The Foolish Agent

Chapter 21

She had just locked eyes with Zi Ying, and from his gaze, she knew he was about to attack. That's why she struck first. If he had truly appeared out of nowhere from behind as he did just now, she wouldn't have stood a chance against him.

Qingfeng wondered if Ying had been hypnotized by Wuming. Why would he pass on the lightness skill that even Xuanyuan refused to teach to Wuming in this way?

Xuanyuan thought, "Has Ying gone mad with desire to take on a disciple? Wuming is the last disciple of the Worry-Free Elder. How could he possibly switch to another's sect?"

Seeing their shocked expressions and seemingly sensing their concerns, Zi Ying continued:

"I will only teach you the body movements and footwork; you can continue practicing the internal energy cultivation of your Worry-Free Valley. This will not be considered betraying your sect."

Seeing that Zi Ying didn't seem to be talking nonsense, and recalling his ghostly movements, Leng Jie's heart wavered slightly. She took out a magnet from her person, held it in her palm, stood up, and looked at Zi Ying, asking:

"Why did you teach me qinggong (lightness skill)? And why should I learn from you?"

This statement naturally drew the attention of the three. At the same time, Leng Jie quickly pressed several acupoints on Zi Ying's arm, effectively drawing out the thin needle from his arm.

"Don't you want to learn the world's best lightness skill?" Xuanyuan couldn't help but ask. The other two nodded in agreement, while Leng Jie quietly put away the magnet, asking a question instead of answering.

"Senior brother, may I learn it?"

Is he going to learn this? The three were stunned again, and then they all looked at Qingfeng.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: A Shocking Change

The day before the Emperor was to select his concubines, a shocking upheaval suddenly occurred in the imperial court!

The assassination of the imperial envoy led to a series of shocking cases and corrupt officials. From high-ranking officials in the capital to local magistrates, a total of 150 people were implicated. Collusion between officials and bandits, the assassination of the imperial envoy, the burning of medicinal herbs, and the embezzlement of disaster relief funds that sparked civil unrest… one shocking case after another was exposed.

The ministers, who had initially disregarded the young emperor, were stunned by the overwhelming evidence. They were initially convinced they had acted flawlessly. How had the emperor obtained such evidence? Then it dawned on them: the emperor had sent the imperial envoy to lure them into action, and his agreement to the concubine's marriage was a show of weakness. It was all a trap set by the emperor. In the end, they had no choice but to confess their crimes.

The Emperor was furious. He issued an edict: "All criminals, regardless of their official rank, shall be severely punished according to the law without leniency."

The entire government and the public were shocked.

The people cheered, while the officials were terrified.

The emperor's image as wise and powerful was thus deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people.

The ministers who were lucky enough not to be implicated in the case lived in constant fear and trepidation, and no one dared to underestimate the emperor's might anymore.

Now the emperor can finally rest easy, right?

But the emperor remained frowning, his eyes cold and his face dark, his expression gloomy and deep. He showed none of the excitement he had displayed in the imperial study just two days prior.

With his eyes wide with anger, Qingfeng slammed his hand on the table and cursed angrily:

"Damn it! The old fox of the Shui family is too cunning. They actually sent troops to support the bandit suppression at the last minute. Not only did they completely absolve themselves of their crimes, but they also became heroes in the eyes of the people! If you ask me, Xuanyuan should just let the people of Longmen wipe out the Shui family!"

The emperor's eyes snapped open, two fierce and bloodthirsty glints shooting forth, his sinister expression sending chills down one's spine. His tall, imposing figure radiated an aura of coldness, like a block of ice. A chilling smile, devoid of any genuine emotion, tugged at the corners of his icy lips. His words, as cold as ice, were uttered slowly and deliberately from between his teeth, like the cacophony of hell.

"No, I must make their crimes public and let them be executed amidst the scorn of the people!"

"It was my dereliction of duty. If I hadn't returned two days earlier, this situation might not have occurred."

"The purple figure, equally chilled, lowered its head in despair and blamed itself."

As the saying goes, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly. Leng Jie, who had been observing from the sidelines, was the most rational. Although she had participated in part of the plan, she always considered herself an outsider. Moreover, she clearly knew that anger was utterly useless, regardless of the time, dynasty, or system. As long as human greed persisted, corrupt officials would never be eradicated. Therefore, she didn't think it was a big deal, and there was no need to get angry.

However, there was another thing that concerned her greatly, something she absolutely had to be concerned about: she was incredibly cold. It was already October, and the weather had turned chilly. The chill emanating from the three of them was quickly turning the already somewhat gloomy imperial study into an icebox. Leng Jie shivered several times, breaking out in goosebumps. Unable to bear the cold any longer, she tightened her arms around herself and said, "..."

"You don't need to be so angry!"

Six sharp, icy gazes shot towards her, expressing their displeasure at her relaxed and composed demeanor.

