When people were in Qin, they captured Zhao and questioned Qin.

Chapter 24 Zhao Yan

Three ceramic cups gently clinked together in the pre-noon sunlight.

"bite."

A dull yet pleasant soft sound.

Zhao Heng tilted his head back, drank the water in the cup in one gulp, and put the cup down with a cheerful smile on his face.

Ying Zheng took a small sip. He drank very slowly, and when he put down the cup, the corners of his lips, which had been pursed, turned up slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

Yan Dan tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, wiping his lips with his sleeve, and laughed heartily: "That was refreshing!"

The three of them looked at each other and laughed.

Hearing the commotion, Zhao Ji, working in the kitchen, became curious. She put down the vegetables she was carrying and listened intently. Amidst the laughter was Ying Zheng's voice, which surprisingly carried a lightness that was unusual to her.

She paused for a moment, then simply smiled faintly.

However, the laughter did not last long.

Yan Dan put down the pottery cup, his smile fading slightly, and a serious expression slowly returned. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Zhao Heng's face, as if trying to see right through him.

"Young master... Ah Heng, since we are friends, Dan will not hold back. Please forgive Dan for speaking so frankly despite our brief acquaintance."

Zhao Heng nodded: "Brother Dan, please speak."

"After just one conversation, Dan already knows that Aheng is no ordinary child. Dan is ashamed of his own lack of insight and magnanimity. However, precisely because of this, Dan's doubts are even greater."

Yan Dan carefully considered the words and said:

"Zheng and Dan are trapped in Handan, each with their own compelling reasons. But you, Aheng, are the grandson of the King of Zhao and the only son of Lord Chunping, a person of noble status. Even if you are in trouble, you are far from being in dire straits. Aheng can choose a more prudent path, stay away from trouble, and wait for the right opportunity."

He spoke a little faster.

"Aheng said he cherishes this 'hard-won friendship,' Danxin. But precisely because he cherishes it, shouldn't Aheng plan even more carefully for the future of this friendship? Your close association with me and Zheng is undoubtedly giving others a handle against you and putting yourself in danger. If this incurs the displeasure of the King of Zhao and attacks from powerful figures within the country, Aheng himself will be in grave danger..."

Yan Dan turned to Ying Zheng, his tone turning somber.

"I'm afraid that Zhengdi's situation will be even more dangerous at that time. He may have only been looked down upon by others, but if he is regarded by some people as a 'root of trouble' that must be eradicated because of Aheng, then it will be a real disaster that will kill him."

Before Ying Zheng could speak, he looked at Zhao Heng again, speaking each word carefully.

"Ah Heng, doesn't this contradict your original intention of valuing friendship?"

That's a very insightful question.

Zhao Heng couldn't help but think more highly of Yan Dan.

In this era, it was common for aristocratic children, especially royal descendants, to mature early. Due to differences in education and environment, many of them established families and careers even in their youth.

But today, Yan Dan's words always hit the nail on the head, which is his own skill.

However, Zhao Heng's questioning of Yan Dan was not unexpected.

He simply looked at Yan Dan calmly and smiled, "Brother Dan, the three of us just raised our cups in a toast, so... we're friends now, aren't we?"

Yan Dan answered without hesitation: "Of course."

Zhao Heng then looked at Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng nodded.

"Since we are friends," Zhao Heng said seriously, "could we set aside formalities and speak frankly and openly?"

Yan Dan pointed to the ceramic cup on the table and said readily, "Having drunk this cup, I have no regrets. Please speak freely, young master."

Ying Zheng nodded again, his expression focused, like a student waiting for his teacher to begin his lecture.

Zhao Heng pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice slightly and said, "Brother Dan's concern is simply that I might offend the King of Zhao by befriending you two, thus losing his protection and consequently implicating Brother Zheng, is that right?"

Yan Dan nodded: "This is the obvious truth."

"Very well," Zhao Heng smiled again and asked, "Brother Dan, do you think that I, Zhao Heng, am at the very least the grandson of the King of Zhao and the only son of Lord Chunping? Even if I am young and unruly, lacking in manners, and my friendship with the two of you is, in the eyes of others, merely the willfulness of a young boy acting inappropriately. In this city of Handan, besides the King of Zhao himself, who else, and what qualifications, could truly make it 'impossible for me to move an inch,' or even... pose a threat to my life?"

Yan Dan frowned in thought.

