Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 129 A Hidden Danger, Things Changed
"What's wrong??"

"Guo Kai wants to see me~~"

Upstairs in the Drunken Dream Pavilion, Ni Chang released her inner force, shattering the secret letter in her hand. Through the half-open window, she looked towards the southeast of Handan City, in the direction of Guo Kai's residence.

"Or rather, I want to see Jingni."

Xiu Yuan turned around and looked over, his eyes filled with a questioning tone.

Ni Chang's eyes flashed, and a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Heishi was Guo Kai's confidant and one of the three pillars of the Bi Ri faction. Now that he has been killed, although he deserved to die, the Prime Minister will not think so."

Everyone has their own perspective, so everyone will have their own opinion on the same matter.

From other people's perspectives, Heishi's death is not a pity, but for Guo Kai, it means losing a trusted subordinate he could rely on, it means an outsider has slapped him in the face, it means someone has provoked him in Handan City, so Guo Kai cannot ignore this matter.

“It wouldn’t have been a big deal for you to come to see me, but Wang Shan’s commotion has brought you into the sights of some people with ulterior motives. Those old foxes who are active in the court are not simple-minded.”

At this point, Ni Chang's tone became somewhat complicated.

"Politicians' methods are deadly without shedding blood. They use every means to frame, smear, and spread rumors, sometimes even more ruthless than swords. I've been wondering why Wang Shan, the commander of the Imperial Guards, came to Zui Meng Lou to look for the young master. Now it seems that it was arranged by those who sided with the young master Jia."

Immediately afterwards, a cold smile appeared on Ni Chang's lips again.

"Unfortunately, they underestimated the domineering nature of the 'Sun-Shielding' leader, and they didn't anticipate that Black Stone would die, especially at the Jade Flower Pavilion. Things were beyond their control!"

When fighting with those people, Jingni never follows a set procedure. Firstly, she doesn't have that much interest, and secondly, she doesn't have that much time. So, her approach is to make a big fuss and muddy the waters.

This forced the people behind both sides to step in and clean up the mess.

“I warned Guo Kai before that he was not allowed to provoke Ni Chang. Now that this matter is related to the courtesan of Zui Meng Lou, he is probably afraid of my identity, so he has not sent any more subordinates. As for wanting to see Jing Ni, I guess he wants to know the answer to this matter from me.”

A hint of sarcasm appeared on Ni Chang's lips. The culprit in this matter was none other than herself, and even her master was an accomplice.

Asking the person involved for an answer, no matter how you look at it, makes her want to laugh.

Ni Chang seemed to sense something and turned to look at the boy not far away. She didn't know when, but the boy had entered a meditative state again. She shook her head, feeling both amused and exasperated.

However, she knew that the other party might not be interested in what she was saying, or perhaps they had seen through the truth of human nature and were therefore so indifferent.

On the other side, after leaving Xue Nu's side, Gongzi Jia went to find Chun Niang.

There are many kinds of writing in the world, and different writing systems have different powers. Of the words the Snow Woman said before, one sentence stuck in his mind.

The heart is like a flower and tree, growing towards the sun.

He knew very well that such words could not have come from an ordinary person.

"Does the young master want to ask if the Snow Maiden has seen anyone recently?"

After hearing what Gongzi Jia said, Chunniang's eyes showed a hint of suspicion.

"Hmm~"

Gongzi Jia nodded.

"This"

Chunniang remained silent for a while, then gently shook her head.

“Aside from her monthly dance performances, Miss Snow Maiden rarely shows her face, and on the fifth floor, apart from the young master, she has never met with anyone in private.”

Gongzi Jia frowned. As the behind-the-scenes owner of Yuhua Pavilion, he did not believe that Chunniang would deceive him. However, judging from Xue Nu's words, it should be the sentence he had heard recently.

After a moment's hesitation, Gongzi Jia shook his head.

"Alright! Things haven't been peaceful in Handan these past few days, Chunniang, please be careful!"