To avoid incurring public wrath and getting herself into trouble, Leng Jie immediately continued:

"Although the Shui family managed to escape this time by taking advantage of a loophole, at least they have lost a lot of their wings! As long as Your Majesty takes the opportunity to fill all the vacancies, they won't be able to cause any trouble for the time being."

By the time they recover, the situation in the court will have stabilized. At that point, I fear he won't act; but the moment they make a move, you can trap them like turtles in a jar and boil them all together.

Upon hearing this, the six ice blades that had been making Leng Jie shiver instantly melted. Although they didn't become as gentle as water, they were no longer sharp. The chill that had gathered within the Imperial Book also dissipated considerably.

Xuanyuan asked anxiously, "Does Wuming already have an idea?"

Qingfeng and Ziying both looked at her expectantly.

Please! What could she possibly be thinking? She's just an intelligence agent, not a politician skilled in intrigue and scheming.

Alright! In order to avoid being swept away by the cold, she would reluctantly use her wisdom, which was specifically used to thwart conspiracies.

"I'll say it again: the factional strife in the court will never end. Even if you eradicate the Shui family today, it won't be long before the Zhang family and the Li family emerge. As for the reasons, I believe you all understand them better than I do. Let's talk about the matter at hand."

First, the Emperor must still reward the Shui family according to their merits. Then, tomorrow's imperial concubine selection must be taken seriously.

The three people's expectations vanished in an instant.

What kind of solution is this? Xuanyuan was both disappointed and furious. He could barely tolerate the Shui family's actions, and now they were telling him to make this a real affair. Xuanyuan glared at Leng Jie and said angrily:

"You said back then that the selection process was just a formality, and that even if the plan failed, you would only select palace maids and not concubines."

Leng Jie answered matter-of-factly:

"But now it's not that the plan has failed, it's that the plan has changed! Since the plan has changed, the original plan must also change accordingly."

This is normal, isn't it? Why can't they accept it? Besides, so many people dream of becoming emperor, isn't it because they value the emperor's privilege of having three thousand beauties all to himself? But isn't Xuanyuan's aversion to taking concubines far too strong? Even if it's because of the trauma of his parents' affair, it shouldn't be to the point of turning pale at the mention of it, right? Originally, she said he had a problem with Qingfeng just to provoke him. But now, she feels that she might have accidentally guessed right.

Yes, he probably harbored deep hatred for the concubines who interfered with his parents' relationship, which led him to develop hostility towards all women except his mother. Then, he met the pure and lovely Qingfeng, and they fell in love. Lingjie thought about it more and more and it seemed to make sense. Then, ambiguous glances lingered between Qingfeng and Xuanyuan's faces.

Qingfeng was startled by the stare and looked at Xuanyuan, puzzled. He wanted to get an answer from him.

Xuanyuan felt a chill run down his spine from the stare. He had seen that look in Wuming's eyes once before. Half a month ago, in this very imperial study, Wuming had asked him why he was against taking concubines. At that time, Wuming had looked at him with the same gaze, and then mentioned him and Qingfeng… Now, he was looking at him with that same eyes again, and specifically at him and Qingfeng. Even a fool could understand the meaning behind it.

Therefore, Xuanyuan felt it necessary to correct the corrupted mind of this young man. He then earnestly admonished him:

“Nameless, put away your absurd, filthy, and corrupt thoughts. Your senior brother and I are like brothers, bound by life and death. As for the matter of taking concubines, it has nothing to do with him. You are not allowed to look at us like that again.”

Is this what they call "hiding three hundred taels of silver here"?

Forced by the emperor's authority, Leng Jie nodded to indicate that she had received the message.

Qingfeng discerned a hidden meaning in Xuanyuan's words. He suddenly remembered that she had mentioned the same topic two days ago in the West Palace. Instantly, he understood the meaning behind her gaze. An uncontrollable rage surged within him, instantly igniting in his mind. "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, then, his face flushed, he angrily shouted at Leng Jie:

"You actually believed that? Didn't I tell you not to believe it? Have you forgotten the second rule of the sect: you must obey your senior brother's words? Tell me, which gossipy lackey told you this? I'll cut his tongue out!"

After watching for a while without understanding what the three of them were doing, Zi Ying finally couldn't help but ask:

"What are you talking about? Wasn't Wuming talking about tomorrow's draft? What are you getting onto?"

Leng Jie dared not answer because of Qingfeng's roar; she didn't want to become mute.

Qingfeng and Xuanyuan couldn't bring themselves to say it. Homosexuality? The thought alone was disgusting. How could they possibly utter it!

Seeing that they all remained silent, Zi Ying continued:

“Your Majesty, I believe Wuming is right. Although the empress is not supposed to interfere in politics, her influence is not to be underestimated. Now everyone knows that the empress is merely a figurehead, and only Consort Shui remains in the palace. Naturally, everyone will assume that Your Majesty favors Consort Shui. In this way, the power of the Shui family is unwittingly increased.”

Therefore, we must take tomorrow's draft seriously.

Sigh! Finally, someone who understands! Leng Jie sighed.

