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

Cao Ze was unsurprised and returned the mask to the black jade unicorn.

It's certain that this thing has already recognized its master, most likely automatically, without even the Jade Kirin itself knowing.

It seems that this mask, like the brother-in-law's Reverse Scale Sword, is a magical artifact passed down from ancient times.

Why didn't he meet one...?

Zi Nu said gently, "Lin'er, go to sleep."

Mo Yu Qilin put the mask back in his arms, silently hugged his legs, and buried his face in his hands.

Is this how you sleep? It's easy to get venous thrombosis... Cao Ze wanted to correct Mo Yu Qilin's sleeping posture, but he also knew that this was a habit Mo Yu Qilin had developed to protect itself over a long period of time.

He sighed softly, deciding that Zi Nu should handle the psychological work.

At least the Jade Kirin wasn't so averse to the Purple Maiden.

Zi Nu comforted Lin'er softly for a while, then blew out the candle and went out with Cao Ze.

“That mask should be harmless to her,” Zi Nu analyzed.

Cao Ze thought about how his brother-in-law needed to spend his life practicing swordsmanship, and shook his head slightly, saying, "We need to observe him more."

Zi Nu asked, "Do you still want to borrow it?"

Cao Ze chuckled and said, "I just tried it, but it doesn't work."

Zi Nu's purple eyes shifted slightly, and she said softly, "It's late at night, are you in the mood to admire the moon, sir?"

"How can I refuse an invitation from a beautiful woman?"

Zi Nu smiled charmingly, her allure even more captivating.

……

Chapter 277 Bringing in a Batch of Sisters-in-Law

The spring chill lingers, and the night is deep and the stars are cold.

After making a simple arrangement on the third-floor observation deck, Zi Nu brewed tea and burned incense in front of the tea table.

Nongyu, who had not yet gone to sleep, knelt before the zither table, her face serene, and gently stroked the strings.

The melodious sound of the zither and the refreshing aroma of tea brought Cao Ze a sense of tranquility.

"With the hundred birds swept away from the Blood Pool of Ghost Mountain, Ji Wuye will surely be furious. Do you have a plan to deal with this, sir?"

Zi Nu poured Cao Ze a cup of tea and said in a somewhat solemn tone.

Even if they handle it relatively cleanly, it's virtually impossible to fool the long-established nightlife in South Korea.

It's just a matter of whether it's discovered sooner or later.

Cao Ze gently swirled his teacup, gazing at the soft moonlight reflected in its bluish-green hue, and said slowly, "Miss Zi Nu need not worry about this matter. The Nightfall is not solely Ji Wuye's Nightfall."

Zi Nu smiled brightly: "It seems that you have obtained a lot of information from Ji Wuye, sir."

Zilanxuan's roots in Xinzheng are too shallow to compare with a behemoth like Nightfall.

She invited Cao Ze to admire the moon tonight because she wanted to probe his background. Only by knowing his true character could she better deal with him.

Cao Ze smiled and said, "One of the reasons Ji Wuye formed the Hundred Birds organization was to guard against the Bai family behind the Blood-Clad Marquis."

Not to mention, he learned from Yingge that Ji Wuye was plotting to seize military funds and was currently at a critical juncture, so he wouldn't easily launch a major attack.

Even if they were to settle accounts, they would wait until they had exhausted their military pay before doing so.

At that time, with the abilities of his brother-in-law and Uncle Wei, they would definitely slap Ji Wuye in the face.

The extinction of all birds in Ghost Mountain Blood Pool is nothing compared to Ji Wuye's reputation.

Zi Nu's purple eyes were slightly half-closed, and she was somewhat unsure where Cao Ze's confidence came from.

But none of that matters.

"I hope it is as you say, otherwise, Zi Nu will have no choice but to move and take the girls from the pavilion to live in your house."

Zi Nu said with a smile in her eyes, half seriously and half jokingly.

Cao Ze grinned. "What a great thing!"

Should he encourage Ji Wuye to help him get a batch of mistresses?

"You're welcome anytime, as long as Miss Nongyu and the others don't refuse."

Cao Ze looked at Nongyu, whose head was bowed and who was as quiet as Madam Hu, and said half-jokingly, just like Zi Nu.

Nongyu's delicate and slender hands trembled slightly, and the strings of her zither vibrated. In her panic, she played the melody, which should have been gentle, in a rapid and hurried manner.

Zi Nu glanced at Nong Yu, somewhat helplessly.

Does she really think that her older sister is too blind to see it?

Thinking that Nongyu had been avoiding her and Cao Ze lately, she sighed softly.

