead!"
That evening, Qin Shi Huang arranged a grand banquet for us. After all, Baozi and I are now public figures, holding the titles of three kings and Grand Marshal simultaneously. Although it's just a side job, our official careers are probably unprecedented from the Qin Dynasty until 2008. Out of reverence for Qin Shi Huang, the ministers did not object to Baozi's appointment as Grand Marshal. This is the advantage of a tyrant's reputation; whatever the boss says, you just have to obey, no need to offer opinions. This also keeps the people working towards the same goal. The downside is that the people can support you but also capsize you. A good emperor is one who can balance autocracy with open arms; being too left or too right is not good. Fatty is currently playing the role of emperor, navigating the complexities of power and enjoying success. That's why he can launch foreign wars, undertake massive vanity projects, and even idly fight with his son over a game console.
The very same Lord Li Chacha who once wanted to marry his daughter, who was known for her flatbread, to me was horrified when he saw the steamed buns. He whispered to Lord Wang Chacha beside him, "I once lost a girl in my younger days, and her appearance really resembled our Grand Marshal..."
During the meeting, Qin Shi Huang pointed out that the war to unify the six states was inevitable, and all resistance forces were paper tigers. However, the people of the whole country must also recognize the cruelty and protracted nature of this war, and avoid rashness or pessimism, but proceed steadily and surely to complete this monumental task within two five-year plans. The emperor emphasized that the Great Wall and the underground imperial tombs are also enduring legacies for future generations, and all departments must not neglect one for the other; all three must be addressed effectively…
After his speech, the Emperor generously bestowed upon his ministers the evening's imperial delicacy—tomato and egg noodles. The atmosphere between the emperor and his subjects was harmonious and joyful. Li Si also summoned a dozen or so musicians who played the chime bells, and they performed his composition, "Love You Till I Die," in a chime bell percussion version.
After the meal finally ended, Baozi jumped up from the small table, rubbing his legs and yelling, "Can't you just sit properly? Why are you kneeling all the time? Who can stand that?"
I said gloatingly, "That way you won't get hemorrhoids." Anyway, I always sit cross-legged.
Back at his residence, Meng Yi made a special trip to visit again. His brother had already led his troops to fight against the six states. Meng Yi was now a high-ranking official, specifically in charge of legal matters, and seemed quite busy. He said that if Wang Ben knew I was here, he would definitely come along, but he was also currently leading his troops to fight against the Yan state.
I stayed at the Xiao Mansion for one night, and the next morning I was woken up early by an extremely unpleasant noise. I got up and saw Baozi standing in the courtyard in front of a row of chime bells, striking them with a small mallet. I jumped up and down, angrily shouting, "Can't a person get any sleep?!"
As soon as Baozi saw me, he excitedly said, "Hey, what do you think about our son studying musical instruments in the future? I heard that babies can be nurtured in the womb, so I'll play for half an hour every day."
I laughed it off, "Forget it, with a mother who can play the chime bells so badly, even if Beethoven was born, he'd only be good at playing the drums at best."
Baozi said, "Is it really that bad? I think I could still manage to hit a few meters." She looked around and saw the servants walking close to the wall, their eyes filled with awe as they looked at her, making it hard to judge her skill level. Suddenly, she spotted Jing Ke sitting on the steps. Ersha lowered his head, his eyes slightly narrowed, a peaceful smile on his face, drawing lines on the ground with a small grass stick. Baozi exclaimed excitedly, "See? There's still a die-hard fan supporting me!"
I snorted: "Only someone like Ke Zi could endure your torment."
Baozi said, "Where should we go for fun these next few days? I've found that the Qin Dynasty is pretty boring, except for the better air quality. I'm thinking of discussing with Meng Yi about going to war with his brother after I give birth."
"...Stop causing trouble. If you're bored, wait until I've finished my 'Hongmen Banquet' before you talk about it. By the way, I have to go back to Brother Yu's place tomorrow. Are you coming with me or staying here?"
