Teasing the First Dragon at the Start

Zhengjie glanced at the marriage contract in her hand and at Bai Su, whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation.

A slight smile played on her lips: "I see. Thank you so much, Young Master Bai."

With that, she picked up the parchment scroll with her fingers and threw it into the brazier. The marriage contract burst into flames and turned to ashes at a visible speed.

Bai Su was taken aback. Looking at the seemingly smiling Zheng Jie in front of her, she could only awkwardly scratch her cheek: "Ahem...ahem, Miss Zhao is truly a person of character."

This development seems a little different from what he expected.

Chapter Five: Interesting Toys

Bai Su scratched her cheek, looking at the seemingly smiling Zheng Jie in front of her.

He could naturally tell that Miss Zhao had no intention of marrying him.

However, he wasn't too disappointed.

Although he was instantly smitten with this Miss Zhao... cough cough, he felt an instant connection with her, he was ultimately a person from a later era.

When it comes to relationships, we value mutual affection rather than one-sided liking.

After all, a forced marriage may quench thirst temporarily, but it will never be sweet.

Upon hearing Bai Su say that the pills were poisonous, Wang Jian instinctively tried to get up.

But Zhengjie, who was beside him, gave him a wink, which made him suppress his anxiety.

"Young Master Bai, we have some business to attend to and need to go out for a while. Please wait at home for a moment." Zheng Jie turned her head and looked at Bai Su with her phoenix eyes.

Bai Su smiled and said, "Miss Zhao, please go ahead. There's no need to worry about me too much."

Zheng Jie didn't say much, just nodded slightly, and walked out the door with Wang Jian beside her.

"The idea that people in ancient times were simple and honest, and that burning indentures or marriage contracts would move the other party to marriage is just a lie. It's all a lie in TV dramas."

Bai Su watched Miss Zhao's slender figure gradually disappear into the distance and couldn't help but sigh.

He scratched his cheek with his index finger, recalling Miss Zhao's strange look, and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

Sure enough, country roads are slippery, and people's hearts are complicated.

"Alright, let's see if there's anything to eat first. We've been walking all day and are a bit hungry."

Feeling his rumbling stomach, Bai Su took out the money pouch from his waist, looked at the dozen or so copper coins inside, and wondered if he could go to town to see if he could buy anything to bring back.

And in a secluded bamboo forest.

"His Majesty……"

The guards, all dressed in black, bowed respectfully.

"Get up," said Zheng Jie, her lips slightly parted.

She seemed like a completely different person at this moment, her aura had become sharp and fierce, making people afraid to meet her gaze.

Wang Jian's brows furrowed, and after a moment's hesitation, she said, "Your Majesty..."

Her mouth was half open, and she didn't know how to start speaking.

The Great Xia Dynasty swept across the land, unifying the world. His Majesty also held the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, thinking that the dynasty could last for thousands of generations. However, he did not expect to learn from Bai Su that the Great Xia Dynasty would perish in a few years.

Even the elixirs concocted by the highly rewarded sorcerers in Xianyang Palace rarely contained any deadly poison.

This kind of chilling news made her hesitant to speak.

"It's alright, no need to be so nervous," Sister Zheng said with a smile.

She wasn't too surprised.

After all, the sorcerers in Xianyang City have only been refining pills for a short time, and although she has taken some pills, the quantity is not large.

Even if there's something wrong with the pill, just like Bai Su said, as long as it's not taken long-term, the body can detoxify and recover gradually after a period of rest.

After a moment of contemplation, Zheng Jie looked at Wang Jian with her phoenix eyes and asked, "What do you think of what he just said?"

Wang Jian's almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then she tentatively asked, "Your Majesty refers to..."

Zhengjie didn't speak, but simply extended her slender white fingers, lightly touched the wine, and drew a pattern of a pill on the stone table.

Wang Jian stared at the patterns on the stone table and fell silent.

After hesitating for a long time, she whispered, "Why don't we... have someone try it secretly?"

After all, she dared not easily express any opinion on such a major matter concerning the fate of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Zheng Jie nodded slightly.

Wang Jian called over a guard who was standing nearby and whispered a few instructions to him.

The black-clad guard clasped his hands in a salute, then mounted his horse and rode off towards Xianyang.

After doing all this, Wang Jian returned to Zheng Jie's side and whispered, "Your Majesty, I have sent people back to test the effects of the pills. I believe we will know the results soon."

Zhengjie nodded without saying anything more, her phoenix eyes gazing at the bamboo forest swaying in the wind in the distance, as if she were pondering something.

Although Zheng Jie appeared calm, Wang Jian, who often followed her, knew that His Majesty was already somewhat angry.

What we are seeing now is just the calm before the storm.

If the pill is safe, that's fine. But if His Majesty discovers that the pill contains a deadly poison...

I'm afraid... all the sorcerers in the world will be implicated.

