Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 154 The Spoiled Princess
Commandery.

Lin Xuan handed his birth date and time to Lu Feng and sighed softly.

Lu Feng glanced at him and laughed, "What, you're acting innocent after getting the benefit?"

Lin Xuan said slowly, "Brother Lu, please don't tease me. You know my situation. I told Qingluan I came to the capital to report on my duties, but instead of reporting, I ended up with a wife. How am I going to explain this to her when I go back next time..."

Lu Feng patted him on the shoulder and said meaningfully, "Brother Lin, being devoted is a good thing, but it's quite common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. His Majesty's personal bestowal of this marriage is a great honor and a sign of great trust in you. Bring Miss Zhao home and treat her well. It will be a form of protection for both you and Qingluan, the girl from the Southwest. Remember this, remember this..."

Lin Xuan understood the deeper meaning behind Lu Feng's words.

This marriage is the chain that His Majesty has used to completely bind him to the capital. If he disobeys the imperial decree, not only will he be in danger, but he will also likely implicate Qingluan and the entire Tian family.

He thought that once the Yang family's affairs were settled, he would gain true freedom.

Little did I know, it was merely a step from one shackle to another.

But he quickly composed himself.

After all, no situation could be worse than when he first transmigrated.

Compared to the days when I was afflicted with the Heart-Eating Gu, oppressed by my superiors at the Jingbian Division, and threatened and intimidated by Datura when I got home, I am now incredibly happy.

As a person, you should know how to be content.

Lin Xuan looked at Lu Feng and nodded, saying, "I understand... but Brother Lu, you have to tell me who I'm going to marry, right?"

Lu Feng smiled and said, "She is the daughter of Zhao Runzhang, the principal of the Ministry of Rites. The Zhao family has been a family of scholars for generations. Miss Zhao Wan is also a renowned talented woman in the capital. Not only is she outstanding in appearance, but her talent is also amazing. She is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She and Miss Wenren are known as the two beauties of the capital. The men who want to marry her could line up from the east gate to the west gate. His Majesty has shown you great favor..."

Lin Xuan forced a smile: "Then I really thank Your Majesty..."

He would rather have ten or eight Qi Gathering Pills than this arranged marriage.

When I get back, how am I going to explain this to Qingluan and Youmeng?
These days, he holds immense power in the southwest, and with a single word, he can decide the fate of countless people.

Upon arriving in the capital, his fate was determined by nothing more than a single word from someone else.

He cannot blame His Majesty.

Because His Majesty truly treats him well, always choosing the best for him, but never consulting his opinion beforehand.

Upon returning home, Lin Xuan had barely sat down when she was once again surrounded by her maids.

They massaged legs and shoulders, served tea and water, and fed vegetables and fruits.

Lin Xuan discovered that in just a few days, he had been corrupted by this extravagant lifestyle and had actually begun to enjoy it all with a clear conscience.

He said softly, "That's enough."

The maids immediately stopped what they were doing and respectfully stepped aside.

Lin Xuan looked at them and asked, "Have you heard of Zhao Wan?"

When Lin Xuan mentioned this name, all the maids exchanged glances, as if they had opened a floodgate of conversation.

"I've heard of it!"

"In the capital, everyone knows Miss Zhao."

"I still have Miss Zhao's poetry collection in my room!"

"I saw Miss Zhao once a few months ago. She was very beautiful..."

Lin Xuan looked at the maids who had suddenly become excited and gestured for them to sit down and talk slowly.

These young girls rarely had such an opportunity to speak freely in the mansion, and now they were all vying to tell each other the rumors they knew.

Shi Shu spoke first, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration: "Miss Zhao is the most talented woman in our capital. Even the ladies in the palace love her poems. Last year at the Lantern Festival, her poem 'Lantern Festival' attracted countless literati and scholars, and even several Grand Secretaries praised it highly..."

Zhiqin added, "Not only that, Miss Zhao's zither playing is also superb. She once performed for the officials at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. And her paintings, especially her meticulous flower-and-bird paintings, are also outstanding. She is the person I admire most in painting..."

