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

If what Ying Zheng said is true, then the people of the world will surely suffer endless pain.

In the words of his brother-in-law, Brother Cao, if productivity is insufficient, some things simply cannot be achieved. Even if they are achieved, they will only be fleeting and disappear in the blink of an eye. Ultimately, the price to be paid will be the common people of the world.

Wei Zhuang stood on the rooftop, and he heard Cao Ze and Ying Zheng's conversation clearly.

He said in a low voice, "To destroy someone, you must first drive them mad. Senior brother, he is a madman. You are aiding and abetting evil."

No one can do everything. Even the Qin state today was built on the foundation laid by six generations of Qin kings, which is why it became the strongest of the seven states.

Gai Nie's expression was somewhat complicated, but he still firmly said, "It all depends on human effort."

Since he chose Ying Zheng, he would naturally trust Ying Zheng.

He will do everything in his power to prevent the future from sliding into the abyss.

Cao Ze listened quietly, paused for a moment, and then said, "Have you thought about the people?"

Ying Zheng said confidently, "The glory of Qin will inspire and uplift the people. One day, Qin will be the pride of all its people, and they will stand tall to receive respect and praise from all nations."

"Life is finite, but knowledge is infinite. To pursue the infinite with the finite is perilous! And to pursue knowledge in this way is even more perilous! Do good without seeking fame, do evil without incurring punishment. Follow the natural order as your guide; this way you can preserve your body, maintain your life, care for your parents, and live out your years."

Cao Ze sighed, “The way of governing a country is like the way of nourishing life. If you are too hasty, you will not succeed; if you succeed, you will not last long; and if you do, you will eventually collapse.”

Ying Zheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Does the master want me to stop?"

Cao Ze shook his head slightly: "It's not about stopping, but about going slower, going more steadily, and going for a longer time."

He paused for a moment and then said, "The world is vast, and the seven kingdoms are small. If Young Master Shang truly has lofty ambitions and wishes to soar like a dragon in the sky, invincible in all endeavors, he might as well secretly accumulate strength while he is still a dragon in the abyss."

Ying Zheng chuckled, his laughter filled with self-mockery.

"I was naive. Your relatives and friends are all in the state of Han. Why would they accept my invitation to come to Qin to give lectures? You are clearly acting as a persuader."

Han Fei smiled. His brother-in-law was indeed his brother-in-law; it was worth it for him to decide to marry his younger sister to him.

Wei Zhuang glanced at Cao Ze with a hint of disdain. If it were him, he wouldn't waste time talking to Ying Zheng and would just give him one word—get lost.

"Who said I refused to go to Qin to teach?"

Cao Ze's casual remark startled everyone present.

Ying Zheng's hawk-like eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

Cao Ze smiled and said, "I agree to go to Qin to give lectures."

……

"Om..."

A dozen or so bees followed the Six Sword Slaves into the Purple Orchid Pavilion.

Xuan Jian stood on high, his face arrogant. The spirit of Xunfeng controlled the swarm of bees beside him, probing everything inside Zilan Pavilion.

The Wolf King entered the courtyard, breaking the silence. He respectfully said, "Lady Purple Maiden, the Six Sword Slaves have entered the Purple Orchid Pavilion."

"call out--"

Zi Nu flicked her finger and shot out a silver needle, killing a bee that flew in.

"Cai Die, turn off the lights. Have the sisters avoid them and guard their respective areas," Zi Nu said calmly.

The upcoming battles are not suitable for women like them who don't even have second-rate strength.

Cao Ze didn't explain further. He smiled at Jing Ni, who was hiding in the shadows, and said, "Hold them off for now."

He didn't forget that there was also Xuan Jian in Xinzheng.

Cai Die accepted the order and left, followed by Jing Ni, whose face was cold and beautiful.

The once brightly lit Zilan Pavilion suddenly went dark due to the effect of the mechanism, startling the six sword slaves who had just infiltrated.

"alert!"

Zhen Gang let out a low shout; they might have already revealed their location. Truly worthy of being a grandmaster of swordsmanship.

The death of a bee caught Xuan Jian's attention. He controlled the remnant soul of the Xun bee, leading the remaining bees to fly towards the dead bee.

Outside the Purple Orchid Pavilion, most of the assassins from the Luo Net were killed by the Seven Absolutes Hall.

The remaining assassins from the Luo Wang organization had no choice but to break into the dark and shadowless Zi Lan Xuan.

Before they could react, a pretty girl in a tight-fitting outfit stabbed a Luo Wang assassin to death with a short sword.

Nongyu whispered, "Anyone who trespasses will be killed."

With their familiarity with the layout of Zilan Pavilion, the twenty-odd girls quickly dealt with the assassins from Luowang who had fled into the pavilion.

All these commotions were clearly heard by the six sword slaves in the hall, yet they dared not be distracted in the slightest.

Jing Ni, with her long hair tied in a bun, wearing fish-scale soft armor and a silver mask, stood quietly on the second-floor railing, her long sword pointing diagonally at the six sword slaves below. The chilling killing intent emanating from her was enough to make any expert take her seriously.

Zhen Gang stepped forward and asked solemnly, "You were waiting for us?"

The old man tried to distract Jingni by cutting off the water supply. "Two years ago, Shen Leping brought back intelligence saying that you were pregnant with a son. Has that child already been born?"

“You’ve been in the Net, so you should know its capabilities. Even if you manage to escape our pursuit, or even kill us, you will still be hunted down again, endlessly, until you die.”

