Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

He subconsciously gripped the white sword in his hand. The reforged Black and White Xuanjian looked exactly the same as before, but the feeling in his hand was completely different. The white sword seemed to have a life of its own. Whenever his fingertips touched the blade, a warm aura would spread from his fingertips to his whole body, dispelling the chill that had lingered in his heart for years.

It was an indescribable warmth, like the warmth of Qianqian leaning on his shoulder when she was still alive; and like that snowy night many years ago when he held his newborn child and felt the little one's weak yet powerful heartbeat.

This warmth gradually awakened him from his cold-blooded killer persona, allowing him to rediscover the meaning of "living."

He was no longer a sword slave in the hands of the Luo Net, no longer a walking corpse living only for revenge, but a flesh-and-blood Xuan Jian who longed to live a good life.

Xu Qing paused for a moment, then said calmly, "There aren't any good swords lately, but perhaps we'll get a few decent ones in a while."

He noticed that Xuan Jian's fingers, gripping the white sword, tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white, but his eyes held a barely perceptible expectation, as if he were waiting for a definite answer.

Xuan Jian's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had grasped a key clue: "Sure enough, those fine swords that Luo Wang collected in Qi State before were all related to you, sir!"

Xu Qing reforged the Black and White Xuanjian for him, and after that, some strange swords appeared in the State of Qi.

Xuan Jian couldn't help but connect the two, which led to speculation in his mind, and now he has received a definite answer.

"Are you testing me?" Xu Qing's expression remained calm.

Xuan Jian quickly shook his head, his tone somewhat urgent: "It wasn't a test, just a casual conversation with you, sir."

He didn't want Xu Qing to misunderstand, after all, he was no longer the assassin who was loyal to Luo Wang.

The warmth brought by Bai Jian made him think of leaving Luo Wang. He remembered that when Luo Wang was in turmoil a few years ago, many assassins took the opportunity to destroy their files and went into hiding, living the lives of ordinary people.

If the Luo Wang (a powerful online organization) falls into chaos again, perhaps he can find an opportunity to completely shed his identity as a "sword slave" and pursue the ordinary life he and Qianqian promised to live years ago.

Xu Qing didn't ask any more questions; he could guess Xuan Jian's thoughts to some extent.

In the days that followed, Xuan Jian’s transformation became increasingly apparent. Whenever Xu Qing needed to use the power of the Luo Net to deliver messages or send newly forged swords into the Luo Net, Xuan Jian no longer stood idly by as before. Instead, he would take the initiative to help: he would smooth things over with the Luo Net’s internal relationships in advance to ensure that the swords could be delivered to the designated person smoothly; he would add his own annotations to the messages that Xu Qing delivered to make the headquarters pay more attention.

Xu Qing saw all of this, but never said anything. Some tacit understandings were better kept in the heart than spoken.

Aside from his interactions with Xuan Jian, Xu Qing's life was quite leisurely.

When he had nothing else to do, he would train Shao Siming and Hei Bai, making them completely transform from their statuses into his maids.

Naturally, during this process, Xiao Hei, as the older sister, also took the initiative to help Xu Qing relieve her internal heat.

Occasionally, Xu Qing would leave the Prime Minister's residence and go to An Qisheng's place.

As fellow alchemists from Langya, An Qisheng was more pragmatic than Xu Fu. Faced with the urging of King Qi and Hou Sheng, he held nothing back and devoted himself to refining elixirs.

Although his elixirs did not have the "immortality" that Xu Fu boasted about, they were still quite remarkable, able to rejuvenate people and dispel illness. After all, he had sold medicine along the coast of the East China Sea in his early years and was renowned for his excellent medical skills.

For this reason, An Qisheng became a guest of honor of the King of Qi, and every time he entered the palace, he would receive generous rewards.

Through An Qisheng's introduction, Xu Qing also made contact with the alchemists of the State of Qi.

To make these friends, he would often send them swords. Although these swords were not divine weapons, they were sharp and durable, and were well-liked by the sorcerers.

By signing sword contracts with the sorcerers, Xu Qing also completed a job change and mastered many of their abilities.

He could understand the changes in celestial phenomena, refine simple elixirs, and even recite a few incantations to exorcise evil spirits, thus becoming a genuine Taoist priest.

Of course, Xu Qing did not forget Xu Fu either.

Every few days, he would change into a black robe and wear a ferocious bronze mask on his face, and quietly come to the "breeding farm" where Xu Fu was located.

It was a dark and damp stone chamber, with moldy straw piled in the corner and a rotten smell permeating the air.

Every time Xu Fu saw him, he would tremble with fear, his knees would slam heavily on the ground, his head would be bowed low, and he wouldn't even dare to breathe loudly, yet he would still rack his brains to reveal the "secret".

