The Investiture Ceremony

Chu Hongle returned to Prince Yu's Residence in a daze.

Han Wanqing came up to him and asked, "Your Highness, how did your talk with His Majesty go today?"

Chu Hongle blurted out, "My imperial brother said he would hold Siqing's investiture ceremony as the Holy Maiden in a month."

Han Wanqing asked, "What about Siqing going to the Heavenly Derivation Pavilion?"

Only then did Chu Hongle remember why he had entered the palace that day.

He had solemnly promised his wife that he would get his imperial brother to rescind the decree, only to let himself be foolishly talked around instead.

Chu Hongle rubbed his nose and stammered awkwardly, "Well... I... didn't manage that."

Han Wanqing had expected as much and was not particularly disappointed. She merely comforted him, saying, "Never mind. I'll accompany Siqing there from now on."

Chu Hongle was about to offer a few more words in his defense when Han Wanqing asked, "Your Highness, why does His Majesty want to hold the investiture ceremony so soon?"

Chu Hongle said, "The ceremony will proclaim Siqing's identity as the Holy Maiden to the people of Great Chu. The Imperial Preceptor said the sooner, the better."

Han Wanqing smiled. "Didn't you say you didn't trust the Imperial Preceptor?"

Chu Hongle said sheepishly, "Wanqing, you don't know this, but Tu Qingchen can hear our daughter's thoughts too!"

Han Wanqing was both startled and frightened. "What? Your Highness, will the Imperial Preceptor do something to Siqing..."

Knowing what she was thinking, Chu Hongle hurried to reassure her. "Wanqing, don't worry. Tu Qingchen won't think Siqing is some evil spirit."

He explained, "It was precisely because he heard Siqing's thoughts that he confirmed our daughter's identity."

Only then did Han Wanqing's heart settle back into place. She asked, "Where will the ceremony be held?"

Chu Hongle said, "At the Altar of Heaven."

Han Wanqing was astonished. "It's going to be that grand?"

With a hint of pride, Chu Hongle said, "Siqing's investiture ceremony will follow the sacrifice to Heaven. All the civil and military officials will be there."

Meanwhile, Chu Siqing lay in her little bed, drifting toward sleep.

[Host, there's some gossip about you. Want a taste?]

Chu Siqing replied listlessly, [Go on.]

Learning that the Imperial Preceptor, Tu Qingchen, was a woman who had transmigrated into a man's body-and that he had insisted on declaring her the Holy Maiden-had left her utterly bewildered.

[In a month, Emperor Chu Ming will take you to the Altar of Heaven for the sacrifice. After that comes your investiture ceremony as the Holy Maiden.]

[This is a very grand ceremony. All the civil and military officials will attend, and afterward, everyone under heaven will know you're the Holy Maiden!]

Chu Siqing was frightened. [A-Tong, this has gotten way out of hand. What am I supposed to do?]

After returning to Prince Yu's Residence, she had told the system about Tu Qingchen.

But the system had no idea what was going on either. It could not even detect any gossip about Tu Qingchen.

[Host, being the Holy Maiden isn't so bad. A higher status will make it easier to get things done.]

Chu Siqing was beside herself. [But I'm just a salted fish! I don't know how to do anything!]

[Host, don't you still have me?]

Chu Siqing sighed inwardly. [A-Tong, let's stop kidding ourselves, okay? You're just a Gossip System. What use can you be?]

[Host, I can gather gossip! You can pretend to be a mystic and put on a little performance of knowing things before they happen.]

Chu Siqing: ...

The system added,

[Host, don't lose heart. Don't we still have the points shop? Do more good deeds to earn points, then redeem some items whenever you run into something you can't handle.]

[Didn't you use items from the shop to cure General Fang's leg ailment and Emperor Chu Ming's insomnia before?]

With the system's encouragement, Chu Siqing finally regained a little confidence.

Soon, the day came for her to enter the palace with Princess Consort Yu and visit the Heavenly Derivation Pavilion.

