Chapter 142

Chapter 142: The Bet with Yan Lingji, Ying Zheng Confronts Zhao Ji!

Yan Lingji looked up curiously at Li Mo, her misty eyes blinking.

“Why would someone from the Yin-Yang School appear here?”

Members of the Yin-Yang School rarely moved about in the martial world. Even when disciples did appear, they usually acted together with a clear mission in mind, emphasizing speed, precision, and ruthlessness. It was rare for someone like Dongjun to be wandering around Xianyang.

Li Mo had considered this issue long ago. As he teased Yan Lingji’s alluring lips, he replied, “It’s likely for the Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon.”

“She, as Dongjun of the Yin-Yang School, ranks only below Donghuang Taiyi. No one in the School dares to dictate how she carries out her tasks.”

The Yin-Yang School had a very strict hierarchy. The saying “a higher rank crushes you” applied here, but it wasn’t just about rank; the higher the status, the stronger the power. Dongjun’s strength was undeniable, and sometimes even Donghuang Taiyi wouldn’t interfere with her actions. However, this level of freedom had its drawbacks. When Dongjun’s romantic inclinations flared up, she could do anything.

Sect? What’s a sect compared to a lover? Unfortunately, she had poor taste and fell for a scoundrel, ending up duped—a classic case of being sold out yet counting the seller’s money. Seeing this early on, Li Mo felt it was his duty to save this misguided woman—no, she wasn’t even a woman yet, just a girl. The one in his arms, now she was a real woman.

Yan Lingji, playing with a few strands of her hair, teasingly brushed them across Li Mo’s nose. Her charming and seductive face held a playful expression. Whenever Li Mo scrunched his nose, her eyes would gleam with joy, finding it amusing.

“The Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon—isn’t that the thing I helped you find in the Hanguang sword?”

She spoke with pride, completely ignoring the fact that she had damaged the Hanguang sword in the process, turning her mishap into an achievement. Such thick skin!

“That was just one of them. The Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon… Ah-choo!”

Li Mo couldn’t help but sneeze midway. Yan Lingji burst into laughter, finally satisfied enough to tuck her hair behind her ear. She asked coquettishly, “So, there are several more of these things?”

Li Mo rubbed his itchy nose. “Seven in total.”

“What are they?”

Li Mo pondered. “Seven bronze boxes, each containing different items. The one you found is just one of the seven.”

Yan Lingji nodded and pressed on, “Why was it in the sword?”

Li Mo casually replied, “Because the bronze box wasn’t safe.”

Many knew about the Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon. If everyone knew the bronze boxes contained valuable items, keeping them there would be foolish, like letting your neighbor know where you stash your money and expecting it to be safe.

Yan Lingji’s curious voice piped up again, “What’s in the other bronze boxes?”

“The item from Qin is a small pagoda, from Wei is a jade stone, and from Han… it should be a sword.”

Yan Lingji quickly looked up, blinking her eyes. “Another sword? What’s inside the sword?”

Li Mo pursed his lips. “A person.”

“Ugh!”

Yan Lingji rolled her eyes dramatically. “If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t.”

You’ve eaten everything up, and yet you’re still wary of me. Heartless guy!

“Men are all the same!”

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She opened her mouth and bit down hard on Li Mo’s chest.

Li Mo was completely bewildered by her sudden anger. Sucking in a breath, he said, “Why are you biting me? There really is a person inside the sword.”

“Really?”

Yan Lingji didn’t let go, looking up at him with wide eyes, her words muffled.

“There’s a sword spirit inside. Isn’t that basically a person? Let go, let go!”

Biting here doesn’t prove anything. If you’re bold, go a bit lower!

Yan Lingji’s eyes sparkled. That does make sense—it’s indeed a person. Hmm, I misunderstood.

She looked at the teeth marks on Li Mo’s chest, then quickly licked them away with her nimble tongue, as if nothing had happened.

Li Mo felt a pang of desire. This woman really was bewitching. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply until she was breathless.

Yan Lingji went limp in his arms, lazily snuggling against him. Softly, she said, “I noticed she’s quite interested in you. Could it be that she knows you understand the Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon?”

Li Mo savored the lingering sweetness in his mouth and pondered. “Probably. The Yin-Yang School practices astrology. She must have figured out something.”

Otherwise, given Dongjun’s personality, she wouldn’t have allowed the two of them to stay with her for no reason.

A hint of worry flashed in Yan Lingji’s eyes. “Will she be a threat to you?”

Look at that, what a change in attitude. Before, she wouldn’t have cared about Li Mo’s life or death. The more trouble he had, the happier she was. But now, she was genuinely concerned.

Li Mo felt a warmth in his heart as he caressed her charming face. “No.”

