Ying Yiren's Family

That day, Verdant Green Maiden came to visit again, carrying a huge pile of meat.

"Miss Shao Dian, you've been bringing us things every day. We're truly grateful! Please accept a bow from Yiren!"

Watching Verdant Green Maiden arrive with yet another mountain of gifts, Ying Yiren was overcome with emotion.

Now that Qin and Zhao were at odds and had been fighting year after year, he, a hostage from Qin, had suffered endless contempt in Handan. Aside from Lu Buwei, the only person who had befriended him was Verdant Green Maiden!

Verdant Green Maiden looked at Ying Yiren, who was blocking the doorway and bowing to her. After a moment of silence, she said, "Are you sure you want to stand there and keep me out? Careful, or I'll beat you up."

At that, Ying Yiren hurriedly stepped aside.

"Miss Shao Dian, please don't take offense..."

Verdant Green Maiden went inside and set down the things she was carrying. Zhao Ji saw them and hurriedly said, "Miss Shao Dian, you've brought so much again. We haven't even finished what you gave us yesterday!"

"It's not for you. It's for the baby!"

Verdant Green Maiden delivered the classic line used when bringing gifts to visit relatives. She went over to Zhao Ji and, gazing at her belly, asked, "How are you feeling today? Has the little one kicked you yet?"

"He hasn't been born yet. Miss Shao Dian seems quite certain it's a boy?"

Zhao Ji looked at Verdant Green Maiden in surprise.

Verdant Green Maiden nodded. "Of course I know! I'm very capable."

Ying Yiren came up behind her. Looking at Verdant Green Maiden, he smiled and said, "Since that's the case, I'll be bold as well. Would Miss Shao Dian be willing to name this unborn child?"

"A name?"

Verdant Green Maiden blinked and pointed at herself. "You're sure you want me to name him?"

Ying Yiren nodded. "Though it's only natural for parents to name their child, if not for Miss Shao Dian, Zhao Ji and I would have died in Handan long ago. You've given us a new life! This name should be yours to choose."

When Ying Yiren said this, Verdant Green Maiden drew in a deep breath, her eyes shining.

"All right! I'll name him!"

She pretended to ponder, pacing back and forth before suddenly clapping her hands. "I've got it! How about Zheng?"

"Zheng?"

"Ying Zheng?"

Ying Yiren repeated the name Verdant Green Maiden had chosen for the child and smiled. He clasped his hands in thanks. "A fine name! Thank you, Miss Shao Dian, for bestowing it upon him."

"Thank you!"

Zhao Ji also nodded to Verdant Green Maiden in gratitude.

"Ah, you don't need to thank me. Be careful of your belly."

Verdant Green Maiden waved her hand and helped Zhao Ji sit down.

She was carrying Ying Zheng, the future Ancestral Dragon, whom Verdant Green Maiden had awaited for countless years, hoping against hope. His future Auspicious Fortune would be even richer than that of the Three Dynasties! If anything went wrong, Verdant Green Maiden might have to go jump off Kunlun Mountain!

Verdant Green Maiden had only been sitting at Ying Yiren's home for a little while when Lu Buwei arrived.

For some reason, perhaps because Verdant Green Maiden was naturally at odds with merchants, Lu Buwei had a sharp eye and was always asking her about all sorts of things. If she weren't worried that beating him up might affect the future Ying Zheng, she'd have lost her patience long ago!

Little Ying Zheng was born in winter.

It was one of the rare days Verdant Green Maiden didn't hibernate!

Even Hong Luan was astonished. She flew circles around Verdant Green Maiden, clucking her tongue. "Well, well, the sun must have risen in the west!"

Verdant Green Maiden waved a hand. "What's the matter with you? You complain when I sleep, and you complain when I don't! You're such a demanding bird."

"Hmph!"

Hong Luan snorted and asked, "You're not waiting specifically for Ying Zheng, are you?"

