In the future, Gai Nie would betray Great Qin. But now, he was one of the people Ying Zheng trusted most within Great Qin.
Thinking about it, one can understand that Ying Zheng had not yet taken full control of the government. Gai Nie, however, personally protected Ying Zheng's safety. Even when Ying Zheng, disguised as a commoner, traveled alone to South Korea, Xinzheng, Gai Nie was always by his side.
From this alone, it is enough to judge how much Gai Nie was trusted by Ying Zheng.
This was almost entrusting one's life to Gai Nie's hands.
This point was almost universally known in the Great Qin Dynasty. This is also why, when Gai Nie betrayed Great Qin in the future, it would enrage Ying Zheng so much. Even Li Si, as the then Xiangguo (Prime Minister), had to run around for Gai Nie's matter.
One must know that at that time, Great Qin had already unified the world. And Li Si, as the Xiangguo (Prime Minister) of a nation, still had to personally contact the Net organization to capture a mere bodyguard.
This is enough to make one feel how shocking Gai Nie's sudden betrayal was.
Many people in the Great Qin Dynasty knew about Ying An's wedding yesterday. The next day, when Ying An left Xianyang Palace to establish his residence in Xianyang City, he was personally escorted by Gai Nie.
This news spread throughout Xianyang in an extremely short period and rapidly diffused towards the Seven Kingdoms. Whether it was the courts of the Seven Kingdoms or the Hundred Schools of Thought, everyone for the first time developed an interest in the previously inconspicuous Gongzi Ying An.
At this moment, Ying An had not realized what a shock his and Dong Jun's personal escort by Gai Nie out of Xianyang Palace had brought to the world.
Inside the carriage.
Just as they were about to step out of the gates of Xianyang Palace.
"Husband!" Dong Jun looked back at the magnificent Xianyang Palace with a meaningful gaze. She softly said, "The tree desires calm, but the wind will not cease! As a descendant of the Ying Clan, if heaven gives and you do not take, you will suffer for it; if the time comes and you do not act, you will suffer for it! It seems the King wants to use you, husband, to achieve his goal of seizing royal power!"
"You should call him Father King!" Ying An glanced at Dong Jun, then said, "Do not sow discord between Father King and me. Besides, this is not exploitation! After all, Father King and I share honor and disgrace. At least, regarding the goal of reclaiming royal power, our objectives are consistent. Even if I truly have ambitions for the throne, my enemy will not be Father King!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Dong Jun's eyes as she looked at Ying An. She said, "It seems husband knows what it means for Master Gai Nie to personally escort us! However, husband, have you considered how you will face the ensuing storm?"
A slight smile played on his lips, and with a flash of inspiration, Ying An said loudly, "Then let the storm rage even more fiercely!"
Xiangguo (Prime Minister)'s Residence!
As Lu Buwei's residence, the Xiangguo (Prime Minister)'s Residence now seemed even more like the center of power in Great Qin than Xianyang Palace.
As Xiangguo (Prime Minister), even King of Qin, Ying Zheng, had to call him 'Uncle'! Lu Buwei's understanding of every movement in Xianyang Palace, in terms of both timeliness and breadth, was unparalleled in the world.
Ying An and Dong Jun had not yet returned to their residence under Gai Nie's escort.
Lu Buwei in the Xiangguo (Prime Minister)'s Residence already knew that Ying An had been escorted by Gai Nie all the way.
"Ying An? That sickly child born to the Korean woman?" When he first heard this news, the first thought that flashed through Lu Buwei's mind was disdain.
Perhaps because of Cheng Jiao's betrayal back then, the rumor that Ying Zheng was Lu Buwei's illegitimate son was known throughout the Seven Kingdoms, causing an immense uproar in the Great Qin Dynasty. To this day, Lu Buwei dared not say that the impact of this rumor had been completely quelled.
Out of hatred for the house, Lu Buwei also harbored great malice towards Korea.
Intermarriages between the Seven Kingdoms had already spanned hundreds of years. Almost every royal palace had noblewomen from other countries.
In Great Qin's Xianyang Palace, there were almost always noblewomen from Korea in every generation. The reason was simple: Korea blocked Great Qin's first eastward expansion!
Cheng Jiao's mother was a princess from Korea. Ying An was the same.
Upon hearing that Ying An was actually escorted by Gai Nie, whom Ying Zheng trusted most, Lu Buwei almost instantly guessed Ying Zheng's intentions. He feared that this nominal King of Qin intended to use means of war to seize power from his hands.
Even though he disliked Gongzi Ying An, who had half Korean blood, at this moment, after a subconscious moment of disdain, Lu Buwei quickly began to ponder what impact Ying An's favor and rising status would have on him.
"Xiangguo (Prime Minister)!" A swordsman in armor, with a metal mask covering his face, completely covered from head to toe, bowed slightly to Lu Buwei and said, "Should Gongzi Ying An be eliminated?"
Lu Buwei glared at the armored man, frowned, and said, "Ying An suffers from a congenital deficiency and probably won't live much longer. The rumors of his recovery after his marriage to Dong Jun of the Yinyang Family are probably due to the Yinyang Family's secret arts. Even Medicalists's experts judged that Ying An would not live past sixteen. The Yinyang Family... Hmph! Just a bunch of sneaky people. If they've schemed, Ying An will probably die very soon! You don't need to personally act!"
"Yes!" The armored man bowed his head in assent.
Ying An's true physical condition was probably unknown to anyone else except Dong Jun.
Whether it was Eastern Emperor Taiyi of the Yinyang Family or Ying Zheng, the former would likely view Ying An as a variable, while the latter would at most believe that the method of 'auspicious marriage' was effective and Ying An's body was recovering.
No one would have imagined that Ying An's seemingly frail scholar-like body contained power as terrifying as an ancient Tyrannosaurus Rex!
Tearing tigers and leopards apart was easy for the current Ying An. What's more terrifying is that he cultivated the Divine Soul Immortal Path and the Human Immortal Martial Arts.
This was a power system completely different from Great Qin's martial arts. Even if experts from the Hundred Schools of Thought were present, at most they could only vaguely sense that Ying An was extraordinary through mystical means, but they could never truly discern his true strength.
Lu Buwei was clearly one of them. From beginning to end, he never considered how long Ying An could live. After all, Ying An's physical condition, apart from Ying Zheng, was probably known to no one better than him, the Xiangguo (Prime Minister). One must know that many Medicalists's experts were personally invited by Lu Buwei back then.
After rejecting the armored man's suggestion, Lu Buwei was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "By the way, I remember Zhao Gao seemed to have said before that Ying An wanted a master from the Net to teach him martial arts!"
"That is true!" The armored man confirmed Lu Buwei's words.
After thinking for a moment, Lu Buwei said, "Are there any suitable candidates in the Net?"
Before the armored man could answer, Lu Buwei quickly added, "Choose a few beauties! Although Gongzi Ying An's physique, after marrying Dong Jun of the Yinyang Family, won't last long! But it's best if he dies even faster! He needs to die without any discernible flaws! Do you understand what I mean?"