Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 66

The caravan route map possessed by 'Snow Wolf' was secretly hidden by Yan Chunjun's steward due to the 'carelessness' of the assassins in Yan Chunjun's mansion, and presented to Luqiu Pavilion as a treasure.

Therefore, this year, the Luqiu Pavilion caravan has expanded towards the Qin Kingdom and the grasslands.

The city of Ji, outside of Luqiu Pavilion, is more lively.

Because Prince Dan is back!

It is said that he escaped back, and upon his return, a fierce conflict broke out between the Crown Prince's residence and the residence of Lord Yanchun. Later, under the reprimand of Prince Yanxi, both sides reluctantly made concessions.

On the political level, Jicheng gradually returned to a state of confrontation between two forces, but overall Yanchun Jun still held an absolute advantage.

On the surface, Luqiu Pavilion had no involvement in this political turmoil, and neither Yanchun Jun's Mansion nor the Crown Prince's Mansion intended to target the peasant family.

In addition, since the beginning of the year, the number of Mohist disciples in Jicheng has increased unexpectedly. Ordinary farmers noticed this without the need for the secret guards to report it, which shows the extent of the surge in the number of Mohist disciples.

The situation in the Yan state is becoming increasingly complex.

At the end of the letter, Lu Yu also stated that he would organize a caravan to go to Zhao under the guise of trading to meet up with Brother Lu. Calculating the distance, the arrival time was estimated to be around the beginning of autumn.

The team, following his instructions, will consist of 150 people.

After A Yu arrived with these people, he entrusted the affairs of Zhao to him, so that the Grand Steward could personally return to Yan to take a look.

After closing these letters, there was also a secret note from Lu Ni, containing only six words: "The Net has made contact with the Shadowless One."

The lack of other requests for help indicates that Lu Ni is handling the situation, and the people from Luo Wang this time are not of a very high rank.

I've been away for more than half a year, and things are going quite well in Jicheng.

And then there's Xiao Yan'er. Lu Ni didn't mention the accumulation of medicinal power in Xiao Yan'er's body at all, which suggests that there have been some changes in Xiao Yan'er's condition.

He lit all the letters on the candle flame, burned them to ashes, then used his inner strength to pulverize them into powder and scatter them. Lu Wei turned to look at the Snow Maiden who was playing music intently not far away, and clapped his hands.

The performance was interrupted. Xue Nu gently put down her jade flute, looked up at Steward Lu, stood up and bowed, quietly waiting for the next instructions.

After dealing with the letters, it's time for me to dance.

Thinking to herself, she realized that she had also had a good time these past two months. Apart from occasionally having to play the flute and dance for the head steward during the day, none of the other dancers in the Tantai Palace made things difficult for her.

Snow Maiden always gets priority in purchasing newly acquired jewelry and ornaments for the Dantai. She can also decide the order of appearance and the content of the evening performances.

After what happened last year, she was subjected to strange looks and contempt. Now, the situation has reversed, and the intelligent woman certainly understands the reason.

This matter was in her favor, and the Snow Woman showed no mercy in using her privileges.

"The war is about to end. Have you figured out how to make a fortune in the Yan Kingdom?"

Before, Yuki-onna was like a ruffled, abandoned stray cat. Anyone who approached her was likely to be scratched, and even a single kick could easily kill her.

Lu Wei controlled the cat's food and activity range. As long as he didn't directly grab it by force and maintained a good distance in the early stages, forcing it to meow and stay by his side to eat and survive, its bristling fur would eventually soften on its own.

Then, in order to protect the life it has become accustomed to, it will gradually lower its standards and do things that it would never have done before.

Then one day, when the stray cat realizes it has been rehomed, it will lie on the fluffy carpet, showing its soft belly, joyfully enjoying its new owner's petting, licking its new owner's fingertips, and becoming its new owner's 'sweetheart'~

"Xue Ji has come up with a plan and can earn ten thousand gold coins. However, there is one thing she needs Steward Lu's help with."

Snow Goddess's expression remained unchanged. She didn't know when the war would end, nor did she care. She only addressed the steward's question, lowering her eyes and answering crisply, then taking the opportunity to make her request:

"Xue Ji needs Tan Tai's 'Flying Snow Jade Flower Terrace'. With it, Xue Ji will surely be able to earn a fortune for you, sir."

