People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 180, Nongyu: My Soulmate and My Sister Betrayed Me! (Seeking monthly votes and subscriptions!)

Xinzheng, Zilanxuan.

As night deepened, the lively atmosphere of Zilan Pavilion subsided, and many people had already left and gone home.

Xu Qing stood by the window, silently watching the scene outside Zilan Pavilion. The nobles, drunk and disorderly, gathered in twos and threes, and were helped onto carriages by the girls of Zilan Pavilion. They left under the escort of servants and drivers.

Before leaving, these dignitaries did not forget to peek out from behind the curtains to say goodbye to the girls.

"Beauty is nothing but a rosy-cheeked skeleton with white bones and flesh. Once you take off the skin, there are only two hundred and six bones. But once you put on clothes, there are eighteen thousand images." Xu Qing sighed in his heart.

These powerful and wealthy people thought they had met soulmates, but little did they know that beneath the surface of wine and women, these girls' true target was the secret hidden in their hearts.

Just as Xu Qing was feeling sentimental, a figure leaped onto the wall of Zilan Pavilion and headed towards the city gate.

Watching the figure in the black cloak, holding a sword, disappear into the distance, Xu Qing looked up at the night sky, where a storm was brewing.

"Wei Zhuang, the ghost soldiers are robbing our supplies; a storm is brewing."

Xu Qing finished the last of the orchid wine in her cup, then turned and walked out of the room.

The storm in Xinzheng is still far away for him; he still has a raging storm to face tonight. Zi Nu has left the door open for him tonight; he has been waiting for this moment for a long time.

After leaving the front building, Xu Qing followed the path towards the back courtyard of Zilan Pavilion, and after passing through several doorways, she arrived at Zi Nu's courtyard.

Under the dim sky, a faint light shone from Zi Nu's room. The door, which should have been closed, was slightly ajar, casting out a few dim rays of light.

"Cough cough cough."

Xu Qing coughed twice, straightened his clothes, calmed his excited emotions, and quietly walked towards Zi Nu's room.

Only two candles remained flickering in the room, casting a dim light that, combined with the faint fragrance, added to the ambiguous atmosphere.

Zi Nu stood behind the screen, her pretty face filled with nervousness, her charming purple eyes brimming with affection and shyness, her jade hands clutching the hem of her dress.

Although Xu Qing moved very quietly, she was still a near-first-rate martial arts expert and naturally noticed that someone had entered the room.

"Whoo~"

Zi Nu took a deep breath, calming her nervousness as she walked towards the outside of the screen.

Xu Qing looked around and finally saw the figure behind the screen.

The screen, made of fine silk, reflected the graceful figure of Zi Nu. Under Xu Qing's gaze, her long, beautiful legs gradually emerged from behind the screen.

Looking at the purple-clad woman in the dim light, Xu Qing's eyes were filled with amazement.

Zi Nu was still wearing that purple dress, but the black silk top had been removed, leaving only the purple outer skirt.

Her pretty and charming face was adorned with delicate and elegant makeup. The purple butterfly-like patterns at the corners of her eyes had been wiped away, and her narrow, beautiful eyes flickered with a complex mix of nervousness, shyness, and affection.

The deep red that crept onto her cheeks was like melted rouge, giving her an intoxicating appearance.

Her purple hair was coiled at the back of her head, adorned with a pearl hairpin. This hairpin was a treasure that Xu Qing had exchanged with Qianlong Hall after the two of them became engaged; it was a token of their love.

The hem of her outer skirt slipped slightly, revealing her fair and smooth shoulders. Her ample breasts, no longer restrained by the black dress, appeared even more rounded and exaggerated.

Her slender waist swayed slightly, her beautiful legs, encased in black stockings, rested gently against the outer frame of the screen. One of her long, jade-like hands held the screen, while the other seemed nervously at a loss.

Looking at Zi Nu, who was bowing her head shyly and with a hint of nervousness, Xu Qing took a few steps forward and smelled a bit of alcohol as he got closer.

Clearly, Zi Nu drank some alcohol to bolster her courage and suppress her nervousness.

Their relationship had long since reached a point where things were going smoothly, but they hadn't yet broken through to the final stage of their connection.

Today's unexpected turn of events, coupled with her complex view of the relationship between Xu Qing and Nongyu, made Zi Nu sense an unusual and dangerous atmosphere, so she agreed to leave the door open for Xu Qing.

She had a gut feeling that the fate she carried was about to turn, just like the name of Korea. This cold dream had begun, but it could end at any moment, so she didn't want to leave herself with any regrets.

Seeing that Zi Nu was a little nervous, Xu Qing reached out and hugged her, gently stroking her back, her soft hair brushing against his fingers.

"Have you been waiting for me for a long time?" Xu Qing asked.

The best way to relieve tension is to chat, especially in situations like this.

Zi Nu rested her hands on Xu Qing's chest, the tension in her purple eyes fading slightly as she peacefully enjoyed the safety and gentleness Xu Qing brought.

"Not long after, I went to check on Nongyu, intending to bring her some calming incense to relieve her fatigue, but she had already fallen asleep," Zi Nu said softly.

"Yes, she's been very tired lately, having to run back and forth between the Liu residence and Zilan Pavilion." Xu Qing paused, chuckled, and continued.

