Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 106 Killing Three Birds with One Stone, Xiu Yuan's Surprise

Light appeared on the horizon, tearing through the sky and driving the night back underground.

In a room on the second floor of Zilan Pavilion, two people stood quietly behind the window. They seemed to have been standing there for a long time, witnessing the moment when the sunlight tore through the darkness.

After a long silence, the young man asked softly, "Did he guess it?"

The girl nodded slightly.

"He's a smart man, he was just misled. That time with Wei Zhuang, you...did it on purpose?"

A slight smile played on the boy's lips. He didn't answer the question, but instead brought up something else.

"Right now, the most pressing issue for Quicksand must be the murder of the Qin envoy, right?"

The girl crossed her arms over her chest, her expression somewhat complicated. The most pressing issue for South Korea right now was indeed the murder of the envoy, but Han Fei's desire to see him was probably also due to this matter.

He said he wanted to make a deal with you.

"trade."

The two were Xiu Yuan and Zi Nu. Xiu Yuan had not returned home all night. Zi Nu came to look for him last night, but when she found him not there, she thought she would wait for him. However, she later fell asleep for some reason.

She had been with Han Fei for quite some time, but even now, she still hadn't truly seen through this Ninth Prince of Han. After a moment of silence, Zi Nu continued, "If Xiu Yuan is unwilling, I'll help you decline."

From the other party's words, it is not difficult to see that in Zi Nu's heart, the weight of the young man in front of her has surpassed that of the Ninth Prince.

Xiu Yuan looked outside and saw that people were starting to appear on the street. For most people in every era, they had to work hard every day to make a living. As a new day began, they had to go out to work. This pattern seemed to have never changed.

What kind of transaction?

Xiu Yuan remained silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Yesterday we talked about the assassination of the Qin envoy. Ninth Prince seemed to have some plans, and then the conversation turned to you."

Hearing this, Xiu Yuan's eyes flickered slightly. He had already witnessed Han Fei's quick wit, and he was also very curious about how Han Fei would handle the matter without having seen that person.

"What are the bargaining chips in the deal?"

Chen Xiuyuan smiled calmly. Since it was a transaction, there would naturally be bargaining chips. Since Han Fei had guessed his strength, he should know that ordinary bargaining chips were useless to him.

Zi Nu shook her head.

"The Ninth Young Master didn't say, but based on my understanding of him, it might be an attractive offer."

Xiu Yuan nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "Does he know I'm from the Heavenly Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Zi Nu thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"I probably don't know. If Xiu Yuan hadn't saved me and Nong Yu last time and revealed his background, even I wouldn't have been able to guess."

"No one would have expected that Taoist disciples would enjoy reading."

Speaking of reading, Zi Nu still doesn't understand why a Taoist disciple would be so attached to the things in books. In her opinion, that's something only Confucian disciples would do.

Xiu Yuan gently shook his head.

Indeed, most Taoist disciples do not spend time reading a lot of books. They are more focused on understanding, understanding the universe, the four seasons, and the mortal world, and then transcending worldly concerns.

But he was different. He didn't just read books for the sake of reading; it was more for cultivation. In other words, it was because of the need to activate the porcelain pillow.

If reading has no effect on activating the porcelain pillow, he might still read it, but most of the time he just lets things take their course.

Thinking of the white-haired junior sister who went into the mountains to cultivate, he couldn't help but smile again.

If she were to find out about this absurd reason, she would likely launch into a long and rambling, misguided discourse.

“There are many ways to cultivate oneself. Some people need to hone their skills for ten years, some need to weather storms and see the world, some need to temper their hearts, and some need to endure the suffering of the seven emotions and the tribulations of the six desires before they can transcend.”

Zi Nu stood there, and upon hearing Xiu Yuan's words, her expression suddenly became somewhat complicated, and a strange look flashed in her eyes.

Then she murmured softly, "Transcendence?"

Xiu Yuan raised his head and looked up at the sky, which seemed to be able to contain everything.

"In my personal view, the transcendence spoken of by Taoism is not the ascension to heaven that ordinary people think of. Rather, it is more like what Zhuangzi said, not being bound by traditional constraints, pursuing inner transcendence, and seeking peace of mind and freedom from worries. When a person has experienced many things, if he can have a great awakening and no longer be bound by what he has clung to or lost, this may be transcendence."

At this point, a glint of light flashed in the depths of Chen Xiuyuan's eyes. Zi Nu sighed softly, then gently shook her head. With a complicated expression, she said, "Peace of mind and no worries in life. If everyone could let go, there wouldn't be so much joy and sorrow."

"Xiao Xiuyuan, is there anyone or anything you can't let go of?"

At noon, on the fourth floor of Zilanxuan, Xiuyuan met the ninth young master of Korea again.

"Xiuyuan is truly a genius! When I was your age, I was only good at chasing dogs and teasing chickens!"

