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

Cao Ze is admiring a censer with coiled dragon-shaped handles made of rose quartz.

Its appearance resembles pink jade, with a pink color and a crystal-clear texture.

The belly is carved with symmetrical coiled dragon patterns and door knocker handles with rings, and the lid is decorated with four small coiled dragons, which are both beautiful and facilitate the dissipation of smoke through the openwork.

If you say Liu Yi is vulgar, he actually has a good eye for aesthetics; if you say Liu Yi is elegant, he's wasting these precious items.

The old steward led Madam Hu in, bowing slightly, "Sir."

Cao Ze's gaze left the dragon-shaped stove and turned to Madam Hu behind the old steward.

Since being touched by him yesterday, Madam Hu seemed to have become even more beautiful. Even though she was wearing very plain white mourning clothes, she could not hide her gentle and beautiful temperament.

Madam Hu lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Cao Ze. She slightly parted her delicate and bright red lips, curtsied slightly, and said softly, "I am sorry for being late, sir."

Cao Ze stepped forward to help Madam Hu up, and said with righteous indignation, "What's so strange about it? It's a blessing that Brother Liu Yi has a wife. If Brother Liu Yi knew this in the afterlife, he would surely smile in his grave and be reincarnated peacefully."

The old steward stroked his white beard, nodded slightly, and fully agreed with what Cao Ze said.

It also shows that Mr. Cao Ze and his wife seem to have genuine affection for each other.

Now that the master has passed away, if we find a good opportunity, perhaps this matter can be accomplished.

Cao Ze was unaware that the old steward beside him was cunning. After a few words, Madam Hu, somewhat shyly, followed Cao Ze into the mourning hall.

Several coral-shaped bronze lamps inside the mourning hall flickered with bright flames.

Upon entering, Cao Ze immediately noticed Liu Yi's black-and-white portrait, which was drawn very roughly.

Liu Yi's appearance was originally somewhat fierce, but due to the hasty painting, a few strokes were added, seemingly to prevent the portrait from looking menacing, making Liu Yi grin, which was very incongruous, like a comical clown.

It's probably because the wages weren't paid properly for the artwork.

Cao Ze made some comments, then looked at the memorial tablet behind the soul scroll.

The inscription consisted of only four simple characters—"Liu Yi's position"—which was quite meager and seemed perfunctory.

But no one cared, and everyone thought Liu Yi died a good thing.

If not required by etiquette, Liu Yi was only entitled to a straw mat to go to the mass grave and keep company with the people who died before the winter because Liu Yi had embezzled disaster relief funds and grain.

The old steward left the main hall, closed the door, and waved his hand, signaling the servants standing around the corridor to disperse and rest.

A quiet environment is required for keeping vigil, and those keeping vigil must be relatives or friends of the deceased. Therefore, apart from Madam Hu and Cao Ze, no one else in the Liu family is qualified to be in the mourning hall.

The old steward muttered to himself, "Isn't this a bit too deliberate?"

Inside the main room, Cao Ze was somewhat bewildered.

Although I was going to try out a new scene with my sister-in-law, I had made some preparations.

For example, let the guards around the gate take a nap.

But how come everyone's gone in the blink of an eye?

This made him a little uneasy. What if a bunch of people suddenly jumped in to watch the game?

Madam Hu seemed to sense Cao Ze's surprise and said in a low, shy voice, "The old steward told me to spend time with you in private; it was all his arrangement."

Cao Ze asked curiously, "Is the old steward trying to set us up?"

In this era, remarrying after the death of one's husband is a very common occurrence.

Noblewomen like Madam Hu, who had given birth but whose skin and appearance remained like that of a young girl, were even more sought after.

It's perfectly normal for the old steward to notice the subtle ambiguity between him and Madam Hu and to try to bring them together.

Madam Hu said shyly, "You understand, so there's no need to say more. I'm truly confused."

Cao Ze put his arm around Madam Hu's soft waist and walked to the coffin. He smiled and said to Liu Yi, who was lying in the coffin with his eyes closed, "Brother, you died a worthy death. I will take care of your wife from now on. Rest in peace, brother."

Madam Hu couldn't help but roll her eyes and punched Cao Ze a few times with her small fists, saying, "Can't you behave yourself?"

