Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

After Xu Jingchang took his leave, Xu Miaoyun did not immediately return to the palace.

She toyed with the three crystal-clear gourds in her hand, recalling how her son had just given Xu Jingchang a gourd. Her tone was thoughtful as she asked, "Xi'er, I want to ask, you just gave your cousin a gourd, but how many gourds did you give to Father and the others?"

Before Zhu Gaoxi could answer, she added, "I'm not asking for more on their behalf, I'm just asking. Otherwise, if your father knew I took three and he only got one, he'd probably nag you about being biased. Don't let this affect your relationship with your father."

Zhu Gaoxi smiled and gave a thumbs up: "Mother, you're so clever and observant. But I gave Father two, and the other brothers each got one."

He picked up his drink from the table, took a sip, and said, "Well, I'm closest to you. Besides, they didn't even ask how many I could have. I'll give them to them when they find me some good gourds."

Upon hearing this, Xu Miaoyun was slightly taken aback at first, then nodded, her tone filled with agreement: "You're right. It's indeed time for them to do some work for you. Otherwise, if they just keep taking things from you, they'll get used to it and it'll become their right."

Zhu Di: What? He's not my son?

Zhu Gaoxi smiled, his voice softening slightly, with a hint of coquetry: "Mother is still the best to me, she understands me. Unlike Father and my brothers, who can't resist my magic treasures and shamelessly beg me for them."

Xu Miaoyun laughed at his somewhat childish remark and gently patted the back of his hand: "It's no wonder your father and your brothers are so excited. After all, who wouldn't be tempted by your magic treasures? Not to mention them, even your mother's eyes widened when she saw these gourds."

After chatting and laughing for a while, Zhu Gaoxi suddenly leaned forward, as if sharing some secret, and said to Xu Miaoyun, "Mother, weren't you worried that Father would find out you have three gourds?"

"I have an idea for you. You can put the other two gourds inside one of the gourds. When you need them, you can put the other two inside one of the gourds, and then they won't know."

Upon hearing this, Xu Miaoyun's eyes lit up. She looked at him with delight and blurted out, "It has to be my son! He's so smart! But he's also a little mischievous."

She weighed the three gourds in her palm, and with a thought, the beauty gourd and the sword-nourishing gourd transformed into two streams of light and entered the water-fire gourd. After all, carrying this on her person could keep her cool in summer and warm in winter, making it the most practical.

She patted the water-fire gourd, then tucked it into her sleeve with satisfaction, a hint of pride on her face.

Zhu Di sneezed in the Qianqing Palace.

He rubbed his nose, feeling like someone was talking about him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.

Xu Jinchang rode his somersault cloud and soon flew back to the sky above his own mansion.

He looked down at the rapidly receding streets and alleys beneath his feet and couldn't help but mutter again, "These clouds are really fast; they truly deserve to be called a celestial treasure."

No sooner had the words been spoken than the cloud came to a steady stop above the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

In the courtyard below, a guard caught a glimpse of a white cloud drifting by in the sky, but didn't pay much attention to it. After all, it was nothing new for clouds to come and go over Yingtian Prefecture these past few days.

But the cloud drifted lower and lower, and there was a person standing on it. The guard squinted and took a closer look, and was stunned. Wasn't that the Duke?

He tilted his head back, his lips trembling several times, and shouted, "The Duke is back! The Duke has returned riding on a cloud!"

The shout startled everyone in the mansion. The maids and servants looked up at the sky, and one of the servants quickly went to inform the steward.

Everyone in the courtyard looked up and saw their Duke standing on a white cloud, slowly descending.

Ever since the imperial edict was delivered to the Duke of Dingguo's residence this morning, the atmosphere throughout the entire household has changed.

What hadn't they witnessed recently in Yingtian Prefecture? Flying on swords, golden dragons patrolling the city, riding the clouds—the people of the entire capital had all seen it with their own eyes.

No one doubts that His Highness Prince Rui is a living god. Furthermore, his own Duke is Prince Rui's cousin, and has now been personally appointed by His Majesty to serve as Prince Rui's Master of Ceremonies and tutor.

These are not ordinary officials of the Prince's residence; they are close associates who are with His Highness Prince Rui every day.

Although his own Duke was favored in the past, he was, after all, Empress Xu's nephew, and His Majesty had always treated him well.

