Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 141 Li Mu Returns to the City, Reunites with the Snow Maiden

The northern border of the Zhao state bordered the vast desert.

Here, there are fierce Hu people and brutal Xiongnu. The setting sun is like blood, and the banners flutter. On a huge broken rock, sits an extremely strong man.

He seemed to have received some news, and slowly took off his helmet and opened the secret letter in his hand.

"A grandmaster has appeared in Handan! Return immediately!"

After reading the contents, the man gave a cold laugh, clenched his fist, and made a popping sound like popping beans.

"interesting."

"Grandmaster Realm"

"General, what's wrong?"

Several armored soldiers nearby, upon hearing the other party's words, couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Great General!
In this era, this title is not something just anyone can claim. Among the seven countries of the time, only one person in each country can hold this title.

Just like in South Korea, the only one who can be called a Great General is Ji Muye.

"A grandmaster went to Handan City and seems to have done some things that have caused chaos and unrest in the city."

At this point, the man paused, his gaze becoming uncertain and unfocused.

Although the secret letter did not mention what the other party had done, it would not have been delivered to him by falcon if the other party had not taken any action.

"What are your plans, General?"

The men beside him were his trusted confidants, and upon hearing what the other man said, they actually guessed what he meant.

“Those wolf cubs will probably take at least ten days to half a month to recover from our chaotic charge. I’m going back for a few days, you all return to the pass for now.”

Upon hearing the other party's words, the expressions of these people changed slightly. However, their change in expression was not because they were facing the Xiongnu alone, but because the other party was returning to the capital.

Returning to the capital without the king's permission is a serious crime.

Seeing the expressions on their faces, the man chuckled.

"What's there to be afraid of? If I want to leave, no one in Zhao can stop me."

Upon hearing this, everyone shook their heads, both amused and exasperated.

Then the young general who had just asked the question said again, "General, that is true, but returning to the capital without an imperial decree is still a loss of face for the King. If the King finds out, he will surely be punished."

The man waved his hand, not really caring.

He's not stupid; why would he deliberately tell others that he's returning to the capital at this time?

"This time when I return to Handan, I plan to go alone. As the saying goes, 'Speed ​​is of the essence in war.' If I can travel fast enough, I might be able to catch the enemy off guard."

"Of course, if that person isn't here to cause trouble in Handan, I'll hurry back. It won't take much time on the way."

Upon hearing the other party's words, the group exchanged glances, but ultimately no one dared to refute them. After all, they were well aware of the general's speed; even on horseback, they might not be able to catch up.

However, some people advised, "Since he is a master-level expert, General, it would be best to conserve your strength on this trip. Perhaps you could enter the city the day before, rest for a night, and then make your plans."

Upon hearing this, the man's eyes flickered, and then he nodded.

Unlike others, this general who commanded troops always accepted any suggestions that could be considered.

"You're right, kid. We can go a day early, eat and drink our fill, and then deal with that person."

After a while, watching the cavalrymen holding up the "Li" flag slowly disappear below the horizon, the man's gaze lingered. He then mounted his horse and rode off into the distance, heading towards Handan, the capital of Zhao.

As for the character "Li," it refers to Li Mu, the great general of the Zhao state.

The city of Handan has been calm these past few days, as if everything that happened before was an illusion, and the city has become eerily peaceful.

The Drunken Dream Pavilion was still packed with guests, but this time none of them mentioned the girl again.

On the fifth floor, Ni Chang looked out at the sky through the window, but a sense of heaviness settled in her heart.

The untimely quiet in Handan was more like the calm before a storm.

A deadly intent lurks beneath the surface.

She then looked away from the palace defense map in her hand. She took some time to visit the Prime Minister's residence, and this time Guo Kai was much more obedient.

The loss of three trusted experts left the prime minister in a difficult position. This time, he did not inquire about the identity of the murderer who killed Black Stone, because even if he knew, he would be powerless to avenge him.

As for Ni Chang's matter, the Prime Minister did mention it briefly, but his attitude was not clear. In other words, at this moment, he did not want to offend this top-level assassin from the Luo Wang.

So the final deal was that she got the defense map of the Zhao palace, and Guo Kai got a promise from her that she would step in and protect him in a critical moment.

Ni Chang readily agreed to this risk-free deal. As for whether or not she would ultimately make the purchase, that decision rested with her, not with the Prime Minister.

