"You said it!"
Shaodian Qingnu took the fish and examined it carefully.
The fish was a bit small—forget about her, even the old woman wouldn't be full from it. But seeing how lively it was, it must have been caught at dawn at the earliest!
Whether he bought it or caught it himself, Han Xin had clearly put in the effort.
From the look of it, this boy's emotional intelligence wasn't low either. How did he end up with such a tragic end in history?
Qingnu glanced at Han Xin, thought for a moment, and added, "Since that's the case, I'll give you one more piece of advice. If someone tells you things like 'you won't be killed under the heavens, won't be killed upon the earth, won't be killed by iron,' don't listen and don't believe them. It's all pure nonsense."
Han Xin cupped his hands and replied, "Han Xin has carved it into his heart!"
Qingnu jumped down from the withered tree and began walking toward the village. With her back to Han Xin, she waved and said, "On the day you achieve success and fame, I'll come looking for my rabbit."
Han Xin nodded and bowed to see Qingnu off before turning to depart.
The two walked in opposite directions.
Han Xin left, but Qingnu remained in the small village.
Even snakes understood the importance of gratitude. The old woman had pulled her from the stream; this was a great kindness that had to be repaid.
Qingnu helped the old woman manage the household. In one go, she hunted over a hundred wild boars, keeping some for themselves and taking the vast majority to the market to exchange for a significant amount of money and grain.
The people at the market hadn't seen so many wild boars in several lifetimes!
Soon, some petty thugs began to harbor wicked thoughts.
However, Qingnu was a reasonable person!
After she finished 'reasoning' with them, everyone expressed their understanding. These hundred-plus boars had all been hunted by the vigorous old woman!
Though the woman was old, it wasn't impossible for her to punch bears and kick wild boars.
The wild boars sold for a lot of money.
Seeing the old woman's life steadily improving, it was time for Qingnu to bid her farewell.
Although her fight against the heavens had left her azure scales split open, she had also found a blessing in disguise. The heavenly lightning had tempered her body, and the heart-blood of three generations—laden with providence—had fused into her flesh and bones.
Qingnu couldn't tell if the heavens had intended to kill her or forge her.
Regardless, she was the Jade Maiden of the Azure Heavens!
At the very least, since the old woman had saved the goddess who governed frost and snow, she would be protected by virtue and fortune in this chaotic world.
Seeing that Qingnu was going on a long journey, the old woman did not try to stop her. She simply wordlessly prepared many flatbreads and stuffed them into Qingnu's travel bag.
The bundle was bulging, filled entirely with flatbread.
'Ugh... Old Mother, you're too good to this snake!'
Qingnu hugged the old woman, sighing inwardly.
Snakes didn't eat flatbread. With this many, how many days would it take to finish them? But this was the woman's sincere intent; if she didn't show respect, could she even be considered human?
Even as a snake, it wouldn't be right!
Seeing Qingnu hugging her and crying from emotion, the old woman gently patted her shoulder and said, "Little Immortal Maiden, do not cry. It is I who should thank you."
Their current household wealth had all been built by Qingnu over these past few months!
Qingnu also helped the old woman move house to prevent those idle, shiftless hooligans from bothering her.
Once she had finished these tasks, she finally bid the old woman farewell. Carrying her pack, she headed west.
Currently, the lands of Wei and Han were already in a state of utter chaos. The Qin army and the rebel forces were charging back and forth across the Three Jin territories, fighting over commanderies, counties, and villages.
Only the region near the Xiaohan passage remained somewhat stable.
This was a counteroffensive against Qin by the nobility of the Six Kingdoms!
Qin's expansion had been too rapid—so fast that it had swallowed the world in just a few short years. It was so fast that the newly incorporated territories didn't even have enough officials to manage them, forcing them to appoint unqualified men to govern the former lands of the Six Kingdoms.
How could such men be a match for the remnants of the Six Kingdoms' nobility?
Those nobles were deeply rooted, after all.
