Chapter Seventy-Three

An enchantress with a bewitching figure swayed her alluring waist. Her three thousand strands of soft, shoulder-length hair fell slowly as she leaned to the side, hanging between her heavy, mountain-like peaks. A jade finger tapped Li Yu’s chin as she held a jade hairpin between her lips. Her amorous, enchanting eyes stared into Li Yu’s, which were practically spitting fire.

"Yu-lang! You wouldn't just want to keep me as a canary in a cage, would you?"

Li Yu twisted his body, glaring at the seductive woman before him. "Chao Xiyue, let’s talk properly. Untie me!"

Chao Xiyue removed the hairpin from her lips and traced it lightly across Li Yu’s bare skin, teasing his sensitive nerves. "If I let you go, what do you intend to do?"

Li Yu leaned his body toward the enchantress. "I intend to make it so you can't get out of bed."

Chao Xiyue used the hairpin to playfully tease the bulge against his lower abdomen. "So, it seems we cannot talk properly! I have no choice, then."

Li Yu replied, "Xiyue! Let’s handle the important business first. After that, we can talk as slowly as you like."

Chao Xiyue looked at her beloved man beneath her with eyes as soft as silk. "You always leave me completely drained every time... how could we possibly talk 'slowly'?" She blew a breath of sandalwood-scented air into his ear.

Li Yu said, "Just tell me what you want, Yue'er."

Chao Xiyue asked, "What do you think I am suited for, Yu-lang?"

Li Yu answered without hesitation, "A succubus."

Chao Xiyue gazed at him with captivating eyes. "Yu-lang! I am trying to talk to you, but you won't cooperate!"

Li Yu said, "I want to establish an overseas intelligence agency. Are you interested, Yue'er?"

Chao Xiyue echoed, "Overseas?"

Li Yu replied, "Dongying, Peacock, Macedon."

Chao Xiyue asked, "Where are these empires located?"

Li Yu said, "I will draw a map for you."

Chao Xiyue asked, "Does Yu-lang need these?"

Li Yu replied, "I need the power of faith."

Chao Xiyue questioned, "The power of faith?"

Li Yu said, "Yes, the power of faith!"

Chao Xiyue gave a light flick, untying the ropes on Li Yu’s body. "Yu-lang! Then leave this to me!"

Li Yu pulled the bone-deep enchanting woman into his embrace. "Good."

He kissed her, and the night was filled with passion.

The next morning, little cutie Honglian sought out Li Yu.

"Brother-in-law! I want to be a swordswoman!"

Li Yu felt an instant headache. "Lian'er! You haven't mastered your skills yet! Come talk to me when you can defeat Zi'er!"

Honglian pouted. "Master is gifted with extraordinary talent; how could I ever catch up?"

Li Yu touched her delicate little face. "What is so fun about being a swordswoman?"

Honglian replied, "I’m not doing it for fun! I’m doing it to eliminate evil and uphold justice!"

Li Yu’s eyes rolled as he had an idea. "Why not join your brother-in-law in investigating cases? That way, you can eliminate evil and uphold justice while also fulfilling your dream of being a swordswoman."

Honglian’s eyes lit up as if she had suddenly understood. "Why didn't I think of that?"

After dismissing the little cutie Honglian, Li Yu went straight to Bai Yan’s residence. "Yan'er, has the formation of an elite guard unit yielded results?"

Bai Yan lowered her head in thought for a moment. "Your requirements are very high, especially regarding loyalty. There aren't many candidates."

Li Yu stepped forward and pulled the mature beauty into his arms. "No rush. I won't be leaving for other countries immediately. By the way, Master Nianduan’s medicine seems quite effective; Yan'er has become much fuller!" As he spoke, his hands began to climb toward those mountain peaks.

"Husband! It is still daytime!" Bai Yan said coyly.

"A day's plan starts with the morning!" Li Yu said, pulling Bai Yan toward the edge of the bed.

...

Yan State.

After much inquiry, Li Yu arrived at Ji, the capital of the Yan State. The Feixue Pavilion was located here. He had previously inquired about Snow Girl's whereabouts in the Zhao State but found no news. Li Yu speculated that she might have gone to the Yan State. Judging by how Snow Girl addressed Duanmu Rong in the original story, she likely had not yet debuted.

