I Want to Fly Higher

The most terrifying are those who are unburdened and free to come and go.

"Secondly, don't you have any other suitable candidates under your command? Let me make it clear beforehand that I'm not good at stealth. If my identity is exposed by the Second Prince's men, it wouldn't be morally justifiable. After all, we owe him a favor, and we can't openly oppose him, no matter how unwilling we are."

"Masters of your caliber, Brother Si, are few and far between in the world. How could such a person possibly be willing to be recruited by me? Actually, it's not necessary to go incognito. My purpose is to confirm the Emperor's situation. If Brother Si is confident, you can break into the palace through the gates without any problem. As for concealing your identity, that's not difficult either. Two days later is the 125th anniversary of the Codex University. I will have someone impersonate Brother Si to create an alibi. Then, Brother Si can act with a different appearance, just like during the prison break last time. Even if someone suspects Brother Si, they can't do anything without evidence."

Si Ming nodded. The plan was a bit rough, but as long as no one was given any leverage over it, even if the Second Prince guessed it was him, he could only pretend not to know and avoid escalating the relationship.

"Thirdly, what benefits do you plan to give me?" Si Ming raised his eyebrows, making a rather mercenary expression.

"What? You want more benefits?"

Han Hao was intimidated by the other party's attitude. He had waited for three whole hours with utmost respect; wasn't that enough sincerity?

"Nonsense! Who would surrender to the Imperial Army without a benefit? Bah! Who would meddle in your France political struggles without a benefit? Name your price! The Royal Palace isn't a marketplace where you can come and go as you please. Getting caught means execution! I'm risking my life to do this for you; it wouldn't be right for you not to offer something in return."

Although his behavior was rather unpleasant, Si Ming wasn't worried at all that doing so would lower his reputation. After all, the Mohist School advocated discussing profit, while the Confucian School were ashamed to do so.

"Regarding the royal tombs last time..."

Before Han Hao could finish speaking, Si Ming interrupted him, "Didn't I find you a powerful helper? This matter is considered settled. As the saying goes, a good woman doesn't marry twice. You can't expect me to repay a favor twice, can you?"

Han Hao's feelings at this moment were probably similar to those of the Vicious Qi Evil Spider back then. He doubted whether the person in front of him was really Yan Jinghong's disciple. That great hero was clearly benevolent and righteous, and devoted his limited life to serving the people without ever asking for anything in return. How come his disciple hadn't inherited this spirit of selfless dedication?

"So, what does Brother Si want? You can write any check you like." For Han Hao, solving problems with money was the best thing ever.

"I don't care for that kind of money-grubbing stuff," Si Ming waved his hand dismissively. "Your Han Clan was able to seize the France throne and maintain its rule for over two hundred years. You must possess something like a national treasure, such as the 'Imperial Age Heaven-Spanning Manual' or the 'Universal Feathers Sky-Decreeing Divine Scroll.' I don't ask for much; just a glimpse of it will suffice."

Han Hao was shocked. He knew that France still retained an aristocratic class, and the martial arts revolution was not fully implemented. The publicly available martial arts techniques were very limited. Even in Su State, many families, sects, and martial arts schools did not publicly reveal their unique skills. It was unbelievable that the other party could speak so confidently, as if it were just a trivial matter.

In ancient times, Si Ming's actions would be no less than asking the Shaolin Temple for the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic Sunflower Manual Dongfang Bubai. Even if he only glanced at it, who could trust him? What if he had a photographic memory?

"Well... well... to say that it possesses a national-level martial art, it's definitely not as powerful as Brother Si imagines. Look at my father, he even suffered a qi deviation from practicing it. Moreover, in terms of cultivation, my second brother and I are no match for Brother Si, which shows that the technique isn't top-notch. If this matter were to leak out, the investigation would be..."

"Tch, so petty, you have no kingly demeanor whatsoever. How are you going to compete with your second brother for the throne?"

Si Ming knew this was due to traditional thinking, so he didn't force it. Not everyone has the same spirit of sharing from the internet age as him, and doesn't regard martial arts techniques as learning materials.

"Fine, if I don't have divine skills, I'll make do with divine weapons. It'll do alright, and I need a suitable weapon to impersonate my new identity. The more powerful the weapon, the higher the martial arts skills of the person I'm impersonating, and the greater the chance of success in the mission."

This was tantamount to bidding, but Han Hao had no choice but to agree, since it was a seller's market. He couldn't find anyone more suitable than Si Ming. He had already received the news of the death of the Vicious Qi Evil Spider. Others might think it was the work of Spirit Transformation experts like Yan Jinghong, but he knew very well that it was Si Ming who did it. He was a genuine Spirit Transformation level master—he had even ordered people to release false information to confuse his second brother's judgment.

Although divine weapons are rare, Han Hao, as a member of the royal family, is not without his own collections. However, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, having underestimated the other party's integrity. He should have known better than to wait outside the door for so long, throwing his charm at a blind man.

"Um... would you mind if I used a vicious weapon?"

"Bring it on, I'm not picky. No matter how vicious the weapon, I'll use love and justice to reform it and teach it the principle of subduing enemies with virtue," Si Ming patted his chest confidently.

