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

Chapter 416, The Undercurrents of Xianyang
Seeing that Ying Zheng decided to carry out Xu Qing's plan, Gai Nie naturally did not object, but raised a new question.

“Your Majesty is wise. Who should we send to Nanyang to persuade Bai Yifei to return to Qin?” Gai Nie asked in a deep voice.

"Judging from your plan, sir, you intend to go to Nanyang in person, and you are the most suitable person in the entire Qin state."

After a moment's thought, Ying Zheng spoke.

When he saw that Ying Zheng meant to send Xu Qing to Nanyang, Gai Nie hesitated. Xu Qing had a lot of contact with Bai Yifei, and the plan was personally devised by him, so sending him to Nanyang was indeed the most suitable choice. However, Xu Qing was not suitable either.

“If we send the Grand Master of Ceremonies to Nanyang, it will surely attract the attention of Lao Ai. Moreover, with Marquis Wenxin not coming out, there is no one besides the Grand Master of Ceremonies who can suppress Lao Ai for the time being. I am afraid he will cause even bigger trouble.” Gai Nie slowly expressed his concerns.

Seeing Gai Nie's hesitation, Ying Zheng's expression also darkened slightly, and a look of hesitation flashed in his eyes, as if he was making a difficult decision.

The matter of Lao Ai killing the Marquis of Guannei has not yet subsided. If there is no suitable reason to send Xu Qing to Nanyang, Lao Ai will definitely take the opportunity to eliminate dissidents. Although the plan to spoil Lao Ai is intended to kill him with kindness, it must be kept within certain limits so that it does not truly affect the foundation of the Qin state.

After hesitating several times, Ying Zheng took a deep breath, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and his expression became firm.

"Wang Ben, you should go back first. The master needs a reliable person," Ying Zheng said to Wang Ben.

Wang Ben knew that Ying Zheng wanted to discuss this privately with Gai Nie. He had only recently begun to make a name for himself within the Qin King's faction, and such confidential matters were naturally not for him to hear. Therefore, Wang Ben cupped his hands and said...

"promise."

Wang Ben rose, bowed slightly to Gai Nie, then turned and left the palace, closing the door behind him as he left.

Seeing that only he and Gai Nie remained in the room, Ying Zheng no longer concealed himself and looked at the bamboo slips on the table, saying...
"Teacher, please take the master's plan to Zhongfu and see what his attitude is towards it."

Gai Nie was immediately taken aback, extremely surprised by Ying Zheng's words.

"Marquis Wenxin? Does Your Majesty want Marquis Wenxin to step in and suppress Lao Ai?" Gai Nie asked in confusion.

"This matter cannot be accomplished without the help of my uncle. I am very confident that Bai Yifei will lead Nanyang back to Qin. Therefore, we must prepare relief supplies in advance, and even mobilize the army."

"If I were to give orders to lead these things, Lao Ai would inevitably try to sabotage me behind my back to prevent me from gaining more prestige."

Ying Zheng said with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

Although Xu Qing acted as a mediator, easing the tension between Ying Zheng and Lü Buwei, Ying Zheng still harbored uneasy feelings towards Lü Buwei.

He respected his uncle and understood his uncle's intention to train him, so he wanted to solve everything on his own to prove that he was a qualified ruler. Therefore, after Lü Buwei relinquished power, he dared not slack off in handling state affairs.

During this month, Ying Zheng also performed exceptionally well in handling Qin state affairs, which made him feel that he had proven himself.

However, now he had to ask Lü Buwei for help, which dealt a blow to his hard-won confidence and pride. Although he felt conflicted for the sake of Qin, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and ask Lü Buwei for assistance.

"Your Majesty, I understand. I will go to the Marquis of Wenxin's residence shortly to convey His Majesty's words to him."

Gai Nie looked at Ying Zheng, whose expression was somewhat awkward, and shook his head slightly. He could understand Ying Zheng's feelings.

Ying Zheng is like a child who is suppressed by his father at home and goes out to make a name for himself in order to prove himself. Just after he has made a name for himself and returned home to show off to his father, he suddenly encounters a crisis and has to ask his father for help. He is both too embarrassed to ask and has no choice but to ask.

Seeing Ying Zheng like this, Gai Nie felt happy. This showed that Ying Zheng had not been changed by power and had not become a cold-blooded political creature.

"Go ahead, and be polite to your uncle."

Ying Zheng picked up the bamboo slip and handed it to Gai Nie, his voice returning to its previous calm.

"promise."

After accepting the bamboo slip and bowing, Gai Nie turned and left the palace, his figure disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.

Looking in the direction of the Marquis of Wenxin's residence, Ying Zheng's gaze became complicated, and he said softly with a helpless tone.
"Ah, Uncle Zhong!"

Meanwhile, inside the Changxin Marquis's residence.

A Luo Wang assassin knelt in the center of the hall, reporting the news to Lao Ai above.

"According to news from Mount Taiyi, Grand Chancellor Xu Qing, as a disciple of the Heavenly Sect, fought in the Heavenly Alliance and successfully defeated Xiaoyaozi to obtain the Snowfall. Commander Xuanjian sent me to inquire with the Marquis whether he still intends to carry out the plan to assassinate Xu Qing!"

