The Deepest Affection in Qin's Time

Cao Yuan thought to himself, "It's only because I know Jing Ni's past. If it were any other girl, even though I provided so much emotional support and all sorts of good things, I would still get a cold shoulder in return. I would have slapped her and left long ago."

"Let's go to Zuiyunlou, the best restaurant in Linzi."

Jingni hummed in agreement.

Overjoyed, Xiao Mengjiang skipped and hopped into the restaurant.

Just as Cao Yuan and Jing Ni stepped into the restaurant, a chaotic noise suddenly broke out.

"Where did this ill-mannered servant girl come from!"

Inside the Drunken Cloud Pavilion, a young man dressed in fine clothes, with a jade thumb ring on his thumb, was toying with a simple jade teacup in his hand, looking at Meng Jiang lying on the ground with displeasure.

Cao Yuan immediately strode forward, looked at the flustered Meng Jiang, squatted down, held her small hand, and whispered to comfort her, "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Were you bullied?"

Meng Jiang lowered her head, "It's nothing, Aman, I accidentally bumped into someone..."

"Is she a lowly servant girl in your household?"

A casual, disdainful voice rang out.

Cao Yuan looked over.

He was slightly taken aback when he saw the arrogant young man.

He recognized who the person was.

It was none other than the rebellious younger brother of the First Emperor.

Chang'an Juncheng.

Chapter 14 Idiot

"She's my sister."

Cao Yuan helped Meng Jiang up, but he felt disgusted by Cheng's use of the term "servant" and spoke to her indifferently.

Xiao Mengjiang held Cao Yuan's large hand, her expression slightly disappointed.

Is she just my younger sister...?

As a lord, Cheng had been in a position of high status since birth, so how could he tolerate Cao Yuan's attitude of "ignoring" him as an equal?

If Cao Yuan kneels down and apologizes, he's in a good mood today and might not hold it against him.

but!

"Very well, you are her brother, are you? Your sister has offended me, and according to the law, she should be given fifty lashes. Do you intend to take the punishment in her place?"

Cheng looked down at Cao Yuan and Meng Jiang, his voice cold.

Cao Yuan frowned.

“Lord Chang’an, this is Linzi, not Qin. Qin law does not apply here.”

Only then did little Meng Jiang realize that she had bumped into a feudal lord. She turned pale with fright and huddled in Cao Yuan's arms, trembling.

She vividly remembers that when she was young, the wealthiest family in the village was wiped out overnight, simply because they had offended a nobleman from Linzi, who was not yet a lord.

"It's okay, don't be afraid, I'm here."

Cao Yuan held Xiao Mengjiang in his arms and glanced at Jing Ni, who was standing not far away.

As Lü Buwei's henchmen, Luo Wang was definitely not aligned with Cheng.

"Hehe..." Chang'an Juncheng laughed, "I didn't expect you to know me. Since you say Qin law can't handle this, then I'll use Qi law for you!"

"Go and invite the Prime Minister to come here."

Cheng waved his hand, and one of his subordinates clasped his hands in a fist salute and left.

A crowd of onlookers immediately gathered around.

Those who can dine at Zuiyunlou are either rich or noble, and many of them recognize Chang'an Juncheng.

For a moment, many onlookers whispered among themselves.

However, they were all discussing the purpose of Chang'an Jun Cheng's appearance in Qi, and whether it was related to the recent proposal of the various states to form an alliance.

As for what will happen to Cao Yuan and Meng Jiang, no one cares. They are just a few commoners. If they die, they die. That's how the world is. The lives of commoners are not lives. They are just lowly people.

Cheng stood still, a cold smile on his face.

The dignity and pride of nobles and lords are such that if a commoner dares to utter a single word, it is an insult, and he must pay with his life!

This is Linzi in the State of Qi. If it were Xianyang in the State of Qin, he wouldn't need to show his face. Someone would handle it and make these commoners kneel at his feet and make the most sincere repentance!

Cao Yuan gently led Meng Jiang to Jing Ni.

Although he was unfamiliar with the laws of Qin and Qi, he knew that in any country, commoners were nothing but ants in the face of a ruler, beings who could be killed at will, with no dignity or protection whatsoever.

Nobles are supreme beings, they are Celestial Dragons, and they possess absolute privileges!

Just by looking at the eyes of the nobles around them, one could tell that, like Chang'an Juncheng, their discrimination and contempt for ordinary people were ingrained in the very bones of the nobles of the seven kingdoms.

Compared to them, the powerful clans and aristocratic families that were criticized by later generations were nothing.

