"Your Majesty wishes me to investigate the Master of Ceremonies' movements?" The Eastern noblewoman frowned, displaying hesitation. "As a consort of the Emperor, it is extremely difficult for me to leave the palace, even with Your Majesty's permission. Frequent outings would inevitably raise suspicion among others, and thus I am truly unable to fulfill the role of surveillance. Yet I did not expect that behind the Zheng family lies the Master of Ceremonies." Zhang Yuanqing waved a hand. "Please share with me all the information you know about the Master of Ceremonies. Do not ask further questions." Direct inquiry was somewhat inconsistent with Zhao Shun's character—after all, Zhao Shun would never forget the Master of Ceremonies. Fortunately, the lady was a steadfast loyalist, fully committed to the Emperor, and would not question the Emperor over such a matter. At present, Zhang Yuan清 had no other means to gather information about the Master of Ceremonies; asking others was no better than asking his closest confidants. Lady Wan indeed proves herself to be a devoted consort to the Emperor. Without further inquiry, after a brief pause, she said: "The Grand Abbot was appointed by the late Emperor. In his later years, the Emperor suffered from serious illness and longed for immortality. He therefore issued public notices throughout the realm, seeking talented individuals and rare sages, hoping to find a longevity elixir that would extend his life. A remarkable figure responded to the call and presented the Emperor with three immortal pills, claiming they would extend his life by three years. After that period, he would open his altar to perform rituals, renewing the Emperor’s vitality for another three years. The Emperor, upon taking the pills, indeed saw a remarkable improvement in his health and was deeply delighted, thus bestowing upon the sage the title of Grand Abbot. It is said that the Grand Abbot not only excels in crafting longevity elixirs but also possesses the ability to foresee people’s fortunes and destinies, command spirits and ghosts, and summon rain." This sounds like a fusion of a scholar, a night-wandering spirit, and a rain deity. In ancient times, practitioners were well-rounded, mastering a wide range of disciplines—this was entirely normal. "Later on, did the Imperial Physician perform rituals to prolong the life of the late emperor?" Wanmei shook her head. "Three years later, the late emperor passed away. The Physician claimed this was the will of heaven—once the heavens are set, it is impossible to defy them. Indeed, it is no longer tenable to challenge fate." "Such an excuse—how could the Empress Dowager and the entire court tolerate him?" Zhang Yuanqing was puzzled. This was sheer stubbornness. He had promised to extend the emperor's life for three more years before becoming the Imperial Physician, and now, once he held that office, he insisted on the inevitability of heaven's will. "Because during those three years, the Physician gained immense prestige through his alchemical and traditional medical practices. Nobles and aristocrats sought out his elixirs, and his herbal pharmacy regularly provided free medical consultations in the capital. Countless common people benefited from his care. I've even heard that every time there was a drought, the Physician would hold a ritual to summon rain, and each time, it rained heavily—often in torrents..." Speaking, Wanmei's eyes, like chimes, flickered with a moment of confusion "So even after the late emperor's passing, no one in the court dared—or indeed wished—to challenge the Grand Tutor. Zhang Yuanqing nodded in understanding, then sighed, 'Lady Wan, no, Consort Wan, you are the trusted confidante my mother-in-law entrusted to me. I need not hide this from you. After I fell ill, my mind grew foggy, and I often forgot past events.' Consort Wan gasped in alarm, gripping the emperor's hand tightly and urgently saying, 'Then I will immediately summon the physician.' Zhang Yuanqing struggled slightly but couldn't free himself, nor could he call for rescue, so he calmly reassured her, 'The physician says the lingering effects of the poison will clear up in due time, and then you may continue.' Only then did Consort Wan feel at ease and freely share what she knew, 'Your Majesty, when you were young, you studied the art of intimate cultivation under the Grand Tutor, and every day you took the tonic pills the Grand Tutor prepared—strengthening your bones and nourishing your yang energy.' That explains why Emperor Zhao Shun was so energetic, so vibrant that even passing dogs would be pulled over and gently poked. It also explains why the consorts and attendants in He found it strange that the Zhao Shun described in the Ji Ju Lu was so exceptionally healthy—beyond human standards. It turned out he had practiced the arts of bedroom cultivation. He himself also longed to