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

Chapter 235, Yan Lingji: Oh no, I've become the scapegoat!

Seeing Han Fei's serious expression, Xu Qing pondered for a moment, then nodded and shook his head, before saying to Han Fei...
"Ten years can witness the passing of spring and autumn, a hundred years can prove birth, aging, sickness and death, a thousand years can lament the rise and fall of dynasties, and ten thousand years can reveal the shifting of stars and constellations."

"The power of time is invisible yet immense. By the time one becomes aware of it, it is like sand slipping through one's fingers, vanishing without a trace, or like black hair turning white, leaving only regret and sorrow."

"But if you think this force is time, I don't believe it can change the course of the world, but rather it is a witness to and a driver of the course of the world."

Looking at Xu Qing's calm expression, Han Fei silently got up, opened the closed window, and revealed the even more dilapidated and decaying palace behind it.

Even under the bright moonlight, the palace was still shrouded in darkness, without a trace of light, just like the state of Zheng, which was swept into the annals of history, eventually reduced from a powerful state to a few words on old, moldy bamboo slips in the library of the state of Han.

"If I said that this force is not time, would you still believe in its existence? I have said many times that I have crossed the river of time and witnessed my own death, and this is not an exaggeration."

Han Fei gazed at the distant palace and spoke softly, but halfway through his sentence, he abruptly turned to look at Xu Qing. His gaze was like a sharp sword piercing through Xu Qing, as if trying to cut through Xu Qing's layers of disguise and see his true self.

"Or rather, have you sensed this power? Brother Xu, the reason I say you and I are kindred spirits is not because of our circumstances, but because of you and me."

Han Fei's throat moved slightly, but he couldn't make a sound, as if someone was squeezing his throat.

Xu Qing met Han Fei's gaze. Seeing the expectant look in Han Fei's eyes, Xu Qing's eyes were filled with complex emotions, including surprise, confusion, and astonishment. The hand holding the wine glass froze in mid-air.

Han Fei's words were quite clear at this point; he suspected that Han Fei had obtained the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions from the State of Han. However, although he knew that the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions inherited by the State of Han from the State of Zheng were hidden in this cold palace.

However, Xu Qing did not know the exact location where it was buried, nor did he know what kind of power it was.

In the original work, only two people in Korea had obtained the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions. One was Han Fei, who was the guardian and the most likely person to have come into contact with and used them.

The other one is Tianze, who successfully obtained the box containing the power of the Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon.

Han Fei, as a guardian, said that he possessed the power of the Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon, which surprised Xu Qing and puzzled him greatly. He simply couldn't understand why the other party would make such a decision.

Could it be because of the aura of good fortune and protection in his mind? But he had never mentioned it to anyone, so how could Han Fei possibly know?
"Brother Han Fei, what do you mean by this? I don't quite understand," Xu Qing said, shaking his head slightly.

Han Fei stared at Xu Qing's expression, trying to discern the truthfulness of his words through his facial expressions. However, after careful observation, he realized that Xu Qing was not lying, and doubts began to creep into his heart.

He didn't bring up the matter of the Cold Palace out of the blue; rather, he had specifically studied all of Xu Qing's deeds since she became famous last year and came to a startling conclusion.

That is, every choice Xu Qing made in every situation was the one that was most beneficial to himself; in other words, he sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

If it happens once or twice, it can be seen as a sign of Xu Qing's great abilities, but if it continues like this, it's hard not to suspect something.

He himself had witnessed similar power and existence, and subconsciously assumed that Xu Qing was the same as him, having obtained the power that had been buried in the Han King's Palace since the time of Zheng.

But Xu Qing seemed to know nothing, which made Han Fei uneasy.

Just as the atmosphere between the two became somewhat silent, a burst of light suddenly shot out from the distance. The dazzling light stood out starkly against the dark night sky, like a sudden burst of daylight.

Han Fei and Xu Qing both walked to another window and looked at the flames burning in the distance, their expressions becoming even more solemn.

"That's the East Ward. Could this fire indicate a fire?" Han Fei asked in a deep voice.

Xu Qing's eyes reflected the flames soaring into the sky. Han Fei didn't know what had happened, but he knew that such a huge movement was obviously set by Yan Lingji.

"Brother Han Fei, it seems your confinement will end sooner than expected," Xu Qing said with a light laugh.

"If I have to end my confinement because of this, I'd rather stay confined," Han Fei said with a bitter expression.

