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

"I want to play Daiyu!"

The atmosphere inside the room froze instantly.

Han Fei stared blankly at the ceiling.

What's going on now?!

……

Chapter 250 Family Feud

Cao Ze took the scroll from Hong Lian and immediately passed the buck.

"You'll have to ask Brother Han about that."

As a Legalist scholar with a Confucian background, Han Fei would naturally not allow his younger sister to become an actress.

Even at this time, there was no discrimination against actors.

"Honglian, stop fooling around."

Han Fei kindly advised, "The matter of performing can be left to the actors in the theater."

Honglian shook her head vigorously, "No, no."

Han Fei felt extremely troubled. If his father found out that his younger sister was not only going in and out of Zilan Pavilion, but also acting as a performer on stage, even if she was favored, she would probably still be punished.

His face hardened. "There's no such thing as a princess performing in a play. There isn't now, and there never will be!"

Cao Ze thought to himself, "I don't know if there will be princesses performing operas in the future, but do you believe that there will be emperors who are obsessed with operas?"

Honglian's eyes were slightly red, and her fists were clenched tightly, making Han Fei's eyelids twitch again and again. Could it be that his other eye was going to suffer too?

“That…” Han Fei glanced at the scroll in Cao Ze’s hand. He didn’t know what kind of opera lyrics were written on it that could make his little sister so addicted.

After hesitating for a moment, Han Fei sighed. The one who tied the knot must untie it, so he chose to pass the buck back to the source of the problem.

"Little sister, this was written by Brother Cao. You should ask Brother Cao."

Honglian's face darkened, and she said angrily, "Brother's shirking of responsibility is truly infuriating!"

Then she focused her gaze and hopes on Cao Ze, "Is it okay?"

Cao Ze's eye twitched slightly. Was this something he could decide?

Sending Honglian to perform is risky, especially since Lady Hu and Madam Hu will also be present. If any unsuitable people show up and expose the affair, he'll have to flee overnight.

After thinking it over, he could only honestly say, "Your Highness, this script was written by Consort Hu for Madam Hu, and it is intended to be performed on Madam Hu's birthday."

"Hu Meiren?"

Han Fei muttered to himself, it seems that the relationship between Hu Meiren and Madam Hu is indeed as good as he had heard.

Lady Hu is Liu Yi's wife, and Liu Yi is Ji Wuye's man.

So what roles did Madam Hu and Consort Hu play in all of this?

Honglian clapped her hands, her big eyes crinkling with laughter, and said, "Then there's no problem. I'll go find Hu Meiren as soon as I get back!"

Cao Ze and Han Fei looked at each other in bewilderment.

Han Fei quickly gave Cao Ze a meaningful look, silently pleading with Cao Ze to extinguish the red lotus's idea.

Cao Ze noticed Han Fei's nervousness and coughed lightly, saying, "Well, Your Highness, you are a princess. It's not appropriate for others to see you performing on stage at the theater."

Honglian waved her fair little hand, "Then let's book the theater and kick out all the irrelevant people."

"Then who will play Baoyu?"

After asking the question, Cao Ze regretted it a little.

Honglian replied matter-of-factly, "You! My brother isn't good enough!"

Han Fei had a toothache. What did they mean he couldn't do it?

Cao Ze gave Han Fei a helpless smile.

Han Fei, quick-witted, said, "A play needs someone to play music, right? Neither Brother Cao nor I can play!"

Honglian thought to herself, "That's true."

The door was suddenly pulled open, and Nongyu walked in carrying a guqin, smiling gently as she said, "Princess Honglian, Mr. Cao Ze, and Ninth Prince."

Hongyu told her that Sister Zinu had asked her to come and play a piece, so she came after quickly putting on some makeup.

Zi Nu gently touched her forehead and smiled silently.

Han Fei and Cao Ze turned their heads away simultaneously.

Sure enough, Honglian skipped over to Nongyu's side, hugged Nongyu's arm, and said happily, "It's you, Nongyu!"

Nongyu's beautiful smile froze slightly. What happened?

What? Me? Wasn't I here to play the piano and entertain the guests?

As the proprietress of Zilanxuan, Zi Nu could only step forward, briefly explain the situation, and give a brief account.

Nongyu suddenly realized that it was Madam Hu's birthday. Madam Hu wanted to arrange a play for her sister, and Princess Honglian wanted to sing the play herself, but they were missing a musician.

Seeing that things had already come to this, Cao Ze could only say, "Brother Han, I think booking the entire venue is a good idea. What do you think?"