"Do you think I don't understand the reasoning you're talking about? Taking the foolish empress was Father's idea, but it created a situation where the Cold Prime Minister monopolized power. Taking Shui Rong'er was to deal with the Cold Prime Minister. As a result, it also created the Shui family's monopoly. I'm afraid that if I take a few more concubines, I'll create a few more such powerful families. Wouldn't that be a case of gaining more than losing?" Seeing that his imperial power was ineffective against these people, Xuanyuan switched to a gentle approach.

Perhaps to avoid any misunderstanding from Wuming, Qingfeng also joined the lobbying effort.

"Therefore, you should choose your concubines carefully. You should find daughters from families whose power is not far from that of the Shui family, and who do not have much ambition. If one is not enough, you can choose several. Then, as long as you can treat them equally, you will have balanced the various forces."

"Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, if you want to be a good emperor, you must be prepared to sacrifice your own interests for the greater good. You don't even utter a sound when you bleed and are injured, so why should you be afraid of a few women? Besides, the women chosen to enter the palace can't be too bad, right? Of course, compared to your looks, they might be a little inferior."

At most, the person you're dealing with won't turn on the lights.

Leng Jie made a serious but teasing remark, which made Qingfeng and Ziying chuckle.

Xuanyuan suddenly narrowed his eyes, his calculating gaze sweeping across Qingfeng and Wuming's faces before he said with a forced smile:

"I suddenly thought of a way to satisfy both sides, which can both keep the Shui family occupied and prevent them from following the same path as the Leng and Shui families."

The impatient Zi Ying immediately asked, "What method?"

Leng Jie and Qing Feng both felt a gust of cold wind and shivered involuntarily.

With a smile playing on his lips, Xuanyuan deepened his expression and said mysteriously:

"Now is not the time to talk about it. We'll find out tomorrow during the draft."

The three looked at each other, and it took them a while to react.

Zi Ying asked excitedly, "Has the Emperor agreed to the selection of concubines?"

"If I disagree, will you give up?" Xuanyuan said helplessly. "Alright, let's stop here for today! It's almost noon, so you can accompany me for a meal before you leave! If you want to eat something, have Eunuch Fu tell the Imperial Kitchen to make it."

"I want roast pigeon," Leng Jie said without hesitation. She had found that the roast pigeon made by the imperial chefs here was the best. So she always ordered this dish whenever she dined with the emperor.

Qingfeng continued:

"I want four-happiness meatballs."

"I'm easygoing." Zi Ying was never particular about food. The emperors of the Jinghe Dynasty did not dine extravagantly. Unless the emperor specifically requested certain dishes, the Imperial Kitchen would prepare meals according to a nutritional balance of five meat dishes, three vegetable dishes, and one soup. The rank of the palace staff also followed a ration system. The Empress Dowager received the same number of dishes as the emperor, but the specific dishes varied according to individual tastes. The Empress received four meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup, while the concubines received three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and one soup. The palace maids and eunuchs all received one meat dish and two vegetable dishes.

When Leng Jie was in the Eastern Palace, she enjoyed the privilege of one meat dish, two vegetable dishes, and one soup. However, when she dined with the Emperor for the first time, she was truly shocked by the Emperor's table. She had seen the Manchu Han Imperial Feast before; if she were to try every dish, it would be enough to fill her stomach. But an imperial meal of eight dishes and one soup was something she had never even dreamed of. She pointed to the dishes on the table and asked, "Is this all the Emperor eats?"

Xuanyuan assumed that none of the dishes suited her taste, so he let her order. So she ordered a four-happiness meatball and a roast pigeon.

The efficiency of the people in the palace was quite astonishing. From the moment the emperor gave the order to the palace servants setting up the dining table and serving all the dishes, it took less than half an hour in total.

Xuanyuan seemed to have really come up with a good idea, and he ate the meal with great relish.

The eunuch Fu, who was serving him the meal, smiled broadly as he watched his master eat with great relish.

Qingfeng and Ziying also relaxed and enjoyed the food.

Leng Jie, however, couldn't muster any enthusiasm, because she kept thinking about the emperor's forced smile. A woman's intuition told her that the emperor's seemingly perfect solution must be related to her.

"How's Wuming's Shadow Shifting technique coming along?" Xuanyuan noticed Wuming's listless appearance and assumed he was troubled by his training. Shadow could only teach him for three days; after tomorrow, he would be leaving the palace for Longmen again.

"Wuming is truly a martial arts prodigy. In just two days, he has mastered the essence of the Shadow Shift technique."

"With diligent practice, he'll achieve some success in less than three months." Before Wuming could answer, Ziying took over the conversation excitedly.

Anyone could see that he was excited because the Shadow Shifting Technique had a successor.

Not to be outdone, Qingfeng proudly declared, "Of course! How could anyone from our Worry-Free Valley be a commoner!"

Leng Jie responded to their praise with a faint smile, still thinking about what might happen tomorrow...

Leng Jie carried her anxiety with her to the morning court the following day.