Looking at the young man before him, Han Fei spoke with a touch of emotion.

In terms of knowledge alone, this young man was far beyond the reach of ordinary people, but his skills were even more astonishing.

"I heard that you want to make a deal with me, young master?"

Inside the room, Han Fei, Wei Zhuang, Zhang Liang, and the others sat on one side, their gazes shifting as they looked at the composed young man before them.

"Were you the one who made the move at the Zheng Palace?"

Wei Zhuang clenched his hands, which were hanging by his sides, slightly. He still couldn't let go of this matter. There was a master hidden right beside him, but he had never discovered him, and he had even tried to test this person.

Chen Xiuyuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled softly, like a gentle breeze.

"Whether it is or not, since the Sands invited me here today, they must have already made up their minds. So what's the point of my answer or not?"

Wei Zhuang frowned, glanced at Xiu Yuan indifferently, and remained silent.

Han Fei invited the other party here today because of something more important, and he can find time to confirm the answer himself.

"Xiu Yuan is right, let's talk about this transaction first!"

Han Fei steered the conversation back to the main topic, and Wei Zhuang's reaction was within his expectations. After all, Wei Zhuang had previously tried to test the waters, but the results were vastly different.

"I want to ask Xiu Yuan to save someone."

Han Fei's eyes became very deep. For him, there were no problems that could not be solved, only differences in the magnitude of the cost.

"Oh?"

Xiu Yuan let out a soft exclamation and looked at Han Fei. If it was simply a matter of saving people, anyone present could do it. He was very curious why Han Fei didn't let Wei Zhuang do it, but instead came to him.

A transaction is called a transaction because both parties have to pay a certain price. Han Fei should know that this price will be very high.

"Who is it??"

Han Fei remained silent for a moment, then spoke in a deep voice: "Yan Ling Ji."

Upon hearing this answer, everyone present was taken aback, and even Wei Zhuang was confused about what Han Fei was up to.

"Young Master??"

Zhang Liang frowned and spoke up to remind him.

The person who assassinated the Qin envoy was from Baiyue. Going to rescue a Baiyue person seems absurd no matter how you look at it.

Han Fei looked at Xiu Yuan and saw that the other party's expression had not changed, so he smiled slightly.

"Doesn't Xiu Yuan want to ask why?"

Xiu Yuan's eyes were calm, but deep within them, Han Fei saw a storm brewing.

"I'd like to ask what time and where?"

Wei Zhuang, Zhang Liang, and Zi Nu were somewhat taken aback by these words.

Then, a thoughtful look flashed across their eyes. What did the time and place have to do with saving people?
“It seems that Xiuyuan guessed correctly. I often heard that Bo Ya and Zhong Ziqi became friends through music. When Bo Ya played the zither, he thought of high mountains, and Ziqi said, ‘Majestic as Mount Tai.’ When he thought of flowing water, Ziqi said, ‘Turbulent as the Yangtze River.’ Now, as soon as I opened my mouth, Xiuyuan had already guessed what I was thinking. He must be my soulmate. It’s just a pity that I met Xiuyuan too late.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuang and the others couldn't help but turn their heads.

Han Fei thought for a moment and then explained, "The key to solving the current case of the assassination of the Qin envoy lies in capturing the Baiyue villains and handing them over to Qin for punishment. However, Baiyue is an excellent ally for Liusha. Apart from the initial enmity between Yemu and Baiyue, many subsequent events have destined them to never be friends."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We all understand this principle. If we want to counterbalance the Nightfall, control the court, and turn the tide in the future, Baiyue will be a powerful ally!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuang gave a cold laugh.

"A naive idea! You're thinking of capturing people and handing them over to the Qin state, then having them be grateful to you?"

Zhang Liang and Zi Nu nodded in agreement upon hearing Wei Zhuang's words.

This is the crux of the matter: the culprit is Tianze, and to give Qin an explanation, this is an unavoidable issue. Furthermore, this act of betrayal will completely block any path to alliance if Baiyue is to be used by Liusha.

“I know, that’s why Xiu Yuan asked about the time and place.”

Han Fei chuckled softly.

“What Qin wants is a murderer, so I will give them a murderer. Yan Lingji, who was captured by Bai Yifei, happens to be from Baiyue and has a close relationship with Tianze. Such a person is enough to give Qin an explanation.”

Upon hearing this, Zi Nu asked again.

"Didn't you say you were going to save her? Why are you sending her to Qin? Isn't that a contradiction?"

Wei Zhuang, sitting to the side, had an uncertain look in his eyes.

By this point, he had a pretty good idea of ​​Han Fei's plan, but there was still one thing he didn't understand: how did Han Fei guarantee that Li Si would escort Yan Lingji back to the country instead of executing her on the spot?

