All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

When Yi Xiaochuan heard Liu Bang's question, he panicked and picked up his wine cup to drink it all in one gulp, but found that the cup was already empty. He quickly picked up the wine pot and filled it up.

He glanced up at Liu Bang and felt a pang of guilt, as if he wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to.

Seeing Yi Xiaochuan's expression, Liu Bang felt a pang of anxiety and quickly moved closer to him, cautiously asking, "What's wrong?"

"Brother, have you also fallen for Zhi'er?"

Yi Xiaochuan's face was flushed. He really wanted to tell Liu Bang what happened last night, but after thinking about it, he held back and didn't dare to say it. He was extremely flustered. He had slept with Liu Bang's woman. Did that mean he had changed history?

Looking at Yi Xiaochuan's expression, Liu Bang really thought that Yi Xiaochuan had also fallen for Lü Zhi and was too embarrassed to tell him, hence his expression. His heart sank.

Compared to Yi Xiaochuan, that pretty boy, I have absolutely no chance of competing with him!

Liu Bang's thoughts raced instantly. He had to get rid of this pretty boy. Otherwise, if Yi Xiaochuan stayed by Lü Zhi's side every day, the two would eventually develop feelings for each other. Since things were just beginning, he had to separate them.

If Liu Bang knew what had happened between Yi Xiaochuan and Lü Zhi, he would probably be drawing his sword against them by now.

Liu Bang was also a shrewd and calculating man. He recalled some of the things Yi Xiaochuan had complained about to him a few days ago, and suddenly an idea came to him.

He leaned closer to Yi Xiaochuan and asked.

“Brother, I heard you said the other day that you wanted to go to Yan. I’m going to take a group of people to Xianyang in a few days. Why don’t you come with me to Xianyang for a tour?”

At that moment, Yi Xiaochuan was contemplating whether he should run away when he heard Liu Bang's words. He was overjoyed and quickly looked up, replying somewhat eagerly.

"Great! Going to Xianyang is wonderful! I've been wanting to see the sights of the Qin Dynasty. Brother, when shall we set off?"

Upon hearing Yi Xiaochuan's urgency, Liu Bang was somewhat puzzled, but thinking that things might change if he waited too long, he then spoke.

"How about we leave tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Yi Xiaochuan realized it was exactly what he wanted to hear and quickly nodded in agreement!

Chapter Eight: Lü Zhi Seeks Refuge

Yi Xiaochuan thought for a moment, then quickly leaned close to Liu Bang's ear and said something.

"Brother, I think you shouldn't come to the Lü residence to find me first thing tomorrow morning. I'll just wait for you outside the gate, and then we can set off together, how about that?"

Liu Bang's eyes lit up, and he readily agreed.

Upon learning that he was about to slip away, Yi Xiaochuan was both nervous and delighted, fearing that Lü Zhi would discover his secret.

Perhaps because what happened between the two of them last night was too shameful, and since Lü Zhi had already succeeded, she thought that Yi Xiaochuan wouldn't go back on his word after getting what he wanted, so she didn't bother him again today.

It wasn't until evening that Yi Xiaochuan secretly told Han Chunming about his plan to sneak away.

Han Chunming didn't expect Yi Xiaochuan to run away, but he didn't inform him. This is really interesting.

Actually, he also had some doubts. He had been observing Liu Bang, that rascal, for the past few days and wondered why this man would later become Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang.

This man has no martial arts skills, is slovenly, and idles away his days. He is forty years old and still supports an illegitimate child who is almost an adult. His family is so poor that they can hardly make ends meet.

It seems absurd that such a person could become the founding emperor, but history has shown that this is indeed the case.

Sometimes Han Chunming thought, if someone like this can become the first emperor of a country, then perhaps he himself could become the first emperor of a country when the Qin Dynasty falls into chaos.

Of course, this is just a thought. Who knows what will happen in the future?

At least for now, he has no ambition to become emperor.

Although Han Chunming has owned companies that employ tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of people.

However, running a company and being an emperor are two completely different things. If you can't manage a company well, it will go bankrupt.

