Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 313

"The scandal that has erupted involving this eldest son will take up most of Ying Zheng's energy immediately after he arrives in Sanghai, and during this crucial period, the Yin Yang School and the Luo Wang will take care of everything."

Lu Wei calmly announced the script for the upcoming drama to be staged in Sanghai City. Meanwhile, inside a certain inn, Fusu was still elegantly testing Paoding's culinary skills, preparing to use this renowned chef from Shandong to welcome his father, the emperor.

Such a trivial matter was not something he, a young master, needed to do. It was only during a casual chat when Mr. Fu Nian of Xiaoshengxianzhuang invited Fusu to a banquet not long ago, and under Zhang Liang's persuasive words, that he became interested in this inn.

Originally, there were multiple backup plans arranged, including Luo Wang, Li Si, and even Xiao Meng, to ensure that Fusu's relationship with Youjian Inn remained unclear. However, Zhang Liang had an extremely clear understanding of Fusu's psychology, and he was moved by just a few words, thus saving the need for those plans.

"You called me out, surely it wasn't just because of these trivial matters?" After listening to Lu Wei's words, Xiao Meng pondered what role she could play in this situation, and asked bluntly.

The real answer to this question is that Lu Wei was worried that Paoding's rudeness would displease Fusu, so he and Xiaomeng appeared at the crucial moment and entered the inn as a precaution. However, since Fusu did not come out for a long time, it means that Paoding had already thought of a way to attract the attention of this young master, so this backup plan was naturally unnecessary.

Lu promptly changed his excuse: "I need to go to the Mirage later. Xiao Yu will be going to see the Fusang Divine Tree of their Shu Mountain. You will come with me."

His tone was so matter-of-fact that it didn't elicit any objections from Ji Yan and Xiao Meng. Xiao Yu even blinked at him with gratitude in her eyes.

Going to the mirage was a last-minute decision, but there was indeed something to do there, and it was something extremely important.

...

Under the persuasion of the Moon Goddess, Yun Zhongjun was willing to become Lord Lu's lackey. This way, he no longer needed to sneak around to poison the emperor's pills. Lu Wei watched Yun Zhongjun's elegant pill-refining movements and openly added those indistinguishable powders into the pill furnace at the right time.

Yun Zhongjun frowned slightly at the unnecessary step that disrupted the flow of his alchemy process, but as soon as Lord Xia Kui looked up at him, Elder Jin immediately put on a flattering and harmless smile.

It should be noted that even when facing the First Emperor Ying Zheng, Yun Zhongjun would still display a certain pride as an alchemist. However, Lu Wei is different from Ying Zheng: while Ying Zheng's imposing presence was indeed frightening, it was insignificant compared to the physical power of his palm strikes.

Once the elixir was refined, it was immediately sealed in a box and sent to Mount Tai by express courier, so that His Majesty the Emperor could take it regularly.

The poisoning process was interrupted a few times during the period when Donghuang imprisoned Riyuexing; the dosage needs to be increased to make up for it.

With everything completed, Yun Zhongjun, his face beaming with smiles, approached Lu Wei like a treasure presenting a precious box. Inside were three gleaming silver pills:

"I was unaware of your sudden arrival, sir, and had no time to prepare a gift. Fortunately, a few days ago, when I was enlightened by the Moon Goddess and joined the Farmer's Clan, I had a sudden inspiration and refined three True Person Pills to expand my meridians. I hope you will accept them."

"Hmm," Lu Wei stared at the three round and plump pills carefully and nodded: "As expected of the world's number one alchemist, these pills can be called works of art regardless of their efficacy."

"Thank you for your praise, sir!" Yun Zhongjun hurriedly kowtowed. His obedience to save his life was something even Lu Wei had rarely seen before.

After accepting the gift and sending away the newly acquired dog, Lord Xia Kui arrived at the Chaotun Palace on the Mirage Tower, without disturbing Xiao Yu, who was secretly grieving under the Fusang Divine Tree.

Chaotun Palace is the residence of Dongjun Yanfei. Since both the Toad Palace and the Crescent Moon Palace were damaged, the Moon Goddess chose to hold a reception banquet here.

The entire Chaotun Hall is decorated in an effort to imitate the legendary sunrise site of the sun god, with lavish decorations displayed without any restraint, and elegant incense burners emitting only wisps of smoke.

