Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 113

Even with just the first layer of the outermost layer, a typical thief, no matter how hard they try, wouldn't be able to carry away even a single box.

The underground warehouse is located in the center of the entire Prime Minister's residence, with an ordinary study built on top. No matter which direction you escape from here, the distance is almost equal.

Moreover, the area around the study was completely empty. While someone lightly equipped might have a chance to sneak in, it would be impossible for them to escape with a large amount of gold.

Carrying heavy cash not only slows you down, but also increases your exposed area, making you easier to spot.

Even if an ordinary thief had the ability to break in, they could at most take one or two large gold bricks. Guo Kai, a chivalrous knight with such skills, wouldn't mind if they took them once or twice, as long as they weren't caught by the Prime Minister.

But once caught, there's a private torture chamber within the Prime Minister's residence...

It is said that if a living person goes in, they might only be left with a few bones that are carried out by dogs.

After working for more than half an hour, Lu Wei admitted that he had underestimated Guo Kai. Lu Wei's original plan to take advantage of the chaos of the Qin army's siege to sneak in, grab something, and leave was really too crude.

Fortunately, the New Year has arrived.

The Prime Minister's mansion's treasury indeed has more than one floor, and the entrance to the second floor is not hard to find. However, to go deeper, one needs to open a mechanical bronze door.

If brute force is used instead of proper unlocking, the treasury will be immediately locked shut by its metal walls and an alarm will sound, making it impossible for the thieves inside to escape.

He could easily sweep away the 30,000 gold coins on the first floor with just a touch of his palm, but he studied the mechanisms and locks on the second floor for a long time without any clue.

Calculating the shift change time of the guards on the surface, Lu Wei estimated that he could stay here for another hour or so, but this set of mechanisms and locks would be difficult to open even if he had another month. There was no need to waste time. While the experts in the mansion were drinking and having fun, the hall master quickly left the Prime Minister's mansion.

Contrary to expectations of sudden wealth, Lu Wei only recovered his principal and interest, barely breaking even.

As for the great shock and subsequent fear that erupted in the Prime Minister's residence after his departure, that was not within Lu Tang's main concern.

Far away in the Sand Dune Palace, Guo Kai was enjoying himself immensely at the Zhao King's banquet, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts. He wondered if the Zhao Kingdom would even survive the new year, but regardless, Prime Minister Guo was certain he would not miss out on his lifelong riches and honors.

...

After the New Year, Lu Wei personally saw off Nian Duan and Duanmu Rong, who were about to go into seclusion in the Taihang Mountains.

Nian Duan's spirits were even lower, and her face was pale. She could only manage a weak smile when facing the hall master. In the morning, the young girl Duanmu Rong had brewed her a bowl of qi-tonifying medicinal soup, but its effect was very limited.

As the former head of the medical school, Nian Duan is practically the current "Shennong who tastes all herbs". She practiced medicine for forty years and tasted no less than five thousand kinds of medicinal soups, whether poisonous or not. Her drug resistance is a version of the farmer's "immunity to all poisons" and "immunity to all medicines".

Ordinary medicines from this world are unlikely to be effective against Nian Duan.

Duanmu Rong watched her master's increasingly pale face and felt secretly saddened, but she did not show it to Lu Wei, an outsider.

The young woman is earnest, outwardly cold and strong, but inwardly genuine, warm, and kind. As a doctor, she is very similar to Nian Duan.

Perhaps it was for this reason that even though he resigned from his position as the head of the medical school due to poor health, Nian Duan still kept this young disciple by his side.

"Farewell, Senior Nian Duan."

Lu Wei stopped and respectfully bowed to Nian Duan, his future attending physician: "Senior, I suppose you don't like to be disturbed, so I won't see you off any further."

"If I were to give him an ordinary gift before parting, it would only displease the physician. Therefore, I did not prepare any gold or silver items, but only wrote down a few passages of internal energy cultivation techniques."

As he spoke, Lu Wei took out a roll of cloth: "The doctor's body is deficient and difficult to replenish. Although the internal energy I cultivate is gentle, it is too late for the doctor to cultivate it now."

