Suddenly her eyes lit up:
"My brother and Manager Zhao hit it off immediately, and he specifically reminded me to give a book to Manager Zhao. I almost forgot.
Yuer, go to my chambers and get that ancient text, and take it as a gift for Manager Zhao."
The maid Yuer acknowledged the order. The books in the Consort's chambers were mostly tales of romance, except for one ancient text given by the Consort's brother, which was meant for her self-defense.
An ancient text... Dugu Mingyue's heart skipped a beat. The value of an ancient text was measured by its content. For Xiao Wanjun to dare to give it away, it certainly couldn't be a simple text; it was likely a rare and precious edition.
Her beautiful eyes drifted toward Liu Meier, only to see Liu Meier looking calm and sipping pastries. She suddenly remembered the wooden plaque Liu Meier had handed over.
It seemed that wooden plaque wasn't just some key; it was an extremely valuable item in its own right. I've been foolish. No, I cannot be outdone. I must secretly find another treasure to give Zhao Wujiang... Dugu Mingyue smoothed away all ripples in her gaze and let out a slight breath of relief. Good thing she noticed in time.
Judging by Dugu Mingyue's subtle expression just now, and based on my understanding of her, she will likely reward Zhao Wujiang privately. It seems I must add to my own gifts as well and seek out Zhao Wujiang in private later... Liu Meier kept her gorgeous eyes fixed on her teacup while her peripheral vision swept effortlessly over her sisters.
No reaction?
Hmph, did they really think I would send a mere ordinary ancient text?
It seems they have no idea of its true value!
As for Zhao Wujiang, I am determined to win him over!
Xiao Wanjun smiled brightly, the corners of her lips lifting as she lightly bit her moist red lips.
Chapter 39 Flattery
......
Meanwhile, Zhao Wujiang was patrolling the inner palace and inspecting the servants, followed by a large retinue of eunuchs and maids.
Now serving as the Grand Eunuch of the inner palace, Zhao Wujiang held immense power over palace affairs. Combined with his handsome face and his habit of generously scattering tips, more and more eunuchs and maids had taken to guarding him at the center of their group.
"Manager Zhao, my admiration for you is like the endless rolling waters of the Yangtze River, and the flooding Yellow River that cannot be stopped..."
"From the very first moment this humble servant laid eyes on you, I felt a charming aura radiating from your body..."
"Manager Zhao, look here. Today Chun'er specially put on makeup just for you. Do you think it's pretty?"
"This humble servant is willing to follow you through fire and water, loyal until death."
"Lord Manager... just say the word, and this humble one can brave boiling oil..."
"Manager Zhao, midnight tonight, by the small woods..."
"Lin'er wants to bear your children..."
"If the Manager does not disdain me, little Chengluzi wishes to take you as my foster father!"
"Foster dad!"
"Dad!"
"......"
......Zhao Wujiang, handsome as he was, was left speechless. The surrounding flattery grew more and more outrageous, and the crowd only kept growing.
"Listen to me!"
His expression slowly turned majestic. Aside from the duties of his position, he patrolled the inner palace largely because he wanted to use the vast network of eunuchs and maids to build his own web of intelligence and surveillance.
Like a spider spinning a web, he would stretch his threads deep into the inner palace to hunt for the information he desired.
The surrounding maids and eunuchs gradually quieted down, standing respectfully as they waited for Zhao Wujiang to speak.
"I, Zhao Wujiang..."
Zhao Wujiang began slowly, but before he could finish, he was interrupted.
"Manager Zhao!"
A soft, sweet voice came from not far away. Zhao Wujiang and the others looked toward the sound and saw a maid in plain white robes running over. It was none other than Yuer, the personal maid of Imperial Consort Xiao.
Yuer was clutching a delicately crafted nanmu wood box to her chest as she ran closer and closer. Behind her came two beautiful maids and four eunuchs carrying chests, as if chasing after Yuer.
"Sister Yuer..."
"Sister Yuer." The eunuchs and maids offered their greetings one after another. Yuer was Imperial Consort Xiao's personal maid, and her status was much higher than theirs.
