Upon entering the Divine Realm, Chu Jiubian immediately called out to the System: “I’ll draw a card.”

He still had several duplicate cards in his hands, and he could use any one of them to draw Qin Xiao.

[Insufficient points detected to draw a new card. Would Host like to draw a Believer with an existing card instead?]

“Yes.”

[Okay. You currently have one ‘wealth’ card, one ‘armed forces’ card, and two ‘charisma’ cards. Please choose one.]

Chu Jiubian chose the ‘charisma’ card. After using this one, he would have one each of the remaining three cards.

The charisma card flipped over, revealing four character cards.

They were all old acquaintances.

Besides Wang Qichen, there was also Eunuch Hong and An Wuji.

And finally, there was Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian reached out decisively and grasped the card belonging to Qin Xiao.

In the next moment, the entire Divine Realm began to shake violently. Intermittent red lights flashed, and an alarm wailed shrilly.

The System’s mechanical voice also cut in and out: [Alert—]

[Not recommended!!]

[N-not recommended—]

There was a sharp, intense pain in Chu Jiubian’s chest, as if countless needles were frantically piercing his internal organs.

Boom—

One after another, the towering dragon-shaped pillars collapsed.

The chair and steps under Chu Jiubian also plummeted into the pure white space. As he fell weightlessly, solid ground never materialized beneath him. 

Just like when he had fallen from the cliff, it felt as if this fall would never end.

It mirrored him as a person – constantly on the road to death, yet always held back by a yearning for life, neither truly dead nor able to live in peace.

Then he coughed up a mouthful of blood. It stained the young man’s pure white robes and disheveled silver hair, and tainted the swirling mist of the Divine Realm.

The clouds instantly turned blood-red, and after a brief moment of stillness, they suddenly transformed into two gigantic arms and caught Chu Jiubian securely, preventing him from falling any further.

An unknown amount of time passed before Chu Jiubian abruptly opened his eyes and found himself back in his bedroom, laying in his bed.

At the same time, a sickly-sweet, metallic taste welled up in his throat and caused him to cough violently.

He clutched his chest and leaned over the edge of the bed, retching several times before he was finally able to suppress the bloody taste in his throat.

Chu Jiubian’s eyes were bloodshot, and his entire body was drenched in cold sweat. Hair stuck to his face, and he looked entirely disheveled.

He lowered his eyes, which contained a hint of madness.

Then he called upon the System again and entered the Divine Realm.

Everything there had returned to its original state, and he had even returned to his seat on the elevated throne.

Just like he was in the real world, he was now deathly pale, with bloodstains on his lips and cheeks. A complete mess.

“Summon Qin Xiao,” he said in a hoarse voice, his tone remarkably calm.

[Host, this System does not recommend that you select this Believer, nor does it recommend that you continue trying.]

“I didn’t manage to pull out the card just now, so it doesn’t count as me having used one, right?” Chu Jiubian asked.

[It doesn’t count.]

“Okay,” Chu Jiubian said, “Draw the ‘armed forces’ card.”

The System remained silent for a long moment before displaying the ‘armed forces’ card.

Without hesitation, Chu Jiubian once again grasped the card belonging to Qin Xiao.

The Divine Realm collapsed again, and in the midst of the shrill alarms, Chu Jiubian felt as if his internal organs were being pierced through.

The clouds once again transformed into large hands, which caught him even more skillfully than before.

When he opened his eyes again, Chu Jiubian was back in his bedroom. A large mouthful of bright red blood gushed from his mouth, and his vision was slightly blurry.

“System,” he called out again in his mind.

The System’s usually calm, mechanical voice sounded somewhat anxious as it said: [Host, please stop trying! This setting was put in place by the System’s creator; no one can defy it!]

Chu Jiubian’s eyes instantly regained their clarity. “The System’s creator? Who is he, and what setting did he put in place? Why can’t I summon Qin Xiao?”

The System didn’t answer any of his many questions, and only said: [For Host’s personal safety, this System has temporarily disabled the Divine Realm function and will reactivate it tomorrow at noon.]

[During this period, if any Believers request an audience, this System will inform Host, allowing you to rest assured and recuperate in order to better carry out your mission. (Injuries to Host’s body are a side effect of this System, and will heal after six hours. No medical attention is needed.)]

Having said all of this, the System went completely silent and refused to respond no matter what Chu Jiubian said.

Chu Jiubian lay on the side of the bed for a long time before he ultimately managed to get up. He dragged his almost crippled body to the table and poured some water to rinse his mouth.

He now sincerely felt that it would be a good thing to have someone stationed outside his room. That way, he wouldn’t have to get out of bed himself at times like this.

