Chapter 24: Concubine Li and Little Concubine Li

"Concubine Li..."

The identity of "the biological mother of the Marquis of Lord Lieyang, Yu Yu" shocked General Guan Zhong, but he had no concept of the person "Concubine Li."

Before this conversation, he had never heard of Concubine Li, let alone that she was the mother of the Marquis of Lord Lieyang, Yu Yu.

This could not be blamed on him; the affairs of the palace were far from the common people, and even the people of Great Qin might not know "Concubine Li," and the border vassal states were even less likely to have accurate news from the Xianyanggong.

Even if there was big news from the land of Nanzhan Zhonghua to the west of the Liushahe, it would take several years, or even decades or centuries.

And General Guan Zhong was just a servant, and he couldn't even recognize all the human immortals in the West.

However, wasn't Yu Yu a bastard?

Since his mother was the favored concubine of the Human Emperor, his father should also be—could it be that someone dared to put a hat on the Human Emperor?!

"This old servant doesn't understand; if Yu Yu is the son of Concubine Li, he should be a Prince of Great Qin, how..."

General Guan General Guan Huchen spread his hands and said helplessly, "Don't say you don't understand; I don't quite understand either.

Western Shu is too far from Nanzhan Zhonghua.

Before the Human Emperor appointed the Marquis of Lord Lieyang to quell the chaos of the thirty-six Western countries, I didn't even know there was a Marquis of Lord Lieyang in the world.

Later, when my great-grandfather saw that I was determined to follow the Marquis of Lord Lieyang to seek 'great prospects,' and saw that the Fire Crow Army was very compatible with my path and future, regardless of cultivation method or military formation, he spent a lot of effort to collect a 'Marquis of Lord Lieyang Document.'

The document recorded many things about the Marquis of Lord Lieyang.

There are interpersonal relationships, life resumes, immortal encounters, as well as personality hobbies and daily habits."

"Since you have decided to be someone else's servant, of course, you have to understand the master's habits in advance."

General Guan Huchen gave a self-deprecating smile, and the smile became very triumphant again, "Regarding the 'bastard secret' of the Marquis of Lord Lieyang, there is not much content in the document, but the Human Emperor, Concubine Li, and his Shadow God Portrait happen to be in it.

Concubine Li was indeed a noble, elegant, clear, and peerless beauty who could topple a country.

And my Yu'er is almost carved from the same mold as her.

If the time didn't match, I would suspect they were mother and daughter."

General Guan Zhong began to twist his face again: Master, listen to what you are saying, noble, elegant, clear, and peerless beauty... how can any of this be connected to a big eater who eats two roasted chickens, a large plate of steamed fish, a large pork knuckle, a bowl of shredded pork, plus two large bowls of rice and several steamed buns?

Oh, can't forget those three vats of Bone-Strengthening Soup.

"Miss Yu is of the Sha Man tribe; Sha Man look very similar to Nanzhan Zhonghua nobles, but there are ultimately some differences," he reminded tactfully.

Sha Man are a different race; compared to Central Plains people, their skin is cold white, their hair color is not pure black, but brownish, and their facial features are more three-dimensional.

"Hahaha, you say that because you don't understand Concubine Li's background... Have you seen that kid Yu Yu?

Actually, he is also a Sha Man!

Well, at least half; father unknown, at least half Sha Man blood.

This is also the reason why the Human Emperor sent him to the West," General Guan General Guan Huchen laughed.

"Could Concubine Li be a Sha Man? How is this possible? How can a Sha Man become the favored concubine of the Human Emperor?" General Guan Zhong was full of disbelief.

General Guan Huchen shook his head and said, "The Liusha Domain is too big, eight hundred miles wide, connecting millions of miles north and south.

In such a huge Liusha Domain, even the Earth God sent by Great Qin has to be numbered with the ten heavenly stems.

How can you take it for granted that the 'Antu' where Concubine Li came from is as barbaric as the sand dunes where Yu'er is?

