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

Chapter 460, Everything Was As Expected

Tianze glanced at the Corpse-Driving Demon and said with a somewhat somber expression.

"Because we don't have much time left. The bodies of Wujiu and Liu Yi have not been found yet, and Bai Yifei, Ji Wuye, and Han Fei are all doing their best to hunt us down. Furthermore, the Han King's Cold Palace has set up layers of ambushes, just waiting for us to walk into the trap."

"With just the two of us, we are simply not capable of obtaining the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions from the Han King's Palace. On the contrary, the longer we stay in Han, the greater the danger we face."

"Instead of doing that, we should cooperate with Xu Qing and get the Azure Dragon Seven Constellations to return to Baiyue as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, the Corpse-Driving Demon fell silent. If all five of them were present, they could have put up a fight against Bai Yifei, Ji Wuye, and Han Fei. However, Yan Lingji and Wushuang Gui left with Xu Qing, and Bai Du Wang committed suicide after being captured.

With only him and Tianze left, they were willing but unable to continue their revenge against South Korea.

"Let's go. The Central Plains is not a place to stay for long. Baiyue is the place where we can settle down."

Tianze emerged from the shadows, gazing at the desolate fields in the distance, a look of nostalgia and reminiscence in his eyes.

"Yes."

The Corpse-Driving Demon followed Tianze, continuing towards Xinzheng.

Another day passed in the blink of an eye, and the messenger Tian Guang sent to deliver the message to Xiong Qi returned to Luyang City.

In Luyang City, in a rural settlement.

Tian Guang looked at the reply from Xiong Qi in his hand, his pupils suddenly dilated, and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face. He looked up at the masked messenger.

"Are you sure this was written by the lord himself?"

Tian Guang's resolute face darkened, and he asked in a deep voice.

“That’s right, this is a secret letter written by the young master himself, and he asked me to tell the chieftain that he must act according to the instructions.” The masked messenger said, bowing.

"You can go down now," Tian Guang said, his expression hardening as he suppressed his shock.

"promise."

After bowing, the messenger turned and left the room.

"Nanyang surrendered to Qin, and Xu Qing's goal was actually this. No wonder, no wonder."

Tian Guang looked at the secret letter in his hand, his eyes gleaming, and said with a sudden realization.

He said he couldn't understand Xu Qing's behavior at all, because he never imagined that Xu Qing's goal was to make Nanyang surrender to Qin. Such a wild idea was something that probably no one would believe.

If the outcome is Nanyang's surrender to Qin, then Xu Qing's various actions in Nanyang can be connected.

After a brief moment of reflection, Tian Guang continued to look down at the contents of the secret letter. After reading the second half, Tian Guang's gaze began to wander, and his expression became somewhat uncertain.

"My lord, is this really what we should do?" Tian Guang asked with a complicated expression.

The second half of the secret letter contained the task Xiong Qi assigned him: to help the state of Han protect Nanyang. Xiong Qi also instructed him to investigate the military rations hidden by Fei Cuihu and to find an opportunity to burn them.

Xiong Qi's purpose in doing this was simple: to provide him with an opportunity to establish a relationship with Han Fei.

When Han Fei was studying at Xiaoshengxianzhuang in Sanghai, Xiong Qi asked him to try to win over the other party, but Han Fei refused outright.

Today, Han Fei is not only a renowned genius, but also the sole heir to the Korean royal family. He also commands the powerful organization, Quicksand, and is an anti-Qin figure. This makes him their best ally.

However, since they had been rejected before, it wouldn't be easy to get Han Fei to join them, so they needed an opportunity to get Han Fei to agree.

This drought in Nanyang was what Xiong Qi saw as an opportunity.

If Han Fei wanted to stabilize grain prices in Han, he needed both the grain he borrowed from Wei and the military rations hidden by the Jade Tiger. If either of them were destroyed, Han Fei would face a food shortage. In this case, he borrowed grain from the Hidden Dragon Hall.

Even if Han Fei was unwilling to join them, he would relent because of the kindness shown to him in his time of need.

However, Tian Guang still felt somewhat uncomfortable about burning these life-saving grains during the drought.

However, this thought vanished in an instant. Tian Guang's face hardened, his expression exceptionally resolute, and he lowered his voice to say...

"These sacrifices are necessary for the prosperous era that the lord has set out to achieve, and the farmers will also replenish the missing food in a timely manner."

After adjusting my mindset, a new problem arose.

That is, who should be sent to burn the grain?
The farmers certainly cannot show their faces. Xu Qing is in Nanyang, and he has the Luo Wang, an all-pervasive assassin organization under his command. If he finds out that the farmers burned the grain, and that he had Qianlongtang lend the grain to Han Fei, it will definitely arouse suspicion.

Moreover, if others were to learn that the farmer had burned the grain, the farmer would become a target of public condemnation and scorn, and his position as a chivalrous leader would be over.

"We absolutely cannot let the farmers show their faces, but who should we let do it?"

Tian Guang placed his hands on his knees, his face showing deep thought. After pondering for a while, his gaze finally fell on a scroll of bamboo slips on the table.

This bamboo scroll was sent by Situ Wanli yesterday. He said it was a wanted criminal from Korea, Tianze, the former deposed crown prince of Baiyue, who wanted to join the Farmer's Clan in order to gain their protection.