But it was just a fleeting thought. The weather was getting increasingly cold, and the palace servants were even feeling cold in their own rooms, much less sleeping on the floor outside his door.

Chu Jiubian considered creating a ‘metal stove’ at some point. Or perhaps he would create an underfloor heating system, which would be warmer than simply using a charcoal brazier.

That being said, all of the affairs of the Imperial Court had fallen upon Chu Jiubian’s shoulders recently, and he had delegated many tasks to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs and Qin Chaoyang.

Therefore, Hong Fu had also been very busy lately. Even Xiao Xiangzi hadn’t been able to stay at Chu Jiubian’s side to attend to him, and instead spent his days running errands with his master.

Xiao Jinzi and Xiao Yinzi were also frequently seconded to help out. Chu Jiubian didn’t mind, and even hoped that these children could grow and develop, so the two of them were kept incredibly busy.

All of the miscellaneous tasks around Yaotai Residence then fell to Shui Qing and Shui Yun.

The two young palace maids were maturing at a rapid pace, and were already being addressed as “jiejie” by younger maids when they went out.

Chu Jiubian’s thoughts came to a halt.

It seemed he really was injured. What was he even thinking about?

He dragged himself to the side of the bed, sat down, and slowly levered himself down flat.

But even with how careful he was, his chest and abdomen still felt as if they were being ripped open.

The pain showed no sign of abating once he was lying down, but it also didn’t worsen. The System had even said that he would make a full recovery in six hours.

Chu Jiubian felt that this might be the System’s “punishment” mechanism.

It would hurt you, but not kill you – this was purely for the purpose of teaching a lesson.

How cruel. He didn’t know who had created this System, but they must have been a complete deviant.

He became lost in thought, attempting to distract himself and take his mind off his injuries.

This caused his thoughts to turn to Qin Xiao.

It turned out that the “not recommended” alert that kept appearing on the cards was a genuine warning, and that if he insisted on going against said advice, this was the sort of consequence that awaited him.

But since he wasn’t recommended, why even include him as an option in the first place?

Was this “entrapment” on the part of the System?

Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but recall the cards he had drawn previously. All of the character cards he had seen flashed before his eyes one by one, and in that moment, his thoughts became exceptionally clear.

Therefore, he noticed something strange.

From the initial Jiang Shuoye and Situ Zhaoling, to the later Wang Qichen and Qin Chuan, and finally to Lu Yao – each time, the System gave him several options, but in the end, he always seemed to choose the card that the System marked as “recommended.”

It was as if the System was guiding him to choose these people, and it could even be said that these Believers were his only options.

Causal System.

Chu Jiubian pondered these two words, his eyes narrowing.

Was choosing these people the “cause” or the “effect?”

He had transmigrated to Great Ning and met Qin Xiao and Bai Lihong. What kind of cause and effect was this?

Chu Jiubian’s mind was alternately clear and muddled, and he didn’t fall asleep until dawn.

When Xiao Xiangzi brought a basin of hot water for him to wash up that morning, he spied the dried bloodstains on Chu Jiubian’s face. His scream not only brought everyone else in the courtyard running, but also woke Chu Jiubian up.

Chu Jiubian abruptly opened his eyes and instinctively raised his hand to touch his chest.

There was no pain at all. Just as the System had said, he was completely healed after six hours.

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He sat up and saw the panicked people around him, and quickly stopped Xiao Yinzi before he could go and fetch a doctor: “I’m fine, I just had a nosebleed.”

He didn’t dare say he had “vomited blood,” or these people would be scared to death.

As expected, everyone breathed sighs of relief at his words.

Excessive internal heat could cause nosebleeds, so this was normal for a healthy young man like Chu Jiubian.

Xiao Xiangzi quickly helped him up, saying with concern: “Young Master, perhaps a servant should stand vigil from now on. We servants were unaware of what transpired last night, or we certainly wouldn’t have let you sleep through the night like that.”

Chu Jiubian hadn’t intentionally avoided washing his face; he had simply had no energy left last night.

“No need,” he declined. “This was just an accident. I’ll call for you if something similar happens again.”

“Okay,” Xiao Xiangzi replied with reluctance.

“There is no need to inform His Majesty about this,” Chu Jiubian instructed.

Xiao Xiangzi would previously report every single detail of his affairs to Qin Xiao, but at some point, Qin Xiao had stopped asking so many questions, and Xiao Xiangzi also stopped telling him so much.

At present, Chu Jiubian had instructed him not to say anything in order to avoid worrying the child.

Xiao Xiangzi understood his good intentions, and instructed everyone else to keep quiet.