If an emperor fails to govern his country properly, it will lead to widespread suffering and misery. Just think of the Five Barbarian Invasions in later generations to know how terrifying it was. Han Chunming did not want to bear such a heavy responsibility.

However, humans are contradictory beings. As long as they are normal human beings, if they really have the opportunity to become emperor, who wouldn't want to taste the feeling of being the only one in power?

Perhaps one day, when Han Chunming has that opportunity, he will have a different idea.

Although Han Chunming did not inform Lü Zhi, he still invited Lü Su to a side room on the night before he left to say goodbye.

During this period, the relationship between Han Chunming and Lü Su became somewhat delicate, giving off a feeling of an odd older man and a naive young girl.

Although Han Chunming occasionally had a slight attraction to this innocent girl, every time she respectfully called him Uncle Han and asked him for advice on various issues, her admiring and respectful expression made Han Chunming feel a little guilty.

She treats him like an older man, but he wants to sleep with her. That's incredibly immoral.

So during this time, Lü Su, like a naive and innocent girl, sought advice from Han Chunming. Han Chunming taught her some cooking skills, some simple medical skills, and some common sense about life.

In Lü Su's eyes, Uncle Han Chunming was incredibly capable; he was skilled in martial arts, medicine, and even cooking.

Such a capable older man, and so kind to her—this naive and innocent girl, Lü Su, felt a warm glow in her heart. She didn't understand what this feeling was; at least, she didn't know what love was. Perhaps it was something akin to familial affection.

When Lü Su learned that Han Chunming was leaving, she was heartbroken. She tugged at Han Chunming's sleeve and looked at him pitifully.

Looking at that small face, Han Chunming suppressed his inner impulse and sighed.

"Susu, after I leave, you and your sister should live well. Your father's illness will be cured in a while, so you don't need to worry too much. If I have the chance in the future, I will come back to see you again!"

With tears in her eyes, Lü Su nodded silently, looked up at Han Chunming, and finally couldn't help but call out.

"Uncle, can't you stay a few more days? Su'er has just learned a few cooking dishes and wants to cook them for you to try. Also, I've embroidered a purse, and I'm only halfway done. Can you wait until I finish it before you leave?"

Looking at the pleading eyes of the girl, Han Chunming couldn't help but sigh. If he really decided to settle down in the Qin Dynasty in the future, it might not be bad to marry Lü Su. She was gentle and weak, and very obedient. She should be a good prospect to be trained.

Han Chunming had a sudden thought. He stepped forward, reached out and wiped away Lü Su's tears, then gently stroked her small face.

Han Chunming's rough hands caressed the little girl's smooth cheeks, and Lü Su's face instantly turned red. But this time, she looked at Han Chunming with tears in her eyes and did not move an inch.

Han Chunming also noticed the subtle change in Lü Su's gaze, and a sense of pride welled up in his heart. Sure enough, the gentleness of an older man is something that most girls can't resist.

Although he was a bit old, he was strong enough. In this era where the strong are respected, age was not a problem. However, Han Chunming did not dare to make any promises to Lü Su for the time being.

Because he is now uncertain about his future in the Qin Dynasty.

Although he is strong enough, he is still made of flesh and blood. When faced with a massive army, he can only run away. When faced with a barrage of arrows, he will be riddled with arrows.

Besides, there might be extraordinary powers in this world. I'll think about these matters of men and women when I have a solid foundation!

After Han Chunming understood, he spoke gently to Lü Su.

"Su'er, I promise you, one day I will definitely return to Pei County to see you. If you are still unmarried by then, I will take you to wander the world, how about that?"

Upon hearing Han Chunming's words, which sounded like a confession, Lü Su's face immediately turned bright red, and she turned and left.

As she reached the door, Lü Su suddenly turned around, her small face suddenly becoming serious as she called out to Han Chunming.

"Uncle, you'd better keep your word, I'll wait for you!"

After saying that, Lü Su's face turned shy again, and she turned and ran away, leaving Han Chunming still a little confused.

This little girl?

Did I agree to it?

Han Chunming was dumbfounded. Was it really that easy to handle?

When Han Chunming returned to his room, he was still somewhat incredulous. Could he really be that charming?

Indeed, this was the truth. Han Chunming's charm did indeed stir up feelings in Lü Su, who had always stayed at home since childhood.