Zanhua interjected, "Although Miss Zhao comes from a noble family, she never puts on airs. Last year, she distributed porridge to disaster victims outside the city, and those victims all called her a female bodhisattva..."

Yingxue cupped her face in her hands, her eyes filled with longing: "Miss Zhao and Miss Wenren are known as the 'Two Beauties of the Capital.' Miss Wenren is as aloof as the moon, while Miss Zhao is as gentle as water. They are the perfect match that countless young talents dream of..."

Listening to the maids' lively descriptions, an image of a beautiful, virtuous, and almost perfect young lady from a prominent family gradually became clear in Lin Xuan's mind.

To be fair, marrying a woman like that would be a blessing for any man.

If he hadn't met Qingluan and Youmeng so early, he might have also had expectations for this marriage.

However, at this moment, he felt only helplessness and heaviness in his heart.

The better this Miss Zhao was, the more complicated his feelings became.

Such a refined lady would probably not want to marry him.

This marriage has troubled more than just two people.

Thinking of Qingluan and Youmeng, who were far away in the southwest, and the promises he had made to them before his departure, Lin Xuan felt his heart in turmoil...

Meanwhile, in another corner of the capital, at the residence of Zhao, the head of the Ministry of Rites.

In a boudoir decorated with an elegant and scholarly atmosphere, a woman dressed in a light blue dress stood by the window.

Her features were exquisite, her figure graceful, and her temperament as elegant as a rare orchid in a secluded valley. Even a fleeting glance from her could evoke a feeling of tenderness in one's heart.

At this moment, however, a faint melancholy shrouded her delicate features. Her slender fingers unconsciously fiddled with the long, thin leaves of the orchid by the window, her gaze wandering, as if she were preoccupied with something.

Liuli, the personal maid, came over with a cup of hot tea and, seeing the situation, gently comforted her: "Miss, are you still troubled by the marriage?"

Zhao Wan sighed softly, her voice filled with an unyielding melancholy.

She had studied poetry and literature since childhood, and was immersed in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. She imagined her future husband to be a gentle and refined scholar who could recite poetry with her, rather than a warrior who wielded swords.

Moreover, those who could serve as the Sixteen Guards in the Jingye Division were all fierce generals who had fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and were far from the husband she had imagined.

Liuli tried to comfort her: "Miss, I heard that Lord Chen has already reached a high position at such a young age. He must be a very capable person. Besides... there's nothing wrong with being a military officer. At least he can protect you."

Zhao Wan shook her head, a hint of confusion and fear about the future flashing in her beautiful eyes: "It's not that I look down on military officers, it's just... you've heard the rumors about the Jingye Division. They're ruthless and their hands are stained with blood. I... I'm just afraid..."

She feared that her future husband would be a rough and unromantic man, and that married life would be far from her ideal, trapping her in an unhappy marriage for the rest of her life.

She walked to the piano table, her fingertips lightly brushing the strings, but she couldn't play a single complete note.

A steady yet somewhat helpless voice came from outside the door: "His Majesty's bestowal of this marriage is an honor for the Zhao family, Wan'er... don't think about it anymore."

Zhao Runzhang, the principal of the Ministry of Rites, stood at the door and sighed softly.

He was well aware of his daughter's thoughts, but he could not disobey the imperial decree. He had to comply with the marriage, whether she wanted it or not.

Zhao Wan pursed her lips, forcibly suppressing all her worries and resentment, and whispered to the door, "Your daughter understands..."

After Zhao Runzhang left, Liuli quietly approached her young mistress and whispered, "Miss, how about I secretly go and see what kind of person the young master is, and then come back and tell you..."

Zhao Wan let out a deep sigh, then shook her head as if resigned to her fate: "No need..."

……

Chen Mansion.

In the study room.

Lin Xuan carefully stored away the two Qi Gathering Pills he had saved, intending to bring them to Qingluan when he returned to the Southwest.

In the following days, he secluded himself and devoted himself entirely to cultivation, striving to break through the bottleneck of the fifth rank.

