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

Chapter 198, Beauty in the Bath

As the moon rose above the treetops, the hustle and bustle of Zilan Pavilion subsided considerably, and Zi Nu, the proprietress, returned to her room.

A few candles were lit in the room, casting a dim, yellowish light that shone softly. Behind the screen, wisps of white steam rose continuously, and Xu Qing was peacefully soaking in a tub of water.

Looking at Xu Qing behind the screen, Zi Nu's purple eyes held a hint of shyness, annoyance, and helplessness.

"How could I have agreed so easily?"

Zi Nu touched her slightly flushed face, her charm tinged with a hint of shyness. Although she had initially wanted to refuse, she ultimately couldn't resist Xu Qing.

She closed the door behind her, and with her slender fingers, she untied the straps of her dress. The tight-fitting purple gown slid down her long, shapely legs, piling up at her feet.
Her flawless skin was exposed, gleaming alluringly under the dim light.

With one hand supporting her ample breasts, Zi Nu used the other to slip her purple high-heeled boots off her feet. She then slowly removed the black stockings from her beautiful legs, piling them up inside the boots.

Her delicate little feet, fair with a hint of rosy pink, emerged from her floor-length dress and lightly touched the expensive carpet. Her adorable little feet, nestled in the fluffy carpet, resembled two snow rabbits.

Behind the screen, in the bucket of water, Xu Qing, his face filled with enjoyment, turned his head to look at the alluring figure outside, and shouted with excitement and impatience.
"Purple Maiden, the water temperature is just right now."

"Coming~"

Zi Nu replied softly, swaying her slender waist as she walked towards the screen. Her graceful figure swayed like a calm and elegant kitten, taking a unique cat-like step as she walked towards Xu Qing.

In Xu Qing's view, such a cat-like gait was a live demonstration of the Xuanji Step.

After walking to the screen, Zi Nu hid behind it, her body half-concealed, and whispered to Xu Qing with a shy expression.
"Close your eyes and don't peek."

Although Zi Nu was not a traditional or conservative person, the idea of ​​bathing together was still too bold for her, making her a little shy.

"Okay, come quickly."

Xu Qing leaned against the wooden tub and obediently closed her eyes.

Zi Nu tilted her head slightly, walked out from behind the screen with a charming and shy demeanor, and stretched her delicate little feet into the wooden tub. Her rosy toes touched the warm water, and she found that the water temperature was just right, just as Xu Qing had said. She then slid her whole body into the tub.

After a slight splash, Xu Qing opened her eyes.

In the misty water, a graceful figure slowly sank into the water, one hand covering her front, her ample breasts being squeezed into an astonishing arc.

Her long purple hair was lightly tied with two jade hairpins, with two purple ponytails hanging down. A few strands of hair fell on her charming yet aloof face, which also had a touch of shy blush, giving people a breathtaking beauty.

Seeing Xu Qing open his eyes, Zi Nu, like a frightened kitten, swam towards him, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her body completely in his embrace.

"No peeking!"

Zi Nu's words were full of shyness, completely losing her usual aloof and elegant demeanor.

"I didn't peek; I was clearly attracted by your beauty and admired it openly and honestly."

Xu Qing stroked Zi Nu's smooth jade back with one hand and touched her purple ponytail with the other.

Zi Nu gently bit her lip, her eyes filled with tenderness, and glared at Xu Qing, that bastard, with a mixture of anger and shyness.

"Don't pretend you're innocent after getting a good deal, hurry up and wash!" Zi Nu said, annoyed and embarrassed.

Ultimately, bathing together was too daring for Zi Nu. Usually, the two of them would turn off the lamp and bathe in the dark, and even if they were shy, they wouldn't worry about being seen by Xu Qing.

Now that Xu Qing was openly watching her, Zi Nu was both ashamed and angry, and dared not look at Xu Qing.

Seeing Zi Nu's completely different demeanor, Xu Qing clutched his chest, feeling as if he had been killed by Zi Nu's beauty.

Zi Nu's figure may not be the most outstanding, but it is definitely the most balanced, graceful and charming, any more would be cloying, any less would be stiff.

In particular, Zi Nu's beauty is different from that of Hu Meiren and Mingzhu Furen. Her beauty is charming and elegant, cold and aloof, like a plum blossom blooming alone in the cold snow where all other flowers have withered.

It is breathtaking, and you can't help but get closer to appreciate it. You'll never know how much beauty it has until you get up close and look at it.

"It's still early, and I've already adjusted the water temperature, so it won't get cold so quickly."

Xu Qing looked at the beauty in his arms, gently floating on the water, and circled around behind Zi Nu. He reached out and hugged her, holding her slender waist with one hand, while the other hand began to climb.

"you."

Before Zi Nu could finish speaking, she noticed Xu Qing's restless hand. Perhaps it was because the water temperature stimulated her blood flow, but Zi Nu's pretty face and snow-white skin gradually turned a deep red.

With one hand resting on the edge of the bathtub, her body leaning slightly forward, Zi Nu's purple eyes were alluring and wandering.

"Stop acting strangely. The water will get cold soon, and you might catch a cold. You have to see patients the day after tomorrow."