learn. The graceful lady said, "Indeed, even more so—your architectural plans for the expanded imperial harem were drawn up by the State Preceptor, including the feng shui layout of the harem. Your summer palace and sheep palace outside the imperial city were also constructed under his guidance." As she listed one after another, the lady detailed the various initiatives: beyond the costly and labor-intensive palace construction, the State Preceptor had encouraged Emperor Zhao Shun to establish a dedicated 'Flower-Seeking Army' to personally gather beautiful women from the countryside, which greatly displeased the common people. In earlier years, to enable the emperor to enjoy southern tours and mountain retreats, he had mobilized massive labor forces, requisitioning over ten thousand workers to dig canals, requiring the people to bring their own food supplies. Due to the delay in planting crops in spring, a severe famine occurred that year. Moreover, the father of the Imperial Consort, the former Minister of Revenue, had strongly objected to the emperor's The entire family of De Fei was executed. Zhang Yuanqing felt his scalp tingling; it was as if the prime minister were treating the emperor like a child, aiming to plunge Zhao Shun into the underworld for eighteen layers, while simultaneously draining the southern dynasty's national strength. The greatest weakness of the feudal system lies precisely here: when the monarch is wise and capable, the nation flourishes; but once the monarch grows indifferent or incompetent, the country rapidly declines. What is even more terrifying is that the prime minister is not merely a mere court official or a scheming minister—he is deeply skilled at building public prestige and reputation among the common people. While he steadily damages the emperor's image, he simultaneously forges his own image as a virtuous and capable statesman. His intentions are deeply treacherous. Yet, why does the prime minister support the Zheng family? Emperor Zhao Shun is, in fact, the ideal ruler—exactly what all ministers, court officials, and schemers have long dreamed of. He is truly a paragon of excellence. If the prime minister eliminates Zhao Shun and supports the Zheng family, it would seem to offer no tangible benefit—after all, the Zheng family is surely more astute than Perhaps it's beneficial—though I'm not certain yet; I'll need to investigate further before coming to a conclusion... Zhang Yuanqing gathered his thoughts, cleared his throat, "Madam Wan, you shall stay overnight in my quarters." As he spoke, he noticed Madam Wan had already unbuttoned her gown. "You—you're doing what now?" Zhang Yuanqing subtly shifted his hips outward. "I'm here to attend to the imperial bed," Madam Wan replied, her bright, sparkling eyes gleaming with grace. "...Master," Zhang Yuanqing said solemnly, "my lingering illness and recent shock require rest. I cannot afford to be rushed, Madam Wan." Madam Wan looked deeply disappointed, her voice slightly strained as she asked, "Then where shall I sleep?" "You needn't sleep at all—just stay by my side," Zhang Yuanqing said, taking her hand gently, his expression tender. "With you near, I can finally rest peacefully." High-performing players know how to leverage every resource within the quest. King Goujian endured hardship and tasted his own straw bedding; Han Xin endured humiliation by bowing low beneath his horse's belly. What is there to be lost, then, when this Celestial Sovere Wanmei was touched and startled: "Your Majesty, I shall stay by your side every day." No need at all! Zhang Yuanqing nodded firmly, stayed in his robe, turned over, and gently settled his head on her back. In a few more hours, dawn would arrive—the 24-hour side quest would be completed, and the mission to locate the spy would also be fulfilled. By right, after weathering the initial crisis, the quest should lift my seal, restoring my cultivation. No mortal could possibly succeed in a sovereign-level quest... The restriction that "my identity as a spiritual realm traveler must remain hidden" should also be lifted. This restriction was introduced to heighten the early difficulty; now that the initial challenges have been overcome, there's no longer any point in concealing my identity. Therefore, by morning tomorrow, I should be able to recognize my teammates and join them in facing the enemies within the quest. As the thought passed through his mind, Zhang Yuanqing drifted off to sleep. Unknowing how long it had been, he was awakened by a soft spiritual realm notification sound drifting through his ears: 【Ding! Congratulations on completing the side quest: Survive for 24 hours! Beep! Congratulations on completing the side quest: Identify the spy hidden within the palace! Beep! Task reward: Unlocked extraordinary realm spiritual power and items. Beep! New side quest activated: Survive for 72 hours! Note: Please remember your identity is Zhao Shun. A black circular moon seal appears on your forehead, and pure Yin energy flows into your body, instantly clearing your drowsiness and fatigue, leaving you refreshed and alert. Your strength returns—though still at the extraordinary realm level. After the black moon seal fades, Zhang Yuanqing sits up, opens the attribute panel, and checks the tasks. The main quest—to repel the Northern Dynasty's army or defend the capital of the Southern Dynasty—remains unchanged. The side quest to gain public support also remains the same. The quest to identify the spy has now been completed. The side quest to survive for 24 hours has now been upgraded to survive for 72 hours. "Looking at the changes in the mission, there aren't many clear signals or well-defined objectives—still, it doesn't matter much. The enemies of the capital have already been identified. What remains is simply gathering intelligence and uncovering the enemy's true strength and weaknesses..." "The note reminded me to remember my identity—meaning the identity of the sovereign is crucial? Yet it doesn't restrict the identity of the spiritual realm practitioners. I should be able to recognize my teammates." "First, I need to gather all my teammates. Hmm, there might be members of the Zheng family within the Imperial City Office. I can't proactively summon them, as that would be too obvious. I need to find a way so that my teammates don't meet me directly, yet still become aware of my identity." Zhang Yuanqing first thought of the cross-era signal used by the travelers: 'Odd changes, even remains unchanged; observe the quadrant.' But then he realized that some of his teammates were still underachievers and might not know this signal. Moreover, changing the signal would be out of step with the current historical context, making it hard to communicate widely. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly had an idea. He looked at Xuan, who was leaning against the bed, snoring softly. "Xuan, Xuan!" "Hum, hum..." "Xuan, Xuan!" "Hum, hum..." Zhang Yuanqing sighed and spoke firmly, "Xuan, attend upon the Emperor!" Xuan instantly woke up, "Your Majesty~" Zhang Yuanqing scolded, "I have entrusted my life and fortune to you, yet you have been sleeping soundly by the bed. Xuan, you have let me down." I shall demote you to commoner and remove you from the palace. Xuan grew deeply distressed and quickly bowed, "Your Majesty, forgive me. Your Majesty, forgive me." "Very well," Zhang Yuanqing said smoothly, showing compassion, "I value beauty and delicacy, and thus will not punish you." With a grateful gaze from Xuan, he continued, "Last night, I dreamed of the Star God of the Literary Virtue. He said that I am naturally gifted, possessing the talent of a top scholar..." Before he finished speaking, Xuan interrupted angrily, "Your Majesty, the sovereign of the ninth rank, the true dragon-emperor, is “Don’t worry about these details…” Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat and said, “Last night, I actually dreamed of a poem, which my celestial minister of the Literary Star conveyed to me in the dream. Listen carefully: ‘Spring slumber brings no awareness of dawn; everywhere, the birds’ songs are heard. The sounds of wind and rain at night—how many flowers have fallen?’ This poem is both timely and accessible; even someone with only a primary school education would have heard it often. ‘It’s a delightful, easy-to-remember piece,’ said Wan Ren. Zhang Yuanqing nodded in satisfaction. “I agree—it’s a fine poem, one I’m particularly proud of. Yet, as the Emperor, I’m not inclined to act as a matchmaker, self-promoting. I’m sure Wan Ren understands what I mean.” Understanding his gesture, Wan Ren quickly left the imperial chamber. Zhang Yuan清 then summoned the attendants to help him dress and sat in the outer hall for a sumptuous breakfast. He noticed with sharp awareness that the attendants had grown unusually quiet. The eunuchs, meanwhile, kept glancing at the Emperor’s countenance, their expressions marked by mild confusion. The attendants feel my taste has changed, worrying about their own futures; the eunuchs, on the other hand, are beginning to doubt their own. Zhang Yuancheng, having restored his extraordinary cultivation, sees all clearly. Ah well, Zhao Shun's only commendable sense of taste has also been ruined by me—after all, he's merely a dull ruler. Zhang Yuancheng enjoys his breakfast thoughtfully. After eating until he's about eight or nine-tenths full, he asks the attendants to remove the dishes and lies down on the soft bed in his quarters to rest, waiting for his teammates to make an appearance. The teammates don't arrive—they come instead with Li, the senior eunuch. As Zhang Yuancheng is about to speak, the elderly eunuch, whose hair is now whitened at the temples, softly asks: "Are you Master Yuanshishen?"