On the round table, which shone like the sun, exquisite dishes and fine wines were prepared. Lu Wei sat calmly in the main seat, with the Moon Goddess, Dong Jun, Ji Yan, and Xiao Meng from the Yin Yang School on either side of him.

"Ying Zheng sent a black dragon scroll to Mirage yesterday. Judging from its contents, he seems unaware of Mirage's departure from port."

Seeing that all those qualified to attend tonight's banquet had arrived, the Moon Goddess clapped her hands and waved away the boys and girls who were supposed to serve the immortals. She parted her cherry lips slightly and began to speak about serious matters.

"I have my own arrangements for this matter. Ying Zheng will not have the energy to personally inspect the mirage. You can focus on reorganizing the Yin Yang School from now on."

Lu Wei poured himself a full glass of wine and changed the subject with a smile: "Tonight, let's not discuss matters of the empire, just chat casually."

After he said that, the Chaotun Hall fell into an awkward silence...

The Moon Goddess, Dongjun, and Xiaomeng are not the type to gossip, so asking them to start a conversation would obviously only yield this result.

Ji Yan noticed the stillness in the air, chuckled, poured himself a full glass of wine, and said to Lu Wei with a smile, "Brother Lu is quite right. Now that the Mirage Tower no longer needs to set sail to seek immortality, will the Yin Yang School move its headquarters from Xianyang to this Mirage Tower, a product of the empire's ten years of wasted energy?"

As she finished speaking, her gaze turned towards the Moon Goddess with a hint of curiosity.

"The Yin-Yang School will fully assist the Farmer School in completing the struggle for supremacy. Although the Yin-Yang School was responsible for supervising the construction of the Mirage, its owner is not from the Yin-Yang School." The Moon Goddess's lips curled up symbolically in response to Xiao Yan'er's question, but her tone remained calm.

"The headquarters of the Yin-Yang School will still be on land. What does Lu Lang intend to use this mirage for?"

The topic returned to Lu Wei, who pretended to think, but his attention was slightly distracted: under the table, a restless little foot boldly stretched out onto his leg at this crucial moment...

Chapter 383 Reckless Acts Under the Influence of Alcohol

The room was filled with powerful masters, and while any small movement might be stimulating, as the center of attention, Lu Wei's every move was being watched, and he could easily be exposed if he wasn't careful.

However, given his current identity, although he should try his best not to expose himself, it wouldn't matter even if he were.

"The damage inside the mirage has not yet been repaired, and the annual maintenance thereafter is an enormous expense. Only a vast empire can maintain its normal operation, so there is no rush to decide its purpose."

Lu Wei moved forward slightly without making a sound, stroking his chin with one hand and casually placing the other under the table: "Speaking of the Yin Yang School's headquarters, rumors in the martial arts world say it's mysterious and unpredictable. I've never even been to Guanzhong, but I'm quite curious about Xianyang."

Lu Wei had traveled the world for twenty years. Of the original seven kingdoms' capitals, only the smallest, Xinzheng, and the largest, Xianyang, had not been visited. He had spent some time in the capitals of the other five kingdoms.

Hmm, the feel of her skin is so fair and smooth; only one of the four women habitually goes barefoot...

My gaze swept across that holy and aloof face, his gray-white pupils showing no sign of anything amiss.

He originally thought it was the mischievous Xiaoyan or the thrill-seeking Moon Goddess causing trouble, but it turned out to be the most indifferent Xiaomeng.

"Xianyang is magnificent. Once the peasant army enters Guanzhong, the Yin-Yang family will find a way to open the city gates to welcome the army in. At that time, Lu Lang will have a legitimate reason to see whatever he wants." As the Moon Goddess spoke, she turned the topic back to the subsequent destruction of Qin. This was out of necessity, as their current situation was not entirely safe. Even with a high chance of victory, there was still the possibility of annihilation.

Only by eliminating that one threat can everyone truly put their minds at ease.

However, given Qin's geographical location, if the rebel army were to actually reach the walls of Xianyang, it would prove that the situation was irreversible, and at that point, they would most likely surrender on their own without the Yin-Yang School needing to intervene.

