Chapter 69 You care about more than just me

"Give it to you? Who are you?"

The leader looked at Lu Xingfeng suspiciously.

A subordinate standing nearby took a closer look, his face lighting up with delight. He said to the leader, "This is the senior disciple of the Tian Shu Sect! Even the sect leader is his junior sister!"

The leader quickly bowed and said, "My apologies, are you really willing to help us?"

Lu Xingfeng said, "Of course, I'm sure what you're up to is no simple matter. Tell me about it."

The other party dismounted and told him about the secret mission assigned by the imperial court and the corresponding reward.

When he heard that rescuing the Crown Prince of Yu would earn him a high-ranking official position of the third rank in the Yu court, and that if he could also capture Xiao Qidi, who was also at Xitun Pass, he could become the Grand Preceptor of Yu, his eyes immediately lit up.

"So, can you do this?" the other party asked.

Lu Xingfeng smiled arrogantly, "For me, it's a piece of cake. With my martial arts skills, I can easily enter that small, remote border region as if it were empty."

The other party was overjoyed, "Then we'll be waiting for your good news."

After saying that, he handed over the several boxes of valuable gifts that he had brought but which were refused by Sect Leader Ye to Lu Xingfeng.

Lu Xingfeng stacked several boxes that would have required three horses to carry, lifted them easily with one hand, and then, amidst the surprised and admiring gazes of the others, calmly departed using his light-footed skills.

The people secretly sent by the imperial court breathed a sigh of relief.

With such a master of martial arts involved, the task assigned by the higher-ups will surely be accomplished!

Lu Xingfeng took several boxes of valuable gifts back to his residence, and then secretly selected several trusted confidants with high martial arts skills from the Tian Shu Sect, ordering them to set off immediately and bring the Crown Prince of Yu Kingdom and Xiao Qidi out of Xitun Pass at any cost.

He promised that when he became the Grand Tutor of the Yu Kingdom, he would also ensure that several of his trusted confidants would rise to prominence and achieve great success.

At this moment, at Xitun Pass.

The soldiers were busy unloading some supplies that Ning Jinli had sent over today. After they were all sorted out, they were transported out of the pass by a caravan.

This batch of supplies mainly consisted of farming tools, which she specifically provided to Yaowang Valley to help the Lian clan restore the cultivation of medicinal herbs.

Having these things will speed things up.

Ning Jinli stood on the city wall, watching the carriage caravan drive away in a grand procession. She happily told Xiao Qidi, who was standing next to her, that her factory had produced its first batch of clothes, shoes, and daily necessities.

Furthermore, the factory manager was instructed to apply for production qualifications for cold weapons and special labor protection products.

If things go smoothly, she will be able to provide this place with a continuous supply of equipment for fighting, and Xiao Qidi's army can be further expanded.

Xiao Qidi listened quietly, his eyes unconsciously falling on her lips.

Small and plump, like an enticing, red and translucent fruit.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Ning Jinli noticed his gaze.

“No,” Xiao Qidi looked away and said calmly, “I was thinking that we could merge Xitun Pass and the Linxian Village area into Linxian City.”

Ning Jinli nodded repeatedly, "That's a great idea! Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"I have to recommend someone to you."

Who is it?

"It's Qi Zhan, the patrol captain you almost killed before."

"Oh?" Xiao Qidi's eyes revealed a meaningful look. "Why recommend him?"

Ning Jinli said with a serious expression, "Let me tell you, he's no ordinary person. You absolutely must make good use of him!"

Xiao Qidi said, "He is indeed extraordinary. I have already promoted him to squad leader of the Xuanjia Army."

“There aren’t enough squad leaders.” Ning Jinli then quickly recounted the historical records about the Battle of Qi.

This surprised Xiao Qidi.

He pondered for a moment, "In that case, I'd like to test his abilities."

"Someone, go and fetch Qi Zhan."

Not long after the order was given, Qi Zhan respectfully approached him.

Xiao Qidi cut to the chase: "I'm giving you a task. Do you have the guts to accept it?"

Qi Zhan clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Even if it means going through fire and water, I will not hesitate to sacrifice my life."

“Alright,” Xiao Qidi’s lips curled up slightly, “I’ll give you a thousand Xuanjia soldiers. Go and destroy the Sha Yue Kingdom.”

Upon hearing what the task was, Ning Jinli was shocked. "Aren't you making things difficult for him?"

Xiao Qidi glanced sideways. "Is it difficult?"

“It’s not difficult, I’ll go right away.” Qi Zhan said without changing his expression. “I will bring back the heads of the entire Sha Yue royal family and present them to Your Majesty. I swear I will not rest until Sha Yue is destroyed.”

“Okay, go ahead.” Xiao Qidi nodded.