Chu Jiubian felt refreshed after washing up, and went to Yangxin Hall for breakfast as he usually did.

Since it was a day off, he went for a stroll with Bai Lihong after their meal in the name of aiding digestion. Xiao Xiangzi and the rest had all gone to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, leaving only Xiao Yuzi to attend to the two of them.

One after another, the three of them walked down the palace paths.

Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes and looked beside him to where the small child was trudging along on his short legs.

The weather was getting cooler, and the child had changed into his autumn clothes.

The moderately thick clothing made him look short and stocky, and caused him to walk even slower than before.

Sensing his gaze, Bai Lihong glanced up at him.

The child immediately smiled upon meeting his Xiansheng’s gaze, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. His eyes were also bright and clear, no longer as listless as they had been in the first few days after Qin Xiao’s departure.

Chu Jiubian dearly wanted to pat his little face, but since they were outside, he refrained from reaching out and just smiled faintly.

Bai Lihong blinked his large eyes and said: “Xiansheng, how much longer until Jiujiu comes back?”

This was the nth time the child had asked this question.

But Chu Jiubian didn’t try to deceive him, nor did he display any impatience. Instead, he thought carefully before saying: “The main army should have already reached Gansu. I estimate that they should be back in about three months.”

Whenever Bai Lihong had asked this before, Chu Jiubian wasn’t entirely sure of the timeframe and his answers were vague as a result.

This was the first time he had given a relatively precise timeframe. Bai Lihong was initially delighted, but then his face fell as he said: “Three months, ah. Does that mean Jiujiu won’t make it back for the New Year celebrations?”

It was already autumn, and New Year’s Day was on the last day of the twelfth month, so there were barely three months left.

“If he doesn’t return with the army, he might make it in time,” said Chu Jiubian.

At a quick, light pace, it would only take about half a month to return to the capital from Gansu, so it was actually possible for Qin Xiao to make it back in time.

“That’s great!” The child’s eyes lit up, and he counted on his fingers over and over.

Jiujiu would be back soon, and then he could spend the New Year with him!

Seeing his excited expression, Chu Jiubian smiled. The child would likely be counting down the days for the next three months.

He didn’t say anything to discourage him, but deep down, he didn’t have much hope.

There was no doubt that Qin Xiao would be able to conquer Gansu. It just remained to be seen if, after securing a victory, he would continue his pursuit and drive the Sai Kingdom Army even farther away.

That would cause an even longer delay.

And as for Qin Xiao himself, it was already a miracle for him to make it back alive with a severe injury, so how could he possibly return to the capital ahead of everyone else?

At this thought, Chu Jiubian’s eyes darkened slightly.

Since the System wouldn’t allow him to summon Qin Xiao, he could only rely on the man’s letters and Qin Chuan’s communication channels.

But regardless of which method he used, there would be a delay.

The information he received was actually about events that happened three or four days in the past, and he currently had no idea what the situation was like on Qin Xiao’s side.

There was no telling if he had already been injured…..

Frowning, Chu Jiubian put it out of his mind.

Qin Xiao would surely return alive. He wouldn’t die from his injury. There was nothing to worry about.

The three people made their way to the Imperial Gardens.

The child was tired from their walk, so he pulled Chu Jiubian over to a bench to sit down and rest for a while.

Not long after, they saw two embroiderers from the Imperial Clothing Bureau approaching from a distance. It was clear that they were looking for them.

Now that the weather was getting cooler, the eunuchs and palace maids had all changed into thicker clothing. The palace servants, however, were in no hurry to obtain new clothes; they were able to make do with last year’s outfits for a few days.

But the masters and mistresses all needed new clothes. Even though the only high-ranking figures in the palace at the moment were the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, there were actually still some Imperial consorts and concubines remaining from Emperor Yingzong’s reign, as well as Bai Lihong’s two young Imperial brothers, who were both under ten years old.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian also lived in the previous dynasty’s palace quarters, so preparations needed to be made for them as well.

And there were only three months left until the New Year.

This was the first year of Bai Lihong’s reign, so the celebrations must be exceptionally grand.

Thus, the embroiderers had been constantly checking and modifying the dragon robes that Bai Lihong would wear during the New Year festivities. There were also Chu Jiubian’s first-rank official robes, as well as princely robes for Qin Xiao and the seven vassal kings.

All of this clothing needed to be prepared by the Imperial Clothing Bureau.

And because it was the start of a new year, even the official clothing for officials of the first and second ranks needed to be bestowed upon them by the Imperial Court.

Each person would be given six sets of clothes, three for summer and three for winter, which would last them throughout the year.