As the Minister of Justice of the State of Han, he was naturally aware of all the security measures in Xinzheng. Dongfang, as the residence of the powerful and wealthy, had always been the safest area among all the wards in Xinzheng.

For more than a decade, apart from the fire at the Liu residence some time ago, there had been no other fires. Now, such a large fire has suddenly broken out. It must be arson by someone, and it is aimed at him, the Minister of Justice.

Xu Qing looked at the raging fire in the distance, then glanced towards the southeast corner, where faint flames were gradually rising, clearly indicating that Yan Lingji had kept their promise.

"Oh no! The fire is heading towards the southeast corner of the palace, which is where the Imperial Hospital and the pharmacy are located!" Xu Qing said, feigning panic.

"Ah!? The Imperial Hospital is on fire too!?" Han Fei suddenly looked in the direction of the Imperial Hospital, staring at the rising flames with astonishment in his eyes.

"Brother Han Fei, please take good care of yourself. I must return to the Imperial Hospital."

As Xu Qing spoke, he turned and ran towards the Imperial Hospital, leaving Han Fei with a panicked look. Han Fei looked at Xu Qing thoughtfully, his eyes full of amusement.

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Medical Academy.

"Fire! The medicine storehouse is on fire!"

"Quickly, put out the fire! Quickly, save the medicinal herbs inside!"

"Oh no! The wind has changed direction and set the room next door where the accounts are stored on fire!"

A firefighting team of more than a dozen eunuchs and physicians was shouting frantically as they rushed toward the fire with wooden buckets in their hands.

As the black liquid from the bucket was poured onto the flames, the orange-red fire not only did not diminish but instead grew even stronger, causing the physicians and eunuchs who were shouting for help to panic.

But he didn't seem to be in a hurry at all, strolling back and forth with the wooden bucket in his hand, even with a smile on his face.

A blazing flame burned in Yan Lingji's palm, her icy blue eyes silently watching the burning houses and the people trying to put out the fire.

She did start the fire, but she didn't have time to cast any spells before the fire burst into flames, startling even herself.

"I have a feeling that I've been tricked."

Yan Lingji watched this scene speechlessly, and suddenly felt a heaviness in her back, as if someone had put a heavy object on it.

"That jerk~ Never mind, I have other tasks to complete, I'll let him go for now!"

Yan Lingji said through gritted teeth, her icy blue eyes filled with anger. She was increasingly certain that Xu Qing, that bastard, had sent her here to set fire so that she would take the blame.

After angrily stomping her little feet, Yan Lingji extinguished the flames in her palm and went to set fires in other places.

Not long after Yan Lingji left, Xu Qing hurriedly ran to the medicine storehouse, where eunuchs and physicians who had been fighting the fire came over one after another.

"Imperial Physician!" a dozen or so people said, bowing. Xu Qing looked at these people who were calmly and leisurely putting out the fire, and who were even relatively unscathed. He was speechless. Who put out a fire so leisurely and cleanly?
As a veteran actor, Xu Qing decided to show these people what acting skills and loyalty are all about!
"What on earth happened?! How could the medicine storehouse suddenly catch fire? Quickly, notify the Imperial Guards and have them come and put out the fire!" Xu Qing shouted angrily at the people around him.

As he spoke, Xu Qing snatched a wooden bucket from someone's hand, strode towards the medicine storehouse, and poured the kerosene in his hand onto the fire.

The raging flames swept towards Xu Qing, leaving several black streaks on his once clean face.

The dozen or so people looked at Xu Qing with admiration. No wonder Xu Qing was able to become the Imperial Physician.
Their acting skills are beyond what they can ever reach in their lifetime. They managed to make splashing kerosene look like splashing water. Just those two steps they ran are enough for them to study repeatedly.

"Hurry! What are you all standing around for?! Quickly help the Imperial Hospital put out the fire!"

"Go and inform the Imperial Guards immediately!"

"Quickly, put out the fire!"

The dozen or so people immediately became even more hurried, helping Xu Qing to put out the fire, pouring buckets of water onto the areas where the fire was least intense.

Seeing his men getting moving, Xu Qing smiled with satisfaction, but the fire alone was not enough to shut everyone up.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Xu Qing rolled up his sleeves, tied the hem of his shirt around his waist, and rushed directly into the burning medicine storehouse.

"Fuck!!!"