On the east bank of the Liushahe, closer to the land of Nanzhan Zhonghua, it is easier to learn from the superior state of Nanzhan Zhonghua.

The 'Antu Kingdom' where Concubine Li is located can almost be compared to our 'Western Little Nanzhan Zhonghua' like Shu Kingdom."

When the Lu Kingdom was still there, although the people of Shu wanted to call themselves "Western Little Nanzhan Zhonghua," everyone recognized the Lu Kingdom, which was prosperous in literature and strong in martial arts.

Now that the Lu Kingdom has been destroyed, General Guan Huchen naturally said "Shu Kingdom is Western Little Nanzhan Zhonghua."

Seeing that the Master was so clear and confident, General Guan Zhong was also uncertain; after all, he had never seen Concubine Li's Shadow God Portrait.

"Master, is Concubine Li's Shadow God Portrait still with you?"

General Guan Zhong asked this, but he didn't have much expectation.

Sure enough, General Guan Huchen said angrily, "I am on official business, why would I carry Concubine Li's Shadow God Portrait?"

Besides, before he went to the sand dunes, he had always been a cavalry captain under the Marquis of Lord Lieyang.

Staying by the Marquis of Lord Lieyang's side for a long time, but privately hiding someone else's mother's portrait, what does this mean?

If the Marquis of Lord Lieyang saw it, how would he explain it?

Or, was there a chance to explain?

General Guan Zhong said again, "Master, you have only seen Concubine Li's Shadow God Portrait, but the Daoist Daoist Qingsong has likely seen Concubine Li herself.

But the Daoist Daoist Qingsong has also seen Miss Yu, why didn't he have any reaction?"

General Guan Huchen sneered, "How old is Yu'er now? As the saying goes, a girl changes eighteen times.

There is another saying, living changes temperament, raising changes body.

A girl is only at the age of a golden hairpin at twelve, and Yu'er is eleven in nominal age.

She is only mature in thought; she is actually still a child.

When Concubine Li entered the palace, she had already passed the age of fifteen, nearly twenty, just at the time of her prime.

Yu'er grew up in the wilderness since she was a child, forced by hunger and cold, not knowing characters and only knowing fishing and hunting.

Concubine Li was the only daughter of the King, receiving thousands of favors, eating jade and cooking cassia, surrounded by pearls and emeralds, never knowing the worries of life.

Even if it is the same person, placed in the sand dunes and the Antu Palace, they can grow into two people, not to mention they are ultimately two people.

But I have the Immortal Eye and countless experiences in reading women.

The little Daoist boy Daoist Qingsong's cultivation is higher than mine, this is a fact.

But if it is compared to me in observing people's appearance, he can't even touch my toes."

General Guan Zhong had been persuaded by General Guan Huchen; after all, General Guan Huchen had Concubine Li's Shadow God Portrait for comparison.

But at this moment, General Guan Huchen clearly said that the Concubine Li in the Shadow God Portrait and Miss Yu looked completely different, and even the Daoist Daoist Qingsong didn't feel that Miss Yu had any resemblance to Concubine Li.

"Master, why don't you wait another two years? Miss Yu is still young, wait for her face to open, if she really is the same as Concubine Li, then ponder the matter of sending Miss Yu into the palace."

This can also be considered a mature and prudent suggestion.

General Guan Huchen said coldly, "Do you doubt my Immortal Eye?"

From Western Shu to Great Qin, it is tens of thousands of miles away; who knows how many months or years it will take.

By the time Yu'er grows up and walks to Xianyang, Great Qin, she will have grown into an old maid that no one wants, how can she serve the Human Emperor?

Now she is eleven in nominal age, the age is just right, and it can be arranged calmly.

—I suspect you have eyes but no beads, taking the bad as the good, the ugly as the beautiful, the smelly as the fragrant.

If it weren't for General Guan Huchen's grand plan and the involvement of the entire General Guan family, General Guan Zhong wouldn't even dare to think about such words in the past.

Whatever the Master said was right, even if it was wrong, it was right.