Han Fei pondered for a moment and it seemed that it was not impossible.

"Very well... but what about Lady Hu..."

Honglian patted her chest and said, "I'll go and talk to them!"

She has a good relationship with Hu Meiren now, and Hu Meiren will not refuse her.

Cao Ze smiled, but something felt off.

Upon closer reflection...

Good heavens! Nongyu plays the zither, Honglian sings opera with him, and Madam Hu, the beauty, watches live. If we invite Madam Mingzhu to join us, wouldn't it be like the whole family competing on the same stage?

It's so easy for this to turn into infighting within the family...

Seeing that things had come to this point, Han Fei had no choice but to give up. As long as no one saw it and it got to his father, he could play around with his younger sister.

"Brother Cao, how about we go for a walk?"

Cao Ze glanced at the snow-covered landscape outside; it seemed his brother-in-law's illness had improved considerably.

"Walk."

Zi Nu served Hong Lian a cup of fragrant tea and then took out seven or eight volumes of the latest "Dream of the Red Chamber" and placed them in front of Hong Lian.

This is what she got from Cao Ze over the past few days, and then copied it all down.

Honglian transformed into a bookworm, oblivious to everything around her, not even noticing that Han Fei and Cao Ze had gone out.

Zi Nu gazed leisurely out the window, watching Han Fei and Cao Ze walk side by side on the snow, and thought to herself, "Could they be discussing the matter of the Ancestral Mountain?"

In the past few days, Cao Ze has asked her a lot about the Ancestral Mountain and asked her to keep an eye out for information about it.

Han Fei clasped his hands together and slowly recounted the information he and Zhang Liang had gathered about the Ancestral Mountain.

After listening, Cao Ze couldn't help but think to himself, "Zhang Liang clearly knows much more about geography than Zi Nu."

"In that case, Brother Han, would you be interested in visiting the Ancestral Mountain?"

Han Fei glanced at the foot-thick snow on the ground. "I'm afraid it's difficult. The Ancestral Mountain is probably already blocked by heavy snow."

Cao Ze paused for a moment, forgetting that Han Fei, who had no sense of justice, was a rookie who couldn't even beat his own sister.

"Then let's wait a little longer. When the time comes, we'll invite Zifang along."

Zhang Liang had told him that he knew a little about Qimen Dunjia.

According to Zhang Liang's principle of humility, knowing a little bit is considered being proficient in many things, unlike him, who at most could only be considered an beginner.

If the treasure within the Ancestral Mountain is indeed related to Feng Hou, it is highly likely that a Qimen formation will appear.

Han Fei and Cao Ze had just finished their journey and were about to turn back when they suddenly saw a royal carriage approaching and slowly stopping beside them.

Hu Meiren lifted the carriage curtain, revealing her charming face.

"Ninth Young Master, Mr. Cao Ze."

Han Fei and Cao Ze bowed at the same time.

Hu Meiren chuckled lightly: "No need for formalities."

She then turned her gaze to Cao Ze and said meaningfully, "Mr. Cao Ze, you must polish the lyrics carefully. I will invite my sister to watch the play together at the theater, so don't disappoint me."

Cao Ze was somewhat confused. Hadn't he already said that? Did he really need to emphasize it again? Wasn't that a bit too deliberate?

If he hadn't known that Consort Hu and Madam Hu were close, he would have really thought that Consort Hu was also trying to set him up like Madam Mingzhu.

Thinking of Madam Mingzhu, Cao Ze couldn't help but despise her. She only knew how to set traps for him, but didn't know how to let him in and out.

"I will certainly not disappoint Your Majesty."

Consort Hu lowered the carriage curtain and said in a sweet, seductive voice, "Return to the palace."

When she realized that her sister was unwilling to give up, she decided to use the theater as a place for her sister and Cao Ze to meet secretly. With her watching over it, at least nothing serious would go wrong.

Han Fei felt that something was amiss, and glanced at Cao Ze, who was also somewhat confused, as if deep in thought.

"Brother Han, what's wrong?"

Cao Ze said somewhat guiltily.

Han Fei is too quick-witted; if he figures something out, it will be awkward.

"It's alright, let's go to my residence."

Cao Ze hesitated for a moment, then glanced at a tall building several hundred meters away.

Ever since Madam Mingzhu made a move against him, he has been targeted by the Night Birds.

He frequently discovered that Mo Ya and Bai Feng were following and monitoring him.

He knew that Cheng Jiao was hiding in Han Fei's residence outside the palace.

"Brother Han..."