There was something this good in the system?
Di Xin looked at the rewards first, as materialistic as could be.
A single Spirit Pill could equal several years of cultivation. It was definitely a rare treasure.
Looks like this trip was worth it!
Only then did he look at the options.
The Spirit Pill awarded by the first option could equal five years of cultivation, the most of the three rewards.
However...
If he simply heeded Huang Feihu's advice and dealt with Fei Zhong, wouldn't that make him seem like a wise ruler? That went against his overall strategy!
No way!
The second option: listen to Fei Zhong and punish King Wucheng?
Wouldn't that really make him a foolish ruler?
It would harm the fortunes of the dynasty.
That wouldn't do either.
The third option?
Well, although its Spirit Pill was worth only three years of cultivation, he could muddy the waters and teach Fei Zhong a lesson at the same time, leaving everyone unsure whether he was truly foolish or just pretending.
That was the one!
"Shut up! Are you two only good for running your mouths? If you can settle it with your fists, don't use your mouths. Have a go at each other. Whoever wins, I'll listen to!"
Having made up his mind, Di Xin shouted and put an end to their argument.
The Xianqing Hall fell silent in an instant, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, as if someone had hit pause.
Almost every court official thought they had misheard. How could the Great King possibly say something so absurd?
"As the Great King commands!"
King Wucheng was the first to react. With one sentence, he shifted the blame onto Di Xin, then darted forward and punched Fei Zhong.
"Great King, save me!"
The punch came down like a heavy hammer. It was obvious King Wucheng hadn't held back. Terrified, Fei Zhong covered his head and ran toward Di Xin.
Huang Feihu commanded all the realm's troops and was one of the court's few brave generals. Fei Zhong, on the other hand, was a civil official, serving as Censor Official by imperial appointment. The two were in completely different leagues.
Besides, Fei Zhong had opposed King Wucheng only to give the Great King an opening to back down. Even in rank, he was no match for Huang Feihu.
He had taken such a huge risk because he thought the Great King would protect him. Fortune favored the bold—if he didn't call for the Great King's help, who would he turn to?
But he hadn't reckoned that Huang Feihu already harbored murderous intent. With King Zhou's earlier words as his justification, Huang Feihu swept over like a sudden gale and slammed his fist into Fei Zhong's temple.
His brains burst out. Fei Zhong flew a long way before crashing heavily to the ground.
Cries of alarm erupted all around!
"Minister Fei, I've brought this upon you! How could you be so frail?"
Di Xin's expression froze. In a voice full of grief, he went to Fei Zhong's corpse, pretended to wipe his eyes with his sleeve, and observed three seconds of silence.
He truly hadn't expected Huang Feihu to kill Fei Zhong just like that.
He'd thought King Wucheng would merely take the opportunity to give the other man a good thrashing. Who would've thought... he was so considerate!
He'd done him a favor.
Awesome!
Di Xin gave him a mental thumbs-up, then looked at the formidable man. "Alas, so be it. Since I've already given my word, I'll grant Minister Huang's request. I won't take any new consorts for the next few years."
He made it sound like it was a great sacrifice.
Everyone was left wondering which of his words were true and which were false.
Afterward, Di Xin posthumously honored Fei Zhong, whose spirit had yet to depart, ordered his family to be comforted and provided for, and gave him a grand burial.
After he left, the banquet broke up as well. A man had died—who would still feel like drinking?
Su Hu immediately set out, leaving this place of trouble and returning to Jizhou.
Di Xin hurried back to the Imperial Study and took the reward from the system inventory: a jade-green Spirit Pill.
The pill entered his mouth and melted into a stream of liquid that flowed into his belly.
"What is it? Why are you rushing around like that? Have you no manners?"
The little palace maid Gun Juan ran back to Shouxian Palace, her face pale. Su Daji frowned and scolded her.
"Noble Consort, I was hurrying to offer you my congratulations."