Now... he dared to think but didn't dare to say.

"This servant wouldn't dare! Everyone's angle of looking at things will have deviations... Our Yingxiang Mansion's Squire Wang, do you know him? He once said he couldn't distinguish his wife's beauty or ugliness.

The Shadow God Portrait is even more difficult to describe.

It is the same Shadow God Portrait, there is a Shadow God Portrait of a great pirate hanging at the city gate.

As a result, even his own mother couldn't recognize him, because the painter in the government office had terrible skills.

There is a Shadow God Portrait of a palace person that looks extremely ordinary, but the real person is beautiful and peerless, because they didn't give money to the palace painter.

There is also a Shadow God Portrait of a palace concubine that looks like a fairy, almost jumping out of the picture, making the emperor fascinated, but that night he beheaded the palace concubine and the painter in the picture," General Guan Zhong said tactfully.

General Guan Huchen was about to say angrily: Your Master, I, have the Immortal Pupil, my angle of looking at things does not have any deviation, only insight into the details, more accurate than anyone else.

But General Guan Zhong's subsequent words made his expression move and thoughtful.

"Old Zhong, you reminded me, the Shadow God Portrait is drawn by people, it is too simple to cheat.

Using Yu'er to fill the void left by Concubine Li in the Human Emperor's heart is too important.

Whether it succeeds or not is enough to shake the existing pattern of the Great Qin court.

If it succeeds, I will rank among the positions of the father-in-law of the country, and from then on, I will fly to the top, and Yu'er will also be favored in the harem, making countless concubines of noble birth look pale...

If Yu'er can have a son or daughter in a few years, I am afraid she will fall into the trouble of seizing the throne."

General Guan Zhong's expression twisted, "Miss Yu entering Xianyang, the eight characters haven't even been written yet, you are thinking too far?"

It has already started to seize the throne, Master, why don't you worry deeper: Miss Yu's son grows up, inherits the Human Emperor's throne, starts to dislike you, this convenient grandfather, for having too high a power, and starts to suppress the relatives of the emperor?

General Guan Huchen waved his hand and said, "It's not that I want to think too far.

Power is limited, and power will not leave a vacancy.

Now the dynasty is prosperous, and there has long been a radish for every hole, and the pit of power is occupied by the powerful of Great Qin.

If Yu'er enters the Xianyanggong, she will inevitably infringe on the interests of some people.

Power is also extremely sensitive; when the threat just reveals a sign, they are already like thorns on their backs, like a bone in their throat.

I am just considering the reactions they might have in advance."

At this time, General Guan Huchen had no ambition to dominate the court; it was enough to sell his daughter for glory and stand firm in Great Qin.

What relatives of the emperor interfering in politics, participating in palace fighting, fighting for favor and seizing the throne... unless he really reached that position, he would never take the initiative to seek death.

"Old Zhong, help me prepare paper, pen, colored ink, as well as fruit wine offerings for sacrificing ghosts and gods," General Guan Huchen instructed.

"This old servant has a study specially prepared for you, right on the edge of the East Garden, where there is a full set of the four treasures of the study," General Guan Zhong said.

General Guan Huchen shook his head and said, "The paper and pen I want are not ordinary; I want to draw the Shadow God Portrait for Yu'er myself.

It is best to use fire-washed gauze that is impervious to water and fire as paper, and the hair on the forehead of a demon rabbit that condenses the essence of the sun and moon as a pen.

In short, no matter the paper, pen, or colored ink, they must be made of spiritual objects, carry spiritual energy, and the spiritual energy must be condensed and not scattered."

General Guan Zhong thought for a while and asked, "Does the Master need it urgently, or should we collect materials temporarily and find a painter to draw it after returning to Yingxiang Mansion?"

"No need to find a painter, I will do it myself, the faster the better."

After a pause, General Guan Huchen explained, "You know I am not good at literature and painting, but the Shadow God Portrait I want to draw is not an ordinary object.