“Not only will she not harm us, but she’ll also try to get closer to us.”

Knowing Dongjun’s character, if she had intended to use force, she would have done so at their first meeting. Whether she could defeat him was another matter, but she certainly wouldn’t waste time. Her current approach meant she was after not his possessions, but him as a person.

You want me, and I want you too. Let’s see who wins first!

This Dongjun was at least a master of the Free and Unfettered Realm. If he could bring her into his… team!

If he could bring her into his team, it would greatly strengthen his position!

However, Li Mo was curious about what her astrology had revealed. He himself wasn’t sure if he could unravel the mystery of the Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon. Could it really be that accurate?

“Alright then, I’ll talk to her less from now on.”

Upon hearing that Fei Yan had designs on Li Mo, Yan Lingji immediately developed a resistance towards her.

However, Li Mo advised, “No need for that. You should interact with her more; it might be beneficial for you.”

It was apparent that Fei Yan’s attitude towards Yan Lingji was different. Perhaps it was because she had given Yan Lingji the seven-colored lantern at the Shangyuan Lantern Festival. As a result, Fei Yan was quite friendly towards her. While Fei Yan might have ulterior motives regarding Li Mo, her gaze towards Yan Lingji held a hint of goodwill.

Maybe it was because Yan Lingji naturally had the ability to manipulate fire. Dongjun was often likened to the embodiment of the Golden Crow, which, in mythology, represents the sun. Her martial arts also leaned heavily towards this aspect. Even one of the Yin-Yang School’s most powerful techniques, “Soul of the Wandering Dragon,” manifested as a three-legged Golden Crow. This could indicate a fundamental connection with Yan Lingji.

Moreover, that woman was also a living furnace. Last night, when it was snowing, Li Mo noticed that snowflakes that landed on her hand instantly melted into water without her even using inner strength. Hence, her body temperature was likely quite high. However, he wondered how she compared to Yan Lingji, who was a master of fire. Hopefully… she wouldn’t end up burning him like a hotdog.

If Fei Yan could offer Yan Lingji some guidance, it wouldn’t be difficult for Yan Lingji to enhance her skills. Li Mo had always pondered how to help them improve their abilities. His own cultivation method was effortless, without any structured path, so there was no way for him to teach them.

Hearing Li Mo’s suggestion, Yan Lingji set aside her prejudice against Fei Yan. She crawled onto Li Mo’s lap and lay down, asking, “So, what are we going to do next? Should we seek refuge with a powerful faction or remain as discreet as we were in Han?”

She was asking about Li Mo’s future plans.

Adjusting his position, Li Mo casually replied, “Neither. This time… let’s have others seek refuge with us!”

Yan Lingji furrowed her brows deeply. “Can you not boast… wait, that doesn’t make sense!”

Li Mo grinned, “Want to make a bet? How about it?”

Yan Lingji exhaled slowly, burying her face in his neck. “Hmm, alright. What… what are we betting?”

Li Mo thought for a moment, then a mischievous smile appeared on his lips. He leaned over and whispered a few words into her pink ear.

Yan Lingji seemed to react strongly, abruptly lifting her head. After exclaiming, she glared at him fiercely, grinding her teeth. “And if you lose?”

Li Mo confidently replied, “I won’t lose.”

Yan Lingji blinked and then gently rested her head on him, her eyes sparkling with cunning. She pouted seductively, “That’s not fair. If you lose… you have to help me.”

Li Mo paused, then smiled back. Actually, he could help even if he didn’t lose!

“Alright, but if you lose, no backing out.”

This vixen had thick skin and could lie without batting an eye.

Yan Lingji’s slender, pale fingers patted his shoulder, muttering discontentedly, “Of course. A deal’s a deal, no slacking… ah!”

*

In the dead of night, the Prime Minister’s mansion remained brightly lit. However, there was one place shrouded in darkness: Lu Buwei’s study!

Since the morning court session, he had locked himself in his study.

His sullen face hadn’t relaxed a bit for half the day.

Not only had the plan to assassinate Ying Zheng failed, but they had also lost an expert like Xuanjian!

After Jing Ni, Luo Wang had lost another Ninth Rank member.

Moreover, the most crucial issue was that they had lost Xuanjian’s body!

While Xuanjian’s body itself wasn’t significant, what was inside it was.

The only solace was that Ying Zheng seemed unaware that the assassin had been sent by him.

Ying Zheng hadn’t mentioned anything about the assassination attempt in Han.

Indeed, Luo Network was under his control, but few knew about this.

Even if Ying Zheng suspected something, so what?

As the Prime Minister with immense power, what could a yet-to-be-empowered monarch do to him without evidence?

Rely on “Liu Sha”?

This young emperor seemed a bit too naive!