"If you lay down your sword and return to Xianyang with us, I will vouch for your and your child's lives. With your Grandmaster-level strength, you might even become the next leader of the Luo Wang organization, a bright and promising future awaiting you. What do you think?"

Jing Ni remembered that Cao Ze had asked her to hold them off, so she unusually refrained from using her sword directly.

"It doesn't matter. My child and I don't need your help to save our lives!"

The demon cackled, "Old man, why are you saying so much? The mission is to bring back the Jingni Sword, not Jingni herself."

Duan Shui whispered, "Don't make any rash moves; this place is haunted."

Outside the Purple Orchid Pavilion, Ji Wuye saw that the lights in the pavilion had been out for a long time and there was still no movement. He said in a deep voice, "Mo Ya Bai Feng, go and take a look."

"Yes."

Two shadows, one black and one white, flashed across the night sky and descended upon Zilan Pavilion like birds.

Xuan Jian, perched high above, glanced at Mo Ya and Bai Feng, then beckoned the bees back.

Using the secret techniques of the Xun Bee, Xuan Jian learned some information about the Zi Lan Xuan.

“Gai Nie, the King of Qin…”

Xuan Jian smiled sinisterly; it was truly an effortless windfall.

Inside the courtyard, a long silence fell because of Cao Ze's words.

Ying Zheng exhaled a breath of stale air. "Is what you say true, sir?"

Han Fei was getting anxious.

What's going on? My brother-in-law is flying away? Damn! Doesn't his sister seem appealing anymore?

"Brother Cao, what's wrong with you...?"

Han Fei couldn't help but speak up.

Cao Ze said to Han Fei, "Brother Han, I know what you want to ask, but I think you should know the principle that you can't have your cake and eat it too."

Han Fei sensed something was wrong and said in a deep voice, "Cao Ze, you might as well make your point clearer."

Zi Nu's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her purple eyes held confusion, doubt, and bewilderment.

Cao Ze looked at Gai Nie on the roof and asked, "Brother Gai Nie, why did you leave the Guigu School and choose to join Qin?"

Gai Nie calmly said, "What I desire now is neither vertical nor horizontal alliances, but only the unity of the world. Qin is my best choice."

Wei Zhuang suddenly looked at Gai Nie, his pupils shrinking slightly, as if he were seeing his senior brother for the first time.

Gai Nie said in a low voice, "Xiao Zhuang, your master said that you are the best successor to the Ghost Valley Sect Leader."

Since the Battle of Weijiazhuang three years ago, he has traveled throughout Wei and Qin, witnessing too much lamentation and sorrow. The so-called Guigu School of Diplomacy was built at their expense. He finds it hard to convince himself to travel among the seven states just to avoid tarnishing the name of Guigu.

Wei Zhuang took a deep breath, but couldn't exhale.

He gritted his teeth, staring intently at Gai Nie, a rare hint of pleading even appearing in his cold eyes.

Is this still the same senior brother who was full of vigor three years ago, who wagered on the head of the Ghost Valley Sect to compete with him and determine who was stronger?

"Senior brother, you've changed..."

Wei Zhuang exhaled a long breath, his eyes becoming colder than ever before, even carrying a hint of hatred, just like the Shark Tooth Sword in his hand.

Gai Nie remained silent.

They were on different paths, so he didn't blame Xiao Zhuang for being so cold to him.

Cao Ze slowly said to Han Fei, "This is also my answer. The war has lasted too long. Bones are exposed in the wilderness, no roosters crow for thousands of miles, the land is scorched, and not a single person is alive. Such a tragic situation should not continue."

Han Fei felt a lump in his throat. He wanted to tell Cao Ze that Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei had secretly formed an alliance, but then he remembered Cao Ze's words.

Even if the four states form an alliance to resist Qin, or even destroy Qin, what then?

The war continues, with no end in sight...

"Brother Cao, my sister is still waiting for you."

Han Fei's lips trembled slightly as he spoke, eager to know what Cao Ze was really thinking.

Cao Ze remained silent for a moment, then said softly, "Brother Han, would you force Honglian to marry someone she doesn't love?"

Han Fei froze, then suddenly felt a surge of resentment. He gritted his teeth and said, "Do you really want me to marry my little sister to you?!"

Cao Ze breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Brother Han, please take good care of Honglian for me."

There were also Zi Nu Nong Yu, Madam Hu, Beauty Hu, and Madam Mingzhu... Cao Ze silently added in his mind.

He believed in Han Fei's character; at the very least, Han Fei wouldn't resort to underhanded methods.

Han Fei coldly replied, "Do you think that by relying on the Qin state, you can force me to submit?"

Ying Zheng's previously suppressed mood improved considerably. He hadn't expected that Mr. Cao Ze, like Mr. Gai Nie, had ideals that transcended worldly concerns and had chosen him.

Compared to selfish, pragmatic, and talented people, he trusts people like him who have ideals, principles, and the ability to help him more.

With such a person around, no matter what position he is placed in, he can feel at ease, without worrying about betrayal or failure.

Only those who have long served in the court truly understand how precious such talented and idealistic individuals are; they are the pillars of the Qin Dynasty.

"Han Fei, do you think Qin can't do it?"

Ying Zheng stated, "Once I have taken full power and subdued Lü Buwei, I will personally propose marriage to the State of Han on behalf of Mr. Cao Ze."