Reincarnation Girl Becomes Immortal

"Stop the princess!" The old eunuch's voice behind him grew even more anxious. "The emperor's whereabouts are unknown, only the princess knows where he is!"

“I told you, he became an immortal!” Xi Heng turned around and answered again, but no one paid any attention.

"Do not allow the princess to leave the palace!" The old eunuch was still highly respected, and his shout once again mobilized the surrounding guards, subtly forming an encirclement around Xi Heng.

Xi Heng found a weak spot and tried to escape, but the old eunuch had already caught up to her within five meters. Clearly, the other party's lightness skill was much better than hers.

A few seconds later, a hand grabbed her from behind and seized her wrist.

Xi Heng gritted his teeth, took another step, and used the momentum of his spin to rotate the other person's body. In the next instant, his free right hand struck the dead eunuch in the chest.

The old eunuch twisted his wrist in a strange way, as if by chance, blocking Xi Heng's palm strike and simultaneously holding both of her hands firmly in place.

Xi Heng delivered another powerful kick, aiming directly at the enemy's weak point in the groin.

She used all her strength, her force was enough to weigh a thousand pounds, and she could kick even solid rocks to pieces.

But this time, after the hit, the opponent didn't move an inch, only letting out a muffled groan.

The old eunuch then suddenly trembled, shaking off his strength, and all the dust on the ground receded.

Xi Heng also felt the force attacking him and couldn't help but take a few steps back.

In those few short seconds, dozens of imperial guards had completely surrounded Xi Heng.

Xi Heng looked around and knew he was doomed. He abandoned any hope of escape and prepared to draw his sword to fight.

"Forgive this servant's offense!" But at this moment, the old eunuch knelt down and clasped his hands in a respectful manner, asking Xi Heng, "Please tell me, Your Highness, where is His Majesty?"

"He became an immortal."

The eunuch knew he would receive such a reply, and then added at the end of his sentence:

"Since that's the case, and His Majesty's whereabouts are unknown, we can only ask the Princess, as the legitimate daughter, to ascend the throne and rule the court!"

"Huh? Me?" This time it was Xi Heng's turn to be stunned. After thinking for a few seconds, he said, "You don't have anyone else to choose from?"

"As His Majesty's only legitimate daughter, the Princess naturally ranks first in the order of succession!"

"No, I don't understand any political power struggles or strategies. Today is only my first day in the palace. I don't even know the current situation of the Great Zhao. Any prince you pick would be better than me, right?" Xi Heng quickly retorted.

"Shouldn't a prince have a higher order of succession than a princess?"

"In the Great Zhao royal family, the legitimate heir comes first, followed by the illegitimate heir, regardless of gender." The old eunuch seemed somewhat helpless, but he quickly covered it up.

Xi Heng increasingly felt that this world was indeed quite different from the world he had traveled through before.

It's not just the addition of high-level power like martial artists; there are also distinct differences on other levels as well.

For example, the women in this other world seemed more independent than those she had read about in books in ancient times.

Xi Heng, inspired by this, suddenly asked the eunuch:

"Did the Great Zhao Dynasty ever have a female emperor?"

"Why do you say that, Princess?" The eunuch was even more confused by the question, and then honestly replied, "The Great Zhao has had three empresses."

Is it true?

Xi Heng sighed, rubbing his forehead: "So, just because I'm the legitimate daughter, I'm entitled to inherit the throne? Won't the other sons, who are not legitimate, assassinate me?"

He has no power in the palace. If he were to actually inherit the throne, he might find himself in bed one night, with only the words "load save" appearing before his eyes.

"The primogeniture system is the foundation of the nation and cannot be shaken!" The eunuch did not answer the last sentence, but only said, "Since the princess said that His Majesty has ascended to heaven and become an immortal, the country cannot be without a ruler for a day. And the princess has received His Majesty's decree today and has resumed her status as the legitimate daughter. According to the rules, the throne should naturally be inherited by the princess!"

“…This isn’t right,” Xi Heng felt his future was bleak.

But judging from the current situation, it seems she can't escape anymore.

…………

Chapter 41, Court Robes in the Eastern Market

Tomorrow, behind the Taixiao Hall, at the Great Altar for the Sacrifice to Heaven and Earth.

Officials from the Three Departments and Six Ministries of the palace, including civil and military officials, eunuchs, palace maids, and others with official positions, were all gathered there in an orderly fashion.

Officials of high rank, dressed in ceremonial robes or auspicious robes, either blue or purple, stood around the Temple of Heaven, holding jade tablets and ceremonial scepters.