"Therefore, Mr. Lu has been staying up a little late these past few days, and has specially refined and researched a set of breathing techniques from the internal energy cultivation he has learned, hoping to help doctors be more comfortable and cough less in their daily lives."

"The doctor has saved countless lives throughout his life, including many of my disciples from the farming family. This formula is not valuable, but I hope the doctor will accept it."

“Master Lu…” Nian Duan coughed twice more, and Duanmu Rong, who was supporting her, looked at him with concern: “When I first met Master Lu five years ago, he was willing to take out his precious medical books for an orphan and a widow. When the earthquake struck a few years ago, he was even more willing to work with Shennong Hall and Siyue Hall to save the people from disaster.”

“I have always been able to tell that the head of the hall is not a selfless person, but the things he does have always been selfless.”

"I am already on my deathbed, yet I have troubled Hall Master Lu to go to such lengths. If I do not accept this, I would be going against your good intentions."

As Nian Duan received the incantation, he turned his head and nodded slightly to Duanmu Rong. Duanmu Rong understood and took out a scroll of bamboo slips from her backpack.

"This is a manual of emergency medical treatment compiled by my master before he left the medical profession. It summarizes the knowledge of his predecessors and contains simple and effective treatment methods, which are the most suitable basic medical techniques for ordinary people to learn."

"Please do not refuse, Hall Master Lu."

The girl lowered her eyes and placed the bamboo slip in front of Lu Wei.

The items are good, and they are very suitable for farming families with a large number of illiterate children.

But the sect leader plans to soon bring Nian Duan back to Daze Mountain to serve the disciples of the Farmer's Clan. This thing should have been his all along.

Having received it ahead of schedule, my impressions are just so-so...

"Thank you, Miss Duanmu."

Taking the basic medical book from the girl, Lu Wei once again bowed respectfully to Nian Duan:

"Your book is a virtuous work that has benefited millions of people, and I, Lu, deeply admire it."

"The number of people I can heal is ultimately limited," Nian Duan said with a faint smile. "Master Lu is in charge of the Gonggong Hall, with tens of thousands of disciples under his command. Upon further advancement, he will be able to influence hundreds of thousands more disciples."

"This book can only be effective if it is in the hands of Hall Master Lu and spread through him."

"I will certainly live up to the doctor's expectations!"

After bidding each other farewell once more, Lu Wei watched the backs of the two doctors, one tall and one short, disappear at the end of the road. Then, A Yu came up behind him:

“Disciples of different identities and ages were sent along the way to monitor them.”

"Hunters have been arranged to wait in the Taihang Mountains."

"We've also found a wild wanderer who can get injured and seek medical help at any time."

"These two people can't escape our sight."

Ayu's eyebrows twitched, and she added, "However, Nian Duan used to be the head of a medical sect. These old martial arts masters, no matter what they look like, are all very perceptive. She might notice the disciples along the way."

"It's alright. Even if Nian Duan notices, she can tell whether our people have any ill intentions."

The lord tossed the bamboo slip into A Yu's arms and walked back with his hands behind his back: "Even if she guesses correctly that I sent the person, she won't make a fuss."

"What wicked thoughts might the illustrious and majestic Master Lu Wei have?"

"Brother Lu is right!"

------

In the Yan Kingdom, although Ashan spent the New Year alone in Luqiu Pavilion, he was not lonely.

Over the years, he has also cultivated some loyal followers.

Lu Shan actually looked down on these confidants deep down, but their advantage lay in their usefulness and availability.

In addition, his elder brother had taught him over the years, and he understood the importance of people's hearts. Therefore, it was quite joyful to take these people to Golden Terrace to spend New Year's Eve together.

"The arrangements in Yan are almost complete. I can return to Daze Mountain at any time upon receiving orders from the boss."

"The boss said I'll be learning from Uncle Qing in the Great Swamp Mountains so I can take over the position of head steward later."

Of the four brothers, Xiaoyu is closest to the eldest, but I'm the only one who can truly help him.

Lu Shan, adopting the calm and composed demeanor of his usual leader, smiled reservedly and raised a glass to drink with his subordinates.

Halfway through the banquet, there was a sudden knock on the door of the private room.

