The world begins with refining skills

Chapter 237 Entering Kyoto

One month later.
Nanqing's peace delegation arrived at Shangjing City of Northern Qi.

Although Northern Qi was busy completing the occupation and control of Cangzhou, it had no plans to continue fighting with Southern Qing.

But in the face of Nanqing's request for peace, he still made a huge request and put forward a series of conditions.

The two sides launched intense negotiations on this issue, but no result was reached after half a month of discussion.

Just when the situation was at a stalemate, a delegation from Dongyi broke the deadlock.

With the mediation of the Dongyi people, the two sides finally completed the negotiations after another month.

In addition to Cangzhou occupied by Northern Qi, Nanqing also had to compensate Northern Qi for fire costs of 30 million taels of silver, as well as a series of other conditions.

Imperial Palace, Yaohua Palace.

This is the palace where Zhan Doudou’s good sister, the Princess of Northern Qi, lives.

At this time, the owner of the palace, the eldest princess, was sitting in the pavilion in the backyard, brewing tea by a small stove under the summer sun.

"Mr. Mu, please have some tea!"

The eldest princess ignored the sweat oozing from her forehead, held the brewed tea, blinked her innocent eyes, and looked at Mu Sheng.

"Drinking tea in the hot summer, I wonder what's going on in your little head?"

Mu Sheng took the tea and put it aside, then rolled up his sleeves and gently wiped it on the eldest princess's forehead.

"Don't you like the tea I make, Mr. Mu?" The eldest princess tilted her head slightly to make it easier for Mu Sheng to wipe it.

"You, you!"

Looking at the silly-smiling princess in front of him, Mu Sheng still felt very comfortable even though he knew that she was trying to please him on purpose.

Sure enough, not only women like to lick dogs, men like it too!

"You just want to make me happy!" After wiping the sweat off his face, Mu Sheng scratched the princess's delicate and small nose.

"As long as Master Mu is happy, I'm happy!" The eldest princess sniffed and said in a muffled voice.

Her cute and silly look made Mu Sheng unable to help but put his arms around her waist and pull her into his arms.

"The Queen Mother's beauty trap really hit my weak spot!" Mu Sheng shook his head and sighed, as if he was regretting how he fell into the trap so easily.

Ever since Mu Sheng killed Grandmaster Ye Liuyun in Yulong City that day, the Queen Mother of Northern Qi may have felt that Zhan Doudou alone could not win over Mu Sheng.

Or maybe she was afraid that Mu Sheng would attack her, so she sent the eldest princess of Northern Qi to use the beauty trap.

Sure enough, Mu Sheng fell into the trap!

"I didn't expect that the Queen Mother knew me, Mu, so well!"

Queen Mother of Northern Qi: Just look at your eyes that seem like you're about to eat me up. Is it hard to tell that you're an LS?
"Mr. Mu, you have wronged my mother. It was only after I heard about your deeds that I wanted to meet you."

The eldest princess wrapped her arms around Mu Sheng's neck and said in a tender voice, "Who would have thought that I would fall in love with you as soon as I saw you, Master Mu."

"You fall in love with me? I fall in love with you too." Mu Sheng lowered his head and tasted the rouge used by the eldest princess.

Mm, very sweet, very fragrant and very soft!

After a long time, when the eldest princess's breathing began to become disordered and a few fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, Mu Sheng finally let go.

"The tea is getting cold. I'll make another cup for Master Mu."

The thin silk dress was completely incapable of blocking the view. The eldest princess had already noticed Mu Sheng's restlessness and changed the subject abruptly.

Mu Sheng raised his head and glanced at the big sun in the sky. It was such a hot day, and even if it was left for an hour, the tea would not get cold at all.

"Let's stop drinking the cold tea. Let's drink something hot."

Mu Sheng stood up straight, and the princess held the eldest princess in her arms and walked towards the bedroom.

"Something else that's hot? What is it?" This time, the eldest princess didn't play dumb.

"."

Mu Sheng whispered a few words in her ear, and the eldest princess's face suddenly turned red, like a drop of red ink dropped into a cup of water.

Soon, the sound of boiling water for making drinks could be heard in the bedroom.

An hour later, after drinking his fill, Mu Sheng helped the eldest princess fill her stomach with drink as well.

The eldest princess, who had eaten too much, groaned for a long time before she recovered.

While digesting their food, the two chatted about the peace talks.

"Master Mu, why do you think the Dongyi people want to help Nanqing?" the eldest princess suddenly asked.