The others were speechless with shock at Xu Qing's desperate efforts. Two of them, who reacted quickly, grabbed handfuls of dirt and rushed toward Xu Qing.

Seeing Xu Qing about to rush into the flames, the two men threw the ash they were carrying onto Xu Qing's clothes, ignoring the scorching flames burning them, and lifted Xu Qing up, running outside while shouting.
"The Imperial Physician risked his life to rush into the fire to save the medicinal herbs, and was burned by the flames. Such a heroic act is something we should emulate!"

"The Imperial Physician was burned by the fire while trying to save the medicinal herbs!"

What made them risk their lives to save Xu Qing? It was their sincere desire for progress, of course.

Xu Qing was also somewhat bewildered as he looked at the two medical officers. He really hadn't expected that he would have such talented people under his command.

He must be given important responsibilities! He must be promoted, promoted on the spot!
The others looked at Xu Qing, who was being carried out, and the doctor, who was covered in soot and had several burns on his body, with faces full of regret.

Why didn't they think to save Xu Qing? They missed a chance to improve themselves.

However, the others did not forget, and immediately began shouting about Xu Qing's heroic firefighting efforts while putting out the fire, to help Xu Qing make sure that everything was done.

Just as the fire broke out at the Imperial Medical Academy, an unexpected guest arrived at the Baiyue refugee settlement outside Xinzheng City.

Following King Han's order, the Han court quickly planned a village for nearly a thousand Baiyue slaves to live in and build their new homes.

Under the pitch-black night sky, several campfires burned in the camp. The Baiyue refugees gathered around the campfires with smiles on their faces, clearly feeling that their lives had hope for the future, after all, it was the King of Han who had spoken.

Even though the states of Han and Chu had once joined forces to destroy their country, they still trusted King An of Han's credibility, since the king of Han would not speak carelessly.

"From now on, we will no longer have to worry about being enslaved by the State of Chu, nor will we have to worry about being displaced."

"From now on, we will be able to eat our fill and won't go hungry anymore."

"Yes, from now on we are no longer slaves, but upright people."

Looking at the simple villages around them, these Baiyue refugees had hope for the future in their eyes. For them, who were at the bottom of society, having a place to live and not starving to death was enough.

As for anything else, they have no further requests.

Just as these people were dreaming of everything, black malevolent energy mixed with oily green poisonous gas was spreading into the village from its periphery. A large number of venomous snakes were crawling among the weeds, their scarlet forked tongues constantly being flicked out and retracted.

The village gate was suddenly flung open, immediately attracting the attention of the refugees on the outermost edge. A ragged, gray-haired old man, looking disheveled like a mad old man, slowly walked into the settlement, leaning on a cane and stooping.

The newcomer was none other than Hundred Poisons King, one of the four great assassins under Tianze's command.

The King of Poisons slowly raised his head, his turbid and dull eyes looking at the Baiyue slaves present, who were dressed quite similarly to him, especially at the joyful expressions on their faces. A cold glint flashed deep in his eyes.

"Old man, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?!" a young man asked the old man warily.

The surrounding refugees also became wary. Their sudden arrival at their camp in the middle of the night was bound to arouse suspicion.

"What am I here for? I'm here to help you awaken the blood of the Baiyue people!"

The old man suddenly looked up at the refugees, his cloudy eyes gleaming with an oily green light.

"hiss~"

As the old man finished speaking, the venomous snakes lurking in the grass burst forth in a massive swarm.

Thousands upon thousands of venomous snakes flicked their tongues, the sound sending chills down one's spine. In particular, these snakes were of various colors, resembling a slowly gathering net of poison.

"Snake... Snake!!"

"How can there be so many snakes!"

Everyone was terrified when they saw the snakes.

"hehe."

The old man smiled coldly, and the venomous snakes around him rushed towards the Baiyue refugees present, sparing no one, regardless of age or gender. At the same time, a large amount of eerie green poisonous mist began to emerge from all around.

This place, where people were just beginning to build their homes, has been turned into a living hell, with large numbers of refugees howling in agony beneath swarms of snakes.

Looking at the wailing Baiyue refugees, the Hundred Poison King showed no emotion on his face, his eyes were full of indifference, and he felt no remorse for killing his compatriots.

In his view, these people no longer deserve to be called Baiyue people.

They had all forgotten where they came from, and what calamities these people from the Central Plains had brought them.

(End of this chapter)