Chapter 41 Buy it, Your Majesty! The sweet-faced emperor said with a grin, "No need to use facial recognition..."
Your Majesty intends to establish a mission to appease the bandits and quell the banditry.
This decision immediately caused quite a stir in the imperial court.
If the banditry in the north is eliminated, it means the situation will improve significantly: a unified and stable northern environment will provide a steady stream of soldiers and food, after which the army can march south and recover the lost territories in the south in no time.
The Qin Dynasty's revival is in sight!
The confirmed deputy envoy for the pacification mission is Duke Xie Qianli of England, who will lead the Longwu Army to oversee the mission.
All eyes, from the government to the public, were on the position of the chief envoy.
He was merely trying to persuade the bandits. Even if the persuasion was useless and the bandits resisted stubbornly, the army would be there to back them up. If they were to be remembered in history and their names would be passed down through generations, the first person people would remember would be this envoy.
When the news spread, Ying Xi's desk was filled with several times more memorials, and countless officials recommended themselves.
However, with so many people applying for the task, Ying Xi was dissatisfied. They had oversimplified the matter.
Ying Xi did not intend for the Longwu Army to fight all the mountain strongholds head-on. The pacification delegation had to play a role, representing the image of the imperial court. Winning hearts and minds was the priority, while attacking cities was secondary. The mission was to promote the policy and minimize losses.
Otherwise, what's the point of setting up a mission to offer amnesty?
It would be better to let the Longwu Army go through the trouble of flattening them one by one!
Today, due to Su Xueyi's leave, Ying Xi spent twice as long on official business as usual.
He had just gotten up from the dragon throne in the afternoon, stretched his back, and stood behind the window looking up at the palace outside.
The palaces and pavilions are scattered like a painting.
Ying Xi took a soft breath. The warm spring light streamed through the window, illuminating his bright dragon patterns and porcelain-white, radiant skin. He was undeniably stunningly beautiful, yet it made it all the more difficult to look directly at him.
Sweetie suddenly exclaimed, "The palace is so beautiful."
Ying Xi nodded slightly.
But considering that everything before her would soon turn to ashes, Ying Xi closed her eyes.
To combat this sense of crisis, he said, "Let me open the online store and take a look."
Sweetie obediently complied.
The system interface then displays a dazzling array of icons.
Fans, umbrellas, ornaments, teacups...
Another page displays props, such as clothing sets, including formal banquet attire, elegant and fresh styles, and Lantern Festival themes...
This dating system is amazing; it allows you to buy items without leaving home, which he's already used to.
What surprised him most was their price.
Ying Xi's fingertips touched a small folding fan, which magnified in front of him and flashed, revealing a price tag of five thousand taels of silver!
Even an emperor who controls the wealth of the world cannot help but ask himself a fundamental question:
"Was this fan inscribed with calligraphy by Wang Xizhi?"
Sweetie replied sheepishly, "N-no, that's not true."
The next topic turned to business, and Tian Tong was very enthusiastic: "All items in the mall have additional attributes. Buying them as gifts for your target will increase their favorability, and buying them for yourself will increase your charm."
"What would Your Majesty like to buy as a gift? Or perhaps to pamper yourself?"
The tone of his sales pitch was exactly like that of a foreign merchant who was paying homage to him, begging for concessions and protection of his trade routes.
Emotional value is the driving force of the system. It is spread by the master brain into various spaces and implanted into the host body, collecting currency and making money.
Sweet Tong said with a grin, "No need for facial recognition or fingerprint authentication. As long as Your Majesty wants to buy, the money will be directly drawn from the private treasury. If the private treasury is not enough, it can also be linked to the national treasury~"
Ying Xi: "..."
The romance system's true colors are revealed at the last minute.
Yingxi used to wonder, since matchmakers charge a fee for arranging marriages, how could anyone help people find love for free?
It now appears that selling items for profit is a key revenue-generating method for the romance system.
Sweet Tong enthusiastically recommended, "Look how exquisite this comb is! Wouldn't it be perfect for your soft, thick, seaweed-like hair?"
"Take another look at this thumb ring. Is its design suitable for Xie Qianli? And could we give the fan to Su Xueyi?"
Sweet Tong became more and more excited as she spoke, "Not only is your first order 50% off, but you might also receive the legendary 'Xu Fangxin Gift Box'!"
It started rambling on about the gift box again, talking about its benefits.
"Your Majesty, you don't know, ordinary gifts only increase your value by one or two points, but those gifts can be customized according to the target's preferences, and the increase is a real value, and it won't decrease your favorability due to various circumstances."
Ying Xi suddenly remembered Su Xueyi, who was acting strangely.
A ray of light flashed through my mind.
He quickly caught that fleeting thought, a smile playing on his lips, appearing calm and composed.
Sweetheart took his light chuckle as a sign of intent to spend money: "—Buy it, Your Majesty!!!"
Ying Xi: "No."
"My treasury is full of rare treasures, so I don't need to spend money to give gifts."
"..." Tian Tong was speechless.