Although the arrival of the Dongyi people allowed the stalemate negotiations to proceed smoothly, any discerning person could see the Dongyi people's inclination in the peace talks.

"Dongyi is no longer the original Dongyi." Mu Sheng said while pinching the eldest princess's soft little body.

"Why isn't it the original Dongyi?" The eldest princess looked at Mu Sheng in a daze.

"I just don't believe you don't understand?" Mu Sheng applied a little force on his hands, and the eldest princess immediately let out a soft moan.

"Isn't it obvious? Before, Nanqing had two great masters, so Dongyi and Beiqi joined forces to resist Nanqing."

"Now that Ye Liuyun has been killed by me, the only one left in Nanqing is the Grandmaster hidden in the palace."

"On the contrary, Northern Qi now has two great masters. Isn't it true that Dongyi and Nanqing have joined forces to resist Northern Qi?"

"So that's how it is, Master Mu, you are so smart!" The eldest princess looked at Mu Sheng admiringly.

"Uh! Your flattery is too fake, isn't it?" Mu Sheng looked at the eldest princess speechlessly.

"How about this? Is it okay to flatter like this?"

"Hiss~, it's okay to flatter like this. I'm satisfied. Increase the intensity!"

"."

Mu Sheng was soon immersed in the eldest princess's eloquent flattery.

Nanqing, Kyoto.

As fall approaches, the intense heat of midsummer is rapidly fading.

This kind of weather is perfect for chatting and gossiping with a few friends or neighbors under the shade of a tree.

However, this is the choice of the lower class people. For the powerful businessmen and playboys, brothels and flower boats are their choices.

As night fell, Zuixianju, located in the most prosperous area of Kyoto, became bustling.

Countless lights and candles illuminated Zuixianju brightly. Singers and dancers were everywhere, and the whole Fanlou was shrouded in a decadent atmosphere.

Near the window on the second floor, several young men were discussing Qi Qing's peace talks.

"The delegation from the Honglu Temple should be back soon, right?" asked a young man with heavy dark circles under his eyes.

"He went into the city early this morning, Brother He, you didn't know about it, did you?" "Of course Brother He didn't know, he just got up from Miss Mengyi's bed, he's still weak."

Everyone burst into laughter when they heard this.

"Whoever is weak, I can still fight for another three days and three nights!" Master He said unconvinced.

"Don't do that. If you die on Miss Mengyi's belly, wouldn't that be disrespectful to the beauty?"

Someone retorted, and the others burst into laughter again, which lasted for a while before they calmed down.

"I don't know what the outcome of the peace talks will be, and how much Daqing will have to pay to satisfy Manqi's appetite."

"It makes me angry just to talk about it. I don't know how much money the court spends on border troops every year, but these people lost Cangzhou in less than a month."

"Even if there are hundreds of thousands of pigs, it shouldn't take a month to protect them, right?"

"I know that." One of them continued, "It is said that it is because of a force called Siming Divine Religion in Northern Qi. The members of this cult all have three heads and six arms, and they have indestructible bodies."

"It is said that Grandmaster Ye died at the hands of the leader of this Siming Divine Religion!"

"Indestructible?" Mr. He, who had been yawning, suddenly became alert: "How is it indestructible?"

"Brother He, you can do this too."

Everyone condemned Master He again, and before they knew it, the conversation was changing to other places.

At this time, in a boudoir in Zuixianju, Si Lili was sitting in front of the dressing table, carefully drawing her eyebrows in front of the mirror. She had a performance later.

She has been in Nanqing for several years, and the past few months have been the most relaxed and happiest time for her.

Ever since Northern Qi defeated Southern Qing and captured Cangzhou, she has been in a good mood every day.

Si Lili's original name was Li Lisi. Her grandfather was the person most likely to become the emperor of Nanqing, but he died inexplicably under a thunderbolt.

Afterwards, her father also died tragically, and she, her mother, and her younger brother were forced to flee to Northern Qi.

So when Si Lili saw Qingguo suffer a setback and thought of Li Yunqian's uncomfortable look, she felt happy.

Just like now, while drawing her eyebrows, Si Lili unconsciously hummed a cheerful tune.

"Oh, that's good! You hummed quite nicely."

A strange voice suddenly came from behind. Si Lili paused with the brush in her hand, and the painting flew out.

As a spy who dared to lurk in Kyoto, although Si Lili's martial arts skills were not very high, she still had the strength of a sixth-rank martial artist.