Yuer's hair was damp with sweat and her pretty face was flushed. She squeezed through the crowd right up to Zhao Wujiang, breathless as she handed him the box in her hands.
Zhao Wujiang took the nanmu box with a puzzled look, and just as he was about to ask, two more shouts rang out.
"Manager Zhao!"
"Lord Manager!"
He looked back toward the path Yuer had come from. The two pretty maids and the four eunuchs carrying chests had already arrived and reached the front.
"Sister Yan'er, Sister Qinger!" The eunuchs and maids bowed again, making way for them. They couldn't figure out what was going on—why did everyone look so anxious? What had happened?
Qinger and Yan'er scrambled and shoved past each other, elbowing their way to the front of Zhao Wujiang.
Yan'er wore a light pink dress, her delicate eyebrows framing a face that was burning red from running too fast. She held out a wooden plaque:
"A gift from Consort Zhaoyi to you."
Qinger was more familiar with Zhao Wujiang. She directly hooked her arm through Zhao Wujiang's and shoved a token into his hand:
"Her Ladyship gave strict and repeated orders for you to take this. Keep it safe, quickly."
"And... and from my mistress, this is a—a treasure!" Yuer regulated her breathing, finally managing to speak with difficulty.
Zhao Wujiang naturally pulled Qinger's soft, charming waist into his embrace and then reached out to pull Yuer as well. This time, Yuer didn't dodge, allowing him to hold her close.
He used his long sleeve to gently wipe the fine beads of sweat from Qinger's forehead, and tenderly tidied Yuer's disheveled hair.
Damn it, why do I only have two hands... He wanted to reach out and pull Liu Meier's personal maid Yan'er as well, only to find that his arms were already full of soft fragrance and warmth.
He asked genially, "My three sisters, what is the meaning of this? Why are you running in such a rush?"
"As if you don't know! It's to give you your rewards!"
Qinger tightly hugged Zhao Wujiang's arm, pressing her chest against it as she rubbed back and forth.
Yuer's pretty face was flushed pink as she buried herself in Zhao Wujiang's arms, whispering right against his ear with a breath as fragrant as orchids:
"This was personally sent to my young miss by the master himself, and now the young miss is giving it to you."
The master?
The Great General of the South, Xiao Yuanshan!
Zhao Wujiang's pupils constricted slightly. Exactly what was hidden inside this nanmu wood box?
The surrounding eunuchs and maids stared in utter shock, scarcely daring to believe it. Sisters Qinger and Yuer, who usually held much higher status in the inner palace than they did, were actually being held this intimately by Manager Zhao.
And judging by the appearance of the three sisters, they had been sent by three imperial consorts to deliver rewards to Manager Zhao—especially the way they had scrambled and raced here, acting as if arriving late would mean breaking heavenly law.
This... this is what Manager Zhao can do?
The onlookers swallowed hard, the reverence in their eyes growing ever deeper.
Liu Meier's personal maid Yan'er stood in place, her red lips pressed tightly together as she watched the intimacy between Qinger, Yuer, and Zhao Wujiang. She regretted being slow on her feet; otherwise, she wouldn't be the one standing here awkwardly right now... And if her mistress found out she had been "neglected" by Zhao Wujiang, she would surely be blamed.
In an instant, tears welled up in her eyes, making her look pitiful and forlorn.
The four eunuchs were the slowest travelers. Carrying the chests filled with gold, jade, silk, and satin, they reached Zhao Wujiang and dropped the two heavy chests to the ground with a loud *clatter*. They bowed and cupped their fists:
"Greetings, Manager Zhao."
Chapter 40 Weaving the Web
......
"This is also a reward from Her Ladyship."
Qinger gently patted Zhao Wujiang's robe, smoothing it out, and cast a slightly triumphant glance at Yuer opposite her.
"Yan'er... my mistress has one too."
Yan'er was dressed in a light pink palace skirt, tears swirling in her large eyes as she spoke softly.
Yuer gave a light snort, rubbing her delicate nose against Zhao Wujiang's right cheek as she whispered softly:
"None of them can compare to the ancient text from my mistress..."
