The Qin Dynasty entered the game with love.

The early morning at the end of October was a little chilly. Ying Ji led Mo Lao to the Imperial Academy.

Looking at the plaque above the Imperial Academy, Master Mo nodded and smiled: "Not bad, not bad. Learning is hidden in the mountains, which has a profound meaning."

Ying Ji accompanied them to the Mo Academy: "Elder Mo, you see, this entire courtyard belongs to the Mo family. Materials, equipment, timber, and personnel can all be used at will. When we recruit disciples, we will showcase the Mo family's skills, and there will surely be many great talents among them."

Old Mo nodded repeatedly: "Cai, since that's the case, I'll stay here today. I've been in Xianyang for so long, and I haven't had a chance to chat with my old friends. Bring me some of those pastries and drinks so those old folks can see the world."

Ying Ji leaned down and whispered playfully in Mo Lao's ear, "Don't worry, only your room has them, and they've already been prepared for you."

With a slight upward curve of his eyebrows, Mo Lao cheerfully declined Ying Ji's offer to accompany him and instead settled in for the night.

Ying Ji instructed Zhang Xue to stay by Mo Lao's side: "Try to meet any of Mo Lao's needs. If there's anything you can't do, go find Zhang Han."

Zhang Xue chuckled and said, "Yes."

Recently, the Masters have been arriving one after another, making the streets bustling with activity. They've even brought out retired soldiers to serve as security. Besides the local Xianyang flavors, the roadside stalls now feature many vendors from the other six kingdoms.

There are also some acrobatic performances, which are quite interesting, but some of them can easily block the road. So, a separate street is set up where those who are prepared can go on stage to perform, and all the tips go to the performers.

Ying Ji, holding Zhang Liang's hand, ate a skewer of glutinous rice balls: "Liang, how is it? Is it delicious? How is it different from Korea?"

Zhang Liang also had a string of them, but they were black sesame flavored dumplings: "The taste is almost identical, I guess they came from Korea."

The vendor felt a sense of kinship upon seeing Zhang Liang dressed in Korean clothing: "Young master, you must have eaten at my restaurant in Korea. The old man's dumpling at the west end of the south side of the city is my father. You can eat with confidence, it will definitely taste the same."

Ying Ji put down the silver and immediately pulled Zhang Liang to the next stall: "This is interesting, hairpins, I haven't tried them before, boss, give us both a set."

The woman doing the work was an old woman who, upon seeing the two handsome men, couldn't stop smiling: "You two are truly a perfect match. Which one do you choose? This flower-pinning technique is a family heirloom. Wearing flowers in this life will bring you beauty in the next."

The boss was indeed skillful; the two of them finished in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Zhang Liang was a step too slow in putting the flower in his hair, and Ying Ji was already standing in front of him.

For some reason, the boy felt a tingling sensation in his heart, as if something was about to grow out, especially when he saw Ying Ji in a moon-white robe, smiling radiantly as she twirled around in front of him.

Zhang Liang blurted out without any apparent reason: "Hair adorned with flowers is like a painting, beautiful as a poem."

Beauty is mutual; a young man's budding affection is expressed in the way his eyes sparkle, and the same is true for a girl.

I've never seen a man look so handsome with flowers in his hair. He wears a matching moon-white Korean-style robe, his eyes filled with the burning, intense love of a young man. The flower is placed on top of his head, and his smile is dazzling.

Ying Ji led her man as they strolled down the street, attracting frequent glances from onlookers. Seeing the stunning couple, they couldn't help but go to the old woman to adorn their hair with flowers.

After the two left, the old woman was surrounded by a number of young girls: "Auntie, could you please give me a hairpin in the shape of that girl?"

The old woman's eyes nearly disappeared from her smile: "Perfect, perfect! Wearing flowers in this life will bring you beauty in the next. This suits you perfectly, young lady."

The young girl waited with a blush on her face. When it was over, she felt the gazes of many people. Feeling a little shy, she waved to her lover.

The dark-skinned man was tall and imposing, looking very strong. But when he saw the girl he admired, his face flushed red beneath his dark skin, and he stammered, "You, you look really beautiful today."

The little girl's face was also flushed. When the dark-faced man saw that everyone around was looking at his little girl, he pulled her away and carefully shielded her from the crowd, keeping her by his side.

Ying Ji had no idea that such a beautiful story would unfold after she left. She was simply holding Zhang Liang's hand as they strolled along the roadside, feeling happy all the while.

Please look at the flower hairpin I'm wearing.

Blooming all the way

Frequently missing some

I was deeply moved by the beauty of wind, frost, rain, and snow.

On this day, the two acted like young lovers in their first romance, sharing sugar figurines, setting off lanterns, wearing masks to admire the starlight, watching shadow puppet shows, and listening to all the beautiful things in the world.

Zhang Liang was shamefully moved. On this day, he truly experienced his first act of rebellion since he had been arrogant since childhood. He wanted to get closer.

His mother's expectation from a young age was for him to inherit his father's business. His father had his own ideals and wanted to die for his country. His brothers regarded him as an enemy and cursed him for having more talent than them. He was also baptized from a young age to dedicate everything to Korea.

But he never knew that life could be so carefree and joyful, that people could laugh freely, shout out their innermost sorrows, have someone to lean on, and be fed candy like a child...

Life is full of possibilities and uncertainties, and the young man couldn't help but clench his soft hand tighter.

Ying Ji sensed something was wrong, thinking there was a thief, and pulled the person to her side: "There are too many people, stay closer to me."

The boy smiled sweetly and nestled obediently against her side.

Ying Ji was somewhat tempted. She took a jade pendant from her body, stroked it for a moment, and placed it in the boy's hand: "This is a jade pendant that my mother once gave me. I promise you that I will try my best to prevent the Han Kingdom from suffering from war. Will you stay with me for the rest of your life?"

Zhang Liang looked at the jade pendant in his hand. It had a pattern of three bluebirds. He could tell at a glance that it was made of the finest jade. Seeing the unease in the woman's eyes, he smiled knowingly and took it.

"What I desire, I will cherish throughout my life."

Ying Ji's eyes were filled with joy as she embraced the young man in front of her. She knew that their meeting was not pure, nor were their identities pure, but why bother with so much? In this life, one should always act according to one's heart. Even if they were to break up in the future, she would be willing to accept it.

Zhang Liang felt the same way; as long as the princess wouldn't betray him, he was willing to stay by her side for life, even if he couldn't become a high-ranking official.

Since the Mohists first settled in the Imperial Academy, many Confucian scholars followed, and the Legalists, needless to say, were also drawn by Li Si, who was a proponent of legalism. The Agriculturalists also completely put aside their grievances and developed Liu Lao into a great agricultural scholar.

Not only that, but there were also some minor schools of thought. After reviewing them, Ying Ji found that good academic disciplines such as novelists, Yin-Yang masters, craftsmen, Taoists, dancers, and doctors could all have a place in the academy.

Once a certain number of students are recruited, a larger territory can be chosen, and all schools of thought can frequently engage in academic competitions.

Xianyang City is also thriving. Merchants from the six kingdoms have begun to rent houses on the streets. This is a commercial area personally planned by Ying Ji. It is only for rent, not for sale. However, the huge flow of money still attracts many merchants.

Not only that, the Niu Dazhuang family, whom I knew before, also came over because many doctors came to Xianyang.

Upon seeing Ying Ji, he was greatly shocked and knelt down repeatedly. Ying Ji had a very good impression of the family, was worldly-wise but not cynical, and was also sincere. She took the initiative to take them in.