The Deepest Affection in Qin's Time

Cao Yuan smiled and raised his glass in a toast.

Zi Nu smiled sweetly, raised her wine glass, and clinked it against Cao Yuan's.

"Mr. Cao Yuan, you flatter me. I wonder if Mr. Cao Yuan would be willing to come to Zilan Pavilion, or join Liusha?"

"quicksand?"

Cao Yuan was slightly taken aback, not expecting that his brother-in-law had already hooked up with Wei Zhuang and dragged him into forming the Quicksand organization.

That brother-in-law is so unfair; he didn't even bother to inform his brother-in-law.

“Hmm.” Zi Nu nodded and said, “When Ninth Prince Han Fei and Wei Zhuang were in Nanyang, they planned to form the Quicksand organization to fight against Nightfall.”

At this point, Zi Nu smiled gently and said, "Didn't you say you also intend to crack down on Nightfall? Why don't we join together? More people means more strength."

This was not a decision she made on her own initiative; Han Fei and Wei Zhuang had already discussed it when she received the news.

They unanimously decided that they could drag Cao Yuan into the quicksand.

However, due to the Nanyang incident, he had not had time to start trying to win over Cao Yuan.

Therefore, she took the opportunity to test and invite Cao Yuan.

Cao Yuan picked up the wine pot and poured a cup of sake for Zi Nu and himself.

Does it matter whether I add quicksand or not?

Cao Yuan looked at Zi Nu with a smile and asked.

Zi Nu's beautiful face broke into a radiant smile, her purple eyes narrowing slightly as she met Cao Yuan's gaze.

"Of course it's important. The quality of Quicksand members is more important than the quantity. Mr. Cao Yuan's abilities are obvious to all. If he can join Quicksand, I believe it will be even more powerful. Even if a female marquis is born, it will not be a threat."

Cao Yuan couldn't help but ask, "If I may be so bold as to ask, who are the current members of Quicksand?"

Zi Nu suppressed her smile, thought for a moment, and said, "It wouldn't hurt to tell you, sir. Besides the Ninth Prince Han Fei, Wei Zhuang, and me, there is another young man named Zhang Liang, courtesy name Zifang. He is a descendant of the Zhang family, which has produced five generations of prime ministers of Han, and the grandson of the current prime minister Zhang Kaidi."

Cao Yuan chuckled and said, "So it was him. Did Brother Han invite him?"

Zi Nu was not surprised that Cao Yuan could guess it.

After all, who else but Han Fei would have thought to invite this person?

"In that case, would you be willing to join the Quicksand, sir?"

Actually, I prefer the later version of Quicksand. Wei Erha was the zoo director, and everyone there was incredibly talented… Cao Yuan muttered to himself, then said, “I can join Quicksand, of course, but…”

Cao Yuan looked into Zi Nu's eyes and said, "I have one condition."

Zi Nu paused slightly and said, "Please speak freely, sir. As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse."

Cao Yuan chuckled and said, "It's very simple, Miss Zi Nu can definitely do it."

Zi Nu had a bad feeling.

Cao Yuan chuckled and said, "Miss Zi Nu just said that she is not from Xinzheng, Korea. May I ask where Miss Zi Nu is from?"

Zi Nu blinked her purple eyes slightly and couldn't help but smile, "Is it important to you, sir, where I am from?"

"Not important, but also very important."

Cao Yuan smiled slightly and said, "It all depends on whether Miss Zi Nu is willing to tell us the truth."

Zi Nu couldn't figure out Cao Yuan's purpose.

Is it really just about wanting to know about her past?

Or is it true, as Han Fei said, that Cao Yuan fell in love with her at first sight and became fond of her?

Several thoughts flashed through Zi Nu's mind in an instant.

She knew that Cao Yuan had other women around him.

Therefore, although she could always sense that Cao Yuan was interested in her, she did not take it all seriously at first, and only thought that Cao Yuan was just having fun.

But Cao Yuan's actions now make it hard for her not to have some doubts.

After all, once Cao Yuan joins the Quicksand organization, he will have virtually no way out in South Korea.

"It's alright to tell you, sir, that my family is originally from Gongyi... Is that satisfactory, sir?"

Zi Nu spoke slowly, her eyes constantly observing Cao Yuan's expression.

“Gongyi…” Cao Yuan blinked.

"Could it be that Miss Zi Nu came to Korea ten years ago?"

Zi Nu nodded slightly, without denying it.

She smiled and said, "It seems that you also know about what happened back then."

Cao Yuan nodded slightly, "Ten years ago, you conspired with the other feudal lords to attack Qin. Qin sent its prime minister, Lü Buwei, to destroy Qin's state and relocate it to Yangrenju to continue the Zhou sacrifices. At that time, Qin conquered Gongyi, killed the Zhou ruler, and moved the Nine Tripods..."

As he spoke, he noticed a subtle change in Zi Nu's usually calm and composed expression.