The person who came was able to sneak into her room quietly, which was obviously not someone she could deal with.

Gently wiping off the crooked eyebrow line, Si Lili turned around carefully and saw a handsome man with fair skin sitting on her bed, looking at her with a smile.

For some reason, Si Lili did not show the slightest resistance or disgust towards this stranger who suddenly broke in.

She even stared at Mu Sheng's white jade-like skin with envy.

I don't know how this person maintains himself?
"What is your name, sir? It's not even time for Lili to perform yet. Can't you wait?" Si Lili said softly.

Mu Sheng looked at Si Lili in front of him. She was simply wearing a thin silk lingerie that outlined her smooth curves.

The exposed skin is as smooth as mutton-fat jade, and reveals a soft feeling, as if your fingers can sink into it if you pinch it.

Further up is a charming face, whose every frown and smile seems to be able to capture your soul.

"I can't wait. It is said that Miss Si Lili, the courtesan of Zuixianju, is extremely beautiful, a beauty that can shame the moon and flowers." Mu Sheng nodded with satisfaction: "After seeing her today, it is true that her reputation is well-deserved!"

"She is so beautiful that the moon and flowers are ashamed of themselves?" Si Lili's beautiful eyes lit up and she repeated this word over and over again.

Does it mean that it is so beautiful that it can make the moon shy and hide behind the dark clouds, and make the flowers that are competing for beauty feel ashamed and close their buds?

"This young man is so talented that he can shame the moon and the flowers. Every word he says is so elegant!"

Si Lili looked at Mu Sheng with admiration and longing, just like a little fan girl meeting a big star.

Of course, it is unknown how much of this is sincere and how much is performed to induce Mu Sheng to reveal more information about himself.

"Miss Lili, do you really think I have literary talent? Then do you think I can pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar?"

what?
Mu Sheng's sudden question confused Si Lili. Why did he suddenly talk about the imperial examination?

"This imperial examination also requires examinations on classics and policy essays, but I think with your literary talent and knowledge, you can definitely pass it as long as you are determined!"

Si Lili encouraged Mu Sheng seriously.

"Is that so?" Mu Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Then can you give me some money?"

what?
Why are we talking about borrowing money again?
What the hell is in your head? Why is it so confusing?

"Lend you some money?" Si Lili asked doubtfully, "Lili doesn't quite understand what you mean, sir."

"You don't understand this?" Mu Sheng looked at Si Lili with a look of disappointment: "Remember to read more in your free time in the future! Otherwise, you can only please others with music and sex, and there will be no future like this."

"Isn't this kind of plot often seen in novels? A girl from a brothel meets a scholar who is taking an exam, and then they develop feelings for each other and fall in love."

"Then the brothel girl used the money she had saved for many years to support the scholar to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination. In the end, the scholar passed the examination and became the top scorer."

"And then?" Si Lili saw that Mu Sheng stopped talking here, and couldn't help asking: "In order to repay the kindness of the brothel girl, did the scholar redeem her and marry her?"

Si Lili almost understood what Mu Sheng meant. What he meant was that if she sponsored him, he would come and marry her after he passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar?

If that's the case, it wouldn't be bad at all!
Besides, it’s not about whether the other party can pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar. She is not a real courtesan. She is a spy.

"Of course not!" Mu Sheng looked at Si Lili in surprise: "How could a scholar who passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar marry a prostitute?"

"Of course I'll marry a lady from a famous family!"

No, do you know what you are saying?

Si Lili looked at Mu Sheng speechlessly, "Then, the scholar should help redeem the prostitute, right?"

"How can a clean scholar get the money to redeem someone? No, he won't!" Mu Sheng shook his head firmly.

"Sir, if you say that, then why should I lend you money?"

"Borrow money? Who said borrow money? I said financial aid!"

"Funding." Si Lili was silenced by Mu Sheng's shamelessness: "It means giving you money for free!"

"That's right, you finally understand." Mu Sheng looked at Si Lili with satisfaction, as if he was very satisfied with her growth.

“It’s not just the money, it’s the people too!”

Seeing Mu Sheng's proud look instead of shame, the manager thought for a moment and asked tentatively, "Will the young master force me with force?"

"will not!"

"Then I don't agree!" Si Lili was as determined as if she wanted to join the party.

"Oh? The courtesan Si Lili disagrees. What about the Northern Qi spy Si Lili?"

(End of this chapter)