Zhao Wujiang released his grip on Qinger and Yuer's waists, opened the chests carried by the four eunuchs, and was greeted by a sight that filled everyone's eyes: stacks of gleaming yellow gold, pearls shining with luster, and exquisitely gorgeous silks and satins.
"Wow!"
The eunuchs and maids let out gasps of amazement, their envious eyes shining with greed, but none of them dared to make a reckless move—this belonged to Manager Zhao.
Zhao Wujiang picked up several gold ingots and pressed them into the hands of the four eunuchs, three ingots each.
He gave a faint smile, as warm as a spring breeze:
"Hard work."
"Thud."
The four eunuchs dropped to their knees on the spot, their bodies trembling. They had merely run an errand, yet received a reward they never could have imagined. They bowed deeply to Zhao Wujiang:
"Many thanks, Manager Zhao! Many thanks, Manager Zhao!"
"Get up. Doing things for me, Zhao Wujiang, means these little rewards are nothing worth mentioning."
Zhao Wujiang said calmly. He wasn't just saying it for the four eunuchs; he said it for all the eunuchs and maids present.
The watching maids and eunuchs wished they could swap places with those four eunuchs. Filled with envy and listening to Zhao Wujiang's words, they burned with anticipation for the chance to serve Zhao Wujiang in the future.
"Zhao Wujiang, you must remember, okay?" Qinger shook Zhao Wujiang's arm, giving him a playful wink to remind him not to forget the Empress's side.
Zhao Wujiang pinched her slender waist.
"I'm leaving now. Don't forget, don't forget, you hear?" Qinger scolded playfully.
Zhao Wujiang nodded. Next, Yuer also took her leave, whispering in his ear as she departed:
"When Yuer has time, we'll taste each other..."
Only Yan'er remained rooted to the spot, looking charming and pitiful as she gazed resentfully at Zhao Wujiang.
"Alright, alright, Sister Yan'er, just put the wooden plaque inside." Zhao Wujiang took her hand and guided it into his own robes.
The warmth of Zhao Wujiang's chest made Yan'er's face turn pink. The moment she slipped her hand in, she let go of the wooden plaque, dropped it, and quickly pulled her hand back.
"There will be plenty of opportunities later. We'll gather again. Sister Yan'er should go back and report first."
Zhao Wujiang stroked Yan'er's back with his large hand, sliding it all the way down to rest on her rounded hip, giving it a gentle pat to nudge her away.
Yan'er looked back, biting her red lips as if she had more to say, then turned and ran off.
When the three personal maids had gone far away, Zhao Wujiang closed the chests filled with gold, silver, jade, and silk, sat directly on top of them, swept his deep gaze over the expectant crowd, rubbed his fingers, and smiled:
"As the Grand Eunuch now,
in order to better inspect the affairs of the inner palace,
from now on, whenever any of you see or hear of any strange people or strange matters within the palace, you must report them to me. Once verified, I will definitely reward you!"
"Really, Manager Zhao?"
Someone in the crowd gasped in surprise.
"Of course." Zhao Wujiang smiled faintly:
"Furthermore, it doesn't matter which palace you belong to or who you serve. As long as the information is useful, you can claim your reward from me, and I will not question your identity or the source of your information."
He scanned the crowd, knowing that hidden among them were maids and eunuchs from various factions and powers—and it was precisely these people who held the complex web of information spanning the inner palace.
His last sentence was meant to tell this group: serving your masters and working for me, Zhao Wujiang, does not conflict, and there are rewards to be had!
The crowd stirred, and obviously many of them were tempted.
Zhao Wujiang opened one of the chests, which was filled entirely with gold and silver. He kicked the side of the chest:
"I'll say it again: working for me, Zhao Wujiang, comes with plenty of benefits. Divide up this chest of gold and silver!"
The courtyard fell dead silent, and then the eunuchs and maids suddenly snapped to their senses, swarming forward like a flood.
"Many thanks, Manager Zhao."
"Manager Zhao is mighty!"
