In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

Therefore, this is also the best place for exploration.

Snapped!

As Zhang Xiaoshan clapped his hands, the hill shook and yellow sand churned.

Immediately, a monstrous machine emerged. It was something similar to a heavy truck from later times, with a surface made of refined iron steel armor, a streamlined structure, and a domineering and ferocious appearance. It was a full ten feet wide and three feet long.

"The sandstorms here are too strong. I arranged for them to arrive only ten days ago, but the main body of the building has already been mostly buried under the sandstorm!"

As he spoke, Zhang Xiaoshan stepped into the gaping maw of the steel monster.

This is a container base similar to those assembled in later times, with an internal area of ​​about ten zhang in diameter.

"This is?"

Upon entering, Princess Taiping immediately became curious about Zhang Xiaoshan.

The Zhang family truly lives up to its reputation!

Looking inside, it had everything imaginable: fur carpets, simply furnished tables and chairs, a grill, and beef and lamb...

Even Princess Taiping was deeply moved.

I never expected that the Zhang family would set up such a large-scale temporary settlement, which looked like an air-raid shelter.

More importantly, how will the Zhang family build a fortified stronghold here?

This is a desert!

Unless you survey the terrain and spend a lot of money, manpower and resources, there are very few buildings in the desert.

Wherever the yellow sand passes, everything is buried.

"The foundation and walls here are made of sandbags mixed with a special agent that can solidify the sand, which can build an exceptionally strong fortress in a short time."

However, over time, the banana sacks will rot, and the sand-fixing agent will lose its effectiveness, causing the fortress to collapse.

“That’s not bad either!”

Even Princess Taiping and her two top-notch guards were extremely surprised upon hearing this.

When it comes to extraordinary abilities, the Zhang family is the most powerful.

"Where do those Bloodthirsty Assassins rest? There don't seem to be many places to rest here."

"They work in groups of ten, each with their own small fort to rest in, and they take turns on duty."

As assassins, they couldn't possibly work together.

Furthermore, in terms of concealment, such a large fortress could not have been completely invisible without more than ten days of wind and sand accumulation.

Princess Taiping nodded upon hearing this.

It seems that Bloodthorn is more troublesome than they imagined.

If the Flying Guillotine is a true killer, then the Blood Thorn is a follower of the assassin's path.

One was a brute-force attack, the other a cunning assassination!

Meanwhile, while Lei Laowu was barbecuing, Zhang Xiaoshan also took out the jar of strong liquor he had previously prepared.

Then, as Princess Taiping felt nauseous, Zhang Xiaoshan put one centipede after another, nearly a foot long, into the fryer.

Seeing this, Lei Laowu and the two top experts were also curious.

I never expected Zhang Xiaoshan to have this kind of quirk.

Most people find centipedes disgusting, let alone deep-fried ones.

"This centipede was caught at the Dragon Gate Inn!"

The Dragon Gate Inn is a shady establishment; it may appear clean, but beneath it lies countless centipedes raised on blood.

These centipedes are considered an absolute delicacy by seasoned gourmets in the martial arts world.

As for this way of eating?

Zhang learned from some seasoned veterans in the underworld, and his methods were further refined through exposure to strong liquor:

It can kill viruses and bacteria, and it can also enhance flavor.

After being deep-fried at high temperatures, it is generally safe to eat!

The two top experts were filled with skepticism regarding Zhang Xiaoshan's introduction.

However, Lei Laowu had no doubts. Instead, he looked at Zhang Xiaoshan's fried food with curiosity. He knew that Zhang Xiaoshan liked to enjoy himself, and if Zhang Xiaoshan liked something, it must be good stuff.

Zhang Xiaoshan seemed to have seen through Lei Laowu's thoughts, and continued:

"However, Mr. Zhang does not recommend this way of eating."

Centipedes and other venomous insects in the wild are mostly highly poisonous, especially some that carry special fungal toxins, so eating them is not a good idea.

As for the centipede in Zhang's hand?

Because centipedes are naturally countered by chickens, Zhang prepared a large, plump hen. After the centipedes bit the hen, they would spit out all the venom inside their bodies.

Especially the things inside ancient tombs—they're not just poisonous!

"Thank you for the reminder, young master!"

Lei Laowu nodded, knowing that Zhang Xiaoshan was reminding him not to eat indiscriminately.

"Alright, Princess, would you like one?"

Looking at Princess Taiping, whose expression had returned to normal, Zhang Xiaoshan felt a mischievous urge to tease her.

As for the others, each of them received one.

Looking at the large, golden-brown, and crispy centipede in his hand, Lei Laowu didn't stand on ceremony and ate a third of it in one bite, chewing it.

In an instant, the crispy and fragrant fried centipede exploded in his mouth, and the ultimate taste made Lei Laowu's eyes light up.

In no time at all, the whole centipede was devoured, and at the same time, he looked intently at the centipede that was being deep-fried in front of Zhang Xiaoshan!

"Thank you very much, Young Master Zhang!"

Seeing Lei Laowu's ravenous appearance, Princess Taiping curiously parted her lips and took a small bite.