From the layout of the altars of the Yin-Yang School to the dietary habits of Donghuang Taiyi, they even fabricated a story about Donghuang Taiyi farming in the countryside in his early years, telling it in a very convincing way.

"Sir, when Donghuang Taiyi was in the countryside of Chu, he even stole a chicken from his neighbor's house!" Xu Fu's voice trembled slightly, yet he tried his best to make it sound convincing. He would even raise his head and look at Xu Qing with a fearful yet expectant gaze, hoping to see a hint of satisfaction in the other's eyes. "I heard that the chicken belonged to the neighbor and was used for laying eggs. After he stole it, he even put a stone in the henhouse to pretend it was an egg..."

He knew that his value lay in these "secrets," and if he could no longer reveal them one day, a cold death awaited him.

Xu Qing stood quietly in the center of the stone chamber, listening to the absurd stories fabricated by Xu Fu, a faint smile playing on his lips.

He knew, of course, that these stories were fake, but even so, he didn't point it out.

After all, Xu Fu's stories were quite elaborate, with even the details vividly portrayed. Listening to these absurd tales became an interesting pastime.

That's pretty much how things are in Qi; everything is under Xu Qing's control.

It's unclear whether the Yin-Yang School is short-handed. Ever since Shao Siming joined him, and the Qi Kingdom fell to the enemy, no more members of the Yin-Yang School have come here, as if they have completely forgotten this land.

However, the Qin state, where the Yin-Yang School was located, was currently embroiled in turmoil.

After arriving in the Qin state, Han Fei did not remain idle.

Since he conceived the idea of ​​"preserving South Korea," he acted swiftly, wanting to give South Korea a chance to survive, which was on the verge of extinction.

He wore a loose blue robe and wandered through the streets and alleys, learning about the customs and culture of the Qin state.

In addition, he frequently visited officials' residences and engaged in lively discussions with those officials who came from Legalist backgrounds.

From discussing "the law should not favor the noble" to "using punishment to eliminate punishment," his words were sharp and his insights unique. He quickly gained a foothold among the Qin officials, and many people praised this talented man from the state of Han.

In front of Ying Zheng, Han Fei spoke eloquently.

He stood tall and straight as a pine tree in the main hall of Xianyang Palace, his gaze fixed firmly on Ying Zheng on the throne: "Your Majesty, Han is weak and easily conquered by Qin. When to take it is entirely up to Your Majesty. Now, Zhao is strong and its army is brave and skilled in battle; Chu is wealthy and rich in resources. If Qin attacks Zhao and Chu first, Han is willing to provide Qin with provisions and troops to help Qin unify the world!"

Ying Zheng sat on the throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes.

He had always valued Han Fei's talent, and now that he saw Han Fei offering advice to the Qin state, he took it as a sign that Han Fei was willing to serve him, and his goodwill towards Han Fei increased even more.

However, just as Ying Zheng was about to nod in agreement, Li Si suddenly stepped forward.

He was dressed in a black official robe, the hem of which fluttered gently in the breeze of the hall. His expression was solemn as he spoke: "Your Majesty, Han Fei, as a member of the royal family of Han, ultimately favors Han! His actions may seem to be for the sake of Qin, but in reality, they are to preserve Han. Although Han is weak, it harbors malicious intentions. In the past, it intended to use a strategy to weaken Qin. Keeping Han alive will not benefit Qin; on the contrary, it will become a future threat!"

Li Si's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

The officials inside the hall all turned their heads, and whispers rose and fell.

No one expected that Li Si would suddenly stand up and refute Han Fei's proposal at this moment.

But upon closer reflection, it's quite normal.

Li Si and Han Fei were from the same school. In their early years, when they were students of Xunzi, the two were close friends who could talk about anything, discussing knowledge and looking forward to the future together.

Now, Li Si has worked hard in the Qin state for many years and finally gained Ying Zheng's appreciation. Just when he was about to rise to prominence, Han Fei intervened and stole his limelight with his outstanding talent, which filled Li Si with resentment and jealousy.

Previously, he had privately approached Han Fei, hoping that Han Fei could give up the idea of ​​"preserving Han" and assist Ying Zheng with him. If Han Fei agreed, it would be a wonderful story for fellow disciples to work together. However, Han Fei was stubborn and the two parted on bad terms.

Since we can't be friends, we can only be enemies.

Besides Li Si, Lord Changping also set his sights on Han Fei.

Lord Changping is a prince of the State of Chu who grew up in the State of Qin. He is deeply trusted by Ying Zheng and now serves as the Right Chancellor, wielding immense power in the court.

