Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 163

However, Lu Wei did not immediately go to Jun Jin Xuan on the third day to complete the process of "King Wen inviting Taigong three times". Instead, he patiently waited for the disciple sent by A Ye to investigate Chen Ping's hometown to return.

During this time, he also took a day trip to the new headquarters farm town, whose official name is Chungu Town.

Lu Qing, A Yu, and Li Shang discussed the future planning of the town. There were many points to discuss, and it was estimated that Uncle Qing would not be able to return to Dazeshan in the short term.

When the disciples who had gone out to investigate returned in Daliang City, Chen Ping's identity was immediately clear: he was indeed a disciple of the Taoist Human Sect!

Including Xiao He, this is killing two birds with one stone!

Having roughly planned out the scene of their upcoming meeting, Lu Wei took the initiative to suggest taking Xue Nu to visit the Daliang Night Market. Upon hearing this, Xue Nu's eyes lit up, and the joy between her brows was so great that it was as if a little sparrow was about to fly out.

The two took a shower together first, and it took them a little longer than expected before they went out hand in hand.

The Master is rarely affectionate in his daily life, but tonight, while fulfilling his plan to meet Chen Ping, it wouldn't be a big deal to take Ah Xue out for some fun.

The snow woman greedily savored every moment of the moonrise...

Chen Ping had been keeping Jin Xuan open late every day for the past few days, knowing that his important guest would definitely come to meet him in person.

The reason I didn't come here immediately was partly because I needed to investigate my true background, and partly because I was probably deliberately delaying to make myself anxious.

This is a very common method, but it is indeed effective.

Even though he was Chen Ping and knew in advance what tactics the other side was using, he was still anxious.

The Taoist sect disciples have a very good status, and Jin Xuan is thriving. Among his friends, besides his senior brother Xiao He, there are also some wandering knights who are all very capable.

But these were nothing compared to Lu Wei, the head of the Gonggong Hall of the Farmers.

This is not because of their status. Although the leader of the gang has a high status in the martial arts world, in this world where the rules of power and wealth prevail, Lu Wei and Chen Ping are both lowly people in front of true nobles.

The real reason Chen Ping was nervous was that his ideal might be realized in a rural family twenty years ahead of schedule!

Lu Wei always valued trusted confidants when it came to employing people, and the only conditions for becoming a trusted confidant of Lu Wei were ability and loyalty.

As long as these two conditions can be met, the Hall Master is truly a generous person who will relinquish power, something Chen Ping greatly admires.

Gonggongtang could meet all the needs he had in his intelligence work, which he enjoyed playing around with, without being hindered by his seniority or background.

Gonggong Hall was a ready-made platform, a platform where he could give full play to his talents. In this respect, he differed from his senior brother Xiao He, who still had ideals, while he was more patient in waiting for the situation to change.

For Chen Ping, in his early twenties, an opportunity to pursue his passion was already before him...

Chapter 182 Loose Alliance

Compared to the Yunmeng Market in Shouchun and the East Market in Sanghai, the night market in Daliang has more merchants and a wider variety of goods.

However, most of the items are small trinkets; expensive items are not openly displayed in the bustling city, and most casual passersby cannot afford them.

Junjinxuan is located on a commercial street that specializes in women's clothing and accessories. Many of the people walking here are couples like Lu Wei and Xue Nu, as well as groups of beautifully dressed sisters walking hand in hand.

Overall, this place remains a playground for moderately wealthy families with certain barriers to entry; rough-looking men and women dressed in burlap clothes are not seen here.

Although there were many young and beautiful women on the entire commercial street, the appearance of the Snow Woman still stood out like a crane among chickens, attracting much attention.

Fortunately, only a minority of people are so arrogant and domineering that they can brazenly abduct women in the streets and markets. No such incident happened to the head of the hall.

Snow Woman has always had high standards for both clothing and accessories. The vulgar items displayed on both sides of the street are not worthy of her attention. However, because Lu Wei is with her, she can occasionally stop and look at the shops with an appreciative gaze, and then give professional comments on the items inside, but she does not buy any of them.

After wandering around for a while, the two finally arrived at Junjinxuan.

Chen Ping sat sideways in the shopkeeper's seat, propping his head up with one hand as he intently read a scroll, while customers in the shop freely browsed and examined the jewelry.

When Lu Wei and Xue Nu walked in, there were two wealthy young women in the store, who were picking out jewelry while secretly commenting on the handsome owner.

Chen Ping was a Taoist disciple, and his years of Taoist practice gave him a transcendent air. Even without meticulous grooming, his handsome figure was enough to attract the attention of young women.

Compared to his slightly shorter and plumper senior brother Xiao He, Chen Ping was exceptionally handsome. Upon first seeing him, Lu Wei immediately thought of Zhang Liang.

