No one had the mind to notice whether Qing Ni had changed her dress.
As the curtain was drawn aside, an elegant young maiden stepped out. Her green skirt swept the ground without gathering a speck of dust, like an untainted lotus emerging from mud, aloof from worldly affairs. Wherever her silk-soft shoes tread, ice blossoms bloomed, only to melt under the blazing sun into glistening droplets that vanished with the wind in an instant.
"Is that…" a minister whispered, "…the Divine Maiden?"
The System: "!!"
It stared in astonishment as Qing Ni used the System Inventory's properties to "manifest" ice blossoms through the soles of her shoes, pretending it was a Divine Miracle.
"You carved so many ice flowers before, just for today?!"
Qing Ni continued forward with an elegant smile, while a little figure in her mind danced joyfully in circles. "Yes, I carved ice for a whole year. Even in seasons without ice, I wasn't idle—I made ice with saltpeter. Opportunity always favors the prepared!"
"Should I call out a few chants of 'Great Chu shall rise, Chen Sheng be king' for you?"
"Please recognize your species. You're a white sable, not a white fox."
Whether intentional or not, the identity Qing Ni revealed to the outside world was enough to make her the focus of everyone's attention.
Li Si, who was still the Minister of Justice at the time, half-knelt and reached out to touch the lifelike ice blossom. As soon as his fingers brushed its stem and leaves, the ice flower melted into pure snow water, leaving only a faint dampness on his fingertips.
Whether it was due to the scorching weather or because the ice blossom was a sacred object of the Divine Maiden, meant to be admired from afar but not touched, remained unclear.
Li Si thought to himself that it certainly couldn't be the former.
With the Divine Maiden's descent, the political landscape of Qin was bound to shift. Those Confucian scholars who always sought to replace Legalism would likely seek the Divine Maiden's support, wouldn't they? At court, the ministers behind Prince Fusu and the other princes would also begin to maneuver… Just a casual remark from the Divine Maiden in front of His Majesty would bring immeasurable benefits. Moreover, would the remnants of the six states, upon hearing that the Divine Maiden had descended to aid Qin, truly remain inactive and not try to turn her against Qin?
He slowly rose to his feet, narrowing his eyes as he gazed into the distance. Softly, he murmured, "The Qin Dynasty…"
The winds of change were stirring.
Yet at the center of this brewing storm, Qing Ni felt no sense of urgency whatsoever. She was eagerly looking forward to sampling the delicacies of the Qin Dynasty.
There was rice topped with meat sauce, pork stewed in a large pot for three days and three nights, beef and lamb freshly slaughtered and soaked in fine wine to be consumed the next day, and reportedly, Qin Shi Huang's favorite fish balls—bearing the grandiose name "Imperial Dominion Unbounded Phoenix Pearls Poached."
It all sounded incredibly delicious!
After the ceremonial formalities concluded, the banquet began. The other ministers refrained from picking up their chopsticks, instead stealing glances at the Divine Maiden from the corners of their eyes, hoping to discern her culinary preferences.
The Divine Maiden moved. She picked up a small spoon and scooped a portion of the "Imperial Dominion Unbounded Phoenix Pearls Poached" from the small bowl nearest to her, taking a delicate, small sip.
The First Emperor smiled.
The ministers were equally thrilled. Was this a subtle metaphor? She had first tasted the "Imperial Dominion Unbounded Phoenix Pearls Poached," a dish only placed on the small tables before the First Emperor and the Divine Maiden in the entire banquet!
What a marvelous coincidence!
An auspicious sign indeed!
The Divine Maiden ate with refined elegance, chewing slowly and deliberately. It took about four or five breaths before she swallowed her first bite, then proceeded to take a second bite with the same measured pace. Those watching couldn't help but slow their own eating, imbuing the entire banquet with a relaxed and unhurried atmosphere.
The snow marten, as a Spirit Pet, was also allotted a seat. Had Qing Ni not refused, the First Emperor would have even brought up the cow she had fabricated as her mount, allowing it to sit alongside the ministers and the emperor.
With the help of a maid, the snow marten nibbled on some fruit. After Qing Ni finished the fish ball, it cast a worried glance her way and contacted her telepathically: "Yiyi, are you alright?"
"Not really." Qing Ni nearly burst into tears. "Why is it so awful! The books described it as delicious! I almost threw up just now!"
"Hold on, let me check some information!" After a moment, the System looked at Qing Ni with pity. "Do you think the difference between the Republican era and the modern time you came from is significant?"
"Of course!"
"Well… back in the Republican era, the purity of table salt didn’t exceed 60%. It was bitter and astringent. The salt you eat in modern times has a purity of over 90%—enough to melt snow in winter. How many years are there between the Republican era and modern times? And between the Qin dynasty and modern times…"
"Say no more, I understand." Qing Ni set down her small spoon, determined not to touch any other dishes.
"How foolish I was, truly. Why did I give up my spicy strips, potato chips, and pickled chicken feet to come with you to this godforsaken Qin dynasty!"
Fortunately, she had the foresight to become the State Preceptor. If she had become a favored concubine… ha! No air conditioning in summer, no underfloor heating in winter, no toilet paper for restroom visits, no comfortable sanitary pants during her period, and even the salt in a simple fish ball was bitter and astringent. What kind of favor would that be!
"Does the Bodhisattva know how miserable I am?"
"Bodhisattvas are vegetarian."
"…Bodhisattvas also eat the threefold pure meat!"
At that moment, Qing Ni felt like grabbing her chopsticks and stuffing all the meat on the table into the System’s mouth.
