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

Chapter 363, The Arrogant Lao Ai, a Spy in Qin.

“Alright, I know what to do. Please tell the King that I, Yingxi, will always be loyal to the King and to the Qin Dynasty.” Lord Weiyang said, bowing towards the direction of Zhangtai Palace.

After learning of Ying Zheng's plan, Lord Weiyang was completely impressed by his spirit of enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens. With such a King of Qin leading the way, the Qin state would surely be able to expand eastward, fulfill the goals of the six previous kings, conquer the six states, and unify the world!
"I will, but please keep this a secret, Lord Weiyang. These words are mine and yours alone; no one else will know them," Xu Qing said solemnly to Lord Weiyang.

"None of my six ears know."

Lord Weiyang also knew the importance of this matter. He was already very excited that Ying Zheng had allowed him to participate, and he solemnly said to Xu Qing.

"Since that's the case, I've accomplished my purpose in coming to see you, so I'll take my men and leave now," Xu Qing said, cupping his hands in greeting.

Lord Weiyang nodded, and just as he was about to see Xu Qing off, he seemed to remember something, his expression becoming somewhat complicated. He walked to Xu Qing's side and whispered...

"Da Liangzao, there's no need to rush. Don't forget what you said you could cure my problem."

Xu Qing couldn't help but chuckle. Sure enough, no man could let go of the matter of aphrodisiacs. So, under the watchful eye of Lord Weiyang, he rummaged through his medicine box and pulled out a prescription.

"This prescription is the result of numerous trials by me. It is guaranteed to be gentle and harmless to the body. Your problem can be resolved in just one month of treatment."

"If you are in a hurry, you can take one dose before going to bed and then you will know how effective it is."

Xu Qing revealed a meaningful smile and handed the prescription to Lord Weiyang.

"Then thank you very much, Mr. Dai."

Lord Weiyang solemnly accepted the prescription and carefully put it away. This prescription was related to his happy life, so he naturally dared not be careless in the slightest.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Xu Qing said, bowing to Lord Weiyang.

"Goodbye, Your Excellency. I won't see you off."

Lord Weiyang touched the prescription in his bosom and then returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Xu Qing picked up his medicine box and walked outside. Xia Wuqie, who was outside the door, saw Xu Qing come out and hurriedly went to greet him.

"Imperial Physician, how is Lord Weiyang's condition?" Xia Wuqie asked curiously.

"It's nothing serious, just some physical issues. I've left a prescription; let's go."

Xu Qing handed the medicine box to Xia Wuqie and then walked outside.

Things went incredibly smoothly, largely thanks to Lord Weiyang's loyalty to the Qin state. Although most members of the royal family were mediocre, their loyalty to Qin and Ying Zheng was beyond question.

Not only the royal family, but also those in the court and among the common people, even if there were those with ulterior motives, were a minority. Most people were loyal to the Qin state, especially those with influence, who were wholeheartedly committed to making Qin better so that it could expand eastward and unify the world.

It was precisely because of this that the Qin state was able to unite its people in a firm determination to expand eastward, ultimately destroying the six other states and unifying the world.

Unfortunately, the Qin state only had the ambition to unify the world, but it was completely ignorant of how to govern it. Most of its systems were still in place before the unification. Coupled with the heavy burden of corvée labor and Hu Hai's chaotic actions, the Qin state perished after only two generations.

But now that he has come to the Qin state, he will naturally do his utmost to change all of this.

After Xu Qing and Xia Wuqie left the residence of Lord Weiyang, they went straight to Zhangtai Palace to report to Ying Zheng. Ying Zheng, upon learning that Lord Weiyang had joined the plan, did not offer much of a response.

The two then began to discuss the recent political affairs of the Qin state. Xu Qing was not only the Imperial Physician but also a Palace Attendant, and was required to stay by Ying Zheng's side for consultation.

Just as Xu Qing and Ying Zheng were having a pleasant conversation, Lao Ai returned to his residence in the Changxin Marquisate.

Xianyang, the residence of Marquis Changxin.

Lao Ai removed all his eunuch's clothes and hat and, with the help of his maids, changed into the clothes of the Marquis of Changxin.

Looking at himself in the mirror, dressed in a marquis's robes and with a dignified expression, Lao Ai smiled with satisfaction. He flicked his sleeves and twisted his body to look in the mirror.

"As expected, this is how I, the Marquis, should be, instead of wearing the clothes of a eunuch. And the Empress Dowager, there's absolutely no need for you to be so careful," Lao Ai said with some dissatisfaction.

Lao Ai has long forgotten the path he came from, and is completely immersed in the title and prestige of the Marquis of Changxin.

He was now the renowned Marquis of Changxin, with his own fiefdom, not the ridiculed retainer and eunuch he once was. However, due to Zhao Ji's orders, he could only wear eunuch's clothes and pretend to be one in the Xianyang Palace.