He needed to understand that whatever terms Ying Zheng could offer to “Liu Sha,” Lu Buwei could also meet!

This was a society driven by interests.

For someone like him, a merchant, there were no permanent enemies, only perpetual interests.

As long as his offer was good enough, “Liu Sha” would surely be tempted!

Moreover, there was no deep-seated hatred between him and “Liu Sha.”

If collaboration could bring mutual benefits, Lu Buwei believed they would be happy to work together!

Understanding this, his heavy mood lightened slightly.

However, in the Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng wasn’t as relaxed as Lu Buwei.

Carrying a heavy heart, Ying Zheng, surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs, entered a deep part of the palace.

The accumulated snow in the palace courtyard had been meticulously cleared away.

This was where the current Empress Dowager resided.

Besides the main hall, several smaller halls surrounded it.

Standing outside the main hall, Ying Zheng scanned the majestic palace with sharp eyes.

No one knew what he was thinking at this moment.

His calm gaze made it impossible to guess his inner thoughts.

With a creak, the heavy palace doors opened.

Zhao Ji’s personal maid stepped out, respectfully bowing and saying, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager requests your presence.”

Regardless of whether Ying Zheng had assumed full power, it was customary to announce oneself before seeing the Empress Dowager and wait for permission.

After all, that woman was not only the Empress Dowager of Qin but also the Emperor’s mother.

Upon hearing the maid’s announcement, Gai Nie, who had been following closely behind Ying Zheng, instinctively stood guard at the door.

Without a summons from the Empress Dowager, no one could enter her bedchamber.

Ying Zheng, without looking aside, strode into the palace.

Inside, the palace was brightly lit.

As soon as he walked in, he felt a warm embrace, starkly contrasting with the cold outside.

A red gauze curtain hung in the middle, dividing the vast hall into two parts.

Behind it was Zhao Ji’s resting area.

The curtain remained motionless, revealing only a vague silhouette.

A large, embroidered phoenix bed occupied nearly half the space.

Two maids stood on either side of the bed, heads lowered.

On the phoenix bed lay a graceful figure.

Ying Zheng’s lips moved slightly.

Raising his hand in salute, he said, “Your son greets Mother.”

“Very well. Bring a seat for His Majesty,” came a lazy and alluring voice from behind the gauze curtain. Despite its gentle tone, it carried a seductive allure.

“No need. This subject has just returned to the palace today to report to Mother. After a few words, I will take my leave,” replied Ying Zheng, casting a calm gaze at the two palace maids bringing a seat. His calm demeanor carried an inherent authority.

The two maids hesitated as they carried the seat, unsure of what to do.

“In that case, you may withdraw,” said Zhao Ji lightly, waving her hand from behind the curtain. Only then did the two maids retreat with the seat.

Ying Zheng’s eyes narrowed slightly. How dare two lowly palace maids disobey his words? Was it because he lacked authority, or did Zhao Ji hold too much sway over them?

“Why did His Majesty suddenly remember to inform this Empress Dowager?” Zhao Ji’s tone hinted at dissatisfaction. She had only learned of Ying Zheng’s departure from the palace when someone came to report it, indicating her displeasure at not being informed beforehand.

“When this subject left, it was still early, and I was afraid of disturbing Mother’s rest, so I did not report it. Now that I have returned, according to etiquette, I must pay my respects to Mother,” explained Ying Zheng.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Ji responded slowly, “Well, it could be considered filial of you. How was your trip? Did you see or hear anything interesting?”

Regardless of whether Ying Zheng’s excuse was true, Zhao Ji couldn’t keep harping on it. Instead, she asked about his experiences.

In Zhao Ji’s view, Ying Zheng was probably feeling bored in the palace, so he decided to go out and clear his mind.

Ying Zheng’s cheeks puffed up, but he remained silent.

Understanding the reason for his silence, Zhao Ji said lightly, “You may all leave.”

The palace maids inside bowed and exited, leaving only Ying Zheng and Zhao Ji in the bedchamber.

Zhao Ji’s voice rang out again. “Can we talk now?”

Ying Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, his determined gaze fixed on the slowly swinging gauze curtain, as if trying to see the person behind it through it.

“Mother, this subject saw Cheng Jiao.”

“What?” Zhao Ji’s surprised voice came from behind the curtain, and the figure lying on the phoenix bed sat up abruptly.

“Cheng Jiao? But isn’t he dead?” Cheng Jiao had been executed for rebellion, a well-known fact throughout the state of Qin.

Ying Zheng remained composed. “Indeed, it was Cheng Jiao. His voice… this subject will never forget it.”

He had come to see Zhao Ji this time to gauge her reaction to the Cheng Jiao incident and determine her role in it.