After recounting this, Gongzi Jia asked again, "Has my uncle visited Jade Flower Pavilion recently?"

Upon hearing this question, Chunniang sighed.

The uncle that Prince Jia mentioned was none other than Zhao Yi, one of the few surviving brothers of his father. He was greedy and lustful, no less so than the King of Zhao. There were even rumors that he had an affair with the Queen of the Courtesans. Later, the King of Zhao killed many people to suppress the matter.

Strangely, King Daoxiang of Zhao, who is now the King of Zhao, did not kill his younger brother. Instead, his power in the court gradually increased, to the point that even the eldest son, Prince Jia, dared not underestimate him.

"I have been here, but the Snow Maiden did not receive me."

Upon hearing this answer, Gongzi Jia nodded, then looked out the window. Zhao Yi held a high position in the court and was actually someone who could be won over. He knew that Zhao Yi had been eyeing Xue Nu for the past few months, but this girl was also someone he admired.

Furthermore, he hasn't won her over yet, and for a man, what he can't have is always the best. At this point, it's almost impossible for him to abandon the Snow Maiden and instead try to win over Zhao Yi.

"If anything happens in the cabinet recently, please send someone to inform me as soon as possible. The situation is special these days, and special times require special measures."

Upon hearing this, Chunniang nodded.

Just like yesterday, if she hadn't informed Wang Shan and Heishi had died here, she, the shopkeeper, might have been buried with him.

Soon, night quietly fell.

In a quiet room of the Prime Minister's residence, a dark figure quietly appeared.

"Are you looking for me?"

"Mr. Jingni, how have you been?"

The person who arrived was Ni Chang, but she had changed her clothes and was now dressed in the black armor of a Qin soldier.

With the mask covering her face, her voice changed so much that it was impossible to detect any difference.

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister is not calling me to ask if I've been busy lately, is he?"

Ni Chang is actually quite cold-hearted. Apart from having enough patience with Xiu Yuan, she has no good temper with anyone else.

"Mr. Jingni is joking."

Facing Luo Wang, a top-tier assassin, Guo Kai was clearly lacking in confidence. He had cooperated with Luo Wang many times and knew how powerful they were. If he offended Luo Wang, he would probably not have a single day of peace in Zhao.

After a moment of silence, Guo Kai said slowly, "Black Stone is dead."

Ni Chang stood aside, sword in her right hand, without saying a word. She already knew about this matter, and it was even her doing.

Seeing that Jingni remained silent, Guo Kai continued, "I want to know who the murderer is?"

Ni Chang nodded.

"This is not difficult, but Your Excellency should know the rules of the Net: if you want to gain something, you must give something in return."

"The information you need comes at a high price!"

Guo Kai's eyes flickered twice, then he nodded.

"Then what does Mr. Jingni need?"

Ni Chang stood there for a moment, then she said, "I remember telling the Prime Minister before not to provoke Ni Chang of Zui Meng Lou. It seems that the Prime Minister did not take this matter to heart."

Upon hearing this, Guo Kai was taken aback, and then he explained, "Please forgive me, Mr. Jingni, but some things cannot be made public. Since it concerns the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven), the fewer people who know about it, the better."

Upon hearing this explanation, Ni Chang turned to look at Guo Kai. Her once charming eyes were now filled with coldness, making it impossible for anyone to look directly at her.

Whether it was for secrecy or a test, only Guo Kai himself probably knows the answer.

Then Guo Kai spoke again, asking, "What is the relationship between the Rainbow Robe and the Net?"

"Your Excellency, there are some things you should know less about, you should understand that principle, right?"

The deep voice came through the bronze mask again, carrying a warning in it.

Guo Kai gently clenched his fist in his sleeve, a faint killing intent flashing through his mind. It was true that he had connections with Luo Wang, but it was nothing more than mutual exploitation. Jing Ni's tone made him very unhappy.

But now that Jing Ni was only a few steps away from him, he ultimately dared not risk his life to test whether her sword was fast enough.

"The defense map of the royal palace; this is my condition."