However, no one in the household dared to be ostentatious. There were countless princes and nobles in the capital, and one could easily offend someone without even knowing how they died. Therefore, they were always extremely careful in their actions and words, trying their best not to give anyone any ammunition against them.

Things are different now. His own Duke has taken up a post in the Prince Rui's residence—who is he going to serve? He's going to serve the most esteemed, divine prince of the Ming Dynasty. A disciple personally taught by the Daoist Ancestor, a living deity.

From now on, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and the Prince of Rui's mansion will be on the same boat. How can their status be the same? Nowadays, when the servants of the mansion go out to do errands, their voices are louder than before.

Even the big yellow guard dog we keep in the backyard has been holding its head high when it goes out for a walk these past few days.

Xu Jingchang descended from the cloud and landed steadily in the courtyard. He patted the gourd in his hand, and the somersault cloud transformed into a streak of white light and entered the gourd's mouth. He patted the gourd and muttered to himself, "A celestial treasure, so convenient."

Butler Zhou trotted up to greet him, his face beaming with excitement, and said repeatedly, "Your Excellency, you're finally back! While you were away from the capital, there were many matters piling up in the manor waiting for your decision."

As he spoke, he pulled out a thick booklet from his sleeve and began to report on each matter one by one: the rent for this year on the estate had not yet been collected, there were several properties whose deeds needed to be verified, the old houses in the west courtyard needed to be repaired, and the list of New Year's gifts bestowed by the palace also needed to be reviewed by the emperor.

Xu Jingchang took the booklet, flipped through it, and nodded: "I understand. Let's talk in the study." He walked to the study, sat down, and began to deal with the backlog of official business.

Meanwhile, the officials from various departments had already arrived at their respective gourd-producing areas.

Yang Ji was the first to arrive in Liaocheng.

He rode his somersault cloud northwestward for a long time, the fields and mountains beneath his feet were dyed golden and red by the setting sun. By the time he could see the city wall of Liaocheng in the distance, it was already dark. Most of the vendors in the market had packed up their stalls, and only a few peddlers returning late were carrying their loads and hurrying towards the city gate.

He chose a secluded open space outside the prefectural government office to lower the cloud, but in the twilight, a white cloud descended from the sky, and there was no way to hide it.

Several peddlers who were packing up and heading home saw it from afar and were so frightened that they dropped their carrying poles, knelt down with a thud, and cried out, "A god has descended to earth!"

Yang Ji glanced back, not having time to explain, put the cloud back into the gourd, straightened his clothes, and stepped forward to report.

The gatekeeper was dozing off against the gatepost when he was suddenly startled by a soft white dumpling. He rubbed his eyes and looked at it.

A white cloud was slowly dissipating when a handsome young man with delicate features descended from it. He had a token hanging from his waist and exuded an aura of authority. With a wave of his hand, the cloud was collected into a gourd.

The constable froze, nearly dropping his water-and-fire stick, and stammered, "May I ask...may I ask which deity you are?"

Yang Ji didn't say much, but took out the token of the Prince Rui's Mansion and showed it: "Yang Ji, the chief secretary of the Prince Rui's Mansion, has come here on His Highness's orders to search for the best gourds. Please inform the local prefect."

The constable took the token and examined it several times. Then, glancing at the lingering white cloud behind Yang Ji, his legs went weak again. He quickly bowed and ran into the yamen, shouting, "My lord! My lord! A deity has arrived at the Prince Rui's residence!"

When Zheng Cong and Xue Bin arrived at Pingyang Prefecture, it was already dusk. The two stopped outside the prefectural government office, handed over their tokens, and had someone announce their arrival.

Just as the prefect was about to have his dinner, he heard a report that officials from Prince Rui's residence had arrived on a cloud. He didn't even have time to put down his chopsticks before personally coming out to greet them.

When Jian Fang arrived in Quanzhou, it was already late at night. He descended from the clouds outside the Maritime Trade Office, and the soldiers on night duty, seeing such supernatural power for the first time, were so frightened they almost drew their swords. Fortunately, the token of the Prince Rui's Mansion still carried weight in government offices everywhere, and he was respectfully welcomed inside.

Although these officials from other places had never met Prince Rui in person, the news that had come from Yingtian Prefecture in recent days had already spread to various places along the official roads and trade routes.

Flying on swords and soaring through the skies on dragons—these stories had been told countless times in post stations and teahouses.

Even if Prince Rui is not a god, how many officials from the Prince's mansion would dare to be negligent when he personally visits?