Qi Zhan knelt down, kowtowed to him and Ning Jinli, and then resolutely left.

Xiao Qidi watched his retreating figure and said approvingly, "Your courage is indeed extraordinary, but I wonder if you really have that much ability."

Ning Jinli said worriedly, "Although the main barbarian army of the Sha Yue Kingdom has been wiped out here, I heard Duan Wu and the others say that the Sha Yue Kingdom has a population of 400,000. Excluding the elderly, children, and women, the rest can be used to replenish the army at any time."

“That’s right,” Xiao Qidi nodded. “Their main force of 100,000 barbarian soldiers is gone, but as long as the king urgently conscripts soldiers, he can still gather more than 100,000.”

"Then why are you letting Qi Zhan take such a risk? Aren't you afraid he'll die?"

"If he dies, it means he wasn't as capable as you say; it means he was incompetent."

"you……"

Ning Jinli was speechless.

This guy really has the makings of an emperor; he's ruthless and tough.

After a moment of silence, Ning Jinli asked, "How is your injury?"

Xiao Qidi remained expressionless, his thin lips barely moving. "No need to worry, everything is fine now."

Ning Jinli frowned. "I'm concerned about you, can't you be a little nicer?"

Xiao Qidi casually said, "You care about more than just me, and it's not just me you care about."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ning Jinli asked, puzzled. "Does this contradict my concern for you?"

Xiao Qidi pursed his lips and remained silent.

Ning Jinli waved her hand, "Never mind, I don't understand you, I'm leaving now."

Seeing that Xiao Qidi didn't react, Ning Jinli pouted and turned away.

——

Not long after Ning Jinli returned to the factory, she received a phone call from an unknown number.

"Hello, Miss Ning, I am Lu Jueming." The other party introduced himself, his voice gentle and magnetic. "I'm about to take a plane back to Xinghan City. Do you have time to meet, Miss Ning?"

When the director of Xinghan Central Hospital recommended him to Ning Jinli, he said that he would let him meet his future boss as soon as he returned.

Ning Jinli remembered this and immediately agreed, "When you have time, where would you like to meet?"

Lu Jueming said, "There's a world-renowned opera troupe touring the world, and they happen to be in Xinghan City tonight. How about I invite Miss Ning to go and see them together? Is that alright?"

"Okay, no problem."

"Okay, then I'll have someone buy tickets and send them to you."

"good."

After finishing his phone call, Lu Jueming walked into the first-class cabin of the plane.

Suddenly, a fragrant breeze wafted by, and a young and beautiful girl bumped into him, stepping on his clean leather shoes with her high heels.

"Sorry, I was just spacing out." The girl looked up and apologized.

"It's alright." Lu Jueming gave a gentle and gentlemanly smile.

The girl was stunned; she could hardly take her eyes off his handsome face.

Lu Jueming calmly sat down and wiped his shoes with a tissue.

In first class, there were two seats in a row, and the girl happened to be in the same row as him. Across the wide aisle, she kept secretly observing him.

"Is there something you need?" Lu Jueming turned his head and asked politely.

The girl blushed slightly. "No...it's nothing. I just felt bad for stepping on you. How about I treat you to a meal after the plane lands as compensation?"

Lu Jueming politely declined, saying, "It's alright, no need to be so polite."

When her invitation was rejected, the girl said again, "Are you from Xinghan City? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before?"

Lu Jueming said, "Maybe I have an average face."

The girl laughed, "If this is what you call a generic face, then 99% of the men in the world wouldn't need to live."

Lu Jueming simply smiled and didn't reply.

The girl persisted and took the initiative to introduce herself, "I'm also from Xinghan City. My name is Ning Yao, and my dad's name is Ning Hai. I don't know if you've heard of him."

Lu Jueming thought for a moment and shook his head slightly, "I'm sorry, I rarely stay in Xinghan."

"What's your name?" Ning Yao asked tentatively. "We're quite destined to meet, so... how about we exchange contact information?"

Lu Jueming sighed inwardly, patiently replied that he wanted to rest, and then put on his eye mask.

Ning Yao had no choice but to shut her mouth and quietly peek at him.

Originally, Ning Yao was upset because her boyfriend He Kai had gotten into trouble, so she went on a trip to clear her head for a few days.

Although her parents had always looked down on He Kai, he was still the man she liked.

These past few days, the thought that He Kai would never be able to escape this world has kept her feeling depressed, and she even feels that she may never meet someone who makes her heart flutter again.

But she didn't expect that falling in love would happen so quickly.

The man she had just met was far superior to He Kai in both appearance and temperament, making her heart flutter like a deer.

Unfortunately, not only did I fail to get their contact information, I couldn't even find out their name.

A few hours later, the plane landed at Xinghan City Airport.