Every move of the Divine Maiden was closely watched. When she set down her small spoon and lightly covered the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief, signaling she would eat no more, the entire court—from the First Emperor down to the ministers—could not help but ponder the meaning behind her gesture.
Was the food not to the Divine Maiden’s taste?
Or was there something on the table that offended her?
Or perhaps the Divine Maiden was in a poor mood and dissatisfied with the Qin dynasty?
Li Si ate without tasting the food. After just a few bites, he hastily set down his chopsticks, his hands unconsciously rubbing the corners of his sleeves beneath the table.
—This banquet had been prepared by him, who had rushed ahead on horseback to Qufu to oversee the arrangements.
Normally, as the Commandant of Justice, he would not have been involved in such matters. But the guest of honor this time was no ordinary figure! If any mishap occurred, causing the Divine Maiden to leave, it would be an unbearable loss for the Qin dynasty. Not even a river of blood could quell the emperor’s wrath. Thus, the First Emperor had simply assigned him the task, leaving no room for argument. With the strictness of "law," every step had to be executed flawlessly.
And now, if the Divine Maiden was displeased, his official career could very well be over.
Li Si’s expression was as dark as water. He could hardly recall how he had risen to leave after the banquet ended. Walking in a daze, even the faint sound of his colleagues’ shoes scraping against the stone path grated on his ears like irritating noise.
"Lord Li." A servant approached and softly relayed, "His Majesty requests your presence."
It’s here—
Li Si’s heart sank. He gathered his thoughts. The blame had to be shifted elsewhere; he couldn’t shoulder this burden. But he needed to admit a minor fault, lest his superior think him too slick or evasive.
"I shall go at once."
Li Si lifted his foot to leave when an attendant stopped him, gesturing toward his sleeve, which was crumpled beyond recognition. Li Si started in alarm and offered the attendant a friendly smile. "Thank you."
—He had nearly committed a breach of etiquette before the Emperor.
After a brief moment of commotion, they entered a quiet area. Li Si hastily straightened his sleeve and then adjusted the front of his robe. Counting his own footsteps, he ascended the jade steps one by one. On the step just below the top, he cupped his hands and bowed to the First Emperor. "Your Majesty."
Not far away, the First Emperor, who had been gazing up at the moon by the railing, turned around. A mask of gentleness was fixed upon his face. "Minister Li."
"Today, the State Preceptor showed no interest in the banquet. Could it be…"
After a slight pause, the First Emperor continued, "Could it be that the fish displeased her?"
The First Emperor Zheng loved eating fish but disliked picking out bones. The Imperial Phoenix Pearl Fish Balls were created precisely to satisfy his fastidiousness.
The wind blew, causing the lanterns overhead to sway gently. Li Si also gave a slight shake of his head. "Your Majesty need not worry. Before I left to oversee the banquet, I inquired with Xuan Nu whether there were any foods she avoided. Fish was not among them."
Upon hearing this, the First Emperor's face showed no sign of joy; instead, it grew increasingly grim.
This was an even greater problem. It meant the fish balls were poorly made, so unpalatable to the Divine Maiden that she could not bring herself to continue eating them.
It was akin to two nations engaging in diplomacy: when the other side's envoy attends a banquet, and the host presents their finest offerings, only for the guest to regard them as unremarkable.
It was a blow to one's pride.
Li Si said softly, "Why does Your Majesty not ask Xuan Nu whether immortals practice inedia? This could also serve as an opportunity to…"
Li Si's words trailed off there. A faint glimmer lit up in the First Emperor's eyes.
—This could indeed serve as an opportunity to inquire about matters of the gods.
"I understand. You may withdraw now."
Used and then dismissed, yet Li Si breathed a sigh of relief. "Your servant takes his leave."
Just after turning the corner, he raised his arm and used his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his temple.
The Emperor was not actually difficult to get along with. In fact, toward his ministers—specifically, talented ministers—he was quite gentle. But it was like having a tiger lying on one's bed. No matter how non-threatening it appeared, one could never truly relax when face-to-face with it.
When Qing Ni received the news that the First Emperor was coming to visit, she immediately uncrossed her legs. Peering into the bronze mirror, she first practiced a serene, dignified, and slightly aloof smile for the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Then she rinsed her mouth with petal-infused tea, lit an elegant incense… "System, can I exchange for an air conditioner? Even two small fans would do."
"…Darling, I'm a Favored Concubine System, not a Taobao System."
Qing Ni looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle and let out a long, wistful sigh. "Love cannot last long without material comforts."
"Your material comfort is an air conditioner?"
"That precisely proves I'm a good girl who isn't materialistic."
After putting on an affected voice and finishing her act, when she met the First Emperor, she became even more theatrical. Raising her hand, she made a "please" gesture with her five fingers, palm upward, fingertips pointing toward the mat directly opposite. She tilted her face slightly, allowing the moonlight to fully illuminate her features. "Please have a seat, Your Majesty."
In her mind: "How is it! Is the angle okay?"
The snow weasel took a look. "It's fine. A jade-like immortal grace, as if bathed in holy light, untouched by worldly desires—but I have a question. What if there's no moon tonight?"
Qing Ni was surprised. "Then of course I… the Divine Maiden would be cultivating and unable to receive guests! We'd meet tomorrow at dusk."
The System got excited, "Because of 'a rendezvous after dusk'?"
"No." Qing Ni smiled faintly, "Because the lighting at dusk isn't so bright. If you find the right angle and strike a pose at the windy spot, with the sunset glow and your sleeves fluttering slightly, you can achieve that feeling of 'standing alone, detached from the world'—aloof and solitary."
System: …Got it, got it!