Chu Siqing said to Tu Qingchen, [You made up that nonsense about me being the Holy Maiden, and now the lie has become reality. I'm freaking out!]

Tu Qingchen replied, [I really didn't make it up. My divination results showed that you were the Holy Maiden.]

Chu Siqing asked, [Aren't you a transmigrator? Why are you playing mystic now?]

She could not help pursing her lips. [Why put on airs in front of someone from your own world?]

Tu Qingchen: ...

[Actually, the Imperial Preceptors in this world do have certain supernatural arts. It's not just smoke and mirrors. I only learned that after studying under my master.]

Chu Siqing scoffed. [Then if you calculated that I'm the Holy Maiden, doesn't that just mean you haven't mastered your craft?]

Tu Qingchen replied, [Maybe, in the eyes of this world's consciousness, you're the daughter of destiny-the Holy Maiden, as the common people call her. You do have a system, after all.]

Chu Siqing poured out her woes. [You don't understand. My system can only collect gossip about other people. It's not worth a damn for anything else.]

The corner of Tu Qingchen's mouth twitched. [So that's why it's called the Gossip System.]

Still, Chu Siqing put in a good word for the system. [Luckily, there's a System Shop where I can redeem items with points earned through good deeds.]

Tu Qingchen's eyes lit up. [I knew it! The female lead has to have a cheat of some kind!]

Chu Siqing's head filled with question marks. [The female lead? You mean me?]

Tu Qingchen replied, [You have a system. If you're not the female lead, who is?]

Chu Siqing was speechless with exasperation. [I'm not. I transmigrated into a book. The original "me" was supposed to kick the bucket not long after being born.]

Tu Qingchen asked in confusion, [Then who's the female lead in the book you read?]

Chu Siqing replied gloomily, [No idea. I only read the opening. Maybe you're the female lead.]

At that, she suddenly remembered that Tu Qingchen now had a male body and asked in puzzlement, [Uh, wait. How did you end up as a man?]

Tu Qingchen replied, [Maybe I was reincarnated without drinking Granny Meng's soup. Anyway, when I woke up, I'd become an abandoned baby boy. My master found me and took me as his disciple.]

Chu Siqing sighed. [If you weren't such a handsome guy now, I'd really want to give you a beating.]

Tu Qingchen: ...

[Anyway, things are already like this. For the sake of being from the same world, let's work together!]

Chu Siqing hurried to negotiate some perks. [I'm still a little baby, you know. When I'm at the Heavenly Derivation Pavilion, you have to hold me more and take care of me.]

Although she knew Tu Qingchen was a woman on the inside, he really was incredibly handsome on the outside!

Tu Qingchen replied, [All right.]

Chu Siqing was delighted.

From now on, she would often get to snuggle in a gorgeous man's arms. Could life get any better?

A month later, an auspicious day for offering sacrifices to Heaven arrived.

Emperor Chu Ming took all the civil and military officials, along with the Holy Maiden, Chu Siqing, to the Altar of Heaven.

When the auspicious hour arrived, Emperor Chu Ming ascended the sacrificial platform in his ceremonial robes and crown with twelve strands of beads to preside over the rites.

All the civil and military officials bowed below. Drums and music rang out together, making for a magnificent spectacle.

The Holy Maiden's investiture ceremony followed the sacrifice to Heaven.

Emperor Chu Ming held Chu Siqing himself while the Imperial Preceptor presided over the investiture.

With a brush dipped in cinnabar, Tu Qingchen placed a dot between Chu Siqing's brows and intoned, "Cinnabar marks the brow, awakening wisdom and opening the mind. May the Holy Maiden bring prosperity to the destiny of our Great Chu for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations!"

As soon as the Imperial Preceptor finished speaking, everyone saw a faint golden glow rise from the cinnabar mark on the Holy Maiden's forehead.

Then, those standing nearby heard a sweet, babyish voice:

[This ceremony is so tedious. I'm bored enough to fall asleep.]