"I didn't know you were the emperor. I thought the Southern Dynasty was our enemy." Jiang Jingwei glared at him angrily. By the fire general's standards, being treated this way would even make her father fight hard. But now, plagued by illness and weak in limbs, she could only be bullied by Yuan Shi Tian Zun. "Stop wasting time—state your mission," Zhang Yuanqing urged. Jiang Jingwei sat cross-legged, leaning against the artificial mountain, weakly saying, "My primary mission is to monitor Zhao Shun and the palace's internal affairs, reporting regularly to the Shen Rui Army. My secondary mission is to assassinate the incompetent emperor." The primary mission is so secure—why did you choose such a more challenging secondary one? The secondary mission isn't fatal, and Jingwei truly lives up to the fire general's standards! Zhang Yuanqing had a dozen complaints, asking, "What is the Shen Rui Army?" "Jiang Jingwei tilted his head, recalling, and said, 'The Shenrui Army was originally one of the southern dynasty's military forces. They were defeated fifteen years ago. The surviving soldiers went into the wilderness, becoming outlaws, with the intention of avenging themselves upon the emperor and the southern dynasty. My father was one of those soldiers.' Let me check the detailed intelligence on the Shenrui Army!" Zhang Yuanqing felt a little more at ease. Although Jiang Jingwei was from the opposing faction, this precisely indicated it wasn't a matter of professional compatibility, but rather a problem specific to the quest. The quest-related issue was easier to resolve—according to the quest's mechanics, teammates were unlikely to become mortal enemies, so a solution was certain to exist. He would find an opportunity to ask Xiao Fu. He opened his inventory, took out a ceramic bottle, and handed it to Jiang Jingwei, "First, treat the illness. Then I'll take you back to the imperial quarters." Since the arrival of Xiahou Aotian and the Master of Zhishake Palace, the warehouse of the 'Return of the Departed' association has been continuously supplying medicinal pills and life essence fluids. The pills crafted by the scholars can both The jade-precious Jiang Jingwei, her hands and feet weak, carefully took the porcelain bottle, removed the wooden stopper, and swallowed several brown pills whole. Soon, her pale complexion gradually turned rosy. Xie Lingxi leaned against her brother Yuan Shi, sniffing softly, "Woooh, we failed in our attempt to assassinate the emperor. Yuan Shi brother, aren't you also here to assassinate the emperor?" Xie Lingxi and the Queen each outline their tasks and roles. The Graceful Beauty is a spy stationed within the palace by the Zheng family. Her main mission is to "support Zheng family's efforts and survive for five days." Two side quests are assigned: first, to assassinate the incompetent emperor; second, to win the emperor's favor and become a Consort. The young green tea, eager to avoid becoming a Consort, chooses the alternative side quest—to have the emperor killed! The Wang Song-jie represents a regional power known as the Qinglong Clan, a renowned martial faction led by a celebrated hero of the countryside. The Qinglong Clan aims to assassinate the emperor under the slogan "Kill the incompetent ruler to save the people," and thus dispatches the daughter of a disgraced official, skilled in music, who enters the palace as a Song-jie. The Wang Song-jie's primary mission is to "gain close access to the emperor and gather intelligence" in order to create opportunities for the Qinglong Clan's assassination plot. Her secondary mission is to "assassinate the emperor." The central missions of the three beauties are not to assassinate the weary emperor—this is entirely understandable, since central missions involve life and death. If the central mission were to assassinate the emperor, it would mean a relentless conflict with Zhang Yuanqing. First, they are teammates, so such a mission would be unlikely. Second, Zhang Yuanqing is the sovereign, while the beauties are saints—there's a mismatch in their status, making it unreasonable for saints to assassinate the sovereign. Currently, there are three known factions: the Divine Sharp Army, the Imperial Counselor, and the Qinglong Clan. Ah, the situation in the capital is far more complex than on the front lines… Zhang Yuanqing sighed. His responsibilities are no less than Fu Qingyang’s—indeed, they are even heavier. He must not only confront three adversaries but also find ways to save his teammates. As he pondered, light footsteps approached. The three beauties looked startled. Zhang Yuanqing’s ears twitched, and upon recognizing the footsteps, he reassured them: “Don’t be alarmed—it’s Li Changshi.” Instantly, the footsteps drew nearer. It was Li Changshi, dressed in a red eunuch’s robe, with silver hair at Was Li, the loyal servant by the昏king's side, really Red Chicken Brother? Xie Lingxi instantly changed her expression, smiling warmly: "Ah, so Li was actually Red Chicken Brother! Thanks to Red Chicken Brother staying by Yuan Shi Brother's side, otherwise we would have accidentally killed him. Our holy figures all feel so secure now." Upon hearing this, Red Chicken Brother was delighted and immediately set down the bundle hanging on his shoulder: "Go change your clothes." Then he stepped out ahead of the fake mountain grove. Zhang Yuanqing followed shortly after, and behind came the soft, gentle voice of Xie Lingxi: "Yuan Shi Brother, I'm afraid. Could you please not leave me?" "No way!" Jiang Jingwei raised her eyebrows: "You go change clothes with Yuan Shi Tianzun on your own." No thanks—little Ping A wasn't exactly impressive either... Zhang Yuanqing hurried off, joining Red Chicken Brother behind a nearby fake mountain, where they waited for a full minute. Finally, from deep within the grove, Xie Lingxi's voice came through: "Brother, we're all ready now." The two returned to the scene and saw three of their female teammates bending over, carefully straightening their crooked collars and skirts. Jingwei complained, "It's so hard to wear the clothes of ancient people. Don't they get tired every day just getting dressed?" Zhang Yuanqing reached out, gently brushing his fingers over each of their faces, the ripples of light dancing across them. The three youthful, delicate faces transformed into refined, elegant women—not particularly outstanding, yet perfectly befitting the aesthetic of Zhao Shun's imperial harem. ——No one in Zhao Shun's harem had ordinary features, except for Wan Meiren. After completing the makeup transformation, Zhang Yuanqing turned to Hong Ji Ge and said, "Take them to the pavilion quarters and inform them that they've been transferred from another hall to serve me. I'll follow you closely and enter quietly." The four teammates nodded gently and began walking toward the pavilion under Hong Ji Ge's guidance. Zhang Yuanqing remained in place, waiting until the three had walked a short distance and were approaching the pavilion, then activated his night-walking ability and swiftly caught up with them. His night-walking ability was limited, so he could not trail behind the group at "Creak~" Hongji Brother pushed open the hall doors, leading the group inside. Zhang Yuanqing took the opportunity to weave through the crowd and then stepped into view, gazing at the inner chamber behind the hanging curtains. His eyes instantly narrowed. Two graceful figures sat behind the curtain. Another guest had arrived. "Back at last?" a familiar voice came from behind the curtain, murmuring, "You've already brought three beautiful ladies to your chambers on the very first day of entering the realm—more like a distracted emperor than Zhao Shun." Hearing that familiar tone, Zhang Yuanqing instantly understood. He exhaled gently, saying, "You weren't given a chamber to stay in, were you? That's why you're unhappy, isn't it?" As the curtain was lifted, there stood the De Consort—elegant in posture, with porcelain-like skin. Only two women remained in the group—either his younger sister or Guan Ya. But Guan Ya never spoke to him in this tone. Therefore, it must be his younger sister. "De Fei" wrinkled her nose and said, "Let's cross-check the information. My main objective is to ensure the Southern Dynasty doesn't fall, and my side quest is to protect you. Yesterday it was 24 hours; today it's extended to 72 hours." A side quest just like Red Chicken Brother's... Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What's the level?" "Level 4." "Hmm, lower than I expected. Then how come you didn't save me yesterday?" "The eunuch near you acted first. Besides, giving you a bit of hardship wasn't bad either." De Fei turned her gaze to the three attendants. "Have you found your teammates?" "The assassin from yesterday was actually one of them!" Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. He led the four Red Chicken Brother team members into the inner hall, went through each of their character details, main objectives, and side quests, and then laid out the current predicament in full. Finally, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What are your thoughts and analyses on the next steps?" Jiang Jingwei stared blankly, her mind going completely blank. Hong Ji said instinctively, "Where's Guan Ya? Quickly find Guan Ya—she's a scout, and she's excellent at analysis." Ah, I've always been missing two brains from the start—how fortunate for Xiao Fu to have such a talented team... Zhang Yuanqing sighed. Xiao Yuan paused thoughtfully, "From the mission perspective, all we can do is passively wait—wait for the assassins to arrive and ensure your survival for 72 hours. However, considering the difficulty of surviving just 24 hours, the 72-hour side mission is actually far more perilous and may well result in casualties..." She hadn't finished speaking when the Chief of the Stopping the Kill scoffed and interrupted, "Xie Lingxi, the Queen, and Jingwei can remain hidden or provide support—there's no need for them to engage in direct combat. I and Hong Ji will take the lead. You and Yuan Shishen will handle matters as they arise. As long as the Transcendent Realm doesn't make a proactive move, survival is guaranteed. The enemies of Yuan Shishen are already well aware—specifically, the Divine Sharp Army, the Qinglong Clan, the State Master, and "The Shén Ruì Army and Qinglóng Clan are operating outside the capital; it would be difficult to carry out an assassination inside the palace. The 72-hour crisis must stem from the Zheng family." Xie Lingxi expressed her growing concern: "That national master's status remains unclear, but the Zheng family certainly maintains elite talents of their own, and has agents within the Imperial Guard. Once they launch their attack, Yuanshǐ brother will be trapped—like a fish in a bowl—and we'll have to fight them fiercely within the palace itself. There's