Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

After Zhu Di and Empress Xu left, Zhu Gaoxi stayed in the mansion for the whole afternoon and didn't go anywhere else.

He leaned against the couch in the main hall, listlessly flipping through the books on the table, turning a couple of pages before putting them down again.

Seeing his master's restless appearance, Little Snot cleverly came forward to refill his tea, and asked with a grin, "Is Your Highness feeling bored? Would you like to go out for a stroll?"

Zhu Gaoxi raised his eyelids slightly: "What's fun to do outside?"

Little Snot perked up at these words and counted on his fingers: "There are so many! There are restaurants and teahouses one after another along the Qinhuai River, storytellers and acrobats near the Confucius Temple, and all sorts of acrobatics and performances in the southern city's entertainment districts."

Zhu Gaoxi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and neither said he would go nor that he wouldn't.

Little Snot, observing the situation, added, "If Your Highness wishes to go out, this servant will arrange for guards and ceremonial escorts right away, making sure everything is impeccable."

Guards. Ceremonial procession.

Upon hearing these two words, Zhu Gaoxi immediately pictured the scene at the gate of the mansion that morning, the common people peeking out from the alleyway, the idlers pretending to drink tea in the teahouse across the street, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards watching from the shadows at all times.

If he's constantly being called a god wherever he goes, even a stroll on a pleasure boat could easily be rumored tomorrow as "Prince Rui's lingering in a brothel." In that case, the god-like image he's built up in the hearts of Zhu Di and Empress Xu will likely crumble.

"Never mind." He put the teacup back on the table. "I won't go out for now."

Little Snotty was stunned for a moment, but didn't dare to ask why. He just replied "Yes" and stepped back to the side.

It wasn't that he didn't want to go out. He had been in the Ming Dynasty for quite some time now, and he hadn't even properly explored the streets of the capital. The Qinhuai River, Confucius Temple, teahouses, and taverns of Yingtian Prefecture were all things he had only seen in books.

Especially those famous brothels, it is said that the girls there are proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and the most beautiful courtesan is as beautiful as a fairy.

In his past life, he had read countless time-travel novels online. In each one, the protagonist first went to a brothel to listen to music, drink tea, and see just how beautiful the women in ancient times were. He, the Prince Rui and a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, didn't even know what the Qinhuai River looked like. It would be a disgrace to the army of time-travelers if word got out.

There's no rush. It'll be safer to wait until I get the ability to change my appearance through daily check-ins, then sneak out in an inconspicuous form. Going out now is like patrolling the streets; there's no fun at all.

He lay in the waterside pavilion in the backyard for a while, but then got bored and went to the study.

The study contained a large collection of books, all of which Empress Xu had recently transferred from the palace. There were also two boxes of books given by his elder brother, Zhu Gaochi, which filled two shelves with classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections.

He randomly picked up a few books and flipped through them; they were all books he had read before, nothing new.

Seeing that he was distracted, Little Snot carefully served him, saying, "Does Your Highness find these books uninteresting? Perhaps this servant could go to the palace and borrow a few more?"

"No need." Zhu Gaoxi put the book back in its place. "It's not the book's problem, it's my problem." Having grown accustomed to watching TV and movies from later generations and scrolling through short videos, he really couldn't sit still when he opened these vertically formatted traditional Chinese thread-bound books without punctuation.

Little Snot didn't understand, but didn't dare to ask further.

Zhu Gaoxi left his study and headed towards the main courtyard. As he passed the garden, he saw two palace maids standing under the eaves talking in the distance.

Both women were dressed in plain blue robes, with a moon-white vest over them, the attire of personal female officials in the Prince Rui's residence. The taller one had a slender figure and a bright face, while the round-faced one looked more demure, carrying a tea tray and nodding gently with pursed lips.

These two are Qiutang and Yuehe.

They were all personally selected by Empress Xu from Kunning Palace and sent to Prince Rui's residence. In the palace, they were female officials with ranks, so they were naturally no ordinary maids when they arrived at Prince Rui's residence.

After arriving at Prince Rui's residence, the two were nominally personal maids, but in reality, they were the female stewards of the inner courtyard. Rough work like watering flowers and loosening the soil was done by the lower-ranking maids; they had no opportunity to do it themselves.

Zhu Gaoxi walked over, and Qiu Tang heard the footsteps first. She turned around and smiled.

She pulled Zhu Gaoxi aside and curtsied, calling out "Your Highness" in a clear voice. She then bowed again, whispering "Your Highness" as usual, her ears turning red.

