bdsm-fiction Chapter 208 Only third in the world!
Chapter 208 Only third in the world!
"The Empress Dowager has decreed that the King and the Imperial Preceptor be summoned inside." Miao Du slowly stepped out, his eyes as sinister as snakes, a superficial smile on his face, his skin and flesh unmoved, only a stiff arc tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Lin Tian didn't even glance at him, bumping him with his shoulder and sweeping past him, spitting out a casual remark: "You castrated dog! You put on airs in front of others, but you're filthy behind their backs!"
Although his words were harsh, he knew perfectly well that this man surnamed Miao was not a castrated eunuch at all, but a vicious scoundrel who disguised himself as a eunuch and specialized in sneaking into the secret passages of the inner palace.
Just as Miao Du's face was about to erupt in anger and he was about to unleash a torrent of curses, he saw Ying Zheng's gaze sweep over him like a knife. His throat tightened, and he immediately shut his mouth tightly.
But the hatred in his heart surged even more fiercely, his teeth grinding together so hard they almost bled. At this moment, Miao Du was already arrogant and disdainful of everyone. As far as Lin Tian knew, this man even dared to call himself Ying Zheng's "fake father" in private, which was extremely arrogant.
Later, he even brazenly raised an army to rebel—relying on the tiger tally in his hand, he commanded the elite troops of the two prefectures bestowed by the Empress Dowager, and with Zhao Ji's constant indulgence and pampering, he caused a great disaster.
Stepping into the Empress Dowager's palace, one immediately sees a beaded curtain hanging on the east side, adorned with gold threads and shimmering with light. Behind the curtain sits a phoenix throne, upon which Zhao Ji sits regally, exuding an air of dignity.
Ying Zheng and Lin Tian bowed in unison, without kneeling or kowtowing: the former was the supreme King of Qin, while the latter was merely a newly appointed national teacher; how could they possibly kneel?
From behind the curtain, Zhao Ji's voice rang out: "The Grand Preceptor's words just now were probably meant specifically for me, weren't they?"
Lin Tian laughed loudly: "I didn't mean anything by what I said, but the thought arose after I listened. Your Majesty is overthinking it. Every word I said was meant for the King."
Ying Zheng immediately replied, "Indeed! Sir, you have come all the way from Han to the west, and have been giving me your earnest and tireless advice without ever slacking off."
"Hmph!" Zhao Ji snorted coldly, her tone suddenly turning cold, "My son has indeed brought back a good gentleman."
Lin Tian suddenly took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve. The bamboo was slightly damp, and the characters were clear.
He held it in his palm and said to the woman behind the curtain, "Your Majesty, this is a secret recipe for preserving youth that I have come across by chance. It is used to cultivate one's complexion, concentrate the spirit, and maintain one's radiance. Consider it a small gift I would like to present to Your Majesty upon my entry into the palace. This recipe is extremely rare in the world. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to present it to me personally."
"Preserving youth?" Zhao Ji's tone rose slightly. "The Imperial Advisor possesses such a wondrous art?"
"Hehe, after visiting many ancient mountains and secluded valleys, you can always find a few hermit doctors living in seclusion."
Zhao Ji's eyes suddenly lit up, her tone revealing an barely suppressed eagerness, but she quickly suppressed it, saying only calmly, "Alright, pass it in. You stay outside the curtain, I'll take it myself."
Lin Tian stepped forward slowly, stopping within three steps of the gold-beaded curtain. He reached his hand through the gap at the top of the curtain and steadily passed the bamboo slip inside.
A figure moved slightly behind the curtain. Zhao Ji slowly rose, her lotus steps silent, her figure as graceful as a willow swaying in the wind, exuding both elegance and dignity, and quietly moved to the side of the curtain.
She reached out to take the letter—Lin Tian's gaze swept over her and met her slender hand: her five fingers were long and delicate like jade carvings, her wrist bones were exquisitely sculpted as if devoid of flesh, her skin was like fresh snow, soft and radiant, without a single flaw. Moreover, a faint, sweet fragrance wafted out, the charm that could only be acquired through years of absorbing the scents of orchids and musk, and being imbued with the fragrance of flowers.
Tsk, Ying Zheng's mother... Just look at those hands and that skin color, she looks exactly like a noblewoman in her early thirties.
"Has the Imperial Preceptor changed his mind? Is he reluctant to give it to me?"
As soon as Zhao Ji finished speaking, Lin Tiantian snapped back to reality and quickly released his grip and stepped back. Behind the curtain, Zhao Ji did not return to her seat; instead, she had already unfolded the bamboo scroll and was reading it carefully.
"I appreciate the Imperial Advisor's thoughtfulness."
Having just left Empress Dowager Zhao Ji's palace, Lin Tian grabbed Ying Zheng, who was still in a daze, and pulled him quickly into the shadows behind the pillars.