"Although I have not entered Guanzhong, it is not that I have no plans in Guanzhong. Xianyang is not a target that requires the Yin-Yang School to take risks."

After making his confident declaration without any shame, Lu Wei felt a light, tingling sensation begin to wander across his thigh. He picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp to cover it up.

Correspondingly, the cool and serene eyes in the profile found his reaction amusing, and a slight smile involuntarily appeared on her lips...

Half an hour later, the dinner party, which wasn't very lively but still had a lot of talking throughout, came to an end. After finishing a pot of sake, everyone's thoughts became clearer, but at this time, it was obviously better to be a little hazy with the help of alcohol.

The restless teasing had abruptly subsided at that awkward juncture, leaving Lu somewhat frustrated. Fortunately, tonight he didn't need to suppress his feelings like he had when he was diligently practicing martial arts as a youth; on the mirage, he had many options...

In Sanghai City, Fusu had many choices. He was still in Youjian Inn. Today was his day off. In the past, the eldest son of the empire would either study in his mansion or go to the suburbs to relax at this time.

The reason why Fusu's arrival at Youjian Inn was delayed for so long was that he was focused on selecting dishes that his father might like.

As the ruler of the world, even though he could enjoy everything in the Xianyang Palace, the flavors of Qi and Lu were still best tasted in the land of Qi and Lu.

Fusu had sent people to inquire about this person beforehand and knew that he had the style of a wandering knight-errant, which was a negative point. But today, after actually meeting him, he realized that a famous chef who could master the cooking methods of dishes from all over the country could not possibly have a low level of education, no matter how humble his status was.

The butcher could tell the stories behind each dish in detail, allowing Fusu to immerse himself in those scenes while tasting the food. Normally, he would not waste time like this, but today, immersing himself in the delicious food and various cultural stories gave Fusu a relaxation he had never felt before.

He decided to appoint Butcher Ding as the head chef to prepare the banquet for his father's arrival.

...

Xiao Yan'er got up from the ground, wiped her mouth, and calmly handed a pre-packaged dish to Lu Wei in front of her: "Xiao Yu hasn't had dinner yet. She must still be reminiscing about her homeland. Now is the best time for Brother Lu to go and comfort her. In this way, Shushan will definitely support the farmers even more."

Reaching out to stroke Ji Yan's obedient long hair, Lu Wei did not refuse. However, before leaving, he took out the True Man Pill that Yun Zhongjun had given him: "This is Yun Zhongjun's pill. You can ask the Moon Goddess to confirm its medicinal properties. It should still have some effect on your martial arts."

"Hmm!" Ji Yan watched him leave, glanced down at the exquisite box in her hand, and turned to prepare to find the Moon Goddess as instructed...

She had met the Moon Goddess many times in her youth, but now, meeting her alone again, she needed to approach it with a different mindset.

Beneath the sacred Fusang tree, Xiao Yu had indeed never left this place since boarding the ship.

When the chivalrous leader, who smelled slightly of alcohol, arrived, he stood with the quiet Princess Shushan for a while. Xiao Yu raised her hand to wipe her eyes and stiffly said, "Thank you."

But soon after, her tears suddenly broke down and flowed uncontrollably, and she swayed as if about to collapse, but fortunately Lu Wei caught her in time.

Lu Wei actually knew the reason why Xiao Yu was like this much earlier: the Fusang Divine Tree could not return to Mount Shu.

This sacred artifact from Mount Shu, which has grown for thousands of years, could not withstand the damage of being transported back to Mount Sanghai after its last journey from Mount Shu.

It can either be transplanted to the shore nearby, but that also carries some risks.

Alternatively, it can remain in the mirage and continue to flourish. Perhaps only after accumulating vitality for several hundred more years can the Fusang Divine Tree return home.

This was incredibly cruel for the people of Shu, who had been shrouded in the shadow of the Fusang Sacred Tree since they were conscious: they had been promised that they could take back the sacred tree, but due to practical reasons, they were unable to bring it back.

“The mirage is very large. You can have a permanent residence here and regard the ground beneath your feet as the indestructible Mount Shu.”

Softly reciting the words he had prepared beforehand, comforting was not Lu Wei's forte, but for a heartbroken girl who had been wandering far from home for many years, a single word of comfort was more important than the content of the comfort itself.