Therefore, the Imperial Clothing Bureau had been working non-stop ever since Bai Lihong ascended the throne.

The two embroiders who had just arrived were named Lin Ju and Shuang Chun.

They frequently came to speak with Hong Fu or Xiao Xiangzi, and had even taken Chu Jiubian’s measurements, so he had a rather strong impression of them.

However, it was unclear why they had come at this particular moment.

Both embroiderers were high-ranking matrons at the bureau, but despite the title of “matron,” they were both only in their twenties, in the prime of their youth.

The two approached the pavilion and bowed to Bai Lihong and Chu Jiubian, inquiring about their well-being.

Since his masters were hesitant to speak, Xiao Yuzi asked with a smile: “Do the two aunties have something to report?”

“Indeed,” Shuang Chun answered softly. She then looked at Bai Lihong and Chu Jiubian, saying: “We servants just went to Yangxin Hall to pay our respects, but learned that the masters had come here, so we came to find them. We humbly beg His Majesty and His Lordship to forgive us.”

Spying on the Emperor’s whereabouts was a grave offense, so she immediately clarified that they hadn’t been following them. Instead, they had gone to Yangxin Hall, obtained the information through official channels, and only then made their way here.

Bai Lihong asked: “What do you need from this emperor?”

Having spent a lot of time with Chu Jiubian, his speaking habits were sometimes not as refined as others’, making him sound very down-to-earth.

Shuang Chun replied: “Thanking Your Majesty for being lenient. We servants have come to ask Your Majesty and Your Lordship a question: we would like to know if palace maids like us are permitted to participate in the Imperial Examinations.”

Bai Lihong glanced at Chu Jiubian.

He knew a little about the Imperial Examination System, but only the basics, such as its purpose and benefits. 

The specific procedures and requirements were too complicated, and the child was unable to comprehend them.

Chu Jiubian regarded the two of them and asked: “Why do you want to enter the Imperial Examinations?”

These two women were already senior maids in the palace, and although there was no such thing as a female official in the Great Ning Dynasty, they had already acquired some quantity of power and wealth.

They would be able to leave the palace when they turned twenty-five, and although they would no longer have any power at that time, they would have their wealth to support them. They would be able to live prosperous lives after leaving the palace thanks to their former positions in the Imperial Clothing Bureau.

Lin Ju was a year younger than Shuang Chun, but was also twenty-three this year.

Her expression was even colder and more resolute than Shuang Chun’s, and she said firmly: “To be honest with you, My Lord, we servants will all reach the age to leave the palace in the next year or two, but we don’t want to leave just to become ordinary seamstresses, with lives that offer no prospects for the future.”

Shuang Chun seemed to want to say something more pleasant to the ear, but she wavered, and ultimately didn’t resort to falsehoods.

Chu Jiubian’s expression was indifferent, his tone cold and distant, making it difficult to discern his thoughts.

However, the palace servants secretly whispered amongst themselves that Grand Tutor Chu was not as cold and aloof as he appeared; he was actually a very gentle and benevolent master.

So when he deliberately maintained his silence, the two embroiderers were only a little nervous rather than overly flustered.

Of course, they were not taking advantage of Chu Jiubian’s kind nature and being overly presumptuous. They were being genuine. Compared to flattering their superiors with empty words, they felt much better about themselves for telling the truth.

They were remarkably calm.

And Chu Jiubian was very satisfied.

If these two embroiderers lacked skill, they wouldn’t have been able to reach their current positions of authority.

Conveniently, the embroidery workshop in the capital was already under construction, and once the embroiderers passed the Imperial Examinations, they would be able to go there to study.

The two embroiderers Qin Xiao had previously hired were in charge of teaching, but they were not adept at management.

However, Shuang Chun and Lin Ju clearly had management experience, and were ambitious and bold. If they could be a little more flexible in their thinking, then having them oversee the operations of the embroidery workshop seemed like a good option.

“You can,” Chu Jiubian replied, “but the deadline for the first round of Imperial Examinations has already passed.”

The two embroiderers’ expressions remained unchanged, but their clasped hands tightened.

Seeing them react like this, Chu Jiubian was even more pleased.

He then shifted direction, saying: “Within three days, each of you must prepare a piece of embroidery and bring it here. I will personally test you. If you pass the exam, you can directly join the embroidery workshop as officials.”

Given the exceptional circumstances, many scholars had been specially recruited into official positions for matters related to the waterway transportation system. Adding two more to the embroidery workshop wouldn’t hurt anything.

In the future, if anyone else tried to take such a shortcut, Chu Jiubian wouldn’t give them a chance. Opportunities were only given to the quickest and most well-prepared.

