Ying Duling had a report in front of him. At the crossroads where King Zhaowen of the Great Zhou Dynasty, who was also the Right Prime Minister of Chu State, Guo Ji Jie, was assassinated, a total of thirty-six corpses were found. Most of them were killed by bombs, and a small number were hacked to death with giant axes. Another body was found about sixty feet away from here. Someone had cut the throat at an extremely fast speed and died.
After investigation, it was found that the thirty-six people at the crossroads were Qin soldiers. The person whose throat was cut was named Songyang, and he was once a retainer of Yangquan Jun.
Ji Jie and the three guards were unscathed, but a coachman was shot to death by random arrows.
After reading this, Ying Duling was sweating profusely. Who didn't know the relationship between Ji Jie and Empress Yan, and Li Yuan? Although the assassination incident had nothing to do with Ying Duling, it still happened to him after all. Within the jurisdiction, it is impossible to escape the involvement!
"What can I do?" Ying Duling became an ant on the hot pot and said to himself: "Empress Yan and Li Xiangguo will definitely remove me from my official position. If not, I have to report it immediately, so as not to fall behind others. passive!"
After Li Yan learned about this, he immediately went to the mansion where Ji Jie lived to greet him.
Sima Xueran and Chen Yao saw clues from the extent of Li Yan's concern for Ji Jie. It was not this that was fatal, but that Li Yan kept Xiao Xi and Xiao Rou behind. The reason was that he was frightened and needed someone to accompany him. .
Ji Jie couldn't help but smile bitterly. If this little thing could scare him, wouldn't the blood-soaked battlefield scare him to death?
If you refuse, you will definitely not let them stay.
Ji Jie refused very directly, and Li Yan refused even more directly, and said harsh words that Xiao Xi and Xiaorou should either stay here to take care of him, or they would crash to death here!
After Li Yan left, looking at the pitiful Xiao Xi and Xiao Rou, as well as the sharp eyes of Sima Xueran and Chen Yao, he felt very painful.
"I knew you would be like this!" Chen Yao stirred up white smoke.
"In the words of Sister Xue Ling, a dog can't change its eating habits. I really can't say it!" Sima Xueran glanced at Xiao Xi and Xiaorou and said, "Fortunately, the two sisters are quite cute! Let me tell you Ji Jie, I am not giving you face, but giving them face. You must not do anything that touches your nose or face, otherwise it will make you look good!"
"I know, I know, Ranran and Yaoyao are the most reasonable, hehe, thank you, little student!" Ji Jie bowed repeatedly, his face full of grandson-like looks.
He doesn't feel so embarrassed. It's never okay to pretend to be a grandson in front of others. In front of his own woman, for the sake of his future sexual life, he has to pretend!
…
Lu Buwei, who looked gloomy, sat behind the desk, and Sima Jing told the story of Song Yang's failure to assassinate Ji Jie.
"Thirty-six crossbowmen, plus a highly skilled Songyang, were not able to injure a single hair on Ji Jie. Could it be that he is a god?" Lu Buwei said with obvious anger in his tone.
"It's hard to say whether Ji Jie is a god or not. What is certain is that the mission failed!" Sima Jing lowered his head. This mission was planned and arranged by him, including personnel deployment, weapons and equipment, etc.
"What did Cao Qiudao say?" Lu Buwei asked.
Sima Jing's face immediately became energetic, and he said with high spirits: "After preliminary contact, he has agreed to kill Ji Jie!"
"Oh, that's great!" Lu Buwei was so excited that he almost jumped up.
"It's just..." Sima Jing wiped his sweat and said, "He's a bit of a lion and wants three hundred thousand taels of gold as his first payment!"
"Three hundred thousand, it's a bit too much, but the price is reasonable!" Lu Buwei just said, suddenly realized that there was something in Sima Jing's words, and asked: "What is the first payment, what else does he want besides these? "
"The three major salt fields in Qi, and half of the salt tax!"
"He must have been kicked in the head by a donkey!" Lu Buwei laughed three times and said: "If you want to find the King of Qi in the salt field of Qi State, why are you looking for me? Can the King of Qi give it to him with just a word from me? What else is half the price? Salt tax, why can’t I understand it?”
Sima Jing explained: "Cao Qiudao said that in addition to his extraordinary swordsmanship, he was also good at divination. He could not tell that in ten years the Qin State would end the disputes among the princes and unify China. There would be three salt fields and half of the country's salt. Taxes will be cashed out at that time!”
Lu Buwei frowned. He had no doubt that the Qin State could unify China, because at this time, the Qin State had far surpassed the other seven countries in terms of national strength and military strength. The reason why it did not launch a war was because Ying The government has just ascended the throne and needs time to stabilize the situation.
The salt produced by Qi's three major salt farms accounts for more than 70% of the salt consumed by the eight countries. Adding in the salt tax, it is a big business, with at least hundreds of thousands of taels of gold being accounted for every month.
"Xiangguo, don't you think it's inappropriate... This Cao Qiudao is simply arrogant and arrogant..."
"Wait a minute!" Lu Buwei interrupted Sima Jing and asked, "What did you do when you heard what he said?"
"Surprised, angry..."
"What about him?"
Sima Jing shrugged and said: "Cao Qiudao said that his request was reasonable, and Ji Jie was definitely worth the price! He also boasted that if Ji Jie did not die, it would not be Qin, but Zhou who would dominate China!"
"Haha, I said so!" Lu Buwei said with a smile: "Go to see him and say that I agree!"
"What?" Sima Jing's eyes widened.
Lu Buwei waved his hand and said, "It's not like I'm going to give it to him now anyway. I'm afraid he won't be able to take it within ten years!"
"I understand!" Sima Jing also laughed.
In this way, Cao Qidao got a bad check from Lu Buwei.
…
Qi State, an elegant manor outside Linzi City. From the outside, it looks no different from other mansions. At most, the people who live here have slightly higher tastes.
Unknown to outsiders, the world-famous swordsman Cao Qiudao actually lives here.
Just a quarter of an hour ago, thirty-two carriages entered through the back door and unloaded thirty large wooden boxes, leaving several deep ruts on the road leading to the back door.
A middle-aged man with a long beard stood in the middle of the wooden box. This man had a square face, a medium build, and a heroic spirit that could not be concealed between his eyebrows. He had a four-foot long sword hanging from his waist. He was Cao Qiudao.
Holding the hilt of the sword, he suddenly moved forward, and the long sword was unsheathed instantly. A flash of snow-white sword light flashed, and the long sword was returned to the sheath again. The whole set of actions was completed in the blink of an eye.
"Kala..."
The copper lock on the wooden box in front of him broke into two halves and fell to the ground. The straight cut marks are the best interpretation of Cao Qiudao's swordsmanship.
He reached out and opened the lid of the box, golden light shone out, and it was filled with gold bricks.
One box is ten thousand taels. The corners of Cao Qiudao's mouth turned up slightly and he said to himself: "A life is three hundred thousand taels of gold, and it is the first payment. Ji Jie, your life is quite valuable!"
After speaking, Cao Qiudao closed the lid of the box and ordered his servants to carry the box into the cellar. He began to formulate an assassination plan.