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

Chapter 207, Nongyu, This is Our Secret (Two Chapters Combined, Bonus Chapter!)

Xinzheng, Dongfang.

As the residence of the powerful and wealthy, the East Ward's level of security was unmatched by other areas.

Every night, apart from the patrolling soldiers, there were no other people on the streets, and the whole neighborhood was filled with silence, creating a good resting environment for the powerful and wealthy.

However, the usually quiet Dongfang was now bustling with people, with soldiers in armor carrying buckets of water or pushing carts as they ran wildly through the streets.

"The water is gone! The water is gone!"

"Fire! Fire! Fire!"

"The Right Sima's residence is on fire! Quick, put out the fire!!"

The soldiers ran and shouted, breaking the original tranquility of the East Ward.

Meanwhile, flames soared into the sky above Liu Yi's mansion, spreading outwards. The once ornate buildings gradually turned to charcoal and collapsed under the raging fire.

Servants and maids were running around the mansion, and the steward was directing the servants and guards to search for water to put out the fire.

"Quick, quick, send someone to put out the fire! Madam is still in her room!" the butler shouted anxiously to the servants around him.

Several servants looked at the room engulfed in flames, gritted their teeth and prepared to rush in, but were forced back as soon as they came into contact with the fire.

"Butler, the fire is too big; we can't get in at all."

"Quickly send someone to fetch water."

The butler, his face filled with sorrow as he watched the fire grow larger, collapsed to the ground and cried out in grief.
"Madam! Quickly send someone to rescue her!!"

The servants around her also looked grief-stricken. They tried several times to rush into the room to rescue Madam Hu, but were eventually forced back by the fire and could only watch as the huge house collapsed in the fire.

Such a commotion naturally alerted the entire East Ward. The houses next to the Liu family's residence had prepared water sources in advance so that they could extinguish the fire immediately and protect their homes.

The nobles, awakened by the blaze, looked at the towering flames and, upon learning that it was Liu Yi's residence that was on fire, all showed signs of lingering fear.

"The border troops mutinied, and Liu Yi deserted the battlefield. The king ordered him to be dismissed from all his posts and ordered the Sikou Office to arrest him. Han Yu was also implicated and stripped of his power to participate in politics."

This news was already an open secret among the elite. Liu Yi and Han Yu had just been identified, and then the incident happened at the Liu residence that very night. It was hard for them not to suspect that Ji Wuye had sent someone to do it.

Given Ji Wuye's reputation, he is absolutely capable of doing such a thing.

Unaware that he had unwittingly taken the blame again, Ji Wuye was sleeping in the Sparrow Tower with the woman sent by Jade Tiger in his arms.

Located in the central part of Xinzheng, Zilanxuan is a place of tranquility and peace.

Xu Qing stood silently by the window on the third floor, watching the fire in Dongfang, while Nongyu stood beside him with a worried expression.

"Imperial Physician, will Mother be alright?" Nongyu asked worriedly.

"With Zi Nu here, nothing will happen. After the fire is extinguished tomorrow, Shao Si Kou will lead people to check the ruins and find a charred female corpse."

"It has been confirmed that it was Lady Hu, the wife of the Right Sima. The cause of the fire was that an oil lamp was knocked over, which accidentally ignited the curtains, ultimately leading to a major disaster."

Seeing Nongyu's concern for Madam Hu's safety, Xu Qing reached out his hand towards her as he spoke, intending to offer her a strong chest to comfort her.

Seeing Xu Qing's hand on her shoulder, Nongyu trembled slightly and looked around in a panic. She breathed a sigh of relief only after finding no one else.

"Nongyu, what are you doing? Sister Zinu is risking so much to save your mother, how can you let the Imperial Physician hold you? How can you do this to Sister Zinu?"

"You should break free from the Imperial Physician's grasp and tell him seriously that there is a difference between men and women, especially since you already have Sister Zi Nu."

Although Nongyu kept reminding herself in her heart, her body betrayed her and leaned closer to Xu Qing, who then half-embraced her.

"The Right Sima should have already been escorted out of the city by the Mo family and is waiting for Madam Hu at the Mo family's stronghold. After your whole family reunites tomorrow, I will arrange for someone to take Madam Hu and the Right Sima to a safe place."

"A safe place? Is it the Mohist school?"

Nongyu looked up at Xu Qing with curiosity in her eyes.

“No, it’s Mount Taiyi. There’s no safer place in the world than Mount Taiyi,” Xu Qing said.

Xu Qing originally planned to send the two to the Mo Family's Mechanical City, but considering that there was a dangerous person named Ji Dan within the Mo Family, he changed his mind.

To prevent Ji Dan from targeting the two, Xu Qing decided to send them to Mount Taiyi.

