“I say, are you done yet? This low-magic world makes genuine wind manipulation techniques quite expensive,”
18888 said weakly. This eerie wind had exceeded Ling Xiao’s abilities, so naturally, it was the System lending a helping hand.
The reason was self-evident: regardless of whether it’s a black cat or a white cat, the one that catches mice is a good cat.
Seeing that the Host’s unconventional methods were about to succeed, and all past unpleasantness could be swept away with the wind, 18888 naturally rushed to invest further.
For a Host with potential, he, 18888, had a keen eye.
Ling Xiao replied perfunctorily in her mind,
“Almost done, hold on a little longer. Keep it up.”
System Points were the standard currency of the God-Lord Space to which the System belonged. All Hosts, whether fresh novices or high-level veterans, settled their mission rewards with this stuff.
Though for those who had made it big, its value had diminished.
Ling Xiao currently had nothing to her name; the only two skills she had scrounged up were part of the newbie benefits and would have to be returned once she left this world. Naturally, these System Points were borrowed.
……………………
Prime Minister Wang Yi’s teeth chattered uncontrollably. This eerie wind was absolutely unusual, completely unlike the winds of the wilderness—it seeped thread by thread into the very marrow of one’s bones.
Looking around, many had fainted, though it was unclear whether from fright or as an act.
After all, this was an internal conflict within the royal family. If anyone were to die first, it should be the imperial clan members—what did it have to do with us ministers?
Considering the delicate relationship between ruler and subject at this time, if the Emperor died, I might not necessarily die. Only a fool would give up worldly riches and honor to offend the Ghost-Gods of the underworld!
But His Majesty is a wise and capable ruler!
A flash of determination crossed Wang Yi’s eyes. He suddenly rushed forward, straightened his attire, knelt down, and clasped his hands, addressing Li Yue:
“Your humble servant, serving as the Prime Minister of Great Jin and overseeing all affairs of the realm, was actually unaware of the royal family’s matters and failed to arrange additional sacrifices for the Grand Princess. This is my fault. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!”
In the imperial court, the Emperor’s sisters were called Princesses, and his aunts were Grand Princesses. Wang Yi’s address was correct.
Everyone present understood whom he was taking the blame for and knew that if they got through this ordeal, Prime Minister Wang would surely secure three generations of wealth and honor.
However, the risk was still too great. This ghostly princess seemed to harbor deep resentment…
Not everyone had the courage to gamble on this!
Even Xu Yan, who usually opposed him, felt some admiration at this moment. Muttering “this old fox” under his breath, he then smiled freely and stepped forward as well.
“Your servant, as the Minister of the Secretariat, is also guilty of dereliction of duty. I beg the Emperor to punish me.”
Caught off guard by the two ministers stepping forward, Li Yue felt a warmth in his heart. Before he could say anything, he saw Empress Wen break free from the maids restraining her.
“And your consort!”
Under Ling Xiao’s terrifying gaze, Empress Wen stumbled, nearly falling, but gritted her teeth and approached, kneeling side by side with Li Yue.
Trembling, she spoke, “Your consort, as the matriarch of the Li clan, is in charge of ancestral temple sacrifices. It is…”
At that moment, Ling Xiao suddenly laughed. “Hahahaha, what a deeply moving scene. Nephew, you need not fear. Your aunt did not come here to destroy the Li family’s reign.”
Her light words carried the weight of a thousand pounds. The kneeling individuals all breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had escaped from the jaws of a beast.
Simultaneously, the black strands of hair retracted from all directions, and the hall immediately erupted with suppressed sighs of relief.
The System snickered, “Can’t hold on anymore, can you?”
18888 was no stranger to the world; this move of casting a net was at least an elite-level skill.
No matter how glorious the Host had been in the past, she was now a genuine, rankless newcomer. Being able to pull off these two bursts was already quite impressive.
Ling Xiao chuckled inwardly, thinking to herself, Sooner or later, I’ll make 18888 perform eighteen different positions.
Li Yue showed no embarrassment, rising naturally and even pulling Empress Wen along with him.
“Aunt, you speak too gravely,” he said, his tone shifting slightly to one of familiarity. “Aunt has traveled from afar, and since everyone is gathered here for this banquet, I ask for your forgiveness for not having welcomed you properly. Let this serve as a reception in your honor, shall we?”
With such deference shown, Ling Xiao gracefully accepted.
Thus, the music and dance resumed in the hall, the dancers moving faster, the songs growing softer—a scene of peace and prosperity as if nothing had happened!
Ling Xiao commanded the System to clean up the blood that had flowed down her face.
“To think the great System is being made to do janitorial work! A single cleaning talisman costs only twenty System Points!”
18888 grumbled but carried out the task anyway.
The System’s basic cleaning function naturally existed, but it had never been provided to the Host for free before.
