Fairy, dreams shouldn't be taken seriously.

In an instant, less than the blink of an eye, it vanished.

No matter how you look at it, the only words that can describe all of this are absolutely wrong and possibly wrong.

However, those two mid-level spiritual treasure spears with different attributes were so real.

Just as he was lost in thought and didn't know how to express himself, the old man who was hunched over and speaking from his abdomen finally pulled up his pants and jogged over from a distance.

He kept apologizing as he ran, indicating that he was late.

Fan Zui and Ju Zi entered the carriage and continued their journey slowly.

After a moment of silence, he finally couldn't help but lift the carriage curtain and ask the old man outside, whose identity and cultivation level he didn't know, what he asked:

"Did you just see a palace of unparalleled magnificence?"

"Oh dear, Young Master Fan, this old servant was just looking for a secluded corner and didn't see any palace. Where would there be a palace in this desolate wilderness? Could you have mistaken me for someone else?"

Upon hearing this, Fan Zui smiled and didn't ask any more questions. He retreated back into the carriage, sat down, and waited to see where he would be taken.

at the same time.

Inside the imperial palace in the capital.

East Palace.

The crown prince wore a silk robe embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns and designs, exuding an air of royal dignity.

He wore a wide gold belt around his waist, inlaid with colorful gemstones that shimmered with dazzling light.

A magnificent jade crown, adorned with pearls and gemstones, adorns the hairpins on her head, making it dazzling and eye-catching.

Her face was beautiful and dignified, with high, arched eyebrows and bright, piercing eyes, highlighting her royal demeanor.

As the crown prince who had overseen the country for many years, he exuded an aura of majesty and nobility even when he simply stood there casually.

At that moment, he was holding a book that looked to be simply bound.

If you look closely, you'll find that it's the very book that's quite popular in the market and throughout the cultivation world, "Jin Ping Mei".

As the crown prince, and a prince who has been overseeing the country for many years, he should not be reading such obscene books.

Even if one occasionally flips through a page or two, it will inevitably be done in a way that draws everyone's attention and is done alone.

But now, he is so brazenly and seemingly indifferently flipping through the pages in front of others.

After a short while, he closed the book in his hand and casually tossed it aside. He then looked down at the elegant young man in white holding a folding fan and said thoughtfully, without any expression of joy or anger:

"You came up with the idea of ​​having a group of prostitutes crowd the streets and ruin his reputation?"

Although his tone carried a hint of questioning, it was not without gentleness; though he did not speak with anger, one could still detect the anger in his voice.

The elegant young man in white, who had already closed his folding fan, remained silent for a moment but still did not give a reply.

The Crown Prince chuckled and shook his head, seemingly puzzled as to why this renowned strategist, known throughout the capital as the "Little Zhuge Liang," would make such a foolish move. He then said helplessly:

"A person who can write a book like Jin Ping Mei, you want to find a group of beautiful women to ruin his reputation?"

Are you harming him or helping him?

Chapter 88 [Emperor Qian Yuan]

imperial capital.

Tongtian Street.

The once noisy and bustling street suddenly fell silent with the arrival of a troop of imperial guards.

Everyone avoided going inside and was not allowed to go outside, only occasionally peeking out from the cracks in the door.

The sound of horses' hooves pounding on the stone slabs of the ground had an almost indescribable rhythm.

The streets were eerily quiet wherever the hundreds of Imperial Guards passed.

At the nearby stall selling sesame cakes, a cake that hadn't yet been taken away was already charred black on the campfire, emitting a foul odor.

Not far away, the kettle in the teahouse was bubbling and boiling from time to time.

As water droplets gushed from the spout of the boiling teapot and splashed onto the hot coals, they made a sizzling sound.

The imperial carriage slowly approached from not far away, the wind causing the curtains to flutter slightly, revealing a white-haired figure inside.

Some say that in a place like the capital, if someone has white hair, they must have an extraordinary background.

A simple count will reveal the meaning behind it.

His Majesty has white hair and a white beard.

The former number one swordsman in the world, who is now overseeing the country alongside the crown prince, also has white hair.

There was also the old supervisor of the Imperial Observatory who had been in seclusion at the observatory for many years, his hair completely white.

These three individuals were all figures in the capital whose mere presence could shake the entire world.

