Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 21

"Oh!" I nodded, then added with some worry, "Zimo, you're a civil official, do you understand military affairs? Otherwise, should I go and resign from this position?"

Zi Mo chuckled and said, "Do you think imperial edicts are child's play? You can withdraw them or accept them as you please. Don't worry! Although I lack the ability to lead troops into battle, I have plenty of ingenious schemes and tricks. These underhanded tactics can't be done in the open, but sometimes they are more practical than military formations."

I inwardly scoffed at you, thinking how you could make your schemes sound so noble.

The warlord was, after all, a warlord. Thousands of soldiers and generals walked, while only I, Yihan, Uncle Li, Lü Shaojun, and the boy who called me teacher that day—Chen Sheng (courtesy name Qingkong)—sat in the carriage, enjoying the cool air and chatting.

It's early winter in modern times, but in ancient times it was just the beginning of summer. By afternoon, the carriage was sweltering. It didn't make me sweat profusely, but it made me drowsy. Yi Han probably knew my sleeping posture all too well, because as soon as he saw my eyelids drooping, he sat down beside me, his sword-wielding hand occasionally preventing me from falling. But having him around was really nice, like a natural air conditioner…

I was sleeping soundly when I suddenly felt an extremely strange tension all over my body. Before I could even open my eyes, Yi Han had already pulled me into his arms, his voice as cold as ice: "Young Master, be careful!"

Before I could even react to what was happening, the figures and scenery in front of me rushed past, and I was lifted up lightly, arriving outside the carriage in no time.

I grabbed Yihan's clothes and swayed as I regained my balance when I heard a loud bang behind me. Clumps of burning wood and stone flames rolled down the mountain and crashed into the carriage, which was instantly surrounded by raging flames and the sudden appearance of men in black.

"Uncle Li—!" I turned around and shouted in panic, wanting to rush back to save him without thinking.

Yi Han grabbed me and said calmly, "Don't worry, young master, Uncle Li's martial arts are very high, he will be fine."

I breathed a slight sigh of relief, then frowned again: "What about the others?"

Yi Han paused, glanced elsewhere, and then said calmly, "General Lü is naturally brave and should be able to escape without difficulty. Only Chen Sheng is in danger."

"Then hurry back and save him!" I cried out, trying to pull him back, but he wouldn't budge.

Yi Han's smile was cold and indifferent. He raised it slightly and said, "The lives and deaths of others are none of my concern. Young Master is no safer than they are now."

As soon as I finished speaking, I felt a suffocating pressure wash over me. A dark shadow flashed before my eyes, and I stared wide-eyed until it was right in front of me. Only then did I realize that it was a long arrow that moved with lightning speed, its arrowhead flashing green, probably extremely poisonous.

At that critical moment, a pair of long, slender, wheat-colored hands suddenly appeared in front of me. The movement was so fast it was like a phantom, yet the posture was as leisurely and casual as if I were taking a stroll and greeting someone.

With a soft "snap," the arrow stopped less than three inches from me. Yi Han stood beside me, casually holding the poisoned arrow between his left index and middle fingers, and green poison gas began to spread from his fingertips.

"Yihan!" I exclaimed in shock, "You've been poisoned?"

Yi Han gave me a reassuring smile, and suddenly his loose black hair fluttered without wind. I stared in astonishment, dumbfounded, at the strand of hair on his forehead that had turned from jet black to snow white, making him seem as if he had aged ten years in an instant. Something flashed through my mind, but I couldn't quite recall it.

Suddenly, white mist rose around the poisoned fingertip. When the mist dissipated, the originally emerald green arrow tip had turned silver-gray, and the poison had been completely evaporated. The wisp of silver thread had also returned to black.

"What a magnificent sight! A green robe, silver hair, snow-covered red, and a sword with a chilling wind. It truly lives up to its reputation."

It was a female voice I cannot describe, clear and melodious like a babbling brook, radiant like sunshine, and crisp like a wind chime. As soon as she finished speaking, pure white lotus petals suddenly floated down from the sky, their delicate and elegant fragrance wafting into my nostrils, making me close my eyes and immerse myself in their beauty.

Yi Han frowned slightly, shielding me behind him. He glanced at Uncle Li, who had already rushed out of the fire and rescued Chen Sheng. The two exchanged a brief look, and Uncle Li nodded solemnly before turning and leaving.

"I never expected that the Crown Princess of Fengyin Kingdom would grace my Jinyao Kingdom with her presence." Lu Shaojun's smiling voice came from behind. "Now that Miss Mu has arrived, why not come out and meet her? Brother Qin and I both greatly admire you!"

A gentle breeze suddenly blew from the mountaintop, and I reflexively looked up. Under a clear blue sky, white clouds reflected the sunlight, which shone on the mountains. And there, amidst this beautiful scenery, the woman in green robes descended like a celestial maiden.

Lotus petals swirled around her, and strands of her dark hair fluttered around her neck. In no time, her jade-like feet lightly touched the ground, and her aquamarine eyes, brimming with smiles, gazed at everyone before finally settling on me.

"The renowned young prime minister, Qin Luo. The son of my goddess." She put one hand behind her back, bowed slightly to me, and said, "It is truly an honor for us to meet Young Master Qin."

