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

Cao Ze sat cross-legged on Zhao Ji's couch, his hands resting on the guqin.

Fortunately, I had practiced with Brother Kuangxiu and was also influenced by Sister Nongyu, so I at least got the hang of it and it wasn't difficult for me to play some simple tunes.

"The Empress Dowager is charming and alluring, with a beautiful face and a rosy complexion. I have long admired her captivating dance."

Cao Ze didn't even blush. He immediately started praising the "welfare girl" Zhao, giving her plenty of emotional value.

Zhao Ji smiled, her beautiful eyes crinkling as Cao Ze flattered her. Anyone could see the smugness and joy on her face.

She smiled sweetly, a smile that seemed both coquettish and reproachful.

"Sir, your words are like honey, so sweet they melt my heart, hehe..."

Zhao Ji removed the cloak draped over her body, revealing a dance dress as thin as a cicada's wing and almost transparent on her delicate body.

Her delicate, snow-white skin glowed like jade in the candlelight, like polished white glaze, radiating a soft, luminous sheen. Only a strip of bright red, transparent gauze hung on her chest, as if it would fall off at the slightest movement or a gust of wind.

The exquisite bright red dance costume was complemented by a jade necklace that draped from her slender neck down to her chest, making it truly hard to look away.

Even though Cao Ze had touched and enjoyed this jade-like body countless times, upon suddenly seeing the radiant and beautiful Zhao, his blood couldn't help but surge slightly.

Zhao Ji's eyes were sparkling. Seeing Cao Ze staring at her without blinking, she chuckled and swayed her hips, causing the long, bright red dance skirt tied around her waist to flow like ripples on water.

Even more daring was the fact that Zhao Ji's long skirt had an opening at the waist that stretched all the way down to her feet.

Zhao Ji gently swayed her slender waist, and as she moved, her long, straight, snow-white legs were faintly visible through the seams of her skirt, and one could even see the beaded necklace adorning her long legs.

"Sir, why aren't you playing the music yet...?"

Zhao Ji took a few steps forward gracefully, her movements as fluid as water, yet her simple dance was full of captivating rhythm.

Cao Ze took a light breath.

If the Snow Maiden's dance is a clear beauty, a beauty of ice and snow, then Zhao Ji's dance should be a vibrant beauty, a seductive beauty.

Cao Ze placed the zither on his lap, then raised both hands, producing a melodious and cheerful tune.

As Cao Ze's zither music began, Zhao Ji's body seemed to be aroused with passion.

She swayed her body with abandon, her fingertips tracing graceful lines, every curve of her jade-like body exquisitely beautiful in the dance.

Zhao Ji turned around with a bright smile, her back to Cao Ze. Her bare back was as white as jade, as white as the snow on an iceberg.

Cao Ze was divided into two tasks.

The music from his zither flowed endlessly, his gaze fixed on Zhao Ji's full, shapely buttocks, the crescent-shaped curve formed by her slender waist and back, round and pert.

Zhao Ji turned around and smiled; she knew exactly how intensely the man behind her would look at her.

Zhao Ji deliberately swayed her waist, exaggerating her allure and sexiness.

In his excitement, Cao Ze moved his hands faster and played the melody more quickly.

Zhao Ji danced rapidly to the music, like water plants floating on the riverbed.

The delicate sound of silver bells rang out from her slender white ankles, as if keeping her company.

Suddenly, Zhao Ji stood on tiptoe and slowly began to spin, faster and faster.

The bright red long dress spun rapidly on the bright red chrysanthemum carpet as Zhao Ji twirled.

It is unclear why, perhaps it was Zhao Ji's doing on purpose.

The bright red, high-slit long skirt suddenly came undone, like a blooming flower withering in the blink of an eye, revealing Zhao Ji's pair of long, straight, fair, and smooth legs.

The music stopped abruptly.

Cao Ze was completely captivated by the beautiful woman before him, unable to focus on anything else.

Zhao Ji chuckled, her silvery laughter echoing throughout the room.

As if to complete the dance, Zhao Ji leaped like a white deer, arriving before the bed and looking at Cao Ze with a smile.

She turned slightly, one hand on her chest and the other on her forehead, her phoenix crown. Her beautiful body, as if peeled of its skin, slowly bent backward, causing the jade necklace on her chest to dangle in the air, reflecting the brilliance of her beautiful eyes.

She looked through the jade pendant at Cao Ze, whose breathing was a little rapid, and chuckled.

"Sir, are you satisfied with my dance?"

It had been a long time since she had danced so freely, and it made her feel as if she had rediscovered the glory days when she was famous in Handan.

Although she cannot compare to who she is today, the youth and vigor of that time are something she can never recapture.

However, after meeting Cao Ze, she felt as if she had touched her younger self again, as if she had returned to that youthful age when her heart could flutter.

"The Empress Dowager is so kind to me."

Cao Ze reached out and slowly helped Zhao Ji, who had bent over and fallen to the ground, to her feet. Holding her slender waist with such suppleness, Cao Ze felt extremely satisfied.

Zhao Ji, with her bright eyes and white teeth, coughed lightly in Cao Ze's arms, her voice melodious and sweet as she sang, "If love between two people lasts forever..."

