Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

Just as Yang Ji's cloud drifted over his own residence, Old Zhou, the gatekeeper of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, was resting on a stone stool at the entrance. When he looked up, he saw a white cloud leisurely descending into the courtyard.

He squinted for a couple of moments, then suddenly sprang up from the stone bench: "Young Master is back! Young Master has returned riding on a cloud!"

Yang Shiqi is still in court discussing matters and hasn't returned yet. Madam Yang is in charge of things at home, so he needs to hurry and report to her.

Madam Yang was sitting in the main hall flipping through account books when she heard the shout. She put the account books down on the table, got up and walked into the courtyard. As she walked, she instructed the maid beside her: "Go and tell the young mistress and young master that Ji'er has returned and that they should also come to the main hall."

Yang Ji had already gathered his clouds and was standing in the courtyard when two maids came up from the side corridor to greet him. He handed them the plush cat and Shiba Inu he was carrying.

The two maids looked down and saw the fluffy little creatures in their arms staring with round eyes. One was long and fluffy like a little lion, and the other had short legs, a chubby face, and was sticking out its tongue in a silly grin.

Having served in the manor for so many years, they had never even seen or heard of cats and dogs like this, let alone seen one. The two women exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with wonder.

Yang Ji entered the main hall and first bowed to his mother.

Madam Yang pulled him aside and looked him up and down. Seeing that he was unharmed, travel-worn but full of energy, she breathed a sigh of relief: "You're back so quickly. How did the mission go?"

"Everything is taken care of, thanks to the magic weapon Your Highness provided." Yang Ji sat down on the chair next to him and accepted the tea handed to him by the maid.

"We've collected all the good gourds we could find in Liaocheng, and some of them are in really good condition. His Highness is very satisfied." As he spoke, he took the sword-nurturing gourd from his waist and placed it on the table, his tone carrying a hint of undisguised pride. "Mother, His Highness said that this gourd and that celestial cloud will be mine from now on."

Madam Yang reached out and picked up the sword-nurturing gourd, examining it for a long time, turning it over and over. The sword patterns on the gourd gleamed faintly under the lamplight.

She gently placed the gourd back on the table, her tone becoming more serious: "His Highness Prince Rui has been so good to you, do you know how to repay his kindness? Nowadays, so many people are desperate to get into Prince Rui's residence, now that you're in, you should serve His Highness well."

Her expression changed, and she smiled more. "You don't know, ever since you entered the Prince Rui's mansion, all those relatives who didn't see each other much before, and those old friends who hadn't been in touch for many years, have started to come and visit you recently."

Yang Ji put down his teacup, smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, Mother, I know what I'm doing."

As they were talking, Li arrived at the main hall with her three-year-old son in hand.

As soon as the little guy saw his father, he broke free from his mother's hand and stumbled over to him, calling out "Dad, Dad," before burying his face in Yang Ji's legs.

Yang Ji bent down, picked up his son, and kissed him on the cheek. The little guy giggled.

Yang Ji placed his son on a chair next to him and waved towards the door: "Bring those two pets in so the young master can have a look at them too."

The maids carried the Ragdoll cat and Shiba Inu into the main hall. The two little creatures were held in their arms the whole time and were not afraid of strangers.

As soon as the little guy saw the furry little animal, he immediately slid off the chair, stood on tiptoe and reached out to touch it. Li quickly squatted down to support him, afraid that he would stumble and fall.

Madam Yang asked someone to come closer, and after looking at it for a while, she couldn't help but reach out and take the ragdoll cat.

The cat meowed softly in her arms, its bright blue eyes blinking. Her eyes lit up: "This cat is so handsome! Its fur is like silk, and its eyes are blue! Was it also a gift from His Highness Prince Rui?"

"It was a gift from His Highness." Yang Ji took the Shiba Inu from another maid.

Li and her son huddled together nearby. The little guy cautiously reached out and stroked the Shiba Inu's fluffy head. The dog didn't flinch; instead, it tilted its head back and licked his finger. The little guy giggled and turned to Li, calling out, "Mommy! It licked me! It licked me!"

Li couldn't help but smile, gently stroking the Shiba Inu's fur before looking up at Yang Ji and asking, "This dog is so adorable. What's its name?"

