Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Fu Yaoqin stepped forward and silently poured Xie Xiaoyi a glass of water: "Xiaoyi, drink some hawthorn candied fruit tea, your lips are all chapped!"

"Thank you, Sister Yaoqin!" Xie Xiaoyi took the cup of tea and drank it all in one gulp.

Xie Lingyun and Fu Yaoqin were worried about Xie Xiaoyi, so they didn't examine him closely.

They only knew one was the person he longed for day and night, and the other was the person for whom he was willing to venture alone into the imperial city.

The two beauties glanced at each other casually, and finally understood each other perfectly.

Fu Yaoqin gazed at the stunningly beautiful woman before her and sighed softly to herself:

"She truly lives up to her reputation as the most beautiful woman in the world; her charm and beauty are unmatched. No wonder Xiao Yi has always been so attached to her."

Xie Lingyun secretly praised her in his heart: "The woman in front of me is gentle and dignified, with a scholarly air about her. She is quiet, elegant, and reassuring."

No wonder Xiao Yi was willing to risk his life for her.

Xie Xiaoyi pursed her chapped lips and pressed Xie Lingyun for an answer: "Auntie, what about Wang Zijian? How is he?"

Xie Lingyun gently extended her jade-like finger to check his pulse, and only spoke after confirming it was stable:

"Prince Jian was already consumed by rage. He completely ignored the rebuke from the gods in public and even tried to forcefully attack you."

But he ultimately defied the laws of Heaven. A divine punishment from the Thunder God struck his immortal bones, banishing him to the status of a banished immortal, causing him to plummet from the clouds.

Xie Xiaoyi was startled and struggled to get up, but he was too weak to move.

Murong Wei understood, and with a slight forward thrust of her chest, she carefully supported him and slowly helped him sit up straight.

"Auntie, are you saying that Prince Jian was banished to the mortal realm...?"

Xie Lingyun hummed in agreement and continued, "As he fell, he left behind a harsh statement."

Eighty-one days! Once the immortal's primordial spirit is stabilized, all grudges will be settled, and it is said that..."

"What else is there to say?"

"He also said that eighty-one days later, he would invite you to a decisive battle at the summit of Zijin..."

"The decisive battle at the summit of Purple Gold... why does it take eighty-one days?"

Xie Lingyun shook his head: "I have no idea about that either."

"Because he needs these eighty-one days!" Steady footsteps came from outside the wooden house, and Xie Daoyun walked in slowly.

Xie Xiaoyi's many female confidantes all consciously made way for him.

Fu Yaoqin quickly brought him a wooden chair to sit down, and Xie Daoyun didn't stand on ceremony. After sitting down, his gaze fell on Xie Xiaoyi's face:

"How are you feeling?"

So he was on the island too?

Xie Xiaoyi, forcing himself to stand, clasped his hands in a salute:

"Thank you for your help earlier, senior. However, I am completely confused about everything that happened after I fell unconscious."

"You've been unconscious for two days and two nights. The reason you've recovered so quickly is entirely due to the nourishment of the tortoise spirit power within you. However, in these two days and two nights, the world has changed drastically!"

What's wrong with the world?

"Wang Jiling was forced to issue an edict of self-reproach and abdicate in favor of a more worthy successor. The future emperor of the Great Sheng Dynasty will be Wang Yan."

Wang Yan?

Xie Xiaoyi pondered to himself—

He went to the capital to rescue Fu Yaoqin, but was then surrounded and restrained by the enemy's large formation and the armies from the north and south.

Later, the eldest prince Wang Yan and Situ Rui led their troops to attack...

But why was Situ Rui with Wang Yan? And why did he appear when I was alone invading the imperial city?

Xie Xiaoyi was fine when he didn't think about it, but the more he thought about it, the more suspicious he felt there were.