Ning Yao didn't find another opportunity to strike up a conversation with anyone, and she didn't want to annoy the other person or ruin their impression.

Ning Yao was somewhat absent-minded after returning home from the airport.

She tossed her luggage aside and sat on the living room sofa, lost in thought.

"Daughter, you're back?" Ning Hai came out of the study. "How was your trip? Did you enjoy it?"

"Sigh..." Ning Yao sighed, "It'll have to do."

Ning Hai smiled and sat down next to her. "Stop thinking about He Kai. That kid isn't good enough for you."

Ning Yao pouted, "I'm not thinking about him anymore."

"It's good that you didn't think about it," Ning Hai said seriously. "You should get some rest first. There's something I need you to do later."

Ning Yao asked, "What is it?"

Ning Hai thought for a moment before saying, "I received news that the young master of the Lu family has returned, and I also know where he will be going tonight, so you—"

"Young Master Lu?" Ning Yao interrupted, "Is that the Lu family that Dad was trying to get investment from?"

Ning Hai nodded, "That's right, the Lu family, one of the top wealthy families in Xinghan City."

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and looked up. "Dad, you don't want your daughter to go and try to get close to people, do you? Didn't you say that investment had been in talks for a long time and was practically a done deal?"

Ning Hai smiled and said, "That investment is huge, and I hope it's a sure thing!"

Ning Yao frowned. "Dad, you know I've never been interested in business networking."

“Dad knows,” Ning Hai said, holding her hand and earnestly advising her, “but… when you were young, our Ning family was barely considered to be among the top-tier families in Xinghan. But ten years have passed, and we’re not as good as we used to be. If the Ning family wants to develop, we need to secure investment from the Lu family and gain their favor.”

"If you get in touch with him and behave well, it will be a great thing for you and our family!"

"Daughter, the young master of the Lu family is still single. He rarely comes back, so don't miss this great opportunity. If you can win his heart and become the young mistress of the Lu family, then we'll be..."

Ning Yao shook her head impatiently before Ning Hai could finish speaking, "I don't want to listen to this bastard's rambling."

Her mind was completely occupied with the handsome guy she met on the plane, and she had no interest in listening to what her father was saying.

Besides, she only wants to find love freely and doesn't want to use her marriage for some kind of business arrangement.

Ning Hai narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you take a look at what the person looks like first?"

Ning Yao said disdainfully, "Since he's a young master from a top-tier wealthy family and is still single, he must be too ugly, so ugly that he can't find a partner even with his family's wealth. I don't want to look at him, lest I have nightmares tonight."

"Hahaha, you're so wrong!" Ning Hai laughed as he took out his phone and held the screen in front of Ning Yao. "Look, this is a photo I had someone secretly take through my connections. Young Master Lu never appears in public, so it's not easy to get a picture of him."

When a handsome photo of him came into view, Ning Yao was stunned.

Isn't this the handsome guy she met on the plane?!

So... the man she fell in love with at first sight was the young master of the Lu family?

What a coincidence!

"Dad, you just said you knew where he'd be tonight. Tell me quickly," Ning Yao asked immediately.

Ning Hai breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "That's more like it. Would Dad ever lie to you?"

He took out an exquisite ticket with a black background and gold foil stamping from his pocket.

"What is this?" Ning Yao asked, her eyes wide.

Ning handed her the tickets and said, "These are tickets to the Xinghan Opera House. Young Master Lu is going there tonight. The performance is by a world-renowned opera company. The tickets are not only expensive but also very hard to get. Even Dad went to great lengths to get them. You must seize this opportunity."

"Okay! I'll go prepare right now!" Ning Yao excitedly got up and headed straight for the bedroom.

Before we knew it, it was seven o'clock in the evening.

Ning Yao, who had spent most of the day getting ready, was driven to the opera house entrance by her driver.

She wore her most expensive and beautiful clothes, her finest jewelry, and even her makeup was done by a professional makeup artist.

Stepping off the bus, she was like a magnificent swan shimmering with dazzling light, attracting the attention of everyone at the entrance.

"Miss, please." The driver, who was also her bodyguard, led the way for her, making her the center of attention.

Just as she was enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention, a familiar figure suddenly caught her eye.

She frowned, approached suspiciously, and tentatively called out, "Ning Jinli?"

"Hmm?" Ning Jinli turned around subconsciously.

The moment their eyes met, both of them showed expressions of surprise.

Ning Yao was even more incredulous, "It really is you? What are you doing here?!"

Ning Jinli retorted, "Can't I continue like this?"

"Ha!" Ning Yao snorted coldly, crossed her arms and looked him up and down, then sneered, "Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can come to such a high-class place. Don't tell me you want to go in and watch an opera too."

Ning Jinli said indifferently, "What's it to you?"