socalfunplaces Chapter 171 The Flavor of Home is Still Fading
Chapter 171 The Flavor of Home is Still Fading
Fortunately, everyone in the room was trustworthy. They knew Lin Tian was unfathomable and were extremely discreet, so not a single word of his was leaked.
Han Fei had come with important matters to discuss, but Lin Tian had just exhausted himself trying to prolong Xuan Jian's life and was currently meditating with his eyes closed. Not wanting to disturb him, Han Fei stayed at Zilan Pavilion to wait quietly and took the opportunity to have a long talk with Ying Zheng.
The two chatted more and more congenially, discussing everything from the landscape to laws and people's livelihoods. There was no barrier between them, and they laughed frequently, forgetting that the sun was setting.
Especially when discussing the general trend of the world and the principles of governing a country, Ying Zheng laughed heartily, his brows relaxed; Han Fei answered fluently, his sharpness concealed. Their eyes shone brightly, clearly showing that they had met their match, a worthy opponent and a worthy general.
Zhang Liang listened attentively with a smile, occasionally offering guidance, quoting classical texts with ease, even military strategies and tactics. Ying Zheng listened with increasing amazement, his eyes shining, nodding frequently, and praising him endlessly.
Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang remained silently standing on the eaves in the distance, their clothes still, their gazes sharp as blades, quietly guarding this world where laughter and conversation were taking place.
On that very day, Hei Bai Xuan Jian officially joined the Quicksand and publicly swore an oath: "If Lin Tian commands me, I will go through fire and water, even at the cost of my life"—protecting Zi Lan Xuan was his only vow for the rest of his life.
Lin Tian was still not at ease, so he quietly incorporated the entire Liu Sha force into Zi Lan Xuan's command. Although the name remained unchanged, it had in fact become a sharp weapon in Zi Lan Xuan's hands.
Unconsciously, he had become the one who truly gave orders to Liu Sha; and Liu Sha had completely transformed into Zi Lan Xuan's right-hand man.
Xuan Jian now obeys Lin Tian's every command without hesitation, his eyes filled with unwavering sincerity, as if he would offer his life for him.
If Lin Tian were to order him to commit suicide with his sword drawn, he would probably actually draw his sword without even flinching.
He acquired a new identity—both a rising star in the Quicksand faction and the second gatekeeper and handyman of the Purple Orchid Pavilion after Peerless Ghost.
Wushuang Gui finally had someone to lend a hand. Although he might not know what "comrade-in-arms" meant, he still grinned a few times.
With one more person guarding the gate and one more person running errands, Zi Nu's smile deepened, her eyes filled with a calm and resolute confidence—the foundation of Zi Lan Xuan was now as solid as a rock.
Look at those two sides of the gate, who would dare to underestimate them? An iron tower and a double-edged sword stand side by side, like door gods guarding the house, their aura imposing.
With Zi Nu's money, Xuan Jian rented a small courtyard house at the entrance of the alley, facing the street. The house was bright and clean, and the mother and son settled down. Whenever Xuan Jian passed by, his steps became lighter.
Lin Tian then suggested: Why don't you let your wife open a small food stall? He had noticed earlier that this small place was sparsely populated with restaurants and lacked a lively atmosphere.
As for Zilan Pavilion itself? Zi Nu smiled calmly: She already had plenty of money. She opened it here not to make a living, but to take in women who had nowhere else to turn—that was her true business.
As the afternoon grew busier, Lin Tian finally finished his breathing exercises, feeling refreshed, and slowly strolled into the backyard.
Han Fei and two others were sitting around laughing and talking. As he approached, Ying Zheng stood up to greet him with a warm smile: "Sir, you've arrived."
Upon seeing Lin Tian, Han Fei immediately stood up and leaned closer, lowering his voice: "Brother Lin, business is of utmost importance!"
After listening, Lin Tian raised an eyebrow slightly, looking somewhat surprised: "You mean... the King of Han sent you as an envoy to Xianyang to serve as a mission to the Qin state?"
"Exactly!" Han Fei said decisively.
Lin Tian suddenly smiled, raised his hand and pointed at Ying Zheng: "Isn't that simple? Go find him—the backbone of Qin, isn't he sitting right here?"
Ying Zheng smiled but remained silent, his gaze calm.
For the first time ever, Han Fei smiled at Lin Tian and asked, "Brother Lin, do you still remember the three things you promised me back then? Now, only the last one remains."