"I am! So what?"

Verdant Green Maiden nodded without hiding it.

"I just want to see what kind of extraordinary boy this is, the one you praise so highly."

Hong Luan muttered.

Just then, someone sent by Ying Yiren knocked on Verdant Green Maiden's door and called out, "Miss Shao Dian, my mistress has given birth! It's a boy!"

"Little Ying Zheng is here!"

Verdant Green Maiden's eyes lit up. She grabbed Hong Luan and dashed straight to Ying Yiren's home.

By then, Ying Yiren's house was in chaos.

Zhao Ji was still resting. She was exhausted.

The newborn Ying Zheng had already been wrapped in swaddling clothes by the midwife. When Verdant Green Maiden arrived, she ran into Ying Yiren, who had been anxiously waiting for her at the door.

The moment he saw Verdant Green Maiden, Ying Yiren bowed to her. "Miss Shao Dian, you've blessed us! My wife and child are both safe!"

"Uh..."

Verdant Green Maiden stared at Ying Yiren as he bowed and thanked her, at a loss.

"I wasn't the one who delivered him..."

She muttered.

Never mind. She should go see little Ying Zheng first!

When Verdant Green Maiden took little Ying Zheng from the midwife, even her usually cheerful and optimistic self fell silent. After an eerie stretch of silence, she turned to Ying Yiren and asked, "Are you sure this is the child?"

"Yes! Is something wrong?"

Ying Yiren nodded.

Verdant Green Maiden clicked her tongue. "He's so ugly! Nothing like I imagined."

Ying Yiren laughed when he heard this. "The midwife said all newborns look like this. Once he grows a little, he'll look much more pleasing to the eye."

At that, Verdant Green Maiden looked down at little Ying Zheng.

Little Ying Zheng, who could probably barely make out a face, neither cried nor fussed in her arms. He was perfectly quiet. Even the midwife beside them was amazed. "The young master cried up a storm in my arms, but he's quiet as can be with you, miss?"

"Miss Shao Dian and Ying Zheng must have a special bond!"

Ying Yiren sighed as well. Suddenly, he bowed to Verdant Green Maiden. "Miss Shao Dian, I have an unreasonable request. I wonder if you would agree?"

Verdant Green Maiden glanced at him. "Go ahead."

"Yiren would like to ask Miss Shao Dian to be Zheng'er's tutor!"

When Ying Yiren said this, Verdant Green Maiden narrowed her eyes. She handed little Ying Zheng back to the midwife, then walked up to Ying Yiren, grabbed him by the collar, and asked, "Have you found something out?"

Ying Yiren looked a little awkward. Seeing the threatening look in Verdant Green Maiden's eyes, he explained, "Mr. Buwei told Yiren that Miss Shao Dian has an extraordinary background! Perhaps it has something to do with the Ghost Valley Master of old. So I thought, if someone as capable as Miss Shao Dian could tutor Zheng'er, his future would surely be smooth sailing!"

Verdant Green Maiden let go of Ying Yiren and looked back at little Ying Zheng, who had started crying again in the midwife's arms.

She walked over and picked little Ying Zheng up.

Little Ying Zheng immediately stopped crying.

She clicked her tongue. "Fine! So I've been outmaneuvered by all of you again! Since he and I are fated to meet, I agree. From now on, he's my pupil!"

"Thank you, Miss Shao Dian."

Ying Yiren was overjoyed and thanked Verdant Green Maiden.

Just as Ying Yiren had said, a baby grew into his looks! By the time little Ying Zheng was two or three, he already looked different from the other boys. He was brimming with nobility!

He and Verdant Green Maiden grew closer and closer, too.

The year little Ying Zheng turned three, Verdant Green Maiden went on a long trip to Western Zhou State.

It was called a state, but by then it consisted of just one city: Luoyi.

She had come for one reason only: to take the Heart's Blood of the last Zhou king, King Zhou Ji Yan.