Chapter 417 Building the City Wall
Yun Que Yun Jin arranged the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Fang Xiuran picked up his brush and began to paint.
A pair of eyebrows and eyes suddenly appeared on the paper.
Fang Xiuran frowned.
He looked up at Qin Jinzhi.
He then continued painting.
Qin Jinzhi chuckled, noticing Fang Xiuran's expression.
She already had her decision in mind.
Qin Jinzhi lay on the swing and swayed back and forth.
Half an hour later.
Yunjin and Yunque huddled together.
"This isn't... that... that captured Chu man, he's the son of some Chu princess, his name is..."
Qin Jinzhi spoke with her eyes closed: "Huangfu Nanlin."
Yun Jin clapped her hands, "That's right, Huangfu Nanlin!"
Fang Xiuran blinked, put down his pen, and looked at Qin Jinzhi. "Who is this man?"
The eldest princess of Chu was unmarried, but had one son.
That was Huangfu Nanlin.
However, the prince's biological father is unknown, and no one knows his identity.
It's actually the person in the painting!
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "Mr. Fang, the price for this answer is that you must become my person completely. Otherwise, once you leave the Prince's Mansion, I will immediately send people to hunt you down."
Fang Xiuran was speechless. "Do you have to be so shameless?"
Qin Jinzhi laughed out loud, "Hurry up and choose, Mr. Fang."
Fang Xiuran thought for a moment, then sat down to drink his tea. "If I pledge my allegiance, what benefits can you offer me?"
Qin Jinzhi got up and bent one leg.
“During the chaos of warring states, not all the people of Tianshui City perished; some of your clansmen still survive.”
Fang Xiuran suddenly stood up. "Really!"
Qin Jinzhi waved her hand, "Mr. Fang, please don't get agitated. I'm sincerely recruiting you, so of course I wouldn't lie to you."
After sitting down, Fang Xiuran stroked his chin. "Although my skill is unique, it shouldn't be important enough for the princess to go to such lengths for me."
Qin Jinzhi nodded. "Mr. Fang is wise. Thirty years ago, Tianshui City was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Besides the good leadership of Mr. Fang's father, there was another very important reason."
Fang Xiuran chuckled after hearing this, "There is another reason. Back then, Tianshui City had a city-building team. The city walls they built were incredibly sturdy and could even withstand cannon fire and catapult attacks. A large part of the reason why Tianshui City was able to maintain its peace in the chaotic world was because of this city-building team."
Qin Jinzhi raised an eyebrow and looked at Fang Xiuran. "So, Mr. Fang should know what I want?"
Fang Xiuran looked at Qin Jinzhi, "Huangfu Su really underestimated his opponent."
Yun Que walked behind Qin Jinzhi and pushed the swing.
Feiyan came over carrying the washed fruit.
"Princess, this fruit is especially sweet! You should eat this one!"
Feiyan pointed to the top fruit with bright eyes.
Yun Jin laughed and said, "Princess, Fei Yan must have stolen some!"
Feiyan immediately said, "I didn't!"
Yun Jin leaned closer to her, "Then how did you know which one was the sweetest?"
Feiyan couldn't help but laugh, "Fatty just gave it to me."
Yun Jin looked at Qin Jinzhi and said, "Fatty has almost moved all the food from the palace to the Prince's Mansion. He took over the small kitchen as soon as he arrived, without taking any of our food."
Qin Jinzhi picked up the fruit Feiyan was pointing to, took a bite, and gestured with her chin towards Fang Xiuran.
"Let Mr. Fang have a taste."
Feiyan picked out two more from the plate and placed them in Qin Jinzhi's arms before carrying the plate to Fang Xiuran.
Fang Xiuran didn't stand on ceremony and took a bite of the fruit.
Looking at the group of people behind Qin Jinzhi, who were enjoying themselves immensely.
"Your treatment is quite good."
Qin Jinzhi swung her dangling leg. "Mr. Fang, have you thought it through?"
Fang Xiuran put the fruit aside. "I want a fiefdom. If I can persuade my people to build a city wall for you, then if Jin goes to war with Chu in the future, it will have an extra layer of protection compared to Chu."
Qin Jinzhi smiled and looked at Fang Xiuran, "You are not building city walls for me, but for my Jin Kingdom. His Majesty the Emperor of Jin will naturally appreciate your contribution."
Fang Xiuran said with some curiosity, "But I'm very curious, how did you know my identity?"
Qin Jinzhi took a bite of the fruit. "Just do it with care."
Fang Xiuran stood up. "Where do I stay?"
A maid immediately stepped forward and said, "Sir, this way please."
Yun Jin frowned as she watched Fang Xiuran's retreating figure.
"Why did he agree so quickly? He's only been keeping his promise to Huangfu Su all these years in Chu. And the Chu princess hasn't sent anyone to serve her all these years. Could there be a trap?"
The lark gestured, "Didn't the princess say that once he steps out of this door, she'll kill him immediately?"
Yun Jin's eyes widened. "That's right."
Building the city wall has always been a major concern for Qin Jinzhi.
Defense is sometimes more difficult than offense.
After Emperor Jin ended the chaos, Tianshui City was located in Yuanzhou.
Qin Jinzhi went to Yuanzhou to investigate the aristocratic families' attack on her father.
When I was a child, I often heard my grandparents talk about things from the battlefield.
The two had said that Tianshui City had the most solid city walls of all the cities they had ever seen.
Tianshui City has now been rebuilt.
However, there are very few ruins inside.
Qin Jinzhi then studied it for a while.
After searching for clues for several years, she finally found the surviving people of Tianshui City, and among them were the descendants of the Tianshui City forging team.
It was also through finding these people that Qin Jinzhi discovered that the son of Fang Ci, the former ruler of Tianshui City, was still alive.
He then infiltrated the State of Chu and was supposed to directly abduct Fang Xiuran back.
However, due to the serious injuries sustained by Zhong Huangfu Nanfeng's three sword strikes, the matter was temporarily shelved.
For a man who has waited thirty years for revenge, his clan is his last thought and his Achilles' heel.
They support each other, yet also check each other.
This is very good for Qin Jinzhi.
Qin Jinzhi looked at the portrait on the table and casually pulled out a dagger from her boot.
She casually tossed the dagger, and it struck the person in the painting squarely on the forehead.
Qin Jinzhi jumped off the swing, "After all this time, it's time to go on duty."
The next day, when Qin Jinzhi went to court, many officials gathered around to greet her.
Qin Jinzhi responded to everyone with a smile.
Their attitude is completely different from what it was a few months ago.
When the emperor and empress attended court, their expressions softened considerably upon seeing Qin Jinzhi standing to the side.
Cui Ying was almost moved to tears.
Qin Jinzhi has been on leave these days.
Cui Ying needs to quickly adapt to dealing with officials from all sides.
She had a deep understanding of Qin Jinzhi's words: "A single hair can affect the whole body; one cannot act rashly, for any action will be fatal."
People in officialdom are all shrewd and experienced; many seasoned veterans have thoroughly mastered the rules of officialdom.
Every time, they either dodge the question or pass the buck.
Yet, he is so discreet in his words and actions that no one can find fault with him.
The Cui family became extremely tense because of her sweeping reforms.
Qin Jinzhi, however, did not rush back to Qianniao Division.
Instead, he said something to her.
Sometimes, a person's value is only realized when they are needed.
People panic when they realize they have no value.
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