Cao Ze swept Madam Hu up in his arms, and Madam Hu nearly screamed in surprise.

"What are you doing! Put me down right now!"

Madam Hu, dressed in mourning clothes, gently patted Cao Ze's shoulder. Knowing full well that Cao Ze had ulterior motives, she deliberately adopted a coy and welcoming attitude, as if this would make it easier for her to convince herself and Cao Ze to do something indecent in the mourning hall.

Cao Ze chuckled and placed Madam Hu on the long table.

The lacquered table was only three feet wide and five feet long. After Madam Hu lay down, her whole body stiffened, and she dared not move, fearing that if she turned over, she would fall to the ground and break her face, making a laughing stock of herself in front of the servants the next day.

"Please wait a moment, Madam."

Cao Ze briefly comforted Madam Hu, then turned and went to the truss next to the mourning hall, took a piece of white cloth, and quickly spread it all over the ground next to the coffin, making a large makeshift bed.

Madam Hu glanced around and saw that the coffin was indeed a good spot, as it could both block the view from the outside and provide shelter from the wind.

Her young lover remained as attentive as ever.

Madam Hu's beautiful eyes were half-closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. She was secretly delighted, and her pretty face held an undisguised smile. Her nimble hands were folded in front of her lower abdomen as she lay motionless on the long table, waiting for her young lover to carry her to him, to endure the long, lonely night.

After Cao Ze finished everything, he clapped his hands, came to Madam Hu's side, half-squatted down, and chuckled softly beside Madam Hu's lustrous ear: "Sister-in-law, it's time to open your eyes and come down."

Mrs. Hu's ears burned, and she said in a low voice with a flushed face, "I... I have no strength left, please hold me..."

Cao Ze grinned, and his sister-in-law seemed even more charming when she started to act coquettishly.

Suddenly, Madam Hu felt herself being lifted into the air again. The moment she opened her eyes, she instinctively wrapped her arms around Cao Ze's neck and leaned against his chest.

She buried her face in her hands: "Let's keep it quiet between us... so no one finds out..."

Cao Ze chuckled and said, "Sister-in-law, please feel free to call out. I have already checked and there is no one around. If anyone comes, I guarantee I will be able to detect them."

Madam Hu buried her face even deeper; how could she possibly raise her voice? She was so timid…

The slight coolness of the ground made Madam Hu feel less hot, but Cao Ze, who was so close, made her heart race and she wanted to take off her mourning clothes and throw them away.

But she also knew that Cao Ze wanted her to wear this outfit and act in front of Liu Yi's portrait in the mourning hall.

Madam Hu sighed softly and complained, "Why do you always treat people like this? If we get caught, how am I supposed to live in Xinzheng?"

Cao Ze lifted Madam Hu's hem, whispered intimately in her ear, and said with a smile, "What's so great about Xinzheng? If you don't like it here, just leave."

"Where can she go if she leaves me? My sister is still in the palace, and Nongyu is still in Zilan Pavilion. How can I leave her without worrying about her..."

When Madam Hu was taken by Cao Ze, her expression was pitiful, and her voice was soft and delicate, poignant and moving.

Cao Ze growled, "Then let's leave together. I'll take care of you."

Madam Hu gritted her teeth and had to support herself on the coffin with both hands, her beautiful face filled with sorrow and bewilderment.

"You...you're not staying in Xinzheng?"

Cao Ze was too exhausted to speak. He waited until the moon outside shifted slightly before he spoke: "The State of Han is located in a land of constant warfare. Not to mention the powerful Qin in the west, the states of Zhao and Wei in the north and Chu in the south alone are enough to keep Han in a quagmire with no hope of revival."

Madam Hu, drenched in sweat and somewhat bewildered, asked, "Are you saying... that Korea is destined to perish?"

Cao Ze pulled the white cloth from Liu Yi's coffin and wiped his sweat. "Of course. Qin has not yet made any eastward advances, but is merely biding its time and waiting for the right opportunity. Once Qin's Zheng Guo Canal is completed, and it possesses the strength of Ba and Shu and a million skilled soldiers, the day it marches eastward will be the day Han is destroyed."

Lady Hu hesitated and said, "Then what should we do? Should we go to the State of Zhao?"