A man dressed in a brocade robe walked in, holding a wine cup. When Ah Shan saw his face, he was startled. He gestured for his subordinates to be quiet while he went to greet him.

"Why is His Highness the Crown Prince here?"

The visitor is Yan Dan!

Lu Shan usually meets many important figures, but those of Yan Dan's caliber are usually received personally by the boss.

Although his boss is not here now, he is confident that if his boss becomes the leader of the Farmer's Clan in the future, he will at least be a steward or even a hall master, and he is mentally prepared for this.

Faced with the unexpected visitor, Lu Shan maintained the proper respect but was not overly enthusiastic.

"Having learned that the Master of Nongjia Mountain Pavilion is here, I have come to pay him a visit."

Yan Dan nodded slightly, observing Lu Shan's performance, and sighed with emotion:

Everyone says that farmers are just a bunch of laborers tilling the land, but the Luqiu Pavilion is full of talented people.

From Xu Qiu at the very beginning, to Lu Wei, and now Lu Shan, Lu Wei's subordinate, can all handle things independently...

'This is just one branch of Gonggongtang. How many talented and ambitious people are there at the Gonggongtang headquarters, and indeed throughout the entire Farmer's Village...'

"I am not here to befriend the Mountain Pavilion Master in the name of the Crown Prince of Yan. Rather, I am here in the name of the Mohist Master, hoping to have a chat with him. What do you say?"

Yan Dan raised her wine glass and toasted A Shan.

Lu Shan didn't delay. While pondering his exchanges with Xiao Yu regarding Yan Dan in their letters, he offered her a toast in return, displaying the courteous manner Yan Dan used in the martial arts world...

The two entered a private room where they would be undisturbed and sat facing each other. Yan Dan took the initiative to speak, attempting to seize control:

"I have always been on good terms with your esteemed hall master Lu Wei. May I ask where he is now?"

"The eldest brother has always liked to travel around and make friends with heroes."

Ashan was on high alert, his attention fully focused: "Sometimes he is in Wei, sometimes in Chu. Even though I am his subordinate, I do not know the boss's whereabouts. I hope the Crown Prince will forgive me."

"Being able to roam the world freely is truly a blessing," Yan Dan sighed, seemingly convinced by this statement, before changing the subject:

"Last year, Luqiu Pavilion purchased a large amount of grain in Yan, which caused a surge in grain prices. I wonder if something happened in Daze Mountain? If there are any difficulties, please feel free to tell me."

"The Mo and Nong families have always had a friendly relationship, and I can use my worldly connections to provide some assistance to Luqiu Pavilion."

“Dazeshan has always been stable and never has any problems.” Lu Shan was well-prepared for this question. He and A Yu had carefully crafted their answers regarding the grain purchase, so he answered with great composure.

"Last year, Zhao suffered a drought. We, the disciples of farmers, are naturally brothers with the farmers of Zhao. Since they are suffering from the disaster, we should help them if we have the means!"

"The farmer's righteousness is as lofty as the heavens, and Yan Dan admires him greatly."

The two probed each other back and forth, although Yan Dan always held the initiative in the conversation: he was both the crown prince of a country and the leader of the Mohist school, and his status in both aspects was far superior to that of A Shan.

However, Ashan remained focused and spoke slowly and deliberately. When faced with questions he couldn't answer, he would pretend not to know. Yan Dan didn't want to offend the farmers by forcing him to his death, so she didn't get much information.

Located in Xianyang, southwest of Jicheng, the Moon Goddess is about to set off for Jicheng again. This time, she is ordered by the Eastern Emperor not to forcibly bring back Yanfei by force, but to help her achieve her revenge.

Before leaving, the Moon Goddess was summoned by the Eastern Emperor again, and she was not the only one summoned:

"Last year, the Grand Master of Fate saw a masked man attacking the Luo Net in Handan City. This man was probably Lu Wei of the Farmer Clan."

The dazzling stars behind Donghuang brought a great shock to the Yin-Yang School disciples who were present and expected to see him.

"On your journey to Ji, take the Handan-Dan route to test the waters with our ally and gauge his attitude."

"Yes."

The moon goddess accepted the offer calmly and steadily, her gaze serene and composed.

"Han Dan?"