The Ageless Dream

12.3 Handing Invitation (49)

As the carriage travelled through the road towards Qin, Dong Li Hua kept her gaze outside. Her lips were arched into a pure smile. She recalled the night she had a nightmare. That dream taught her, told her Huang Zhao is not to be trusted.

It was a vivid dream imprinted deeply in her mind. Du Mingluan questioned her those and she came to a realization that Huang Zhao has been fooling her. Since she demonstrated effective weapons and formation, her knowledge is of use during this campaign of unifying the seven states. Before, Huang Zhao took her in Xinzheng for investigation but the moment she showed her importance, he weaved a carefully planned scheme.

To make Dong Li Hua turn over their side and provide more advantages, the easiest way is to force her. However, forcing her in tortures such as, will give them limited innovations. Fortunately, there is another way to make her spill everything she knows.

Huang Zhao tried to make her fall for him. Only in that way can she willingly tell everything. If possible, be obsess of him. From their previous interaction, she can guess its all planned. Huang Zhao is often uncaring to her then becoming gentle afterwards. From reading many online novels, Dong Li Hua learnt that a woman can fall in love to a man who is frequently cold but once the man showed a hint of gentleness, the woman's heart will be swiftly taken away.

That is how they were. Starting in quarrels then he would try to probe if she is affected. Little by little, he made her rely on him. The first time is when she went to the military camp. He purposely triggered her bravery to make her act more like a lover. Huang Zhao then tried to test if he had a progress of catching her heart but she refused him. Still, he did not give up and went to stir trouble by hanging out with Du Feng in order to make her concern grow more.

He was drugged though and its unexpected. Because of that, Jie Ming took advantage of it to weave a lie which caused his plan to go astray. In what way can he make Dong Li Hua stay? By confessing a fake affection. Fortunately, she is wise enough to refuse. It concluded from that moment she nearly fell for his deception. How can he like her when they only lived together for a month? How can he like her when she is a fatal threat to Qin because of her unknown origin? How can he love her when he barely knew anything about her?

All these questions lead to one fact, his affection is an illusion built to cage her and extract every useful information from her. Now that she thinks of it, she is too stupid to trust and rely on Huang Zhao. He is simply a dangerous person. So dangerous he can plot against anyone. If not for that dream, perhaps she is now Huang Zhao's puppet. Death only awaits her in the end if she falls for Huang Zhao. He is a cold, deceitful, ruthless, dangerous man.

"Miss, General Huang is really kind to you." Jie Cui cant help but exclaim. She opened a box of treats for Dong Li Hua which came from Huang Zhao.

"Indeed." she nodded. Dong Li Hua picked a mooncake and handed one to Lan Hu. "He is too kind to be true."

It took them a week and a half to reach Xianyang. The Meng Estate is quite extravagant that Dong Li Hua gasped in awe. Compared to Lü Buwei's house, its ahead in ten points. Since the Meng Family is a bloodline of loyal warriors, the royal family must have blessed them magnanimously.

"Cousin Tian!" a familiar voice resonated. Zhan Yuling left behind her maidservants and immediately gave Meng Tian a tight embrace.

"Lovebirds." Dong Li Hua chuckled, seeing the imaginary pink heart floating around the two.

"Wah~. Xiao Zi, you're here too!" Zhan Yuling turned to Dong Li Hua. Her eyes brimming with happiness. Not only was her future husband here, there is also one of her important friends.

"Zhan jiejie, hello." Dong Li Hua waved her hand and approached Zhan Yuling.

"Hm? Wha-what's that?" she noticed a large tiger behind Dong Li Hua. Zhan Yuling unconsciously stepped back from being frightened to see Lan Hu.

"Oh. This is Lan Hu. He is Sir General Huang Zhao's pet. I kind of borrowed Lan Hu for a while." Dong Li Hua stroked the tiger's forehead. "By the way, congratulations Zhan jiejie. The wedding is within three days. Sir Meng had been actually impatient on the way here, ah."

"He is always like that. Come to my wedding, please? Don't forget to bring a gift." Zhan Yuling joked as they tittered in sync.

"Alright. I should go so Zhan jiejie can spend her time with Sir Meng." Dong Li Hua bid farewell and in few minutes, their carriage reached Huang Zhao's manor. From his words, every elite imperial guards are experts and were given an estate as a reward.

"Miss, General Huang's manor is like a newly built one! This place is beautiful!" Jie Cui almost gasped. As for Dong Li Hua, she is only smiling in satisfaction. The head steward brought them in and let them familiarize inside the mansion.

After setting in, Dong Li Hua thought of taking a stroll around Xianyang's marketplace to look for a wedding gift. "Miss, Miss!" Jie Cui barged into her bedroom the next morning. She excitedly shook Dong Li Hua to wake her up.

"Uhm? Jie Cui? What is it?" Dong Li Hua held unto her quilt, not willing to get up from the bed.

"Miss Zhan Yuling came here! Miss, please wake up, ah." upon hearing Jie Cui, Dong Li Hua sprang up.

"Why is she here?"

"Servant doesn't know." she shook her head and helped Dong Li Hua prepare herself.

Within the guest hall, Zhan Yuling is standing there while amusing herself in observing the sculptures placed on a row of shelves. There were different kind of sculptures such as a jade Buddha statues in small sizes, bonsai trees embedded with gold, folding screens made of silver and rubies. Her eyes spun seeing too many treasures settling there.