At first, Lao Ai had no objections, but as his power grew, he began to have objections.

"So what if that brat Ying Zheng sees it? I beat Lord Weiyang and humiliated the royal family. Even the King of Qin has to put up with it. Does he dare to disrespect his stepfather?" Lao Ai said with displeasure.

After the court meeting, Lao Ai no longer took Ying Zheng seriously. Even if he made a huge mistake, he would be safe with Zhao Ji by his side.

"My lord, Zhao Xie and the others are already waiting for you," a maid's voice rang out from outside the door.

Lao Ai reluctantly withdrew his gaze, took his sword, and stepped out of the room, heading towards the room where Zhao Xie and the other three were.

Zhao Xie and the others were waiting for Lao Ai in a room. They all had smiles on their faces. In less than an hour, the events that had occurred at the court meeting had spread throughout Xianyang, and now everyone knew about Lao Ai's power.

As Lao Ai's retainers and confidants, they naturally benefited from his success, and their influence and prestige soared.

Even right after court, officials would send them gifts, hoping to be introduced to Lao Ai.

A series of footsteps sounded, and Lao Ai entered the room. Zhao Xie and the others quickly bowed and greeted him.

"I've met the Marquis."

"No need for formalities. You are all my trusted confidants, there's no need for such formalities."

After entering the house, Lao Ai sat directly in the main seat and looked at his retainer with a smug smile.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency. After today's court assembly, everyone in Qin knows of your power and prestige. From now on, I'm afraid no one will dare to oppose you," said the Grand Master of the Palace, Qi, bowing.

"Moreover, today's court meeting also proved that even with the support of the military, His Majesty would not dare to offend the Empress Dowager's authority, and the Marquis is deeply trusted by the Empress Dowager. Soon he will surely be able to replace Marquis Wenxin, Lü Buwei, and wield immense power in the court, just like Marquis Rang, Wei Ran, did back then," Zhao Xie also congratulated.

"What is Lü Buwei? He is merely the king's uncle, while I am the king's stepfather," Lao Ai said disdainfully, his face showing contempt.

After the court meeting ended, Lao Ai, who was already arrogant and domineering, became even more conceited, and no longer even put Lü Buwei, whom he had once feared like a tiger, in his eyes.

Upon hearing Lao Ai claim to be the King of Qin's stepfather, Zhao Xie, Ling Qi, and the other three could only awkwardly force a smile.

Although the affair between Lao Ai and Zhao Ji wasn't exactly a secret, it couldn't be spoken of openly. If others found out and told Ying Zheng, even Zhao Ji might not be able to protect Lao Ai. Some things are hard to fathom; they might not weigh much, but once they are, even a thousand pieces of gold can't stop them.

But in order not to spoil Lao Ai's good mood, they dared not say anything, after all, this was not the first or second time that Lao Ai had said this in front of outsiders.

"It's just a pity about those eight people and the rest who were imprisoned. After all, the Minister of Justice isn't one of our people, so it's extremely difficult to get him to show mercy," Zhao Si said with some regret.

The Court of Justice has always been controlled by Lü Buwei's men, and the relationship between Lü Buwei and Lao Ai has long been tense. It is certainly impossible to get the Court of Justice to let these people go.

"They are indeed a pity, but they are serving their sentence for me. I will not forget them. I will send their families and children to Ai Kingdom, and give them official positions when the children grow up," Lao Ai said indifferently.

The Kingdom of Ai was his fiefdom, located in Taiyuan Commandery in Hexi. To demonstrate his power, he renamed Taiyuan Commandery as the Kingdom of Ai.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xie and the others' eyes flashed with a glint of light. Although they knew that Lao Ai's actions were not simply to support these people, but more to imprison them so that the captured retainers would not dare to betray him.

But since they were Lao Ai's retainers, they could only feign respect and speak in a deep voice.
"Your Excellency is wise! We are willing to follow you to the death!"

"Hahaha, you are my retainers, and even more so, my confidants. As long as my power remains undiminished, you will surely all become high-ranking officials and nobles in the Qin state in the future."

Seeing the four men's submissive and respectful expressions, Lao Ai felt his vanity greatly satisfied, as if he were seeing the same attitude that the retainers of Marquis Wenxin had shown towards Lü Buwei.

The main reason he recruited so many retainers was to emulate Lü Buwei and become a powerful and influential minister like him.

Now he has achieved it, with over a thousand retainers and servants. In the Qin state, apart from Lü Buwei, he has the most retainers and the strongest power.

