Yin Jiao's Transformation, Di Xin's Advance

"How do you feel here?"

Di Xin patted the empty space beside him. Yin Jiao glanced at Yin Hong, who was still held in Empress Jiang's arms. Knowing that situation wouldn't end anytime soon, he sat down without hesitation.

"Tired, but also very rewarding.

When I first arrived, I resented Father King for being so heartless, thinking this was a place of punishment. Only after a few days did I understand that Father King wanted us to temper ourselves here. However, there is one thing your son doesn't understand, and I beg Father King to enlighten me!"

"You want to ask why I haven't issued a decree to free these slaves, right?" Di Xin asked confidently.

"Yes!"

Yin Jiao nodded and spoke again:

"Since Father King knows the suffering of these slaves, why not free them directly?"

"You'll know this after you return to Chaoge."

Hearing Empress Jiang's crying subside slightly, Di Xin didn't want to rush Yin Jiao's growth any further. He got up and went to the stone table and stools brought by the guards. They were already laden with exquisite food meticulously prepared by Empress Jiang.

At this moment, Empress Jiang also led Yin Hong over and sat down, holding jade chopsticks and constantly adding dishes to the plates and bowls in front of them:

"Jiao'er, Hong'er, you've suffered here. Come, Mother Queen specially picked your favorites. Eat more."

"Mmm! Thank you, Mother Queen!"

Yin Hong picked up his chopsticks and began to devour the food. What used to be ordinary food for him now seemed like delicacies, incredibly delicious.

"Gulp!"

Yin Jiao looked at the food before him, swallowed, but never picked up his chopsticks.

"Jiao'er, are these dishes not to your liking?"

Seeing her eldest son wanting to eat but not eating, Empress Jiang cast a resentful glance at Di Xin, and her dry tears flowed again.

"Don't look at me like that. I specifically asked you to prepare these. How could I not let him eat them?"

Di Xin immediately bristled. Her gaze made it seem as if he wasn't his own son and he was mistreating him.

Although he's not my biological son, and I did mistreat him...

Ugh, that was tempering! How can one temper without hardship!

"Brother, why aren't you eating?"

Seeing Yin Jiao not touching his chopsticks, Yin Hong suddenly felt that the food in his mouth was no longer as delicious. He stared blankly at Yin Jiao, at a loss.

"Father King, Mother Queen, I was just thinking about some things."

Yin Jiao forced a smile, then suddenly stood up and pointed at the surrounding thatched huts:

"I am the child of Father King and Mother Queen. Coming here for a month was just tempering, just to experience their hardships. Father King and Mother Queen even visited us when we were tired. Even Father King went against his original words and had Mother Queen bring us so much food.

But what about them?

Among these slaves, there are those who are the same age as us. They have worked since childhood. What we consider hardship is the greatest freedom and sweetness for them. They dare not talk to us, dare not play with us, and dare not even approach us, for fear that if we are unhappy, they will lose their only lives.

Father King, you once said that we should eat and live with them. A king's word is his bond. Your son still wishes to carry out your words."

"Good! As expected of my son, Di Xin! Hahaha!"

Di Xin slammed the table and stood up, his face full of smiles. He had intended to test his resolve by having them return to Chaoge early, but now it seemed unnecessary!

This child has far exceeded his expectations!

"Then... then I won't eat either."

Yin Hong's eyes sparkled as he heard this. He pushed away the food in front of him and stared intently at Yin Jiao, imprinting Yin Jiao's posture at that moment firmly in his mind.

"This, alas!"

Empress Jiang sighed and sat quietly to the side, diligently performing her role as a tool.

Only in front of their mother can children be braver, more persistent, and more responsible. This! This is the meaning of Di Xin having her come here!

"Good! Good! Good!"

Di Xin held a small head in each hand, fully immersing himself in the role of a father. This feeling of relief also allowed his tense nerves to completely relax.

"Originally, I wanted you two to return to the palace early, but now it seems unnecessary. Jiao'er, Hong'er, can you complete my task here?"

"Yes!"

"I can too!"

The two little ones nodded earnestly, their eyes clear and transparent, filled with determination.

Di Xin looked at Yin Hong, who advanced and retreated with Yin Jiao, and a sudden ominous premonition arose in his heart:

Could this little fellow, after my series of accelerated growth, turn into a stubborn, inflexible person?

"Cough! Cough! Hong'er, I'm at ease with your brother. He's older than you and more mature, knowing how to adapt. You're younger, so Father King will test you: How can you eat the food on the table without violating Father King's orders?"

Di Xin's heart was pounding as he spoke. Would he be corrupting him by doing this? After all, such behavior, if spoken well, was adaptability, but if spoken poorly, it was shirking responsibility, taking shortcuts, and exploiting loopholes.

"This..."

Yin Hong tilted his head and thought for a moment, then finally shook his head:

"Father King, I can't think of it."

"Cough cough!"

Di Xin coughed twice, and the guards on both sides immediately retreated ten feet, showing considerable tact.

Seeing this, Di Xin nodded with satisfaction and leaned close to Yin Hong's ear:

"Live and eat together? Think again?"

"Live and eat together? Eat together? Father King, you mean I should share things with them? And then, I can eat too?"

Yin Hong's eyes widened, as if a new world had opened up to him.

"This doesn't seem right, does it?"

"Cough, cough, a righteous heart is good. There's nothing right or wrong, it's just about how you should act and how you control your inner self."

Di Xin coughed dryly and gave Empress Jiang some time before returning to the palace, ending this "visit" that had been quite fruitful.

On the way back to the palace, Empress Jiang looked at Di Xin, wanting to speak several times but hesitating. This man, who now lay beside her, gave her a great sense of unfamiliarity, as if he were a completely different person.

"Say what you want to say."

Di Xin sighed, turning to look at Empress Jiang. He was now even more decisive than his predecessor, and there were bound to be some flaws.

"Great King, I want to know, how exactly do you plan to arrange for Jiao'er and Hong'er?"

"After twenty days, I will summon them both back to the palace to attend morning court and listen to state affairs, and also..."

Di Xin paused, then gritted his teeth and said:

"And also make Jiao'er the Crown Prince! This will stabilize the foundation of the nation and also be an explanation for you!"

Appointing a Crown Prince was a major national affair. With the storm brewing, Di Xin was reluctant to be so aggressive.

As dynasties changed and Heaven favored Zhou, there would naturally be those unwilling for Yin Shang's fortune to increase further. They would interfere, and if things changed beyond the script, it would be greatly disadvantageous to Di Xin!

However, if nothing changed, the final outcome would also be difficult to alter. Therefore, Di Xin wanted to take a gamble, to provoke certain people into action, and then strike them a heavy blow!

E Lai, my arrows, are they ready?