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

Zi Nu took a few slow steps, and the crisp 'clack-clack' sound of her high heels rang out.

"I plan to take Nongyu to Handan when spring arrives and the flowers bloom."

Wei Zhuang looked at Zi Nu and asked, "What are you going there for?"

"Let Nongyu become Kuang Xiu's apprentice and learn his skills."

Wei Zhuang asked, puzzled, "Didn't we already go last year?"

"An accident happened the year before last, let's try again this year."

"What's the use?"

Zi Nu sighed softly, "I plan to use Kuang Xiu to help Nong Yu make a name for herself in Xinzheng, so that her value will increase a hundredfold and she can become the top courtesan of Zi Lan Xuan."

She had this idea last year.

Ultimately, it all comes down to a lack of money.

After all, their goal was not to become the best cabaret in Korea, but to use Zilanxuan as a springboard to get involved in the Korean court.

Wei Zhuang paused for a moment, then said, "You know Cao Ze, right?"

Zi Nu nodded slightly, a strange light shining in her gentle purple eyes.

"Of course I know. Since the end of the Five Kingdoms' attack on Qin, this man has been the most famous. There is no denying that he is indeed a genius of his time."

She rarely praised anyone, but she was extremely generous with her praise for Cao Ze.

Wei Zhuang said calmly, "You can take this opportunity to get in touch with him."

At first, Cao Ze's "On the Six States" did not take him seriously.

But subsequent events forced him to drastically change his opinion of Cao Ze.

In particular, after he read the book "Centralization and Productivity," it inspired him no less than, and perhaps even more than, the chapters of "Han Feizi: Five Vermin" that he had read before.

It's fair to say he was deeply shocked.

Zi Nu's deep purple eyes blinked slightly, and her long, upturned eyelashes trembled accordingly.

She chuckled and said, "You're still so confident. Are you sure I can recruit him?"

Wei Zhuang remained noncommittal, saying, "Why not give it a try?"

Self-confidence is a quality that strong people should possess; one should be confident regardless of one's position.

Only in this way can we strive forward and persevere despite setbacks.

Zi Nu held up a cup of fragrant tea.

Her beautiful face was reflected in the clear, bluish-green surface of the cup.

She chuckled softly and said, "Indeed, there might be some surprises in it."

She was really looking forward to meeting Cao Ze.

It's not that I particularly like "Snow Maiden Song" or "Three Thousand Worlds".

As the strong woman who founded Zilanxuan, she has seen too many fancy things between men and women.

However, she really liked the Journey to the West and Dream of the Red Chamber that originated from Handan.

One is devoted to virtue, the other to emotion.

She speculated that the versions of "Dream of the Red Chamber" that circulated were probably written by Cao Ze.

She wanted to verify this and satisfy her curiosity.

Chapter 186 Turtle Son

Early morning.

Cao Ze woke up feeling refreshed.

Looking at Jingni and Liwu lying limply beside him, he couldn't help but whistle.

Last night, he broke through and opened the eighth meridian, the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian. He was full of energy, like a small engine running at 100,000 RPM.

He used 100,000 horsepower to show his giant salamander and Xiao Wu what it means to be 'unstoppable'.

Cao Ze dismounted, dressed himself properly, left Qingping Residence, and strode towards the Zhao King's Palace.

He remembered very clearly how Zhao Qian had tried to castrate him last night.

He not only wanted to continue to ravage his mother, but also to castrate this scoundrel, as a way of ridding the thousands of girls in Handan City of a menace.

Inside Chunqing Palace, light and long blue gauze curtains fluttered in the main hall.

Zhao Qian walked in cautiously.

He hadn't forgotten what happened last night.

The thought that Cao Ze was actually a hidden master filled him with regret, and he felt deeply that he had acted rashly.

Thinking about how he would have to learn from Cao Ze before becoming the King of Zhao, Zhao Qian felt his future was bleak.

But he dared not not come.

His mother had no idea what had happened, but once she found out, he would be beaten half to death.

Cao Ze sat calmly at his desk, glancing at Zhao Qian who was timidly approaching, and said jokingly, "I thought His Highness Qian wasn't coming today."

Zhao Qian breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his mother had not yet arrived.

Mustering his courage, he said, "Cao Ze, let's not beat around the bush. How about we let last night's events go?"