The night was deep and quiet. Cao Ze finished his tea and left.

Nongyu's jade-like hands, which had been playing the zither, slowly stopped.

Zi Nu leaned against the railing, watching Cao Ze go downstairs and return to the backyard, and suddenly said, "Nong Yu, how long have you been with me?"

Nongyu hadn't expected her sister Zinu to ask her this question, and hesitated before replying, "...It's been eight years."

Zi Nu said, "Eight years... it's only been a blink of an eye, and you've grown so much. I remember back then, I was even younger than you are now."

Nongyu remained silent. She had followed Sister Zinu the longest and had witnessed firsthand how Sister Zinu built Zilan Pavilion step by step. The hardships involved were unknown to outsiders.

Zi Nu turned around, sat down next to Nong Yu, gently plucked a string, and smiled, "You have been fond of the zither since you were a child, and your current achievements make me, as your older sister, very proud."

Nongyu smiled and said, "If it weren't for Sister Zinu, there would be no Nongyu today."

As the eldest sister, she was like a mother to Zi Nu. In her heart, Zi Nu was no different from her own mother, and she was very grateful.

"Then... I have a question for you, and you must answer truthfully."

Nongyu was taken aback, then her heart skipped a beat. "What, what's the problem?"

Zi Nu asked meaningfully, "What do you think of him?"

Nongyu's heart raced, and her palms became sweaty. "Who, who is it?"

Zi Nu laughed and scolded, "Still pretending not to know in front of your older sister?"

Nongyu blushed and lowered her head slightly, "I...I don't know."

"Is it that you don't know who it is, or that you don't know anything about them?"

Zi Nu continued to press for answers, giving Nong Yu no chance to evade the question.

Nongyu clutched her chest and stammered, "I...I really don't know, Sister Zinu, please don't ask anymore..."

Seeing Nongyu's evasive behavior, Zi Nu sighed softly, "Some opportunities only come once, and you don't seize them..."

“Sister Zi Nu can try…” Nong Yu lowered her head, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

Zi Nu couldn't help but smile bitterly. She had guessed why Nong Yu had been avoiding her and talking about it all this time.

"fool……"

Zi Nu half-embraced Nong Yu's shoulder and neck, and said with a light laugh, "Don't worry, I won't let you suffer any losses."

Nongyu softly hummed in agreement, nestled in Zinu's arms, which made her feel incredibly at ease.

……

The next day, the rooster crowed at dawn.

Cao Ze yawned as he got up, washed up, and then rode his little mare, Ta Xue, to the palace.

Since Hu Meiren wants to see him, then let's meet her. We should give our sister-in-law some face.

As one of the two most favored concubines of the King of Han, Consort Hu had her own palace.

However, it is smaller than Madam Mingzhu's, and from the outside it appears low-key and understated, unlike Madam Mingzhu's bedroom, which is luxurious at first glance.

Cao Ze waited in the hall for a while, and then Hu Meiren, with her foxy eyes and wearing a pair of flat high-heeled pink boots given to her by Honglian, walked gracefully to the front of the hall.

She looked down at Cao Ze and dismissed her personal maid.

Through Hu Meiren's various actions, Cao Ze realized that today's events might be somewhat complicated.

Is this sister-in-law planning to cheat on her older sister?

Should he give in?

Once the hall was empty, Consort Hu slowly walked up to Cao Ze.

Do you know why I've summoned you?

"Are you trying to annoy me?" Cao Ze laughed and said, "How could we possibly fathom the Empress's thoughts?"

Hu Meiren remained noncommittal, glancing at Cao Ze with her alluring eyes before turning halfway around and asking, "Is my sister's daughter currently in Zilan Pavilion?"

Cao Ze paused slightly, then said, "Yes."

It seems that Madam Hu has already given her instructions.

Consort Hu sneered: "Why didn't you tell me?"

Cao Ze pursed his lips slightly, "You weren't even in bed..."

After a long silence, Consort Hu turned around and saw Cao Ze remaining silent. She was furious. "Did you threaten my sister with this?"

Does this mean that a brother-in-law and sister-in-law can't get along peacefully?

Cao Ze denied it, saying, "Your Majesty, you have misunderstood. If you don't believe me, you can ask Madam Hu."

Madam Hu's seductive eyes held only one thought—"I don't believe you for a second!"

But she couldn't really confront her sister.

"I know you wouldn't dare!"

Hu Meiren retorted firmly, but seeing that she couldn't find fault with Cao Ze, she changed her tone and said, "I summoned you here because I have something for you to do."

Is the main event about to begin...? Cao Ze respectfully replied, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty."