Chapter 239

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

A few days before departure, the family of five rode a carriage from the farmstead back to the mansion in the capital.

The mansion was still the original Xian Guogong Fu; after the Former Emperor bestowed it upon Ren Chengzhou, it underwent no major changes — only the signboard and internal layout were adjusted somewhat.

Ren Chengzhou and Shen Yao lived at the farmstead year-round, especially after the New Emperor ascended the throne; apart from festivals, they rarely left the farmstead.

Therefore, the idle Xian Guogong Fu slowly fell into ruin. Even though palace craftsmen repaired it year-round, they still could not change the desolation caused by the lack of human presence.

"This time returning, how will the palace explain it? His Majesty has been on the throne for three years, diligently governing day and night; I fear he has no time to bother with us."

Shen Yao stated the objective facts with a calm face — it wasn't that Jiang Chengyu didn't care, but that he truly had no time.

How busy the Emperor is, and on top of that he has such a huge mess on his hands.

Last year, the Imperial Selection that the Emperor had suppressed for a long time was held, and the entire Jiang Guo shook.

Not only the capital's commoners, but even young women from the borderlands were sent to participate.

Under an unprecedented scale, the Emperor took in double-digit consorts in one go, without even sparing a thought for the legitimate wife who had walked alongside him.

It is said the Empress's actions are now restricted, and her body has suffered quite a few hidden losses.

Shen Yao pessimistically estimated that this Empress's ending might not be too good.

"A simple farewell will do; His Majesty knows we have the intention to leave the capital."

Ren Chengzhou never concealed it from Jiang Chengyu from the start; otherwise, their private cooperation back then would not have proceeded so smoothly.

"His Majesty is different from us; we are at most a group of wealthy idlers — even if we leave the capital to travel everywhere, it won't affect Jiang Chengyu's throne."

But swap in Jiang Chengyu's other cheap brothers and it won't do; even Jiang Chengjin can only grow old and die in the capital, and cannot casually step half a pace out of the capital.

Princes who once acted or had that tendency cannot leave the capital.

Game of Victor and Vanquished, yet one must also guard against their resurgence.

Shen Yao turned her head to look out the window; it was still the lively scene of people coming and going — the capital is Jiang Guo's capital city; this place never lacks people at any time.

"This departure from the capital, who knows when we'll return again."

Her mood couldn't be called complex; Shen Yao is a cultivator — even if the current situation honestly only counts as half of one — but in terms of lifespan it is genuinely long.

She reached out and rubbed the three children's little heads; Shen Yao's mouth corners held a smile — Yang Yao and the others were all very well-behaved, perhaps because the atmosphere after entering the capital made them feel uncomfortable, each one listless and lacking spirit.

She softly coaxed them a couple of sentences not to be afraid, then Shen Yao brought up the Guogong Fu's situation again.

Ever since Lady Lao He passed away, the Guogong Fu formally closed its doors to guests.

Until last year's palace Imperial Selection, the Emperor repeatedly entreated the Guogong Ye to come out of retirement; only then did the Guogong Fu appear at Court.

However, appearing is one thing — Guogong Ye kept citing his health; even attending court he just collected a salary for doing nothing, and held not a shred of authority in his hands, making people unable to even muster the desire to attack him.

Not only that, the Guogong Furen also cultivated her mind and nurtured her nature, bringing along the several daughters-in-law who had already married in; all day they either ran to temples or ran to Dao Guan, and whenever met they would pray to gods and worship Buddha, burn incense and pray for blessings.

If anyone asked, Guogong Furen could even better explain the reason for doing this — everything for the Guogong Fu's offspring; one simply cannot let the Guogong Fu die out.

No way around it — for juniors like Ren Minmin's generation, even the married Guogong heir has no offspring; Guogong Furen being anxious and frantic for them is perfectly normal, isn't it? Which family doesn't care about a son who can carry on the lineage?

Guogong Furen not only brought the daughters-in-law to do these things, she didn't spare the married-out daughters either.

Ren Minmin had been married for barely two years total, yet was still called by Guogong Furen to run around everywhere.

Fortunately Ren Minmin's luck wasn't bad; not long after marrying she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, which also shut some people's mouths.

"Uncle and Aunt's side — normal visits; at last year's New Year palace banquet, from Uncle's meaning I heard His Majesty intends to hand over part of the military authority to Uncle; at the latest by this autumn's end, Uncle will have to return to Court."

The previous return doesn't count, because Guogong Ye had no military authority in hand, his words also lacked sufficient weight, and he couldn't shake certain people at Court.

If by autumn's end he smoothly takes over military authority, the Guogong Fu will not only reverse its decline but also help His Majesty stabilize the Court — a win-win cooperation for both sides.

