Chapter 41 Daji (VIII) Fighting for Favor

The turmoil surrounding the loss of Lord Jiu's throne and the demotion of Kui Ji to a slave and imprisonment in Zhaixing Pavilion was like a stone thrown into a deep pool. It caused ripples inside and outside the palace before gradually subsiding.

Kui Ji was like a wild horse that was forced to wear a bridle. She was silent in the Zhaixing Pavilion. The wildness in her eyes remained, but there was a bit more vigilance and alienation.

Lin Jiaojiao did not deliberately "train" her, but only ordered the maid to arrange some light work for her. Her food, clothing, housing and transportation were no different from those of other palace maids. Kui Ji was puzzled at first, but later she accepted it silently. However, her bright eyes often fell on Lin Jiaojiao with an inquiring look.

At the same time, the Zoo, which cost a huge amount of money and took several months to build, was finally completed.

Nestled between mountains and water, this vast imperial garden, like a dazzling pearl inlaid in the northern courtyard of the imperial palace, amassed a collection of rare and exotic animals collected by Emperor Xin. Upon hearing the news, Emperor Xin was overjoyed, his days of annoyance vanishing. He was eager to showcase his "great achievements" to his beloved consort, and even more so, to take this opportunity to show off the wealth and majesty of the Shang Dynasty to the envoys of the princes.

On the day of the garden's opening, Emperor Xin decided to hold a grand parade. He specially ordered people to build an extremely luxurious elephant chariot - pulled by four docile giant elephants. The chariot was tall and spacious, decorated with gold, ivory and dazzling gems, like a mobile palace. Emperor Xin personally ordered: Sumerian Daji, ride with him on the elephant chariot, to tour the Garden of Beasts!

When the news came out, the harem was shocked. Being able to ride on the elephant chariot with the king on tour was such a grace and honor. For a time, feelings of envy, jealousy, and unwillingness spread in the harem.

On the day of the parade, flags were flying and soldiers stood at the entrance of the Zoo.

Emperor Xin, wearing a black royal robe with gold patterns and a jade crown on his head, mounted the elephant chariot with high spirits.

Lin Jiaojiao was wearing a light blue gauze gown with fluttering sleeves, like a mountain elf. With the help of her maid, she stepped lightly onto the elephant chariot and sat beside Emperor Xin.

Her stunning beauty shone brightly in the sunlight, instantly capturing everyone's attention. The accompanying courtiers, nobles, and envoys all held their breath, silently sighing, "No wonder the king is so obsessed! Such a beauty is rare in the world."

Kui Ji, as a palace maid of Zhaixing Pavilion, also accompanied them. She stood behind the crowd, looking at the goddess-like figure on the elephant chariot with a complex and indescribable look in her eyes. As wild as she was, she had to admit that Su Daji's beauty was an existence that transcended the ordinary and inspired awe.

The elephant carriage started slowly and drove into the zoo with the steady steps of the giant elephant.

The scenery in the garden is truly breathtaking, with strange peaks and rocks, waterfalls and springs, lush forests and bamboos, as if all the wonders of the world are condensed in one garden.

Huge fences house all kinds of rare birds and animals: mighty lions are lazily basking in the sun on the rockery; elegant giraffes are leisurely strolling among the trees; herds of zebras are galloping on the grassland; colorful peacocks are spreading their tails by the stream, showing off their gorgeous tail feathers; and nimble monkeys are jumping and playing among the treetops... It is a scene full of vitality and wildness.

Emperor Xin was in high spirits and pointed out the wonders in the garden from time to time and introduced them to Lin Jiaojiao.

Lin Jiaojiao snuggled up to him, with just the right amount of surprise and joy on her face, and curiosity flashing in her clear eyes, like a girl who knew nothing about the world. Every subtle expression of hers greatly satisfied Emperor Xin's vanity.

"My dear wife! Look at that white tiger! How majestic it is." Emperor Xin pointed to a white tiger with snow-white fur and a sturdy body in the distant mountains and forests, his voice full of boasting.

