Master, do we really have to be such toadies?

Zhou Wanwan grinned at Perfected Baoyi and said, "Just like you said, whoever treats me badly will be unlucky!"

Perfected Baoyi laughed heartily:

"I said those things to appease them, I didn't expect you to actually believe me."

However, those monsters behind you are truly formidable.

Zhou Wanwan looked at Perfected Baoyi and asked, "What kind of spirit or monster is it?"

Perfected Baoyi stroked his beard and said, "Don't you know your place? Where did all that food come from? Who are the people behind you?"

Zhou Wanwan sat calmly on the stone table when suddenly a cup of hot tea was brought to her.

She picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and said:

"You're quite Perfected Baoyi, aren't you!"

So what do you want to do now? Are you planning to hand me over to the authorities?

Perfected Baoyi's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground, saying, "I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to ask if you would accept someone like me? I'm actually quite capable."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said:

"Oh my! You're really Perfected Baoyi, you're not doing ordinary work."

"Didn't the Emperor of Great Qi send you to punish me?"

Perfected Baoyi laughed:

"Yes, the Emperor of Great Qi sent me to find you, saying that he wants to find the true master behind the spirit."

But I'm not here to punish you! I'm planning to join your team.

Zhou Wanwan looked at Perfected Baoyi and said:

"You're quite clever, but why should I take you in?"

"Everyone over there is a liar; they never tell the truth. Do you think I'd believe you?"

Perfected Baoyi quickly said:

"Actually... I don't think being able to lie is a bad thing. In this life, what we need is the ability to lie."

If I didn't know how to lie, I wouldn't have been able to get into the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and naturally I wouldn't have met you, Master.

Zhou Wanwan looked at Perfected Baoyi and said:

"If I really take you in, you'll have to sign a contract of servitude."

And you can't betray me, or you'll be in big trouble!

Perfected Baoyi immediately knelt down and said, "Master, I am willing to follow you for life. I am willing to sign a contract of servitude. I will never betray you."

The contract of servitude was quickly written, Perfected Baoyi's eldest disciple's lips twitched as he said, "Master, do we really need to be so obsequious?"

Perfected Baoyi rolled his eyes and said, "This is just Little Ancestor. You'll all have a good time serving him from now on."

The young apprentice looked up at Perfected Baoyi and said, "Master, we have to sell ourselves too!"

"Nonsense, of course I'll sell it. I'll give you my fingerprint."

The three people quickly pressed their fingerprints on the document.

Zhou Wanwan put away the contract of indenture and said, "Is this your box?"

Then a box fell from the sky. The eldest apprentice looked at the box and said, "Oh my! Isn't this 30,000 taels of silver?"

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Consider this a small gift for us! Work hard from now on."

The eldest apprentice quickly nodded.

Zhou Wanwan walked around the estate and said, "The Shen Clan is really generous; they actually gave me this estate."

Perfected Baoyi muttered to himself, "The Shen Clan thinks it's easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away, so they did this."

Zhou Wanwan looked at Perfected Baoyi and said, "You're receiving a salary from the imperial court. How are you going to explain this to everyone when you go back?"

Perfected Baoyi chuckled and said, "Those emperors and imperial concubines are particularly easy to fool. Don't worry! I can fool them."

Zhou Wanwan thought for a moment and said, "Was this caused by Consort Li?"

"Yes, you're incredibly insightful."

Zhou Wanwan thought for a moment and said, "I know a child who has some connection with Consort Li. Why don't you take him back to report?"

Perfected Baoyi looked at Zhou Wanwan and asked, "What is the background of this child?"

Zhou Wanwan said:

Zhao Lili's daughter is about my age.

Take this back and tell her that this is the person behind those monsters, and see what she has to say!

Perfected Baoyi's lips twitched. "Isn't this inappropriate? If it's true, Zhao Lili won't tear me apart, will she?"

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said:

Don't worry! You're just an old charlatan, what can she do to you?

Besides, the Empress is mine now; she will protect you.

Perfected Baoyi's lips twitched as he said, "So the Empress of the Great Qi Kingdom is yours?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Yes!"

Perfected Baoyi quickly boarded a carriage and headed towards the Great Qi Imperial Palace, with a little girl sitting beside him.

The little girl looked up at the Perfected Baoyi and asked, "Grandpa Daoist, where are we going now?"

Perfected Baoyi looked down at her and said, "I'm only in my early twenties. Is it appropriate for you to call me grandpa?"

The little girl stuck out her tongue and said, "Excuse me! You look so old!"

Perfected Baoyi was so angry that he stopped talking and soon arrived at the palace.

He led the little girl to the Emperor of Great Qi and said, "Your Majesty, this is the child."

The Emperor of Great Qi frowned as he looked at the little girl and said, "Are you sure? This child can control spirits?"

Perfected Baoyi nodded and said, "That's exactly the situation I found."

The Emperor of Great Qi coldly looked at the little girl and asked, "How do you control spirits?"

"Spirits and monsters? What are spirits and monsters?"

The Emperor of Great Qi looked at her and said, "Still pretending? If you don't tell me how you control the spirits, you'll be thrown into prison."

The little girl burst into tears, crying, "Waaah... I don't know what spirits are, I really don't know!"

Noble Consort Li walked over, her head adorned with jewels. She asked the young eunuch, "I heard the little girl who controlled the spirit has been found?"

"Found her, but the little girl denies it."

Noble Consort Li sneered, "She won't admit it? Then use torture! Beat her until she confesses."

The young eunuch replied, "Yes."

Noble Consort Li smiled faintly and said, "It should be Zhou Wanwan, right?"

"I haven't heard of that person's name."

Consort Li entered the palace and, upon seeing the Emperor of Great Qi, said, "Your Majesty, I heard that the girl has been found."

"Found her, but she refuses to admit it."

Consort Li snorted coldly and said, "Guards, use torture! First, give him ten strokes of the cane."

The Emperor of Great Qi frowned and said, "Wouldn't ten strokes of the cane be too much? What if they kill him?"

"Since you dared to do such a thing, you must bear the corresponding consequences. Kill me if you want," Consort Li said while drinking tea.

Soon, the little girl was pulled out.

All that could be heard from the yard was a little girl's scream, "Help! It hurts so much!"

The teacup in Consort Li's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

She rushed out, but after ten strokes of the cane, the child had already passed out.

She rushed to the child and cried out, "Yinyin, how could it be you? How could it be you? Waaah... Call the imperial physician! Call the imperial physician!"

Perfected Baoyi had already run away; he brought the person with him.

As for what happens next, that's none of his business.

Fortunately, Yinyin had only fainted; the imperial physician used a method to help her wake up quickly.

Upon seeing Noble Consort Li, she cried out, "Mother! Waaah... it hurts so much!"