Daoqi Huangcheng

Chapter 63, Section 62: All Marriages Have a Price Tag (3.2K words - Please Subscribe)
Song Chen didn't really understand why he had to go to the imperial palace to find a wife for his marriage.

He followed his master forward for a while, and at a corner, his master made a quick finger gesture and cast a spell. Song Chen immediately felt a strange spiritual energy supernatural power surrounding him.

Palace maids approached from a distance. They walked past them without stopping to pay their respects, their gazes seemingly passing right through them. When no one was around, they whispered among themselves, discussing things like, "Which concubine's palace did His Majesty visit yesterday? What has that concubine been doing lately?"

Then they encountered another eunuch, who was leaning close at a corner. One of them was stuffing silver notes into the other's sleeve, saying something like, "Tomorrow I will also be transferred to the Imperial Kitchen. Please give my godfather some pointers."

After passing through several more gates, each stood guard, tall and imposing, with solemn expressions. These guards exuded an air of heroism, clearly not incompetent fools. They stood ramrod straight, their eyes fixed straight ahead, even when no one was around. Their eyes shone with a pride—the pride of being under the rule of the Holy Emperor.

Song Chen understood.

The master must have cast a spell similar to "invisibility," so that even if he walked past a mortal, the mortal would not be able to detect him.

The two walked around the emperor's study, but there was no one inside.

Beyond the study, further north lies the imperial harem.

Song Chen's eyes were opened to a whole new world.

The imperial harem boasted three thousand beauties, truly living up to its name. Each one was an absolute stunner, some alluring and charming, others like lotuses emerging from the water, some innocent and carefree, and others virtuous and dignified.
He watched curiously.

Suddenly, he saw a woman eating sunflower seeds by a pond under the bright moonlight.

The woman was extremely beautiful. Although the Pei sisters were attractive, they were clearly inferior to her in both appearance and temperament.

This woman was so beautiful that every man felt he would be willing to die for her, truly a case of "holding hands in the morning, dying in the evening, my life would be without regret."

She was exquisitely beautiful; even the tips of her hair looked like the work of a top-notch painter, a masterpiece created with a stroke of genius on the verge of death.

Song Chen's reason was desperately trying to control himself, but his body was completely out of control, staring at the woman's face.

He stared at the woman's face, not even noticing what she was wearing, nor was he able to.

Just then, the woman looked at him.

Her eyes flickered with a captivating smile.

She immediately looked away.

Song Chen quickly lowered his head, no longer looking at the woman; he was already covered in a cold sweat.

He looked down and saw the golden phoenix embroidered on the woman's robe.

Only the Empress and the Empress Dowager were permitted to wear phoenix embroidery in the imperial harem.

So we've already circled around to the central palace?

Regardless of whether this woman is an empress or an empress dowager, she is a powerful cultivator.

The master suddenly stopped and looked at the woman, then turned to Song Chen and introduced her: "This is your aunt, Fairy Yuan Tao. She is the current empress, and her public name is Empress Xiao Tao. Of course, she is also the empress dowager, the grand empress dowager. She has been in power for three generations and is the only one in this harem who can wear a phoenix robe."

Song Chen dared not look at the woman, and bowed his head respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Martial Aunt Yuan Tao."

Fairy Yuantao looked him over with interest and said, "Nine Spirits, it's been a long time since you brought anyone to the palace. Who is your background?"

Song Chen then learned that his master's name was "Jiulingzi".

Jiu Lingzi said, "This person is considered a junior in my Five Elements Sect. He has great fortune and has received the inheritance of the Yellow Springs Scripture."

Yuan Tao Fairy's eyes lit up, and even when Song Chen caught a glimpse of her eyes out of the corner of his eye, his heart pounded wildly. He had a thought that he would "go through fire and water, even die ten thousand times" for this woman.

He lowered his head even further.

He naturally couldn't see the gaze of Fairy Yuantao.

That's the kind of look you get when you're eyeing a good tool.

Immediately, the two people beside him fell silent.

Song Chen was taken aback, realizing that the two might be communicating through "spiritual connection" or something similar.

The air was eerily quiet.

The two of them seemed to freeze in place.

Before long, the two resumed their movements.

Jiu Lingzi said calmly, "Let's continue."

Song Chen didn't ask any more questions.

But after he took two steps, he heard Fairy Yuan Tao's charming laughter behind him: "Little Song, do you want to come with me? I won't treat you badly."

Jiu Lingzi abruptly stopped, his aura spreading out to block the seductive charm in the laughter, and then said coldly, "You old hag who eats people without spitting out the bones, are you trying to rob me?"

Fairy Yuantao smiled and said, "I just like Xiao Song. Xiao Song, do you like me? If you do, I might be willing to do it."

This time, the allure pressed down as if it were a tangible force.

Song Chen felt that the surrounding world was rapidly disappearing and fading, and the blurry surroundings made Yuan Tao Fairy even clearer and more beautiful.

He felt that even if he closed his eyes and plugged his ears, as long as he had even the slightest sense of awareness, he would succumb to this woman.

Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled down.

Jiu Lingzi pulled him behind her, then glared coldly at Yuan Tao Fairy opposite her.

The sense of despair in Song Chen's heart immediately lessened.

Love comes and goes quickly.

But he was so perceptive that he roughly understood the situation while Jiu Lingzi and Yuan Tao Fairy were arguing.

It seems that Jiu Lingzi intended to trade him as an object after Jin Tao Mountain, but Yuan Tao Fairy failed to offer a suitable price, and the negotiations broke down.

Although Fairy Yuantao failed to offer a price, she resorted to shameless tactics and attempted to forcibly seize the item. Fortunately, Jiulingzi discovered this and stopped her.