Upon hearing the assassin's words, Lao Ai's face was filled with disbelief, and his hands involuntarily clenched tightly.

"Impossible! How could Xu Qing be a disciple of the Taoist Heavenly Sect? Would the man in the straw raincoat in the night dare to deceive this Marquis?!" Lao Ai said in disbelief.

"The results of the Heavenly Pact have already spread throughout the vicinity of Mount Taiyi, and the news is still spreading to other places, so there is no doubt about it," the assassin from the Luo Wang said in a deep voice.

"Damn Nightfall! Damn Xu Qing! How dare you play tricks on this Marquis!"

Lao Ai angrily slammed his fist on the table, causing the bamboo slips, bowls, and plates on it to rattle and make a crisp clattering sound.

Lao Ai could not accept the fact that Xu Qing was a disciple of the Heavenly Sect. If Xu Qing was a disciple of the Heavenly Sect, then wouldn't his previous act of having Zhao Ji feign illness to force Xu Qing to leave in advance be considered as indirectly helping Xu Qing to win the Snowfall for the Heavenly Sect at Taiyi Mountain?

Although Lao Ai was not a member of any of the Hundred Schools of Thought, he understood the importance of Xueji to the Daoist Heavenly Sect and the Human Sect. Xu Qing's acquisition of Xueji undoubtedly secured the strong support of the Heavenly Sect.

His original intention in forcing Xu Qing away was to suppress Ying Zheng's power. Now, not only has he failed to weaken Ying Zheng, but he has also helped him gain a powerful supporter. This makes Lao Ai feel like a clown who has been made a fool of, and he is filled with anger and shame.

And then there's the night, how dare they deceive him that Xu Qing has nothing to do with the Daoist Heavenly Sect, how dare that little Ji Wuye play tricks on him, the Marquis of Changxin!
Anger instantly flushed Lao Ai's face, making his effeminate features look frighteningly red, like burning coal.

"Assassination"

Lao Ai was panting heavily, his chest heaving with anger, and his hands trembling slightly.

Xu Qing is a member of the Taoist Tianzong sect. Even if he had a hundred times the courage, he wouldn't dare to assassinate Xu Qing in the territory of Taiyi Mountain, unless he really didn't care about his life.

However, Lao Ai had no choice but to kill Xu Qing. If he didn't, when Xu Qing returned to Xianyang, he would face Xu Qing, who was supported by the Daoist school. Just thinking about the scene of Xu Qing pointing his sword at him in Zhangtai Palace made Lao Ai feel scared.

Fear filled Lao Ai's heart, causing him to show a look of dread and his legs to tremble uncontrollably. He could even feel that his most prized asset seemed to have become weaker than ever before.

"No, no, what should we do?"

Lao Ai sat on his seat, muttering to himself in a flustered manner. "My lord, do not worry. So what if Xu Qing is a disciple of the Heavenly Sect? As long as he cannot return to Xianyang, it will naturally have no impact on you." Grand Master Qi emerged from behind the curtain and smiled confidently at Lao Ai.

Seeing that Ling Qi seemed to have everything under control, Lao Ai hurriedly said...
"Do you have a way to prevent Xu Qing from returning to Xianyang? What way?! Tell me quickly."

“It’s fine to prevent Xu Qing from returning to Xianyang. You can also have the Empress Dowager feign illness and continue praying for blessings,” Ling Qi said, stroking his mustache.

"How could I not have thought of that? The solution is right in front of me. I'm so angry at Xu Qing and Ye Mu that I've lost my mind!"

Lao Ai slapped his head hard, his face full of regret, and said.

"You're not confused by anger, you're terrified."

Ling Qi thought to himself as he looked at Lao Ai's appearance.

As Zhao Ji's favorite minister, Lao Ai should have been accompanying her in Xianyang Palace at this time. Although the Marquis of Changxin was said to be Lao Ai's residence, he rarely came there.

Ever since Xu Qing angrily rebuked Lao Ai at Zhangtai Palace, Lao Ai has been returning to the Changxin Marquis's residence more often, especially recently, he has been staying at the Changxin Marquis's residence every night.

As for why? Ling Qi naturally understood, after all, many famous doctors specializing in treating impotence had appeared in the manor these days.

“However, this is only a temporary measure and cannot stop Xu Qing from returning to Xianyang, so we need to think of a long-term solution,” Ling Qi said in a deep voice.

The joy on Lao Ai's face froze for a moment, then he quickly walked up to Ling Qi, took his hand, and said...
"What long-term solution!? I believe you, Ling Qi, definitely have a long-term solution."

“We can’t kill Xu Qing at Mount Taiyi, but we can have someone else do it. As far as I know, Nightfall in Korea has a long-standing feud with Xu Qing. Moreover, Nightfall also wants to cooperate with Lord Hou, so we can have them do it,” Ling Qi said.