Lin Tian's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood!
He cursed under his breath: This kid went through all that trouble just to get me to run this errand for him!
Zilanxuan's life was too comfortable; he was so lazy that he almost became limp. Who would want to travel thousands of miles?
But the words had already been spoken, and their weight was immense. Despite his reluctance and countless excuses, Lin Tian finally slapped his thigh, gritted his teeth, and nodded: "Fine! I'll go with you!"
Lin Tian was seething with rage, wishing he could grab Han Fei by the collar and force him to cough up 800,000 gold coins on the spot. Every day this money was delayed, Zi Nu would give him the cold shoulder—after all, every single copper coin had to be recorded in Zi Lan Xuan's ledger, a burden that was suffocating.
So as soon as Lin Tian shouted "Han Fei, pay back the money!", Zi Nu rushed over from the main courtyard, her skirts fluttering and her brows slightly furrowed, without the slightest delay.
Han Fei stood there, feeling like he was being roasted over a fire, completely at a loss, unable even to manage a bitter smile.
Eight hundred thousand gold coins?! Don't even mention that the Han royal palace's treasury is poor; even if you scraped off the last copper ingot from the national treasury, you still wouldn't be able to scrape together a fraction of that amount.
Lin Tian was the most frustrated, while Ying Zheng was the most overjoyed.
When Lin Tianyi agreed to accompany Ying Zheng to Qin, Ying Zheng's face lit up instantly, looking exactly like a boy clutching a piece of candy tightly, afraid it would melt, his eyes and brows brimming with undisguised joy.
Lin Tian knew perfectly well what Ying Zheng was planning, but he only lowered his eyes and smiled, tacitly agreeing—his future was uncertain, and he really couldn't do without the support of this King of Qin.
There was indeed a hint of coercion in this "need"; but Lin Tian hoped that Ying Zheng would nod sincerely, even if he was unwilling on the surface, he would still be willing to take on this heavy responsibility in his heart.
The matter of entering Qin was thus settled: Han Fei, holding the imperial insignia, was accompanied by officials of etiquette, and a thousand armored soldiers lined up to protect him.
When it came to Lin Tian's turn, he was faced with a dilemma—accompanying Han Fei alone? He found it boring. The journey was filled with Confucian scholars reciting poetry and discussing philosophy, nitpicking over words, which gave him a headache. He would only feel at ease if he had someone who could speak plainly with him.
That night, at the gates of the Han King's palace, Han Fei and Zhang Liang had just returned from the Zilan Pavilion and stepped into the shadows of the palace walls.
Suddenly, a scarlet figure emerged from behind a pillar like a whirlwind, her skirt billowing, and stood directly in front of the two.
She was a young girl dressed in palace attire, with bright, clear eyes, a face like a spring peach, and a slender figure like a lotus in its first bloom—she was none other than Honglian.
"Little sister? You've sneaked out of the palace again? Instead of staying in your bedchamber, you're waiting for people at the palace gate?" When Han Fei saw her, he instinctively straightened his back, trying to put on the airs of an elder brother.
Honglian pouted, her eyes slightly red, her voice soft and aggrieved: "You sneaked out again! And to Zilan Pavilion! Without even saying goodbye!"
Han Fei's forehead twitched, and he immediately fell silent—how come this girl smelled it again?
He suppressed his guilt and explained in a softer tone, "I was discussing important matters with Brother Lin. What are you doing getting involved? Besides, you are a princess of Korea; your words and actions..."
Before she could finish speaking, Honglian interrupted, hands on her hips, her almond-shaped eyes wide, her voice crisp and sharp: "Come on! You're going to take Brother Lin Tian to Qin! You're lying to me again! You big liar!"
Han Fei was suddenly stunned, his mind went blank—this matter was kept so tightly under wraps that not even the rats in the cracks of the palace walls heard it, how could she know?!
Seeing him standing there dumbfounded, Honglian became even more certain, raising her chin slightly: "Hmph! What Lady Hu says is definitely right!"
Hu Meiren?!
Han Fei and Zhang Liang exchanged a quick glance, both of them taken aback, a look of doubt creeping onto their brows.
The next second, Honglian stomped her foot, flicked her sleeve, and insisted on going with them. Her voice was so loud and clear that it seemed to make the copper bells on the eaves tremble.
Han Fei's expression changed drastically.