I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 263 Lu Jia and Liu Qi Agree to Go to the Grasslands

Ying Wuyou's lips curled up slightly, revealing a warm smile like a spring breeze, and he said slowly, "As the saying goes, 'Trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust.' The fact that I sent someone from afar to specially invite you two to grace us with your presence shows that I have complete faith in your character and abilities!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jia smiled and echoed, "That's right, Princess, what you say makes perfect sense. Trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust—that's the essence of the art of employing people!"

Liu Qi nodded slightly in agreement, then asked, "In that case, does the princess have any specific arrangements for Brother Lu and me to go to the grasslands?"

After a moment's thought, Ying Wuyou replied, "You two can set off after the New Year. At that time, you can disguise yourselves as merchants. I happen to be looking to buy wool on the grasslands, and I will be sending a sizable caravan there. You just need to blend in and travel with the caravan."

Liu Qi frowned and said with a troubled expression, "It's just that my mother is alone in Xianyang, and there are many inconveniences in her life. I'm really worried about her."

Ying Wuyou smiled slightly and comforted her, "You don't need to worry about that. I heard that your grandparents are old and in poor health. I will send someone to bring them to Xianyang. I will also ask the skilled imperial physician Li to personally take good care of them so that they can enjoy their old age in peace and health."

After hearing Ying Wuyou's thoughtful words, Liu Qi's worries vanished instantly. He nodded gratefully and replied, "Thank you for your care and concern, Your Highness. I will never forget this kindness!"

Ying Wuyou then said with a smile, "Please rest assured, both of you. If this operation successfully brings the grasslands into the territory of our Great Qin, then I, the princess, will personally petition the King to grant you both the title of marquis!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qi and Lu Jia's eyes widened in disbelief. They knew that in the Qin Empire, even the lowest rank of Marquis was a title bestowed only by those at the highest nobility! Such an incredibly prestigious honor was bestowed upon very few throughout the entire Qin Dynasty. And now, this noble princess before them had made such a generous promise of reward, filling them with both immense joy and trepidation.

After a brief moment of shock, Lu Jia was the first to recover. He quickly clasped his hands in a salute and said earnestly, "The princess has shown me such great kindness; I will never forget this favor, even until my death! I will certainly go to the grasslands without hesitation and do my utmost to contribute my meager strength to the Great Qin!"

Seeing this, Liu Qi was equally unyielding, and solemnly cupped his hands in response, saying, "Your Highness, please rest assured, we two will certainly not fail you. No matter what difficulties or obstacles we encounter, we will do our best to complete the task that Your Highness has entrusted to us!"

Ying Wuyou nodded in satisfaction and gently instructed, "In that case, you two should take advantage of this time to have a peaceful New Year. After the New Year, we will need to set off, so cherish this New Year and spend more time with your family." After saying that, she smiled slightly and glanced at Liu Qi and Lu Jia in turn.

For the next while, the group chatted casually about light and pleasant topics, creating a harmonious atmosphere. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, seeing that it was getting late, Ying Wuyou slowly stood up, bid farewell to Liu Qi and Lu Jia, and left. After Ying Wuyou had gone, Liu Qi and Lu Jia exchanged a glance, momentarily speechless.

After a moment of silence, Liu Qi sighed softly and said with deep emotion, "I never imagined that we would arrive in this bustling city of Xianyang so soon, only to leave again and embark on an unknown journey."

Lu Jia gazed solemnly into the distance and slowly said, "The city of Xianyang is too murky and dangerous! We are both young and inexperienced. If we insist on staying here, we will find it difficult to gain a foothold and may even be ostracized and suppressed by others. Rather than that, we should go and explore the vast grasslands! There, the world is wide open for us to roam, and we can fully display our talents and ambitions!"

Liu Qi nodded, expressing his deep agreement: "Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking too. Although we don't know much about the grasslands, and we might feel a bit apprehensive, overall, we're mostly excited. Once we set foot on that land, wouldn't it be the perfect stage for us brothers to freely showcase our talents? When we successfully complete our mission and return, we'll be granted the title of Marquis, bringing glory to our family and making our names known throughout history! Whenever I think of this, my heart burns with an unbearable fervor!"

Overcome with excitement, the two couldn't help but look at each other and burst into laughter. Although they knew the road ahead was fraught with difficulties and obstacles, their two young hearts, filled with dreams and aspirations, remained steadfast. To celebrate the new journey that was about to begin, Lu Jia and Liu Qi excitedly headed once again towards the First Tower of the Great Qin Dynasty.

At the dinner table, the two men clinked glasses and drank heartily. Before long, they were both completely drunk and unconscious. This time, they ended up laughing wildly and unrestrainedly, startling their respective servants who turned pale and were at a loss for what to do. When they woke up the next morning, their heads were throbbing, and as usual, they had completely forgotten all the shameful things they had done while drunk the night before.

After regaining their senses, the two instinctively decided to write home to let their families know they were safe. However, out of caution, they didn't tell their families the truth about their impending journey to the grasslands. Instead, they vaguely stated that they were going out of town on business and might not be home for a year or two, asking their families not to worry. And so, letters carrying well-intentioned lies were sent from Xianyang to their loved ones far away.

When Liu Qi's family received the letter, his grandparents remained relatively calm and did not strongly oppose it. They fully supported Liu Qi's decision, believing that going out to gain experience was a good thing, and they were very pleased.

However, the situation was different in Lu Jia's family. The news caused some disagreement and controversy within the family. Lu Jia's mother, in particular, seemed somewhat unhappy. She worriedly mentioned the fact that Lu Jia was still unmarried, and expressed concern that if he couldn't return in the near future, as time passed and Lu Jia grew older, finding a suitable wife would become increasingly difficult. This concern filled her with anxiety and unease.

In contrast, Lu Jia's father displayed a more open-minded and long-term perspective. He firmly believed that a respectable man should first focus on building and developing his career, and that it was not too late to consider marriage after achieving success. Therefore, he felt that the matter of getting married should not be rushed and could be temporarily put aside.

Regardless of the arguments at home, Liu Qi and Lu Jia have made up their minds and are ready to go to their own stage to give a perfect performance.