If he were executed on the spot, his methods would be rendered ineffective, and Tianze would become an enemy of the Quicksand.

"I'm curious, how can you guarantee that Li Si will escort her back to Qin as you intend, instead of executing her on the spot? If it's the latter, then Baiyue will become your nightmare." Zhang Liang and Zi Nu were still completely confused; they felt that the people were talking about different things.

Wei Zhuang explained, "Yan Lingji is from Baiyue. If Qin wants an explanation, she is enough. As long as she leaves Han and is kidnapped on her way to Qin, it has nothing to do with Han."

"Once the murderer is handed over to them, they can execute him on the spot. It is their own choice to send him back to their country. If the person gets lost again, they can't blame South Korea for not doing its job properly."

Upon hearing this explanation, Zhang Liang and Zi Nu suddenly understood. They had to admit that if this operation succeeded, it would definitely be a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy, or even a three-birds-with-one-stone strategy.

"Speaking of which, the reason why Nightfall went to cause trouble for Baiyue is ultimately because of Baiyue's treasure. If Li Si accidentally finds out about this, do you think he wouldn't be tempted, especially since the person they got is someone who knows about it?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuang's eyes finally showed emotion.

Many people are already eyeing the treasures of Baiyue, and he doesn't want Qin to get involved.

Han Fei shook his head slightly upon seeing Wei Zhuang's expression.

"The treasure of Baiyue is nothing but a vague legend to us. We don't have many clues to date. I think Ye Mu and Tian Ze are in the same situation. If they really had clues, they would have sent people to take it away long ago."

"To exchange a treasure that has yet to be discovered for an ally seems like an extremely worthwhile deal to me."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuang and the others nodded.

"Therefore, the time and place of the rescue became important."

Then Han Fei looked at Xiu Yuan again. This young man had guessed his plan when he brought up the matter, and his wisdom was obviously superior to that of Wei Zhuang and the others.

The others also looked at the silent boy sitting to the side, and had to admit that his vision and perspective far exceeded their expectations.

"Did Young Master Xiuyuan already guess this from the beginning?"

Zhang Liang was somewhat astonished. He had read in books before that there were people in the world with wisdom as deep as the ocean, who could see the coming of autumn from a single leaf, but he had only thought it was nonsense. However, today he had to believe that there really were such people in the world.

Han Fei nodded.

"That's why I said I regret not meeting Xiuyuan sooner; true friends are hard to find in this world."

Xiu Yuan was silent for a moment before speaking, "So, does Young Master want me to rescue Yan Lingji within Qin territory after the Qin army escorts her out of Han?"

Han Fei nodded.

Xiu Yuan looked at Han Fei with a leisurely gaze, and spoke again.

"Since it's a transaction, what kind of bargaining chips can you offer, young master?"

After a long pause, watching the young man's departing figure, Zhang Liang said with some regret, "Young master, wasn't your action a bit...?"

Upon seeing Zhang Liang's appearance, Han Fei couldn't help but chuckle.

"Could Zifang say it wasn't worth it?"

Zhang Liang said with some regret, "Master Xun was a great Confucian scholar of his time. His handwritten classics are even worth thousands of gold coins. What is even more precious is the noble spirit between the lines. My grandfather once said that reading books is like reading people. Such treasures are invaluable for Confucian disciples to cultivate themselves."

Han Fei shook his head.

"Things are not as simple as they seem. It may seem like anyone can go to save lives, such as Liu Sha, Tian Ze, or even Ye Mu."

"But in reality, none of us can go, because the people were handed over to them by South Korea. If Tianze and the others go to rescue them, wouldn't that mean the real culprit has not yet been caught? If Li Si takes the opportunity to launch another attack, it will be a disaster for South Korea."

"The same principle applies to quicksand and nightfall. Enraging Qin would be a disaster for Han. But it's different for Xiu Yuan. He's someone who's been hiding in the shadows, and even those of us around him didn't know his strength before. He's perfect for this task."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liang was taken aback again. He had thought it was just a simple rescue, but he hadn't expected there to be so many intricacies involved.

"Furthermore, there is one more thing. We still need to stop the Baiyue. Their stance is different from ours. If there is an opportunity to make Qin and Han go to war, Tianze will not let it go."

Zhang Liang shook his head. This operation seemed contradictory. He was supposed to be saving people, but he had to play the villain. What was the point of doing this?

Han Fei sighed softly. Human nature was too complex, and he knew its harm well. Therefore, while saving people, he had to be on guard, otherwise a good deed could very well turn into a bad one.

"I will explain the situation to Tianze beforehand. If they cooperate, everything will go smoothly. If they don't cooperate, we might have to play the villain."

Upon hearing this arrangement, Zhang Liang nodded with a wry smile.

As for Wei Zhuang and Zi Nu, they were not too moved by Han Fei's words. When Han Fei mentioned this matter earlier, they had already thought of this. Neither of them was suitable to step forward, so this matter was destined to be done only by that young man.