"Let Ji Wuye do it? It's not that I look down on him, but even if he had a hundred lives, he wouldn't dare to send someone to assassinate Xu Qing. Besides, how could those useless men under him possibly kill Xu Qing?"

Lao Ai released Ling Qi's hand, his brows furrowing slightly, and said with a disdainful expression.

He thought Ling Qi had some good ideas, but this is all?

“Ji Wuye wouldn’t dare. We can keep it from him who we’re going to assassinate. His men can’t kill Xu Qing, but Hei Bai Xuan Jian can. We can just frame Ji Wuye afterward,” Ling Qi said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Lao Ai fell into deep thought. Although Qi's method was risky, it was still a viable option.

"Isn't there any other way? Ji Wuye is still useful to me now," Lao Ai said in a deep voice.

After being frightened by Xu Qing, in order to stabilize Zhao Ji and maintain his power, he obtained hallucinogenic incense from Ji Wuye, thus plunging Zhao Ji into an illusion so that she would not notice anything amiss.

The thought of this made Lao Ai want to curse Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng, harboring a desire to disgust Zhao Ji, hung a portrait of Xu Qing in Zhao Ji's palace. Whenever he saw that portrait, he felt as if he had thorns in his back. He couldn't please Zhao Ji, and he couldn't even sleep peacefully, fearing that Xu Qing would step out of the painting and stab him to death with a Lingxu sword.

He also tried to persuade Zhao Ji to burn the painting, but Zhao Ji, that fickle woman, disagreed and left the painting hanging.

Whenever Lao Ai saw that painting, he felt like he had eaten shit, after all, no man wants to be cuckolded.

"As I have already said, whether the Marquis is willing or not is beyond my control. However, those who achieve great things can even kill their closest relatives, let alone someone like Ji Wuye?" Ling Qi took a step back and bowed to Lao Ai.

"This"

Lao Ai was caught in a dilemma, but after thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said...

"Alright, we'll do as you say. I'll go back to the palace to find the Empress Dowager and stall Xu Qing for now, then we'll find another opportunity to assassinate him later."

"Your Excellency is wise," Ling Qi said, bowing.

"Go back and tell Hei Bai Xuan Jian to hold off on taking action against Xu Qing for now. I will find a way to arrange for Xu Qing to be outside the territory of the Heavenly Sect, and then I will assassinate him!" Lao Ai said to the assassin from the Luo Wang organization.

"promise."

After glancing at Ling Qi and the assassins from Luo Wang, Lao Ai turned and walked outside, preparing to enter the palace to find Zhao Ji.

The following day, during the court meeting at Zhangtai Palace, before Ying Zheng could punish Lao Ai for killing the Marquis of Guannei, Zhao Ji's condition worsened, and the order was issued for Xu Qing to continue praying for blessings at Taiyi Mountain.

Qin's civil and military officials naturally understood that this was Lao Ai's conspiracy to delay Xu Qing's return to Xianyang, but with Zhao Ji backing them up, they were powerless to do anything about it.

However, after the court meeting ended, news that Xu Qing had become a disciple of the Heavenly Sect and had won the Snow Clearing Ceremony spread throughout Xianyang, causing a great deal of discussion throughout the city.

Inside the Marquis Wenxin's residence, Lü Buwei lay leisurely on a small couch, lazily basking in the sun.

Gai Nie was talking to Lü Buwei about matters discussed in court.

"As I said, the Grand General had already foreseen that Lao Ai would not be allowed to return to Xianyang easily, so there is no need to worry that Lao Ai will discover the plan to return Nanyang to Qin. As for the provisions, I will have them prepared. As long as Nanyang is returned to Qin, my Qin army will enter Nanyang, both to provide relief to the disaster victims and to eliminate the disloyal people."

Lü Buwei stroked his beard and said.

"Lord Wenxin is a brilliant strategist; even the King didn't expect Lao Ai to do such a thing," Gai Nie said, shaking his head.

Last night, he came to Lü Buwei and told him about Ying Zheng's concerns and requests. Lü Buwei only agreed to secretly plan for supplies, but he didn't mention how to bypass Lao Ai and have Xu Qing persuade Bai Yifei at all.

During today's court meeting, after Zhao Ji mentioned that Xu Qing should continue to pray for her, he and Ying Zheng finally understood why Lü Buwei hadn't brought it up.

This made Gai Nie admire Lü Buwei's ability to control the situation.

"Although Lao Ai has gained power, he is narrow-minded, and most of his followers are uneducated and incompetent, so there is no need to worry."

Lu Buwei spoke in a calm voice, with a faint smile on his face, looking very happy and relaxed.

His happiness stemmed from the fact that Ying Zheng had sent Gai Nie to seek his help yesterday. Although his relationship with Ying Zheng had improved, it didn't mean the past was over. By staying indoors, he was both minimizing his presence and waiting for an opportunity—a chance for Ying Zheng to encounter an insurmountable problem and proactively seek his assistance.

If Ying Zheng is willing to send someone to find him, it means that Ying Zheng intends to completely let go of the past.

"Whether you did it intentionally or unintentionally, I owe you another favor," Lü Buwei thought to himself.

(End of this chapter)