Qin Shi: I only work eight hours

Chapter 18 Li Ji's Doubts
Half an hour later.

Xu Lin arrived at Ganquan Palace.

In order to delay the spread of this matter as much as possible, Hongzao and Xu Lin entered Ganquan Palace through the back door.

"I've met the Queen Mother."

Xu Lin looked at the red curtain and bowed.

Although the red curtain was of extraordinary texture, it was very thin, and Zhao Ji's graceful outline could be seen through the curtain.

"No gift."

Zhao Ji, lying on her side on the phoenix couch, raised her right hand.

Then he dismissed the people around him.

Hongzao and others immediately turned around and left.

Hongzao didn't go far and chose to stay outside the palace.

"I heard that soy milk and straw paper were both invented by you, Mr. Xu?"

Zhao Ji asked in a lazy voice.

"Yes."

Xu Lin nodded.

Although separated by a red curtain, it was still certain that Zhao Ji's figure was no less graceful than Li Wu's.

"I heard that your cultivation is not low either."

"Since you are both talented in civil and military affairs, why are you still a captain of the Shadow Secret Guard?"

Zhao Ji blinked her eyes and asked.

Xu Lin was eight feet tall and handsome, even more handsome than the painting of red dates, which made Zhao Ji very happy.

"Everyone has his own ambition."

"My ambition is not to advance in rank."

Xu Lin smiled calmly and explained.

He was calm and composed, which made Zhao Ji very satisfied.

Zhao Ji has a natural liking for people with strong psychological qualities, because she also has strong psychological qualities!

"Why are you so far away from me?"

"Are you afraid that I'll eat you?"

After an incense stick of time, Zhao Ji smiled gracefully and asked.

After she finished speaking, she helped herself to the phoenix couch and sat up.

After talking for so long, she felt a little thirsty.

Although Xu Lin was more than ten years older than her and had a huge gap in status, the two hit it off right away. Xu Lin's words made Zhao Ji feel like spring breeze.

Especially when Xu Lin talked about papermaking, although Zhao Ji did not understand, she felt it was impressive.

Xu Lin shook his head, took a few steps forward, and sat on the animal skin cushion.

"Besides soy milk and straw paper, do you have any other inventions?"

"I heard that you were the one who improved the brush?"

Zhao Ji took a sip of the cooked water and asked.

At this moment, she was like a blooming rose, making it difficult for Xu Lin not to look in the direction of the sound.

"Yes."

Xu Lin nodded.

……

More than half an hour later.

Hongzao, who was guarding outside the door, saw that the night was getting darker and it was almost three o'clock in the morning, so he coughed twice as if he was feeling unwell.

Zhao Ji, who was laughing so hard that her whole body was shaking, sat up straight when she heard the sound, took out the jade token she had prepared in advance from under her pillow, and handed it to Xu Lin.

"Sir, you are so learned that I am ashamed to be inferior to you."

"What you just said, sir, has benefited me greatly."

"Sir, if you are free in the future, you can come to Ganquan Palace with this jade token."

Zhao Ji slightly opened her red lips.

"it is good."

Xu Lin readily agreed.

Then he walked slowly forward and took the jade token.

After exchanging a few more words with Zhao Ji, he turned and left Ganquan Palace.

Although Zhao Ji never opened the red curtain from beginning to end, judging from her words and the fact that she gave the jade token to Xu Lin at the end, Zhao Ji had probably already fallen in love with Xu Lin.

After leaving Ganquan Palace, Xu Lin turned his attention to the direction of Zhangtai Palace.

Zhangtai Palace was where Ying Zheng worked.

Zhao Ji is Ying Zheng's biological mother. He doesn't mind having a "deep and easy to understand" communication with Zhao Ji, but would Zheng Ge agree?

Ying Zheng has been on the throne for nearly ten years. How could he not know that Lu Buwei had an affair with Zhao Ji a few years ago?
In history, after Zhao Ji had an affair with Lao Ai, Lao Ai not only did not die, but was also granted the title of Marquis of Changxin and became extremely powerful for a time.

If Zhao Ji had not given birth to two sons for Lao Ai, and if Lao Ai had not launched a rebellion in Qinian Palace, Lao Ai might not have died!
From this we can see that Zheng Ge was not unable to accept Zhao Ji's affair with someone else, he just couldn't accept Zhao Ji giving birth to a child.