The Flying Snow Jade Flower Stage, a treasure of Fei Xue Pavilion in the original novel, still belongs to Tan Tai. This stage is carved entirely from a single piece of white jade, crystal clear and flawless!

Staring at the increasingly expensive jewelry adorning the Snow Maiden's body, Lu Wei stroked his chin upon hearing this question: "The Flying Snow Jade Flower Platform is priceless in itself; you should know that."

"Yes," Xue Nu said, not in a hurry when she heard that the other party seemed to be refusing. "For the past two months, Steward Lu has been extremely lenient with Xue Ji. Xue Ji is deeply moved and guesses that the master believes that Xue Ji can earn a fortune for you."

"And with the Flying Snow Jade Flower Platform, Snow Princess can bring even more to you, sir~"

“You messed up the last time you performed the Lingbo Feiyan (a type of Chinese dance), and you haven’t been able to do it a second time in the past two months.”

Lu Wei listened to the other party's explanation, neither agreeing nor refusing, but simply poured himself a glass of wine, watching the stream of liquor fall into the glass in a thin line:

"Show me the whole dance again today."

"Yes, Yukihime obeys." Yukihime's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly agreed.

Having enjoyed the power of Steward Lu, there were some things she couldn't refuse.

Anyway, the vow of "never dancing this dance in front of others, or bloodshed will surely follow" was broken last time. I've already danced it once in front of Steward Lu, so dancing it a second or third time won't hurt. As long as I don't dance in front of anyone else, it counts as keeping my vow!

Having prepared in advance, the Snow Maiden wore traditional geisha attire today. With a gentle flick of her toes from her blue glass clogs, the most perfect "Flying Swallow on Water" dance began once more...

...

That night, back in the small building outside Tantai, Lu Wei had only been meditating for a short while when he heard unusual noises outside. He gathered his inner strength and listened carefully:

"General Li Mu has won! The Qin army in the north has been driven away!"

"General Li Mu has won! The Qin army in the north has been driven away!"

Several night watchmen, banging gongs, joyfully shouted the news of the victory at the front in the streets. Upon hearing this, the people, without even putting on their shoes, ran out barefoot and happily joined in the shouts: "General Li Mu has won! Handan City has been saved!"

Even though he had anticipated Li Mu's victory, he was still astonished by the ecstatic joy of these common people. After all, regardless of whether Zhao was to be destroyed or not, the Grand Steward could escape beforehand, but these people, if the front lines failed, they could truly die...

Not to mention, among the Zhao soldiers on the front lines were their brothers, fathers, and even grandfathers.

The winner is always more likely to survive than the loser.

Tonight, in Handan, the city will be sleepless all night.

Chapter 88 Preparing to Return to Yan

News of the victory on the northern front greatly boosted the morale of the Zhao soldiers on the Zhang River, making their defenses even more impregnable.

The Qin army in the south could no longer win. Although the black-armored Qin soldiers had launched even more fierce offensives in recent days, they had been driven back each time.

The first effort is vigorous, the second wanes, and the third exhausts. After months of continuous attrition and no progress, the Qin army learned of the disastrous defeat of their comrades on the northern front, and their morale plummeted.

Although they are still stationed here, the longing to return home has begun to spread throughout the army.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this war is truly coming to an end.

They were just waiting for Li Mu to lead his army south—not only the Zhao army, but also the Qin army.

Inside Handan City, the streets, which had been dark for a long time, finally came alive. The noble young men, who had been suppressing their fears for months, now had the crisis resolved. The sky was even drizzling, which gave the scene a unique kind of beauty for them.

From restaurants and inns to music and dance halls, each place was brightly decorated, creating another bustling metropolis.

As for the Zhao soldiers who fell on the banks of the Zhangshui River on this rainy night, and the flowing bright red blood, the important figures would no longer care.

The lights on the terrace were all lit, illuminating the sky. Various expensive carriages came and went in an endless stream, and Lu Wei's three-story pavilion was transformed into a chaotic place in an instant.

Too noisy.

Although this wouldn't affect the steward's ability to concentrate on his cultivation, he still chose to go out and head to Zhao Yi's residence.

With the battle over, the next step is to push Zhao Yi's position further towards Li Mu's direction; time is running out.

It's not just about the length of time he stayed in Zhao, but also the length of time Zhao could continue to exist...