Zi Nu once again adopted the demeanor of a domineering older sister, trying to make Xu Qing obey her, but the faint humming sounds from her nose were utterly unconvincing.

"No rush. Not many people will come to the clinic the day after tomorrow. There are other medical officers besides me."

As Xu Qing spoke, he lowered his head and gently bit Zi Nu's neck, intending to leave his mark. Zi Nu sensed Xu Qing's action and said nothing more. She leaned against the bathtub, put her hands behind her back, and wrapped them around Xu Qing's neck.

Her purple eyes slowly closed, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she couldn't control herself, and her lips parted gently, releasing a fragrant breath.

"Bad guy~"

"It was Zi Nu who said in a sweet voice."

A misty fog rose, and warm water jets fell onto Zi Nu's jade-like back, sliding down her smooth skin and into the water's surface, creating ripples.

The dim light, the warm mist, and the rising atmosphere of ambiguity made the two of them unable to control their emotions.

After a long while, silence fell suddenly behind the screen, followed by the sound of water flowing.

The turmoil shifted to the soft couch.

The night is getting darker.

Meanwhile, in the woods thirty miles outside Xinzheng City.

Hundreds of men were escorting several carriages. Although these men were dressed plainly, they had prominent temples, walked with steady steps, and exuded a fierce aura.

The leader, mounted on his warhorse, scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes.

"Boss, why do we have to escort them at night? Wouldn't it be better to go during the day?" A man with a short beard walked up to the leader and asked.

The leading man glanced at the other party speechlessly. If they were transporting ordinary goods, it would be safer to travel during the day. But the key point was that they were transporting something that couldn't be brought to light.

"Nonsense, do you think we can transport our goods during the day?" the man scoffed.

"Isn't it just money? Such a large sum of money, wouldn't it be easier for something to go wrong at night?" the short-bearded man said in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

They claimed to be transporting tea, but as the second-in-command of the group, the short-bearded man knew very well that these sacks were filled with gleaming gold.

"Shut up, don't ask questions you shouldn't ask," the leading man said coldly.

They were transporting money, but it depended on what kind of money it was. This gold was sent to the border by the Fourth Prince Han Yu to serve as military pay and help the Right Sima Liu Yi, the general guarding the border, stabilize the army.

The reason for setting off at night was firstly because this money was something that couldn't be made public. The fourth young master, who held a high position and great power, was sending his own money to the border to serve as military pay. If this were to be told, what would people think?
While the army is slow to act, you, Han Yu, are personally paying military salaries. Isn't that winning people's hearts? Are you planning a rebellion?

As for why Han Yu didn't voluntarily hand over the money and send it to the border in the name of the imperial court, that's the second reason. General Ji Wuye would certainly not allow the money to be sent to the border.

The widely publicized incident of ghost soldiers robbing wages in Xinzheng may be incomprehensible to most people, but those with insight and wisdom can see that Ji Wuye is behind it all.

Who, besides Ji Wuye himself, would dare to covet the 100,000 taels of military pay sent to the border?

Ghost soldiers robbing the pay? If there really were ghost soldiers in Broken Soul Valley who wanted revenge, wouldn't their first instinct be to storm the palace and harass King Han An?
Moreover, Han Yu's public persona is that of a humble and honest young master. If you are so honest, why would you suddenly take out more than 20,000 taels of military pay? Wouldn't that be telling others that you seem honest, but in reality you are even more greedy than Xu Qing?
Just as the man was scolding his underling, it seemed as if some figure was moving in the surrounding woods.

"Stop!" the leading man shouted immediately.

The group of over a hundred people immediately stopped, took out their weapons, and looked around in a state of high alert.

Suddenly, the sound of crossbows being fired rang out, and a dense barrage of arrows flew from the trees on both sides toward the hundreds of soldiers escorting the military supplies.

"Enemy attack! Protect the cargo!"

"Enemy attack!"

Hundreds of people brandished their weapons to defend themselves against the incoming arrows, but the attack came suddenly and was so intense that many of them were killed or wounded in an instant.

The leading man and the other horsemen jumped off their horses to avoid the incoming arrows.

The sharp arrows pierced the sacks on the carriage, and tea leaves spilled out.

The man looked at the crossbow bolt that had been shot into the ground beside him with surprise in his eyes. As a former officer in the South Korean army, he recognized it at a glance as a standard South Korean crossbow bolt.

"Grass."

The man cursed under his breath. Who else in the entire Xinzheng region could mobilize so many crossbows to attack them, besides General Ji Wuye?

Knowing he was doomed, he pulled out the arrow and hid it in his boot, intending to leave it as evidence for future generations.

After one volley of arrows ended, two more volleys followed in quick succession.

After three rounds of arrow rain, the original hundred-strong force was reduced to just over thirty men. Everywhere one looked, there were corpses killed by arrows, and the surroundings fell into silence.

"You cowardly coward, do you dare to come out and fight me?!" the leading man shouted from behind the carriage.

The remaining thirty-odd people also looked around, searching for the people who had ambushed them.

(End of this chapter)