The Heavens: From Film and Mythology to Conquering Myriad Realms

Early in the morning, Lu Yao walked out of his room feeling refreshed.

As usual, Lu Yao began honing his martial arts skills while waiting for Yi Xiaochuan and Cui Wenzi.

Both of them had drunk quite a bit last night, so they should get some sleep. After instructing the kitchen to prepare food for them, Lu Yao went to check the intelligence that had been delivered today.

Before long, Yi Xiaochuan and Cui Wenzi woke up. Both of them were seasoned drinkers, so this little bit of alcohol was no problem for them.

One is a regular at bars, the other is a connoisseur of alcohol; they are a perfect match.

After tidying up, the group set off to accompany Yi Xiaochuan for a walk to clear his mind.

Lu Yao also spoke a few words to Lü Su, saying that he would be back in a few days.

The three of them rode in a carriage and left Xianyang.

Looking at the scenery outside the carriage, Lu Yao realized it was indeed the route to Lan Chi.

Lowering the carriage curtain, Lu Yao understood.

Sanbao was acting as the coachman, driving the carriage, while Yi Xiaochuan and Cui Wenzi were chatting and drinking, and Lu Yao was leaning against his longsword, pretending to doze off.

……

"This place is nice. The bamboo forest here is quiet and cool, making it a perfect spot for drinking."

Yi Xiaochuan stopped the carriage and jumped down. He looked around and was quite satisfied.

Lu Yao also stepped down from the carriage, and sure enough, it was a bamboo forest.

"Truly a chosen one."

Looking at Yi Xiaochuan's retreating figure, Lu Yao thought to himself.

Soon, the group set up a small table in the bamboo grove, placed several jugs of wine on it, and began to enjoy their wine there.

This wine was brought by Cui Wenzi and is called Jiyou Valley, a name given by Yi Xiaochuan.

"Brother Yao, have a taste. This Jiyou Valley wine is brewed from grain chaff and bran. It is clear and has an exquisite taste. It can be described as the finest wine."

Yi Xiaochuan pointed at the wine in Cui Wenzi's hand and praised it without reservation.

"Oh, then I'll have to try it."

After Yi Xiaochuan said that, Lu Yao also became a little curious.

Yi Xiaochuan laughed and poured Lu Yao a cup of wine.

"It tastes so sweet and mellow, it's definitely a good wine."

Lu Yao took a sip; it was indeed a rare and excellent wine.

Yi Xiaochuan poured himself a glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The three of them drank and chatted happily.

Yi Xiaochuan drank to his heart's content and couldn't help but pick up a bamboo stick and improvise a drunken sword dance.

……

On the bamboo path where Lu Yao and the others were, a caravan of carriages gradually passed by.

Inside the carriage, a middle-aged man in splendid attire was conversing with a middle-aged man dressed as a servant.

However, their attitudes were completely opposite.

The middle-aged man, dressed in splendid robes, faced his servant with a respectful expression.

"During my recent incognito tour, I discovered many things that you ministers do not know. I should make more incognito tours in the future."

Dressed in servant's clothes, Qin Shi Huang spoke solemnly to Li Si beside him.

"Your Majesty is wise. I believe that under Your Majesty's leadership, our Great Qin will surely become even more prosperous and powerful."

Li Si, driving the carriage, spoke respectfully.

"Hmm? What's that smell? It smells so good!"

As Qin Shi Huang was speaking, a fragrant aroma of wine wafted over, piquing his curiosity.

Qin Shi Huang and Li Si got out of the carriage and followed the fragrance, with the guards behind them quickly following.

Meanwhile, in the hidden bamboo forest behind the carriage, a group of bandits had their eyes on Qin Shi Huang and his entourage.

"Brother, they've gotten off the bus! This is a great opportunity!"

One of the underlings walked up to the leader of the bandits and said with delight.

The bandit leader narrowed his eyes, gripped the hilt of his sword, and beckoned his men to follow.

Meanwhile, Qin Shi Huang and his entourage also found the source of the wine's aroma.

"Gentlemen, we are a passing caravan. We saw someone practicing swordsmanship here. We wonder what kind of swordsmanship it is?"

Li Si and Qin Shi Huang exchanged a glance, then Li Si smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

Lu Yao glanced at the group in front of him and realized it was indeed Qin Shi Huang and his entourage. Just as he was considering whether to make a move, he suddenly noticed the guards behind them.

Master!

Lu Yao carefully examined the guards. They should all be top-notch guards from the imperial palace, with slightly bulging temples and calloused hands.

Lu Yao was unsure, so he did not act rashly.

Just as the group was talking, a band of bandits suddenly surrounded them.

"Hand over all your money. I'm after money, not life."

The bandit leader looked greedily at the group of men. They were all wealthy; he thought, "Today we're going to strike it rich!"

Qin Shi Huang was furious upon hearing this.

"How dare you commit robbery right under my nose! Today I will eliminate you all!"

Qin Shi Huang drew his sword and was about to step forward when Li Si stopped him.

The guards on the side did not move without receiving orders; they simply protected the two of them.

Sanbao, terrified, ran behind Yi Xiaochuan.

Upon seeing this, Lu Yao and Yi Xiaochuan exchanged a glance, each grabbing a bamboo stick and charging towards the bandits.

Yi Xiaochuan was a disciple of Xiang Liang and possessed profound swordsmanship, making it easy for him to deal with a few bandits.

With the enhancement of the Haotian Pearl, Lu Yao's swordsmanship had reached the Grandmaster level, and no bandit could survive a single move against him.

"Your Majesty, these two are very skilled in martial arts, especially the one on the left in blue."

A guard approached Qin Shi Huang and pointed at Lu Yao, speaking softly.

Qin Shi Huang nodded, in a very good mood.

Although he was very unhappy about the bandits around Xianyang, there were also many chivalrous people around him.

Soon the bandits scattered and fled.

"You two young heroes are skilled in martial arts."

Li Si stepped forward and praised him with a smile.

"I'm glad you're all alright. Let's continue enjoying the wine."

Lu Yao smiled nonchalantly and returned to the table.

After tasting Cui Wenzi's Jiyou Valley, Qin Shi Huang and others praised it repeatedly.

Li Si and the others exchanged a few words with Lu Yao and his group before leaving.

Lu Yao's original idea of ​​attempting to assassinate Qin Shi Huang was abandoned.

The identities of the people around Qin Shi Huang in the film and television works are not revealed; they are just like ordinary servants.

Who would have thought these people were actually top-notch martial arts experts?

Lu Yao estimated that he could take on four or five of them without any problem, but there were quite a few of them, and Lu Yao was not confident that he could take them all down.

As for those bandits, they were probably just robbing people on the road, not like someone trying to assassinate Qin Shi Huang.

I reckon any one of those guards could easily beat these bandits to a pulp with one hand.

However, this experience left an impression on Qin Shi Huang and was helpful for his later plans.

Lu Yao remembered that during Qin Shi Huang's tour, a plague broke out in the palace, killing many people, including Consort Li Yu Shu.

At that time, Emperor Qin Shihuang will issue an imperial edict to seek out renowned physicians from all over the country to treat Consort Li.

Lu Yao had a lot of medicine on him, and treating Yu Shu's plague infection was exceptionally simple.

When Qin Shi Huang bestows his rewards, there will be plenty of room for maneuver.

Furthermore, with this established image of a chivalrous hero, Qin Shi Huang should have a very good impression of him.

Lu Yao had already planned to join the Qin army to gain some military power in preparation for the future.

After traveling for a few days, Lu Yao and his group set off back to Xianyang.

Soon a plague broke out in the palace, and notices seeking renowned doctors were posted.