"The Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon!!"

After a moment of silence, Ni Chang softly uttered four words. These were the words she had learned in Xinzheng, South Korea: seven countries, seven secrets. South Korea had them, and Zhao naturally had them too. She was naturally interested in such a power that could influence the fate of the world.

But then, as if remembering something, Ni Chang gently shook her head.

She didn't hide the matter of the Azure Dragon Seven Constellations from the young man, but his reaction was strange, or rather, he wasn't very interested, which made her a little depressed, since she was the one who asked him for the palace defense map.

The palace was heavily guarded. Without the Taoist method of merging into the void, it would be easy to be discovered, especially since there were several experts secretly protecting King Zhao.

After a while, Ni Chang threw the defense map into an empty box. Belatedly, she suddenly realized that with Xiu Yuan's unpredictable methods, even without the defense map, the palace would still be as easy for him as walking on flat ground.

Then Ni Chang sat down by the window again, propped her head up with one hand, and gazed into the distance, finally settling on another brothel at the end of the long street.

"I wonder what those two girls will think when they encounter this taciturn man."

The two women were startled when they saw Xiu Yuan appear in the room at Yuhua Pavilion.

The door to the room didn't even make a sound, yet the other person appeared in the room looking refreshed.

"There are guards on the stairs, and outsiders are not allowed to come up. We had no choice but to resort to this measure. Please understand."

Upon hearing this, the two women exchanged a glance and then nodded. Special circumstances call for special treatment, and they didn't make a fuss at this moment.

"Young Master Xiuyuan, please have a seat!"

The Snow Maiden beckoned the young man to sit down beside her. A hint of anticipation appeared in the depths of her autumn-water eyes. Even she hadn't seen clearly how he had appeared at the Jade Flower Pavilion. In other words, her previous guess was correct; he was indeed a master, and a very powerful one at that.

The snow maiden held the teapot in her delicate hands, poured a bowl of tea for the boy, and then sat back down.

Although she had felt she had a lot to say to the other person before, she now found herself at a loss for words, and they were left speechless.

Xiu Yuan seemed to be in the same situation, and so both sides fell into an eerie silence.

Seeing the two of them like this, Yao Yi felt a headache coming on. Her benefactor had finally come, so what was Xue Nu doing? Was she going to waste this precious opportunity?

She didn't know how the masters in the martial arts world were classified as strong or weak, but judging from the methods Xiu Yuan had just used, he was definitely a master.

"girl."

Unable to bear it any longer, Yao Yi couldn't help but speak up and remind her.

Seeing the anxiety in Yao Yi's eyes, Xue Nu guessed what the girl was thinking, but the words that came out of her mouth turned into something else entirely.

"Did Young Master Xiuyuan also come to Jade Flower Pavilion during the last full moon?" Hearing this, Yao Yi sighed inwardly, feeling somewhat helpless. What was all this about? The situation was so dire, how could this girl still be thinking about such things?

Xiu Yuan nodded.

"The Snow Maiden's dance is beautiful."

Hearing the praise, Xue Nu's heart stirred slightly. The young noblemen she usually encountered would lavish praise on her dancing, but she never felt any interest in their compliments. However, today, she felt a strange unease at the simple praise from this young man.

"A hundred birds appeared at Jade Flower Pavilion that day. I wonder if you saw them, young master?"

The Snow Woman's eyes flickered, and she asked again.

For her, dancing and praise were just the norm, but the birds that night were an exception, so they left a very deep impression on her.

This time, Xiu Yuan didn't say anything, but simply nodded slightly.

The Snow Woman's gaze sharpened as she looked at the other person. She was eager to know if the scene from that day was the work of this young man.

But then she hesitated. If the other party refused to admit it, then even if she asked, it would probably be pointless.

"My vocal skills are not yet at that level."

After hesitating for a moment, the Snow Woman spoke again.

This time, she didn't ask directly, but left some room for maneuver.

The boy was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Seeing that the other party did not deny it, Xue Nu continued to ask, "The music of the heartstrings can already reach all spirits. Since you are here, young master, was this your doing?"

Xiu Yuan's gaze remained calm as he nodded.

"really!"

The Snow Woman's eyes lit up. A person's skill in music, whether high or low, can be judged by humans, and this judgment may be somewhat biased. But for birds, it's different. Good is good, and bad is bad.

