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

Cao Ze shrugged, picked up his clothes from the ground, and said as he put them on, "You were just telling me that."

He never expected that Zhao Yan, who died young in history, would have such a story.

Indeed, a woman's heart is the most poisonous.

No wonder it has a terrible reputation throughout history.

The woman's expression turned cold. Even though she couldn't help but think about having another round with Cao Ze, she knew very well that if word got out, she would surely die.

What do you want to do?

After Cao Ze finished dressing, he looked at the still frank Queen and clicked his tongue, saying, "The Queen's body is truly beautiful."

"Humph!"

After a cold snort, she instinctively looked away, crossed her legs, and wrapped her arms around the mountain peak.

"You go."

Cao Ze sat on the tea table, crossed his legs, and said with a playful smile, "Leave? I can't leave now. If I leave, the Queen might want to kill me."

“Now, I want to make a deal with the Queen, and we’ll keep it a secret.”

The woman, her foxy eyes half-closed, asked, "What kind of deal?"

"I have just found the lost He Shi Bi jade. If Zhao Qian obtains it and says something like 'He is destined by Heaven' or 'Our ancestors chose the worthy,' would it make it easier for him to become the crown prince?"

The Empress Dowager slightly widened her phoenix eyes. "You possess the He Shi Bi jade?"

There's no benefit in lying to me.

The woman hesitated before asking, "What do you want?"

Cao Ze thought about it and realized that all he hoped for was for the queen to stop causing trouble and not get in his way.

However, this is a bit too lenient, and it could easily make the queen uneasy.

"Prime Minister, I want the position of Prime Minister. I want to become Qian'er's stepfather."

Cao Ze scooped up the Queen and placed her on the couch. "Your Majesty, is that alright?"

The empress's beautiful eyes lit up for a moment, but she said something else entirely, "You wish."

"No matter how beautiful she is, she can't compare to the Queen. Doesn't the Queen want to be the Empress Dowager and have me become Qian'er's stepfather?"

As she breathed in the warm air emanating from Cao Ze, her pretty face couldn't help but flush slightly.

"Then you have to listen to me."

"Of course, Your Majesty, just give the order, and I guarantee you'll be completely satisfied!"

Cao Ze knew that his heavenly soldiers and generals would likely have to be sent out frequently to fight against the Queen.

Women are women, especially women like the Empress Dowager. Once they're fed, everything becomes easier.

"In that case, I will grant your wish, sir. Please come to my place more often."

The Empress Dowager simply stopped pretending and looked at Cao Ze with eyes full of lust.

Cao Ze glanced at the sky; about two hours had passed. He needed to be careful.

"Your Majesty, now is not the time to linger. I shall take my leave."

It was only then that she realized that she and Cao Ze had been alone together for quite some time.

His gaze turned slightly cold.

"Then, sir, you may leave. I will handle things properly so that you can stay longer next time."

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty."

Cao Ze left leisurely, and with someone else to clean up the mess, he was still at ease.

The woman was left alone in the room.

After recovering somewhat, she didn't bother to clean herself up or put on her phoenix robe before slowly walking out.

She was able to become queen smoothly because she had obedient confidants under her command, and with Guo Kai's advice and strategies, she was practically in charge of the entire harem.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to give Zhao Yan a slow-acting poison, rendering him impotent and short-lived, unable to have any more children, and forcing him to give way to Qian'er.

Just as Cao Ze left the palace gates, led by the Empress's trusted maid, he encountered an acquaintance.

Who else could it be but Zhao Qian?

Chapter 60 Qi's Love for Warriors

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Cao Ze gave Zhao Qian a polite bow with a half-smile.

Zhao Qian didn't react for a moment.

He learned from Guo Kai that his mother might personally deal with Cao Ze, so he came over, wanting to see how Cao Ze would be tortured to death.

Upon suddenly seeing Cao Ze beaming with pride, she exclaimed in surprise, "You're not dead?"

Cao Ze wasn't angry at all, and smiled: "Thanks for your concern, bye~"

Zhao Qian really wanted to beat Cao Ze up. He subconsciously touched his face, which had just recovered from swelling, and entered the palace with a gloomy expression.

Since his mother hadn't laid a hand on Cao Ze, he had to complain to the Empress Dowager and make sure she got what she wanted!

Inside the main hall, the Empress Dowager made arrangements in a leisurely and methodical manner, leaving only the trusted palace maids in her bedchamber so that she and Cao Ze could engage in some exciting activities.

When Zhao Qian found the hostess, he couldn't contain his anger and recounted how Cao Ze had beaten him.

"Mother, you must avenge me!"

