People in the Qin Dynasty, entertained during the Warring States period

Gongsun Yu's heart stirred slightly. He hadn't expected that Cao Ze not only had a good relationship with Queen Zhao, but also with Consort Ya.

"Your Highness is too kind. It was I who hosted Mr. Cao Ze's banquet, not the other way around. I cannot refuse to pay for it."

Ya Fei smiled gently and said, "General, please come upstairs."

……

Chapter 125 The Joy of Nurturing

Inside the elegant room.

Incense wafted across the wooden table, and the teapot bubbled and gurgled.

Cao Ze picked up the teapot and brewed a cup of tea for Gongsun Yu and Li Ji.

"Please, General."

Gongsun Yu held his hot teacup and couldn't help but sigh. In his life of military campaigns, he had only drunk tea a handful of times, as if he had no choice but to drink it each time.

He drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing this, Cao Ze couldn't help but think to himself, "Isn't he afraid of getting esophageal cancer?"

"I suppose the old general didn't come here just to thank the younger generation?"

When Gongsun Yu saw that Cao Ze had been so direct, he felt relieved, as he was always one to speak his mind.

"good."

"I would like to ask you, sir, to put in a good word for me with the King of Zhao."

Cao Ze was not surprised. For Gongsun Yu, who was currently overwhelmed with problems, he would definitely want to seize any opportunity, regardless of whether it was worthwhile or not.

"I am honored that the old general thinks highly of me. Although I am quite famous, I am ultimately just a nobody and have little influence. It is difficult for me to sway the King of Zhao on matters of state."

"This is something I cannot help with."

Gongsun Yu was not disappointed, nor did he expect Cao Ze to have any influence.

"Sir, I learned from Li Ji that you seem to have a good relationship with the Queen..."

Cao Ze couldn't help but smile. "I understand what the old general means."

Gongsun Yu's expression turned serious, and he said, "Please help me, sir."

"If you can persuade the Queen to put in a good word for me with the King of Zhao, I will be willing to offer you a thousand pieces of gold as a token of my gratitude!"

He offered his entire fortune, believing it would be worthwhile to help Wei overcome this crisis of national subjugation.

Cao Ze couldn't help but click his tongue slightly.

A thousand taels of gold can be exchanged for ten thousand taels of gold.

His wife and concubines worked so hard in the Luo Wang organization for so long, but they still didn't have this much money in total.

Now, all it takes to get this money is a few words.

No wonder power breeds corruption.

Cao Ze hesitated for a moment, then said, "Why bother, General? Even if the Queen speaks, what difference will it make?"

He wasn't short of money and didn't want his relationship with the Empress to be exposed because of it.

Gongsun Yu said helplessly, "There is no other way now. We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate."

Li Ji, who had been silent all along, said with hopeful eyes, "Sir, could you help my grandfather and help Wei Guo?"

Cao Ze pondered for a moment and said, "I need to go to the palace later to give a lecture to Prince Qian."

"I'll go and talk to them for you."

“Stay here and do not move.”

After thinking it over, he decided not to take the money.

His affair with the courtesan was shady and not worth it for a little money.

Let's just go through the motions.

Li Ji said gratefully, "Thank you, sir!"

Cao Ze left the elegant room and encountered Ya Fei, who was leaning against the railing watching Xue Nu and Duanmu Rong laugh and play.

"Why did you come out so quickly, sir?"

Cao Ze shook his head and chuckled, "The old general knows that I have a good relationship with the queen and wants me to persuade her."

Consort Ya smiled and asked, "Are you going to the palace now?"

"Yes, it's better to go early so we can finish sooner."

After Cao Ze finished speaking, he bid farewell to Ya Fei and left.

When Ya Fei inadvertently saw Li Ji walking out, she called out to her.

"Liji, come and keep your sister company."

Li Ji had just finished relieving herself, paused for a moment, but still obediently went over.

"Your Highness Yafei."

"Call her Sister Ya Fei."

"Um... Sister Yafei."

Ya Fei smiled and asked, "What do you think of Handan?"

Li Ji's eyes lit up with joy. "It's very prosperous and large, much better than Puyang City."

"Do you want to stay?"

“Of course I want to,” Li Ji said, then added sadly, “but I can’t stay.”

"Sister Yafei, I'm going back inside now."

Ya Fei glanced at Li Ji's retreating figure and sighed softly.

She knew very well that once the State of Wei fell, the best outcome for Li Ji would be to be captured by the Qin army and taken to Xianyang to become a palace maid in Qin.

Inside the room, Gongsun Yu casually asked, "What does Princess Ya want with you?"

He just heard Ya Fei call out to Li Ji.

Li Ji said, "Princess Ya wanted me to stay in Handan. I did not agree."

Gongsun Yu fell silent, letting out a silent sigh.

Guiguzi's greatest strength lies in making choices. He has already made his choice: for the sake of righteousness, he has decided to sacrifice himself for his country.

But Liji's life had not yet begun, and he could not let his choice plunge Liji into darkness.

It's time to make a decision again.

Cao Ze arrived at Chunqing Palace, glanced at Zhao Qian who was hunched over a table copying the Thousand Character Classic, and went straight to the room where the Empress Dowager was staying.

At noon, the Empress Dowager was taking a leisurely nap indoors, her phoenix eyes half-closed, her clothes barely concealing her figure, making her incredibly alluring.

Cao Ze coughed lightly and said, "Your Majesty."

When Chang opened her eyes, there was still a hazy, sleepy look in them.

She leisurely adjusted her robes, finding them cumbersome, and simply untied them and tossed them aside, not caring how much of her fair skin was exposed.

This room was where Cao Ze and she secretly met.

No one but Cao Ze is allowed to enter.

Therefore, she had no concerns.

"Sir, you've arrived a little early today."

Cao Ze felt a little hot.

It's really a bit hot.

The charcoal fire inside was burning brightly.

Otherwise, it's impossible for an ordinary person like a queen to be completely naked and barefoot on the ground.

It didn't feel like the dead of winter at all.

"It's a bit early. It's getting cold, and it'll get dark soon."

"Indeed. In previous years, it would have already snowed by this time, but for some reason this year, the snow is slow to fall. I am quite disappointed that I cannot enjoy the snow scenery of Handan."

Cao Ze helped the Empress to sit on the large table.

Afterwards, she raised her long, fair, and delicate legs, her eyes half-closed as she enjoyed Cao Ze's decisive and efficient actions.

She's becoming increasingly infatuated with Cao Ze.

Knowing what she wants most at what time.

I was waiting for Cao Ze so long that I even dozed off.

Upon waking up suddenly, her greatest desire was naturally to be with Cao Ze directly.

After Cao Ze finished the first wave, he didn't leave any for the rear guard.

As usual, the package was delivered to the exquisite face of the Empress.

The woman's beautiful eyes, like silk threads, were half-closed.

There was not a trace of disgust on his face.

Instead, a look of great delight appeared on his face.

A smile of enjoyment and charm appeared on her face.

She slowly wiped the stuff off her face.

I feel very relaxed.

He gently rubbed it between his fingers and then slowly drank the soup that Cao Ze had made.

It's like enjoying a glass of fine vintage wine.