Unless they are completely wiped out, it is virtually impossible to reform these pedantic and outdated nobles!

Is there any way?

Cao Yuan asked softly.

Jing Ni said calmly, "You can take her with you and run away."

Cao Yuan was speechless. If he had cultivated, he would have run away long ago.

Even disregarding the menacing guards surrounding Cheng, Cheng alone, according to the anime's description, is no match for him.

"Please help me."

Cao Yuan looked earnestly at Jing Ni.

Jingni remained silent.

As a top-ranking member of the Luo Wang organization, she had access to a great deal of intelligence about Cheng, and the Luo Wang organization kept a close eye on Cheng.

Based on her experience, it's highly likely that those above intend to take action.

But that doesn't mean she can actually do it; she's just an assassin in the Luo Wang organization, a murder weapon...

Meng Jiang twisted the hem of her clothes, feeling extremely guilty. It was all her fault for not watching where she was going. If she hadn't bumped into that person, A-Man wouldn't have been in such a predicament.

"Big sister..." Meng Jiang looked at Jing Ni with pleading eyes, her soft voice begging, "Please help me and Aman, okay? I'll buy you candied hawthorns in the future..."

Jingni lowered her eyes, looking at Meng Jiang, who only reached her chest, and at Meng Jiang's helpless and sorrowful expression. Thinking of the words Li Wu had said to her in private last night and the struggling and hopeful look in her eyes, she felt inexplicably unwilling.

Born as human beings, why are she and they... destined to be driven and trampled upon by those nobles from birth!

"……it is good."

Jingni chose to follow her heart.

She looked at Cao Yuan and said calmly, "Only this once."

Cao Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you."

Meng Jiang was very touched. "Thank you, big sister."

Jingni calmly replied, "You're welcome."

Cheng looked at Cao Yuan with disdain, letting them whisper and struggle as they pleased.

Judging from their clothing and demeanor, the three people in front of them were just ordinary people.

As an ordinary citizen, yet lacking the self-awareness of one, he dared to speak to him in that tone. Does he truly believe that all people are born equal and that the law is just?

A moment later, a middle-aged man in official robes strode down from upstairs, exuding an imposing aura and piercing eyes.

It was none other than Hou Sheng, the current prime minister of Qi, the younger brother of the queen, and the maternal uncle of King Jian of Qi!

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Hou Sheng, with his belly protruding, asked the question knowingly.

Cheng Dan smiled and said, "Prime Minister, this boy's sister offended me. Not only did she not apologize to me, but she also dared to be disrespectful to me."

"According to Qi law, how should this be handled?"

Hou Sheng smiled and said, "According to Qi law, it is a crime for a commoner to offend the dignity of the ruler!"

“Very good!” Cheng Yi pointed at Cao Yuan, “Then let’s take him down.”

Hou Sheng smiled and said, "Lord Chang'an, don't rush this matter. Let me investigate first."

Cheng's gaze sharpened: "What does the Prime Minister mean?"

"With Lord Chang'an's intervention, the State of Qi agreed not to participate in the alliance of states, but those little spiders within Qi..."

The phrase "后胜意" (hou sheng yi) has a specific meaning.

That night, Jingni's forceful intrusion and warning made him unable to tolerate Luo Wang any longer, and he allowed himself to be manipulated by them.

Taking advantage of this opportunity of Qin's diplomatic mission, he wanted to take action. If the states could actually form an alliance, he would write to Lü Buwei, asking him to remove all the spies and agents around him.

Cheng chuckled and said, "I knew it was something. I will inform my brother, the king, on behalf of the Prime Minister."

He was happy to undermine Lü Buwei.

When the states wanted to form an alliance again, his grandmother, Empress Dowager Xia Ji, sacrificed a lot to help him secure an opportunity to go to the State of Qi to persuade Qi not to join the alliance.

It can be said that the credit was earned for nothing.

Everyone knows that since the time of its king, the State of Qi has always adhered to the national policy of "being cautious in serving Qin and trustworthy with the other feudal lords".

Unfortunately, even so, he still has no hope of becoming king, and now he even has to rely on his grandmother to gain a foothold in the court.

Now that my grandmother is old and has been plagued by illness for years, once she is gone, what will become of Lü Buwei...?

A gloomy atmosphere settled over Cheng's heart.

With the news of success, Hou Sheng smiled even more happily.

"What are you all standing there for? Take them all down, lock them up in jail, and deal with them according to the law!"

Hou Sheng spoke casually, without any concern for the consequences.