"What are you saying?" Zhu Gaoxi asked casually.

Qiu Tang smiled and said, "We were just talking about the peonies in the courtyard. The gardener said the few that Prince Zhao sent over last month need to be repotted. I just went to take a look, and they're blooming even better than the ones in the palace. Yue He said she'll embroider a peony handkerchief for Your Highness later."

Yuehe blushed even more after being interrupted, and whispered in defense, "It hasn't been embroidered yet, sister, don't tell anyone first."

Zhu Gaoxi couldn't help but smile as he watched them bicker. These two had only been with him yesterday, but he had already roughly figured out their personalities: Qiutang was straightforward, and Yuehe was shy; each had her own merits.

When Empress Xu sent the person over, she said that he was chosen to serve him personally. However, at that time he was still a child, and his supernatural powers were not yet fully developed. So, his so-called personal service was nothing more than serving tea and water. But now... it's different.

Everyone present knew perfectly well what "personal service" meant. The personal female officials of the Prince's mansion were meant to serve him in bed.

His gaze inadvertently swept across Qiu Tang's profile. She was wiping the fine sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, revealing a slender wrist beneath her sleeve. Yue He stood half a step behind her, secretly glancing at him. Their eyes met, and she hurriedly lowered her eyelids, her neck turning red.

Zhu Gaoxi's heart skipped a beat.

He was now in a body that was eighteen or nineteen years old, the prime of his life. He hadn't eaten anything good in his previous life, and now two pretty girls were serving him tea and water, making his bed and folding the blankets. It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted.

Besides, which prince of the Ming Dynasty didn't have several concubines around him? The eldest brother, Zhu Gaochi, had several concubines in the Eastern Palace alone, not to mention the second brother, Zhu Gaoxu, who had a large group of beautiful women in the Prince of Han's mansion.

He, a dignified Prince Rui and a disciple of the Dao Ancestor, doesn't even have a bed warmer; it's laughable if word gets out.

No.

He suddenly realized something: the entire capital knew he was a disciple of the Taoist patriarch, a celestial being. He had only used his supernatural powers yesterday to transform himself from a child into an adult, and today he was already so eager to take a palace maid as his concubine? If word got back to the palace, what would Empress Xu think of him? What would Zhu Di think of him?

More importantly, he himself felt it was inappropriate. He decided to wait and see; although he could choose not to eat beef, it was indeed unnecessary.

Well, I'll have to trouble Xiao Jin to be my decoration for the next few nights. Xiao Jin is also feeling down; every night she feels drowsy, without consciousness or memory. It's like she's dead, which is exactly what she is. The people in the manor just think that Prince Rui practices his supernatural powers at night, but in reality, Prince Rui is out exorcising demons and monsters, bringing glory to the country.

Zhu Gaoxi suppressed his wicked thoughts and said, "Yes, embroider well. When it's finished, I will reward you handsomely."

Qiu Tang blinked and smiled, replying, "Yes." Yue He whispered, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhu Gaoxi did not linger any longer and turned back to the main courtyard.

Qiu Tang and Yue He stood there, watching the moon-white figure turn the corner at the end of the corridor and disappear.

Neither of them spoke first, and they stood there quietly for a while.

When she was chosen, countless people in the palace were green with envy. To be sent to serve Prince Rui's residence was such a great blessing. Although Prince Rui was only a few years old, he was a disciple personally taught by the Dao Ancestor, a god-like figure. To be able to serve him, even if it was just to serve tea or water, was an incredible opportunity.

Privately, some people whispered that His Highness Prince Rui was destined to become an immortal, and those around him might one day ascend to heaven.

But who could have imagined that everything would change overnight? The young prince had grown into a young man. Tall and slender with handsome features, he was breathtakingly beautiful when the sunlight fell on his face as he stood under the eaves talking to them.

"Your Highness...you really are different." Qiu Tang was the first to come to her senses, her voice a few decibels lower than usual.

Yuehe gave a soft "hmm".

He's grown up, and so handsome. This "personal service" from now on will be completely different from before. They've witnessed Prince Rui's supernatural powers firsthand—reversing aging and altering lifespans—abilities only gods possess. If they could truly serve His Highness, the blessings they'd receive would be unimaginable.

Qiu Tang's ears turned red again, and she unconsciously squeezed her legs together. Yue He noticed her movement and her own face also felt hot, so she didn't say anything more.