"Many thanks, Lord Manager, many thanks, Lord Manager..."
"......"
Zhao Wujiang sat quietly on the remaining chest of gold, silver, and jewels, his eyes as deep as the sea.
Third Great-uncle, don't worry. I will uncover the truth, and not a single one of the people who murdered you will escape!
Chapter 41 The Blue Sky Is Dead, the Yellow Sky Shall Rise
......
Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor's bedchamber.
Xuanyuan Jing sat upright, tapping a secret code on the table.
"Thump, thump..."
A deep blue figure flashed by, and Jia Fifteen knelt respectfully on the ground:
"This old slave pays respects to Your Majesty!"
"Fifteen, from now on, you no longer need to report on Zhao Wujiang's whereabouts."
The Empress's brows carried a majestic air as she rubbed her fingers.
At some point, she had picked up Zhao Wujiang's habit; whenever she was deep in thought, she would unconsciously rub her fingers together.
Of course, not like a fly rubbing its hands.
"This old slave obeys the decree!" Jia Fifteen's voice boomed.
The Empress nodded: "You may withdraw."
"Yes!"
A clear breeze swept through the room, and Jia Fifteen vanished.
The Empress slumped into her chair, her eyes flickering. The reason she stopped the Longyin Guard from watching Zhao Wujiang was to prevent a repeat of yesterday's events, which could lead to misunderstandings with Zhao Wujiang and create a rift between them.
At the mere thought of how Zhao Wujiang had expended his mental energy last night to seal her chest and prevent the invasion of the Loulan Gu-worm, her eyes trembled slightly.
At that time, Zhao Wujiang's face had already turned pale. Just as she frowned with a pang of heartache, as luck would have it, that impatient Dugu Mingyue had barged into the chambers again. In her urgency, she had ended up making Zhao Wujiang suffer further by taking Dugu Mingyue in her place.
Two hours, a mere two hours, and the imperial favor was done.
The Empress knew that Zhao Wujiang must have been exhausted; he had worn himself out expending so much vital energy to seal her chest.
It was I who was wrong...
The moment the Empress recalled how she had suspected Zhao Wujiang without listening to reason and hurt him with her words, guilt welled up inside her, causing her to toss and turn all night.
Now that the order to monitor Zhao Wujiang had been lifted, her mind relaxed, and she let out a slow breath, her expression growing serene.
......
The daylight was bright, casting deep shadows.
It was this same ancient hall that had weathered the ages. Pushing open the heavy doors and stepping inside felt like entering a primeval forest; as far as the eye could see, there was only lush, dense woodland.
If the fruits hanging from those ancient trees hadn't been rotting human corpses hanging upside down, this grand hall would surely have seemed quiet and pleasant.
Two stooped old men carrying bamboo baskets and holding bamboo poles moved through the ancient trees, tapping and probing against the perforated, rotting human corpses, while dense swarms of tiny white worms darted frantically through the flesh.
"Was Number Ten safely delivered into the palace yesterday?"
"Delivered. It was even escorted by its future host."
"Oh? What is his identity?"
"A little eunuch who replaced Chen Chenghua. Seems his name is... called Zhao Wujiang, or something like that."
"Hmph, a mere little eunuch, and he's worthy of being Number Ten's host?"
"Temporarily. He will serve as flesh and blood nourishment for Number Ten's Gu-worm. For a short time, he still has some use."
"Then this little eunuch gets to enjoy the blessings of the heavens."
"Also... the people hidden in the Court of State Ceremonial and the Six Ministries can be told to move when the opportunity arises."
"Once Princess Baiyue dies, the diplomatic relations between the two nations will inevitably collapse. But when she dies, and where she dies, is also of utmost importance."
"Rest assured, they will plan it out."
"......"
"Who's there?"
"Go and check."
The two old men hunched their backs. Dressed in blue and purple patterned robes and leaning on bamboo poles, they walked toward the grand hall's doors.
A figure stepped through the threshold, clad in jade-white robes with a veil hat, an air of scholarly elegance evident in every step.
Shock and joy flashed across the old men's aged eyes as their trembling bodies dropped to their knees:
"Greetings, Master!"
