Tang Dynasty: Starting with Dimo, he was targeted by Li Shimin.

Chapter 20 More valuable than gold

Little Spirit stood in the very center of the backyard.

Walk upright with your hands behind your back and your head slightly raised.

Those deep eyes slowly and deliberately swept over everyone present.

Finally, the gaze stopped on Fang Xuanling, and the nod was given slightly.

This scene silenced the entire audience for at least five seconds.

Cheng Yaojin was the first to break the silence—

"This...this is like a human! It even nods?!"

He crouched down to get a closer look, and Little Spirit took a step back, its light gray fur standing on end slightly, its eyes staring at him warily.

"Don't get so close," Lin Luo reminded him. "I told you it's social anxiety."

"What?"

"It's just... I'm shy. I don't like strangers getting too close."

Cheng Yaojin snorted and nonchalantly reached out to touch it—

A faint purple light suddenly flashed in Xiao Lingmian's eyes.

Cheng Yaojin's hand froze in mid-air.

It wasn't that he was blocked by some force—but rather that he suddenly shivered, goosebumps rose all over his body, and a strange sense of palpitation shot from his back to the top of his head.

He instinctively withdrew his hand.

"Holy... holy crap..."

Cheng Yaojin's face paled for a moment—he was all too familiar with that feeling.

On the battlefield, in the most dangerous moment, that instinctive alertness when death brushes past you—

That moment just now felt exactly the same.

"What...what did this little thing do?!"

"It didn't do anything," Lin Luo said calmly, picking up his teacup.

"You're too close; it doesn't like that, so it released a tiny bit of its ghostly power."

"Just a little bit??" Cheng Yaojin rubbed his arm, which was still covered in goosebumps. "I almost thought I was going to war!"

"That's right." Lin Luo glanced at him.

"The aura of a ghost-attribute spirit inherently affects the mental level. The more battle-hardened and sensitive you are to danger, the stronger the sensation will be."

"In other words—you're scared not because you're cowardly, but precisely because you're too strong."

Cheng Yaojin: "…………"

He didn't know whether to be praised or scolded.

Yuchi Gong suppressed a laugh, but he himself was actually trembling slightly—he had felt it just now.

And Li Shimin—

Li Shimin's expression remained calm, but Lin Luo noticed that his fingers tightened slightly as he held the teacup.

Clearly, he sensed it too.

But he didn't show it.

After all, he is the emperor.

One must not lose composure in front of one's subjects because of a spirit.

╮(´∀`)╭ You're putting on a good act.

After Xiao Lingmian lowered her aura, she returned to her quiet demeanor with her hands behind her back.

It didn't run around like Duck Gigi, nor did it tremble with fear like Abu, nor did it jump directly onto someone's lap to sleep like Meow Meow.

It just stood there.

observe.

Since it came out, its gaze has swept over everyone present at least three times.

Moreover, the position of the pause is different each time.

The first time I looked at it, I saw the people.

The second time I watched it, I saw the spirits on the human body.

The third time—

The third time, it looks at the relationships between people.

Lin Luo noticed this.

Because Little Spirit did something very subtle during its third scan—

It first looked at Li Shimin.

Then I looked at Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong.

Then it tilted its head slightly, as if it were thinking about something.

then--

It walked over to Lin Luo and gently tugged at his trouser leg with one of its little paws.

Lin Luo looked down at it.

Little Spirit used its other paw to point at Li Shimin.

Then he pointed to Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong.

finally--

It did something that no one could understand.

It used its two little paws to make an "up and down" gesture in front of its chest—

One hand is on top, and the other hand is on the bottom.

Then he pointed to Li Shimin—the hand on top.

Then he pointed to Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong—the hand below.

"…………"

Lin Luo was stunned for a moment.

Then he understood.

This elf—

It is telling Lin Luo that the person (Li Shimin) is above the two people (Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong).

It took less than fifteen minutes.

By simply observing everyone's eyes, posture, order of speech, and interaction patterns,

They were able to determine the social hierarchy among the five people present.

And it has only been in this world for a few minutes.

Looking into Xiao Lingmian's quiet eyes, Lin Luo had only one thought in his mind—

This thing's intelligence is probably higher than all the other elves combined.

He turned to look at Fang Xuanling, his expression becoming serious.

"Lord Fang."

"Huh?" Fang Xuanling looked at Xiaolingmian's actions just now with a shocked expression.

"As I said before, this elf relies on intelligence."

"But now I feel I spoke too softly."

"It's not just intelligent—it can understand relationships between people."

"It can deduce who is in charge, who is subservient, who is nervous, and who is hiding something by observing everyone's subtle movements and reactions."

The entire room fell silent.

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head: "So what...so what? I don't understand what it's gesturing about."

"That's the key point." Lin Luo looked at him.