"Wow! So beautiful!" Lin Jiaojiao exclaimed at the right moment, her eyes full of admiration. "Your Majesty, you are truly amazing. You have gathered so many rare and exotic animals together. I... have never seen such a spectacular sight!"

Emperor Xin laughed heartily, feeling very proud.

The parade moved along the winding garden path in a lively atmosphere.

However, not everyone was immersed in the beautiful scenery. Not far behind the elephant chariot, in a gorgeously decorated carriage sat Li Ji, a concubine who had recently gained great favor with Emperor Xin.

She had a gorgeous face and an enchanting figure. Relying on her beauty and Emperor Xin's novelty, she was quite proud in the harem.

At this moment, looking at the undisguised favor and intimacy that Emperor Xin showed to Su Daji, Li Ji was burning with jealousy!

She refused to accept this! Why did Su Daji get to be the only one in the top position? Why did she get to ride in the same chariot with the king, enjoying such glory? Li Ji's eyes rolled, and a plan came to her mind. She ordered the driver to speed up and catch up with the chariot.

"Your Majesty~~~" Li Ji's delicate voice sounded with deliberate charm, "I also want to see that majestic white tiger~~~ Your Majesty, please take me up with you to have a look~~~" As she spoke, she ignored etiquette, held the hand of the maid, and tried to climb onto the elephant chariot.

This action instantly broke the harmonious atmosphere of the parade. Everyone was stunned. Emperor Xin frowned, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes. Lin Jiaojiao also frowned slightly, but did not say anything.

Li Ji was completely unaware of this. Relying on Emperor Xin's recent favor, she thought she could get what she wanted by acting coquettishly. She even squeezed to the edge of the elephant chariot, reached out to pull Emperor Xin's sleeve, and her body was almost sticking to Lin Jiaojiao.

"My king, please just agree to my request." Li Ji's voice was so sweet that it was sickening.

Emperor Xin's expression instantly darkened! A violent red light flashed in his eyes. This lowly servant! How dare she be so tactless! Interrupting his and his beloved concubine's pleasure! And even dared... dared to squeeze in beside his beloved concubine?!

"Get out of here!" Emperor Xin roared angrily, like a thunderclap. He raised his foot wearing golden dragon-patterned boots and kicked Li Ji's chest mercilessly and fiercely.

"Ah--!" Li Ji let out a shrill scream, and her whole body fell straight down from the three-meter-high elephant chariot like a kite with a broken string, hitting the hard ground heavily, and dust flew up.

"Puff!" Li Ji spat out a mouthful of blood, her face was as pale as paper, she curled up on the ground, groaning in pain, unable to speak.

The entire place was in a dead silence! Everyone was stunned by this sudden change. The courtiers and nobles were silent, not daring to breathe. The palace maids serving Li Ji collapsed to the ground in fear.

Emperor Xin didn't even glance at Li Ji lying on the ground, as if he had just kicked away an annoying ant. He turned to look at Lin Jiaojiao, the violence in his eyes instantly turning into tension and concern: "My beloved! Are you okay? Did that slave girl hurt you?"

Lin Jiaojiao's heart beat faster because of the sudden violence. She looked at Li Ji twitching in pain on the ground, and a chill surged in her heart.

Emperor Xin's tyranny was still as terrifying as ever. She suppressed the discomfort in her heart, her face showing just the right amount of "shock" and a hint of "worry". She gently grasped Emperor Xin's arm, her voice trembling slightly, "Your Majesty... I'm fine... It's just... I was just scared... That Li Ji..."

"Hmph! A shameless slave who doesn't know how to live or die! She deserves death!" Emperor Xin snorted coldly and then shouted at the guards, "What are you standing there for?! Drag this eyesore away! Throw her into the cold palace! Let her fend for herself!"

The guards hurried forward and dragged the dying Li Ji away like a dead dog, leaving only a glaring pool of blood on the ground.

Emperor Xin finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Lin Jiaojiao again with gentle eyes: "Don't be afraid, my dear. I am here and no one can disturb you!" He gently patted the back of her hand.

