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

"I don't care, I just don't want you to leave my side."

When Zhao Ji threw a tantrum, no amount of coaxing from Cao Ze could change her mind.

"...I won't listen! I won't listen! You can't leave!"

Zhao Ji shook her head and flailed her hair in a frenzy.

Ying Zheng's mother is really hard to please... Cao Ze thought to himself.

It's only because Zhao Ji was beautiful, had a great figure, and exuded the mature charm of a beautiful woman that he couldn't tolerate her temperament.

Cao Ze saw that Zhao Ji still wanted to cause trouble.

Since he couldn't persuade her, he decided to seduce Zhao Ji.

He was a man of action.

He held Zhao Ji down with one hand and undressed her with the other.

With a flick of his waist, he first slapped Zhao Ji's beautiful face to quiet her down.

Then, seizing the opportunity, he swiftly and decisively shut down Zhao Ji's incessant chatter.

One hour, two hours, three hours...

Cao Ze methodically persuaded Zhao Ji.

Whenever Zhao Ji got carried away and wanted to cause trouble, Cao Ze would swing his stick to make her calm down and think about whether she could take a breath more today.

Zhao Ji ultimately succumbed to Cao Ze's persuasion.

She was resentful and bitter.

"...This is infuriating!"

Zhao Ji took a breath and ultimately succumbed to Cao Ze's power.

Cao Ze chuckled and asked, "Was the Empress Dowager satisfied with her day?"

Zhao Ji lamented, "Without you in the future, how can I live?"

Just as the two were chatting about the future, a palace maid hurried in from outside the door.

"Your Majesty, Lord Zhao delivered a letter at the palace gate, saying that the King wishes to visit you."

Zhao Ji was startled and asked in a hoarse voice, "How much longer until the King arrives?"

This palace maid was personally trained by Zhao Ji and knew many secrets.

"His Majesty has arrived not far from the palace..."

The palace maids outside the door were already covered in sweat.

If the Empress Dowager and Mr. Cao Ze's affair is exposed, the fate of these palace servants is uncertain.

Once the king is enraged, they will most likely want to die.

Even if the king doesn't fly into a rage, they will still face certain death in order to protect his mother's reputation.

Zhao Ji was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

I never expected to be cornered in the palace by Zheng'er this time...

"Sir, please think of something quickly!"

Cao Ze looked at Zhao Ji speechlessly. Women really are creatures who live by their feelings.

Why not stay calm at this moment? Are you afraid of not being exposed quickly enough?

"Your Majesty, please do not worry, I am here."

Cao Ze comforted Zhao Ji, got up and dressed, and said to Zhao Ji, "The Empress Dowager is currently unable to see the King. It would be better to refuse to see him on the grounds that she is tired and weary."

"I am a newcomer, and I was also turned away by the Empress Dowager."

Cao Ze finished his brief explanation in a few words, coaxed Zhao Ji a couple more times, and then used the incense burner to fumigate himself before leaving the house.

The palace maid was quite pretty, with a delicate and refined air about her.

But Cao Ze wasn't in the mood to look at the pretty girl at the moment. He quickly gave instructions to the palace maid and signaled her to lead the way.

The palace maid answered tremblingly.

Cao Ze frowned when he saw the palace maid trembling so badly.

Ying Zheng was not so easily fooled. Even if Ying Zheng hadn't thought that his mother would have an affair with him, given the appearance of the palace maid, it was impossible for Ying Zheng, with his suspicious nature, not to wonder what had happened.

Cao Ze placed a palm on the palace maid's back, using his internal energy to help her relax.

He whispered the "Qingjing Jing" (a classic text on tranquility and purity) in the maid's ear to calm her down and put her at ease.

All of this was done very quickly, in just a few breaths.

A moment later, Cao Ze arrived at the main hall, led by a palace maid.

At this moment, Ying Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, admiring the decorations in the hall.

Zhao Gao, standing behind Ying Zheng, sensed Cao Ze's arrival and couldn't help but feel a chill.

Originally, he was tasked with informing Zhao Ji and Cao Ze.

But he didn't expect that when he was strolling with Ying Zheng in the Zhangtai Palace Garden, Ying Zheng would suddenly want to see the Empress Dowager and even asked him to follow along.

It wasn't until he entered Ganquan Palace that he had the opportunity to send a message to the sword slave via telepathy.

But it's clear that time is running out.

Unless Cao Ze and the Empress Dowager haven't done anything yet...

Cao Ze walked up behind Ying Zheng, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty."

Ying Zheng paused for a moment, then turned around and looked at Cao Ze in surprise.