According to Situ Wanli, when they went to Taiyi Mountain, the other party approached Qianlong Hall.

It's just that this matter has been delayed until now because Situ Wanli is not here.

Yesterday, after Tianze approached Qianlong Hall again, Situ Wanli hesitated to make a decision due to Tianze's identity, so he sent someone to deliver a message to him. Tian Guang didn't know much about Tianze, only his identity and what he had done in Korea.

If it weren't for the fact that the other party was the deposed crown prince of Baiyue, even if the other party was a wanted criminal from Han, he would have allowed the other party to join the Farmer's Clan based on the other party's strength.

Among the non-family members in the farming community, many were once notorious bandits or notorious assassins; being a wanted criminal was not a big deal in the farming community.

After pulling out the bamboo slip and opening it, Tian Guang's eyes gleamed as he looked at the handwriting written by Situ Wanli. The heavy look on his face was gradually replaced by a smile.

“Tianze, he is indeed a suitable candidate,” Tian Guang said.

Tianze was a wanted criminal in South Korea and had a long-standing feud with the country, especially with Xueyi Hou Bai Yifei. If the other side were to burn the military rations hidden by Feicui Hu, they would indeed be the most suitable candidate.

Thinking of this, Tian Guang's eyes gleamed. He picked up a brush and wrote a few words on a blank bamboo slip before putting the slip into a bag.

"Someone, go and summon Master Zhu," Tian Guang called out to the door.

Upon hearing Tian Guang's instructions, the farmer's disciples outside the door went to inform the Zhu family. Shortly afterward, the Zhu family members pushed open the door and entered Tian Guang's house.

"Chief, what can I do for you?" Zhu Jia asked, bowing respectfully.

"Zhu family, I have an important matter to entrust to you. Go to Qianlong Hall in Xinzheng immediately and deliver this secret letter to Hall Master Situ, instructing him to act according to the instructions," Tian Guang said.

"promise."

Zhu Jia took the bamboo slip, a solemn look flashing in his eyes. The matter he was asked to convey personally must be extremely important.

"Be careful on the road. Once you arrive at Qianlong Hall, you will travel with Situ Wanli and the others. As for what to do then, Situ Wanli will tell you." Tian Guang gave the Zhu family a meaningful look and said in a deep voice.

If possible, Tian Guang did not want the Zhu family to get involved in this matter, since they were traditional farmers who cared a lot about people's livelihood.

However, in order to ensure that Tianze could complete the task of burning the grain and grass, he had to send someone to keep an eye on things, while also making sure that no word got out. So the person keeping an eye on things could only be his most trusted confidant.

Now, he only has two suitable people around him: Tian Meng and Zhu Jia. However, Tian Meng is too hostile to outsiders, and this matter requires cooperation with Situ Wanli. In order to avoid complications, he can only send Zhu Jia.

"promise."

Zhu Jia nodded solemnly and hid the bamboo slip in his bosom.

"Go."

After bowing to Tian Guang, Zhu Jia turned and left.

After leaving Luyang City, the Zhu family headed to Xinzheng as quickly as possible.

As time passed and night fell, a bird flew back to Xinzheng from the direction Zhu Jia had left. It flew past the soldiers patrolling the city wall and plunged into Luyang City, eventually landing in the Luowang stronghold.

One of the assassins from the Luo Wang organization caught the messenger bird that flew in, removed the secret message tied to its leg, and then walked towards Xu Qing's house.

Inside the main house.

Xu Qing was sitting by the window, hunched over the table writing something.

Yan Lingji was leaning against the table, one small hand holding an inkstone to grind ink for Xu Qing. She tilted her beautiful face up, her charming, narrow eyes looking at Xu Qing with a glimmer of light.

The bright moonlight shone through the window and fell on Xu Qing, casting a soft halo over his handsome face.

Xu Qing's temperament was naturally ethereal and otherworldly, and the faint moonlight added to his cold and aloof air, making him seem like a celestial being who had transcended the world, leaving Yan Lingji somewhat mesmerized.

"Bang bang~"

A knock on the door startled Xu Qing and Yan Lingji, who were engrossed in writing. The two looked up at the door at the same time.

"Great Master, news has arrived from Xinzheng," the assassin from Luo Wang said from outside the door.

"come in."

A glint of light flashed in Xu Qing's eyes as he spoke.

"promise."

After pushing open the door, the assassin from Luo Wang walked up to Xu Qing and Yan Ling Ji and handed the secret letter to Xu Qing.

"A secret message delivered by carrier pigeon."

After handing the secret letter to Xu Qing, the assassin from Luo Wang turned and walked out.

Xu Qing took the secret letter and opened it immediately. After seeing the contents, he was initially surprised, but then a relaxed smile appeared on his face. He then handed the secret letter to Yan Lingji.

"It seems the plan is finally complete. All my efforts were worthwhile. Weren't you curious about how I got Tian Guang to order Tian Ze to burn the grain? The answer is above."

Xu Qing breathed a sigh of relief and said with a light laugh.

After glancing at Xu Qing, Yan Lingji picked up the secret letter and began to read it. The letter was sent back by Situ Wanli from Qianlong Hall in Xinzheng. The contents were brief, but every word was crucial.

(End of this chapter)