Then came a long silence.
When assessing the host's potential, the mainframe only detected that the host was an emperor surrounded by high-quality NPCs, the environment was suitable for developing romantic relationships, and he also had absolutely dominant economic conditions.
But surprisingly, another scenario wasn't considered!
That is, the host has already seen all the treasures in the world, so no matter how exquisite the props are, he doesn't care about them and he won't spend money on them.
As for the stat boosts from the items...
Ying Xi gently smoothed out a crease in her sleeve and said casually, "I am the emperor. What gift would they not be moved to tears?"
Sweet Tong's marketing efforts failed completely, leaving them no choice but to bring up the "Xu Fangxin Gift Box" again.
"But Your Majesty's treasury doesn't have this. You can't buy it anywhere except in the store. Does Your Majesty know that increasing the real stats means the official is giving you a cheat code? Your romantic future will be bright and promising!"
But after speaking, Tian Tong felt somewhat uncertain.
Since this host has absolutely no interest in romance, what is so tempting about Xu Fangxin's gift box to him?
In an instant, Tian Tong's tone became much lower, and her enthusiasm for salesmanship noticeably diminished.
However, this time Ying Xi was different. Unlike his usual resistance to romance, he showed obvious interest in Xu Fangxin's gift box.
"This actual value is quite useful," Ying Xi said with a smile.
Sweet Tong was slightly surprised, but her anticipation quickly ignited, and she said excitedly, her voice trembling, "After all, it's a legendary item. Your Majesty getting the gift box with a 50% discount on your first recharge is definitely worth it!"
Ying Xi: "Open the lucky bag."
"Huh?" Tian Tong was stunned.
Suddenly remembering that due to the grape incident, the host had exceeded the task by dozens of times, and after reporting it to the Love System, he received a total of 51 legendary lucky bags (store trial packs) as a reward.
While Tian Tong was unaware, Ying Xi had already logically deduced from the fact that both sides had the "Legendary" prefix that the Legendary Lucky Bag could contain Xu Fangxin's Gift Box.
Ying Xi leaned leisurely against the window frame.
Those deep gray eyes naturally possess a profound and hazy quality, making it difficult to discern his true thoughts even face-to-face, let alone if there are things he doesn't tell you, which are deeply hidden in his heart.
Sweet Tong obediently replied, "Okay."
Upon opening the first lucky bag, the bag wobbled and emitted golden light. Then, fireworks exploded, revealing a small wooden box with gold and red accents. The top of the box clearly displayed the words "Xu Fangxin" in seal script.
Sweetie exclaimed in surprise:
"Oh my god... I actually opened Xu Fangxin's gift box!!!"
The small reward did not bring Ying Xi any joy.
The emperor's voice remained calm: "Open again."
After using the second legendary lucky bag, after the same light faded, Ying Xi saw another gold and red gift box. Xu Fangxin's gift box had actually yielded a second one.
Legendary lucky bags are rare, but opening two rare gift boxes in a row can only be explained as a coincidence.
The system offered its dry congratulations from the sidelines.
The second Xu Fangxin gift box fell, so Ying Xi had a vague feeling that something else would happen. A hint of joy flashed through his heart, and his eyebrows lifted slightly.
According to his observation, the dating system wasn't particularly sophisticated.
"Open the rest," Yingxi said.
Forty-nine lucky bags shimmered, revealing forty-nine identical gift boxes right in front of Ying Xi!
Sweet Tong was so shocked she was speechless: "This...lazy, losing money...copy and paste..."
The last fifty rewards were issued simultaneously, with identical data.
Therefore, after coincidentally opening the second Xu Fangxin gift box, the system copied the previous ones, and in the end, all the boxes were gift boxes. This was a huge mistake by the love system, and also an incredible stroke of luck that Ying Xi stumbled upon.
Legendary, exorbitantly priced gift boxes—the emperor got fifty-one for free without spending a single penny!
Sweetie cried incessantly: "Waaaaah!"
The voice of the love system assistant was that of a young girl, trembling slightly. She couldn't blame Ying Xi, but she seemed somewhat disappointed.
This reminded Yingxi of her younger sister, Princess Huachao.
Bloodshed, intrigue, and scheming to gain more benefits were daily occurrences that emperors could not avoid.
But Ying Xi is not Su Xueyi; he has no intention of suppressing others to show off his abilities. He actually prefers to protect them.
Ying Xi asked, "If I obtain these gift boxes, will you be held responsible?"
Sweet Tong paused for a moment, sniffed, and replied, "Well, no, that's not it. It was an oversight by the mainframe. If one is damaged, all are damaged."
“I see,” Ying Xi said calmly. “I am not refusing to spend money forever, but I don’t need to for the time being.”
The Emperor is the most powerful person in Qin, and Tian Tong was already very pleased that he was willing to explain things to her.
Sweetie whispered, "Okay."
"Give me a task," Ying Xi said gently. He had no experience in coaxing little girls, but he knew that Tian Tong liked to watch him and the people around him have strange and ambiguous interactions.
