Chapter 477 - Proper Palace Intrigue (16) (2/2)

Lu Ruo’s face immediately turned black. She was only level 1 right now; who knows when she’d reach level 5? It wasn’t as if she could sleep with Yuwen Xun whenever she wanted.

“Is there no other way?” Lu Ruo didn’t wish to remain in this world at all. It was too scary. One could lose their head if they weren’t careful.

She had taken all care possible to not break the thin ice she was currently treading on, but still ended up breaking through it a few times.

Her system fell silent for a while. “There is also the option of devouring the power of others like me.”

‘“Others like me?”’

“You mean a system like you?”

“Yes.”

Lu Ruo’s eyes turned. “What you mean to say is… Yun Jie Yu…?”

“I’m not certain, but she does have something on her that I can use to level up. I felt it just now.”

……

As Shi Sheng left the hall, Tao Qin went forward to receive her. Seeing Shi Sheng emerge perfectly fine, Tao Qin finally relaxed. “This one was scared to death! Did His Majesty do anything to you?”

“Would he dare to?” Shi Sheng’s gaze turned back from where she’d been staring off into the darkness. “Return to the palace.”

“Sir Ming told me to deliver this to you just now.” Tao Qin made use of helping Shi Sheng along to hand a silk pouch to the latter. Her face was a bit red, but it was concealed by the darkness of the night.

Shi Sheng pinched the pouch. Its contents appeared quite hard. She’d just been about to take it out to have a look when Xu Kong ran up to her from behind.

“Gui Fei-niangniang.”

“Master Xu Kong,” Tao Qin bowed slightly as she alerted Xu Kong of his error, “Don’t use the wrong address. Our Mistress is no longer Gui Fei.”

“Ah?” A surprised sound escaped from Xu Kong’s lips. Only after a good while did he recall that everyone else seemed to refer to her as Yun Jie Yu.

‘She got demoted? When was this?’

Xu Kong was rather dumbfounded. He hadn’t been in the capital recently, so he had yet to catch up with what had happened lately. Besides, it wasn’t as if he could’ve learned what happened in the harem just because he wanted to.

“Your Ladyship,” Xu Kong returned to the topic, “About what you said before…”

“I’m broke right now.”

Xu Kong, “…” ‘What happened to getting paid? Would the Di daughter of the Zhuang Clan and former Gui Fei be broke? Like I’d believe that!’

Xu Kong had a bitter expression. “Your Ladyship mustn’t be like this. This one has to work hard to earn money.”

Shi Sheng nodded in agreement. “It is quite hard to con people.”

Xu Kong, “…” ‘Do I have it easy trying to make ends meet here?!’

“Then, My Lady, when is it convenient for you to…” ‘…settle the debt? I risked losing my head to help you! But His Majesty’s reaction was a bit off… I really gotta run after I get the money.

I can’t stick around any longer. Just what was I thinking? Being scared into helping her lie to the Emperor! If I leave, I’ll definitely have a harder time earning money… And I might even get a bounty on my head…’

Xu Kong felt like he’d boarded a pirate ship with no way off.

Shi Sheng pondered for a moment. “When I become the State Teacher.”

Xu Kong was stunned speechless. “Your Ladyship…was speaking the truth just now?”

‘There really will be a heavy downpour? And a flood? And an epidemic???’

Xu Kong had thought this to just be Shi Sheng’s delaying tactic.

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

Xu Kong took advantage of the dim lighting to examine more boldly. “No… So, Your Ladyship is truly skilled?”

Shi Sheng acted mysteriously aloof. “Didn’t you experience it first hand?”

Xu Kong, “…”

Tao Qin, “…” ‘What is Mistress and Master Xu Kong talking about? Why don’t I understand?’