Baozi said, "I'm not going, it's just another meal. You can come back and pick me up after you've finished your business."
"Then it's settled. Even if I pick you up, I can only go home first. There's still a lot of stuff to do at Yucai's place."
Baozi pouted and said, "Then you don't need to come back. Wait until you've finished dealing with Yucai's matter, then come pick me up in ten days or half a month. I'll study the chime bells properly. These things are hard to buy where we are, right? Besides, they must be extremely expensive. A piano costs tens of thousands."
I nodded, and then I saw that Ersha suddenly had an idea. I asked him, "Kezi, do you miss Brother Yu? I'll take you to find him." The idiot could only stay in the Xiao Mansion every day because he had stabbed Fatty and was a nobody who couldn't be seen in the light of day. Staying cooped up here would only worsen his condition sooner or later.
To my surprise, Ersha sat there motionless, still innocently scratching the ground. My heart sank: Had he gotten bored? I shouted, "Kezi, I'm talking to you!"
The two fools didn't move, they just marked the ground...
I panicked immediately, walked over to him, and slapped him hard. The silly boy looked up blankly. I blurted out, "Brother Yu—Xiang Yu, does he miss him? You haven't forgotten him, have you?"
Ersha slowly pulled two small pieces of cloth from his ear before asking, "What did you say?"
"...What are you doing?" This idiot's thinking is really too bizarre.
Ersha glanced sheepishly at the small mallet in Baozi's hand, which he used to strike the chime bells, kicked the piece of cloth away with his foot, and then said as if nothing had happened, "What did you just say?"
...Okay, now I'm relieved. I have to say, I don't feel any intellectual superiority over idiots at all—I really should have put something in my ears and gone back to sleep.
When Ersha heard that they were going to find Xiang Yu, he jumped for joy. Actually, he missed Liu Bang more; Liu Bang had slept in the bunk above him.
Although they had parted many times before, Qin Shi Huang was still a little sad at dinner. Hearing that I was leaving again, and taking Ersha with me, Fatty ate three bowls of noodles and then stopped eating…
We've developed a habit of eating together, especially when there are more than three of us. We always feel like if we wait a little longer, the others will come over, laughing and joking. But now we're always short-handed. Ersha has already completed his mission; once the assassination attempt on Qin is over, he's just an ordinary person, and time travel won't have any consequences. But if Fatty wants to be like him, he'll have to wait at least 10 years, and who knows how long the story of Xiang Yu and Liu Bang will be over.
Baozi developed a strong interest in the chime bells, and even took a small mallet and started tapping them while eating.
Nothing happened that night. The next morning, I opened my eyes and it was still early; Baozi had just gotten up too. Seeing that she was up as well, I quickly got dressed, saying as I did, "So early?"
Baozi said, "Yes, isn't it important to do a good job in the morning?" As she spoke, she picked up her small mallet and was about to leave. I quickly called out to her, "Would you like to see us off?"
"It's not like it's a matter of life and death, why would you need to give a gift?"
I put my arm around her waist and said softly, "Don't say anything unlucky..."
Baozi felt uncomfortable under my tenderness and murmured with her head down, "Won't it be dangerous for you to go?"
While glancing at the two idiots next door, I absentmindedly said, "Ah...no."
Just then, Ersha got up too. I winked at him and gestured with my lips. The idiot smiled knowingly, and the two of us nimbly and quickly climbed into the car. Baozi, hearing my vague explanation, became even more worried and stood outside the window, asking, "Are you really not in danger?"
I quickly started the car and said, "No, there really isn't any."
Baozi waved his little mallet and asked, "Then what should we give as a gift?"
The moment the car started moving forward, Ersha and I both breathed a sigh of relief. I proudly stuck my head out the window and shouted, "Sending things off is good for your health—now you can go and ring your chimes!"