"Rise." The white-robed person helped the old men up:
"The two elders have worked hard these past days."
"To be able to serve Master is our greatest blessing." The old men hunched their backs, their expressions exceptionally respectful.
The white-robed person walked deeper into the dense forest, and the heavy doors slammed shut behind them.
Accumulated fallen leaves were crushed underfoot. Deep in the woods, where sounds faded, a low chant drifted from afar.
"The blue sky is dead, the yellow sky shall rise.
In the year of Jiazi, great peace shall come to the world!"
Chapter 42 Indestructible Vajra Divine Art
Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor's bedchamber.
Zhao Wujiang knocked on the door:
"Your Majesty, Little Zhao requests an audience."
A slightly exhausted yet pleasantly surprised voice came from inside:
"Enter."
Zhao Wujiang pushed the door open, cradling the nanmu box, and casually sat down beside the Empress: "Your Majesty looks terribly exhausted. Is the court situation not going well?"
"Sigh."
Xuanyuan Jing turned her head and began to talk at length about the recent court affairs.
Everything from a group of stubborn old ministers using "death by petition" to force her hand, to omissions and oversights in the Six Ministries, the various large and small incidents across the prefectures and counties, to the plots being brewed by lawless martial artists in the pugilistic world...
She spoke endlessly, while Zhao Wujiang propped his head up and listened quietly. At times he would slam the table to stick up for her and shout "How could they do such a thing?", at times he would nod in agreement, and at times he would frown in worry...
The Empress was venting the hardships of being an emperor, pouring out her grievances.
Ever since she had wrongly accused Zhao Wujiang last time, Xuanyuan Jing trusted him even more deeply in her heart.
Zhao Wujiang listened intently until he noticed his own gaze growing increasingly fiery, his line of sight shifting down to stare at her imperial chest.
Following his gaze, Xuanyuan Jing realized that as she spoke, she had unconsciously hunched forward, while Zhao Wujiang's eyes were fixed right on her imperial grandeur.
Unsure what she was associating it with, Xuanyuan Jing's cheeks flushed red in an instant:
"What are you looking at?"
"The dragon embroidery is quite nice..." Zhao Wujiang gave a dry cough.
"You are not allowed to peek at me!"
The Empress put on a stern face and pushed away his head, which had been creeping closer and closer: "You've been hugging that little wooden box ever since you came in. What's inside?"
"A gift from Imperial Consort Xiao. Seems to be an ancient text; I haven't opened it to look yet."
Zhao Wujiang slowly opened the box, and the Empress leaned her face slightly closer.
Lying inside the box was a brand-new book.
Though calling it brand-new wasn't entirely accurate.
To be precise, the cover was brand-new, but the chaotic and tattered state of the pages inside was clearly visible—evidently, the cover had been rebound by someone.
Zhao Wujiang flipped open the first page. Four large characters were written on it:
【Indestructible Vajra】
Gasp, a martial arts manual?
Zhao Wujiang's eyes flickered as he picked up the book and slowly turned to the second page. The second page depicted the starting stance for cultivation, with numerous annotations scrawled in the blank spaces.
Zhao Wujiang flipped through the pages rapidly, each one flashing into his vision like a storyboard. The techniques and movements illustrated within unfolded before him, and the more he looked, the more alarmed he became.
【The Indestructible Vajra Divine Art was snatched (crossed out) borrowed by yours truly from a hypocrite. This manual is heaven-defying; master it and you'll be immune to blades and spears, capable of taking the dog Emperor's head from amidst a million soldiers. It easily ranks in the top ten martial arts of the world. With a top-tier internal cultivation method to match, where in this world could yours truly not go?】
Zhao Wujiang suddenly spotted this sentence among the many annotations. The only reason he noticed it was because the handwriting was simply too ugly—crooked and scrawled.
Yet the information revealed within it left him profoundly shocked.
This Indestructible Vajra was a top-tier martial art?
Great General of the South Xiao Yuanshan possessed peerless martial arts; what was his intention in handing this manual to Xiao Wanjun?