"Why is the Imperial Censor here with the Empress Dowager?"

"Of course, it was your mother who sent me here for my daily activities..." Cao Ze said with a straight face, "Has Your Majesty forgotten? I was previously a scholar in the Empress Dowager's palace. After succeeding as the Imperial Censor, I never had the chance to resign to the Empress Dowager."

"Now that I will be leaving soon, I have come to Ganquan Palace to resign and hand over my duties, so as not to cause the Empress Dowager any worry."

Cao Ze glanced at the palace maid and continued, "I just didn't expect that the Empress Dowager was feeling unwell and tired today and wouldn't see anyone, so I was led out by this female official."

Ying Zheng was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and couldn't help but look at the palace maid, whom he knew was the one who served his mother closely.

Is Mother ill?

Following Cao Ze's instructions, the palace maid whispered, "The Empress Dowager is not ill; she is simply too tired from bathing in the hot springs for so long."

Ying Zheng didn't think much of it; he sometimes felt sleepy after bathing for a long time.

"The weather is not cooperating. Well then, let Mother rest well."

Cao Ze felt a little relieved; it seemed that taking a bath with Zhao Ji beforehand was indeed the right thing to do.

He was thinking of taking his leave and staying away from trouble.

Unexpectedly, Ying Zheng said to him, "Now that I have met you, sir, I have a couple of things I would like you to pay attention to."

Cao Ze composed himself and said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

Ying Zheng pondered for a moment and said, "Although the Three Jin Iron Blood Alliance is not worth mentioning, I have just received a secret report from a spies in Zhao."

"The Three Jin states decided on the Iron Blood Alliance a month ago. One of the purposes of rebuilding the Iron Blood Alliance is to rival the Net."

"Furthermore, I have received intelligence that there are quite a few Grandmaster-level experts in the Three Jin Iron Blood Alliance."

"I am worried that the Three Jin states might send their masters to assassinate Meng Tian while my army is attacking Nanyang. Therefore, I hope you will pay close attention and protect Meng Tian to prevent him from being assassinated by the Three Jin states."

He valued Meng Tian highly, especially after returning from Korea. The more he learned about the young man, the more he liked him.

It wasn't because of Meng Tian's talent, nor because of his grandfather, but rather because of Meng Tian's loyalty to the emperor and his country, which he practiced diligently.

In this respect, he felt that Cao Ze was inferior to Meng Tian.

Even though he relied heavily on Cao Ze, especially now that he was carrying out intensive reforms to the court structure, changing it from a system dominated by the prime minister to one dominated by the Three Departments and Six Ministries.

Unfortunately, these are not things that can be accomplished overnight. The personnel changes involved, the abolition and addition of departments, even with the detailed plan provided by Cao Ze, still require years to complete.

Cao Ze thought it was something serious and readily agreed.

He didn't want to stay in the palace with Ying Zheng any longer.

After all, it felt too strange to be together with Ying Zheng's mother after just handing over the reins.

When Cao Ze left Ganquan Palace and arrived at his residence, it was already past noon.

Just as he was about to go into the mansion to arrange things with the women and brew some mulberry and goji berry tea to replenish his energy, he inadvertently saw Tian Mi walking towards him from not far away.

Cao Ze was greatly surprised to see Tian Mi looking tired and travel-worn.

What's going on here?

If he remembered correctly, Tian Mi should be in Jingyang with the disciples of the Farmer's School. What was she doing back in Xianyang?

What's wrong with you?

When Tian Mi heard Cao Ze's words, she almost burst into tears.

"Sir, Honey is suffering too much..."

Tian Mi threw herself into Cao Ze's arms, sobbing as she accused him.

"You don't know, the place where the canal was built is not a place for humans to live."

"But the leader insisted that his disciples go down to do the work, regardless of gender, no one was exempt."

"If it weren't for Mi'er having a teacher, I'm afraid the chieftain wouldn't have allowed Mi'er to return to Xianyang..."

"Waaah... This time, Mi'er won't leave. Can she stay at the Master's residence?"

Tian Mi looked at Cao Ze with teary eyes, her sorrowful appearance truly pitiful.

So it was because she was working on a construction site… Cao Ze gave Tian Mi a look of utter contempt.

He was certain that Tian Mi did go to the construction site, but she absolutely did not do any work.

Just like the fair-skinned and beautiful fairies who take photos at construction sites in later generations.

Once you've been there, the hardship is over. Later, you can boast to others that you've endured a lot of hardship, creating a persona of a hardworking, independent, and beautiful woman.