During the Qin Dynasty, he was in charge of the net.

In the backyard of the pharmacy, Li Ji and Xiang Baiduwang sat at opposite ends of a wooden table.

Li Ji inquired about the current situation in Xianyang, and the Hundred Poison King answered truthfully.

Half an hour later, Li Ji prepared to leave.

As night fell, it was time for him to meet with Lü Buwei.

Li Ji stood up, turned his head and said to the King of Poisons:

"I have important business to attend to and cannot stay long. Once I have finished this matter, you will stay by my side."

He still has too few trustworthy people around him. If he becomes the commander of the Shadow Guard later, perhaps the Hundred Poison King can help him.

The King of Poisons also hurriedly got up, his hunched body pushing aside the wooden chair, intending to see him off.

After taking a few steps, Li Ji suddenly stopped and asked:

"By the way, where have you placed Wu Yun now? Is he doing well?"

Wu Yun is Ling Ji's younger sister. He once made a promise to that woman, but unfortunately, things change and the person he made the promise to is no longer here.

The Hundred Poison King behind Li Ji was taken aback upon hearing this, and then replied:

"I've settled that girl in a family not far from here. Young Master, would you like to go and see her?"

"No need, just be careful."

After leaving those words, Li Ji walked out of the pharmacy without pausing.

A few steps after Li Ji stepped out of the pharmacy, Wu Nian's figure flashed across the roof of the pharmacy, and then the two disappeared together at a corner in the alley.

As dusk settled, Li Ji circled around to a secluded side gate on the west side of the Lü residence.

Beside the wall of this gate, there is an old locust tree with drooping branches.

Inside the hidden door, two of Lü Buwei's trusted bodyguards were on duty.

Li Ji knocked on the door and relayed the coded message from Lü Buwei's letter. The guards, seeing that the message was correct, then sent someone into the inner study to inform Lü Buwei.

A moment later, the hidden door opened, and a guard stepped out and led Li Ji into the mansion.

Seeing that Li Ji was dressed in a black robe and wore a large bamboo hat late at night, the guards knew that the man was trying to hide his identity, so they dared not say anything and bowed to lead the way.

Passing through layers of corridors and pavilions, bypassing the main courtyard where guests are received, and avoiding the group of servants.

Finally, the guards led Li Ji into a study, which contained a secret underground chamber that isolated him from outside sounds.

The secret room was built with thick black stone, separating the inside from the outside. A lamp hung alone, and apart from a rosewood desk and a few couches, there were no other furnishings.

Lü Buwei had already changed out of his brocade robes and official attire, and replaced his jade belt and crown as the Prime Minister of Qin, wearing only a dark-colored casual robe.

He no longer possessed the dignified and gentle demeanor he had during the day; instead, his eyes revealed a composure and aloofness rarely seen in ordinary officials.

Upon seeing Li Ji step into the room, Lü Buwei rose to greet him. The two were of equal rank within the Luo Wang organization, so there was no need for them to kneel or bow in respect.

"You must have had a tough journey."

Li Ji removed his bamboo hat and sat down opposite Lü Buwei:

"The commander has sent a secret message summoning me, and it concerns the position of commander of the Shadow Guard. I should go to Xianyang immediately."

Occasionally, the sounds of servants moving about and maids relaying messages could be heard from outside, but they were all blocked by the stone walls of the study, making the inside and outside seem like two separate worlds.

Lü Buwei leaned forward slightly, the candlelight casting alternating shadows on his profile.

"To prevent leaks, I did not explain all the arrangements in the letter."

I have prepared a brand new resume for you, complete with your birth history, hometown documents, county and county records, military merit records, and all other necessary documents. Your background is spotless and without any flaws.

From now on, with this identity, you can go directly to the palace to report, becoming a strong candidate for the position of Commander of the Shadow Guard.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lü Buwei took out a sealed scroll from his bosom and handed it to Li Ji.

Li Ji took the document and stared intently at its contents.