Li Yu rode his little white horse, observing the construction of the Yan capital, Ji. It lacked the grandeur of Qin’s Xianyang and the foundation of Zhao’s Handan, yet it possessed an indescribable atmosphere of the martial arts world. One could see wandering knights carrying weapons everywhere. The wooden staff in Li Yu’s hand appeared exceptionally ordinary.

The Feixue Pavilion had a performance today. Li Yu had booked a seat early; tickets were hard to come by. Today, the owner of Feixue Pavilion, Fei Xinyun, was performing in person. Fei Xinyun was also the founder of the Pavilion and, presumably, Snow Girl’s mentor.

The Flying Snow Jade Flower Platform was the treasure of the Feixue Pavilion. It sat in the center of an artificial lake, surrounded by bamboo curtains that obstructed the view. The water was crystal clear, with colorful flowers blooming on the surface, competing in beauty with the lady at the center of the stage.

Suddenly, the sound of a zither rang out. The beautiful music caused the nobles to stop their conversations, and those drinking held their cups to their lips, frozen. With a creaking sound, the bamboo curtains were pulled open, the lights dimmed, and everyone’s gaze turned in unison to the center of the pavilion—the Flying Snow Jade Flower Platform. Bright moonlight shone down from the sky, making the stage look magnificent.

Snow drifted down. On the stage appeared a woman whose skin was as white as snow, her figure graceful and charming. Her silver-blue long hair flowed like drifting clouds, and she wore a blue dress that swayed with elegance. She was adorned with exquisite ornaments, and her skirt fluttered like an immortal descending to the mortal realm. She had a heart-shaped face, sea-blue almond eyes, long and delicate arched eyebrows, and playful, pink lips. She wore gray-blue eyeshadow with three gems inlaid at the corners of her eyes. Her makeup was heavy but not gaudy.

Li Yu was stunned. This woman looked somewhat similar to Snow Girl, though she was more mature and enchanting, with a bluer hair color.

As the song ended, the red curtain was suddenly pulled back, and a stunning woman stood on the Flying Snow Jade Flower Platform. Everyone present was moved. Petals danced in the air, and the radiant smile of the Pavilion Master, Fei Xinyun, was incredibly captivating! She danced gracefully, her movements dazzling.

This time, there was no scene of kidnapping women as in the plot; instead, the guests' unending applause gave the Pavilion Master great encouragement.

...

In the backstage, a little silver-haired girl watched the scene, her eyes filled with envy.

Li Yu did not hesitate to offer his applause to the woman on the stage. Having come today and witnessed this dance, the trip was already worthwhile.

The Yan capital was a place where martial arts were held in high regard. Through the Net, Li Yu contacted a few agile ruffians. A hero saving a beauty is a plot that never goes out of style, is it not?

When Li Yu arrived at the Feixue Pavilion at the agreed time the next day, the sounds of blades clashing had already begun inside. Li Yu was slightly taken aback—had the timing been moved up? Thinking this, Li Yu carried his wooden staff and walked in.

The interior was in chaos. Dozens of masked men were hacking at anyone they saw and smashing everything in sight. Fei Xinyun, as the Pavilion Master, had her forehead stained red with blood.

Li Yu did not dare to hesitate. He drew his sword from its sheath and struck the assailant who was hacking at Fei Xinyun. With a flash of white light, the black-clothed man’s hands were severed and flew off. Seeing how ferocious the black-clothed men were, Li Yu realized they were not the people he had sent, so he stopped holding back. As his sword moved rapidly, the entire hall was instantly enveloped in sword energy.

The sound of shattering objects and screams of agony intertwined. Within ten breaths, Li Yu sheathed his sword. He scanned his surroundings. With a flash of movement, Li Yu caught the falling Fei Xinyun. "Pavilion Master, you are safe now."

He frowned. "Pavilion Master, your injuries are severe. Forgive me." He picked her up, cleared a space on the ground, and called out to the survivors hiding in the corner: "Fetch some hot water!"

Far away in Xianyang, Li Yu found Duanmu Rong in the academy. "Rong'er! Someone has a head wound, how should I treat it?"

"? Who is injured? Where are they?" As a healer, Duanmu Rong instinctively wanted to treat the patient.

"The person isn't here. Just tell me how to treat it first?" Li Yu asked anxiously.

"First, stop the bleeding. If it’s on the forehead, press the Kongzui acupoint." She held out Li Yu’s arm and demonstrated it once. "Then, clean the wound to prevent infection. It’s best to use the distilled wine you invented to dilute it."

Li Yu was stunned. Where would he find distilled wine in the Yan State? He asked, "Is there any other way?"

