Chapter 5: In refining his body, Qin Lei strives for self-improvement, while the discarded prince is filled with rage.

By evening, after half an hour of weighted running, the day's training finally came to an end. The Iron Eagle would instruct the cook to prepare the bathwater, tossing the prince, who could hardly lift a finger, into the tub.

He rises at the hour of the rabbit each day, and after a brief period of activity, he straps on a self-made bundle and runs laps around the small courtyard. The courtyard is quite small, measuring less than thirty meters in circumference, and running lap after lap is enough to make the observing iron eagle dizzy

Upon hearing this, Tie Ying felt somewhat anxious and straightened up, saying in a deep voice: "These days, seeing Your Highness working diligently day and night, I thought you had changed your ways and were becoming more ambitious. I never expected that just a few days later, you would revert to your original sluggish disposition." His voice grew louder, and his tone became higher.

The brawl in front of the Proton Mansion seems to have dissipated, and the governor of the capital has not come to demand compensation for the medical expenses of the injured soldiers, but instead dispatched an entire battalion of soldiers to encircle the Proton Mansion.

He never expected such an outcome. He originally thought that his status as a seemingly insignificant hostage was not worth the attention of the dignitaries from both countries. If the Emperor of Qin had even a shred of familial affection, he would have taken him back. Moreover, he had been a hostage for sixteen years, and while he may not have any achievements to show, he certainly had endured hardships for his country.

Upon hearing this, Iron Eagle turned to Qin Lei. Amidst the rising steam, his expression was obscured, yet he understood that Qin Lei's words were sincere. After a month of interaction, he had already learned to distinguish which of Qin Lei's remarks were jokes and which were serious.

Iron Eagle observed Qin Lei's confident demeanor and guessed that he must have a plan, so he refrained from saying much more

Upon hearing this, Qin Lei raised his eyebrows in a graceful arch, which quickly relaxed again. He slightly straightened his posture and said slowly, "A few days ago, Lord Li had already informed me. I originally did not hold much hope, so I did not feel particularly disappointed."

Since he could not figure it out, Qin Lei simply decided not to think about it and set a training plan for himself, focusing entirely on restoring his physical fitness

After finishing the massage, Tie Ying extinguished the candle and rose to take his leave

As a guard, he should not meddle in his master's affairs. However, after some thought, he felt that since Qin Lei had treated him with sincerity and respect since awakening, it was indeed inappropriate to hide anything. Thus, he cleared his throat and said: "Your Highness, today the treaty is being signed, yet not a word has been mentioned about your matters, which is truly excessive!"

With sweat pouring down his back, Qin Lei and Tu looked fiercely at Tie Ying. Seeing that he was breathing steadily and appeared unfazed, Qin Lei gritted his teeth and said, "From now on, we will fight every night." After saying this, he turned and went back into the room

"You chess players want to abandon me as a piece, but you must first see if I agree to it." In the darkness, Qin Lei clenched his fists tightly and spoke in a voice only he could hear, filled with hatred.

Iron Eagle was very fond of this phrase, and was instantly ignited with passion. He rose and clasped his fists, saying: "I will follow Your Highness's orders..."

A scream, akin to that of a pig being slaughtered, emanated from the small courtyard, echoing in the night sky of the capital, startling a flock of night birds and leaving the soldiers of Qi outside the door exchanging glances, lost in their thoughts.

The Iron Eagle knows that there are five bricks in the bundle. After running for half an hour like this, Qin Lei adjusts for a moment, then takes off his sweat-soaked jacket, exposing his bony upper body. He picks up another bundle, also containing five bricks, and performs twenty lifts at shoulder height, followed by twenty lateral lifts. Then, using a yoke, he hangs a bundle on each end, balances it on his shoulders, and does twenty deep squats, among various other exercises. By the time he finishes all this, the new chef sent from the State of Qi has just gotten out of bed.