Who can?

If the King of Zhao is displeased, he can naturally distance himself from him, but the phrase "a threat to his life" is far too weighty. Even if the powerful figures in the court want to ostracize him, is an eleven-year-old child worth such a fuss? Although Lord Chunping is a hostage in Qin, he is still the King of Zhao's beloved son. If the King of Zhao's grandson is truly to be harmed, many people will have to think twice.

Yan Dan couldn't understand it.

Ying Zheng was also deep in thought. However, he lacked Yan Dan's broad knowledge and, being in a humble alley, knew very little about the Zhao court, so he was even more at a loss.

Zhao Heng looked at the two of them deep in thought and let out a soft breath.

"This man is my uncle, the second son of the King of Zhao, Prince Yan... Zhao Yan."

When Zhao Heng slowly uttered the name "Zhao Yan," Ying Zheng looked bewildered.

The name was quite unfamiliar to him. How much could a Qin hostage, confined to a humble alley, possibly know about the power struggles within the Zhao court?

However, from Zhao Heng's unusually serious tone and Yan Dan's sudden change in expression, he keenly sensed the weight behind this name.

As expected, Yan Danli was taken aback upon hearing this, then his pupils contracted sharply. It was as if all the scattered clues in his mind had been connected by an invisible thread in that instant. He slammed his hand on the table, muttering to himself:

"...That makes sense...it all makes sense..."

Yan Dan realized he had gone too far. He took a deep breath, turned around and saw Ying Zheng, who still looked bewildered. He quickly lowered his voice and explained:

"Zheng, you have lived in Handan for a long time, so you may not know the details of the Zhao court."

As he spoke, he then remembered to look at Zhao Heng. Zhao Heng simply sat quietly, making no attempt to stop him, so Yan Dan continued:

"The current King of Zhao has three sons. The eldest son was made crown prince early on, but unfortunately died a few years ago. The second son is Chunping Jun, the father of Aheng. Chunping Jun is known for his virtue and is the most favored by the King of Zhao. Before he went to Qin as a hostage, although he was not formally made crown prince, everyone in the court and the public regarded him as the heir apparent."

"The third son is none other than Prince Yan, Zhao Yan."

Yan Dan picked up a pottery figurine and placed it in the center of the table, representing King Zhao. He then took a half-ounce coin brought by Zhao Heng and placed it to the left of the figurine: "This is Lord Chunping." He then took a knife-shaped coin and placed it to the right: "This is Zhao Yan."

Ying Zheng listened attentively.

"Because Zhao Yan's mother was of low birth and his own talent and virtue were inferior to those of Lord Chunping, he was never favored by the King of Zhao and had no chance of becoming king. But when Lord Chunping went to Xianyang and did not return for several years, Zhao Yan's opportunity came."

Yan Dan moved the half-ounce coin aside, leaving only the knife-shaped coin beside the pottery figurine: "But in reality, there is another person standing between Zhao Yan and the throne—"

As he spoke, he naturally looked at Zhao Heng.

"Aheng is the eldest son of Lord Chunping and the grandson of King Zhao. According to the patriarchal system, if something were to happen to King Zhao and Lord Chunping were unable to return to the country in time, Aheng's succession would certainly be far above Zhao Yan's."

Ying Zheng actually understood halfway through the conversation, and immediately his eyes widened as he looked at Zhao Heng.

An eleven-year-old boy, sitting beside an old wooden table, his features still childish, was already seen by others as a contender for the throne who had to be eliminated.

Ying Zheng's dark eyes were filled with shock, as if a new door had been opened, behind which lay a world he had never truly seen before.

In that world, blood ties can be a blade, kinship can be a snare, and the very existence of a child is enough to become someone else's nightmare.

He looked at Zhao Heng, his expression suddenly becoming quite complex.

Yan Dan sighed deeply, then his expression hardened, and he solemnly cupped his hands to Zhao Heng.

"Aheng, rest assured. These words came from your mouth and entered the ears of the two of us. Heaven knows, earth knows, the three of us know, and no fourth person knows. Dan swears in the name of the Crown Prince of Yan that he will keep his mouth shut."

After saying this, he looked at Ying Zheng: "Zheng, do you understand the urgency of this matter?"

Ying Zheng nodded vigorously, his small face tense: "I understand, there is absolutely no fourth person who knows."

His tone was as solemn as if he were making a vow.