But who could blame Ling Xiao? She was a tyrant—and a promising one at that!
As everyone chatted and conversed, the atmosphere gradually warmed again. Li Yue leaned over, holding a jade wine pot to pour a drink for his “aunt.”
The clear, cool wine filled the small white jade cup perfectly. The Emperor rolled up his sleeves, picked up the cup, and offered it to her.
When he looked up, Ling Xiao had already reverted to her adorable little girl form, not a trace of strangeness showing.
“Aunt, please try this. This cup of Spirit Immortal Wine is brewed from the morning dew of a hundred flowers and various medicinal herbs. It is exceptionally sweet and mellow, yet not intoxicating.”
Ling Xiao drank the wine. The liquid was rich and smooth on her palate, sliding down her throat without a hint of astringency and leaving a lingering sweetness.
The little girl on the high seat seemed quite satisfied with the wine, her cute twin buns swaying slightly as she cupped her chubby cheeks, savoring the aftertaste.
“If Aunt likes this Spirit Immortal Wine, I shall gift you all fifty jars produced this year. How does that sound?”
The Emperor said with a light laugh. Empress Wen chimed in, nodding in agreement, “Aunt possesses the grace of a celestial being. Only by gifting this wine to you would it not be wasted. Let’s store it in Fengyang Palace. The scenery there is splendid, and Aunt can enjoy the view while savoring the wine.”
Fengyang Palace! The most exquisitely beautiful palace in the court, traditionally reserved for the legitimate princess or the most favored princess.
Imperial Concubine Lin, who had a daughter, had long coveted that place. Upon hearing this, her elegant and refined face darkened slightly.
Well, well, they’ve already arranged a place to stay. They’re testing whether I’ll remain here.
Ling Xiao swirled her wine cup, her eyes fixed on the flawless, warm surface of the jade vessel, unwilling to respond.
A long while passed, and the imperial couple’s smiles were beginning to stiffen.
Then, a leisurely voice drifted over.
“In that case, I’ll gladly accept, Auntie. After all, I’ve already kicked all those annoying members of the Underworld Dynasty’s Li clan down the Wheel of Reincarnation. Staying there alone isn’t much fun anyway.”
The Underworld Dynasty! The Wheel of Reincarnation!
The sheer volume of information was so overwhelming that the rulers and ministers were left speechless.
Only now did it dawn on someone that the appearance of the Ghost Princess not only represented terror but also carried another layer of meaning…
Reincarnation truly existed in this world, and there was a destination after death!
Between life and death lay immense terror!
For the people of Huaxia, the existence of the underworld and the netherworld was a matter of belief. They could not bear the thought that consciousness would simply vanish after one lifetime.
Thus, the idea of becoming a ghost after death and entering the underworld was a comforting prospect.
But no one can die and come back to life to tell the living that there truly is a realm after death. This vision remains vague, leaving people uncertain in their hearts.
Ling Xiao’s words confirmed the existence of the underworld. At the banquet, countless elderly ministers trembled with excitement, their hands shaking as they touched their cups and plates.
For the imperial family, this added another layer of joy. If there were dynasties in the underworld, it meant that even after death, they could still be the elite among men.
The officials also began to ponder: with dynasties, there must be civil and military officials to defend them, meaning they too would have a place to serve!
Li Yue was initially delighted, but as he slowly reflected on the matter, he realized that this aunt of his was clearly no small figure in the underworld.
Hadn’t she mentioned kicking several ancestors of the Li family into reincarnation? Setting aside matters of familial affection, this ability alone was not to be underestimated.
As for whether he should seek revenge for his innocent father and ancestors who were forced into the cycle of rebirth…
Li Yue wore a troubled expression. This… it wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but he truly couldn’t do it!
Turning his head, Li Yue replied with a smile, “Since Aunt has graciously agreed to stay, and as I lost both my mother and father at a young age, I have often felt lonely. I would also like to listen to Aunt’s teachings and share in the joys of family.”
The Prince of Chu, an elderly royal clansman…
Prince Huai…
The Grand Princess of Wei…
The State of Xuan…
Li Yue had an exceptionally thick skin and further instructed Wang Yi:
“Aunt has suffered grievances. I hereby confer upon her the title of Grand Princess of Qin, with all ceremonial protocols ranking above my own. I hope Aunt will accept this, allowing me to express my filial devotion.”
Wang Yi, the Prime Minister and head of the hundred officials, showed no intention of opposing. He promptly agreed.
Those around lowered their heads, smiling in response, though the turbulent thoughts in their hearts remained unknown to anyone.
How could one tolerate another sleeping beside their own bed? For the Emperor to easily bestow his authority upon another was an event that should have shaken the court.
Yet, everyone’s minds were in disarray, each with their own thoughts, and no one stepped forward to oppose it.