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

The Marquis was overwhelmed with fear, and only when death truly came did she realize how much she longed to live.

She looked extremely disheveled, desperately stretching out her slender neck, trying to breathe.

At this moment, she would give anything to breathe, even just a sliver of air, even if it meant doing the most lowly things, things she once considered an eyesore.

Lady Mingzhu's lips curled slightly, and her grip suddenly loosened. The hemp rope, like a white snake that had been slain, fell limply from the Marquis's neck to her fragrant shoulder.

The Marquis still held her jade-like arm up, the air flowing into her burning lungs like a clear spring, extinguishing all her pain and despair in the face of death.

Her blurred vision gradually cleared, and the Marquis trembled as she looked at the madam before her, who resembled a demon.

The fear in her heart was clearly revealed in her eyes.

"You shameless whore! Are you even going to die?!"

Lady Mingzhu's sharp shout immediately made the Marquis lose one of her three souls.

She trembled and shook her head weakly, all traces of her former pride and defiance gone.

Like any woman in dire straits, her entire being collapsed, both physically and mentally; at this moment, all that remained was a woman's fragility and sorrow.

"I've raised you with all my heart, and you, you slut, actually want to die?!"

Lady Mingzhu continued cursing, holding the hemp rope in one hand as if it were a whip, and roughly grabbing the Marquis's hair with the other, she slammed the Marquis's head onto the somewhat dirty lacquered table.

"You shameless whore, if you know you're wrong, call me 'Mom'! Then I'll accept you as my daughter, do you hear me?!"

The Marquis trembled, her mouth agape, but she couldn't utter a sound.

A wave of intense shame washed over her again, and the Marquis trembled uncontrollably.

Seeing that her aunt was still hesitating, Lady Mingzhu pressed down hard on the Marquis's fingers, and wrapped the hemp rope around the Marquis's neck.

The Marquis screamed as the rope tightened around her neck again. Although it wasn't as forceful as before, the terrifying experience still lingered in her mind like a wild beast.

"You slut! You never learn! You've been ignoring what I said! I'm going to make you suffer!"

Lady Mingzhu threw away the hemp rope and, as usual, picked up the broken stick and beat the Marquis severely.

When she was tired of hitting her, Lady Mingzhu snorted and threw the rope at the Marquis.

"Go ahead and die if you want, you'll be good food for the dogs!"

The Marquis's body convulsed, her face was ashen, and her body trembled incessantly.

Her gaze was unfocused, and in a daze, she saw the hemp rope on the ground turn into a venomous snake, flicking its tongue and lunging at her.

The Marquis's eyes revealed intense fear. She suddenly clutched her head, pressed herself tightly against the wall, closed her eyes, and dared not look any further, as if the wall offered her some comfort.

Outside, Cao Ze looked at Madam Mingzhu with a somewhat speechless expression.

Lady Mingzhu said cautiously, "Master, I didn't expect my aunt to be able to hold on like this. I'm afraid she'll need a little more time..."

Cao Ze slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

They wanted to get Madam Mingzhu to stop, but things had already come to this point, and it seemed somewhat hypocritical.

"...Take your time."

Lady Mingzhu breathed a slight sigh of relief and revealed a fawning smile: "Master, it's getting late. Would you like me to serve you in bed?"

Cao Ze waved his hand: "No need."

After watching Madam Mingzhu train the servants, he really couldn't muster any desire for them.

He's starting to miss Little Red Lotus a little now.

The world is treacherous, people's hearts are complex, and dark and sinister things happen one after another.

Only at that moment did he realize how precious a pure and kind girl is, and how rare it is to find someone who remains untainted by the mud.

After Cao Ze left, Madam Mingzhu carefully asked Jingni, "Sister Jingni, does Master seem to dislike me a little?"

Her figure and beauty were top-notch in the world; otherwise, Cao Ze wouldn't have been so greedy for her body before.

But being rejected twice in a row left her feeling somewhat frustrated.

Jingni thought for a moment, "He's not a bad person, nor is he an evil person; he's more like a good person."

A seemingly random sentence left Madam Mingzhu's mind filled with questions.

Could he be a good person?

Isn't that too hypocritical?

Ok?

Lady Mingzhu recalled that Cao Ze seemed to have done nothing wrong except for being lecherous and greedy.

As for harming Nightfall... calling him a good person seems fair...

A hint of frustration appeared in Madam Mingzhu's eyes. She should have known better than to use those slave training methods to please Cao Ze.

Cleverness can backfire; one lifts a stone only to drop it on one's own foot.

