The Great King Was No Good

"I heard something happened at the Imperial Study. I was terribly worried, and only felt completely reassured after confirming that the Great King was safe and sound. Thankfully, the Great King was blessed with boundless fortune and turned danger into safety. This is truly a blessing for the Great King, for me, and for Yin Shang!"

Su Daji had quite a silver tongue. A brief look of surprise flickered across her face as she kept offering auspicious words.

"Heh heh. What sort of man am I? I possess the Human Emperor Fortune, am the ruler of all under heaven, and have just celebrated my wedding. Naturally... naturally, good fortune is upon me. May I enjoy endless blessings and live as long as the heavens."

Di Xin went along with her, but by the end he had almost started speaking like Ding Chunqiu.

Su Daji spoke softly and sweetly, showing him every possible concern. It was so pleasant to listen to that anyone would feel at ease. If Di Xin hadn't already known she was a Fox Spirit, he might have fallen into her gentle embrace by now.

But in a way, this only put his suspicions about her to rest.

She probably didn't know anything.

Otherwise, she would have tried every possible way to find out how he had escaped the Imperial Study in time and seemed to know what was coming, avoiding disaster.

Yet in fact, from beginning to end, Daji never mentioned it once, as if she didn't care about the matter at all.

"Great King, what wonderful things are in there?"

Seeing an attendant carrying an exquisite wooden box behind him, Daji smiled and changed the subject.

"Ah..."

King Zhou turned his head and couldn't help laughing. "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you this time, Beloved Consort. These are potent tonics presented by my officials, but they're only suitable for men. They'd do women more harm than good."

He guessed that Su Daji had assumed he'd brought her a gift, which was why she had waited so long to ask.

The Imperial Study had been reduced to ruins, and he had no reason to go to another palace, so he had brought these things to Shouxian Palace.

"The Great King's Dragon Body is what matters most. You already give me more than enough in ordinary times!"

Su Daji pressed her lips together, then quickly smiled again. Her almond-shaped eyes lifted as she glanced at Di Xin. "When the Great King is well, I'm well too! Take your time with the tonics, Great King. I'll wait patiently."

Di Xin stiffened, then immediately understood. Su Daji must have assumed that he was no longer capable.

It was no wonder. He had slipped away on their wedding night, and they had not shared a bed since. Any woman would have made that assumption.

What's more, Su Daji already knew that he had publicly called for potent tonics at court. The evidence was irrefutable.

Di Xin simply went along with it. He coughed awkwardly a few times, lightly pinched Daji's waist, and whispered in her ear, "You won't have to wait long, Beloved Consort. Once my manly vigor is restored, I'll make sure you... Heh heh... You know what I mean!"

"I belong to the Great King. I'll wait to receive the Great King's loving favor..."

Su Daji nodded gently, her face full of bashfulness. In her heart, she was even more certain of her suspicion... The Great King really was no good!

"Come, come... Beloved Consort, I've long heard that you're peerless at both song and dance. Let me feast my eyes!"

Following the normal reaction of a man, Di Xin steered around the awkward subject and led Daji toward the main hall of the bedchamber.

Su Daji obediently made the arrangements. In no time, wine and dishes were ready, and the palace musicians had been summoned.

Only then did he truly get to enjoy the treatment of an emperor.

Su Daji danced gracefully, her body as supple as a boneless willow, her every movement alluring. From time to time, she used all sorts of gestures to seduce Di Xin as if no one else were there.

So saucy. She's really saucy!

Di Xin nearly got a nosebleed watching her.

After dancing for a while, Daji left the floor and the palace's professional dancers took her place. Di Xin drank and enjoyed the performance with her.

Having read the Investiture of the Gods, Di Xin knew that, as a Fox Spirit, Daji couldn't drink too much. Once she got carried away, her fox tail would show, and she would reveal her true form in front of everyone.

So Di Xin made a point of trying to get her drunk.

Not to make her reveal herself, but to test her reaction.

Perhaps Daji knew this as well. She deftly avoided his attempts each time, only taking a small sip from her cup and never drinking much.

Even when Di Xin tried to provoke her with his words, Su Daji remained unmoved. She either acted coy or flirted shamelessly, coming up with all sorts of excuses to refuse.

Confirmed!

After testing her, Di Xin was certain this was true.

A plan began to take shape in his mind.

He truly is an emperor given over to drink and women. It seems women have long since drained his strength, leaving him so useless. The task Goddess Nuwa gave me should be easy as pie. Once I've earned his favor even more, I'll make him act against all reason and destroy Yin Shang's fortune...

Meanwhile, Daji pretended to humor him as she avoided the wine, while her thoughts were quite lively.

The two of them, each with their own thoughts, were having a wonderful time together. Di Xin's hands weren't idle either; he took the opportunity to feel Daji up and down, putting on a thoroughly decadent-king act.

He strongly resisted taking things any further, but in his previous life he had often played with cats at home. He could just treat her like a pet.

"Beloved Consort, have just a little more. Or perhaps I should give you a skin cup..."

At that moment, Di Xin puckered his lips and leaned toward her.

"Great King, I can't hold my liquor..."

Daji gently pushed against Di Xin's shoulder, her voice turning coquettish.

"Reporting to the Great King, a Daoist priest is asking for an audience outside the palace!"

Suddenly, an attendant's voice interrupted the intimate scene amid the soft music.

Di Xin looked up at the attendant, who said fearfully, "This servant deserves to die for disturbing the Great King's pleasure. But the Daoist says he must report to the Great King at once."

"A Daoist? How did he get into the Royal Palace?"

Di Xin furrowed his brow, his expression displeased.

The attendant replied in a trembling voice, "The Daoist suddenly appeared outside the hall. The Imperial Guards have surrounded him, but haven't made a move. He doesn't seem to be an ordinary man."

"Great King, since a Daoist has come, there's no harm in meeting him."

Daji's expression changed, but she quickly recovered and urged Di Xin.

"How annoying, interrupting my banquet."

Di Xin muttered as he rose and headed outside the palace.

Who was it?

Yun Zhongzi?

Di Xin knew the story of Investiture of the Gods well enough to know that Yun Zhongzi had arrived in Zhaoge several months after King Zhou took Daji as his consort.

But now it had only been three days since the wedding. Why had a Daoist appeared already?

If it really was Yun Zhongzi, why had this happened so early?

Since the system hadn't issued a quest, Di Xin wasn't worried about his safety.

He hurried out of Shouxian Palace with the attendant and saw a slightly dark-complexioned, somewhat plump Daoist standing not far away.

"The Great King has arrived!"

The attendant called out with great ceremony. "Daoist, present yourself before His Majesty!"

The whisk resting over the Daoist's arm flicked gently as he stepped toward Di Xin.

"Where do you practice your cultivation, Daoist? And what brings you to see me?"

Di Xin looked the man over and took a few steps forward.

The Daoist gave a slight bow, flicked his whisk again, and said, "I am Yun Zhongzi of Jade Pillar Cave on Mount Zhongnan. Today, I saw an extraterrestrial meteorite fall near Zhaoge, so I came to investigate. But I discovered demonic energy swirling around the Royal Palace and concluded that a demon had hidden itself inside. I have come especially to rid Your Majesty of this demon."

Yun Zhongzi. It really was Yun Zhongzi!

The Extraterrestrial Meteorite had drawn him here. It seemed the original course of history had already changed.

Di Xin's heart sank at the news.

Even though he knew the history of Investiture of the Gods well, he only knew the broad outline. He had no idea about the lesser-known episodes and details that had never been recorded.

Now even the main events were changing. That was not good news for him.