After undergoing the baptism of bloodline, his talent has improved by an unknown amount. Coupled with his spiritual power far exceeding his grade, the bottleneck in his cultivation is no longer a difficult thing for him.

In a quiet room in the inner courtyard, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged, mobilizing all his mental energy, and his true qi circulated rapidly within his body.

He could deeply feel that the barrier of his peak sixth-grade cultivation was gradually loosening.

Several days later, in the quiet room, after his true energy had circulated for thousands of cycles, Lin Xuan's aura suddenly changed.

An incredibly solid and heavy aura emanated from his body, which he then quickly suppressed.

He slowly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

Feeling the surging, powerful true energy within his body, far surpassing anything he had ever experienced before, Lin Xuan couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing feelings, emotions, and reflections).

The original owner spent three years without breaking through to the eighth rank.

He rose from the eighth rank with unstoppable momentum, and it took him less than a year to break through to the fifth rank.

It wasn't because he was diligent in his cultivation, but because the resources he could enjoy were unparalleled.

The improvement from the eighth to the seventh rank was mostly due to the bone-tempering liquid.

From the seventh to the sixth rank, one relies entirely on the Marrow Cleansing Pool of the Jiuli tribe. From the sixth to the fifth rank, one relies on the Qi Gathering Pills bestowed by His Majesty.

Lin Xuan's own efforts accounted for less than one percent of the total.

His path of spiritual cultivation is probably unparalleled in the world today.

Compared to the increase of true qi, Lin Xuan was more concerned about mental strength.

He closed his eyes and sensed it for a while, and found that his spiritual power had also grown a lot, but he was still far from breaking through, probably in the middle to late stage of the fourth rank.

If he can cultivate his spiritual power to the peak of the fourth rank before breaking through to the fourth rank in martial arts, he can take advantage of the opportunity of breaking through in martial arts to try to become a third-rank sorcerer.

Without wasting any time, Lin Xuan immediately set off for the Commander's Office.

Upon meeting the commander, Lin Xuan did not speak directly, but instead released a slight aura of a fifth-rank martial artist.

A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Bing's eyes, which quickly turned into admiration: "Not bad, you broke through to the fifth rank with only four Qi Gathering Pills. The baptism of the Jiuli clan's bloodline is indeed well-deserved..."

"It is His Majesty's miraculous elixir."

Lin Xuan said modestly, then asked, "My lord, now that I have broken through to the fifth rank, may I view the fifth level of the 'Zhenyue Gong' technique?"

Chen Bing nodded, took out a thin booklet of special material from a secret compartment behind him, and handed it to Lin Xuan: "This is the fifth to sixth level of the Zhenyue Gong technique. You can look at it here. With your mental strength, you should be able to memorize it easily."

Lin Xuan solemnly accepted the booklet, carefully flipped through it, and quickly memorized the circulation route of the true energy and several powerful moves before returning it to Chen Bing.

Chen Bing put it back into the secret compartment, turned to look at Lin Xuan, and spoke again: "The techniques after the fifth level of the Zhenyue Gong are top secrets of the imperial court and must not be passed on. Otherwise, even if you escape to the ends of the earth, you will be caught by the imperial court, your cultivation will be crippled, and you will be executed by slow slicing. You must always remember this..."

Lin Xuan, with a solemn expression, clasped his hands and said, "Your subordinate understands!"

After leaving the Commandery, Lin Xuan let out a long sigh of relief.

Having obtained the fifth level of the cultivation technique means that he can successfully cultivate to the fourth rank.

Of course, this also means that he is more deeply tied to the imperial court.

Having reached this level of cultivation, there is no turning back. He can only continue to cultivate the Zhenyue Gong to the end, or abandon martial arts and wholeheartedly pursue the path of a sorcerer.

He was thinking about whether he could resign from his post and return to the southwest, and then come back to rejoin the Jingye Division once his cultivation level broke through to the fourth rank.