Chapter 503 I Want to Fly Higher

Although Si Ming and Murong Qing came to the Codex University as exchange students, neither of them focused on their studies. After all, they no longer considered themselves students. Murong Qing at least had self-discipline and attended most of the classes she could, and she studied hard in class. Si Ming, on the other hand, simply skipped classes whenever possible and stayed in his dormitory to focus on cultivation.

At first, classmates would strike up a conversation with the two because of their outstanding looks, but they quickly realized that they were not on the same wavelength and gradually distanced themselves. The two were happy to have some peace and quiet, since they didn't plan to expand their social circle here.

Therefore, the two were quite surprised when someone took the initiative to talk to them.

"Beauty pageant?"

Murong Qing frowned slightly as she looked at the unremarkable, even somewhat sleazy-looking boy in front of her.

"The school anniversary is in two days. Every year during the anniversary celebration, our news agency holds a beauty pageant, inviting all the most beautiful girls on campus to participate. Then, the students vote to select the four most beautiful girls on campus."

Si Ming used to complain that the school beauties in those urban novels were all just names. Anyone who has been to school knows that there is no universally acknowledged school beauty, at most there is only class beauty. Everyone has different tastes, and there are all kinds of beauties, so there is no such thing as a first school beauty or a second school beauty. For people who like full-figured women, no matter how beautiful a slender woman's face is, she has no charm.

But France is much more rigorous. They say the school beauty pageant is an open election across the entire school, one person, one vote, to ensure fairness and impartiality. As for whether you went to vote, that's your own business. They can't just shove a ballot into your hand and beg you to vote.

Murong Qing hesitated, then said, "But I'm an exchange student, I'll only be attending classes here for one semester..."

The boy quickly explained, "The eligibility criteria for the beauty pageant are quite broad; anyone enrolled at the Codex University is eligible. Since you're currently a student at the Codex University, you're qualified to participate. We'll consider next semester's situation then. On the other hand, the fact that you transferred to our school at this particular time just proves that we're destined to meet, doesn't it?"

Murong Qing thought for a moment, but still refused. "Never mind, I've seen the promotional pictures for your beauty pageant, and how should I put it... those clothes are still too revealing for me."

Everyone has a different definition of exposure. Some people feel extremely embarrassed if their skirt is blown up by the wind and reveals the edge of their underwear, but they feel no problem wearing a swimsuit that reveals more skin and can show it to others openly. The psychological changes involved are quite subtle.

However, for Murong Qing, who was deeply influenced by her father's teachings as a great Confucian scholar, neither option was acceptable. Open-air swimming was considered immoral, so it was better not to go.

Some people think that the France are meticulous and law-abiding, and therefore subconsciously assume that they are conservative in matters of sex. However, meticulousness and conservatism have no causal relationship.

Take Germany as an example. Regardless of whether 21st-century Germany still have a rigorous spirit, at least their ancestors had such a tradition. However, Germany has always been known for its extreme tastes. Haven't you heard that there are two kinds of porn on Earth: one for people from other countries and one for Germany?

Some psychologists speculate that Germany are under too much constraint in their daily lives, so they urgently need an outlet to release accumulated pressure. This is reflected in the fact that there are no speed limits on Germany highways.

Of course, the Sea Continent civilization is a typical Fang Wen, and there are limits to how open it can be.

France is a country governed by law, so brothels and prostitution are legal professions in France. In fact, prostitution is divided into professional levels, and prostitutes need to pass a professional qualification exam to be licensed to work. Those who work without a license are operating illegally and will be fined heavily if caught, similar to traffic police cracking down on drunk driving.

In fact, in France, the traffic police are indeed responsible for monitoring this matter. Some people think it's because unlicensed prostitutes are highly mobile, making it easier for the traffic police to catch them. Others think that the prime minister who originally appointed the position may have misunderstood the word "traffic".

In addition, the department responsible for conducting professional examinations for prostitutes is called the Yin-Yang Institute. As the name suggests, not only women but also men can take the exam. Of course, the France are quite serious about official matters and do not have any intention of taking advantage of others. Generally, women examine women and men examine men.

The Yin-Yang Institute's professional qualification examination has nine levels. Therefore, the highest level professional qualification certificate for prostitutes is often called the Nine Yin Manual, while the highest level professional qualification certificate for male prostitutes is called the Nine Yang Manual. Since there are far fewer male prostitutes than female prostitutes, male prostitutes who pass the highest level qualification examination are also given the honorific title of "Yang Dingtian" (Yang Reaching the Sky).

Given the differences in national conditions between France and the Su State, the boy quickly advised Murong Qing, "We don't have any strict rules about the contestants' attire. You can wear anything you like, as long as it showcases your charm. In fact, the past winners of the Flower Queen title weren't the type to dress provocatively. Although these types of contestants are popular and strong contenders for the school beauty title, they will never win first place. We chose their photos for the promotional posters to attract attention."

"Never mind, I'm not really into these kinds of things..."

Murong Qing was still about to refuse when Si Ming interjected, "No problem, we agree to this."

The boy looked at him questioningly. "Who are you?"