After all, His Majesty and the Guogong Fu have a blood relationship; military authority has always been sensitive — no matter who it's given to, one can't rest easy; one can only say a layer of blood relationship makes it more reliable.

"If so, then for this visit of ours, those medicinal materials also need to be swapped for a new batch — the ones eaten earlier were all unsuitable."

"Follow Aunt's wishes; we're leaving the capital, willing but powerless."

Ren Chengzhou put away the folding fan in his hand, took the teacup from the side and poured warm tea.

He poured for each person in turn and handed them to the several people in the carriage compartment; Ren Chengzhou carefully tasted it and suddenly felt the countryside wild tea was even better than the palace tribute tea.

The carriage went and stopped, finally halting before the high-hanging Qin Wang Fu gate.

The family of five got down; because time was insufficient, they chose to rest and recuperate.

Summoned the mansion steward to check the Ku Fang situation; Shen Yao ensured the gifts she intended to send were unobstructed, and also deliberately added a few more items inside.

Since we're leaving, some things can be used to curry favor; otherwise leaving them in the Ku Fang is also a waste.

Of course, some comparatively valuable or useful things from the farmstead had already been collected into her space by Shen Yao.

No matter when, Shen Yao always satisfies herself first, and only then considers others.

"Wang Fei Niangniang, these are the Ku Fang registers; please review them."

The Qin Wang Fu steward is a palace person; when this residence was bestowed back then, even the mansion furnishings belonged to the Imperial Household Department — Ren Chengzhou and Shen Yao were essentially move-in ready.

Sitting in the Dian Dian, she swiftly flipped through the Account Book once; confirming all problems were within tolerable range, Shen Yao waved her hand to dismiss the steward, then raised her hand and pinched her sore nose bridge.

'How much longer until the One-way Transmission Array is opened?'

These two years, earthquakes have been frequent in remote regions — some normal, some abnormal — but without exception, such earthquakes have accelerated the steps of Spiritual Qi Revival, causing the Spiritual Energy in the environment to increase.

When Yang Yao and the others turned two years old, Shen Yao used the System to stage a divine transmission of teachings, thereby solving the problem of cultivation techniques.

Naturally, as the parents of three children, the two of them also received divine favor — each obtaining their own miraculous opportunities.

After a year of cultivation results, the family of five all successfully entered the door.

Among them, the three children naturally cultivated the best; she and Ren Chengzhou followed closely behind.

Although the technique's power appeared somewhat lackluster due to insufficient spiritual power, dealing with ordinary martial artists of the jianghu was still a simple matter.

It was for this reason that they agreed on this year's travel plan. Not only to tour mountains and waters, but also to take the opportunity to visit those rumored spiritual anomaly sites, to see if they were real.

"At the fastest ten years, at the slowest fifteen years," the system gave an approximate time, then added this was a conservative estimate; if unexpected accidents occurred during the period, it might happen even earlier.

Shen Yao rubbed her head, taking the opportunity to conceal the facial expression she had revealed.

"The previous earthquakes — if they happen a few more times, would quantitative change trigger qualitative change?"

Some of these were Shen Yao's handiwork; taking advantage of cultivators' ability to fly and burrow, she found time to make trips, specifically choosing those deep mountains and old forests rarely tread by humans, and not fearing karmic entanglement.

This was a method Shen Yao heard from the system, winning out by being comparatively practical.

"In theory, yes, but Host, progressing too quickly is disadvantageous to the entire world's normal advancement; you should be clear, humans lack animals' keenness," in the spiritual qi revival the benefits they obtain are also inferior to animals'.

Put differently, the human race in the spiritual qi revival era does not enjoy unique advantages; they cannot even compare to some plants.

The most obvious example is that these years Shen Yao frequently runs to mountain forests to gather various mutated herbs.

Even though Shen Yao increased her frequency, the quantity of herbs she gathered still only increased, not decreased.

From this one can see some of the spiritual qi revival's influence on the environment; even when Shen Yao ran to deeper jungle areas, she discovered more treasures.

Human cities gained many various rumors, but compared to the wilderness where one can witness with one's own eyes, the cities and countryside remain calm as usual; the only clearly visible changes are probably some unstable border regions or villages with many mountain forests.

However, such places placed in the whole of Jiang Guo are like a drop of water falling into a pond, fundamentally unable to stir even half a ripple.

Anyway Shen Yao hasn't seen Jiang Guo take any action; at most military conscription has become more frequent.

But the military's purpose is more for suppressing riots, maintaining stability at borders and localities, and has no relation to these mutations in the mountain forests.

"Find an opportunity to warn a batch of people," she can't just watch the human race perish; she still needs to take the opportunity to earn merit.

The system immediately thought of the previous deceitful god-playing, tone displeased, "Host, don't challenge the system's bottom line; some things cannot be done anymore."

