Chapter 666: Unifying the Supreme Sovereignty of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity

Upon seeing Miao Yu, Luo Fu had to admit she deserved her place among the Twelve Beauties of Jinling.

Simply in terms of beauty, Miao Yu was no less than Lin Daiyu or Xue Baochai.

Yet their styles differed.

Lin Daiyu was like a celestial fairy from another world; Xue Baochai, a regal peony; Miao Yu, cold and ethereal as a deity.

All three were peerless beauties of the mortal realm.

Xing Xiuyan, listed among the secondary beauties, paled beside Miao Yu, appearing merely a modest village maiden.

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty.” Having never met Luo Fu before, and having heard countless rumors—true or false—about him along the way, Xing Xiuyan was thrown into disarray upon seeing him.

Miao Yu, by contrast, initially appeared far calmer—but the moment she attempted to peer into Luo Fu’s essence using Daoist methods,

an unprecedented divine majesty struck her, making her feel as if she had beheld the Lord of Heaven and Earth surrounded by all gods and Buddhas.

Instantly, Miao Yu was drenched in sweat, her terror and humility surpassing even Xing Xiuyan’s.

This left Xing Xiuyan stunned.

After all, throughout their journey, Miao Yu had always seemed reluctant, even defiant.

Yet now, upon actually seeing Luo Fu, her reaction was worse than her own.

Luo Fu knew perfectly well what Miao Yu had glimpsed in him during that fleeting glance.

This world did have celestial deities and earth spirits—but they rarely interfered in mortal affairs.

Even temples renowned for their miraculous efficacy rarely displayed signs known to all.

Without Luo Fu’s intervention, Miao Yu should have discerned certain truths from Jia Baoyu after arriving in the capital—but alas, she had only practiced Daoist arts under an old nun at Panxiang Temple.

Though she understood primordial numerology, she was merely a half-baked practitioner.

Jia Baoyu’s origins were concealed; she could only vaguely sense some mystery, yet always with the feeling that a hair’s breadth of error led to a thousand-mile deviation.

Under normal circumstances, Miao Yu’s half-baked Daoist methods would have likely shattered her soul upon attempting to observe Luo Fu.

Yet Luo Fu deliberately restrained his divine aura while letting her glimpse a fraction of his true nature—this was why the proud, self-proclaimed outsider nun revealed such fear and unease.

For Luo Fu now stood as the supreme sovereign of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity united in one.

In other worlds, his cultivation might amount to nothing more than a Daoist altar in a snail’s shell—but in this Red Chamber world, he was an inconceivable, boundless power.

To others, Luo Fu was the Luo Tian Great Emperor who held half the mortal realm; to Miao Yu, he was the living Buddha, the savior Christ of fanatics, the very embodiment of faith and ultimate aspiration.

To others, Luo Fu was the Luo Tian Emperor who held half the mortal world; to Miao Yu, he was the living Buddha to the devout Buddhist, the savior Christ to the fanatic believer, the very essence of faith, the ultimate of all she pursued.

“Little nun, Itachi’re remarkably bold.”

Luo Fu’s half-amused voice reached Miao Yu’s ears, instantly causing her to bow deeply. “Disciple failed to recognize the World-Honored One’s true form. I beg the World-Honored One’s pardon.”

Though Luo Fu now embodied the sovereign of the Three Realms, to Miao Yu, a Buddhist disciple, he was the true World-Honored Buddha.

“Rise.” Luo Fu waved his hand; an invisible force lifted her instantly.

With a casual gesture, Miao Yu’s lithe form involuntarily fell into his arms.

Holding the ethereally beautiful nun with her hair unshaven, Luo Fu turned to Xing Xiuyan, who stood frozen in shock, and said: “Itachi both know why Itachi were sent to the palace. Remain here. When I formally ascend as king and establish my court, I will grant Itachi proper ranks.”

Xing Xiuyan snapped back to her senses and bowed urgently. “Your humble subject thanks Your Majesty’s grace.”

Had this been any ordinary mortal emperor, Miao Yu might have held back her pride—but now, having glimpsed even a fraction of Luo Fu’s true origins, she would not have objected even if he ordered her to serve as a bedmaid.

That night, Luo Fu took both Miao Yu and Xing Xiuyan without hesitation.

He made no effort to conceal the news. After Jia Yucun’s warning, Luo Fu understood clearly: as the founder of this new order, his priority was not false moral posturing, but calming his followers’ hearts.

After all, his origins were now known throughout the land.

Though his ancestors had been nobles of the former dynasty, when Luo Fu was oppressed by Jia household servants, his own clan offered no aid—instead siding with the Jia servants.

When Luo Fu raised his army, he had neither clan nor local faction as base. Those who joined later—like Lin Ruhai’s relatives and colleagues—could only rally around him due to his personal strength and prestige.

Yet this also weakened his emerging force, making it dangerously vulnerable to risk.

To everyone’s eyes, the Luo Tian Army’s fate rested entirely on Luo Fu alone.

As Jia Yucun warned, the Luo Tian Army’s immediate priority was to consolidate all human and material resources in the south, swiftly prepare for the northern campaign, and lay groundwork for the unification of the realm.

For Luo Fu personally, his immediate task was to take many concubines and rapidly expand his lineage.

He did not even need a son born yet—even if one of his concubines became pregnant, proving his fertility would be enough to dispel all lingering doubts among his followers.

Aside from those bound by bloodline energy and utterly loyal to him, others who followed Luo Fu—like Jia Yucun—did so not for the sake of the people, but for wealth and glory.

This meant Luo Fu, as the core, must reassure them.

If Luo Fu left no heir, what would become of their wealth and glory should disaster strike?

By openly taking Xue Baochai first, then Miao Yu and Xing Xiuyan, Luo Fu eased the final fears of southern gentry still hesitant to fully submit.

Now, with Luo Fu unhesitatingly taking Xue Baochai first, then Miao Yu and Xing Xiuyan, the southern gentry who had yet to fully pledge their loyalty set aside their final fears.

upon learning that Luo Fu had spent the night with Miao Yu and Xing Xiuyan,

Xue Baoqin and Xiangling, newly granted entry into the palace, were being sternly instructed by Xue Baochai.

“Sister.” Though Xue Baoqin was still a child, her wit matched her sister’s. Upon hearing the news, her face darkened with worry.

The Xue family could never sever ties with the Jia family—after all, the Four Great Clans were bound by blood. In the capital of Daqing, this was understood.

But in Jinling, the connection between the Four Great Clans was utterly unbreakable.

After Jia Yucun assumed office in Jinling, his first task was to learn the “Protective Talisman of Jinling.”

This alone revealed how tightly intertwined the Four Great Clans were.

Now, with Luo Fu’s sudden rise, this bond had become a fuse ready to detonate and obliterate the Xue family.

“The palace has gained two more women,” Xue Baoqin said, troubled. “We must get His Majesty to take me and Sister Xiangling as soon as possible.”

Though Xiangling’s Xue surname was merely a ruse by the Xue family for self-preservation,

since she bore the Xue name, Xue Baoqin must treat her as a sister.

Clearly, upon learning that Luo Fu had taken Miao Yu and Xing Xiuyan from Jia Yucun, Xue Baoqin had grown anxious.

Now, the survival of the Xue family rested entirely on their two sisters’ shoulders.

The more concubines in the palace, the less influence the Xue sisters would have.

If they failed to secure a promise from Luo Fu during this critical moment—when he had just established himself in Jinling—

competitors would multiply over time, and the Xue family would sink beyond recovery.

As a long-standing imperial merchant, both Xue Baochai and Xue Baoqin knew the imperial harem was no gentle place.

That glittering palace was, in truth, a labyrinth of deadly traps.

Worse, the Xue family could offer them little support—indeed, they must rely on their beauty to win favor and secure the family’s survival.

In this situation, the sooner they caught Luo Fu’s eye, the greater their chance—otherwise, once the new court’s elite reacted, where would the Xue sisters have left to stand?