Empress Chang never expected that Cao Ze had beaten Zhao Qian. If it were before today, she might have given up supporting Cao Ze as a male concubine to vent her anger for Zhao Qian.

But having just tasted it today, she couldn't possibly give up this blissful life.

The Empress paused for a moment, then said, "Qian'er, you are already fifteen. You can't continue to waste your life like this. Otherwise, how will your father make you the crown prince?"

Zhao Qian panicked, "Mother, kill Cao Ze first, then I'll try my best!"

"enough!"

The empress shouted, "From now on, you are not allowed to cause trouble for him again, understand?"

Zhao Qian was stunned, never having discovered this side of his mother.

"I……"

"Since Guo Kai was promoted to Prime Minister, he has had no time to supervise you, leaving you idle all day! Tomorrow, I will recommend Cao Ze to the King so that he can be your teacher and train you."

"What? Why, Mother!" Zhao Qian cried, his face contorted with grief. Making Cao Ze his teacher was worse than killing him.

After taking a deep breath, Chang suppressed the impulse in his heart towards Cao Ze.

She didn't know what methods Cao Ze used, but she always felt an irresistible, heartfelt desire to have pleasure with Cao Ze, as if it had become an addiction.

“Cao Ze is very talented. If you learn from him, your mother will be at ease. It’s better to have one more friend than one more enemy. If you become his enemy, wouldn’t that just give Zhao Jia another assistant?”

"As for your past conflict with Cao Ze, it's a minor matter. Don't let it cause you to lose sight of the bigger picture."

Zhao Qian said unwillingly, "Even if I don't seek revenge, I can't let him become my teacher."

"No, he must be your teacher."

The Empress Dowager whispered, "He can help you become the Crown Prince."

Regardless of the He Shi Bi jade in Cao Ze's possession, as long as Cao Ze becomes Zhao Qian's teacher, she can often find excuses to meet with Cao Ze in private to relieve her loneliness.

Zhao Qian wanted to say something more.

Empress Dowager waved her hand: "Mother is tired and needs to rest. You may leave."

She's been treated so badly by Cao Ze, it's already quite remarkable that she can still stand and talk, but she's almost at her breaking point.

Zhao Qian left the Empress's palace with a belly full of resentment, and instead of returning to his own residence in the palace, he went straight to the Prime Minister's residence.

Since the Empress Dowager can't be relied upon, he can only let Guo Kai help him vent his anger. He can't kill Cao Ze, nor can he let him be his teacher and ride roughshod over him.

Not long after Cao Ze left the palace, he encountered Li Zuoche outside the palace.

"Hey, I knew Brother Cao would be alright. What did the Queen want to see you about?"

Cao Ze casually replied, "It's nothing, she just heard that I wrote something in Handan and asked me to write something for her."

Li Zuoche slapped his forehead, "That's right, the Queen herself is a singer and dancer, so it's only natural that she would invite Brother Cao over."

"I knew it! How could the Empress possibly use her beauty to seduce Brother Cao? There's no need for that."

Cao Ze chuckled, "You'd be so kind as to wait for me here?"

Li Zuoche said dejectedly, "Don't even mention it. Sister Yafei and Xue Nu were worried about you and insisted that I come and wait for them."

"I even turned down the things with Brother Liancheng."

Cao Ze asked, "What is it?"

"Do you remember that night when Guo Kai had his men kill Xiong Da?"

Cao Ze's heart skipped a beat: "Could it be that Brother Cheng is planning to take over the Bear Gang?"

Li Zuoche chuckled and said, "That's right. After the Bear Gang caused that incident, they were abandoned by Han Cang and Guo Kai, left to fend for themselves. But now, in Handan City, no force is so blind as to dare to back them up. If we don't take action now to wipe them out and seize their territory, what are we waiting for?"

"In that case, taking down the Bear Gang shouldn't be too difficult. What does Brother Cheng want you to do?"

As Li Zuoche and Cao Ze walked, they talked, "The Bear Gang has been operating in the north of the city for many years, and its strength is not small."

"Taking over the Bear Gang is not something that can be done with just a few words."

"The hardest part is that the Bear Gang is a bunch of... how should I put it, do you know the Bear Gang's survival rules?"

Cao Ze shook his head; he had no time to find out about that.

He's currently considering whether or not to help Lian Cheng annex the Bear Gang and become the largest underground force in Handan City.

The saying goes, "It's easier to mess with the King of Hell than with his underlings."

The tasks assigned by Luo Wang to monitor their courtyard were mostly accepted by ruffians and scoundrels from Handan.

He didn't have a penchant for being monitored, so he might as well take this opportunity to help Lian Cheng get rid of those annoying guys.