Chapter 148 My Charming Ancestor 22

The banquet at Xianyang Palace ended in an eerie atmosphere.

Xiao He, Chen Ping, and Cao Can almost supported each other as they walked out of the main hall.

Back at the inn, the three dismissed everyone around them and closed the door tightly.

The flickering candlelight illuminated three somewhat dazed faces.

No one spoke; only the sound of breathing filled the air.

After a long silence, it was the elder Xiao He who spoke first, his voice dry as if it had been sanded: "What do you two think?"

How do you see it?

Chen Ping gave a wry smile, picked up the iced tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp, but it did nothing to extinguish the fire in his heart.

“How else can we see it?” he murmured. “Our Emperor has already reached another level.”

Cao Shen remained silent, only subconsciously touching the sword at his waist.

Only when he felt the cold touch did he realize he was still alive.

He was a martial artist, but what happened tonight had exceeded his entire understanding of "martial arts".

“We have witnessed His Majesty’s divine might with our own eyes, so naturally we dare not doubt it.” Xiao He forced himself to calm down and rubbed his stiff cheeks. “But… what exactly was the purpose of His Majesty’s last decree?”

That's the key point!

Ten thousand elite Qin soldiers escorted an assassin to meet his mastermind.

However, these three newly recruited "newcomers" became the masterminds behind this operation.

No matter how you look at it, it has an eerie feel to it.

A thoughtful glint appeared in Chen Ping's eyes: "This is... a plan to kill three birds with one stone."

He held up one finger.

"Firstly, it's a warning shot. Sending the assassin back intact is a way of telling Zhang Liang that I've seen through all his tricks. If I can let him go, I can send a large army to raze Bolangsha to the ground. This is a calculated move, a blatant warning."

He then extended a second finger.

"Secondly, it's like buying bones with a thousand pieces of gold. His Majesty displayed his divine power in front of us and showed an unusual 'tolerance' to the assassin. What will the people of the world think when the news gets out? They will think that even the death penalty for assassinating the king can be pardoned. As long as you have talent and are willing to surrender, His Majesty has such a magnanimous heart! This is extending an olive branch to all talented people in the world who have their country in their hearts."

At this point, Chen Ping paused, his expression becoming extremely solemn.

"As for the third one..."

He looked at Xiao He and Cao Can, and said, word by word, "It is a test for us."

"Send a living assassin, leading an army of ten thousand, to meet an enemy who wishes to overthrow the Qin Dynasty. What will happen along the way? What will Zhang Liang do? Will he ambush him halfway, or will he turn the tables on him? Can the three of us deliver the assassin alive and return alive?"

"This is a test of our loyalty, and also a test of our abilities."

"If this is done, you will rise to the top and gain the emperor's favor."

"It's a mess..." Chen Ping didn't finish his sentence, but the consequences were self-evident.

They died without a burial place.

Cao Can broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this. It turned out that behind this seemingly simple imperial decree lay so much scheming and murderous intent!

"Then... what should we do?" Cao Can asked anxiously.

"What else can we do?" Xiao He sighed, but his eyes revealed a resolute determination.

"His Majesty has given us this opportunity. We will brave any danger, even mountains of knives and seas of fire! We are but humble commoners, and to have His Majesty's favor is already a blessing from Heaven. Now, we can only devote ourselves to the cause until our dying breath!"

The three of them stayed up all night, repeatedly rehearsing all the possible scenarios they might encounter on their trip.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

It was just dawn that day.

Outside the gates of Xianyang, ten thousand elite Qin soldiers had already assembled. Xiao He, Chen Ping, and Cao Can, dressed in official robes, rode on horseback with solemn expressions.

In the middle of the procession was a magnificent prison van, inside which was the strongman, whose injuries had been healed but whose spirits were low.

Everything is ready, awaiting only the order.

Just then, the sound of rolling wheels came from behind.

A carriage far more luxurious and spacious than theirs slowly approached, escorted by a group of palace guards.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a figure stepped out with an air of nonchalance.