Ugh……

The night was cool and still, and a gentle breeze stirred the lake, causing waves to surge and shimmer.

Little Red Lotus sat by the lake, gazing blankly at the water.

The girl's eyebrows were like painted flowers, and her delicate skin was as smooth as fresh tofu. However, a sense of bewilderment lingered in her bright, watery eyes.

After Cao Ze arrived, he sat down next to Xiao Honglian.

Zi Nu was busy processing a lot of intelligence in the pavilion and didn't have time to come with him to find Xiao Hong Lian.

Honglian tilted her head slightly to look at Cao Ze, who then met her gaze.

Little Red Lotus was at the prime of her life, with almond-shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, and smooth, supple skin, as beautiful as a peach blossom.

What's even more remarkable is that Xiao Honglian doesn't have the dark and gloomy mentality of Madam Mingzhu; instead, she has a bright and sunny disposition and a resistance to the dark world.

"Anything on your mind?"

Xiao Honglian seemed distracted and preoccupied.

Honglian parted her delicate, petal-like lips, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Seeing Cao Ze's encouraging look, Xiao Honglian hesitated for a moment before saying, "I heard some rumors today."

Cao Ze laughed and said, "What rumors could make Princess Honglian so melancholy? She looks like she's heartbroken."

Honglian glared at Cao Ze, somewhat angrily saying, "Some people say that my brother is a bad person who obtained the throne by killing his father and brother."

Cao Ze clicked his tongue for a moment: "Do you believe me?"

Honglian retorted angrily, "My brother is not that kind of person! It was Bai Yifei and the Straw-Clothed Man who plotted rebellion and killed my father and my fourth brother!"

Cao Zeqi asked, "Then why aren't you happy?"

Honglian looked somewhat dejected and said, "Some people say that Fourth Brother killed Eldest Brother, and that Brother killed Fourth Brother to avenge Eldest Brother. Father disagreed, so Brother used Bai Yifei and the Straw-Cloaked Man to indirectly cause Father's death..."

"It seems...to be reasonable."

Cao Ze smiled and said, "However, I just saw some information from Zi Nu."

Honglian raised her head, her bright eyes regaining some of their sparkle, and asked with hope, "What kind of information is it?"

Cao Ze coughed lightly: "The news about your eldest brother being killed by your fourth brother came from Nightfall. As for the person who framed your brother for patricide and fratricide, it was a man in black. Coincidentally, I know who this man in black is."

Honglian gritted her teeth and asked, "Who?"

"The fleeing traveler in the straw raincoat, your brother and your cousin—Han Xin."

Honglian was slightly confused. "Who is Han Xin?"

With nothing else to do, Cao Ze leisurely told Honglian about the events of the past few months.

After hearing this, Honglian was confused and eventually fell silent.

"Our royal family seems to be a bit..."

Cao Ze commented, "It's very messy."

Honglian covered her face and mumbled, "Don't say anymore."

Cao Ze laughed heartily, disrupting the tranquility around the lake.

This feels great.

……

Chapter 336 Sharing a Bed

The sky was clear and the morning breeze was refreshing.

Twenty li outside Xinzheng City, the elderly yet vigorous Zhang Kai rode his horse, gazing at the end of the official road, a hint of worry in his eyes.

The handsome Zhang Liang stepped back a distance and whispered, "Grandfather, there's no need to worry. I have already sent thirty Imperial Guards to greet you from afar."

Zhang Kai nodded slightly, then shook his head.

"They've come with ill intentions..."

Zhang Liang opened his mouth as if to speak, but after thinking for a moment, he stopped.

His elder brother trusted him, and he must not betray that trust.

Dust rose from the edge of the distant woods, followed by the sound of horses' hooves and the gradual approach of a carriage bell.

Zhang Kaidi perked up, "They're here."

Zhang Liang glanced at the carriages and horses in the distance.

At the front were two armored soldiers in black armor, followed by dozens of riders, and on both sides were the royal guards he had sent to protect him.

Among them, a plain-looking carriage was traveling alone.

The most eye-catching figure was a soldier wearing iron faceplates on the carriage.

He held an eight-foot-long wooden staff, which was lacquered black and decorated with a black flag. Under the flag were three layers of banners, and on the flag were a large seal script character "Qin" painted with dragons and phoenixes, exuding an extraordinary aura.

"Prepare to welcome them; we must not neglect Korean etiquette," Zhang Kaidi said solemnly.

Such a grand and aggressive display clearly indicates that they are here to establish their authority.