Simultaneous Transmigration: The Re-merging of 99 Selves

Chapter 187 Movements of All Parties

In a secluded courtyard in the city, Bai Qing'er was leaning against the eaves feeding the fish, dressed in a light green dress, her figure slender and graceful.

Upon seeing Zhao Yu enter, she reverted to her seductive demeanor, covering her mouth with a smile as she gracefully rose and curtsied: "This servant congratulates the steward on his triumphant return."

"Don't give me that." Zhao Yu cut to the chase. "It's been so long since the letter to the Empress Dowager was sent; have you heard anything back?"

Bai Qing'er's smile faded slightly, and she looked somewhat embarrassed: "Master Zhu's whereabouts are always unpredictable. The carrier pigeon was sent according to the usual contact point. As for whether she received it or when it will arrive, I can't say for sure. It will take at least three to five months."

Zhao Yu wasn't annoyed, he just looked at her calmly: "I don't care when your master arrives, you'd better stay in Gaoyou obediently these days and don't do anything underhanded. If I find out you're playing tricks behind my back, I won't hesitate to inform Shi Zhixuan on your behalf."

Bai Qing'er's expression changed slightly, and she bit her lip: "All you do is threaten me with Shi Zhixuan!"

The trick doesn't have to be new or old, as long as it works.

Zhao Yu didn't respond to her words, turned around and left, only saying, "The Steward's Mansion has reserved a place for you. You can come back anytime you want."

"Who wants to go back!" Bai Qing'er snorted at his retreating figure, muttering under her breath, "Shi Zhixuan might come to kill you any day now. Only a fool would stay in the manor and get implicated. When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer too. I'm not going to suffer that."

Zhao Yu didn't stop walking; only two words drifted from afar: "Whatever you want."

Returning to his study, Zhao Yu gave an order, dismissed his attendants, and took out the "Longevity Manual" woven from black gold silk from his bosom.

The silk scroll was cool to the touch, and the seven diagrams of qi circulation faintly shimmered in the candlelight.

The feeling of his blood surging due to the forced mental cultivation was still fresh in Zhao Yu's mind, but there was no sign of retreat in his eyes, only determination.

Shi Zhixuan's threat was like a fishbone stuck in his throat; cultivating step by step was too slow, and he simply couldn't keep up.

The situation is constantly changing, and the only way to break through the deadlock quickly is to seek victory in the face of danger.

His fingertips gently brushed over the illustrations and text on the silk scroll, but his mind was filled with images of the world of A Chinese Ghost Story.

"Yan Chixia and Nie Xiaoqian—it's time to go back and visit them."

1

Zhao Yu muttered to himself, and the next moment, with a thought, his figure disappeared from the study and vanished into the chaotic space.

The candlelight flickered, and the room was empty, as if no one had ever been there.

After leaving the Tang Dynasty, Zhao Yu changed his mind and went to the Ming Dynasty first.

After searching around for Lan Fenghuang to no avail, they found a plain note pressed down on the corner of the table.

Zhao Yu unfolded the book and read it; the words carried a hint of the straightforwardness of a Miao woman.

Lan Fenghuang said that some changes had occurred in the Five Immortals Sect and she had to rush back to deal with them. She would come to meet him again after the matter was settled.

"I almost forgot, she's also the leader of a sect." Zhao Yu chuckled, folding the letter and putting it into his pocket.

Lan Fenghuang also has her own career and responsibilities, and cannot stay by his side forever.

He looked around, and his mind was no longer troubled.

With the Southern Song Dynasty's political situation settled and the Northern Expedition underway, the Ming Dynasty had only been borrowing land to obtain supplies. Now that the supplies had been emptied and Lan Fenghuang had left, there was no longer any need for him to feign compliance with Zhu Houxi.

The world can offer him little help anymore, so there's no need to expend any more energy on him.

With a thought, Zhao Yu's figure disappeared from the courtyard.