Yang Ji smiled, not directly answering his wife's question, but looking at his mother with a hint of mystery in his voice: "Mother, guess where these cats and dogs came from?"

Madam Yang, who was busy playing with the cat, didn't even look up: "What? How did you get it? Didn't you say it was a gift from His Highness Prince Rui?"

"What I mean is, let me show you what this pet turned out of?"

Madam Yang looked up at her son, then turned her gaze back to the cat: "You silly child, a pet is a pet. What could it possibly be? Did you blow a breath of air onto a clay figure?"

"Mother, this cat didn't look like this before." Yang Ji smiled faintly, lowering his voice. "His Highness had someone catch a few ants, and right in front of us, with a flick of his sleeve, a flash of golden light appeared, and the ants swelled up on the ground, turning into these cats and dogs in the blink of an eye. The one in your arms is an ant that has turned into a cat."

Madam Yang's hand suddenly froze.

She looked down at the Ragdoll cat in her arms, which was comfortably dozing off. Although it looked cute, the thought that it had originally been an ant sent chills down her spine.

"What..." Her hand trembled, and the ragdoll cat slipped from her arms and fell to the ground. The cat fell on its bottom, was stunned for a moment, then pawed wildly and darted out, running all over the main hall.

The little one was so anxious he stamped his feet and tugged at Li's sleeve, shouting, "The cat ran away! The cat ran away!"

"Quickly, quickly, catch it!" Madam Yang shouted to the servants, and several maids quickly bent down to surround it, causing chaos in the scene.

Just as Yang Ji was about to get up to help, Madam Yang grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back into his chair: "Just have the servants catch it. Quickly tell your mother what happened. How could an ant turn into a cat?"

Li asked the wet nurse to take the little one to play aside, and she sat down on a chair next to him, her gaze curiously falling on her husband.

Yang Ji then recounted everything he had seen at the Prince Rui's residence.

His Highness treated them to celestial delicacies; after they finished eating, he had ants caught and, in front of them, used his supernatural powers. With a flash of golden light, the ants transformed into these pets.

In closing, he recalled His Highness's casual addition: "His Highness also said that this supernatural power can not only turn ants into animals, but also people into animals."

Li, who was listening nearby, widened her eyes and instinctively covered her mouth. Madam Yang listened, her expression changing several times.

She remained silent for a long while, her tone revealing barely suppressed astonishment: "Before, there were rumors that His Highness Prince Rui was the reincarnation of the King of Hell, which I didn't quite believe. But now he can both extend and decrease people's lifespans, turn ants into cats and dogs, and even turn people into animals. Isn't that exactly the King of Hell's ability?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Ji almost choked with laughter, waving his hands repeatedly: "Mother, don't make wild guesses. His Highness is a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, with great supernatural powers. What King Yama?"

"Alright, alright, Mother's just talking nonsense." Madam Yang didn't argue with him. Her gaze shifted, and she suddenly lowered her voice, her tone becoming more probing. "By the way, speaking of longevity, you know your father. Expecting him to achieve merit and gain longevity is probably a long shot."

As she spoke, she looked intently at Yang Ji, her face full of expectation, "Mother is getting older and older. Now that you work in the Prince Rui's mansion, could you find an opportunity to help Mother make herself younger?"

Hearing this, Li couldn't help but glance at her husband. Although she didn't say anything, the meaning in her eyes was similar to that of her mother-in-law. After all, who doesn't want to look younger, even though she was only around 20 years old?

Yang Ji sighed inwardly. Sure enough, after going around in circles, we've ended up here again.

He put down his teacup, a smile on his face, his tone neither agreeing nor refusing: "Mother, don't be in a hurry. Once I've established myself in the manor and made some real contributions, I'll mention it to His Highness, and maybe I can get you some things to make you younger."

Madam Yang patted the back of his hand, her eyes crinkling into slits with laughter: "I'm relieved to hear you say that. You'll have plenty of opportunities while working in the Prince's mansion, so I'm counting on you for this. Be careful and look for chances to make a name for yourself."

Meanwhile, Jian Fang returned to his residence, where the situation was exactly the same as Yang Ji's.