Seeing this, Gai Nie raised an eyebrow and quickly followed, wondering to himself: Could it be that Brother Lin is really discussing something important with the King in secret?
"You keep a close eye on the Empress Dowager, and that poisonous Miao!" Lin Tian lowered his voice, each word like a nail. "This time, the root of the trouble lies with your mother, do you understand?"
He didn't mince words, cutting straight to the heart of the matter: "If she interferes again and ruins my plans—I will immediately withdraw and never help you unify the country again."
Kill Zhao Ji? Lin Tian never even considered it. Ultimately, this widowed empress dowager, who had lived a long and arduous life, had simply poured all her attention into Miao Du. Her husband had died young, the palace felt like a cage, and she spent her days in the empty Jiaofang Palace… Lin Tian sighed inwardly; the green hat that Ying Zheng's father wore, gleaming brightly, was probably already flapping loudly in the wind.
Ying Zheng immediately raised his right hand, three fingers pointing to the sky, and solemnly swore, "Sir, you can rest assured! I will never repeat the same mistake! But—what are your plans next? Today's scheme was clearly a poisoned bait laid by Lü Buwei, and Gai Nie has told me everything. Sir, you are truly remarkable, capable of strategizing and commanding armies, a rare genius indeed!"
He became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, his eyes shining like two flames, looking up at Lin Tian with undisguised admiration.
Lin Tian's face flushed, he coughed dryly, and forced himself to reply, "It's alright, alright, just third in the world! As for me, I'm just an ordinary uncle passing by, but—I can bring peace to the country with my pen and conquer the world on horseback."
Before he could finish speaking, a sudden realization dawned on him: something was wrong! Ying Zheng wasn't praising him at all; he was clearly elevating himself while subtly avoiding any admonition!
His expression turned serious, and he said solemnly, "Your Majesty need not interfere in what follows. It would indeed be unfair not to include you—but remember, you are the one who will ultimately benefit, understand?"
Ying Zheng nodded vigorously and said decisively, "I will leave the decision entirely to you, sir. I will await your good news."
Lin Tian's forehead twitched—
That tone, that posture... how come he's exactly like Lü Buwei back in the day? When did I become a prime minister?
After hastily explaining the key points, and repeatedly instructing him to keep a close eye on Miao Du and the Empress Dowager, Ying Zheng gritted his teeth and made a solemn vow, patting his chest to guarantee that Gai Nie would assist in handling every task and do his utmost to complete it properly, assuring Lin Tian that he could rest assured.
Lin Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and left the palace gate, heading straight back to his residence outside the city.
Zhang Liang, Han Fei, and Wei Zhuang were already waiting. Zhang Liang then handed over a thin register, which turned out to be the list of the scholars recruited by the Hall of Talents.
Lin Tian was taken aback for a moment, then glanced at Han Fei and shook his head with a click of his tongue: "Look at Zhang Liang—he never drags his feet when it comes to getting things done."
Han Fei was completely bewildered, never expecting that Zhang Liang, by asking them all sorts of questions, had secretly uncovered the secrets of the establishment and quietly compiled this list.
Zhang Liang was quite frank, casually mentioning that once the situation in Qin was settled, he would return to Xiaoshengxianzhuang in Sanghai, Qilu, to continue his studies and await the old man on the bridge that Lin Tian had mentioned. Lin Tian, though slightly regretful, understood that this young man had a bright future ahead of him and was beyond his control.
With the matter of Qin resolved and the crisis naturally averted, it was time for Zilanxuan himself to set off as well.
The students in the Recruitment Hall were mostly Confucian scholars who studied the classics, and those who were skilled in martial arts were extremely rare. Among them, Confucian and Legalist disciples made up the majority, while Daoism, Mohism, the School of Names, the School of Military Strategy, and other schools of thought combined numbered only a handful.
After all, these four popular academic disciplines are still the most sought-after right now.
Lin Tian quickly flipped through the roster, but couldn't find a single familiar face. He then put it down and instructed Han Fei and Zhang Liang, who were now guest ministers of the Qin state, to frequently visit the Hall of Recruitment and pay special attention to the movements of the six states and the opinions of the Hundred Schools of Thought.
The group sat down and ate the dinner prepared by Zi Nu. After a few words of conversation, Lin Tian got up to take his leave. This time, he didn't bring anyone with him and walked slowly towards the southeast of Xianyang alone.
Before long, they stopped in front of a mansion with towering vermilion gates. Four large, gilded characters on the plaque caught their eye—"The General's Mansion."
Two armored guards stood tall and straight at the gate. One of them, seeing Lin Tian stop, immediately stepped forward, brandishing his spear and demanding, "Who dares to linger here? This is General Meng's residence; unauthorized persons are not permitted to remain!"
Lin Tian raised his eyes and smiled, his voice not loud, but steady and powerful: "Lin Tian, Grand Preceptor of the Great Qin State."
This mansion was the residence of Meng Tian, the Grand General of the current dynasty.