The System Gives a Warning

"Your bro is no longer who he was back then, no longer singing over wine in the spring breeze..."

At dawn, Di Xin woke in the Imperial Study in high spirits and couldn't help humming a few lines.

For the past two days, he hadn't returned to Shouxian Palace. Instead, he had insisted on reading in the Imperial Study.

He hadn't neglected Daji, either. He'd instructed the imperial kitchen to prepare some special delicacies to show her how much he favored her.

He'd gained quite a bit from his reading. Unfortunately, the palace life, calm as still water, hadn't triggered any system quests.

That was somewhat disappointing.

The three days of wedding celebrations had passed, and it was almost time for the morning court session.

With the attendants' help, Di Xin carefully tidied himself up.

Today, he planned to stop by court. He still had to show Empress Jiang some respect. Ahem... Actually, he really did have something to do.

Just as he finished getting ready and sat down for a moment, two system options suddenly appeared before him.

[Option One: Continue sitting here. Completion reward: one High-grade Immortal Pill Nine Revolutions Universe Pill.]

[Option Two: Leave the Imperial Study immediately. Completion reward: one Spirit Pill equivalent to two years of cultivation.]

After hastily reading the two options, Di Xin instinctively grabbed the attendant and hurried out of the Imperial Study.

Choose the lowest reward. Choose the last option. Those were the principles he'd settled on.

Option two satisfied both conditions.

As luck would have it, just after he stepped outside the Imperial Study, Di Xin sensed something and looked up at the sky.

A dark shape was plummeting down. At first it was only the size of a washbasin, but as it hurtled toward the ground, it grew until, just before impact, it was as enormous as a building.

Di Xin pulled the attendant back again and again. Then came a deafening BOOM! The dark shape crashed into the Imperial Study.

The magnificent building was instantly reduced to rubble.

The culprit turned out to be a dark-colored Extraterrestrial Meteorite.

Looking at the devastation before him, Di Xin's mouth twitched. He broke out in a cold sweat.

If the system hadn't suddenly presented those options, and if he hadn't chosen the second one in time, he and the attendant would have been flattened into meat patties.

Although he had transcended the mortal realm, a meteorite that huge, accelerated by gravity, could easily have crushed them both into meat patties.

So the system could warn him so directly?

From now on, whenever another option appeared, he'd have to react quickly. Who knew when it might save his life?

As Di Xin made that decision, still shaken by the close call, many people in the Royal Palace came out at the sound to see what had happened. Some Imperial Guards also hurried over.

"How did the Great King know a rock would fall from the sky?"

The young attendant, still dazed with fright, gazed at King Zhou with adoration.

"Uh, I... I... I calculated it with my fingers..."

There was no way Di Xin could admit he had that kind of ability. But he couldn't say he didn't know, either—that would only seem suspicious. So he left the explanation unfinished and stopped paying attention to the attendant.

His thoughts churned. He'd escaped this disaster, but where had such a huge rock come from?

According to the law of conservation of matter, a rock couldn't appear or disappear out of nowhere. It could only move from one place to another...

If this enormous meteorite had hit the Imperial Study by pure chance, just how unlucky would he have to be?

It was absolutely no coincidence!

If the meteorite had fallen at random, without anyone controlling it, how could it have hit the Royal Palace—and, of all places, the Imperial Study where he was staying?

Someone definitely wanted him dead!

The thought that some powerful being capable of controlling an Extraterrestrial Meteorite might have it in for him...

Could it be Goddess Nuwa?

She was a master of working with stones. She'd used stones to mend the heavens; smashing one into the ground to make a crater would be nothing.

She was the only person Di Xin could suspect right now, but he wasn't sure. So far, she was the only one with whom he'd had an unsavory encounter.

Whoever it was, his guard was now at its highest.

"Surround this place. Chisel... Smash the rock apart and see what's inside!"

Di Xin quickly gave the Imperial Guards' commander an order, then headed straight for Longde Hall.

The morning court session was about to begin. A group of ministers stood at the entrance to Longde Hall, facing the Imperial Study and murmuring among themselves.

A meteorite crashing into the imperial palace was no good omen. Some ministers had already begun listing Di Xin's faults.

What about Heaven's punishment?

What about the wrath of the heavens?

What about repenting and accepting blame?

They dragged out every accusation they could think of.

"The Great King has arrived!"

At the attendant's loud announcement, the ministers filed into the hall and lined up in two rows.

Court had been held like this every day in the past, but King Zhou had never attended. The ministers had always ended up making the trip for nothing, then going back the way they'd come.

They had no idea Di Xin had been staying in the Imperial Study for the past two days. If they had known, their eyes would have popped out of their heads. He'd just been hit by a rock and was still coming to court?

"Any memorials? Speak now. Otherwise, the court is dismissed!"

Once Di Xin had taken his seat on the Dragon Throne, the Hall Official gave the customary call.

It was rare for Di Xin to show up here, so quite a few ministers stepped forward to present their memorials, all concerning important matters of state.

For example, arranging provisions for Yuan Futong, who had gone north to suppress the seventy-two rebellious lords of Beihai.

For example, Eastern Yi raiders had repeatedly invaded the border, inflicting heavy losses on the frontier.

For example, floods had struck in one region, requiring disaster relief. Locusts and drought had hit another, requiring measures to address them...

Di Xin listened until his head was spinning. He'd never even been a village chief, and now they expected him to govern the whole realm. Wasn't that like forcing a duck onto a perch?

Besides, the original owner's memories hadn't unlocked that skill, either. When it came to governing the state, that King Zhou had been only half as capable as Wu Bai.

Still, the original owner's memories were of some use.

"Prime Minister Shang and Prime Minister Bi, make suitable arrangements for the provisions."

"Prime Minister Shang and Prime Minister Bi, make suitable arrangements for the locusts, droughts, and disaster relief."

"Minister Huang, make suitable arrangements to pacify the frontier."

In practice, he handed everything over to Shang Rong, Bi Gan, and Huang Feihu.

Shang Rong was the prime minister and a veteran of three reigns. Bi Gan was the Vice Prime Minister and Di Xin's own uncle. There was no doubt they could handle domestic affairs.

Huang Feihu was his father-in-law and someone he trusted. Assigning him the matters concerning the frontier was also a sound choice.

That was how the previous King Zhou had always done things.

The ministers were probably used to King Zhou's ways. As long as he appointed someone to take charge, they had nothing more to say.

After the official business was done, there was a brief lull. Then a thin, gaunt minister stepped out of the ranks and walked forward a few steps.

"Great King, this humble minister was ordered to gather some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to nourish your health. I have already brought them outside the hall so you can take them as soon as possible. I ask the Great King to inspect them."

"Good. Minister You understands my wishes, and his loyalty is commendable. Promote him to Grand Master."

Di Xin saw that the man was none other than You Hun, the Censor Official who was cut from the same cloth as Fei Zhong. He sneered inwardly. Ministers like this only knew how to curry favor and flatter him. He would get rid of You Hun sooner or later, but for now, he'd give him a taste of success.

When Heaven wants someone destroyed, it first drives him mad with success. Once he's had his fill of it, his time is up.