"I just saw a figure leave Zilan Pavilion. He was cold and aloof, wearing a black cloak, as if he was afraid of being recognized. He didn't look like a good person."

"Pfft~"

Zi Nu chuckled softly, her beautiful eyes full of laughter. She knew Xu Qing was referring to Wei Zhuang.

"Why are you so vengeful? It's just that he bothered you once before." Zi Nu looked at Xu Qing with a smile. She found Xu Qing's petty nature amusing. He held onto such a small matter for so long.

Seeing the tension between Zi Nu's brows disappear, Xu Qing smiled slightly, his bright eyes full of affection.

"If it weren't for this guy, I would have tasted your rouge the day Nongyu and Madam Hu recognized each other," Xu Qing said, feigning displeasure.
"Besides, this guy seems to like showing off and causing trouble. I'm worried he'll affect you."

"Why are you so petty?"

Zi Nu leaned on Xu Qing's shoulder, her fingers tracing circles on Xu Qing's chest.

“He is my friend. Before I met you, he was in charge of the safety of Zilanxuan, so there is no need to worry.”

"Hmm, his identity doesn't seem simple, does it?" Xu Qing said, looking at Zi Nu.

Zi Nu looked at Xu Qing, a hint of nervousness rising in her heart. Wei Zhuang's identity as a disciple of Guigu did not need to be concealed, but if she revealed Wei Zhuang's identity, given Xu Qing's personality, he would definitely think that she had other identities. At that time, how should she explain?
It wasn't that she didn't want to tell Xu Qing her identity, but rather that she was worried that her fate would be intertwined with Xu Qing's.

Seeing the hesitant and nervous Zi Nu, Xu Qing spoke in a gentle voice.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I know you all have your own secrets. You don't need to tell me now. Tell me when you really feel that I am qualified to help you escape the control of fate."

"But if you encounter any danger or something you can't solve on your own, you must tell me, and I will definitely find a way to solve it."

Zi Nu's reluctance to mention the other party's identity was naturally due to her own considerations. He wouldn't delve into it, but he also didn't want Zi Nu to face a tragic fate on her own.

Although Xu Qing's current strength is not particularly outstanding, he has a trump card—calling for backup.

If he encounters a problem he cannot solve, he can only tell his teacher, He Guanzi, and his senior brother, Pang Nuan, who commands the 300,000-strong army of Zhao.

What's the use of being good at fighting? In this world, it's all about connections and influence!
Meeting Xu Qing's warm gaze, Zi Nu felt her heart melt, and all her worries and fears vanished.

Her alluring eyes gazed tenderly at Xu Qing, filled with intoxicating affection.

“Okay,” Zi Nu nodded.

An ambiguous atmosphere filled the air, with dim light casting shadows on their faces.

Xu Qing hooked his arm around Zi Nu's waist and lowered his head toward Zi Nu's warm, red lips.

Zi Nu closed her beautiful eyes, tilted her head slightly, and stood on tiptoe to meet Xu Qing.

Their lips met, sharing each other's affection. Soon, Xu Qing felt the woman in his arms become weak and limp, letting out a few alluring moans.
Then, the two of them lay down on the prepared bed.

Purple pointed high-heeled boots landed on the ground, and small feet wrapped in black stockings hooked onto Xu Qing's calves.

This time, Zi Nu did not stop Xu Qing's mischievous claws. Instead, she hooked her arms around Xu Qing's neck, her beautiful eyes, which were slightly narrowed, were full of wandering thoughts.

A purple dress and a white and blue robe were draped over the screen, and a shy voice gradually rose from it.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring courtyard.

The somewhat gloomy weather made her toss and turn, gradually waking her up from her sleep.

Nongyu got up from the bed, straightened her white pajamas, and walked towards the closed window.

The oversized pajamas couldn't hide her rounded figure, and her clean-cut face still had a sleepy look in her eyes. Her pale little feet stepped on the slightly cool floor, which made her a little more awake.

Slightly opening the window, a cool breeze blew into the room, and Nongyu became a little more awake, the irritation between her brows disappearing as well.

Just as Nongyu was about to go back to sleep, she vaguely heard some noise and immediately woke up.

On the surface, Nongyu is a gentle and easily bullied master of the zither, but within the intelligence agency of Zilanxuan, which operates as a brothel, how could she not possess some real strength?

As a potential assassin, Nongyu's senses were more acute than those of ordinary people, and she immediately determined the source of the sound and the movement.

"It's Sister Zi Nu's room."

Nongyu carefully examined the voice, and her face instantly turned red with embarrassment. How could she not recognize the voice?

Thinking of the calming incense that Zi Nu had given her earlier, Nong Yu's face puffed up slightly, and her beautiful eyes showed a hint of dissatisfaction.

"What do you mean you're worried about me working hard and want me to rest? You're clearly just afraid I'll hear something and disturb your good time with the Imperial Physician!"

"Sister Zi Nu, you've changed."

Nongyu felt a little pitiful. Her dearest sister Zinu was having an affair with her soulmate Xu Qing behind her back, which was understandable since the two were deeply in love and there was nothing wrong with it.

But Zi Nu couldn't possibly scheme against her good sister, so she tried to use calming incense to put her to sleep.

Nongyu, feeling both ashamed and indignant, closed the window, her delicate face full of resentment, and stormed towards her bed.

She felt not only pitiful, but also betrayed.

(End of this chapter)