A piece of music that touches the heartstrings attracts hundreds of birds to watch, which means that the other party's skill has reached a transcendent level.

"girl!!"

Seeing that Xue Nu was going off on a tangent, Yao Yi couldn't help but remind her again.

The snow woman turned around and looked over, feeling a little puzzled. This kind of communication was very comfortable for her, and communication should always be done step by step.

"Xiaoyi, what's wrong?"

Xiao Yi sighed. Since the girl wouldn't speak, she would speak for herself.

Things always have priorities, right? Right now, the most important thing for them is the pressure from King Zhao and Prince Jia.

“My benefactor, Yao Yi did indeed have a favor to ask last time.”

Compared to the Snow Woman's probing approach, this girl preferred to get straight to the point.

Xiu Yuan nodded.

Then my gaze fell upon the young woman.

"Ah."

Seeing the other person's gaze, Yao Yi hesitated for some reason. She suddenly understood why the Snow Maiden had reacted that way, because some things are really hard for a person to say.

Biting her lower lip, Yao Yi said with some difficulty, "His Majesty has taken a liking to Miss Xue Nu and ordered Prince Jia to send her to the palace, but she is unwilling."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room abruptly changed, no longer as tranquil as before.

The Snow Woman sighed softly.

"Xiao Yi!!"

Looking at the girl with her head drooping, Xiu Yuan felt a pang of emotion. Asking for help is like swallowing a three-foot sword, relying on others is like ascending to the ninth heaven.

Especially for a normal person, asking for help is often more difficult, and many people cannot overcome that mental hurdle.

"Ni Chang, the most beautiful courtesan of Zui Meng Lou, was also recommended to King Zhao by Gongzi Jia."

Xiu Yuan did not answer the question directly, but instead steered the conversation to another angle.

Upon hearing this, both Xue Nu and Yao Yi were taken aback.

"What exactly is going on?"

Isn't Zuimenglou Guo Kai's territory? Would Guo Kai allow something like this to happen?

"I don't know the specifics, but the Jade Flower Pavilion is because of Guo Kai, while the Drunken Dream Pavilion is because of Young Master Jia's recommendation."

Upon hearing this, the two women's expressions darkened.

The last time, the old man surnamed Li acted as an intermediary, and his words contained many veiled implications. At the time, they didn't quite understand why the other party was so insistent on letting Xue Nu enter the palace. Now it seems that it was probably because of that girl from Zui Meng Lou.

Prince Jia was probably also afraid that after Ni Chang entered the palace, she would bewitch King Zhao, and if she then colluded with Guo Kai from the inside, his side would be powerless to save the situation.

"No wonder!!"

Yao Yi's thoughts raced quickly, and in no time she understood what had happened that day.

The Snow Maiden beside her had a flicker in her eyes, and probably guessed what Young Master Jia meant.

However, a single sentence from Xiu Yuan caused the two of them to change their minds once again.

"Ni Chang will not enter the palace."

Upon hearing this, the two women looked at Xiu Yuan again.

"How do you know, young master, that Miss Ni Chang won't go to the palace?"

A hint of speculation flickered in the depths of the Snow Woman's eyes.

"I will not let her enter the palace."

Xiu Yuan's gaze was calm, and he seemed to have no intention of hiding anything.

Upon hearing this, Xue Nu frowned. It sounded like this girl named Ni Chang had a close relationship with the boy in front of her. However, for some reason, she suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

"The Feathered Robe and the Young Master"

"Ni Chang is mine."

The two women were stunned. The courtesan was this young man's woman? That courtesan had been in Handan for several years, while the man before them had only been there for a few days.
After a while, Yao Yi recovered from her shock and continued to ask, "My benefactor, could you..."

Seemingly having guessed Yao Yi's meaning, Xiu Yuan nodded.

"can."

With a calm gaze and a calm reply, the two were overjoyed to hear this.

However, both of them were also filled with curiosity. Why would Ni Chang become this young man's person? After all, Zui Meng Lou was Guo Kai's business. What kind of relationship did the other party have with Guo Kai?
"Young Master and that Prime Minister Guo."

Xiu Yuan's gaze drifted into the distance, then he chuckled and said, "Perhaps this Prime Minister wishes he could tear me to pieces."

(End of this chapter)