Xiao Yu listened vaguely to the whispers in his ear and felt the solid support behind her. Unable to control herself, she turned around and threw herself into the arms of the chivalrous leader, letting out her long-suppressed emotions and crying bitterly. Her voice was already a little hoarse.

He gently patted her back, but after waiting for a long time without seeing Xiao Yu stop, Lu Wei simply pressed her sleeping acupoint. The girl's body went limp and she lost consciousness.

It wasn't that he didn't know how to cherish women, but rather that the feeling of having his chest wet with tears was truly unpleasant.

Moreover, there were bystanders...

Lu Wei gently laid Xiao Yu down at the roots of the Fusang Divine Tree and looked up at the towering treetops: Although he couldn't see the figure hiding among the dense leaves, the aura was unmistakable: "The Eastern Lord has come here, presumably not for the Shushan Princess."

As his voice fell, Yan Fei, who also smelled slightly of alcohol, appeared behind Lu Wei: "It was my fault for disturbing Lord Xia Kui's intimate moment."

With a slightly tipsy demeanor, Yan Fei calmly walked past Lu Wei to the Fusang Divine Tree. She raised her hand to stroke the slightly warm trunk, her eyes as deep as stars: "Lord Xia Kui is still unmarried, yet he has more and more female confidantes. As the future king, I wonder who will be fortunate enough to become his queen? My dear sister, the Moon Goddess?"

In the end, Yan Fei's purpose in suddenly arriving here became clear: she came for the Moon Goddess.

As for what exactly it was for the moon goddess, that remains to be explored.

But today, Lu Wei didn't want to go through the tedious testing. Looking at her graceful figure, he, who had long been lustful, quickly stepped forward, pounced on Yan Fei, and then kissed her red lips forcefully without saying a word.

I'm drunk, and this is rudeness when drunk.

Faced with this unexpected and indecent attack, Yan Fei's mind went blank for a moment. She subconsciously gathered her inner energy briefly and struck Lu Wei's chest, but the attack had no effect at all and was easily blocked by his solid chest.

The foreign object broke through her lips and teeth, causing her to tremble. Never before treated like this, Lord Dongjun's mind drifted back to the moment last year when she was poisoned and imprisoned in the Mo family's forbidden area, and the feeling she had when she was finally rescued...

Chapter 384 Return to Sanghai

"I will take those people to Daze Mountain. As for Master Xiaoyao..." Han Xin was still wearing that coarse gray linen robe. Compared to the last time in Sanghai City, the biggest change in this robe was that it had another patch.

Behind him followed a subordinate, a black Qilin half-covered in a cloak. He was originally an assassin from the Reverse Sands, but now belonged to the Farmer Clan.

The person Han Xin was talking to was Xiaoyaozi.

"According to the agreement with our master, Master Xiaoyao can go to Sanghai."

“Sanghai…” Xiaoyaozi’s gaze was solemn: “‘Yes’ means that I have other options?”

"Of course." Han Xin nodded with a smile: "The Farmer's School never forces its allies. If Master Xiaoyao has other things to do, we will not stop him."

Han Xin's eyes were devoid of any emotion, making it difficult for Xiaoyaozi to discern the truthfulness of the young man's words.

Several days have passed since Qinglong assassinated Qin. Unlike Zongheng, Gao Jianli, and Master Ban, who are heading to Sanghai with a clear goal, Xiaoyaozi led the wandering knights and people from the six kingdoms, including the Mo family and the Xiang family, to escape and hide from the Qin army in the dense forest. Finally, near the pre-arranged location, he met the Black Qilin.

Because the people from Luo Wang suddenly caught up with them earlier, Tian Guang led Chi Songzi away to distract them. Therefore, under the guidance of Hei Qilin, Xiaoyaozi went alone to a deeper place to meet Han Xin.

Xiaoyaozi would not object to Han Xin's plan to take the Mo family and others with him: they were useful to him, but also a burden, and it would be best if they could be taken away by the peasants.

Xiaoyaozi was more concerned about his future fate: he could no longer stay in the Luowang, but he had also gained his freedom.

Thus, he now has two choices: either give up and return to his childhood dream, abandoning everything to venture into the world anew, or continue down the path of rebellion against the Qin Dynasty to its very end...