While Chen Ping's mind was mostly on the bamboo slips in his hands, he would also constantly glance at everything in the shop, intending to prevent any unscrupulous people from stealing things and running away when he wasn't paying attention.

Although he didn't care much about the jewelry business at the front desk, it was still all real money. To do good intelligence work, he had to make every penny count. Intelligence investment was a bottomless pit, and while Chen Ping, who was not wealthy, did not steal or rob, he would never allow his legitimate property to be lost.

Upon seeing a man with striking features and a beautiful white-haired companion enter the shop, Chen Ping's spirits lifted. He decisively put down his book and sat up straight.

Information about Xue Ji, a dancer from the Fei Xue Pavilion in the Yan Kingdom, belonging to the Gonggong Hall, is not difficult to find. Xue Ji's most distinctive feature is her hair, which is as white as snow falling in the Yan region during winter.

Admittedly, there are many people in the world with white hair, though few, but there is more than one. However, given the groundwork laid by Chen Yu and A Ye's previous visit, Chen Ping knew that after Lu Wei, the head of Gonggong Hall, came to Daliang, the white-haired woman who appeared at this opportune moment was most likely Xue Ji, who was famous for her dance in Yan and Zhao.

The only person in Gonggong Hall who can be intimate with Xue Ji is the Hall Master!

Xue Nu clearly knew that after Lu Wei arrived in Daliang, he was investigating a Taoist disciple named Chen Ping.

While strolling through the night market tonight, she was suddenly led into Junjinxuan. She immediately understood that her leisure time had temporarily come to an end, so she cleverly lagged behind Hall Master Lu by one step and hid half of her body behind him.

The other two wealthy young women, who hadn't left yet, also saw Lu Wei and Xue Nu enter. Even though they were both women, their first impression of Xue Nu was one of amazement. Then, they quickly glanced at Chen Ping and noticed that he seemed more interested in his male companion...

Seemingly recalling some aspect of the customs of the Great Liang Dynasty, the two women put the ornaments they had picked up back in their original positions and left with slightly flushed faces.

Now that no one else was bothering them, out of caution and for other reasons, when the Hall Master, leading the Snow Maiden behind him, arrived before Chen Ping, he activated 'Hidden in the City':

"Brother Chen Ping, you must know why I've come."

The hidden-in-the-city effect made the entire Junjinxuan easily overlooked by ordinary people for a time.

This might cause Chen Ping to sell a few fewer items tonight, but he certainly won't care.

Lu Wei could, of course, start the conversation by casually picking up an ornament and using it as a metaphor to subtly engage in a verbal exchange with Chen Ping, exchanging information in the manner of riddles commonly used in the martial arts world.

But that's how people of equal status interact with each other out of mutual respect. For Chen Ping, getting straight to the point is the best way to talk.

"With such hospitality from Hall Master Lu, it seems impossible for me to disappoint you."

Chen Ping recognized the Taoist Heavenly Sect techniques Lu Wei was using, but he ignored them for the time being. What he needed to focus on right now was responding to Hall Master Lu's purpose.

“However, I am, after all, a disciple of Taoism.” Chen Ping stepped out from behind the counter and bowed respectfully to Lu Wei, saying, “I am deeply afraid that I cannot comply with the request to change my allegiance.”

Chen Ping stated frankly that he would not change his allegiance, but he did not say that he could not serve the farmers. The head of the hall understood the meaning behind Chen Ping's words.

He wanted to retain some autonomy, but how could Chen Ping believe he could be autonomous in the face of the powerful Gonggong Hall?

Lu Wei was waiting for him to say what he was about to say...

------

Gao Jianli and Kuang Xiu left the Mo Family's Mechanical City side by side.

Master Ban did not use the Vermilion Bird Mechanism to escort them, so if they wanted to go to Chu, they had to find their own way.

Most of the commanders in the city of the Mechanized City had no objection to the two men's trip to Chu. The main reason for not using the Mechanized Vermilion Bird was that the Mohist school was currently in a precarious situation, and keeping a low profile was the way to survive.

The location of the Mechanized City must not be exposed. The Vermilion Bird is conspicuous, and currently only the Mo family possesses large manned mechanical beasts capable of flight. Once it takes flight, it is inevitable that someone with ulterior motives will investigate its whereabouts.

However, what the Mohist disciples never expected was that the location of the Mechanized City had already been revealed...

Yan Fei stood on a high cliff, gazing at the layered rocks shrouded in clouds and mist. Behind her stood a woman dressed in fiery red: Da Siming.

The two waited until the clouds in the sky obscured the sun before another slender woman finally arrived.