Duanmu Rong replied, "Boil an egg, extract the oil from the yolk over a low flame, and apply it to the wound. It helps with healing."

"Thank you!" Li Yu said, then cupped Duanmu Rong’s pretty face and kissed her cute, upturned lips.

Duanmu Rong was shocked. Was her first kiss just gone like that?

Back in the Yan capital, Li Yu wiped the forehead of the jade-like beauty while ordering others to boil eggs. He watched the silver-haired girl, tears welling in her eyes, as she pressed the acupoint on Fei Xinyun’s arm.

Li Yu comforted her gently, "It’s okay! Everything will be fine!"

The girl’s lips trembled as she whispered, "Who was it? Why?"

Li Yu thought for a moment. "Judging by their skills, they are wandering knights. But there was a strange phenomenon when I arrived—there were no pedestrians on the road. I suspect there are government officials behind this. Whoever shows up here later is the killer."

The girl looked at Li Yu with her beautiful blue eyes.

Li Yu immediately waved his hands. "It wasn't me, I was really just passing by."

Seeing Li Yu’s nervous expression, the girl almost wanted to laugh, but thinking of her master, she lowered her head again.

Li Yu, like a warm man, wiped the tears from the girl's face.

Barely a cup of tea’s time after the chaos, the eggs Li Yu ordered hadn't even been boiled yet when a young man arrived at the Feixue Pavilion with four men in martial attire. Seeing the groaning masked men on the ground and the scattered limbs, he was stunned for a moment. Then he looked at the group from Feixue Pavilion, and seeing the silver-haired girl was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief. He stepped forward, bowed to the fallen Fei Xinyun, and said, "I am Yan Dan. Passing through this place, I heard the sound of blades, so I came to investigate."

Li Yu smiled slightly at the girl and whispered, "Look, someone has arrived."

Li Yu, who had been standing with his back to Crown Prince Yan Dan, took the opportunity to turn around and face him. "Is it a coincidence that the Crown Prince has come to visit?"

Only then did Yan Dan see the face of the person squatting on the ground. Seeing it was Li Yu, he unconsciously took a step back. "Why is it you?"

After a second of hesitation, Li Yu smiled. "Why? Does the Crown Prince know me?"

Yan Dan’s expression turned cold. He gripped his sword, struggled for a moment, then slowly let go. He raised his head and said, "How does the Marquis of the Qin State appear in my capital of Ji, in Yan?"

As soon as Yan Dan said this, everyone looked at Li Yu in surprise. Especially the four men Yan Dan brought; they were eager to move.

Li Yu laughed. "With the war between Qin and Zhao, I am here as a Qin official to discuss an alliance. Is that not allowed? But what about the Crown Prince? Why is it such a coincidence that you brought people here?"

Yan Dan paused. "I was passing by and heard shouting inside, so I came to check!"

Hearing this, Li Yu asked the girl beside him, "Did you shout just now?"

The girl, feeling low, shook her head.

Li Yu looked at the other survivors. "Did you shout just now?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Li Yu laughed. The truth was self-evident.

Yan Dan stood there awkwardly, feeling that today’s mistake was inexplicable—who could have foreseen that Li Yu would be on the scene? He bowed to Li Yu. "Since you are an envoy to the Yan State, the Marquis should see my father the King as soon as possible."

Li Yu waved his hand. "I will submit the documents tomorrow. Crown Prince, please return!"

Yan Dan departed in a hurry, followed by his men, who cast unwilling glances at Li Yu before turning and walking out the door.

"Crown Prince, why didn't we take the Qin Marquis just now? He is not an ordinary Marquis."

Yan Dan narrowed his eyes, staring ahead. "My master once said that Li Yu’s martial skills are not below his own. I didn't believe it at first, but you saw the scene today—except for Li Yu, everyone was elderly, women, or children. It’s clear who did it!"

The knight beside him said unwillingly, "Does our plan to take over the Feixue Pavilion end like this?"

Yan Dan replied, "No rush. As long as the Feixue Pavilion is in the Yan State, there will be opportunities. After all, Li Yu cannot stay in the Feixue Pavilion forever; he must return to the Qin State."

"That is true!"

Li Yu looked at the shocking scar on the Pavilion Master’s face and felt heartbroken. He gently applied the egg yolk oil. "Pavilion Master, do not worry. I have a friend who is a master physician; she can help you treat it."

