Qingnu asked, "What are you planning to do?"
Liu Ji looked back at Lu Wan and the others who had formed a line. With a somewhat helpless expression, he said, "The Emperor is dead. The court is conscripting us to build the tomb at Li Mountain. They're demanding so many men that there's no way around it; we have to go ourselves!"
"Wait..."
Qingnu shook her head and told him, "No, you don't have to go! Just wait a while. An imperial decree will arrive soon. The new emperor has ascended the throne, and there will be a general amnesty for all under heaven! Your corvée labor will be waived."
"Truly?"
Liu Ji's eyes lit up at her words.
Qingnu nodded. "Trust me!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Ji patted his chest and said, "You're my brother; if I don't trust you, who can I trust?"
With that, he sent the gathered men back to their homes.
However, as time passed, the imperial decree did not arrive. Instead, one group of enforcers after another came to pressure them. Initially, Qingnu was able to drive them away, but as time went on, she began to feel increasingly powerless.
"No, it's been months. The decree from Xianyang should have spread across the world by now!"
Qingnu frowned deeply, unable to understand why people were still being pressed into labor.
Liu Ji stood before her, his expression somewhat awkward.
"Brother Qingnu, we can't wait any longer! If we miss the deadline, both I and Lord Xiao He will be held accountable. How about this: I'll lead the men out first. If there really is a general amnesty, we'll definitely come back."
Leaving it at that, Liu Ji set off with his men.
At the entrance to Peixian, Qingnu watched the group depart into the distance.
"Hongluan... go to Xianyang. Find Fusu and ask him if he actually listened to me!"
Hongluan felt that Qingnu's mental state was somewhat off. In the past, though Qingnu would try to dissuade people like Bao Si, Pang Juan, and Zhao Kuo, she would simply treat it as the inevitable flow of history if they didn't listen. But since she realized that Heaven was forcibly correcting history, she seemed to have developed a stubborn streak, intent on wrestling with fate.
The snake girl was as stubborn as a mule.
"Can you manage on your own?"
Qingnu reassured Hongluan. Once the bird had flown toward Xianyang, she packed her things and followed Liu Ji's group.
She trailed them from a distance, not joining them directly. Liu Ji saw her, but at her silent request, he acted as though he hadn't.
They traveled for a long time. They heard that the number of conscripted laborers was only increasing. The construction of the imperial tomb and Afang Palace continued unabated, growing even more cruel. Rumors began to spread that 'death awaits those who miss the deadline!'
Yet, the laws of Qin clearly did not state such a thing.
As they neared Mangdang Mountain, a heavy rain began to fall. The pitter-patter of rain fell on Qingnu's shoulders. The mountain paths were rugged and difficult to traverse.
Seeing the deadline approach, some people began to complain about Qingnu.
"If it weren't for her, how could we have missed the deadline?"
"If the blame falls on us, we'll all be executed! Big Brother..."
Lu Wan, Fan Kuai, and the others looked anxious.
Liu Ji looked up at Qingnu, who was standing on a distant mountain peak watching them. Hardening his heart, he said, "In that case, everyone should disperse! I, Liu Ji, will surely be put to death, but I don't want to die!"
"Those who are willing to trust me, come with me!"
"Those who don't, we'll part ways here! Every man for himself!"
Lu Wan, Fan Kuai, and the others naturally chose to follow Liu Ji. Almost everyone chose to stay with him. The old rogue's charisma was evident; even when becoming outlaws, so many people were willing to follow him. His days of wandering the streets hadn't been for nothing.
Liu Ji and his group stayed at Mangdang Mountain for several months. By the time winter arrived, Qingnu felt increasingly weak.
Hongluan had been gone for months and had yet to return.
With news from the north that Chen Sheng and Wu Guang had revolted, calling their movement Zhang Chu, someone suggested that Liu Ji should also raise the banner of righteousness and rebel against the tyrannical Qin.
Liu Ji was swayed. He decided to act immediately, planning to lead his men out of Mangdang Mountain and fight their way back to Peixian.
However, at the mountain pass, Qingnu stood silently in their path.
"Brother Qingnu, what are you..."
Liu Ji hesitated, seeing her blocking the way alone.
Qingnu looked at him, her eyes filled with a trace of sorrow. She said, "Stay in Mangdang Mountain. Food, drink, clothing, gold, silver—whatever you need, I will bring to you. Only one thing: do not go out! Do not leave Mangdang Mountain."
"Hey, you woman! You made us stay in these mountains for months, and now you won't let us leave. What are you plotting?"
Fan Kuai was the first to explode in anger. He brandished the blade in his hand and pointed it at Qingnu.
Qingnu's pupils narrowed into slits as she glared at Fan Kuai.
Liu Ji also spread his hands, his expression helpless. "Brother Qingnu, it's not that I, your brother, won't listen to your advice, but look at me..."
Beside him were hundreds of young, strong men who followed his every lead. Even if he agreed, these brothers of his would not.
Seeing this, Qingnu's hair began to flutter as she looked up at the sky.
"Cursed Heavens!"
After shouting those two words, she looked back at Liu Ji. Now, there was only fierce ruthlessness in her eyes.
The sky grew heavy with clouds, and surprisingly, it began to snow. The snowflakes drifted down, but they didn't fall like normal snow. Instead, they gathered around Qingnu, gradually swirling until they formed a massive, snowy snake several times larger than life.
Qingnu lowered her gaze, her brownish-green vertical pupils swirling with unidentifiable emotions.
There is the Jade Maiden of the Azure Heavens, who descends to the human realm in autumn to preside over the frost and snow.
Ever since the state of Qin had officially established the Jade Maiden Shrine, Qingnu had gradually felt herself gaining extraordinary abilities. Dimly, she could sense those who offered sacrifices at her shrine. The winter wind and snow now had a master.
And she, naturally, was influenced by the destiny of Qin.
Liu Ji and the others were stunned.
They called her the Immortal Maiden; was she really an immortal?
How could a human possess such power?
"Liu Ji! Get past me, and this world is yours to roam!" Qingnu roared.
Behind her, the spirit snake formed from frost and snow actually opened its eyes. The massive white snake opened its maw and lunged toward Liu Ji and his men.
"Mother of God! What is that thing?" someone screamed.
Liu Ji was naturally panicked as well. As an old rogue from Peixian, when had he ever seen such a sight? But with so many people watching behind him, how could he back down? If he cowered now, how could he lead his men?
Gritting his teeth, Liu Ji closed his eyes and drew his sword, slashing toward the massive snow-snake charging at him!
The giant snake was shattered by his strike, but it soon reformed from the frost and snow. Like a real serpent, it coiled around the hundreds of men. The bone-chilling snow pressed against their skin, making everyone shiver. Qingnu leaped up, landing atop the white snake's head.
She looked down from above, gazing coldly at Liu Ji and the others.
"Liu Ji, do you agree?" Qingnu asked.
Liu Ji gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to speak, the sky changed again.
The heavens turned pitch black, and thunderclouds rolled in. After a flash of white light, the freezing aura vanished instantly. When Liu Ji and his group recovered from the blinding light and opened their eyes, they saw that Qingnu and the massive snowy snake had disappeared.
"Big Brother, you're amazing! Even that Immortal Maiden's magic couldn't do anything to you!" Lu Wan was the first to shout.
With his shout, all the credit was naturally attributed to Liu Ji.
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