Lin Jiaojiao nodded with lingering fear, her eyes swept across the pool of blood on the ground, then quickly looked away. She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and put on a dependent smile again on her face. Her voice was filled with just the right amount of urgency and "innocence": "My king... I'm fine... Let's... Let's go see the white tiger quickly, shall we? I really want to see that beautiful big tiger!"

She cleverly changed the subject and drew Emperor Xin's attention back to the Beast Garden.

Seeing that she had "recovered" her interest, Emperor Xin was in a good mood and laughed out loud: "Good! Good! Let's go see the white tiger! Let's go!"

The elephant carriage started again and the parade continued, but the atmosphere had quietly changed. The laughter and joy just now disappeared, replaced by a suppressed silence and awe. When everyone looked at the stunning beauty leaning on Emperor Xin on the elephant carriage, their eyes were filled with not only amazement but also a bit of deep dread and... fear.

They had witnessed firsthand Emperor Xin's utter doting on Su Meiren and his ruthless cruelty towards those who offended him. That merciless kick, that cold, "Death is not a pity," all clearly conveyed one message: Su Daji was Emperor Xin's absolute Achilles' heel! Touch her and she'd die!

Lin Jiaojiao sat quietly beside Emperor Xin, feeling the complicated gazes from all around. During the break, she called over Kui Ji, "Kui Ji, I need you to do something."

Kui Ji was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and lowered her head and replied, "My beauty ordered you to do so."

"Take my badge and go to the medical department to find a doctor, and go to the cold palace to have Li Ji examined. If you can save her life, you must do your best to save her life."

After hearing this, Kui Ji was stunned. She looked up at Lin Jiaojiao for the first time.

"Go ahead. The sooner you arrive, the more hope there is for Li Ji." Lin Jiaojiao waved her hand without saying anything more. She still had to keep her spirits high to accompany Emperor Xin.

Seeing this, Kui Ji hurried towards the palace with the token.

She knew that the scene just now, though cruel, had invisibly built a stronger barrier for her. Emperor Xin's tyranny had become her sharpest umbrella of protection. But at the same time, her heart was filled with helplessness and sadness. A vibrant life, just because of a trace of jealousy and recklessness, instantly fell into hell. In this deep palace, human life was so cheap.

She looked ahead and saw the white tiger trapped in a huge enclosure, pacing lazily.

It possessed immense power, yet could only wander within this tiny space. What about herself? Wasn't she also imprisoned in a larger, more magnificent cage? However, her cage was called "Emperor Xin's Favor."

The parade continued in a delicate atmosphere. Lin Jiaojiao still played the role of curiosity and dependence, and Di Xin also showed his "collection" with great interest. However, the desire to escape in Lin Jiaojiao's heart had never been so strong.

Back at Zhaixing Pavilion, Lin Jiaojiao leaned against the window tiredly.

[Zero, Today] She felt mixed emotions.

"Special event: Li Ji provoked, and Emperor Xin dealt with it in a rage.

Result: Li Ji was seriously injured and fell out of favor, and the threat was lifted.

Impact: The host's deterrent power is significantly improved, potential threats are reduced, and Emperor Xin's desire to protect is strengthened.

"Whitewashing Progress: +3% (due to increased deterrence and deeper respect among the lower classes)." Zero's voice calmly analyzed, "Li Ji has been able to maintain basic life characteristics. You remedied it in a timely manner. You've done a great job, Jiaojiao."

Lin Jiaojiao smiled bitterly. [Deterrence...deterrence bought with the blood of others...]

"It's necessary for survival." Zero's voice was filled with an undeniable calmness. "And it's not your fault. It was an emergency."

Lin Jiaojiao was silent for a long time, and finally sighed softly. [I know... but...]

"Rest." Zero's voice softened. "Have a good sleep, dear."

Lin Jiaojiao looked out the window, and the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the Zhaixing Pavilion a layer of golden red.

The stunning glimpse of the parade in the Garden of Beasts not only showed the world Emperor Xin's extravagance and tyranny, but also, like a brand, deeply engraved the name "Su Daji" and the emperor's extreme favor and cruelty into everyone's heart.