He had barely walked a few moments when hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

Eunuch Wang scurried in, bowing low, muttering, "Master Daoist, His Majesty has been waiting for you in the palace for a long time. Your elixir—"

He stopped mid-sentence, staring at the empty courtyard, frozen in place, his mouth agape for a long time.

The courtyard was completely silent, without a single person in sight, as if Zhao Yu's figure from earlier had been merely an illusion.

The warm pavilion of Kunning Palace in Lin'an, Southern Song Dynasty.

Lin Chaoying suddenly felt a slight breeze behind her. Her hand holding the pen paused slightly, but she did not turn around.

"You still know to come back." Her tone was flat, but the words she wrote were slightly crooked.

Zhao Yu gently put his arm around her shoulder from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head: "Is everything alright in the court? There haven't been any unusual developments at the front lines, have there?"

""

"What could possibly be unusual?" Lin Chaoying put down her pen, turned around and looked at him. "Old Master Huang is managing the government affairs very well. The autumn grain from various prefectures is being stored in the granaries one after another, and Shandong has also sent a memorial to reassure the people. You, the official, are certainly having a leisurely time."

"With Sister Lin in charge, I can naturally relax."

Zhao Yu smiled and then brought up a matter: "Speaking of which, it's not a long-term solution for Brother Huang to handle all the affairs of the cabinet by himself. Could you help him find a suitable person to take care of his daily life? We can't let the dignified Eastern Heretic be all alone for the rest of his life."

Lin Chaoying covered her mouth and chuckled upon hearing this: "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. This Master Huang has been in quite a mess lately. I heard that a young lady surnamed Feng chased him all the way from Pingjiang Prefecture to Lin'an, and every few days she would send someone to deliver some writing materials to Old Master Huang. The mighty Eastern Heretic has no way to deal with her."

"Surname Feng?" Zhao Yu's heart skipped a beat.

Could it be Feng Heng?

He had initially worried that his alterations to the plot would affect the marriage between Huang Yaoshi and Feng Heng, but now it seems that those destined to meet will eventually meet.

Lin Chaoying continued, "I've heard that this Miss Feng is not only exceptionally beautiful and from an extraordinary family, but she also has a photographic memory and is extremely talented. No wonder someone as arrogant as Huang Yaoshi, though he didn't say it, always accepted her gifts."

Zhao Yu breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. Now I can leave with peace of mind."

"

Lin Chaoying's smile vanished instantly. She looked up at him, her voice slightly tense: "Are you leaving again?"

Zhao Yu sighed, pulled her to sit down, and briefly recounted his encounter with Shi Zhixuan in the Tang Dynasty world.

The Evil King's assassination techniques, his elusive movements, and his relentless pursuit of his opponent are all explained in detail.

After saying that, he took out the book of black gold silk from his bosom and handed it to Lin Chaoying: "This is the 'Longevity Manual,' an ancient and unique skill. Unfortunately, the conditions for cultivation are too harsh, so I can only borrow it for reference."

Lin Chaoying took the silk book, glanced at it twice, and felt dizzy and disoriented. She quickly closed her eyes and pushed the book back.

"This technique is extremely strange," she said, frowning.

"Don't force yourself." Zhao Yu quickly put away the Longevity Manual, reached out and pulled her into his arms. "I'm just looking at the basics. If I really try to cultivate it, I'll only lose more than I gain."

Lin Chaoying leaned on his shoulder, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly grabbed his sleeve: "I won't stop you, but I want to go with you."

""

"Sister Lin————"

"Husband and wife are one," Lin Chaoying interrupted him, her tone calm yet unwavering. "You risk your life outside, while I sit comfortably in the palace, enjoying the honors of an empress. There's no justice in this world. I may not be the best in martial arts, but I'm certainly not a burden to you. If you don't agree, I'll leave the palace tomorrow!"

Looking into her stubborn eyes, Zhao Yu felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This is Lin Chaoying, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, with a proud spirit, never a weak woman hiding behind a man.