Internally, the Xue family was one of the Four Great Clans, a primary target of Luo Fu’s purge; externally, they held no status in the new regime.

Once, as imperial merchants, the Xue family was already the weakest of the Four Great Clans; now, with Luo Fu’s reforms, they stood to lose even their imperial merchant title.

Though merchants, they at least bore the imperial character—marginally qualifying them as new elite gentry. But once the new dynasty was firmly established, the Xue family would be reduced to mere merchants.

Wealth without power in an era of sweeping reform—anyone with sense could foresee the outcome.

Clearly, the Xue sisters understood this well.

Xue Baochai sighed. If she could, she too would have rushed to arrange for her cousin Xue Baoqin and Xiangling to serve Luo Fu.

Yet despite being the first of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling to be taken by Luo Fu, she herself was merely a woman who had shared his bed—nothing more.

How many women in the palace now longed to climb into his bed?

Xue Baochai had no title, no favor, and worse—she came from the very clan Luo Fu intended to purge.

She had no power to arrange Xue Baoqin and Xiangling’s service.

“Sister,” Xue Baoqin said decisively, sensing her sister’s distress. “This is no time for modesty. The Xue family’s survival rests on us.”

Xue Baochai nodded after a moment’s thought. “Baoqin, I will find a way to invite His Majesty soon. When he comes, Itachi and Xiangling must seize every opportunity.”

Compared to the sharp understanding between Xue Baochai and Xue Baoqin,

Xiangling still hadn’t grasped the situation.

Her lovely face wore only confusion.

To Xiangling, the Luo Tian Army’s swift conquest of half the south was a complete reversal of her fate.

Once a slave forcibly bought by Xue Pan, her future had been doomed to become his concubine—especially given his nature; even without marrying Xia Jinguì, she would have met a grim end.

But now? Through Luo Fu’s arrival, she had risen from slave to the Xue family’s second daughter in mere days.

Especially since she was registered under Lady Xue’s name—effectively making her a legitimate daughter.

Of course, status and reality were two different things.

Though slow-witted, Xiangling knew being registered under Lady Xue came at a price.

The price: she must obey her nominal elder sister, Xue Baochai.

But the schemes of Xue Baochai and Xue Baoqin were too complex for Xiangling to comprehend.

While the sisters decided to abandon all modesty and act swiftly to climb into Luo Fu’s bed to secure the Xue family’s future,

In a few quick words among the Xue sisters, they decided to take the initiative, abandon all reserve, and climb into Luo Fu’s bed as soon as possible—to secure time for Xue’s survival once the new dynasty was firmly established.

After discussing their plan, Xue Baochai noticed Xiangling’s confusion.

“Xiangling,” Xue Baochai gently took her hand. “Itachi are now registered under Mother’s name—Itachi are no longer a maid. Itachi are my sister. I won’t hide the Xue family’s plight from Itachi.”

In simple terms, she explained their dire situation. “Though Itachi were not born into the Xue family, Itachi are now officially registered as one—Itachi are my sister. Our fates all depend on His Majesty. If he turns away from us, the Xue family will vanish in the tide of change—and we too will perish in the palace. For our own lives, wealth, and glory, we must unite and win his favor.”

After explaining in the simplest terms the dire plight the Xue family faced, Xue Baochai said: “Though Itachi are not born into the Xue family, since your name is now recorded under it, Itachi are my sister. All that we three sisters have is tied to His Majesty. If His Majesty dislikes us, the Xue family will vanish beneath the tide of fate; but we three, too, will struggle for only a short while in the palace. Whether for our own lives, our wealth, or our glory, we must now unite and strive to win His Majesty’s favor.”

Xue Baochai nodded in satisfaction. “I will invite His Majesty soon. When he comes, follow Baoqin’s lead exactly. Do whatever she does. Use every means to earn his favor.”

Satisfied, Xue Baochai nodded and said: “I will invite His Majesty soon. When that time comes, Itachi will follow Baoqin’s lead—do exactly as she does. In short, use every means possible to gain His Majesty’s favor.”

(End of Chapter)