Along the way, Qingnu saw countless refugees. The flatbreads she carried ended up serving a purpose.
When she ran out of bread, Qingnu found ways to hunt wild boars and rabbits!
But as she traveled further, even those animals vanished. Looking across the vast, desolate plains, there were only starving people waiting for death.
The number of refugees grew daily. Unable to survive, they could only turn to the various lords who had risen in revolt.
Begging for life! Begging for life!
In this world, who truly wants to die?
Qingnu crossed Hangu Pass and stepped into the Fen-Wei Plain, soon arriving at Xianyang.
At that time, the city of Xianyang lay quietly on the Xianyang plateau under the setting sun. Like a fading empire, it exuded an indescribable aura of being one foot in the grave.
Qingnu looked up. Above Xianyang, the once-billowing, vast providence had completely vanished.
The Qin palace was even more terrifyingly silent.
Returning to Xianyang this time, Qingnu's state of mind had undergone some changes.
Because of the Jade Maiden Shrine, she had truly become the Jade Maiden of the Azure Heavens who governed frost and snow, but she had also been influenced by Qin's providence because of it. Now that she had endured the heavenly lightning and Qin's providence was dissipating, she had successfully detached herself from it.
Qingnu went to the Qin palace to see Fusu.
Compared to two years ago, Fusu looked even more haggard. Though only in his thirties, white hair had already appeared at his temples.
"Fusu!"
Qingnu pushed open the hall doors and called out.
This action terrified the surrounding guards, who drew their longswords one after another.
Fusu, who hadn't heard Qingnu's voice in years, froze. He looked up at the young woman standing at the doorway and instinctively barked, "Everyone, stay your hands! All of you, withdraw!"
Upon hearing Fusu's command, the black-armored guards hurriedly sheathed their swords, bowed to Fusu, and exited the great hall.
Soon, only Qingnu and Fusu remained in the hall.
Fusu stood up and walked toward Qingnu.
"Does Teacher wish to see Aunt Afang? I shall have someone invite her over immediately."
"No need."
Qingnu shook her head to stop him. She walked forward and hopped onto the desk, supporting herself with her hands on the edge. "I came to see you."
Seeing Qingnu staring at him, Fusu remained silent for a moment before lowering his head and cupping his hands toward her.
"Fusu has failed Teacher's guidance!"
"Where is Hongluan? I sent it to find you back then, yet it never returned even after months. With its speed, it shouldn't have been that slow. Did you capture it?"
Looking at Fusu as he bowed his head in apology, Qingnu asked this question.
Fusu was stunned. He looked up at Qingnu, a flash of sorrow in his eyes, before lowering his head again. "Aunt Hongluan came to see me; how could I dare let anything happen to her? Back then, she only asked me about the Qin laws and left the next day."
"As for why Teacher never saw her again, I do not know."
Qingnu's finger lightly tapped the desk, as if trying to see if Fusu was hiding anything.
"Teacher... does not trust me?"
Hearing this, Qingnu shook her head. "Of course I trust you! Let's not talk about that. Another question! Why has Great Qin fallen to this point?"
If the Qin laws were reformed, the nobility of the Six Kingdoms might still stir up trouble, but the common people shouldn't be rising in revolt in such numbers.
Fusu was silent for a moment, then pointed to the bamboo slips next to Qingnu's hand.
Qingnu picked up the slips to read.
"In the thirty-sixth year of the First Emperor, there was a drought in Ba-Shu; crop yields were cut by more than half."
"In the thirty-seventh year of the First Emperor, the first year of the Second Emperor, and the second year of the Second Emperor, there was a great drought in Guanzhong! Nothing was harvested. I ordered grain to be collected from the Shandong lands, but the nobility of the Six Kingdoms obstructed it in every possible way."
"Great Qin, as of now, has no edible grain left."
"In a short while, even the military rations will be gone."
Fusu looked at Qingnu and slowly spoke of Great Qin's current reality. He asked, "Teacher, is Qin destined to perish?"
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