“Taiyi Mountain? Isn’t that a Taoist place? Will they take in Father and Mother?” Nongyu looked at Xu Qing nervously.

Xu Qing looked at Nongyu, whose fair and pretty face was full of worry. She lowered her eyes and seemed to have a thousand words to say, but hesitated to speak. He couldn't help but slide his hand down from Nongyu's shoulder.

After gliding over Nongyu's fair and jade-like back, Xu Qing's hand hooked around Nongyu's slender waist and pulled her into his arms.

Caught off guard, Nongyu leaned directly into Xu Qing's arms, her small hands resting on his chest. She looked up at him with her pretty face, then quickly looked down at him elsewhere.

Feeling Xu Qing's firm chest, Nongyu's heart began to beat rapidly. A hint of shyness flashed in her starry eyes, and her fair face flushed with a deep red.

Although she could accept Xu Qing half-embracing her, falling directly into his arms like this still made her feel a little guilty, and she immediately prepared to break free from Xu Qing's embrace.

“Nongyu, let me tell you a secret. I am actually a disciple of the Daoist Tianzong sect, and the current sect leader, Chisongzi, is my senior brother. I will have the Right Sima and his wife take my letter to Mount Taiyi. Once the Tianzong sect sees my letter, they will naturally make arrangements for them,” Xu Qing said softly.

Upon hearing this, Nongyu looked at Xu Qing in astonishment, forgetting to break free. She just stared blankly at Xu Qing, her small hand slightly covering her open mouth.

"This this."

Nongyu was so shocked that she didn't know what to say for a moment. Anyone who heard this news would probably be terrified.

Shocked, Nongyu felt a strange mix of emotions. She knew that Xu Qing's identity and background were a mystery, because Zi Nu and Wei Zhuang had mentioned it to her more than once.

Xu Qing, the junior brother of the Heavenly Sect Leader, deliberately concealed his illustrious identity, clearly not wanting outsiders to know.

Now, Xu Qing took the initiative to tell her this, just to put her mind at ease. This trust moved Nongyu, and at the same time, an idea couldn't help but come to mind.

"Does Sister Zi Nu know his identity? She probably doesn't, otherwise she wouldn't have discussed it with Wei Zhuang."

"Could it be that the Imperial Physician only told me his true identity? Does he consider me his closest and most trusted confidant? Is this a secret that belongs only to the two of us?"

Thinking of this, Nongyu felt her cheeks burning, her beautiful eyes rippled, and she looked at Xu Qing with more affection, but she also felt a little uneasy and nervous.

Although she was touched by Xu Qing's trust, she worried that she wouldn't be able to keep the secret.

One way to get closer to a girl who likes you is to share a secret with her. This will subconsciously make her consider you one of her own and thus trust you. This was the trick Xu Qing was best at using to deceive naive young girls in her previous life.

Seeing Nongyu's unease and nervousness, Xu Qing reached out and pinched her nose. Nongyu frowned slightly and slapped Xu Qing's hand away as if she were being coquettish.

"This is a secret between the two of us; we can't tell anyone else," Xu Qing said with a smile.

This was indeed their secret. Zi Nu knew he was a disciple of the Heavenly Sect, but she didn't know his specific identity. Since he didn't ask, he forgot to mention it.

It's not too late to inform the other party later.

The rosy blush on Nongyu's cheeks deepened, and her ears, hidden beneath her wine-red hair, also felt hot. She lowered her head shyly, not daring to approach Xu Qing.

"Okay, I will keep it a secret for my brother-in-law."

Nongyu's rosy lips trembled slightly. After speaking, she shyly buried her head in Xu Qing's arms, not daring to look at him.

"Even Sister Zi Nu doesn't know our secret. He probably wouldn't have told me if it weren't to put my mind at ease."

This secret, tinged with affection, made Nongyu's heart pound, completely immersed in the secret between her and Xu Qing.

Hearing Nongyu call him brother-in-law, Xu Qing felt a surge of desire.

Who can resist the depravity of a well-behaved, innocent, and artistic young woman? Especially for an old pervert like Xu Qing, who finds it even harder to resist the pleasure of dragging a respectable young woman down with him.

"Ahem, you absolutely mustn't tell anyone else, this is a secret between the two of us."

Xu Qing tightened his grip on Nongyu, making her lean completely against him.

"it is good."

Nongyu mustered her courage to look at Xu Qing and nodded firmly.

Xu Qing smiled slightly at her, looking at her rosy and lovely lips, then reached out and flicked her forehead before looking back at the distant firelight.

For an artistic young woman like Nongyu, one cannot rush things; one must take it slowly, otherwise it will backfire.