From the moment Han Chunming rescued her in the bamboo forest and took off his robe to cover her, Lü Su began to pay more attention to this older man.

Later, Han Chunming escorted them all the way to Pei County. As Han Chunming's composure and unique personal charm became more and more apparent, Lü Su's admiration gradually transformed into a longing to be cared for.

This is quite normal. Han Chunming is skilled in martial arts, decisive in killing, and also knows medicine and cooking. He is practically an encyclopedia. Whenever Lü Su has any questions, she will come to Han Chunming for help.

In this era, a man as capable as Han Chunming would never be so gentle with a girl.

Furthermore, Han Chunming's unique temperament, different from that of this era, brought a sense of novelty that deeply attracted this naive young girl.

Late that night, there was a light knock on Han Chunming's door. Han Chunming immediately opened his eyes alertly and listened carefully. The footsteps outside were light and the breathing was unsteady, so it shouldn't be a thief or anything like that.

He quietly got up, walked to the door, opened it a crack, and saw Lu Su standing outside with her head down, looking somewhat nervous.

Han Chunming was taken aback and quickly opened the door to ask.

"Susu, what are you doing here so late?"

Lu Su's face was not visible in the darkness, but it was definitely flushed with embarrassment. She did not answer Han Chunming's question, but quickly stuffed the things in her hand into Han Chunming's hand, and then turned and ran away.

Han Chunming was taken aback. Then, in the dim moonlight, he saw that he was holding a purse with a pair of mandarin ducks on it.

Han Chunming watched Lü Su's figure disappear with doting eyes, then contentedly put away his purse.

She worked so hard to make the purse late into the night; I can't let her girlish sentiments go to waste!

Hey!

The next morning, Yi Xiaochuan and Han Chunming got up early and slipped out through the back door.

Recalling the absurd events of the previous night, Yi Xiaochuan left a farewell letter and made his escape.

Liu Bang had been waiting outside for a long time. When he saw Yi Xiaochuan and Han Chunming come out, he quickly told them to leave.

Thus, Liu Bang, along with a group of over thirty laborers, Han Chunming, and Yi Xiaochuan, headed towards Xianyang.

Along the way, Han Chunming discovered another good quality in Liu Bang.

Liu Bang was the head of the Sishui Pavilion, a very minor official position, but he acted like a big brother and was very good at handling things.

For example, along the way, some poor laborers did not have enough food, so Liu Bang took the initiative to distribute his own food to them.

When Liu Bang ran out of food, he wasn't worried at all. He simply went to those wealthy households who had grain to mooch off them. Those households were used to him mooching off them and had long since taken it for granted.

Although some wealthy families were unwilling and even spoke ill of him, Liu Bang was thick-skinned and didn't mind at all. He continued to go and freeload, until those wealthy families had no temper left.

Liu Bang's small gesture may seem ordinary, but Han Chunming saw through it as Liu Bang's true intention to win people's hearts.

He shared his meager rations with the poor laborers and shamelessly went to freeload meals at wealthy households. When the poor laborers saw this, they naturally obeyed him and even admired him!

It must be understood that the poor are ultimately the majority, while the wealthy are ultimately the minority.

By winning over the majority of the poor and appeasing a few wealthy individuals, one can succeed on both sides. As long as one is thick-skinned, one can naturally make a living.

The fact that Liu Bang was able to live in Pei County for so many years, eating and dashing for free, without having his arm dislocated, shows that he had a lot of connections.

Of course, Liu Bang at that time certainly did not expect that he would become emperor in the future. Now, he was trying to win over those poor laborers, perhaps just to prevent them from starving to death on the road, otherwise he would not be able to escape death either.

However, Liu Bang's actions to win people's hearts laid a solid foundation for his later uprising.

Meanwhile, back at the Lü residence, news of Yi Xiaochuan's escape was quickly discovered.

When Lü Zhi learned of this, she was heartbroken and furious. She was particularly shocked to read the farewell letter left by Yi Xiaochuan, in which he casually described the events of that night as a misunderstanding. This made Lü Zhi feel both ashamed and angry, and she did not eat or drink anything for two days.