After listening to Zhang Xiaoshan explain 277 for a long time, and seeing that Lei Laowu's craving for food was genuine, Princess Taiping was also curious about just how delicious this "delicious food" really was.

After all, Lei Laowu's status meant he didn't need to worry about food.

Soon, a bright light flashed in her beautiful eyes!

Having tasted all the delicacies of the land and sea, even Princess Taiping, a gourmet, couldn't help but be amazed.

Delicious food, a rare delicacy!

"Indeed, the things that the young master likes are rarely disappointing."

Especially in the desolate wilderness, they are a rare delicacy. I wonder if you, sir, could give Taiping a few more?

"I'm glad the princess is happy!"

Zhang Xiaoshan nodded.

There are nearly a hundred large centipedes. Even if each person takes ten, he still has fifty left.

Soon, the jar of centipedes was devoured, and everyone still felt they hadn't had enough.

···

After dinner, Zhang Xiaoshan and Princess Taiping strolled through the desert.

The biting, icy sandstorm was barely felt by either of them, as they were both top-tier fighters.

On the contrary, the stroll was exceptionally pleasant.

The rare scenery beyond the Great Wall, coupled with the quiet atmosphere of the two of them alone, allowed Zhang Xiaoshan to appreciate Princess Taiping's unparalleled beauty and allure.

After all, with a beautiful woman by one's side and the moonlight as clear as water, it was a rare and wonderful time.

In Princess Taiping's eyes, as a politician, she naturally wanted to win over the Zhang family for the benefits they could gain.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan kept his distance from both Princess Taiping and the Empress, maintaining absolute vigilance.

They all have male lovers.

Just as he has many female confidantes, the two of them also have many male confidantes, making them rare 'feminist' playboys.

Besides, Zhang Xiaoshan isn't the type to be unable to resist beautiful women.

He knew that Princess Taiping was willing to give up everything for power, so he was certainly not foolish enough to assume that Princess Taiping would give up everything for him.

Even with Lady Dongming, Zhang Xiaoshan could still retain a sliver of affection.

If he were to play for real with Princess Taiping, he would lose!

Chapter 437 Steel Monster - Later Zhou Mechanical Beast

Woo woo woo...

The melodious, ethereal sound of the jade flute, like heavenly music, spread for miles around, and even those resting could hear its pleasant melody.

It is beautiful and crisp, especially in the quiet of the night, making one even more immersed in it.

Many people exchanged glances; they were all a group of江湖草莽 (jianghu caomang, meaning rough and unruly people) or assassins, with only two being the few 'cultured people'.

Moreover, the two went out together and have not returned to this day.

For a moment, many people looked on with envy and jealousy.

At this moment, the red-clad dancers moved gracefully and charmingly, and Princess Taiping was hearing this highly rhythmic music for the first time.

With a slender waist and graceful figure, she moved with the flute music, her light gauze swaying like a butterfly fluttering around Zhang Xiaoshan, alluring and captivating.

At the same time, her bright, clear eyes would occasionally gaze at that tall, slender figure.

She had thought Zhang Xiaoshan's playing of the fu music was just beginner level, but she never expected that Zhang Xiaoshan not only played the jade flute beautifully, but also composed novel pieces that she had never heard before.

Moreover, such skill surpasses that of most musicians.

Even Princess Taiping was somewhat infatuated.

After all, life is a long journey, and as the most beloved princess of the royal family, Princess Taiping lacked nothing.

But equally, he was extremely lonely throughout his life.

Or perhaps it's a case of the higher you climb, the colder it gets!

Amidst the endless yellow sands and the graceful dance of a beautiful woman, a breathtakingly beautiful scene unfolds, deeply moving the heart.

···

The next morning, when Princess Taiping looked at Zhang Xiaoshan, her gaze was full of affection and captivating charm.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan simply regarded it as a dream.

Zhang Xiaoshan's attitude towards Princess Taiping was merely that of ordinary acquaintance; he had no intention of cooperating with her.

The reason is that he has too strong a desire for power!

The imperial court is not the martial world, a place of swords and shadows.

The power struggles that unfold silently in the imperial court mean that most people don't even know how they died.

Moreover, getting involved would bring no benefit to the Zhang family whatsoever, and Zhang Xiaoshan would never abandon his principles for a honey trap.

Therefore, Zhang Xiaoshan could play along with Princess Taiping, but he would not actually support her.

Ultimately, Zhang Xiaoshan had no desire to become the executioner on Princess Taiping's path to the throne.

You should know how many people Emperor Wu killed on his way to the throne.

This is a bloody road.

Moreover, if the Zhang family gets involved, they will only end up as a discarded tool.

When an emperor commits murder, someone always needs to take the blame.

"set off!"

They set off with great speed, and by then everyone saw the full form of Bloodthorn: all dressed in black, wearing demon masks, with strong and muscular builds, and carrying Bloodthorn, hidden weapons, and powerful crossbows at their waists...

Moreover, unlike the camels that everyone else rode, Bloodthorn's mounts were the steel monsters that had served as the entrance, a total of ten.