Otherwise it really would have a mouth but be unable to explain; clearly before crossing over it was already agreed it would not use the previous world's abilities again.

Result: still couldn't withstand the Host's scheming; it could only wail in despair, and in the end went along with the corruption.

The system shed sad tears, feeling the Host was truly too wicked; it fundamentally couldn't outplay her.

Shen Yao turned her head and pursed her lips, completely ignoring the system's complex psychology; anyway she felt her mission was done quite well, so wasn't that achieved?

There is no such thing as a perfect matter; the system thinks about these all day, simply idle to the extreme.

"Do it or not? A single sentence's matter, and doing it benefits you too.

I know you're afraid, but you're a system that can't even connect to the Main System; what are you afraid of?"

Even other systems aren't this cowardly, and not only cowardly, but privately competitive to a flying degree.

Sometimes Shen Yao can't figure out if the system has some split personality; hypersensitive about mission completion rates, yet afraid of making small moves.

The system, faced with its own Host's retort, had no special reaction.

Used to it; scolded every day it still has memory, sobbingly indicating this matter can be done, but only this Shijie as the last time; if not agreed, then it'll simply hide and not appear!

Shen Yao: ……

"Fine, let's discuss, see how to manifest divinity to maximize benefits."

Since it's the last time, must make full use of it and not waste it.

Shen Yao immediately perked up, first stating the strategy she had thought of, then letting the system ponder it itself; only by combining the two would implementation be good.

System: ……

What could the system do? Only cooperate; after all the Host doing this sort of thing is professional, and it also didn't want to fail at manifesting an immortal's traces and instead be suspected.

……

The next day early morning, Shen Yao and Ren Chengzhou simply split up to act separately.

Ren Chengzhou took the eldest Ren Yangyao to the palace to see the Emperor; Shen Yao took the remaining two to Guogong Fu to pay respects to the Guogong Lady.

Of course, the prepared gifts could not be forgotten; arriving empty-handed would be a breach of etiquette.

"All family, where so much etiquette; coming is good enough."

The Guogong Lady treated Shen Yao with increasingly genuine affection, especially the past two years Shen Yao helped dispense medicine and even deceived the palace imperial physicians.

What great grace this is; the Guogong Lady prides herself on being sentimental and righteous, naturally cannot be too distant to Shen Yao.

Pulling Shen Yao to speak intimately for a while, then finding several younger daughters-in-law to accompany, striving to make Shen Yao feel welcomed like a guest at home.

Shen Yao: …… No need for such trouble

Shen Yao smiled and spoke with the Guogong Farmstead matters, mostly daily amusing anecdotes, occasionally mentioning a few mischievous boys.

After all, by the Guogong Lady's age, she has truly reached the time to enjoy grandchildren.

This time, the Guogong Lady entrusted Shen Yao to help prescribe more prescriptions beneficial for offspring.

Previously avoiding matters and not conceiving was fine, but now that misfortune has turned to fortune, they certainly must conceive and bear children; otherwise Guogong Fu would be unstable.

"Aunt, these are all comparatively suitable prescriptions, also suited to the several sisters-in-law and younger sisters-in-law's constitutions; presumably before long we'll congratulate Aunt, Guogong lineage continuing unbroken."

Shen Yao was generous, prescribing a whole stack at once, moving everyone to deep gratitude.

In this era who doesn't want a son; even if in their hearts they feel sons and daughters are both good, if possible they still want a son; era's restrictions, completely unchangeable.

Shen Yao also didn't say more on this aspect; brought out what should be brought out, then took the two children to say goodbye.

Originally returning to Jingcheng was for these matters; once things were truly busy-finished, they should pack luggage and depart.

"His Majesty even envied me, saying if there's opportunity, he also wants to go out and see Jiang Guo's rivers and mountains."

Pity without accident, as Emperor Jiang Chengyu fundamentally cannot come out.

The Emperor controlling the whole country's people's life and death actually also has his own bitter circumstances.

Ren Chengzhou's mouth corner held a smile, gaze looking toward the already packed-neat carriage before him.

This trip out, their return date is uncertain; including all supplies and personnel, all were meticulously selected.

Not to mention other things; for safety's sake, Ren Chengzhou also invited experts to escort all the way; although these experts' true strength still doesn't reach half of Shen Yao's ability.

"An emperor's travel involves many considerations," at minimum those court ministers would obstruct in various ways.

Even if possible, they would still offer counsel and sing a different tune from the emperor.

"Yes, only after sitting in that position do you know how difficult that position is."

Thinking that holding power would make everything perfect, in truth they still cannot act on impulse.

Stretching his arm around Shen Yao's shoulder, Ren Chengzhou lowered his head and said two words softly, then they boarded the prepared carriage and formally set out from Jingcheng.