Nongyu reached out and touched the forehead where Xu Qing's fingers still lingered, a slight smile unconsciously appearing on her lips. She leaned comfortably against Xu Qing's chest and looked at the distant firelight with him.

The two of them looked like a young couple admiring some scenery, and Nongyu completely forgot that she had been preparing to break free from Xu Qing's embrace.

“What’s wrong with letting my brother-in-law hug me? Sister Zi Nu risked her life for our mother, so what’s wrong with me letting him hug me to repay her? It’s perfectly reasonable.”

"Besides, her relationship with Xu Qing isn't just ordinary. They share a secret and are very close, so it's normal for them to have some intimate behavior, right?"

Just as Xu Qing and Nongyu were admiring the spectacular night fire, worth thousands of gold coins, Wei Zhuang jumped down from the wall in the backyard of Zilan Pavilion.

Wei Zhuang had just steadied himself when a voice came from behind him.

"He even jumps over the wall when he gets home. Brother Wei Zhuang's way of doing things is indeed quite different from others."

No sooner had Han Fei finished speaking than the sound of a sword slicing through the air rang out, and the sharp blade of Shark Tooth was placed in front of him.

The sharp blade of the Shark Tooth sword gleamed with a chilling white light under the moonlight, exuding a fierce killing intent that sent shivers down one's spine.

Han Fei's smile vanished instantly, and he raised his hands in a panic, saying...

"Brother Wei Zhuang, it is I, Han Fei!"

“I knew it was you, otherwise you would be dead by now,” Wei Zhuang said coldly.

"Hehehe, I just wanted to give you a surprise, after all, you did me a big favor."

Han Fei chuckled and pulled out a box from his robes—the very box that had contained the water-dissolving gold.

"Here's a piece of advice: never appear behind a swordsman unless you want to become a victim of his sword."

As Wei Zhuang spoke, he sheathed the Shark Tooth sword and looked coldly at Han Fei.

Looking at the indifferent Wei Zhuang and the retracted Shark Tooth, Han Fei broke out in a cold sweat, thinking that the other party was indeed as Xu Qing had said, somewhat difficult to get along with.

However, considering that the other party is a contemporary master of the Guigu School, it is quite reasonable that he is difficult to get along with. After all, which talented person is not arrogant?
Even Xu Qing, who seems kind, rejected his attempts to win her over multiple times.
"What do you want with me?" Wei Zhuang asked in a cold voice.

"Of course I thank Brother Wei Zhuang for his help, but I would also like to ask you for a favor," Han Fei said with a smile, casually tossing the box in his hand to Wei Zhuang.

Wei Zhuang took the box and quickly pressed the mechanism on it with one hand. The sound of gears turning came from inside the box. In a few breaths, the box was opened, and the water-dissolving gold inside had disappeared.

Looking at the empty box, Wei Zhuang knew that Han Fei had already intervened in the case of the ghost soldiers robbing the soldiers' pay and had interrogated Lord Anping and Lord Longquan.

“You’ve already gotten what you wanted, what else do you need my help with?” Wei Zhuang said coldly.

As a disciple of Guigu, one must maintain a certain level of composure. Even if one has already guessed and accepted the other party's request, the necessary procedures must still be followed.

"I have long heard of the Guigu School, whose talents are not only outstanding in literature and martial arts, but also in swordsmanship. May I ask if this is true, Brother Wei Zhuang?"

Han Fei put away his playful demeanor and asked seriously.

“You can try it yourself,” Wei Zhuang said, raising the shark tooth in his hand.

Han Fei raised his hands, gave an awkward smile, and said...

"Then forget it. I don't want to become a victim of your sword. Actually, I wanted to invite you to test your sword. The sharpest sword is often required to cut through the strongest shield to prove its sharpness."

"I just wonder if Wei Zhuang would like to try out the strongest shield in Xinzheng?"

Han Fei became serious again, his eyes gleaming.

"A pointless provocation. This sword is called Shark Tooth. It doesn't appear in Feng Hu Zi's sword manual, not because it's unworthy, but because it's a demonic sword, specifically designed to counter other swords," Wei Zhuang said coldly.

"So this sword is called Shark Tooth? That's quite a fitting name. Does that mean you've accepted my invitation?" Han Fei said with a smile.

"What is the strongest shield in your eyes?" Wei Zhuang asked, withdrawing his hand.

"The strongest general in Korea for a century, who single-handedly protected Korea, is a master of physical combat and wears two layers of heavy armor. I wonder if General Ji Wuye could be considered the most solid shield?" Han Fei said with a smile.

“He is indeed a formidable opponent,” Wei Zhuang said.

When Wei Zhuang agreed, Han Fei was overjoyed. He knew that he still had personal charisma. He had easily recruited one of the strategists of Guigu.
(End of this chapter)