"Without a Grand Master in the city, the situation is chaotic. My identity is sensitive, so it is not convenient for me to stay out for long."

The visitor was Yan Yun. As the wife of the current Grand Master, her position in the Mechanized City was awkward: everyone knew that although the current Grand Master was not dead, it was only a matter of time before he died.

In response, Yan Yun chose to join the Yin-Yang School, become a disciple, and serve as an infiltrator within the Mohist School.

She and Yan Fei had always had a good relationship in Ji City. Yan Fei helped her complete her revenge and gave her Yan Yi as a practice subject, which enabled Yan Yun to learn the Yin-Yang Technique of Cleansing Hatred.

Her gratitude surpassed even her marital affection for Yan Dan.

With such an anchor point, it would be easy for the Yin-Yang School to launch a surprise attack on the Mohist School.

“I know that.” Yan Fei was very lenient towards her ally who was on her side against Yan Dan: “You are often away from home, which is a sensitive issue for you. Therefore, she will teach you a Yin-Yang technique next.”

Lord Dongjun raised his hand and pointed at Da Siming, whose arrogant personality became extremely respectful in front of her: even without the status of a protector, Yanfei's Yin-Yang skills, ranking among the top three in the Yin-Yang School, were enough to earn her respect.

“Given your talent, you will learn very slowly. I have prepared an auxiliary pill for you, but even so, you will need to stay outside for a month to master this Yin-Yang technique.”

"I'll go into the city of the Inner City in your place for this month."

Yan Fei approached Yan Yun, took a strand of her hair from her head, and then formed a hand seal, using the Yin-Yang Transformation Technique to transform herself into Yan Yun's appearance.

She spent a long time with Yan Yun when she was in Jicheng, and could perfectly portray the character without revealing any flaws when Yan Dan was not around.

"Yes, I understand. Please give me your guidance, senior."

Yan Yun nodded slowly, accepted the pill from Yan Fei without objection, and then took the initiative to greet the Grand Master of Fate.

"I will do my duty," the High Priest replied solemnly.

The situation for the Mohists is becoming increasingly precarious...

At the Yin-Yang School headquarters, after learning that Dongjun had left with Da Siming, Yue Shen remained silent.

Instead of taking the opportunity to visit her beloved Qian'er at the farmhouse, she devoted herself entirely to managing and nurturing the Five Spirits Mysterious Harmony disciples within the Yin-Yang School.

Suppress your emotional needs now, focus on your career, and you will be able to achieve your goals and take charge of the Yin-Yang School in the future!

As the Right Protector of the Yin-Yang School, the Moon Goddess understood perfectly that she had to consider the long term and could not be preoccupied with romantic love all day long.

These Five Spirits Mystic Masters possess talent surpassing that of ordinary disciples, but they are far from reaching the level of becoming elders of the Five Sects.

The Moon Goddess looked down from the pavilion at the disciples practicing Yin-Yang arts in pairs, a hint of disappointment in her pupils beneath her veil.

How can these disciples become a reliable force for me and Qian'er in the future...?

'Superior talent in cultivating Yin-Yang techniques is extremely rare; I need to go and consult with a Taoist.'

With a flick of his sleeve and a turn of his back, the Right Protector made a decision in his mind.

It's always much easier to recruit people from among Taoist disciples into the Yin-Yang School than to select them from among ordinary people.

Moreover, compared to the Taoist Human Sect, the disciples of the Taoist Heavenly Sect almost all possess the talent for Yin-Yang techniques. However, Bei Mingzi and Chi Songzi are quite powerful, so the Moon Goddess must be extremely careful in her actions.

After the two extraordinary women left, the left protector Xinghun, who was still developing and growing, was also itching to get his hands dirty.

Besides his hatred for the Qin state, the Luo Wang (a secret police organization), and the Yin Yang School, he still remembers the two cups of tea he wasn't entitled to drink when he was in Handan a few years ago.

Realizing that he was now qualified to drink tea, but not yet qualified to reciprocate by inviting others to drink tea, Xinghun calmed his burning desire and continued to cultivate Yin-Yang techniques.

He had no ability to carry out effective revenge against the Qin state, the Luo Wang, or the Yin Yang School, which he hated; at least as an individual, he was not qualified.

We need some powerful allies, regardless of whether these allies know they've become allies recognized by the Star Soul.

The sun, moon, and stars all harbor their own thoughts, as does the Lord of the Clouds. The Great Master of Fate has been taken away by the Lord of the East, and the Lesser Master of Fate has yet to return. The love and hatred between the Xiang Lord and the Xiang Lady have made them almost forget that they are still elders of the Yin-Yang Clan...

With such a loosely organized group of members, what would His Majesty the Supreme Emperor of the Yin-Yang School think...?