Chapter 1691

Selling out one's country for personal gain is an absolutely despised label.

She certainly didn't want to bear such a label!

Most importantly, her senior sister was still signaling to her over there.

She still trusted her senior sister very much.

"Master, Ah Ke won't dare anymore."

"Good that you won't dare," Ji Nan sneered, then shifted tone, "Of course, since I don't hold office, I won't stop you from doing so. If you study hard and pass the imperial examinations to earn a title, and then serve the people justly, then yes, you may become an official."

"But if you refuse to study, or if you become an official only to indulge in pleasure, don't blame me for being merciless with my sword."

Upon hearing this, Ah Ke was completely stunned.

Study?

She was mediocre even at martial arts, let alone studying—she'd fall asleep the moment she opened a book.

And pleasure?

She wanted her master to become an official just so she could bask in the glory and enjoy some comfort.

If being an official doesn't bring comfort, what's the point?

"Master, I think it's better if I stay by your side, eating vegetarian meals and chanting sutras," Ah Ke said meekly, her heart filled with bitterness.

Ji Nan nodded lightly.

Suddenly, 06 sighed: "Peace in the world today is hard-won; the people have finally gotten a little relief. You must not harbor thoughts of oppressing them. Have you never seen, while staying with me, the common folk who sell their children to survive? They're driven to despair by the government. Ah Ke, if the government treated you like that, how would you feel?"

"Master, I wouldn't feel well," Ah Ke nodded gently. "If I ever meet such a corrupt official, I'll spare him no mercy with my sword."

Even so, she still longed deeply for a good life.

"Is there a way to enjoy wealth and honor without becoming a corrupt official?"

As Ah Ke pondered this, she drifted into thought.

The Imperial Palace.

Long Er was handling state affairs, as usual, flipping through the visitor's scrolls.

"Chen Jinnan? The mines on the Japanese Isles are already being mined intensively—good, another source of points."

"A scroll from Ji Nan?"

"A scroll from the Zhuang family?"

If she hadn't seen the movies from her own world, she might easily have overlooked these two scrolls.

But now, of course, she must meet them.

The former dynasty's Princess, and the two Xiao Er.

These would make a fine gift for Chongzhen, and for the Dao Jun.

The Chat Group.

Long Er: "I just received a scroll from Master Ji Nan. Emperor Chongzhen, would you like to meet your so-called daughter?"

Su Xiao: "Hehe, aren't you just sprinkling salt on the Emperor's wounds? Chongzhen: My Great Ming still fell—will I get beaten by my ancestors now?"

Zhu Youjian: "Ridiculous. Chongzhen lost the empire—what does that have to do with me, Zhu Youjian?"

Zhu Wushi: "Ancestor, I think Chongzhen should be held responsible—give him a hundred strokes of the cane."

Zhu Youjian: "Will you die if you don't stoke the fire?! This has nothing to do with me, Ancestor—you must see clearly!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "Do you think I'm that foolish?"

Zhu Youjian: "Of course not."

Zhao Kuangyin: "Aren't you going to see your own daughter?"

Zhu Youjian: "My daughter is still in the Taixuan Realm! This daughter has nothing to do with me! Zhao, don't speak nonsense!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "Go see her. Our Zhu family doesn't have many members. If she's willing, bring her here—it'll count as a compensation from your ancestor."

Li Shimin: "Not many?!"

Ying Zheng: "Your descendants nearly ruined the Great Ming—still not enough?"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "That's all Lao Si's fault. Hmph! He raised our descendants like pigs—they've all become a burden to the dynasty. No, Lao Si must take responsibility."

Zhu Youjian: "Oh no, is Lao Si going to get beaten? 【Sneaky grin】"

Zhu Wushi: "Hehe, what do you think? 【Stealthy chuckle】"

Zhu Youjian: "I'm reporting you—you're gloating!"

Zhu Wushi: "Nonsense. Where's your proof?"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "Enough. Go quickly. You're all Supreme Immortals—why do you still bicker over trivial matters?"

Long Er: "The gate is open, Your Majesty, you may come through. By the way, Dao Jun, I have two Xiao Er here—do you want them?"

Su Xiao: "Two?!"

Xiao Mai: "Miss Long, you really understand human nature! How could the Dao Jun possibly refuse?"

Hu Yifei: "Indeed, political scheming is always filthy."

Long Er: "The Zhuang family merely wished to repay a debt—I'm just passing it along. That's perfectly reasonable—where's the filth?"

Dushima Saezi: "Ancient dynasties are so nice. You can gift people with complete moral justification."

Long Er: "If you want to gift someone, you can too. This has nothing to do with ancient or modern times—unless our Sword Demoness is shy? How strange!"

Su Xiao: "Indeed, how could Saezi be shy? That's weird!"

Dushima Saezi: "Do you see me as some kind of love-struck fool? Isn't shyness perfectly normal?"

Su Xiao: "Isn't it?"

Dushima Saezi: "... 【Covering face】 That's how you see me?!"

The Capital.

Zhu Youjian crossed through the portal and arrived at this familiar yet strange place.

The years of the old Jingcheng were memories from many years ago.

Since joining the chat group, his world had taken a different path.

The ancient-style Jingcheng became a fairyland of jade pavilions and crystal towers, the center of the entire universe.

As for architectural preservation, Chongzhen naturally did not care.

The ancient architecture modern people loved to admire meant nothing to him; he felt no regret at tearing it down.

"Your Majesty," Long Er bowed, studying the emperor before her.

In the original history, he should have been the ruler who lost his empire.

But since joining the chat group, he had become a Great Luo cultivator, bearing an extraordinary aura.

"Miss Long need not be so formal; we may address each other as fellow cultivators," Zhu Youjian quickly returned the bow.

Though her realm was still low, he dared not treat her lightly.

Joining the chat group was effectively equivalent to receiving an entry ticket to the Great Luo Jinxian rank.

Treating each other as equals was best.

Moreover, she was a woman of peerless grace—she stood a high chance of becoming a Dao Jun's future consort.

When encountering such a being, putting on airs was the most absurd thing possible.

Pillow wind was far more powerful than winds like the Three Pure Fires.

He did not want to fail in this regard.

Though his own daughter was in the Great Luo Heaven and feared no challenge,

Still, it was better to make life a little less difficult.

PS: Ake is actually the daughter of Li Zicheng and Chen Yuanyuan, but Ji Nan still does not know the truth and believes she is Wu Sangui's daughter.