How could a woman like her understand these things? She only wished to grow old peacefully with her family and for the whole family to be happy.

Cao Ze chuckled and shook his head: "Although Zhao Jia has taken the throne, the country is plagued by long-standing problems. To save the crumbling edifice, we need not only a strong leader but also time."

At this time, neither Qin nor Yan would give Zhao any more time. If Zhao wanted to become strong again and resist the powerful Qin, it could only do so by forming alliances with other states. Moreover, the states forming these alliances must be united in their efforts to resist Qin.

However, each state has its own agenda. For example, not long ago, five states attacked Qin, and despite a favorable situation, they still failed. How can they possibly be of one mind under such circumstances?

Cao Ze sighed deeply: "Regardless of the overall situation, regardless of who wins or loses, without unification, the people will be living in dire straits. Compared to one side collapsing and all sides being locked in a stalemate, the people will suffer even more."

Entering a state of enlightenment, Cao Ze spoke eloquently, and his analysis of the world situation captivated Madam Hu. Her young lover was truly a peerless talent. At this moment, she would be willing to follow Cao Ze for the rest of her life without any official status.

"Where are you going?"

Cao Ze chuckled softly, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice, and said, "Of course, I'd go to a place where the chaos can be ended sooner."

He had guarded cities, seen mutilated corpses and bodies strewn across the fields, and personally experienced the cruelty of war, thus developing a deep-seated aversion to it.

Therefore, even though he knew that after Zhao Jia came to power, he could still use the strength of the three Jin states to prevent Qin from expanding eastward and unifying the country, the price would be to engage in military preparations with Qin until one side was defeated many years later.

But as the saying goes—better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos.

Therefore, compared to the clash of swords and the thunder of war, and changing the fate of the Zhao state's demise, he would rather end the chaotic world as soon as possible, even if it meant becoming a dissolute playboy.

Unfortunately, objective laws do not change according to human will; they cannot be changed as one wishes. Otherwise, hundreds of emperors throughout history would not have been manipulated and turned around by others, even eunuchs.

He could only choose to accelerate the unification process as quickly as possible, leveraging existing momentum and doing his utmost to bring about the world he had lived in in his previous life as soon as possible.

If ten years isn't enough, then a hundred years; if a hundred years isn't enough, then dedicate your whole life to it. It's always better than doing nothing, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the hardships and injustices of the world, and becoming a slave who only knows how to indulge in sensual pleasures and is addicted to desires.

……

Cao Ze's mind suddenly opened up, and he easily acted on his will, gathering a ball of fire in his heart and controlling the messenger chariot of the third of the three chariot forces.

Everything happened naturally, without any of the effort, time-consuming, and ineffective feeling of previous deliberate cultivation.

No wonder it is said that Lao Tzu never deliberately cultivated, but in one day he had an epiphany, and purple energy came from the east for three thousand miles, and he transcended the mortal realm and became a saint in one step.

Madam Hu felt that something had changed about Cao Ze, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Seeing Cao Ze meditating with his eyes closed, she leaned against the coffin, her jade-like legs pressed together, resting for a while, occasionally rubbing her legs together to relieve the strange pain.

Not long after, Madam Hu nodded repeatedly, feeling drowsy, and fell into a deep sleep.

As time passed, a ray of dawn seeped into the darkness, and daybreak came and went. The warm sunlight shone into the mourning hall, casting golden hues.

Madam Hu slowly woke up, gently rubbing her temples. The incessant chirping of birds filled her ears, and her heart felt exceptionally peaceful.

She gazed at the familiar mourning hall. The events of last night seemed like an absurd dream, yet upon waking, she felt as if she were still there. She still remembered the scenes of her gripping the coffin and being relentlessly tormented by Cao Ze.

Shame and emotion, tender feelings, made her linger...

Chapter 295 Flame Spirit Princess with Chicken Leg

At 9:00 AM, the Great Wilderness fell.

All things flourish and then disperse; mirages rise and then suddenly fall, hence the term "desolate and barren."

Cao Ze sat in the carriage, fanning himself with his wide sleeves.

The weather in the third month of the lunar calendar is hotter than the weather in the fourth month of the lunar calendar in later generations.

No wonder Henan was formerly known as Yu; a place where elephants can thrive is truly exceptional.