"Among the various schools of thought, I have never heard of such a genius. Which school did he come from?"

Standing by the window, Wei Zhuang asked in a deep voice.

Zi Nu was standing nearby. She knew that Wei Zhuang was asking her this question, but she didn't want to say more about it.

"I am not sure as well."

Upon hearing this answer, Wei Zhuang's eyes flashed with a strange light. After a moment of silence, he continued, "Do you not know, or do you simply not want to say?"

"He seems special to you, but I still advise you: in chaotic times, being too concerned about one thing will become your weakness, while the strong never need weaknesses."

Upon hearing this, Zi Nu chuckled softly.

"Is he really that important to me, whether he's special or not? Even if we're in danger, I think it's more me than him who's in danger."

Wei Zhuang seemed to be deep in thought, then shook his head.

Time flew by, and in the afternoon, Li Si was invited to Zilan Pavilion.

Upon seeing Han Fei, Li Si couldn't help but smile.

After their parting years ago, Han Fei returned to the State of Han, while he went to the State of Qin. In order to enter the court, he got involved with Lü Buwei. Although the process was somewhat tortuous, the results were very good.

Yesterday, he angrily rebuked the courtiers in the main hall, intimidated the King of Han, and was extremely powerful.

He and Han Fei were both disciples of Xunzi, but their treatment differed. Han Fei, as a prince of a state, naturally received more praise and attention.

Later, Han Fei inherited Xunzi's theory of the inherent evil of human nature and forged his own path. Xunzi praised this disciple highly, but did not think so highly of himself.

Now that he serves the Qin state, he has the advantage of having a powerful backer. With this background, he can stand alone in the court and subtly overshadow the entire Han court, making them unable to lift their heads. This feeling is truly captivating to him.

"Brother!"

"Junior brother!"

After a brief introduction, the two began to talk freely. Han Fei seemed to have no reservations and started to pour out his grievances, talking about the Nightfall and the Baiyue region.

Li Si was naturally familiar with these things; he already knew all this information when he arrived. Han Fei's current situation can be described in one sentence.

"Bound by the court and the people, and exhausted by both internal and external means."

He didn't believe Han Fei could capture and bring those thugs from Baiyue to justice within five days.

Moreover, the night is watching him make a fool of himself. He has made a solemn pledge before the king, and even if he doesn't die this time, he will never recover.

"Senior brother, your time is running out."

Li Si spoke calmly, but Han Fei detected a hint of regret in his voice.

Han Fei shook his head.

"The incident involving the Qin envoy was somewhat unexpected. Compared to us, those madmen from Baiyue really want to drag both countries into war."

"This is also related to a grudge from back then, but those are all old stories, and there's no point in bringing them up now."

Li Si's eyes flickered uncertainly. He had already heard what Han Fei had said. The destruction of Baiyue could not actually be attributed to Han. Most of their territory was plundered by Chu.

"Actually, Baiyue's move this time was more of a threat to Nightfall; I just happened to be there."

Upon hearing Han Fei's words, Li Si let out a soft "hmm".

"What do you mean by that, Senior Brother?"

Han Fei waved his hand, stammered, and didn't continue the topic.

"Let's not talk about that anymore. But if I can't solve the case, I might have to ask my junior brother for a few more days."

Watching Han Fei's retreating figure, Li Si's expression shifted slightly; it seemed that there were other secrets hidden in the affairs of Han.

He then summoned his subordinates and ordered them to mobilize resources to investigate recent events in South Korea.

At this time, the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) was in the hands of Lü Buwei, and Li Si was Lü Buwei's man, so the news came very quickly.

That evening, Li Si obtained the information he wanted. Upon seeing the words "treasure," Li Si frowned, his eyes flickering uncertainly. Clearly, this was something Han Fei was trying his best to hide.

Recalling some previous rumors, he smiled slightly, thinking that perhaps this trip would yield unexpected gains.

At the same time, Wei Zhuang seemed to sense something, picked up the Shark Tooth sword, and walked into the night.

On the second floor of Zilan Pavilion, Nongyu looked at the young man before her and said softly, "Xiuyuan, is something on your mind?"

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan turned around and looked over.

"Why does Nongyu say such a thing?"

Nongyu gently raised her hand and poured Xiuyuan a glass of water. Then she sat back down and spoke again, "You haven't said a word since I came in. Didn't you say this morning that you were going to practice the five tones? But it seems that Xiuyuan has forgotten about it."

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan gently tapped his forehead. It wasn't that he had forgotten, but rather because the book in his hand, and the Confucian master, were even more unfathomable than he had imagined.

He glanced at the ancient book in his hand again and sighed softly.

"The Hundred Schools of Thought should not be underestimated!"

(End of this chapter)