"Senior, how did Wang Yan end up with your apprentice Situ Rui?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Daoyun glanced at Fu Yaoqin, Xie Lingyun, Murong Wei, and the others inside the room, and then said:

"This matter involves too many details, and it's not convenient to discuss it in front of everyone! Please leave for a moment."

Xie Lingyun and the others exchanged glances but didn't ask any further questions.

Murong Wei helped Hua Suwen, and Yun Qianxun helped Yun Jianxue; the group walked out of the wooden house one by one.

Only two people remained in the room. Xie Daoyun sat on a wooden chair, looking at Xie Xiaoyi on the couch, and without beating around the bush, directly told him the inside story.

"In my early years, I was Wang Jiling's teacher."

He spoke calmly, slowly recounting the past: "Back then, when the ten princes were vying for the throne, the court was in chaos, and Wang Jiling was the least favored among them."

"Other princes either command large armies or have powerful connections, but he, whose mother was of humble origin, has no real power and is not even worth a glance from the court."

"I chose him not because I was betting he could become king, but because I genuinely believed in his upright character."

"At that time, I observed his words and actions. He was humble and kind to people, kept the suffering of the people in mind, and handled trivial matters with a degree of fairness. What was even more commendable was that he was willing to listen to advice and was not stubborn."

"I think that with such a mindset, even if one starts from a low point, given time and support, one can eventually cultivate a clear and just government, allowing the people of Dasheng to live a few days of peace and stability."

"So I used all my knowledge to help him plan and strategize."

They helped him build his foundation bit by bit, carving a path through the ranks of the ten kings and placing him on the throne.

Xie Xiaoyi secretly pursed his lips—

Helping someone seize the throne?

He's quite like Wu Sidao from the pre-Yongzheng Dynasty...

Or perhaps... Mei Changsu from Nirvana in Fire?

Xie Daoyun continued, "But despite all my calculations, I failed to understand people's hearts. After he ascended the throne, his personality completely changed."

He levied exorbitant taxes and levies, increasing them at every level, causing people to be displaced and homeless, while he only cared about large-scale construction projects and indulging in pleasure.

My eyes can calculate the predetermined course of fate and predict the destiny of the world, yet they cannot fathom the human heart hidden deep within its bones.

At this point, Xie Daoyun sighed deeply, his eyes filled with melancholy.

Seeing this, Xie Xiaoyi quickly advised, "Senior is acting for the sake of the world; why belittle yourself?"

Xie Daoyun shook his head slightly and continued:

"His eldest son, Wang Yan, has a completely different personality from him. He is upright and fair in his dealings, which is why I secretly supported him."

Xie Xiaoyi remained silent for a moment, then, sensing something was amiss, immediately asked, "Senior, what about me?"

What role do I play in this whole affair? What am I in this grand scheme you've laid out?

The question was direct, and there was no evasion in his eyes, only a probing look.

Xie Daoyun was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly, finally no longer hiding anything:

"It seems you've finally seen through the scheme. All of this was orchestrated by me."

He spoke slowly, revealing a secret that had been buried for many years, word by word:

"To tell you the truth, in your past life, you were Mei Xingyao, a sword genius."

"Back then, you alone with your sword, single-handedly withstood over ten thousand armored soldiers, and forcefully beheaded three great vassal kings. Your spirit and sharpness were truly remarkable."

I've seen it all, and I'm convinced you're the one who can sever the fate of this corrupt dynasty.

"After you died and your cultivation dissipated, I used the Ancestral Dragon Essence, which I obtained through the greatest opportunity of my life, to help you reincarnate against the heavens, which is how Xie Xiaoyi came to be today."

"As for what happened afterward, your drawing of the Zhenguo Sword was something I secretly guided, in order to gradually weaken Wang Jiling's fortune."

"The ancestral dragon's true energy that you possess has caused the Imperial Observatory to be unstable in its star orbits and to be wary of it at every turn. This is all my doing."

"All the ups and downs you've experienced along the way have been part of my plan, to varying degrees."