Letting you prepare fruit wine offerings is to perform the method of 'Inviting Immortals to Transmit Truth'."

"Inviting Immortals to Transmit Truth... does this mean dealing with ghosts and gods?" General Guan Zhong's face changed slightly, and he worried, "Master, you have no Daoist arts for self-defense, why not wait until you return to Yingxiang Mansion and ask the Old Patriarch to take action."

"It's just summoning ghosts and gods, it doesn't even count as 'strange arts,' an ritual is enough, why do we need the Old Patriarch to take action?

Moreover, I am a descendant of the City God of the Prefecture, and the ghosts and gods in the territory of Western Shu all know me; they will definitely be willing to give me face," General Guan Huchen said.

What he didn't say was that in a few days, the Marquis of Lord Lieyang would arrive at Feixian Ferry, and after that, he would stay with the Marquis of Lord Lieyang all the time, and it would be difficult to find a chance to perform the method of Inviting Immortals to Transmit Truth.

With a "killing god" like the Marquis of Lord Lieyang, whose murderous aura is soaring, nearby, ghosts and gods would not dare to respond to the summons.

A moment later, in front of the shadow wall in the inner courtyard of the second gate.

"Hey, Li Zhongshu, wait a moment!"

Xiao Yu put the empty soup bowl on the tray, casually pulled off the embroidered handkerchief from her waist to wipe her mouth, and came to the middle-aged man with a fat face and a smile.

"Miss Yu, you can just call this old servant's name, or like the Master, call me 'Old Zhong,' please don't call me 'Li Zhongshu,' this old servant cannot afford it."

While saying this with a smile, he looked at the barbarian girl who had changed into a skirt from head to toe.

A capable white practice suit, plain hair without pearls or emeralds, a clean face without makeup, neat facial features, white teeth, energetic and spirited.

The person was quite handsome, but he really didn't see much of the peerless beauty in the Master's description.

The peerless beauty in his heart was someone you couldn't take your eyes off after meeting, and even after parting, you would be restless and unforgettable.

Xiao Yu didn't care about the other person's scrutiny, although his gaze today was a bit strange.

Could it be that she was still young and hadn't opened up?

Possible.

But how did the Master see it?

"Li Zhongshu, how can I compare with my father? You are my father's right-hand man, a person of the same generation. He calls you 'Old Zhong' out of closeness and trust.

If I call you Old Zhong, it would be ignorant of good and evil, and disrespectful to elders."

Xiao Yu didn't care about the other person's scrutiny, although his gaze today was a bit strange.

"Li Zhongshu, are you going out? Father entrusted me to you yesterday, saying that if there is anything, I should look for you. You are now..." She directly showed her hesitation and entanglement on her face; as long as Old Zhong wasn't blind, he would definitely see it.

Old Zhong was neither blind nor had he forgotten the Master's instructions, so he immediately said, "Miss Yu, if you have anything, just order it."

"Li Zhongshu, look at me..." Xiao Yu spread her hands and turned around in front of him.

General Guan Zhong didn't quite understand.

He saw clearly that she was wearing a practice suit, her cheeks were flushed, her temples were damp, and heat was still slightly rising from the top of her head.

He also knew that early this morning, she was pulling her fists and feet in the courtyard, turning somersaults, hitting tiger jumps...

"Li Zhongshu, do you know what I am doing? I am practicing martial arts," Xiao Yu said.

"Miss Yu is really diligent."

Although he was very disapproving of her practice method, the emotion in this sentence was at least three parts sincere.

Xiao Yu sighed, "I want to practice martial arts, but I don't know martial arts, so I just fumble blindly. If I practice like this for a lifetime, I won't be able to follow my adopted father to the battlefield to kill the enemy, so I want to inquire if there is a more efficient method."

(ps: Thanks to "Loli Destroyer Controller" for the alliance leader! I didn't expect someone to hit the alliance leader so early, I am very grateful! After it goes on the shelves, I will add more updates.) ===== CHAPTER 25 =====