socalfunplaces Chapter 206 A Brighter Mind!
Chapter 206 A Brighter Mind!
The words had barely left his lips when the struggling little body froze abruptly, even his breathing became heavy. He looked up, gazing silently at Lin Tian, his eyes clear and cold like the moon reflected in a cold pool, his thin lips parted slightly: "Grand Preceptor... how did you see through it?"
With a change in tone, her youthful naiveté vanished, leaving behind a clear and melodious voice, like pearls falling onto a plate, yet also imbued with a touch of cold and elegant charm.
……
This was the first time she had heard of Yan Fei herself. The woman Yue'er would call her mother-in-law in the future.
Lin Tian squinted at her for a moment, his fingertips slowly stroking his chin, and sighed sincerely, "I've long heard that the Yin-Yang School is unpredictable, but seeing them today, I realize that the rumors are not even half true. Dongjun's transformation technique is truly a masterpiece—if I hadn't always been so wary and cautious, I would have been completely fooled by you. I never expected it to be you."
"You flatter me, Imperial Advisor." She smiled, her posture neither humble nor arrogant. "Now that I've been exposed, what are your plans for punishment?"
"Heh." Lin Tian chuckled, rolling his eyes without any attempt to hide it. "Trying to play games with me? The ropes binding you can hold an ordinary person, but they can't hold you back—if you really want to leave, you'll be gone in a flash. Do I need to 'deal with' you?" With that, he turned and walked away, flicking his sleeves and waving lazily. "Farewell? No need! Do as you please. Yan Dan's matter is between him and me, and has absolutely nothing to do with you, young lady."
He just left like that?!
The little beggar stood there, stunned, watching his figure disappear into the woods, unable to recover for a long time.
Until the hemp rope on her wrist snapped silently and fell to the ground; until she stood up, her dark blue dress cascading down like the night, her waist slender, her eyes resolute—Yan Fei, who had regained her true form as Dong Jun, still could not believe that Lin Tian had actually left.
She strolled to the campfire, her gaze lingering on the unfamiliar black iron fishing rod, then sweeping over the various porcelain bottles and earthenware jars scattered nearby, filled with salt and pepper, cinnamon, honey sauce, and Sichuan pepper powder...
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her delicate brows furrowed, and after a long while, she sighed softly, "This person is truly strange."
She bent down to pick up the fishing rod and wrapped the bottles and jars one by one in plain silk, her movements swift and solemn.
"I'll visit you another day to learn from you. Such behavior should never happen again—he can subtly and effortlessly control people without them even realizing it." Before he finished speaking, he had already turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
But just five or six minutes after she left, Lin Tian suddenly rushed back.
The embers of the campfire were still warm, and the surroundings were empty. He stared blankly at the ground for a long while before finally managing to stammer, "Damn! I showed off and ran away, forgetting all my fishing rod and seasonings!"
Could it be... that he's taken a fancy to my precious fishing rod? Hey, that won't do! I have to go and get it back right away—I don't have any fishing gear in my account!
The news that Ying Zheng knelt outside the Empress Dowager's palace for a long time was only learned by Lin Tian from Gai Nie, who had just left the palace and returned, after Lin Tian returned from the lakeside.
At this time, Zhang Liang, Han Fei, and Wei Zhuang were still discussing matters at the Hall of Recruiting Talents. Only the women and Lin Tian remained in the mansion, along with Wushuang Gui, who stood silently like an iron tower guarding the gate.
After hastily delivering the report, Gai Nie hurried back to the palace. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his steps were rapid, indicating that Ying Zheng had been kneeling for quite some time.
From the first light of dawn to the setting sun—for an emperor living in luxury and ruling over the land, this ordeal was far beyond his physical limits.
After seeing Gai Nie off, Zi Nu returned to the courtyard and immediately saw Lin Tian sitting alone on the stone steps, his brows furrowed.