Thousands of imperial guards gathered here, their long spears, adorned with red tassels or small flags, standing firmly and almost motionless.

Xi Heng was also wearing the grand ceremonial robe that the emperor wore when he participated in the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven. The robe was decorated with celestial patterns and phoenixes dancing and dragons coiling, making it luxurious and solemn.

Her magnificent and elaborate attire made her appear noble and imposing even when she was just standing there.

The subservient treatment he received from the officials and bureaucrats around him caused a slight change in Xi Heng's mindset.

"So this is what it feels like to be an emperor..." Xi Heng stood in front of the Taixiao Palace, on dozens of white marble steps, looking down at the subjects below, a sense of aloofness rising in his heart.

It was as if all the civil and military officials on the ground, bowing to her, were no match for her.

In this world, there is only one 'heaven' above her, while all other billions of living beings are below her.

Xi Heng knew that he was probably only a short-lived emperor, and that he might be assassinated that very night after today's coronation ceremony.

She had no power or supporters in the capital or the imperial court, and she didn't even have the time to approach those powerful families to promise them benefits and gain their support.

Although she held the title of emperor, she couldn't accomplish anything on her own. Let alone playing political games, she couldn't even remember the names of most of her ministers...

The only thing that allowed her to obtain the position of emperor was her ethereal and illusory bloodline.

Now, at the enthronement ceremony, although he appears to be surrounded by others, it is all just an illusion.

However... the feeling of being publicly bowed down and knelt before these civil and military officials who once seemed high and mighty was actually quite nice.

"I can only enjoy this feeling for a short while," Xi Heng sighed inwardly.

Although he held the title of emperor, he did not have the power of an emperor.

In the palace now, probably only a few rigid eunuchs who follow the strictest rules and the Grand Preceptor, etc., will listen to her say a few words and do a few things for her.

Just now, it is the old Grand Preceptor of the Directorate of Ceremonial who is presiding over this enthronement ceremony.

The Imperial Preceptor, dressed in a white-gold ceremonial robe and wearing a scholar's cap, held a purple-gold brocade scroll and steadily unfurled it. At the center of the Heaven and Earth Ancestral Sacrifice Altar, he loudly proclaimed:

"With tablet raised, I prostrate myself before Heaven in worship, and rise in rejoicing!"

The sound was continuous and lingering, like ripples on water stirred by a strong wind.

As the four giant drums resounded, officials raised their tablets and knelt facing east.

Xi Heng had heard the master of ceremonies and palace maids explain the ceremonial procedures for today several times last night, and had also rehearsed them several times to ensure the success of the enthronement ceremony.

However, when the time actually came for the coronation ceremony, her movements and demeanor became somewhat casual.

Anyway, whether I'm serious or not, I'll be dead soon enough, so I might as well take it easy.

Xi Heng simply bowed to the east, and when the drumbeats stopped, she slowly walked down the white jade steps to the altar to offer sacrifices.

The so-called offerings were nothing more than pigs, sheep, and cattle, with a few fruits and fine fabrics at most.

If the so-called 'heaven' truly has consciousness, it probably wouldn't be satisfied with these simple offerings.

Xi Heng slowly walked through the process, and then he heard the Imperial Advisor shout loudly:

"With the tablet raised, I prostrate myself before the earth, and rise in glory."

The official knelt and bowed to the west, while Xi Heng, guided by the old eunuch, walked to the other side.

"With tablet raised, I prostrate myself before the altar of the land and grain, and prosperity will follow."

Going around and around and around.

Xi Heng was almost dizzy from carrying the jade and silk around the altar.

Moreover, for some reason, my calves are a little sore.

She had been running around for an hour before she felt tired.

I've only been walking around the palace for less than fifteen minutes, and I'm already exhausted, both physically and mentally.

"So boring..." Xi Heng was almost ready to reload his save file.

During the enthronement ceremony, as the proceedings unfolded, Xi Heng had a vague feeling that he was being held his own funeral.

She circled the altar again, and as she passed the Grand Preceptor, she asked with a rather bored expression, "Isn't it almost over?"

"It's still early!" the white-haired imperial advisor said solemnly. "Afterwards, we still need to pay homage to the ancestral temple."

"..." Xi Heng wanted to run away.

……

After a whole morning, the coronation ceremony finally came to an end. Amidst shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", she immediately left the altar of worship.

"Phew..." Wearing a dragon robe and a twelve-tiered imperial crown, Miss Xi Heng returned to the Tai Xiao Palace, sat on the highest dragon throne, and quickly asked a palace maid to bring some water.