After a moment of hesitation, Ni Chang spoke again.

Guo Kai's face darkened. Although he knew the price might be high, he never expected the other party to ask for such an exorbitant amount.

"Mr. Jingni, are you joking with me?"

"His Majesty's whereabouts are of paramount importance, concerning the safety of the nation. How could I, Guo, betray His Majesty?"

Ni Chang gave a cold laugh. She knew Guo Kai all too well. Loyalty to the emperor and love for the country were practically a joke to him. In his eyes, there was nothing he wouldn't betray.

If he had truly been loyal to the state, Lian Po would not have met such an end.

“Your Excellency, the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) always sets clear prices in its business dealings and never forces anyone to do anything.”

Guo Kai frowned.

"What does Luo Wang want the palace's defense map for?"

Ni Chang said with a hint of amusement, "That's not something the Prime Minister should be concerned about."

Upon hearing this, Guo Kai's eyes began to flicker. In fact, there was a loophole he could exploit in this transaction. No one stipulated that the palace's defenses were unchanging; it was normal to change the defenses every now and then.

"can."

Beneath the bronze mask, the voice was relatively flat.

"Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation. Finally, a reminder to Your Excellency: do not forget who helped you reach your current position. The Net can elevate someone to a high position, but it can also bring them to their lowest point."

As Jing Ni slowly disappeared into the dark room, a cold glint flashed in Guo Kai's eyes. Two figures emerged from the shadows, their expressions extremely solemn.

"Are you two confident you can kill this fiend?"

Both of them shook their heads upon hearing Guo Kai's words.

"This person is very likely to be a grandmaster. I have only felt this kind of pressure from Li Mu."

“Amber is right. It is said that the top-tier assassins of the Luo Wang were all famous figures in the martial arts world before joining the Luo Wang. Such people are generally of extremely high skill level and are extremely good at fighting.”

Upon hearing their answers, Guo Kai slowly stood up. A hint of murderous intent flashed in his sinister eyes. The feeling of entrusting one's life and safety to others was extremely unpleasant. The two people beside him were none other than Amber and Twilight Snow from the Hidden Sun Organization.

After a moment of silence, Guo Kai spoke again.

"Is there any other way?"

Amber and Twilight Snow exchanged a glance, and Twilight Snow then spoke up, "If we can send a thousand Imperial Guards to provide support, Amber and I together have a fifty percent chance of capturing him."

Guo Kai reached out and stroked his goatee, seemingly weighing the pros and cons of the matter.

"What if there are two thousand people?"

Hearing this answer, Mu Xue and Hu Po were quite surprised. Guo Kai seemed to intend to kill Jing Ni, but in their opinion, this would be a loss. After all, Jing Ni was just a top-level assassin of Luo Wang, not the entire Luo Wang organization. Even if Jing Ni was killed, Luo Wang could send out a second Jing Ni.

The world is essentially a market of exchange of interests. Paying a price to get what you want is perfectly acceptable to both of them.

Of course, they couldn't understand the thoughts of those important figures.

"Sixty percent."

With a thousand people, the odds of winning only increased by 10%, and Guo Kai was clearly dissatisfied with this answer.

He turned to look at Mu Xue and Hu Po, his eyes flashing with cold light.

Amber sighed softly and continued, "Prime Minister, with a thousand men, Jingni might still be able to fight us for a while, but with two thousand men, he won't even bother to fight us. His first reaction will be to retreat. If a Grandmaster is determined to leave, unless it's in an open plain, the Imperial Guards alone can't stop him."

Guo Kai was taken aback upon hearing this.

He hadn't considered the situation Amber mentioned. Would Jing Ni retreat? The answer was actually yes. Jing Ni was an assassin from the Luo Wang organization, and also a human being. Faced with an enemy she couldn't defeat, retreating was a normal choice.

"If this were on flat land, how many men would it take to take him down?"

Amber and Twilight Snow thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "If we have heavy crossbows to assist us, and the enemy is trapped in an encirclement and unable to escape, a thousand Imperial Guards should be enough."