Gun Juan was quick-witted. She had been badly frightened in Xianqing Hall, but now realized she had lost her composure and hastily put on a smile.
"What Noble Consort? Don't speak nonsense. There are many rules in the palace. You mustn't overstep!" Su Daji didn't know what she meant, and her tone grew even sterner.
"I wasn't making it up. The Great King personally bestowed the title in Xianqing Hall. I heard it with my own ears..." Gun Juan hurriedly explained.
"All right. Tell me everything you saw and heard, without leaving out a thing." Su Daji, who had been half sitting up, lay back down again, her gaze shifting uncertainly.
"Yes, Noble Consort. This is what happened..."
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the quick-tongued Gun Juan recounted everything that had happened in Xianqing Hall, even imitating Di Xin's expressions and tone of voice to perfection.
After listening to Gun Juan, Su Daji was even more suspicious.
Being promoted to Noble Consort ought to mean she had received the Great King's favor above all others.
She had planned to use her seductive charms to win King Zhou over, then gradually sway him with pillow talk and bring her plans to fruition.
Who would have thought she would become Noble Consort in a single day?
This showed that King Zhou had indeed been bewitched by her beauty.
King Wucheng had killed Fei Zhong with a punch, and King Zhou had publicly announced that he wouldn't take any new consorts for several years. That was enough to prove he really had fallen for her. He had been so dazzled by her beauty that he made the promise without thinking it through.
But why hadn't he entered her chamber last night, and why hadn't he returned to Shouxian Palace today?
The more Daji thought about it, the more confused she became.
"The Great King has returned to the palace!"
Just as she was racking her brains and unable to make sense of it, a eunuch's voice suddenly came from outside the palace gates.
"Quick, help me up so I can receive the Great King!"
Su Daji hurriedly instructed the palace maids beside her, while pretending to struggle to get up herself.
"Beloved Consort, you don't need to get up. You'll just have to lie back down anyway." Amid heavy footsteps, Di Xin came striding inside.
"Great King..."
Su Daji called out sweetly, her eyes rippling with charm. She used her seductive art, then swayed her waist and slowly reclined again. "I have some pain down there, so I can't properly welcome you!"
"No matter. I'll soothe that pain for you right now!" Di Xin laughed heartily as he reached the couch and began to pull away the gauze at her waist.
"Great King, no... please don't!"
With so many palace maids present, Daji pretended to be modest and hurriedly raised a hand to stop him. Her voice, however, was so alluring it made anyone who heard it weak in the knees.
Di Xin had already transcended the mortal realm, and after taking a Spirit Pill worth three years of cultivation, his power had advanced further still. Confident he could resist Daji's seductive art, he had come to see her.
Her voice affected him somewhat, but it was no longer enough to cloud his mind.
Since she said no, he readily took the opportunity to withdraw his roving hand and chuckled. "If my Beloved Consort says no, then no it is. I'll listen to Noble Consort."
"Thank you for your consideration, Great King!"
For a moment, Su Daji couldn't tell whether Di Xin was genuinely foolish or just pretending. She shot him a sidelong glance, then sent everyone else out.
"Since my Beloved Consort needs to rest, I won't disturb you. I happen to have some court affairs to attend to."
Di Xin had only come by to make an appearance. Given the situation, he wanted to take the chance to slip away, but Daji grabbed him. "Great King, please stay. I have something private to tell you."
After that, Di Xin couldn't very well leave by force, so he stayed and took her little hand in his. "If you have something to say, Beloved Consort, go ahead."
The original Su Daji had been a refined young lady from a distinguished family, pure and gentle. The thousand-year-old fox spirit wanted to play the part convincingly, so she couldn't be too wanton.
Seeing that Di Xin was so oblivious to romance, she found herself at a loss. In the end, she simply asked, "Why did you spank me last night, Great King?"
She even put extra emphasis on the word "spank."
Before you continue