Qin Dynasty: Ying Zheng is my brother, I am the Bad Commander

On the large, soft couch, Ying Chen was half-reclining, while the originally gentle and graceful Jing Ni was now leaning obediently against him.

Jing Ni's light blue fitted dress appeared somewhat disheveled and wrinkled due to her posture, outlining a stunning curve.

A faint blush rose on her gentle cheeks, her eyes were slightly closed, and her breathing was a little rapid.

Ying Chen's one hand was brazenly placed on Jing Ni's long, shapely thigh, gently caressing it through the thin fabric, while his other hand held a wine glass, occasionally taking a sip himself or feeding it to Jing Ni in his arms.

This scene is both incredibly beautiful and incredibly unrestrained.

Nongyu quickly averted her gaze, her heart involuntarily quickening. She could only concentrate all her attention on the strings of the zither, trying to use the music to mask her inner turmoil.

On the other side of the room, on that large, luxurious bed.

Yan Fei was sitting cross-legged, her hands forming a strange hand seal, and she was cultivating with her eyes closed.

……

Meanwhile, in another secluded room on the top floor of Zilan Pavilion.

Wei Zhuang remained standing by the window, the menacing Shark Tooth Sword standing silently beside him.

He gazed intently at the night outside the window, as if he could see through all the darkness in the city of Xinzheng.

The door was gently pushed open, and Zi Nu walked in with elegant steps.

She walked to the table, poured herself a glass of water, drank it all in one gulp, and then shook her head helplessly.

"How is it?" Wei Zhuang didn't turn around, but simply uttered two words.

"A slippery eel." Zi Nu rubbed her temples, a rare hint of frustration in her voice. "From beginning to end, he played the role of a useless young master whose body had been hollowed out by wine and women. The way he looked at me was filled with undisguised desire. Perhaps he really really is just a playboy who only knows how to have fun?"

Wei Zhuang turned around, a cold smile curving his lips: "If he were truly a piece of trash, Lü Buwei would have devoured him whole, skin and bones, long ago, and Ying Zheng would not have allowed him to parade around with five hundred iron cavalry."

"I've arranged for Nongyu to play the zither for him," Zi Nu said, "hoping to glean some clues from his usual behavior."

"It's no use," Wei Zhuang said coldly. "What this kind of person wants you to see is exactly what he deliberately shows you. However, now that he's here, the waters of Xinzheng will soon boil over completely. We just need to wait and see."

……

The next day, at dusk.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the streets of Xinzheng, bathing this ancient and decaying capital in a golden-red glow.

A down-on-his-luck young man, leading a skinny horse and with a gourd of wine hanging from his waist, was strolling slowly down the street. His purple robe, though somewhat worn, was very clean, and his brows revealed a carefree and unrestrained air.

"Finally back. The air in Xinzheng is still so...suffocating."

Han Fei took a deep breath, patted his horse's back, and fixed his gaze on the brightly lit building in front of him—Zilan Pavilion.

"After traveling for so long, the craving for alcohol in my stomach has long been brewing."

Han Fei handed the horse to the servant at the door and strode into the main hall of Zilan Pavilion.

As soon as he entered, he sensed that the atmosphere in the hall was a bit strange.

The usually boisterous drinkers were now deliberately lowering their voices, occasionally glancing with awe towards a certain direction on the second floor.

Just as Han Fei was feeling puzzled, a familiar voice suddenly came from the stairwell.

"Oh, isn't this the Ninth Young Master who was selling his jade pendant for wine by the roadside? What, you've finally decided to return to Xinzheng City?"

Han Fei looked up and saw Ying Chen, dressed in a magnificent black robe with gold patterns, holding a folding fan, slowly walking down the stairs surrounded by a group of beautiful women.

Jing Ni was by Ying Chen's side, but Yan Fei was not with him.

Han Fei was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily as he went to greet him: "So it's you, brother! We parted hastily on the official road that day, and I never expected to meet you again here at Zilan Pavilion! I will never forget your kindness of sharing a drink with me that day!"

"However, why isn't the young master enjoying the royal hospitality in the palace? Why has he come to this place of pleasure?"

"The wine in the palace is too weak, and the people are too fake. How can they compare to the fragrance of wine and the beauty of people in this Purple Orchid Pavilion?" Ying Chen leaned closer to Han Fei, lowered his voice, and said in a tone that only the two of them could hear, "Besides, there's going to be a big show in Xinzheng City soon. I'll be sitting at the highest point in this Purple Orchid Pavilion so I can see the show clearly."

Han Fei's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes sharpened instantly, but he remained outwardly calm: "A grand show? Your Highness is joking. Xinzheng City has always been peaceful; what grand show could there be to watch?"

"Peace? Heh..." Ying Chen straightened up and gave Han Fei a meaningful look. "Han Fei, you're a smart man. Some things don't just disappear if you close your eyes. Enjoy your drink; it might not be so easy to get wine from Zi Lan Xuan in the future."

After saying that, Ying Chen laughed loudly and led Yan Fei straight out of Zi Lan Xuan, seemingly preparing to stroll around the city.

Han Fei stood there, watching Ying Chen's departing figure, his brows furrowed tightly.

"What do you mean by 'grand show'?"

……

Ying Chen's words soon came true.

Just three days after Han Fei returned to Xinzheng, a storm that shook the entire Korean court and public suddenly descended!

South Korea's border is in dire straits; its 100,000-strong army is running out of food and supplies.

King Han An urgently allocated 100,000 taels of gold as military pay, which was escorted to the border by a large force.

However, on that rainy night when the military pay escort team passed through Duanlong Valley, something strange happened.

According to the terrified descriptions of the surviving soldiers who escaped, it rained heavily and was accompanied by thunder and lightning that night.

Suddenly, a thick, eerie fog filled the valley, and then countless "ghost soldiers" wearing tattered armor and with ferocious faces crawled out from the ground and blocked the way.

Invulnerable to swords and spears, and impervious to water and fire!

The elite soldiers escorting the military supplies were powerless against these "ghost soldiers" and were slaughtered.

And the 100,000 taels of gold mysteriously turned into ashes in the heavy rain and thunder, disappearing without a trace!

Ghost soldiers robbed the supplies!

The news spread like wildfire, instantly reaching every corner of Xinzheng.

In an instant, panic gripped the people, and rumors spread like wildfire. Some said it was the vengeful spirit of the former king of Zheng causing trouble, while others said it was divine punishment sent down by Heaven because the fate of Han had run out.

King Han An flew into a rage in the court and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.

However, it seemed as if the case was truly being interfered with by supernatural forces. King Han dispatched five presiding judges to investigate, but without exception, all five officials died mysteriously and tragically at home within days of taking office! Their deaths were extremely gruesome, and strange ghost face marks were left at the scene.

In an instant, the case became a hot potato. In the imperial court, civil and military officials turned pale at the mention of "ghosts," and no one dared to take it on anymore.