Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 509 A Shocking Gift List

Haven't you heard?

Li Chungang looked at Xu Weixiong and the others with a strange expression. The latter shook their heads repeatedly, looking completely bewildered.

"Alright, then let me tell you about it."

Li Chungang cleared his throat and said, "Ordinary etiquette, such as the betrothal gifts for taking concubines or wives, is naturally not something you take seriously."

The Northern Liang royal family was incredibly wealthy. When Xu Xiao conquered the six kingdoms, he plundered so much gold and silver that outsiders could hardly imagine it. To say that they were richer than a country would be an understatement.

Xu Fengnian and Xu Weixiong nodded silently.

Gold and silver jewelry are nothing to them. No matter how extravagant they are, with the wealth of the Northern Liang Prince's Mansion, they could squander it all in ten lifetimes. Naturally, they don't even care about it.

However, Li Chungang's words gave them a vague guess, though they weren't quite sure.

"But our Emperor's methods are different."

"These past few days, rumors have been circulating in the city. It is said that the news has come from the Ministry of Rites that although our Emperor has conferred the title of Empress and has a few more concubines after ascending the throne, he has not yet had the proper ceremony of welcoming the concubines and the imperial seal and edict."

"So the list of gifts and dowries that emperor gave as compensation, or simply as a way to marry his concubine, was quite frightening."

As they talked, they returned to the inn.

After Li Chungang entered the room, he coughed lightly. Xu Fengnian immediately understood and fawned over him, serving him tea and water.

"Sir, please stop keeping me in suspense!"

Xu Wei and Xiong Du became interested.

Chen Zhibao and Xu Yanbing also stared at Li Chungang with curiosity.

Seeing this, Li Chungang didn't keep him in suspense and told him everything he had learned during this time: "According to the list of gifts for taking concubines that circulated from the Ministry of Rites, His Majesty the Emperor gave each concubine ten bottles of Jade Void Pills, twenty Blood Bodhi seeds, ten Earth Dragon Pills, ten thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, three Jiazi Pills, a family heirloom cultivation technique for the Land Immortal Realm, and a spot on the Investiture of the Gods list for imperial relatives."

"At the same time, some of the gift list details have not been released."

"It is said that there is also a secret, peerless elixir that can keep a woman's beauty forever, but I don't know if it's true or not."

[A manual of immortal cultivation techniques for terrestrial beings.]

[Jade Void Pill: Ten bottles.]

[Blood Bodhi: Twenty beads.]

[Earth Dragon Pill: 20 pills.]

Ten thousand-year-old medicinal herbs.

[Jiazi Dan: Three pills.]

Upon hearing the list, Xu Weixiong's eyes widened, his face filled with shock, disbelief, and incredulity.

Xu Fengnian swallowed hard, unable to control himself.

Chen Zhibao and Xu Yanbing acted in unison: they pinched their thighs to see if they were hallucinating, otherwise how could they have heard such outrageous things?

Judging from their expressions, you could tell how outrageous the list of gifts for taking a concubine that Zhu Jinzhen provided was.

"The pain is not a dream."

"I also don't think it's a dream."

The two stared at each other blankly for a long time before their reason slowly returned. They looked at Li Chungang before them, and at the stunned Xu Fengnian, the heir apparent, and Xu Weixiong, the princess, with expressions of shock. "Is this gift list... wrong?"

"Let alone marrying concubines, I feel that even marrying an empress, or even marrying a hundred noble ladies, a hundred beauties of unparalleled beauty, as concubines, this list of gifts is far too precious and terrifying!"

If Xu Yanbing and Chen Zhibao weren't men, they would have actually set aside their pride and shamelessly asked if they still had a chance.

“I didn’t take the wrong one. I checked it several times and it’s confirmed to be the Ministry of Rites’ list.” Li Chungang shook his head. He knew that this list would be incredibly shocking to anyone.

He was just as stunned when he first heard the news.
Xu Fengnian swallowed hard, filled with shock and anticipation.

"Old Li, did I hear that right?" Xu Fengnian's breathing became several times heavier as he grabbed Li Chungang's sleeve, his face filled with an eager expression.

"Isn't this a bit too extravagant?" Xu Weixiong could only manage to utter this one question after struggling for a long time.

She couldn't very well say that her future emperor husband, Zhu Jinzhen, was far too wasteful, could she?

It is evident that Xu Weixiong was also unable to remain calm.

“I didn’t misspoke, and you didn’t mishear.” Li Chungang nodded solemnly and said, “You should receive the gift list from the Ministry of Rites later, then you’ll know.”

Xu Weixiong and Xu Fengnian exchanged a glance and nodded silently.

This is indeed the truth.

Xu Fengnian couldn't contain himself and started rubbing his hands together: "That's great, hahaha, we've struck it rich! The Jade Void Pill is said to be a Dragon Tiger Elixir that is only circulated within the Xuanjia Secret Guard. It is made from a hundred-year-old Vermilion Fruit, a thousand-year-old spiritual herb, and dozens of other precious medicinal materials."

"It has a similar effect to the Shaolin's closely guarded secret Great Rejuvenation Elixir."

"Just one pill can increase one's spiritual power by thirty years, and it also has the effect of cleansing the marrow and improving one's aptitude."

"After a martial artist reaches the upper three ranks of the ninth rank and fully refines the medicinal power of a Jade Void Pill, he can directly step into the Vajra Realm."

"Ten bottles, ten bottles!"

Xu Fengnian almost drooled as he spoke.

Don't underestimate Vajra Realm just because he's not much under Zhu Jinzhen's command. In Liyang or Beiliang, he would still be a top-tier martial arts master, capable of standing alone in one region.

Xu Yanbing, who had been silent, also spoke up enviously: "The Jade Void Pill is nothing, the Earth Dragon Pill is truly terrifying. It is said that the thousand new recruits of the Heavenly Strategy Army who participated in the martial arts competition in the capital city took the Earth Dragon Pill. Just one pill can give a person the power of a dragon, and their physical body can be comparable to the Vajra Realm. With the help of other spiritual medicines, they can quickly reach the Finger Profound Realm."

In comparison, even thousand-year-old medicinal herbs, though incredibly precious and rare treasures, are still highly valued.

However, it still cannot compare with the Jade Void Pill and the Earth Dragon Pill.

Even the cultivation technique that can directly lead to the realm of terrestrial immortals is nothing.

"We are familiar with the Jade Void Pill, the Earth Dragon Pill, and the other items on the gift list. May I ask, sir, what is this so-called Jiazi Pill?" Xu Weixiong asked humbly, but his voice trembled, clearly indicating that he had made a connection to something.

After all, the characters "甲子" (Jiazi) are not difficult to understand!
The others also shuddered, revealing curious and expectant looks.

“With the princess’s intelligence, she should have already guessed it.” Li Chungang didn’t keep her in suspense and nodded solemnly: “According to the news circulating from the Ministry of Rites, it is a longevity pill that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty personally refined with great supernatural powers. Just one pill can add sixty years to one’s lifespan.”

"And... there are no restrictions."

"Whether it is an ordinary person who is about to die or a terrestrial celestial being who is nearing the end of his life, it has the effect of prolonging life."

"It works best for those below the level of a terrestrial celestial being!"

What does it mean to have no restrictions?
Even terrestrial immortals and celestial beings can extend their lifespan by sixty years by consuming it.

(End of this chapter)