As for those so-called alchemists in Xianyang Palace who supposedly offered elixirs, their heads will likely roll and rivers of blood will flow.

"Your Majesty, shall we continue as planned and proceed to the coast of the East China Sea to tour the world?" Wang Jian asked in a low voice.

"What's the rush..."

Zheng Jie was playing with a delicate box in her hand, gently turning the lever on it.

"A cup of bitter tea, the bright moon as witness." As the copper needle traced the indentation in the jade plate, her familiar voice rang out from the wooden box.

"An interesting toy, isn't it?" Zheng Jie looked at the box in her palm, a slight smile curving her lips.

Although she hadn't known Bai Su for long, she could tell that the young man's background was extraordinary.

Putting aside the ingenious design of the mechanism...

Bai Su's previous words alone were enough to surprise her.

There are countless famous scholars in the world, but none have ever been able to understand her innermost thoughts as thoroughly as Bai Su.

He could understand what she was thinking, see the hidden dangers of the successor within the Great Xia, and realize the shadow of the remnants of the six kingdoms lurking beneath the seemingly stable empire.

All these signs indicate that this young man named Bai Su is no ordinary person.

He looks no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, yet he possesses such talent. I wonder what his background is.

What kind of teacher could cultivate such a talented student?

"General Wang, what do you think of that young man named Bai Su?" Zheng Jie glanced at Wang Jian with her phoenix eyes and asked with a light laugh.

"That foolish boy who wants to marry His Majesty?"

Wang Jian's expression immediately turned strange. She scratched her cheek and said, "This kid has a lot of skills, but it's a pity he's a bit simple-minded. He doesn't seem very smart."

Sister Zheng smiled and said, "Some young men who have studied under famous masters and are just starting out, because they spend most of their time in the mountains and bamboo forests, rarely experience human relationships. Although they have superb skills, they don't have much of a sense of caution towards people, so it's normal for them to be a little simple-minded."

"When Sun Bin first came out of seclusion, he was foolishly deceived by Pang Juan and even tortured so much that his kneecap was removed."

"But as he matured, he led the State of Qi to a great victory over the powerful State of Wei, the former hegemon of the Central Plains, causing it to fall into decline."

Wang Jian understood the meaning behind Zheng Jie's words: His Majesty had taken a liking to talent and wanted to stay in Handan for a while longer.

but……

That brat mistook His Majesty for his fiancée, saying all sorts of offensive things and behaving rudely.

I have a feeling that keeping this kid by His Majesty's side might cause some trouble.

"Oh, Miss Zhao, sister-in-law, you're back! Dinner is ready, come and eat while it's hot."

Just as Wang Jian followed Sister Zheng back to the mansion, Bai Su's cheerful voice drifted from inside the house.

Chapter Six: I Want to Stare at You So Long

"It smells so good, what is this?"

Wang Jian pushed open the door and walked in, a look of surprise on his face.

A pot sat on the brazier, its rich broth bubbling and releasing an enticing aroma that made her mouth water, accompanied by rising steam. She unconsciously swallowed.

On the table to the side, there were plates of chopped vegetables, fish balls, and sliced ​​meat, which looked very delicate.

Zhengjie followed closely behind and walked in. Looking at the exquisite dishes, a hint of curiosity flashed in her phoenix eyes.

"This dish is called hot pot, and it's one of my favorite foods..."

Bai Su brought over the chopped scallions, chive blossoms, minced garlic, and other prepared ingredients, and gently placed them on the table.

Wang Jian listened to Bai Su's explanation of how to combine the sauces and was filled with amazement.

The food on the table, with its various ingredients and side dishes, shows that she, the Grand Tutor of the Great Xia Dynasty, knows how to enjoy life even more.

No wonder His Majesty suspects that this lad is a disciple of a master and comes from a prestigious family.

Seeing that the fish balls in the pot were almost cooked, she picked one up, took a bite, and her eyes lit up instantly.

She eagerly picked up the second one, but because it was too hot, she let out a series of rapid breaths that left much to the imagination.

Seeing Wang Jian looking like he hadn't eaten for three days, Zheng Jie couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Have you not eaten at all?"

Wang Jian swallowed the meatball in his mouth with difficulty and scratched his dark hair: "It's not that I'm ignorant, it's just that this stuff is so delicious that I can't stop eating it. I've wasted so many years of my life."

When Zhengjie heard Wang Jian say that, a hint of curiosity immediately appeared in her phoenix eyes.

It should be noted that Wang Jian was known throughout the Great Xia court and among the common people for his love of pleasure.

Wang Jian never concealed his desires. As early as the war to destroy Chu, he kept demanding land and money from Zheng Jie.

At palace banquets, if she thought a dish was delicious, she would shamelessly ask the Empress to bring it back from the chef who made it.

Zhengjie found her various "shameless" requests amusing, and immediately waved her hand to reward her, letting her take the cook away.