When Mu Qingxiao held Xiao Yi's hand and stepped onto the pavilion, the gentle sea breeze blew against their faces. The wind was mixed with the smell of the sea. The subtle waves beat against the wooden piles, creating a ripple on the sea surface.
The sea and the sky were one color. It was truly a magnificent scene.
Standing at the front of the pavilion was a noble young master with an extraordinary bearing. He was facing the sea, like an ink painting.
Fu Su, the eldest son of Qin Shihuang. His surname was Ying, and his given name was Fu Su. He was a person with political foresight among the ruling class of the Qin Dynasty, and the future successor of the Qin Empire.
Although he was the eldest son of the Emperor, he had no real power. Compared to Li Si, who advocated iron fist rule, he had always advocated peace and prosperity, and appeased the remnants of the Six Kingdoms through conciliation.
He was benevolent and kind, completely different from Ying Zheng's philosophy of ruling by law. He clearly distinguished between kindness and hatred. Even if he was not told the name of his benefactor, he still wanted to repay his benefactor, and swore to find his benefactor.
Fu Su turned around. When he saw that it was Mu Qingxiao, his eyes were filled with surprise. With an excited tone, he said, "Imperial Brother, why have you appeared in Sang Hai?"
Fu Su did not have a shred of enmity toward Mu Qingxiao.
Although the two were both princes and competitors, Fu Su knew that Mu Qingxiao did not seem to have any interest in politics.
The latter did not seem to be interested in the power of the imperial court. Instead, he was like a wandering crane. Furthermore, there had been no news of him since he left Xianyang half a year ago.
Fu Su was very happy to meet Mu Qingxiao in Sang Hai. Walking forward, he looked at Mu Qingxiao and said with a smile, "You've grown quite a bit in half a year."
As for Fu Su, Mu Qingxiao did not distinguish whether he liked or disliked him because the two of them did not have much interaction other than their superficial relationship.
However, Mu Qingxiao did not think of himself as a prince, or else he would not have left the palace to travel. Moreover, one would not strike a smiling face. So he smiled and said, "It's been half a year, but Imperial Brother's complexion is as good as ever."
"Don't just stand there. Come in and sit."
Hearing this, Mu Qingxiao led Xiao Yi to the pavilion and sat cross-legged before the table. He did not care about the four lifeless corpses on the ground or the Six Sword Slaves standing in the distance.
"Young master." At the same time, Li Si also entered the waterside pavilion. He glanced at the corpse on the ground and cupped his hands towards Fu Su.
Fu Su looked at Li Si and said with a faint smile, "Lord Li, you missed a good show."
Earlier, Li Si had already heard from Zhang Han about what had happened in the pavilion, and he couldn't help but feel some lingering fear.
"Young master, the current situation is indeed perilous, and it actually happened in the heavily-guarded Mulberry Sea. It's fortunate that the Shadow Sentinel Guardians received intelligence in advance, and General Zhang is meticulous enough to see through the assassination plot. But, audacious Zhang Han, since you've already grasped the situation, how dare you use young master's safety as bait?"
"Lord Li, you've misunderstood General Zhang. The one who helped me receive the assassin was just a substitute. If it weren't for General Zhang, Lord Li and I wouldn't even know if we were dead or alive."
"This humble subject is terrified."
"Let's not talk about this for now. It's rare to meet Royal Brother in Sang Hai. Naturally, we must drink a few cups. Bring the food and wine over."
When the Qin Army personally carried the copper plate, a wave of aroma assaulted their nostrils.
"My mood was affected by some matters just now. Royal Brother, don't be so polite. This is Qilu's most famous dish, Shark's Fin and Bear's Paw …"
A moment later, Li Si took a sip of wine and said in confusion, "There's one thing that Li Si doesn't understand. That assassin actually dared to impersonate me to attend the banquet. Isn't he afraid that I'll see him and expose him?"
Mu Qingxiao's lips curled into a smile as he calmly said, "In their entire plan, this is the most interesting point."
In an instant, Fu Su, Li Si, and Zhang Han's gazes landed on Mu Qingxiao.
"Li Xiangguo left on time and traveled with me, so we didn't waste much time. However, Li Xiangguo's punctuality has been the same for decades, and it's well-known in the court."
Fu Su, Li Si, and Zhang Han's eyes turned sharp. Zhang Han took out a small sundial and said, "His Highness is right. Lord Li, please take a look."
When Li Si saw the time on the sundial, his brows furrowed together. "It's the end of the day. I clearly left before dawn and didn't delay my journey with His Highness. How could I be a full quarter of an hour later than expected?"
"Because someone made a fuss about time, I'm afraid that the sundial in Lord Li's residence has been secretly tampered with. As long as the degree of inclination of the sundial is slightly changed, the timing will deviate. Thus, for this operation, a quarter hour that doesn't exist is created out of thin air."
"It's indeed a deliberate assassination plan. Their assassination plan was indeed painstaking, but it's a pity that they made everything too perfect."
"A month ago, when Young Master decided to invite Lord Li to the banquet, everyone in the Sea Moon Courtyard was already under the surveillance of the Shadow Secret Guards."
Mu Qingxiao, who was enjoying the wine by the side, nearly spat out the wine in her mouth when she heard Zhang Han's words. Didn't that mean that this fellow had been waiting for her for an entire month just two kilometers away from the Mulberry Sea? He sure was patient!
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Han said, "Not too long ago, I heard a guest praising the dishes here, saying that the taste has suddenly improved. That's a little unusual."
"What's so suspicious about the chef's skills?" Li Si was perplexed by Zhang Han's words.
"It used to be sparse and normal, but in the past month, there were four people in the Sea Moon Villa who behaved impeccably in their daily lives and how they treated others."
"Unintentional mistakes are inevitable. How can a flawless person be unintentional? In this world, there's no one who doesn't make mistakes. If it's too normal, then it's the greatest abnormality. Am I right, General Zhang Han?"
"Your Highness is right. Deliberate means that they're hiding something. Soon, I found what they were hiding. They were indeed very careful. Not only did they kill those people, they even destroyed the corpses. The four corpses that were destroyed were the true chefs and servants."
When the meal was almost finished, Fu Su stood up with a serious expression, "Father is about to patrol the east and the Illusive Mirage is about to set sail. For such an assassination to occur at such a time, we must immediately investigate this case."
"This general obeys."
Mu Qingxiao glanced at the Six Sword Slaves in the distance. Zhao Gao was truly capable.
Just by sacrificing a few assassins and putting on a simple act, he was able to make use of Fu Su to deal with the Confucian School. His methods were vicious. It was no wonder he could lead the Qin Dynasty to destruction.
.....
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