Fei Xinyun looked at the ceiling with empty eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek.

No woman is without self-pity, especially a beauty like Fei Xinyun. Although she hadn't looked in a mirror, the pain from her face told her how horrific the wound was.

The silver-haired girl held the woman’s right hand. "Master! You must cheer up! Everything will be fine. The Young Master is a good person! He will find a way to help you!"

Li Yu also nodded. "You cannot stay in the Yan State anymore. The fact that Crown Prince Yan Dan came here explains everything. If I hadn't appeared, Yan Dan would have found a way to annex the entire Feixue Pavilion. I suggest you follow me to the Qin State! There are the best physicians there, and it will be easier for me to take care of you."

The girl’s eyes lit up when she heard this, and she held Fei Xinyun’s hand. "Master!"

Fei Xinyun looked at her favorite disciple. "Xue'er, you go to Xianyang with the Young Master. I will not go!"

The girl replied anxiously, "If Master doesn't go, I won't either!"

Li Yu comforted her, "Not one can be missing. I still want your Feixue Pavilion to flourish in Xianyang! Pavilion Master, do not worry, I will help you."

Fei Xinyun asked, "Why is the Young Master so concerned about the Feixue Pavilion?"

Li Yu did not speak; instead, he looked at Fei Xinyun with a gentle gaze, his admiration overflowing.

Fei Xinyun shyly turned her face away, not wanting Li Yu to see her disfigured appearance.

Li Yu said, "Since the day I saw your dance, I have admired you, Pavilion Master! That one glance was eternal."

As the Pavilion Master of Feixue Pavilion, Fei Xinyun was never short of suitors, but none had ever caught her eye. But this young man, who offered her hope when her beauty was gone and her heart was like ashes, moved her deeply.

"The Young Master is only pitying me; it is not worth it!"

Li Yu shook his head. "When we first met, you were like a fleeting vision of beauty in my eyes. True love transcends the length of time, the width of the heart, and the depth of the soul. Five hundred years of looking back in a past life, I only wish to spend this life with you until we are old and gray."

As he spoke, he took her delicate, boneless hand and kissed it deeply, expressing his admiration.

The little girl version of Snow Girl also held her master’s hand. "Young Master’s feelings for Master, Xue'er can feel it. Xue'er is also willing to accompany Master by your side for this life."

Fei Xinyun smiled slightly, which tugged at her wound, causing her to frown. "Silly girl, I am fine. Young Master, Crown Prince Yan Dan said you are a Marquis of the Qin State. May I ask your name?"

Li Yu looked tenderly at the profile of the woman in front of him. "I am Li Yu, a native of the Qin State. Because I admired your elegance, I traveled alone to the Yan State to catch a glimpse of your beauty. It was truly a trip worth taking."

Li Yu was telling a white lie; the trip was originally for the little girl beside him, but since seeing Fei Xinyun’s dance, his admiration was genuine. A lover of flowers, seeing a flower being destroyed, naturally feels pity.

"The Young Master’s status is noble, and you came all this way for a lowly woman like me. I am terrified..." Fei Xinyun was truly touched. For a woman in ancient times, when had she ever received such respect?

Li Yu smiled. "I have some connections in Ji city. I can send you out of the city first to prevent any changes."

"I will listen to everything the Young Master arranges." Fei Xinyun agreed so readily for another important reason: Snow Girl. She knew that Snow Girl was stubborn; if she didn't leave the Yan State, Snow Girl definitely wouldn't either.

Li Yu felt a surge of excitement inside, but he remained elegant. "Yan Dan might send people to intercept us. We will leave tomorrow. I will first find someone who can help us leave."

"Good!" Fei Xinyun nodded.

Li Yu looked at the beauty who still wouldn't look him in the eye, and gently stroked her hand. "In my heart, you are like the lotus of the Tianshan Mountains—beautiful, pure, and proud. This difficulty is just a small hurdle in your life. When I return to Xianyang, I will beg the King to grant us a marriage. I hope you will not mind. My heart for you is sincere."

Fei Xinyun’s face turned red instantly. "Marquis, please do not joke."

Li Yu raised her hand and kissed it again. "Just call me Li Yu. Calling me Marquis feels too distant."

Fei Xinyun nodded silently.

Li Yu was actually taking advantage of the situation. If it weren't for Fei Xinyun’s ordeal, it wouldn't have been so easy to win her heart. This was all thanks to Yan Dan’s "help." No wonder Snow Girl followed Yan Dan to rebel in the original story; it turns out there was this history. Yan Dan, who plays dirty, is indeed an expert.