The performance hall at Tantai has been replaced by a magnificent main hall, instead of the side hall it used to be.

Amber wine, jade cups, golden goblets, jade platters—the food is like a painting, the wine like a spring, the zither plays softly, and the bells chime. On the wall in the very center of the hall, a crystal jade disc emits a faint white light, and the focal point of this light is precisely below it: a pool stage adorned with hundreds of jade blocks.

Originally, this location should have been the world-famous Flying Snow Jade Flower Terrace.

But yesterday, Xue Ji used a dance called "Lingbo Feiyan" to transfer ownership of the jade platform to the future Yan Kingdom concubine Xue Ge. She forbade anyone else to step on the platform, so the platform was urgently replaced with a new one.

The wealthy young men, returning to the stage after several months, didn't care why the stage had changed; they were always only interested in the dancers...

"General Lu, do you think I can become a general of the Zhao army like Zhao Cong?"

At Zhao Yi's residence, Lord Xiaopingyuan and Lu Wei sat facing each other. Before they even drank any wine, Zhao Yi seemed to be drunk, rambling incoherently.

"Why would the young master have thoughts of becoming a general?" Lu Wei looked at the snacks respectfully offered by the maids on either side, picked up his chopsticks without making a sound, and tapped the bronze table.

"These past few days, following the steward's instructions, I've had extensive interactions with Zhao Cong. Although we're now good friends and have a close relationship, Zhao Cong's abilities..."

"Hmm..." Zhao Yi hesitated, struggling to find the right words: "To be fair, you're not even as good as me!"

"If he could defeat the Qin army and become the number one general of Zhao last year, I think I can do it too!"

"Zhao Cong is nothing but a brute; how can he compare to you, young master?"

Lu Wei smiled lightly, glanced at them, and with a flick of his wrist, threw out the chopsticks, which pierced the necks of the two maids guarding the door!

The two maids died instantly before they could even scream.

"Let Zhao Cong and his ilk handle the rough work of fighting on the battlefield. Young Master should focus on cultivating his skills in the court."

"Chief Steward Lu..." Zhao Cong stared in shock at Lu Wei's sudden killing, at a loss for what to do.

"Young master, do not worry. These two women possess internal strength. Although the tiger's mouth on their hands has been washed with medicine, they still have the habit of using daggers for a long time."

"They were clearly spies, as they were serving us the snacks and leaving."

Explaining his reasons for taking action, Lu Wei clapped his hands, and the disciples and retainers of the peasant family who were guarding outside immediately came in and dragged the body away.

"Is that so...? Who could have done this?" Zhao Yi frowned. He had no suspicion of the steward, nor did he dwell on how Lu Wei could so skillfully command his retainers. "Could there be others in my household...?"

"Don't worry, young master." Lu Wei smiled and shook his head: "There are countless powerful and influential people in the city. It's not surprising that you've been getting too close to the Prime Minister's residence lately, and that you're being monitored by those with ulterior motives."

“I left the young master’s residence several times last month, and some people followed me. But after I dealt with them all, no one has had any other ideas this month.”

“There is nothing shameful about what you have done, young master. It would be fine to show some of it to those people.”

"I'm relieved to hear that, Steward Lu." His furrowed brow relaxed slightly, and Zhao Yi returned to their previous conversation:

"Does the chief steward's instruction for me to advance in the court mean... to continue bribing Guo Kai?"

"With the Tantai Pavilion reopened, the young master is making a fortune every day. The cost of supporting the peasant disciples is not high. It wouldn't hurt to offer the surplus wealth to that Prime Minister Guo."

"He's a treacherous official. Wouldn't it damage my reputation if I did this?" Zhao Yi said this, but his eyes were looking at Lu Wei expectantly, hoping that he could persuade him with some words.

"It is precisely because Prime Minister Guo is treacherous that we need a loyal and patriotic person like you, young master, to step forward, isn't that right?"

"As for the means to ascend, even if they violate some minor principles, as long as they do not violate the greater principles, the King of Zhao will understand in the future."

Anyway, King Zhao has no future.

The steward naturally understood his meaning; since opening the door to the new world, Young Master Yi had undergone tremendous changes.

"That's right. I can only eliminate Guo Kai later with the help of my loyal ministers if I use Guo Kai first!"

His eyes lit up, and Zhao Yi nodded happily.