Both Shuang Chun and Lin Ju’s eyes lit up, and they bowed their heads over and over in gratitude.

Their goal was to take the Imperial Examinations and enter the embroidery workshop, as this was their area of expertise. 

The embroidery workshop was also located outside the palace, meaning that even after they left, they could continue to hold onto positions of authority.

They would be called “female officials!”

They could hold official positions too!

The two were extremely grateful, and immediately set off to prepare their embroidery work.

Chu Jiubian called out to them, saying: “Tell the other embroiderers that after they leave the palace at age twenty-five, they can directly apply for jobs at the embroidery workshop. If they perform well, they will be able to continue serving His Majesty and the Imperial Court.”

Thus, the Imperial Clothing Bureau would become a stepping stone to the embroidery workshop, resulting in a multitude of people endeavoring to enter the palace. This would also prevent all of the embroiderers from going to the embroidery workshop and leaving no one to work in the Imperial Clothing Bureau.

The two embroiderers were naturally delighted, and after agreeing, they prepared to withdraw.

“Wait a moment,” Chu Jiubian called out to them again.

The two embroiderers stopped again, waiting for him to speak.

But unexpectedly, Chu Jiubian remained silent for a long stretch of time.

Bai Lihong tilted his head and regarded him with bright, innocent eyes, asking: “Why isn’t Xiansheng saying anything?”

Chu Jiubian’s expression didn’t change as he lightly tapped his fingers against his knee.

Only when both embroiderers had begun to feel uneasy did he ask: “Did Ning-wang ever task you with embroidering jasmine flowers?”

Shuang Chun nodded: “He did. This servant embroidered them herself, on a handkerchief.”

Ning-wang had not told her to keep it a secret, and since the two masters before her were the closest people to Qin Xiao, she thought there might be some hidden meaning to the handkerchief and didn’t dare conceal anything.

“Was it on the twelfth day of the seventh month?” asked Chu Jiubian.

“That’s right,” said Shuang Chun. “That day happened to be this servant’s birthday, which is why I remember it so clearly.”

She only answered what needed to be answered, offering no extra information.

Chu Jiubian’s fingertips curved slightly. “Alright,” he said, “You may leave now.”

Once the two embroiderers walked away, Bai Lihong looked up at Chu Jiubian and said: “Xiansheng, wasn’t the twelfth day of the seventh month the day the heavy rain started? Why did Jiujiu have someone embroider jasmine flowers on a handkerchief?”

Chu Jiubian’s throat bobbed.

He couldn’t possibly say that on that rainy day, he and Qin Xiao had been drenched in the scent of jasmine under the cover of Yangxin Hall’s outside corridors.

And that when he happened to wipe his hands on Qin Xiao’s handkerchief, the other party had even taken it back…..

He was now certain that the jasmine-embroidered handkerchief Qin Xiao carried was indeed the one he had used before.

But he couldn’t very well explain that to the child.

“Xiansheng?” Bai Lihong asked in surprise, “Why are your ears so red?”

Xiao Yuzi was standing behind them, and upon hearing this, he glanced at Chu Jiubian before quickly averting his gaze, suppressing the smile at the corners of his lips.

Although His Majesty was young and intelligent, he was unable to comprehend matters of love and romance.

However, he knew that it was a very unusual thing for Lord Ning-wang to suddenly order that courtyard to be filled with jasmine flowers.

For Grand Tutor Chu to ask about jasmine and that handkerchief today, the two items must carry some special significance for them both.

“I saw Qin Xiao with a very beautiful handkerchief before,” Chu Jiubian replied half-truthfully. “I was just asking out of curiosity.”

“Wow, if even Xiansheng says it’s beautiful, then it must be very beautiful.” Bai Lihong propped up his little face and said: “When Jiujiu comes back, I’ll definitely take a look.”

Chu Jiubian looked up, gazing in the direction of the Northwest. There was a tightness in his chest, and he felt a sense of unease.

After leaving the Imperial Gardens and returning to Yangxin Hall, Chu Jiubian and Bai Lihong each proceeded with their respective tasks.

The child had just learned Arabic numerals from Chu Jiubian the day before, and found them very interesting, so he spent the entire day studying them.

Chu Jiubian made quick work of reviewing memorials.

After an unknown period of time, Qin Chaoyang suddenly came in and handed Chu Jiubian a confidential letter, saying: “Young Master, this is a letter from the Northwest.”

Chu Jiubian’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately took the envelope and read the boldly-written characters on it: 

For the Young Master’s eyes only.

---

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Chapter 62 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 64