She walked slowly closer and sat down beside him, her voice tinged with a smile: "Today, the whole of Xianyang is talking about the Grand Preceptor of Qin. You've really stolen the limelight."
Lin Tian shook his head with a wry smile: "What's the use of showing off? The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled. The most regrettable thing is that Miao Du was completely unharmed—a golden opportunity to cut off one of Lü Buwei's arms just slipped away. What bad luck!"
"I don't think so." Zi Nu turned her head to look at him, her eyes clear and bright, a faint smile on her face. "If you really kill the Empress Dowager's people now, it will be even more difficult for Ying Zheng to maintain his position. His power is not yet secure, and his foundation is still shallow." She paused, then smiled. "Besides—you have done more than enough. The title of the unparalleled Grand Tutor is not one that just anyone can bear."
"Oh, don't tease me! What do you mean by unparalleled talent? If I really had the ability to strategize, would I need to wait for Ying Zheng to take the stage? I would have finished this game long ago!" Lin Tian looked at Zi Nu's smiling eyes and charming lips, and his heart skipped a beat. The scene of the flickering lamplight and whispered murmurs from last night suddenly flashed into his mind, and he was stunned for a moment, his gaze fixed on her face, unable to move an inch.
"What are you looking at? Go look at Nongyu!" Zi Nu gently pushed his forehead with her fingertips, turning his head to one side. A thin layer of blush quietly rose to the roots of his ears, like peach blossoms in early spring covered with morning dew.
Lin Tian scratched his head, chuckled dryly, and felt a little embarrassed—it turned out that his self-control was still shallow, and the slightest ripple in his heart made him lose his footing.
Zi Nu suddenly lowered her voice: "Why don't you try to break the deadlock from within the army? Although Lü Buwei holds the seal of the court, the Qin army's armor is still in the hands of veteran generals loyal to the royal family. If you take control of this army, Lü Buwei and Miao Du will be nothing more than spineless dogs."
Lin Tian was startled. After a careful examination, he realized it was indeed true!
The old saying, "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun," is not just for show.
A thought flashed through his mind, and his eyes lit up immediately—yes, he would start with the military! Currently, the three mainstays that hold significant military power are the Wang family, the Meng family, and the Li family.
These were renowned military families, famous throughout the states, yet he never even visited their gates once after entering Qin.
Especially Meng Tian—that was the most striking name in his memory.
Wang Jian and Li Xin would eventually stand behind Ying Zheng, but the Meng family had been loyal for generations and had always only recognized one master: the King of Qin.
Lin Tian slapped his forehead and smiled bitterly: it turned out that he always relied on the system to charge around and used his brute force to get through the levels. When it came to using his brain, he was like a toddler learning to walk, clumsy and awkward.
He suddenly stood up, all the pent-up emotions in his heart vanished, even the lingering frustration from the morning dissipated completely.
Seeing his bright and clear eyes and radiant spirit, Zi Nu felt a sweet warmth spread through her heart, thinking to herself, "This fool has really been awakened."
Lin Tian, who was never one to mince words, glanced around and saw no one—the girls were all in the backyard admiring the flowers and playing with the cat—and couldn't resist the urge. Especially now, with his face beaming in the spring breeze, he felt even more unrestrained.
He stepped forward, bent down and got close to Zi Nu, gently pinched her soft cheek with one hand, and laughed heartily: "Beautiful, and even more intelligent! Miss Zi Nu, you truly have a brilliant mind."
Caught off guard, Zi Nu's face flushed instantly. In this place, in this setting, how dare he be so insolent!
She raised her hand to block him, but her fingertips just touched his wrist before she inexplicably stopped, lowering her eyelashes and speaking in a soft, sweet voice: "Alright, alright... hurry up and go to the palace to find your student!"
Her eyes, like autumn waters, were sparkling and bright. The rouge on her cheeks hadn't faded, and the vermilion on her lips was still wet. She was just like a peony covered in dew, so delicate that it made one's heart tremble.