Upon hearing this answer, Guo Kai nodded in satisfaction.

Jing Ni put too much pressure on him, and he was genuinely worried that he wouldn't be able to defeat her. If that happened, wouldn't the nightmare of the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) haunt him for the rest of his life?
"Amber, go to the palace and retrieve the defense map, then..."

Guo Kai called Amber over and whispered a few words to him. After listening, Amber's eyes showed a hint of surprise. He then gently clasped his hands in a fist and turned to leave.

Then Guo Kai called Mu Xue over and, in a low voice, instructed her, "Go to the city and find two skilled blacksmiths, and then..."

Upon hearing Guo Kai's arrangement, a hint of suspicion flashed in Mu Xue's eyes. He and Amber had both overheard Guo Kai's conversation with Jing Ni. Now that Amber had gone to the palace to retrieve the defense map, he was being asked to find a blacksmith. Mu Xue was completely baffled by what the Prime Minister was planning.

After Amber and Muxue left, Guo Kai gave a cold laugh.

"Jing Ni, I hope you'll like this surprise from the real me~~"

In a grand and luxurious mansion in the southwest of Handan City, a young woman sat on a soft couch, playing with a jade ruyi in her hand, her gaze filled with a hint of reminiscence.

Below, a woman dressed as a maid was kneeling on the ground, her body trembling like a leaf.

"I heard you have a problem with me?"

The girl glanced at the person lying on the ground, her tone unhurried but carrying an invisible pressure.

"The slaves dare not!"

The maid didn't dare to raise her head and replied tremblingly.

Upon hearing this, the girl on the soft couch seemed to have heard a joke and giggled.

"Don't you dare?"

"I think my sister is quite bold! Ever since I entered the manor, she's been calling me a little whore and a little slut in private, and her words are more beautiful than her singing. Anyone who didn't know better would think that my sister was also the master of this manor!"

"If I were to say this to the Madam or the Marquis, how do you think they would treat you?"

The maidservant felt a chill run down her spine. In this era, concubines had a low status, but servants had an even lower status. If their master was displeased, they could be beaten to death at will.

The person before her is currently favored; if those words were to reach the ears of the master, she would be in deep trouble.

"Girl, spare me! Girl, spare me!!"

Immediately, the maidservant kowtowed and begged for mercy.

Seeing this, the girl smiled again.

"I might spare you, but you have to tell me who gave you permission to say these things in the manor."

Upon hearing the other person's words, the maid was suddenly taken aback.

These words were merely spoken out of jealousy and without restraint; no one instigated them.

"You're one of Han Ji's people, aren't you?"

The maid was startled, then looked up at the girl on the soft couch and saw that the girl was looking at her with a playful expression. A chill ran down her spine.

Han Ji was another concubine in the Marquis's mansion. She had been there for two years and was quite favored because of her beauty, which made many people envious.

"This servant does not understand what you are saying, young lady."

The girl on the soft couch put down the jade ruyi in her hand, slowly got up, and then walked to the side of the maid.

She bent down and whispered in the other person's ear, "It doesn't matter if you don't understand. I'll go tell the Marquis right now that someone was about to commit a crime at the Marquis's residence and I caught them red-handed."

The maid was taken aback. Weren't they just talking about speaking recklessly? How did they suddenly switch to violence?

"Girl, what do you mean by this?"

Just as the maid asked the question, a dagger fell to the ground with a clang. She instinctively looked up and saw a bloody gash on the girl's fair arm.

Then she saw the girl laugh.

"Does my little sister understand now?"

Upon hearing this, the maid's face turned deathly pale. To be able to stab her without batting an eye and then still talk to her with a smile—such ruthlessness made her subconsciously swallow.

"understood"

Upon hearing this, the girl's lips curved into a smile once again.

“Yesterday, something went missing from Madam’s place. It was a jade hairpin with gold gilding. I heard that Han Ji took it.”