Sweat poured out, then dried, only to pour out again. The observing Iron Eagle felt quite pained and advised several times, but was met with Qin Lei's murderous gaze, which sent him retreating. Thus, he let it be.

Darkness enveloped the bedroom; this time, Qin Lei did not fall into a deep sleep but instead stared blankly at the beam. Although he had comforted Tie Ying, he felt equally frustrated inside

After lunch, Qin Lei takes a half-hour nap, then holds a shoulder pole against the sun, with one end of the pole supporting a bundle, remaining motionless for half an hour, then switches hands, and continues for another half hour

Once the two countries go to war, one will completely lose its value and is likely to become a tool for the State of Qi to vent its anger, leading to a swift resolution. Therefore, it is imperative to act quickly and take bold action.

Qin Lei smiled and pointed to a towel beside him, then said: "The domestic authorities have suddenly instructed Li Guangyuan to end the negotiations and hastily conclude the alliance; they must be preparing for a battle to avenge their humiliation." However, his fist in the water was tightly clenched

Tie Ying only thought that Qi State was afraid of being outnumbered and getting beaten again, but Qin Lei sensed an unusual atmosphere. Unfortunately, in recent days, Li Guangyuan seemed to be avoiding him, leaving him with no way to inquire further.

... ...

Subsequently, the sound of pigs being slaughtered was heard as per usual, while the guards outside at https://www.hetushu.com.com had already turned a deaf ear to it

After breakfast, Qin Lei would repeat the morning exercises several times, and he would also do a few sets of pull-ups on the eaves of the pavilion, or sit on the railing with a burden hanging from his ankles, lifting and lowering his calves dozens of times. Although Iron Eagle was unsure of the effectiveness of these actions, he couldn't help but admire Qin Lei's rhythmic movements. He thought to himself that he could not sustain such prolonged exercise, and it seemed that His Highness had his own tricks.

Half an hour later

Qin Lei simply likes his straightforward temperament, which is very much like the soldiers he once commanded. He smiled, no longer teasing Tie Ying, and said in a deep voice: "There has never been a savior, nor do we rely on deities to survive; only by saving ourselves can we truly live."

Receiving the towel handed over by Iron Eagle, Qin Lei stood up and jumped out of the wooden tub, dried his body, casually wrapped himself in a long robe, and said: "Our situation has become very dangerous, but only through change can there be opportunity. If things remain as they are, I fear I will end my days in the capital. The greater the crisis, the greater the opportunity. Brother Tie, trust me, we will not just sit idly by and wait for death."

Not long after he disappeared, the Iron Eagle slowly sat down, beginning to rub the places on his body that had been struck. The moonlight, like water, spilled over him, carrying a hint of melancholy.

That night, after a day of training, Qin Lei comfortably leaned on the edge of the bathtub, humming softly. He looked at Tie Ying, who was sitting by the door, seemingly hesitant to speak, and lazily said: "Brother Tie, you are really too reserved. We are in a foreign land, relying on each other for support; what is there that cannot be said?"

The recent sparring, or rather, the punching bag practice, showed that Qin Lei's strikes could not penetrate Iron Eagle's defense; both speed and power were insufficient. Of course, it was still quite painful. If Iron Eagle knew that Qin Lei intended to use him to test his strength level over the long term, it might cause him even greater distress.

Throughout the entire afternoon, Qin Lei would continue this repetitive action, causing Iron Eagle to feel sore all over. He could not understand how the seemingly delicate prince managed to endure it.

Qin Lei had to admit that although Iron Eagle's hands were too heavy, his skills, which were reputed to be authentic internal family massage techniques, were exceptional. After each session filled with cries of agony, he would feel completely relaxed and have a dreamless night. The next day, he would be in top condition, ready to continue his self-inflicted torment.

Once His Highness finishes his bath, Iron Eagle will fish him out, roughly dry him off with a large towel, and toss him onto the bed. Then, he will stretch his arms and press down...