"An immortal...an immortal?!"

Xiao He and the other two almost popped their eyes out.

The person who arrived was none other than Zhou Jue!

Today she changed into a smart outfit, her long hair tied up high, losing some of her ethereal beauty and gaining more of a heroic and spirited air.

"His Majesty was worried about you all, so he asked me to come along," Zhou Jue said casually.

Upon hearing this, the three of them felt a surge of warmth in their hearts and almost cried with emotion.

His Majesty... truly values ​​us! He even sent immortals to protect us!

"With immortals by our side, what fear is there of petty villains!" Cao Can was the first to shout, his voice booming with ecstatic joy. Xiao He and Chen Ping nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Zhou Jue looked at their tearful expressions of gratitude, but felt nothing.

She came not because her ancestors sent her, but purely on her own decision. Having been here for so long, it was time to do the task entrusted to her by her family back home.

"Brother Tongzi, have you planned the route? Qinhuangdao 5A Scenic Area, here I come!"

[Reporting to the host, the optimal travel... no, I mean escort route has been planned. Starting from Xianyang, passing through Hangu Pass and Luoyang, finally arriving at Bolangsha. Famous mountains and rivers, historical sites, local specialties, and crafts along the way—nothing will be missed!]

"Very good." Zhou Jue nodded in satisfaction.

She wants to collect historical materials for her hometown, not limited to handicrafts or natural resources, but especially original, first-hand materials that have never been recorded on film or television.

"Let's go." Zhou Jue waved his hand and took the lead in boarding his luxurious carriage.

"Here you go!"

Xiao He and the others were greatly encouraged and responded loudly.

With immortals by our side, what's there to fear from Zhang Liang and Li Liang! We're safe!

The massive convoy began its slow march.

However, after traveling for a few days, Xiao He and his companions discovered that things seemed to be a little different from what they had expected.

This immortal is truly... very "idle".

She spent most of her time in her carriage, except for a flying vehicle that flew around in the sky every day, following them.

Sometimes, she would suddenly disappear for most of the day.

Sometimes, they would suddenly jump off the carriage to pick wild fruits or plants, or dig up some strange stones.

She seemed to be full of curiosity about everything in this world.

Gradually, Xiao He, Chen Ping, and Cao Can grew bolder.

They discovered that this immortal, though unfathomable, seemed to have a very good temper and did not have the kind of aloofness that kept people at arm's length.

That night, the group set up camp at a post station. Zhou Jue was sitting by the campfire, fiddling with the glowing artifact in her hand.

The three exchanged a glance, and Xiao He, the most composed of them, carefully carried a pot of wine and walked over.

"Immortal." Xiao He bowed respectfully.

"It's late and the night is getting chilly, let's have a cup of hot wine to warm ourselves up."

"Sit down," Zhou Jue said, pointing to the empty space beside him.

Chen Ping and Cao Can quickly followed, sitting down awkwardly, creating a somewhat silent atmosphere.

Chen Ping, however, was quick-witted. Looking at the "glowing artifact" in Zhou Jue's hand, whose screen was flashing images of mountains and rivers filmed during the day, he asked curiously:

"Immortal, what kind of magical artifact is this? It can contain thousands of miles of rivers and mountains within a small space. We mortals are truly... utterly unaware of such a thing."

"This is called a tablet. You can see pictures and hear sounds," Zhou Jue casually explained. "It's a local specialty from my hometown, nothing special."

"Not worth mentioning," the three of them twitched at the corners of their mouths. A magical artifact that could record mountains and rivers was called "not worth mentioning"? Then what would be considered valuable?

After hesitating for a long time, Chen Ping finally mustered up the courage to ask the question that had been lingering in his heart and that he most wanted to know.

He stood up and bowed deeply to Zhou Jue.

"Immortals can know the past, foresee the future, and discern the secrets of heaven."

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Chen Ping dares to ask the immortal, what will be the outcome of our journey...?"