How could the imperial court refuse a fourth-rank martial artist and a third-rank sorcerer?
Lin Xuan was mentally assessing the possibility of this method when, just as he reached the street corner in front of the mansion, a sharp shout blocked his way.

"Halt! You're Chen Yu, the new Azure Dragon Guard?"

Lin Xuan looked up and saw a girl dressed in a magnificent palace dress, about sixteen or seventeen years old, standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him fiercely.

She was pretty and charming, but her brows were full of arrogance. Behind her were several palace maids and guards who looked nervous.

Lin Xuan frowned slightly. He didn't recognize the woman, but judging from her attire and demeanor, she should be a member of the royal family.

Moreover, he sensed the auras of two fourth-rank martial artists in the shadows, who were likely her guards.

With two fourth-rank guards, her status must be extremely noble.

Lin Xuan stopped and nodded, saying, "Indeed, may I ask who you are, young lady?"

"Don't worry about who I am!" The young woman raised her chin, scrutinizing Lin Xuan from head to toe with a critical gaze, her tone full of disdain: "I'm asking you, did you pull some strings to take the place of someone else in the Sixteen Guards? Let me tell you, if you know what's good for you, you'd better resign and give the position to someone more suitable. Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't stay in this capital city..."

Lin Xuan instantly understood; it turned out she had come for the position of the Sixteenth Guard.

She refers to herself as "this palace," so she must be a royal princess.

It seems that my exceptional promotion has blocked someone's path.

The person who was blocked by him was most likely to have a deep relationship with this princess.

However, she doesn't need to treat herself so badly.

In this matter, Lin Xuan's goal is the same as hers.

He didn't want to be one of the Sixteen Guards, nor did he want to be forced by His Majesty to marry a woman he had never even met.

He had consumed the Qi Gathering Pill, broken through to a higher level in cultivation, and had just obtained the fifth level of the Zhenyue Gong technique. He had enjoyed the life he was entitled to, and now resigning from his official post was exactly what he wanted.

Lin Xuan readily clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Yes, sir. I will go to the Commandery to resign immediately..."

After saying that, he turned around and walked quickly toward the Jingye Division.

The girl stared blankly as Lin Xuan left, seemingly surprised that he had agreed so readily. It took her a while to come to her senses, and she gave a smug snort: "You're smart to know what's good for you!"

Commandery.

Inside the main hall, Chen Bing looked at Lin Xuan and asked, "Why are you back again? Is there anything else?"

Lin Xuan clasped his hands in a fist and said, “Reporting to the Commander, on my way home just now, I met a young lady… She said that if I did not resign, I would not be able to stay in the capital. I guess her identity is that of a princess of the royal family. Such a noble person is not someone I can afford to offend. Please allow me to resign, Commander.”

After hearing his explanation, Chen Bing rubbed his temples helplessly and said, "You guessed right, she is indeed a royal princess..."

He waved his hand at Lin Xuan and said, "Princess Yongchun has always been willful and capricious. Her cousin was the most promising candidate for the vacant Azure Dragon Guard, but she is probably unhappy that you replaced him. You don't need to worry about this. I will report it to His Majesty, and I believe His Majesty will restrain her..."

Lin Xuan could only clasp his hands in thanks and say, "Thank you, Commander."

Actually, he hoped the commander would agree to his resignation, but now it seems he can't resign.

No sooner had Lin Xuan left the Commandery than Chen Bing entered the palace.

Since it involves a royal princess, he couldn't directly intervene.

A moment later, in the Wanshou Palace.

The Emperor of Dayong nodded slightly and said, "I understand."

He looked at the eunuch beside him and said calmly, "Summon Yongchun to see me."

The eunuch acknowledged and withdrew.

Before long, a young girl skipped and hopped into the palace and asked happily, "Father, what do you want to see me about?"

Emperor Dayong, dressed in a loose Taoist robe, stood before a huge alchemy furnace. Without turning around, he calmly asked, "Did Yongchun just leave the palace?"

The girl came up to him, affectionately took his arm, and said softly, "I was bored in the palace, so I came out for some fresh air. Father, what's wrong?"