"I have summoned you here today to discuss the next steps in our plan. The Commandant of the Guards, the Palace Attendant, and the Left Attendant have all been imprisoned and dismissed, leaving these positions vacant. I intend to have the Empress Dowager appoint the three of you to these positions at the next court assembly," Lao Ai said, looking at Zhao Xie, Zhao Si, and Wei Xie.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xie and the other two were first surprised, then overjoyed. Just as they were about to bow and express their gratitude, Ling Qi spoke first.

“My lord, shouldn’t this matter not be rushed? Your affairs with the imperial clan have just come to an end. If you were to interfere in court appointments at this time, it would likely cause even more trouble,” Ling Qi said with some concern.

The original Commandant of the Guards was a native military noble of Qin with deep connections in the military, Zuo Yi was a man of Lü Buwei, and the Inner Historian was a member of the royal family.

Injuring Lord Weiyang had already made Lao Ai and the royal family mortal enemies. If he were to offend the military nobles and Lü Buwei from within Qin, Lao Ai would become the target of everyone's wrath.

However, Ling Qi's concerns were not taken seriously by Lao Ai, who said nonchalantly...

"So what? Haven't we had enough trouble since I was enfeoffed? I want everyone to know that Lü Buwei is old and Ying Zheng is just a child. The future of Qin belongs to the Empress Dowager and me. Only by following me can we obtain high positions and generous salaries."

"This time, I'm going to make a big scene and make everyone fear me."

Seeing Lao Ai becoming increasingly arrogant and disregarding both Lü Buwei and Ying Zheng, Ling Qi wanted to say something, but remembering what had happened in the court meeting, he remained silent.

"Don't worry, with the Empress Dowager here, no one can stop me," Lao Ai said smugly.

The growth in power not only made Lao Ai increasingly arrogant and conceited, but also fueled his lust for power.

He knew that his power came from Zhao Ji, and if Ying Zheng were to assume power and Zhao Ji were to return it to him, Ying Zheng might not be able to control how he treated her.

To protect himself and for the sake of power, he needed to seize more power so that he could continue to maintain the prestige of Marquis Changxin.

"We would like to congratulate you, Lord Marquis, on gaining power," Zhao Xie and the others said with smiles.

Why did they follow Lao Ai? Wasn't it for fame and fortune? Now they've finally made it, holding positions of immense power such as Commandant of the Guards, Grand Secretary, and Left Attendant.

"Hahaha, don't worry, I will never forget you retainers! Prepare a banquet, I want to celebrate!" Lao Ai said with a loud laugh.

While Lao Ai and his retainers were celebrating with a banquet, in a certain residence in Xianyang.

The three officials cautiously gathered together, and upon seeing each other arrive, they spoke in unison.
"No one discovered it, right?"

The three were taken aback for a moment, then shook their heads, indicating that they had not been discovered.

"You should have heard about it at today's court meeting. Marquis Changxin, Lao Ai, is becoming increasingly powerful, and even the Ying clan can't do anything about him," one of them remarked.

“Indeed, but it’s a good thing for us that this man’s power is growing stronger. After all, Lao Ai is not like Lü Buwei. He is greedy, lustful, arrogant, short-sighted, and reckless. Money can easily sway him,” the second person said.

“Then we’ll send a message to the people in Zhao, asking them to bring money to make amends with Lao Ai first,” the last person nodded and said.

"it is good."

The other two nodded in agreement.

"We have to be quick. If those people from Korea and Wei get the message out first, we won't be able to make much money," one of them said.

All three were scholars from outside Qin who had secured a place for themselves through their talents. Although they were Qin officials, they had long been secretly bribed by Zhao, who would occasionally sell them information about the Qin court in exchange for money.

There were other people in Qin like the three in this situation. Just as Qin used the Net and the Black Ice Platform to infiltrate the six states, the six states also used great rewards to bribe Qin officials.

Even if most Qin officials were able to uphold their principles or dare not betray the country out of fear of Qin law, there would always be those who would betray Qin for personal gain. However, these people were mostly low-ranking officials who had no access to core secrets and could only rely on intelligence and changes in the situation to make money.

“I understand, but this can’t go on forever. We’ll be living in constant fear, and if we’re discovered, it will be a crime punishable by the extermination of our entire clan,” the youngest man said with some worry.

The other two looked puzzled and asked the man.

"Then what do you mean?"

"Instead of continuing to live in fear, it's better to find a powerful backer. That way, if something happens, not only will someone protect you, but you'll also have the opportunity to advance further in the court," the young man said in a deep voice.

"You mean you want to join Lao Ai?" the other two asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” the young man nodded.

The other two fell into deep thought, and the last person to speak glanced at the other two and shook his head slightly.

"Lao Ai is indeed very powerful, but the royal family will certainly not let this go easily. If he can completely eliminate the royal family, it won't be too late for us to pledge allegiance to him."

"Then let's do as you say. I'll go and send the message out first."

After the three of them reached an agreement, they went their separate ways.

(End of this chapter)