a real risk of casualties. I simply cannot allow Yuanshǐ brother to meet his end." Jian Jingwei, upon hearing this, instinctively replied: "Then perhaps we just escape the palace—after all, Qinglóng Clan and Shén Ruì Army won't be able to find Yuanshǐ Tianzun." Zhang Yuancheng frowned, saying: "A note reminds me not to abandon my status as emperor... but escaping the palace is a viable strategy—one we can plan for in the long term." "What I believe you need to do right now is to appear ignorant and unassuming," she added. "With Zheng Longtu attacked, the Zheng family will certainly probe your And if you're unaware of these details and are merely a mediocre ruler, then the strength of the elite agents dispatched by the Zheng family to eliminate you won't be particularly impressive." The Master of Zhishi gently stirred her hair as she said, "Moreover, your side quests have consistently included the objective of 'gaining public favor.' This might be a hidden storyline or a hidden function—should you wish to avoid being passively waiting for events to unfold, it would be wise to pursue this task. But how exactly do you earn public favor?" Red Chicken Brother replied, "That's straightforward—Emperor Yuanshi simply issues a self-critical edict, and that should suffice to win public support. It's exactly how TV dramas portray it." Jiang Jingwei clapped her hands enthusiastically, "Exactly, exactly!" "Hmph!" the Queen rolled her eyes, "Huang Shun has always been a mediocre ruler. Issuing a self-critical edict during a major northern invasion by the Northern Dynasty doesn't just highlight his shortcomings—it provides the Zheng family with a perfect justification for seizing the throne. The Zheng family will surely be delighted. Furthermore, public discontent is already deep-rooted. A single self-critical edict might very well spark widespread upris "Zhang Yuanqing nodded: "Under these circumstances, a self-critical edict simply cannot restore public confidence—it instead provides a clear outlet for public grievances. The people revere the imperial authority and have thus far remained cautious. But if the emperor himself acknowledges his faults, what will the people have left to fear? What will the rebels and traitors have to worry about? This is a straightforward psychological dynamic." "Xie Lingxi added, "I believe the side quests focused on winning the hearts of the people are crucial—this aligns perfectly with the overarching tone of the 'King Who Lost His Kingdom' storyline. "Staying hidden within the palace may keep us safe from the Qinglong Clan and the Shenrui Army, but once the Zheng family fails their assassination attempts once, then twice, the third time will surely be a full-scale effort. That means we can survive at most for 72 hours before being wiped out in the third attempt." "We can't just wait passively—we must leave the palace. Honestly, it's a bit stressful. Let's tackle the immediate challenges first..." Zhang Yuanqing pinched his brow, then turned to Hongji Ge, saying, "The ladies in the hall are all quite accomplished. I'd like to assign you two tasks. First, go to Yuyin Lane and bring a female ensemble to perform today—there's no other business for me than to hear music. Second, investigate the situation with the Shenrui Army." Hongji Ge bowed and departed. Zhang Yuanqing then continued to discuss with the ladies the details of their departure, including the timing of the departure, how to gain public favor, Above all, he couldn't abandon his imperial status, so he had to carry with him all the symbols of the emperor's office—otherwise, once the Zheng family took control of the palace, they might install a fake pretender. We can't let Huang Si-Lang suffer a loss like that. A minute later, Red Chicken returned, knocked on the door of the imperial chamber, and led a group of graceful young ladies inside. The young ladies from Yu Yin Hall were all beautiful, tall and elegant, their colorful robes fluttering in the breeze—clearly the finest dancers in the troupe. Zhao Shun understood the proper way to utilize the dance troupe. "Honor the Emperor!" the dancers bowed in unison. Zhang Yuanqing naturally smiled, "No need for formalities, no need for formalities. Ah, ladies, I'm quite eager to see you all perform—please, begin the music and dance!" At the same moment, Xiao Yuan, the Palace Mistress, Xie Lingxi, and the Queen all grew serious, while Jiang Jingwei, having forgotten her task, brightened up with eager anticipation for the performance. Immediately, the musicians holding the zither and the pipa stepped back, and the remaining six dancers began to Zhang Yuanqing at first wasn't fully focused, thinking about his character and the quest storyline. Gradually, as he listened to the continuous melody of the zither and the gentle flow of the pipa, watched the snow-white belly, slightly exposed, twisting and turning, and admired the full, flowing curves revealed when the woman lifted her hips—he suddenly felt this was exactly the kind of scene an adult man had always dreamed of. He became increasingly enchanted. At that moment, a member of the imperial guard stepped through the threshold, entering the hall and announced loudly, "Your Majesty! Zheng the Chancellor requests an audience." There they were! The people in the hall instantly became more alert. Zhang Yuanqing relaxed his body, maintaining his lounging posture, and said calmly, "Please have Chancellor Zheng come in."