"You don't understand because you don't need that ability. You're a military general; you fight with an axe."

"But Mr. Fang is different."

Lin Luo looked at Fang Xuanling.

"Lord Fang is the prime minister. Every day he has to deal with all sorts of people in the court—the powerful families of the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, officials from various factions, people with ulterior motives, and people without ulterior motives."

"If you had a spirit by your side that could help you see through everyone's true attitude and hidden intentions—"

"In the imperial court, that's equivalent to—"

"I now have a pair of eyes that I can't fool anyone."

The moment those words fell—

Fang Xuanling's expression changed.

It wasn't shocking.

It's a deep-seated excitement that comes from the very core of a politician.

Having navigated the treacherous waters of court politics for so many years, the hardest part has never been coming up with ideas—

The hardest thing is not being able to see people's true intentions.

The envoys from the aristocratic families arrived all smiles, but what were they really up to?

When a local official submits a memorial praising someone, is it genuine or just flattery?

When a military general says, "Your subject is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse," does he mean he will serve you or is he just observing the situation?

These issues—

If only a fairy could help him see through the answer—

Wouldn't that be—

"...It's extremely valuable," Fang Xuanling said in a low voice.

"Huh?" Cheng Yaojin didn't hear clearly.

"I said—" Fang Xuanling raised his head, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Xiaoling changed.

"This spirit is priceless."

(°ω°)!!

Li Shimin, who was standing next to him, also understood completely.

He wasn't particularly interested in this seemingly unremarkable little sprite at first—

But as soon as Lin Luo said those words, he instantly realized the true value of the Little Spirit Mask.

A spirit that can read minds—

Place it in the imperial court—

This was placed during meetings with envoys and representatives of prominent families.

That's practically a living, walking lie detector.

"Xuanling," Li Shimin smiled, "this little sprite is quite a good match for you."

"However—how about I borrow it for a couple of days? The Turkic envoy is coming next month..."

"no."

Fang Xuanling's answer was so straightforward that it stunned everyone.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I can discuss anything, but this little spirit mask—"

He bent down and picked up the little spirit.

Xiao Lingmian stiffened noticeably when he was suddenly picked up—a sign of social anxiety.

But after it felt the warmth of Fang Xuanling's palm, it slowly, very slowly, relaxed.

It did not struggle.

She even leaned her head slightly against Fang Xuanling's chest.

"I'll get angry with anyone who asks me for it," Fang Xuanling said.

His tone was calm, but everyone could hear the uncompromising intent in it.

The dignified Prime Minister of the Great Tang Dynasty, Duke of Xing, Fang Xuanling—

In front of a 30-centimeter-tall purplish-gray sprite

They've officially entered "protecting their cubs" mode.

Cheng Yaojin muttered to himself, "Is it really necessary to make such a fuss over just one elf...?"

Yuchi Gong kicked him: "You were the same way when you were holding the Qili Grass."

"That's different! Qilicao is my beloved eldest son!"

"Little Lingmian is also Lord Fang's beloved son now."

"...Okay then."

(˙▿˙)

Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling holding the little Lingmian, not letting anyone touch her.

He shook his head helplessly and decided to give up on the Little Spirit Mask.

Anyway, Fang Xuanling is one of our own, so we can discuss things slowly if needed in the future.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and turned his gaze to Lin Luo.

"Shopkeeper, I'd like to try again. Last time I got Meow Meow—" He glanced down at the green cat still purring on his lap, "The Grass type is good, but I want one of a different type."

Lin Luo pushed the Star Mirror over.

Li Shimin placed his hand on the mirror.

A golden light shone—the phantom spun—

Slow down—freeze—

Thank you for your patronage.

"…………"

Li Shimin remained unfazed.

Cheng Yaojin, standing to the side, was already gloating.

"Haha, Your Majesty, even you have your off days—"

Li Shimin glared at him.

Cheng Yaojin immediately shut up.

"Again."

The second time. Golden light—spinning—

Thank you for your patronage.

the third time.

Thank you for your patronage.

Li Shimin's brows began to furrow.

The Emperor himself actually drew three empty prizes in a row?!

Fang Xuanling, who was standing next to him, wanted to say something to comfort him, but when he thought that he had also tried five times before he finally succeeded, he silently shut his mouth.

And at that very moment—

Just as Li Shimin was preparing for the fourth lottery draw...

Little Owl's voice suddenly came from the direction of the backyard—

"Boss—!!"

It wasn't a lazy voice.

It was a voice tinged with urgency.

Lin Luo turned his head.

Little Owl strode out of the backyard, his amber eyes wide open—

"The shelter detected—"

She took a deep breath.

"The first wild water-type Pokémon has entered the area within a three-mile radius."

"They're heading towards the shop."