He had originally intended to win over Han Fei, given Han Fei's undeniable talent; bringing him under his wing would greatly benefit his future plans. However, when he learned that Han Fei had actually instigated Qin to attack Chu, his anger was instantly ignited.

For Lord Changping, all other states could be destroyed, but not the state of Chu.

His long-cherished wish was for the Qin and Chu states to become friends forever.

However, Han Fei's proposal directly pushed the State of Chu into the flames of war, which undoubtedly ruined his plans.

"We absolutely cannot let him succeed!" Lord Changping made a silent vow in his heart; he had to take action to destroy Han Fei.

So, how do we destroy Han Fei?

After a moment of contemplation, Lord Changping quickly thought of Li Si, who also harbored resentment towards Han Fei.

That evening, he quietly arrived at Li Si's residence.

When Li Si learned that Lord Changping had come to visit, he naturally dared not neglect him and quickly welcomed him into the room for a chat.

After the meeting, the first thing Lord Changping said to Li Si was, "Li Si, do you find Han Fei a bit of an eyesore?"

Upon hearing this, Li Si's heart immediately tightened, and he quickly bowed, asking Lord Changping, "Why do you say this, Your Majesty? Han Fei is my fellow disciple; how could I possibly find him an eyesore?"

Since he was unsure of Changping-kun's thoughts, he naturally dared not answer the question directly.

Even though he refuted Han Fei in court during the day.

However, Lord Changping's status was extraordinary. As a relative of the Chu state, he was an important minister of Qin during the reign of Lü Buwei. After Lü Buwei's downfall, he became the Right Chancellor of Qin, holding a high position and great power.

Lord Changping's arrival late at night may well be acting on the king's orders.

Perhaps the king was dissatisfied with what he had said during the day, so he sent Lord Changping to reprimand him.

Seeing Li Si's cautious demeanor, Lord Changping understood and did not hide anything. He spoke in a deep voice: "You spoke very well in court during the day. Han Fei is concerned about the state of Han and wants to protect it. Such a person with treacherous intentions is really not suitable to stay in the court of my Qin state, lest Your Majesty be misled by him and make wrong decisions."

Li Si was a clever man, and his greatest skill was figuring out the emperor's intentions.

He once accurately grasped Lü Buwei's thoughts and became Lü Buwei's retainer, thus entering the Qin officialdom. After Lü Buwei's downfall, he took advantage of the King of Qin's expulsion of guests to write "Memorial on Expelling Guests". With his sharp words and unique insights, he was successfully valued by Ying Zheng and became a guest minister.

Now that Lord Changping has said such things, he has revealed his dislike for Han Fei.

Li Si immediately realized that his opportunity had arrived.

Chapter 187 The Death of Han Fei is Just the Beginning

Li Si was deeply moved.

Undoubtedly, this is another crucial decision. If he makes the right choice, he might gain Changping Jun's support.

But here's the problem: Changping-kun's words might have been a test.

He deliberately pretended to dislike Han Fei in order to test his true intentions.

Thinking of this, Li Si's turbulent heart gradually calmed down.

After a long silence, a sharp glint appeared in Li Si's eyes; he had finally decided to take the gamble.

Just as he had risked his life to appear before Lü Buwei years ago, begging for a chance, now, if he could get close to Lord Changping, the Right Chancellor, he could rise rapidly in the court.

After mentally refining his words, Li Si said to Lord Changping, “Your Majesty is wise! Although Han Fei is talented, he always has his heart set on the state of Han. His presence in the Qin court is ultimately a hidden danger. If we can remove this thorn, we may be able to maintain the stability of Qin.”

Although Li Si wanted to attach himself to Lord Changping, he did not say it outright. Instead, he claimed that it was for the sake of maintaining the stability of the Qin state.

Upon hearing these words, Lord Changping, being a clever man himself, immediately smiled with satisfaction. He said to Li Si, "You are a clever man; you should know what to do."

"Li Si understands." Li Si bowed in response, a glint of shrewdness flashing across his eyes.

He had long disliked Han Fei. As fellow disciples of Xunzi, Han Fei had gained the favor of the King of Qin with his articles, even surpassing him, a "senior" who had entered Qin earlier. Now, with the help of the Right Chancellor, Lord Changping, it would be an easy task to bring down Han Fei.

After seeing Changping Jun off, Li Si remained alone in his study, the candlelight casting a long shadow of him on the shelves full of bamboo slips.

He took out a blank wooden scroll from the hidden compartment, but when he picked up the pen, his wrist paused.

The so-called "Han Fei's conspiracy" was fabricated out of thin air, but as long as it was made to be convincing enough and touched on the King of Qin's taboos, the false could become the true.