The maid dared not answer this time. Facing this girl, she felt her heart pounding. Then she felt something in her hair and instinctively reached out and pulled it off.

A beautifully crafted jade and gold hairpin appeared in her hand, and recalling what she had said earlier, her heart skipped a beat.

"Girl, please spare me!!"

"I'll never do it again!!"

The girl chuckled upon hearing this.

"What are you saying, sister? You've done a great service by reporting this, and Madam is already rewarding you. How could she possibly blame you?"

The maid's heart pounded. She realized that the girl in front of her was not plotting against her, but against Han Ji.

When the other woman first entered the manor, Han Ji, relying on the Marquis's favor, treated her badly. Most of the things she said were actually things she heard from Han Ji, but Han Ji didn't say them publicly. Even if she had, Han Ji wouldn't have been severely punished because of the Marquis's favor.

But theft is different. At this time, theft was a serious crime, especially if a concubine stole from her master's house. She could even be beaten to death. Compared to the former, the latter was obviously a vicious scheme to take a person's life.

But unfortunately, she was caught red-handed. Putting aside all the gossip and slander, the cut on the other party's arm alone was something she couldn't avoid, so she had no choice at all.

Previously, Han Ji had caused a lot of trouble in the backyard by taking advantage of the favor she received. She often disregarded even the lady's dignity, making the lady lose face.

If she were to use the hairpin incident to report Han Ji, the lady would surely be very pleased, and might even reward her instead of punishing her.

"Does my sister intend to die herself, or does she intend to have that person die in her place?"

A jumble of complex thoughts swept through her mind, causing her face to turn pale and then flushed. Just then, she heard a whisper in her ear again, and her breathing became noticeably rapid.

She naturally didn't want to die, and since she still had a chance to live, her choice was naturally the latter.

"How can you guarantee that I won't be implicated?"

Upon hearing this, the girl's smile widened.

"My dear sister, you shouldn't be asking me that question; you should be asking Madam!"

The maid's eyes lit up, and she swallowed hard. What the other person said was right. The person in the mansion who hated Han Ji the most was the madam. If they could find something to hold against her, the madam would definitely do whatever it took.

Watching the maid's departing figure, the girl nodded towards the screen. Then, a figure walked out from behind the screen. This person was none other than the personal maid of the Lady of the Marquis's mansion.

"Miss Xiaolin is truly skilled."

Watching the girl bandage her wounds, the maid sighed softly.

Indeed, this woman is none other than Xiao Lin, the second girl Xiu Yuan rescued from San Yang Village.

"Since I have promised Madam, I will naturally keep my word. I hope Miss Xiaohe will tell Madam that she will not forget our agreement."

Xiaohe narrowed her eyes. She usually looked down on the women in the brothels and dance halls outside, but this girl in front of her was different. Her ruthless methods made her dare not provoke her at all. Then she nodded.

"I will certainly pass on the message!"

As Xiaolin watched Xiaohe's departing figure, a chill crept into her eyes. Leaving Sanyang Village and Daicheng, and arriving in Handan, she deeply experienced the cruelty of this world.

Her uncle died at the hands of a local thug, but the thug was not punished at all because he had a relationship with a high-ranking official in the court.

When she and Yao Yi were desperate, they went to Yuhua Pavilion. In Yuhua Pavilion, the girls looked down on the two girls from the countryside. In their daily lives, they would pick the dirty and hard work for them to do, and even ganged up on them.

At that moment, she vowed in her heart that she would make those who had bullied her pay, and that thug from back then would die a horrible death.

Later, she and Yao Yi were spotted by the Snow Maiden of Yuhua Pavilion, and she had a chance to turn her life around. The Snow Maiden's dance was extremely famous, and she was also a beauty. Many nobles from Handan came to see her, but the Snow Maiden was extremely cold and ordinary people could not get close to her. So those people started to have designs on her and Yao Yi again.

She came here by chance, and when she recalled her previous experience, a cold glint flashed in Xiaolin's eyes.

"I will live."

(End of this chapter)