Then, Song Chen thought: Didn't Master Jiu Lingzi say that he would soon replace the emperor? How will he get along with Fairy Yuan Tao then?

foggy
He gave up guessing.

He felt that although he was at the ninth level of Qi Gathering, in the eyes of these higher-level cultivators, he was still just an item that could be traded at will.

He was like a small boat tossed about at sea, drifting aimlessly, not knowing where he was going. Fairy Yuantao did not stop him any further.

Jiu Lingzi took Song Chen away.

After a while.
Song Chen felt that he had arrived at the East Palace of the inner palace.

Jiu Lingzi led him quickly to the edge of the East Palace, until they stopped in front of a palace so deserted that there wasn't a single eunuch, maid, or guard.

The plaque above the palace reads "Jingyang Palace".

creak
Suddenly, the palace gates opened by themselves, the sound of which was extremely jarring.

The interior was dark and cold, with no candles lit, and a faint musty smell wafted from somewhere.

Jiu Lingzi strode in, followed by Song Chen.

White gauze curtains fluttered wildly everywhere, and the faint clanging of chisels could be heard in the palace courtyard.

Before long, Song Chenjiu saw a woman with a haggard face, disheveled hair, and no makeup at all.

In such places, one side is filled with concubines who have been banished to the cold palace.

The concubine was sitting among the drying white gauze, on a small stone stool under the moonlight, holding a hammer and shovel, making something.

Song Chen glanced at it.

It looks like a sculpture.

It's a puppet! A wooden puppet!

The woman suddenly raised her eyes, glanced at the two of them, and hissed, "Nine Spirits, what are you doing bringing a junior here?"

Jiu Lingzi turned to look at Song Chen and introduced, "This is your martial aunt, from the Turtle Platform. She is now Consort Gong, who has been banished to the Cold Palace."

Song Chen respectfully said, "Junior Song Chen greets Uncle Guitai."

He already understands.

Empresses and empress dowagers, concubines in the cold palace—it's all fake, all superficial. This palace is actually a "dragon energy cultivation base" set up by the Five Elements Sect using the rules of heaven and earth. These cultivators are probably either queuing up here or directly consuming bits of dragon energy.

The person on the tortoise platform ignored him and instead looked at Jiu Lingzi.

The air became quiet again.

The two started talking again behind Song Chen's back.

For a long time, and for a very long time.
This time, Jiu Lingzi breathed a sigh of relief. His calm demeanor was now tinged with a sense of ease and a smile, as if a salesman had finally sold a valuable item.

His expression towards Song Chen also showed a hint of pleasure.

"Alright, we've finally found someone you can marry."

Song Chen:
Good grief, so you're stuck in this trap no matter what, right? It's either this one or that one. He might as well have chosen Uncle Yuan Tao from before; at worst, he could just consider this life wasted, since there should be two more.

The man on the tortoise platform stared at him and hissed in a sinister tone, "Little Song, don't overthink it. It's not about me, it's about my daughter, it's about Princess Feng Qing'er."

Jiu Lingzi said, "Little Song, this daughter was exchanged from another concubine by your Uncle Guitai. Of course, no one knows, not even Feng Qing'er or that concubine. So, you don't need to worry about anything."

The man on the tortoise platform hissed, "Little Song, Feng Qing'er is destined to become an empress, and she is also destined to bear the fruit of dragon energy. This fruit is mine."

Go and assist her, keep an eye on her, and keep out those who try to help her discover the truth. Then, lend me a hand when the time comes.

I will naturally grant your wish, protect you, and support you. In this process, I will support you as much as possible and help you overcome the tribulations of the Three Calamities of Foundation Establishment.

Song Chen understood.

He had to help Jiu Lingzi with his work first.

Then I'll help the people on the turtle platform with their work.

His marriage partner, Princess Feng Qing'er, was the designated next emperor.

As for Jiu Lingzi, he definitely took the "clothes" and left after a while.

Princess Feng Qing'er will follow the same path as the current emperor, and ultimately be worn by the people on the Turtle Platform.

Suddenly, he thought of the folk tales about the "sacred teacher" patiently guiding and teaching the "sacred emperor," which became a popular story. For a moment, he felt a strange sense of darkness and disgust.

But he had no choice.

He said respectfully, "Uncle-Master, this disciple will certainly fulfill the mission!"

The man on the tortoise platform nodded, then suddenly raised his hand and tossed out a string of prayer beads.

Song Chen hurriedly took it.

The beads of this rosary look like they are made of ordinary sandalwood, but they are extremely heavy and contain some terrifying power.

The man on the tortoise platform hissed, "This treasure is called the Mountain-Covering Pearl. There are twelve in total. These are the treasures I used before. Wear them. If you encounter any danger to your life, these items can protect you."

Song Chen put it on his left wrist.

In an instant, he felt the rosary beads wrap tightly around him.

He tried to remove it, but found that he couldn't.

He wasn't surprised.

Every instance of "closeness" comes with a price tag.

Jiulingzi explained the meaning of "retribution" to him, while the person on the tortoise platform gave him the Mountain-Covering Pearl.
It can be said that out with the old, in with the new.

"Thank you, uncle."

The man on the tortoise platform waved his hand and said, "Alright, there's still some time before we reach Golden Peach Mountain. You should go see Feng Qing'er first. She almost committed treason to save me, and she's currently under house arrest in Ningxin Pavilion, reflecting on her actions."

Ningxin Pavilion is the largest library in the Dayong Imperial Palace.

P.S.: Updates are daily at 5 PM, thank you!

(End of this chapter)