"What does Your Highness wish to do?"

Zhao Qian was secretly annoyed. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I can pretend I don't know about what happened between you and my mother and not tell my father. But you can't tell my mother about what happened last night."

Cao Ze chuckled and said, "It seems that His Highness Qian has realized his mistake."

Zhao Qian nodded repeatedly, "This young master knows he was wrong."

Cao Ze said, bewildered, "That's good."

He thought to himself, "You don't know you're wrong, you're just afraid of being beaten."

Having made up his mind to depose Zhao Qian, he naturally wouldn't change his mind just because Zhao Qian yielded.

The queen strolled over, waved her hand, and dismissed her personal maid from her sentry post.

"Qian'er, how are your studies lately?"

Zhao Qian, feeling anxious, honestly replied, "I have already mastered what the teacher has taught me."

The Empress Dowager knelt down next to Cao Ze and said, "Hmm, that's good."

"Your father's health has recently improved, and he may test you. Be prepared."

Zhao Qian was taken aback, and said somewhat awkwardly, "This..."

When Cao Ze saw Zhao Qian's predicament, he couldn't help but laugh.

He knew exactly what was going on with this guy.

They even have some control over it; they really have the nerve to pat themselves on the back.

The woman turned to Cao Ze and asked with a charming smile, "What are you laughing at, sir?"

Cao Ze treated Zhao Qian as an outsider without any hesitation, and immediately pulled the Empress into his arms. The Empress couldn't help but squirm a few times, gave Cao Ze a reproachful look, and said in a low voice, "Qian'er is still here."

Although she had told Cao Ze several times not to be so intimate in front of Qian'er, Cao Ze seemed not to have heard her.

Cao Ze didn't take it to heart and said, "His Highness Qian has already accepted us being together, so the Queen doesn't need to avoid it anymore."

The Empress was slightly taken aback, then looked at Zhao Qian and said with delight, "Qian'er, you don't object anymore?"

Zhao Qian suppressed his anger at Cao Zeden's rudeness, but when he thought about what happened last night, he couldn't help but feel discouraged.

Seeing his mother's happy expression, he felt a mix of emotions and said, "...Mother, you may do whatever you wish."

Empress Dowager hugged Cao Ze, extremely excited. To gain her son's approval was an unexpected joy for her.

As expected, the gentleman had a solution.

"Qian'er, you don't need to worry about your father's test. Your mother already knows from Han Cang what your father wants to test you on."

She had originally planned to have Cao Ze tell Zhao Qian to ease the tension among them, but now it seemed unnecessary.

Zhao Qian was taken aback and asked, "What does Father want to test me on?"

After thinking for a moment, the speaker said, "The Thousand Character Classic and the Three Character Classic."

Zhao Qian felt a little relieved; he had already memorized these two by rote.

"Oh, and there's one more, it's something called 'Logic'."

Upon hearing his mother's last addition, Zhao Qian's face turned green.

He can't understand this stuff, and he can't memorize it by rote. Isn't he doomed?

The Empress Dowager noticed that Zhao Qian's expression was off. "Qian'er, what's wrong?"

Zhao Qian cried and said, "Mother, could Father please choose a different book, 'Logic'?"

Cao Ze was both amused and exasperated. For humanities majors, they could pretend not to know, but for science majors, especially those focusing on mathematics and physics, one is one, and two is two; if they didn't understand, they really didn't understand.

After speaking, she couldn't help but look at Cao Ze.

Cao Ze put one arm around the Queen's soft waist and gently stroked her long legs with the other, saying, "Your Majesty, do not worry, I am here."

Zhao Yan knew absolutely nothing about logic.

Despite being the founder of "Basic Logic", he ultimately didn't have the final say.

That is, if he says Zhao Qian is capable, then Zhao Qian is capable; if he says Zhao Qian is incapable, then Zhao Qian is incapable.

To celebrate Zhao Qian's approval of her being with Cao Ze, the Empress Dowager personally prepared several side dishes.

Taking advantage of the moment when the queen left, Cao Ze beckoned to Zhao Qian, "Come here."

Zhao Qian was a little nervous and asked, "What are we going there for?"

Cao Ze coughed lightly and said, "The King will probably have me assist you in teaching you 'Logic'."