He suddenly remembered seeing Wang You's speculation about Zi Nu's background online years ago, and couldn't help but let his imagination run wild: "Could it be that Miss Zi Nu is a descendant of the Zhou royal family?"

Zi Nu was speechless for a moment before finally saying, "Is this important?"

Cao Yuan seemed to be deep in thought.

Seeing that Cao Yuan already had an answer, Zi Nu sighed softly.

"Alright, since you've already guessed, I won't hide it from you anymore."

The purple goddess had a serene expression, and a hint of reminiscence flashed in her purple eyes.

“I am indeed a descendant of the Zhou royal family, and my father was Lord Huiwen. After Qin conquered Gongyi and my father died, I and some of my clansmen took advantage of the chaos to escape, changed our names, and became known as Zi Nu, and wandered in Xinzheng.”

Cao Yuan said to himself, "No wonder Miss Zi Nu is proficient in so many skills."

Zi Nu drank alone, and as if she had opened a floodgate, she began to speak: "Ever since my ancestor was enfeoffed in Gong, the royal families of the Three Jin states have been secretly supporting my father, Duke Hui's lineage, to establish themselves independently. This has been going on for a hundred years. However, the Zhou royal family has declined, and the tide has turned, causing the royal city and Luoyi to fall into the hands of the Qin people one after another..."

Cao Yuan stared at Zi Nu as she recounted the past, his thoughts swirling.

In terms of noble status, Zi Nu, as a princess of the Zhou royal family, was even higher than Princess Hong Lian.

Unfortunately, Zhou is gone, and a phoenix with its feathers plucked is no better than a chicken...

"Have you ever thought about restoring your kingdom?" Cao Yuan asked.

Zi Nu chuckled, speechless. "Restore the kingdom? Why would you want to restore the kingdom?"

Cao Yuan was taken aback, then smiled and nodded, saying, "That's true."

He said slowly, "The world, after a long period of division, will unite; after a long period of unity, will divide. Those who follow the trend will prosper, and those who oppose it will perish."

Zi Nu remained silent for a long time before saying, "Sir, please rest early. Zi Nu will take her leave."

She was deeply moved and didn't want to show her vulnerable and sad side to Cao Yuan.

Cao Yuan watched Zi Nu's departing figure. Although she was still charming and alluring, there seemed to be something more about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"There are countless tragic beauties, but the mystery behind most of them lies deep within..."

Cao Yuan grumbled, and seeing that Zi Nu had left, he lost interest in staying overnight. He opened the window and, like Wei Zhuang, jumped out to escape.

Eating a giant salamander late at night, wouldn't a stewed version of Li Wu, the beautiful girl, be more appealing?

Before long, Cao Yuan returned to his residence.

As soon as he entered the house, he realized something was wrong.

It seems there's another person in the room.

And this person looked very familiar to him.

"Holy crap..." Cao Yuan stared wide-eyed at Yan Lingji, who was tied to a pillar.

I seriously suspect that I may have unknowingly fallen under some kind of illusion!

Jingni, who was meditating indoors, opened her eyes and looked at Cao Yuan, saying, "You're back?"

Li Wu is a light sleeper and wakes up at the slightest noise.

She looked at Cao Yuan, who seemed somewhat bewildered and shocked, and couldn't help but laugh.

Cao Yuan couldn't help but ask Jing Ni, "What's she doing here?"

Li Wu, who had just walked over, chuckled upon hearing this. "So this woman is related to you after all. Tell me, when did you meet her? What's her name? Is she pregnant?"

Faced with Li Wu's three consecutive questions, Cao Yuan was speechless and casually flicked Li Wu on the forehead.

"I miss you, I miss you, I think about you every day!"

Li Wu rolled her eyes at Cao Yuan, then looked at Jing Ni beside her. Jing Ni shook her head frantically at Li Wu, afraid that Li Wu would say she was already pregnant.

She wasn't mentally prepared yet and didn't really want Cao Yuan to know she was pregnant.

Li Wu's little mouth, which was about to open, closed again.

She can't afford to offend Lady Jingni.

So Li Wu had to change the subject.

What do you plan to do about her?

Cao Yuan glanced at the unconscious Yan Lingji.

"What else can we do? Torture them, of course!"

Chapter 123 Three Beauties Travel Together

Moonlight streamed through the carved window, gently bathing Yan Lingji's snow-white skin and beautiful face in a soft glow, creating a dreamlike scene.

If there's anything out of place, it's that Yan Lingji's alluring little mouth is holding something that Li Wu has roughly stuffed into her: Cao Yuan's stockings that he just changed out of last night.

As for how smelly or painful it is, it's not really.

But the mental torment and humiliation inflicted on Yan Lingji was truly real.

Yan Lingji slowly opened her beautiful, azure eyes, looking somewhat dazed at the hazy room. She instinctively tried to move, but found herself unable to move, bound hand and foot to a pillar.

"No~"

Yan Lingji felt a sharp pain in her head and let out a soft groan.