The late Warring States period was much more open than later generations. Didn't you see that Queen Dowager Xuan also had a "face-to-face lover"?
Thinking of this, Xu Lin smiled, put the jade token that still had Zhao Ji's body fragrance on it into the storage space, jumped on his horse, and rode back home.

He had no intention of becoming Zhao Ji's "face-to-face lover", but if Zhao Ji kindly invited him to stay overnight, he would be willing to compete with Zhao Ji on the phoenix couch or in front of the dressing mirror!
……the other side.

Ganquan Palace.

Although it was almost three o'clock in the morning, Zhao Ji did not feel sleepy at all.

"The Empress Dowager."

"It's getting late, you should get some rest."

Hongzao reminded softly.

"There's nothing to do tomorrow, why go to bed so early?"

"Grind ink for me!"

Zhao Ji ordered.

After saying that, she put on her nightgown, opened the red curtain, and sat down at the table.

Then he began to draw Xu Lin's appearance based on his memory.

"Does my painting look like it?"

After the painting was finished, Zhao Ji asked while admiring it.

"picture."

"Your Majesty's painting is so lifelike, I am ashamed of myself..."

Hongzao nodded and complimented.

Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Zhao Ji.

She was tired of hearing flattery.

"How can there be such a perfect man in the world?"

"He's not married yet, is he?"

Zhao Ji asked.

She had no resistance to talented people, which is what later generations called "intellectualism".

"Probably not yet."

Hongzao coughed twice and answered.

Why did the Queen suddenly ask this?
Could it be that she is really attracted to Xu Lin and wants him to be her lover?

Xu Lin is talented in both civil and military affairs. Although his official position is not high, he has a bright future. The king also likes Xu Lin very much. Even if the queen wants to, Xu Lin himself probably won't agree!
"That's good."

"Okay, you go down."

Zhao Ji smiled when she heard this and gave the order.

"promise!"

Seeing this, Hongzao wanted to remind Zhao Ji, but was afraid of making Zhao Ji unhappy, so he could only retreat.

After the red dates disappeared from her sight, Zhao Ji turned her gaze towards Xu's mansion.

"Xiao Xu."

"One day, sooner or later, I will make you bow down to me."

Zhao Ji's eyes sparkled, and she thought to herself.

Although she had only met Xu Lin once, she had already taken a liking to him.

Xu Lin is not only young and handsome, but also proficient in both civil and military affairs. Isn't he a thousand times better than that old man Lu Buwei?
Zhao Ji only regretted that she had not met Xu Lin earlier.

In fact, it would be useless even if they had known each other more than ten years ago, because Xu Lin was only a few years old at that time, too young!

……

After a stick of incense.

Xu Lin returned home.

Upon hearing the sound, Li Ji, who had been tossing and turning, immediately sat up on the couch, opened the bamboo window a crack, and looked in the direction of the sound.

Seeing that Xu Lin was dressed the same as before and looked not tired at all, she breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, no matter what Xu Lin and Zhao Ji did, it had nothing to do with her, but for some reason, she felt uncomfortable.

If Xu Lin didn't come back tonight, she was afraid she would have a sleepless night.

"Why are you not sleeping yet?"

Seeing Li Ji peeking at him, Xu Lin walked leisurely towards the bamboo window and asked with a smile.

"I...I just woke up."

"I've always been a light sleeper, and was woken by the sound of horse hooves."

Li Ji's cheeks flushed when she heard this, and she immediately sat up straight and explained.

The nightgown she wore was very 'cool', it couldn't cover her collarbone and shoulders at the top, nor her knees at the bottom.

It stands to reason that this kind of nightgown would not have existed in the late Warring States period, but this is a world where history and animation are integrated, right?

There are even high heels and stockings, let alone this nightgown?
Xu Lin nodded, turned and walked towards his bedroom.

After seeing this scene, Li Ji wanted to speak but stopped herself. She wanted to ask how Xu Lin and Zhao Ji talked, but it was too late, and she was wearing a nightgown, so it was not convenient to say it here, so she had to give up.

"Why do I feel more at ease after he came back?"

"I'm not really in love with him, am I?"

After more than ten breaths, Li Ji closed the bamboo window, looked at her blushing self in the bronze mirror, and asked herself.

(End of this chapter)