Sweetie was stunned: "Huh? I can?"
"Don't make things too difficult for me." Ying Xi nodded.
Even a fool could tell that the host was comforting himself again, using his textured voice to make the sweet system calculate a feeling called excitement, and the interface flashed with light.
Sweet Tong drew out the last syllable of her voice, saying, "Your Majesty! I like you so much~~~"
System task: Make a pinky promise with any character (0/1)
No specific characters are designated, there is no countdown, the scope is small, and the completion conditions are lenient.
This was all thanks to Ying Xi's understanding and sweet reciprocation.
Sweetie hummed a little tune as she waited for people to come to her door.
After waiting for about half a cup of tea's time, Yu Jing announced from outside, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Yingguo requests an audience—"
Ying Xi turned around from the window, her eyes flickering uncertainly as she looked back.
He forcibly suppressed the strange feeling that momentarily overwhelmed him, his heart pounding like a drum.
Sweet words whispered in his ear: "Big~ wolf~ dog~ yo~"
Ying Xi: "What's he doing here?"
Yu Jing gasped for breath and said, "There was no sound from the study for a long time. I thought you were taking a nap. I just reported to the Duke and he left."
His heartbeat slowly calmed down, and Ying Xi lowered his eyes, his raven-wing-like eyelashes fluttering. He pursed his lips and said, "Let's go then. We'll come back if there's anything important."
"Yes," Yu Jing replied. "However, Master Zhu is outside. He has just finished entertaining the barbarian king's envoy and has something to report to His Majesty."
Ying Xi nodded: "I'll see you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the warm afternoon light shone in through the doors and windows, giving the Imperial Tutor a golden outline.
Today, Zhu Zhao is dressed in a first-rank official robe with a crane pattern. He walks slowly, exuding a fragrance, and the jade pendants at his waist jingle softly.
Zhuzhao's demeanor was impeccable. He stepped forward and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my mission and have already met with the barbarian king's envoy."
Ying Xi gently helped Zhu Zhao up and replied, "Teacher, you've worked hard. Please take a seat."
The relationship between master and disciple, ruler and subject, is as intimate as a textbook example.
But in reality, Ying Xi slightly curved her eyebrows, unwilling to touch even a trace of Zhu Zhao's clothes. The distance between her palm and the clothes was just right, which aroused the Emperor's sensitive thoughts to speculate back and forth.
The Imperial Tutor took his seat.
Since parting ways at the Secret Treasury, teachers and students have never been alone together again. The access system for the Secret Treasury has become extremely strict. He Xuan is on high alert guarding the storeroom, preferring not to allow access rather than allowing information to be leaked.
The changes at the secret location were very likely aimed at him, which made Zhuzhao even more fearful, so he contacted Li Yilong less and less.
Recently, Ying Xi has accomplished many important tasks both inside and outside the court: incorporating the army, combating corruption, rectifying the government, and winning back the hearts of the people...
In a short period of time, Ying Xi seemed to have given the critically ill Qin Dynasty a lot of potent and dangerous medicine.
After he administered the medicine, the long-suffering Qin felt a real pain for a while, and then shakily regained his vitality.
Today, the people's will is with us, and the rules and regulations of the government and the public are strict.
The young man who once vowed to lead the Qin Dynasty out of the long night is now fulfilling his promise step by step.
Zhu Zhao looked Ying Xi over again: She's lost some weight. I heard she was sick recently.
Even though he had just recovered from his illness, Ying Xi personally inspected the firefighting efforts in Judefang, an act that is still praised by the people today.
Not to mention his magnanimity; he didn't pursue the rumors that wronged him by assassinating Xie Ji, and even treated the seriously injured Xie Qianli at Weiyang Palace.
His slender build did not limit Ying Xi's aura; on the contrary, the contrast amplified his charm and imperial demeanor.
Zhu Zhao felt a complex mix of emotions and shame.
In the past, he could have used the belief that he cared about the well-being of all people to support his spying career.
Now that the world is gradually improving thanks to Ying Xi, should the spy continue? Wouldn't that just cause more trouble for the world?
My thoughts are tangled into a mess!
Zhu Zhao could only try to cover himself up respectably and feign calm.
He showed genuine concern for Ying Xi, asking about the emperor's health and what books she had been reading recently.
Ying Xi, of course, maintained a perfect facade, answering all questions politely, before getting down to business: "Sir, the Barbarian King never visits the capital without a reason. What demands does he intend to make of me by sending an envoy to the capital?"
Based on past events, it's likely that the barbarian king forced Princess Huachao to marry him and demanded a dowry.
In this life, Ying Xi is rich and powerful, and she had already thought of how to refuse him.
Zhu Zhao, regaining his composure, replied: "The barbarian king claims that his territory is suffering from a disaster and requests Your Majesty to lend him a thousand bolts of silk, one hundred thousand taels of silver, and two hundred thousand shi of grain. The disaster is urgent and requires Great Qin to provide the necessary funds immediately."
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