Her long, flowing hair cascaded down her back, then flew freely behind her. Her face wasn't necessarily stunningly beautiful, but it radiated an arrogant confidence, as dazzling as the sun, yet with a deep, hidden brilliance like a black pearl.

I stared at her blankly, momentarily forgetting how to react.

"Galan!" Zi Mo's stern voice suddenly rang in his ears, "How can you act foolishly at a time like this! You are facing the Crown Princess of Fengyin Kingdom. If you make a mistake, you will lose face for Jinyao Kingdom."

'But...but I...I don't know how!'

Zi Mo suddenly appeared beside me, his clear brown eyes calmly looking at the peerless woman, and said lightly, "Learn from me. Whether it's a literary or martial contest, when two people are facing off, the first thing is momentum. Put away all your inferiority and cowardice, and think of yourself as Lin Yu, the young prime minister of Jin Yao Kingdom, second only to the emperor, and Chi Fei, the son of the goddess Ishu'er, whom everyone on the Ishu Continent wants to recruit. You must wear a calm smile on your face, and your gaze must never escape from your enemy's eyes. Galan, remember one sentence—if you provoke me, I will fight you."

Yes! I am now Lin Yu, Qin Lin Yu who carries everyone's hopes, not Lin Jialan who could live a happy life under someone else's wings. To survive in this world, to find Yu Fei, I must do what I must do.

Thinking of this, I straightened my back abruptly, took a few steps forward to break free from Yi Han's protection, returned the greeting to Mu Shuangshuang, and relayed Zi Mo's words: "I have long heard that Mu Shuangshuang, the future Crown Princess of Fengyin Kingdom, is the most extraordinary woman in the world, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, politics, and military affairs, and is also the supreme goddess priestess of Fengyin Kingdom. After seeing her today, I feel that the rumors are only three-tenths credible."

Upon hearing this, Mu Shuangshuang let out a silvery laugh, but she was not annoyed. She said, "Young Master Qin, could you tell me why only three-tenths of it is believable?"

I chuckled, put my hands behind my back, and said without changing my expression, "Your beauty is comparable to the sun and moon. I have seen you today and know that you are not as good as those rumors. This is the first thing that cannot be believed."

Mu Shuangshuang chuckled again, covering her mouth with her hand and saying, "Young master certainly knows how to praise people, but what about the second one?"

"Secondly!" I paused, my gaze turning cold, and my voice becoming more somber. "I have long heard that the goddess's priestess is pure, kind, and honest. Today, you not only ambushed me, but the flint that rolled down from the mountain also nearly killed Lin Yu and the others. With such actions, do you still consider yourself worthy of being a goddess priestess? This is the second reason why you are not credible."

Mu Shuangshuang's smile vanished, replaced by a cold sneer as she sized me up: "The young prime minister truly lives up to his reputation. If someone like you cannot be brought into our service, he will inevitably become a nightmare for those in power. If you can use this method to eliminate the young master and save my Fengyin Kingdom from its crisis, what is there to regret, even if I bear the guilt? It's just a pity..."

Mu Shuangshuang's gaze shifted to Yi Han, who stood expressionless behind me: "It's a pity that Qing Shuang Jian Feng Yi Han never leaves your side, young master. Even if assassins and killers from all over the world risk their lives to take your head, it will all be in vain."

"Green robe, silver hair, and crimson snow—could this be Yi Han?" A sudden realization dawned on me. I finally remembered what had seemed strange earlier. It was Yi Han's weathered, silver-haired appearance when he caught the arrow—the same look he had when he rescued me from the battlefield. I wondered what kind of martial arts he had practiced to have such prematurely gray hair. I drifted off into thought for a moment, then snapped back to reality, inwardly cursing myself for my recklessness.

I straightened my clothes, trying to hide my momentary lapse in concentration, and asked, "So, what should Miss Mu do now?"

Mu Shuangshuang chuckled: "Nothing should happen. Young Master's men have already quietly approached Shuangshuang. It's already a miracle that Shuangshuang was able to escape unscathed. How could I dare to think of anything else?"

My men? I was taken aback and looked at Yi Han, who nodded silently, indicating that I could rest assured.

"Qin Linyu, today I was just going to make a brief appearance to see if you are as rumored... a once-in-a-lifetime talent."

I smiled faintly and said, "So, what were the results of the Crown Princess's examination?"

Mu Shuangshuang gently brushed her long hair with her slender fingers, her movements incredibly graceful and moving: "Fearless in the face of danger, with an imposing aura, as for whether she possesses extraordinary talent and the power to turn the world upside down, Shuangshuang still needs to be verified in the future."

"However..." Mu Shuangshuang's body suddenly rose into the air and landed abruptly on the mountaintop. The fragrance became richer and more intoxicating as she leaped up, and petals scattered everywhere.

"Unless you, young master, are willing to submit to my Fengyin Kingdom, we will surely kill you in this lifetime to protect the Fengyin Kingdom's foundation for generations to come."

"Protect my Fengyin dynasty for generations to come..." The voice echoed and gradually faded into the distance until it disappeared completely.