After a short while, Li Ji put down the document, a serious look on his face, and asked:

"The Qin state had strict controls over household registration and military merit, making it difficult for ordinary people to even change their place of origin. How did the commander manage to do it so flawlessly?"

It wasn't that Li Ji distrusted Lü Buwei; it was simply that this matter was extraordinary.

He once promised a woman that he would take her away from the state of Han. At that time, all he wanted was to arrange a commoner status for her in the state of Qin.

Now, however, Lü Buwei is able to give him the opportunity to run for the position of commander of the Shadow Guard, a difference as vast as heaven and earth.

Lü Buwei picked up the warm wine from the table and slowly explained the reason:

"As the Prime Minister of Qin, Lü was in charge of all Qin state documents and dispatch, internally managing the central government officials and externally overseeing the administration of counties and prefectures."

The household registration records and submitted files of each prefecture must ultimately be reviewed and archived by the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister's office employs hundreds of clerks and scribes who can use their official duties to fabricate population and place of origin in the blank rosters of the prefectures and counties, and the government's routine checks will not be able to find any flaws..."

Lü Buwei explained the key points to Li Ji one by one, and this explanation lasted for half an hour.

This was both to dispel Li Ji's doubts and to indirectly highlight his dedication to the matter.

He openly used the power of the prime minister to manipulate official records, while secretly relying on his extensive network of informants to fill in minor oversights. The two complemented each other, but this was not without its price.

The Shadow Guards are not ordinary guards; they belong to the Imperial Guards and their selection is particularly based on military merits on the frontier.

Although he was the King of Qin's second father and the prime minister of the court, he could not arbitrarily interfere in the affairs of the Qin army.

For this matter, he owed Meng Ao a great favor.

Meng Ao was one of the pillars of the Qin military and a representative of the Meng clan, a border army.

Such a person must have something quite extraordinary in mind.

But Lü Buwei did not mention this very important favor.

He explained seven-tenths of it, but left three-tenths unexplained.

Sometimes he talks too much and it sounds like he's trying to take credit, but he doesn't need to take credit from anyone.

He arranged this matter properly because it was what the old monster had requested.

That old monster rarely made demands of them, but if they failed to meet their requirements, the only consequence was death.

Although he had been a member of the Luo Wang organization for many years, Lü Buwei still hadn't figured out the old monster's strength and identity.

Sometimes, Lü Buwei suspected that the old monster's true identity might be Bai Qi, the previous generation's god of war in Qin, because that guy was very familiar with Qin and his bloody aura was so strong it was appalling.

Sometimes, Lü Buwei would suspect that the old monster might be the son of King Goujian of Yue.

King Goujian of Yue was the most mad monarch in the past few centuries, and also the first owner of the Eight Swords of Yue.

It is said that when the Yue Kingdom was destroyed, the eight swords of the King of Yue "mysteriously disappeared".

Lü Buwei had ample reason to suspect that the Eight Swords of the King of Yue had been lured into a trap by his son.

However, these can only be speculation.

Bai Qi has been dead for several decades, and King Goujian of Yue has been dead for over a hundred years; his descendants should have all died out long ago.

After hearing Lü Buwei's words, Li Ji lightly touched the cold document with his fingertips, a strange light flashing in his eyes:

"The laws of the court can restrain ordinary people, but they cannot restrain a powerful official who holds the position of prime minister."

"The procedures are now largely complete, but there is still one last major obstacle to overcome."

Lü Buwei's tone became more cautious: "The Shadow Guards are close to the King, in charge of the palace's secrets. If they touch upon the safety of the royal family, they must obtain the approval of the royal family."

Li Ji's eyes flickered slightly: "That Empress Dowager Zhao."

Lü Buwei nodded: "It is indeed Zhao Ji."

I have also laid the groundwork for this matter; I have prepared all the connections, arguments, and opportunities for Zhao Ji.

I will soon choose an opportune moment to personally lead you into the inner palace to meet Zhao Ji.

During this period, please allow the Master to stay at my residence temporarily.

The stone chamber was dimly lit, the light and shadow separating the two figures.

Li Ji remained silent for a moment, then softly replied, "Okay."