Li Yu knew his presence in the Yan State could no longer be kept secret, so he went directly to the person who could restrain Yan Dan—Lord Yan Chun. On the way, he also stopped at a contact point between Qin and Yan.

When Li Yu rode his white horse with two attendants to Lord Yan Chun’s residence, it was as if the Lord already knew he was coming. The guards heard his name and immediately led him inside.

Li Yu looked at the obese man in front of him, who must have weighed at least two hundred pounds—compared to him, King Yan of Zhao looked petite. Li Yu instantly put on a smile and bowed. "I have long wanted to meet our friend of the Great Qin, and today I finally see you. Lord Yan Chun truly has an extraordinary temperament; one can tell at a glance you are a dragon among men."

Lord Yan Chun laughed loudly. "Since you came to my Yan State, why didn't you inform me immediately? I could have hosted a banquet to welcome you."

Li Yu smiled. "My only hobby is beautiful flowers, and the most beautiful flower in the Yan State is in the Feixue Pavilion. I have admired it for a long time, so I went there first. I hope you don't mind."

Lord Yan Chun expressed his sympathy, laughing, "Are you satisfied with that Pavilion Master? I could have had her brought to you; why did you need to go yourself?" In Lord Yan Chun’s view, the Feixue Pavilion was nothing special. The entire Yan State belonged to his family; how could a mere pavilion dare to defy him?

Li Yu smiled. "I passed by the Feixue Pavilion today and some people were causing trouble inside, so I killed the killers. It’s just a pity that the Pavilion Master was disfigured, which I deeply regret."

Lord Yan Chun was stunned. "Is that so? That Pavilion Master is a national treasure. I intended to take her into my house in a few days. What a pity!"

Li Yu despised him internally but kept a smile on his face. "Indeed. But I am a lover of flowers and couldn't bear to see such beauty perish, so I promised to marry her. I hope you can help me with this."

Lord Yan Chun couldn't quite understand Li Yu. Traveling thousands of miles to see a beauty is understandable, but to take home a "broken" flower is very strange. Is there really such a romantic fool in the world? For Lord Yan Chun, who was born with a silver spoon, he couldn't understand it. But this weakness of Li Yu made him like him. Lord Yan Chun despised hypocrites, like his nephew.

"Don't worry, little brother. Even if the entire Feixue Pavilion moves to Qin, it only takes a word." In Lord Yan Chun’s eyes, the most valuable thing in the Feixue Pavilion was the Pavilion Master. Since she had lost her value, there was nothing left to be attached to in the Feixue Pavilion, and it would allow Li Yu to owe him a favor.

"Thank you, my Lord!" Li Yu bowed again.

Lord Yan Chun laughed and helped him up. "I have already prepared a banquet, waiting for you to take your seat. Please!"

Li Yu also bowed with one hand. "Please!"

Sitting at the side table, Li Yu once again felt the corruption of the nobility. Dancers in thin gauze performed enchanting steps on the stage, and the maids serving them wore only transparent gauze, half-open, revealing glimpses of their skin, as they poured wine for Li Yu. Li Yu didn't know where to look. The scene was filled with debauchery.

Lord Yan Chun saw Li Yu was a bit restrained and laughed, "How do the dancers in my mansion compare to the Feixue Pavilion?"

As he spoke, the dancers lifted their legs high, turned beautifully, and a "black forest" was suddenly revealed before their eyes. Li Yu sprayed the tea he had in his mouth and covered his nose, giving a thumbs up. "The dancers in your mansion are naturally incomparable to those of the Feixue Pavilion."

In Xianyang City.

Li Yu held a jade hand, acting spoiled toward Yan Lingji. "Ling'er, just grant me this wish once! Dance like this, it looks very good!"

Yan Lingji’s pretty face flushed, and she said with a嗔, "You only have these filthy thoughts in your head... the atmosphere in the mansion has been warped by you... and you are about to be a father!"

Li Yu held up a finger. "Just once!"

Yan Lingji said with amorous eyes, "Master, why don't you ask your succubus sister! She would be very willing!"

Li Yu—she prefers being tied up!

Li Yu said, "We are just adding some life fun!"

"Master!!" Yan Lingji lifted her flawless jade foot and stretched it in front of Li Yu.

"Awoo!~" A wolf-like howl echoed from the Marquis mansion.