A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

The supervisor lowered his head and looked at the chessboard.

Then, he paused for a moment.

That piece landed in an extremely tricky position. It seemed insignificant, but it precisely cut off one of his large black stones, turning the previously stalemate around in one fell swoop.

The white piece is alive.

Blackie, on the contrary, found himself in a passive position.

The supervisor looked at the chessboard, remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly raised his head to look at Zhu Cheng, his face showing an expression of both surprise and relief:

"Your Highness, your move..."

"Luckily, I've figured some things out just now."

As Zhu Cheng spoke, he stood up and straightened his robes.

At the palace gate, the young eunuch who had been waiting saw him get up and quickly pushed open the gate.

The afternoon sun streamed in through the open palace doors, spreading a golden carpet of light across the golden bricks inside.

Zhu Cheng strode toward the palace gate, sunlight falling on him and casting a long shadow behind him.

He walked to the door and paused for a moment.

He didn't turn around, but merely tilted his head slightly, and spoke in a complex tone:

"And what about you, Supervisor?"

"As the most unique among the supernatural beings, why are you helping the Zhu family so much? Is it also for some so-called sense of responsibility?"

Zhu Cheng's voice echoed in the empty hall.

"When this pseudo-secret realm transforms into the true Ming Dynasty secret realm, the true people of the Ming Dynasty will be revived, and you strange beings will all disappear."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly: "Do you know what this means?"

The supervisor was silent for a few seconds, then he smiled.

It wasn't the kind of relieved, liberated smile, but a more complex and profound one.

"Does Your Highness know what 'I' mean?"

He spoke, his voice not loud, yet it carried a power that transcended time.

Zhu Cheng turned around and looked at him.

The supervisor sat by the window, half of his body bathed in the afternoon sun, the other half hidden in the shadows, like an ancient painting with a strong contrast of light and shadow.

"It is not skin and flesh, not bones and body, not this false body formed by a strange power."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word carrying weight: "It's not just about what I've experienced from childhood to adulthood—all my perceptions, emotions, choices, loves, hates, and experiences—that's all connected together."

He extended a withered finger and pointed to his temple: "It's what's inside that defines 'me.' The body is merely a container for consciousness; it doesn't define identity."

He lowered his hand and looked calmly at Zhu Cheng:

"Though I am a supernatural being, I am a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. I was born and raised in the Ming Dynasty, I have enjoyed the Ming Dynasty's bounty and grace. Even if this life is merely a replica created by supernatural forces, I am willing to use this false body to contribute my last bit of strength to the continuation of the Ming Dynasty."

He smiled, a smile that carried a detached acceptance of life and death.

"Your Highness need not feel sorry for this old minister. I have already gained something by living this life again."

Zhu Cheng stood at the doorway, sunlight streaming in from behind him, casting a long shadow in front of him.

He looked at the supervisor and remained silent for a long time.

Then, he turned around, his back to the chief eunuch, and slowly spoke in a solemn, formal, and royally dignified tone:

"On behalf of the Great Ming Dynasty, I thank the Supervisor."

He didn't turn around. After saying those words, he strode out of the palace gate.

The afternoon sun shone on him, making his python robe gleam with a golden light, as if it had been gilded with a golden glow.

He walked along the passageway with steady steps and his back ramrod straight.

Behind them, the palace doors slowly closed with a soft creak.

Inside the hall, the supervisor sat alone by the window, looking at the chess game on the board, the outcome of which had already been decided, and remained silent for a long time.

Then, he reached out and picked up the white piece that had landed in a crucial position, placed it in his palm, and examined it carefully.

He smiled, put the white piece back in the chess box, then stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

The afternoon sun streamed in, shining on his wrinkled face.

He raised his head and looked at the golden dragon of fortune traveling through the clouds in the distance, his eyes filled with a complex emotion.

"Soon..."

He murmured to himself, his voice as soft as a breeze.

From the direction of Yongning Palace in the distance, a silvery laugh rang out.

That was Qiqi's laughter.

He closed the window, turned around, walked back to the chessboard, and sat down.

He reached out and rearranged the chessboard, the pieces clearly distinguished as black and white.

Then, he picked up a black piece and placed it on the chessboard with a soft "click".

"Let's play one more round."

"Anyway... there's still plenty of time."

Back at Yongning Palace, that little girl Qiqi is clearly having a great time and has forgotten all about home.

As evening fell, the Yongning Palace was lit up, and warm yellow light streamed through the carved windows, spreading a soft halo over the courtyard.

The palace maids quietly lit the lamps in every corner, enveloping the entire palace in a warm atmosphere.

It looks just like a scene from an ancient costume drama, all that's missing is some background music.

Qiqi sat on the daybed, holding a bowl of almond milk in her hands, sipping it slowly, her cheeks bulging out like a little hamster.

She finished the last sip, handed the bowl to the maid beside her, then looked up at Ji Zuodao with her large, watery eyes, her voice carrying a hint of cautious expectation:

"Brother...can Qiqi stay here tonight?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Zuodao raised an eyebrow but did not reply immediately.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Qiqi added, "Just one night! I'll go back first thing tomorrow morning! Brother, okay?"

As she spoke, she slid off the daybed and ran to Ji Zuodao, tilting her head up, clasping her hands together in a pleading manner.

That expression, that posture, it was just like a kitten begging its owner for some dried fish, making it impossible to refuse.

Ji Zuodao looked down at her, remained silent for two seconds, and then spoke:

"Okay, then I'll stay for one night."

Qiqi's eyes lit up instantly, like two stars that had been lit up:

"Really?"

"real."

"yeah!"

Qiqi cheered.

Ji Zuodao looked at her excited expression and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He turned his head and looked at Zhu Cheng, who was standing in the courtyard.

Zhu Cheng stood under the osmanthus tree, his hands behind his back, smiling as he looked at him.

Zhu Cheng had already prepared a set of words in his mind at this time—

First, they offered a few insincere words of comfort, saying things like, "Kids will be kids, they'll always be playful sometimes."

Then, in a sarcastic tone, she added, "If Mr. Ji is worried, he can stay and live with us. There are plenty of guest rooms in Yongning Palace anyway."

Finally, before Ji Zuodao could get angry, they slipped away and made a quick getaway.

He had practiced this process countless times; he was so familiar with it that it was as easy as eating and drinking, and he could do it with his eyes closed.

Unexpectedly, Ji Zuodao didn't get angry at all.

He merely glanced at Zhu Cheng before speaking:

"Well, I'll stay here tonight. Have someone prepare a room for me, a bigger one, with a firmer bed and higher pillows."

"By the way, make me a whole roast duck for dinner, the kind with crispy skin and tender meat. Slice it up and serve it to me. The dipping sauce should be sweet bean sauce, not some plum sauce. That stuff isn't authentic."

Zhu Cheng stood under the osmanthus tree, his smile gradually freezing.

He looked at Ji Zuodao's self-righteous and imperious manner, opened his mouth as if to say something, but swallowed the words back down.

He was silent for a few seconds, then turned around and waved to the eunuch behind him:

"Go and prepare a room for Mr. Ji. Also, tell the imperial kitchen to add a roast duck tonight."

Zhu Cheng stood under the osmanthus tree, watching Ji Zuodao swagger into the main hall of Yongning Palace, plop down in the main seat, cross his legs, and begin directing the palace maids to pour him tea, serve him snacks, and wipe his hands with a wet towel.

His demeanor and bearing made him seem more like a prince than the legitimate heir apparent.

Zhu Cheng looked at it for a long time before finally understanding it.

Damn it, that bastard Ji Zuodao is so happy he's forgotten all about home.