The Emperor of Dayong fanned the fire with a huge fan and asked, "How come I heard that you went to cause trouble for others?"

A hint of annoyance appeared on the girl's pretty face. She stomped her foot and said, "It must be Chen Bing. He loves to complain the most. Father should have someone investigate him properly. That Chen Yu has no ability and his cultivation is low. How could Chen Bing let such a person be one of the Sixteen Guards? He must have taken money from him!"

The Emperor of Dayong smirked, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Someone did take the money, but it wasn't Chen Bing who took it, it was you, it was me, it was the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of War. Among all the officials in the court, who didn't take his money?"

Princess Yongchun was slightly taken aback, then immediately said, "Father, you have wronged me. When did I accept his money?"

The Emperor of Dayong looked at her and said calmly, "You were born in the deep palace and have been pampered since childhood. Do you know the value of this brocade palace dress you are wearing? Do you know how much your daily meals cost? Do you know how much silver is needed to support your palace expenses in a year?"

Princess Yongchun raised her head blankly; she had never thought about these questions before.

Emperor Dayong did not need her to answer and continued, "All the royal expenses come from the national treasury. Last year, the national treasury's revenue increased by 30% compared to the previous year. Of this, nearly 20% came from the southwest. And the southwest's tax revenue has increased significantly. Eighty percent of the credit should be attributed to Chen Yu."

"It was he who presented the new salt law, which caused salt prices to plummet, benefiting the people, making private salt trade unprofitable, and increasing revenue from official salt trade. It was he who used himself as bait, infiltrating the Yang family alone to gather evidence of their crimes, ultimately helping the court to eradicate this cancer that had plagued the southwest for a century, thus deterring the local chieftains and ensuring the smooth implementation of government orders..."

Princess Yongchun was slightly taken aback. She found it hard to believe that the spineless fellow she had met outside the palace today was actually so powerful.

The Emperor of Dayong said calmly, "The refined salt you eat in the palace is produced by his improved technology. Your monthly allowance for the past few months came from the proceeds of the confiscation of the Yang family's property. He deserves credit for his hard work and risking his life. Tell me, have you taken any money from him? You can even enjoy music and flowers in the palace without worrying about the resurgence of war in the southwest. He has also contributed to that..."

"For the sake of the court, he concealed his identity and dared not reveal his true identity. His relatives and friends dared not acknowledge him, and even his own bloodline was erased... He is not worthy of the position of the Sixteen Guards. Who is worthy?"

The Emperor of Dayong looked at her and asked, "Yongchun, tell me, can you, as a princess, arbitrarily humiliate and order around such meritorious officials? If you chill the hearts of these meritorious officials, who will be willing to serve the court and the royal family in the future? If word gets out about your actions today, how will others view the royal family and me as the emperor? They will say that our royal family is harsh and ungrateful, and does not know how to be considerate of its subjects—do you still think you did the right thing?"

Princess Yongchun lowered her head, bit her lower lip, and whispered, "Father, I know I was wrong..."

Emperor Dayong waved the wide sleeves of his Taoist robe and said, "Go back and reflect on your mistakes for three days. You are not allowed to step out of Yonghe Palace. Think carefully about where your honor as a princess comes from. If I find out again that you are abusing your power and acting recklessly, it will not be as simple as just being confined to your quarters."

"Your father has never been so strict with him before," Princess Yongchun pouted, her voice trembling with tears, "Your subject obeys the decree..."

Not long after.

Inside Yonghe Palace.

The girl sat by the window, her mood now different from before.

If he truly made so many contributions to the court and rendered such great service, even his monthly allowance was brought from the southwest, then there seems to be nothing wrong with him serving as one of the Sixteen Guards.

She rested her chin on her hand, unable to help but wonder, "Is that guy really as powerful as Father Emperor said?"

She quickly curled her lip and said, "Hmph, even if he did something good, causing me to be scolded by my father and confined to my quarters for three days, this matter cannot be left like this. I will definitely see what he's capable of when I have the chance..."

(End of this chapter)