A moment later, when she looked up, she saw that the palace maid who was respectfully carrying a tray of tea and fruit was none other than Hanyu, the palace maid from Sijia Palace who had gotten her drunk in her previous life and then sent her to the stone chamber as a first-class precious medicinal ingredient.

Xi Heng sighed, her mind filled with memories of her life-or-death struggle with Zhao Qianyuan when she saw this man.

As she accepted the warm tea from the palace maid, she suddenly asked:

Is the water poisonous?

"..." Han Yu paused for a moment, then carefully bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, there will be no villains who want to harm Your Majesty."

“How could there not be? Isn’t this palace full of scoundrels?” Xi Heng shook his head: “But never mind, whether it’s poisonous or not doesn’t matter. Life and death are all in the hands of fate.”

After saying that, he raised his glass and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls.

"Cough cough..." Then he choked on the water.

Xi Heng initially thought it was a poisoning attack, but after coughing a few times, he returned to normal and clicked his tongue.

The first cup of water she drank after ascending the throne wasn't poisoned—she was truly underestimated.

In the eyes of those other princes and princesses who want to compete for the throne, although she has already ascended to the throne, there is actually no need to worry at all... Perhaps she can take some time to stabilize and manage the power and relationships she has. If she wants to kill her, she can just find a time at any time, there is no need to rush.

Xi Heng seemed to have paranoia, constantly thinking about these things.

She then slumped back on the dragon throne, saying listlessly, "Why hasn't anyone come to kill me yet?"

The palace maid beside her dared not reply.

After a while, the old eunuch who had accompanied Xi Heng to the entire enthronement ceremony and the Imperial Preceptor arrived at the Taixiao Palace. They first patted their ceremonial robes, then bowed and addressed the Emperor as "Your Majesty," before saying:

"Your Majesty, there are many memorials piling up recently. Please return to the palace as soon as possible to deal with them."

"Why do you always have to get down to business right away?" Xi Heng picked up a grape from the fruit platter brought by a palace maid and put it to his lips. "Don't rush me. I've only been emperor for less than ten minutes. I haven't enjoyed any pleasures yet. I've spent my whole life wandering outside the capital. Can't I enjoy myself a little first?"

"The situation on the territory of Great Zhao is dire! The Yanmeng foreign tribes in the north are eyeing us covetously, the Huangmei Mountain people in the east have established their own independent state, rebels in the south have already captured Jinshi, and the barbarian tribes that are subjects of Great Zhao in the west have started trouble one after another. I beg Your Majesty to restore order to the country!" the eunuch said in a shrill voice, like a theatrical actor.

“Me?” Xi Heng pointed to himself:

"Are you all blind? What could I possibly accomplish? Even if I survive, I'd only ever be a puppet emperor."

She yawned again and waved her hand, saying, "Please, you two, find someone else more capable."

Xi Heng planned to rest for a while and then go directly to the royal study to find some martial arts manuals to use in his next life after reloading his save file.

As for the affairs of the Great Zhao? Let her make sure she survives first.

Inside the hall, the old eunuch and the old imperial advisor exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

"The truth is not what Your Majesty says!" The Grand Preceptor stepped forward again: "Nowadays, no one but Your Majesty can restore order to the court and the nation!"

What is this guy talking about...?

Xi Heng just thought the other person was senile and didn't pay much attention to him.

"I have heard!" the Grand Preceptor said again, "Your Majesty recited a poem in court yesterday. On the surface, every line describes the scenery, but in reality, every line expresses the perilous state of the nation and the uncertain future of the Great Zhao!"

"From the poem, I can tell that Your Majesty is also a scholar of integrity who cares about the country. Today, for the sake of the Great Zhao Dynasty, I have a request!" He knelt down on both knees, making two loud thuds, clearly using force.

"Speak." Seeing how serious the other party was, Xi Heng thought he should listen.

"This matter is of utmost importance. Please come with me, Your Majesty!" The old Grand Preceptor stood up, dusted off his robes, and walked toward the back gate of the Taixiao Palace.

The old eunuch followed behind.

Sitting on the dragon throne, Xi Heng looked around, sighed softly, and slowly followed the two.

After passing through the palace corridor and turning at two corners, you arrive at the emperor's office in the rear hall of the Taixiao Hall.

The old imperial advisor opened the door, revealing not the usual screen found in a room, but a purple wooden shelf filled with all sorts of rare flowers, strange stones, antiques, and gold, silver, and jade carvings.

After passing these priceless and rare artifacts, one can then see the magnificent interior of the room.