She had studied dance, so naturally she had also practiced her voice.

Her voice was excellent, full of charm, every word was full of tenderness, her soft voice was endlessly affectionate, and it also contained some of the delicate and graceful qualities of a woman from Jiangnan.

"Why should we be together every day and night..."

The lingering aftertaste is profound, a gentle sigh and lament that lingers for a long time.

This was the first time Cao Ze had heard Zhao Ji sing softly and gently.

Contrary to his expectations of continuous flattery, her voice was like a nightingale's song, sweet but not affected.

Cao Ze looked down at the Empress Dowager Qin nestled in his arms, her graceful and beautiful features captivating and charming.

He had overestimated the surprise that the welfare girl Zhao would give him, but he didn't expect the surprise to be so delightful.

Enough said, let's get started!

……

The following day, they stayed up all night.

Cao Ze pulled Zhao Ji's long legs off him and quietly left.

Zhao Ji was fast asleep and had no idea that Cao Ze had left.

As dawn broke, Cao Ze did not leave through the main gate to avoid being seen by anyone with ulterior motives.

Zhao Gao, with slightly dark circles under his eyes, led Cao Ze out of the palace via a side path.

He was on tenterhooks all night last night.

All night long, he patrolled the Ganquan Palace with his six sword slaves, fearing that some foolish palace maids or eunuchs might go to places they shouldn't or enter places they shouldn't.

"Mr. Cao Ze, may you rest in peace."

Cao Ze felt uneasy, as if this eunuch Zhao wanted to send him on his way.

Yes, I'll have to be more careful in the future.

Cao Ze made a few turns, took advantage of the market, broke off some dried flatbread and put it into the soup, and drank a bowl of hot, milky white mutton soup.

When the sun was higher, he arrived at Paoding's inn.

However, Little Thief Zhi wasn't there this time; perhaps he arrived early, because the first floor of the inn was completely empty...

wrong!

Cao Ze suddenly looked at the counter, where a person wearing a black winged cloak, whose face could not be seen, was quietly drinking.

"I never expected the Grand Master to be here."

Cao Ze was secretly startled. It seemed that the Six-Fingered Black Knight's strength had improved even further; otherwise, he should have noticed it immediately after entering.

"Hehe..." The Six-Fingered Black Knight walked out from behind the counter, holding the Mo Mei, which represented the identity of the leader of the Mo family, in one hand and a small wine jar in the other.

"I heard from Xiao Zhi and Pao Ding that you had visited, so I came here to sit for a while. I never expected to actually see you. Shall we have a drink?"

Cao Ze smiled and said, "That is my wish, but I dare not ask."

The two knelt and drank wine.

"May I ask, leader of the martial arts school, what brings the Mohists to Xianyang?"

Cao Ze put down his wine glass.

The Mohist school, more accurately represented by the Chu Mohists, was active primarily in the states of Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei, except for the state of Chu. They rarely entered the state of Qi, where the Qi Mohists were located, or the state of Qin, where the Qin Mohists were located.

In his view, the leader of the Mohist school must have had some ulterior motive for going to Xianyang.

Of course, that's not important. What's important is that letting go of such a master with such profound knowledge so easily would truly go against the natural order.

The Six-Fingered Black Knight said, "The Mo family's visit to Xianyang this time is nothing major."

Cao Ze just smiled. He didn't believe that Six-Fingered Black Knight had come all this way to wait for him so early in the morning just to have a drink and catch up.

Sure enough, the Six-Fingered Black Knight continued, "I'm not afraid to tell you, sir, that the old leader of the Mohist school died at the hands of Donghuang Taiyi. Even though the Mohists joined forces, they were unable to avenge him. This truly makes the Mohist school feel resentful."

"Therefore, I have personally risked coming to Xianyang City. You should know why."

Cao Ze said, "There is a saying in Confucianism: 'Even a feud spanning ten generations can be avenged.'"

"The old master is not only Xiao Ke's teacher, but also has a friendship with me. Although I am friends with Dong Jun of the Yin Yang School, I will not sit idly by because of this."

"If there is anything the Grand Master needs from me, please feel free to speak."

The Mohists' plan to kill Donghuang Taiyi, who had reached the Grandmaster level of cultivation, within Xianyang City was, in his view, virtually impossible.

But that doesn't stop him from helping the Mohists and using them to test the depths of Donghuang Taiyi, this big-time coat hanger.

If we could take advantage of the situation and eliminate Donghuang Taiyi, that would be even better.

The Six-Fingered Black Knight exclaimed, "Sir, you truly possess chivalry!"

Initially, Han Shen and Qin Wuyang were not optimistic about him asking Cao Ze for help.

He can understand their thoughts.

After all, it was no secret in the martial arts world that Cao Ze and Dongjun Yanfei of the Yin Yang School were close.

"It's good to have your words, sir."

"However, there are not many Mohists entering Qin at the moment, so we will put this matter aside for now."

"Sir, are you here to see Wuming? He's waiting for you upstairs. I'll take my leave now."

Cao Ze's expression turned serious.