Emperor Qian Yuan, who had just emerged from seclusion and recently descended the mountain, slightly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to glance outside before calmly saying:

"I haven't been down the mountain for more than ten years. I didn't expect that the capital city would be much more prosperous and lively than before."

Ye Qianshan, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, walked to the carriage window, bowed slightly, and said:

"Over the past ten years, the Regent and the Crown Prince have jointly overseen the country, and the nation has been able to develop steadily in many aspects. Now that His Majesty has emerged from seclusion, he may be able to unify the world."

Emperor Qian Yuan seemed particularly moved by the words "unify the world" in these words, narrowing his eyes slightly before saying:

"The best food is often found in those unassuming little places in the countryside. For example, the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) over there looks pretty good."

Following his gaze, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards quickly located the vendor's stall, jogged over, picked up one of the better-looking roujiamo (Chinese meat sandwiches), returned to the imperial carriage, and respectfully handed it over.

Emperor Qian Yuan, whose hair was completely white but whose face was without a single wrinkle, took the fruit, gently patted off the dust, and then took a bite.

To be honest, this thing with a snow-white piece sandwiched between two petals, while not as intoxicating as a woman, is quite delicious.

"The goods are good. It's not easy for ordinary people to make a living by running a small business. Don't forget to leave two taels of silver on the stall when you leave."

The emperor, while eating his roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), nodded in satisfaction from time to time, while saying things like paying for it and showing consideration for the people.

He knew that the strength of a nation was not simply a matter of the number of cultivators.

The most important thing is whether the common people under the rule can live in peace and prosperity and have enough to eat and wear.

Cultivators are, after all, just one in ten thousand outstanding individuals who stand out from the vast masses of toiling people.

Now that the Heavenly Gate is closed and unlikely to reopen, and with the spiritual energy in the world becoming increasingly scarce, there are fewer and fewer cultivators.

Therefore, the fighting strength between empires largely depends on the number of cultivators.

However, the common people are, after all, the most basic and solid foundation of the empire.

Without these seemingly ordinary, hardworking people, how could a great nation be strong and prosperous?

"Yes!"

Ye Qianshan, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard who had remained at the peak of the Qian Yuan Realm for five hundred years, said "yes" in a low voice and then turned around and placed two taels of silver in a conspicuous position on the stall.

"Ye Qianshan".

"The minister is here."

"I've heard that during my years in seclusion, there have been more than a few attempts to crown the Regent and put him in charge?"

Emperor Qian Yuan spoke in a relaxed and simple tone, as if he were an ordinary old man or woman sitting at the door, eating steamed buns and chatting casually.

Without joy, anger, or sorrow, he casually nibbled on the half-eaten roujiamo (Chinese meat sandwich) in his hand.

He suddenly brought up this fatal question, which even made a great cultivator at the peak of the Qian Yuan Realm sweat profusely, his tone sounding more like he was curious about some kind of fun gossip.

Instead of seriously discussing the matter of being crowned emperor.

"Over the years, the Regent has worked tirelessly day and night, making great contributions and managing the empire in an orderly manner. However, he has also offended many people with ulterior motives, which is why they deliberately spread such malicious words behind his back."

Ye Qianshan spoke haltingly and stammeringly, as if every word he uttered was an extremely oppressive and suffocating experience for him, a great cultivator at the peak of the Qian Yuan Realm.

The fine beads of sweat on his forehead were no longer individual beads, but had begun to roll down his forehead and cheeks.

My back was already soaked with sweat.

"You don't need to be so nervous. I'm just asking out of curiosity."

As this supreme emperor, who had been in seclusion for over a decade, spoke, he had already finished his roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), and surprisingly, he even licked the oil off his hands.

If anyone else had seen this scene, they would have been so shocked that their insides would have been churning. Jian Dan simply couldn't believe her eyes.

"I've heard that the Regent and His Highness the Crown Prince have long held differing political views, often leading to arguments and power struggles. Is this true?"

After simply licking the oil off his hands, he didn't bother to wipe them with a cloth or anything. Instead, a faint black aura swirled between his fingers.

Before long, all the oil stains disappeared without a trace.

His hands remained clean and white.

However, upon closer inspection, one will notice a very conspicuous spot on his right hand.

That is, he's missing a finger!

The five emperors of the mighty Qian Yuan Empire were missing a pinky finger.

Moreover, observing the uneven shape of its fracture surface, it is not difficult to see that it was not cut off.