"System, what gift should we give them?"
With sparkling eyes, she said, "That's easy, just offer the elixir! That will cure Empress Ma's illness in one go."
The established channels are reluctant to sell cheap, slow-moving products through personal shoppers because the profit margins are too low. They have to beg and plead with the channels before anyone agrees.
"I'll listen to you."
...
On the day of the Thousand Autumns Festival.
The city of Nanjing was brightly lit with lanterns and decorations. Local officials distributed wine and meat to the people, with each household receiving a pot of wine and half a catty of meat.
The people who received the gifts beamed with joy, offering words of blessing. The children, who also received malt candy, excitedly ran around the adults' legs.
An elderly person exclaimed, "This emperor was a bit fierce, but he was a good emperor!" This remark drew agreement from those around him.
That's right, giving them free food and drink makes them a good emperor in their eyes.
Zhu Yuanzhang was unaware of his subjects' praise; he was busy entertaining a distinguished guest—Princess Nongyu.
"It is impolite of me to present a gift at this time, as a guest staying here, on the Empress's birthday."
As she spoke, Nongyu stretched out her slender, white hand, from which a roll of parchment appeared out of thin air. When unfolded, it was covered with drawings of various plants, with small annotations beside them.
The parchment is as light as a cicada's wing; it appears to be a small roll, but when unfolded, it seems to have no end.
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at it casually and recognized several familiar plants, such as wheat, rice, and cotton.
His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked back, recognizing several kinds of vegetables and hemostatic herbs.
There were many other plants that Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't recognize at a glance. His heart pounded, and he began to have a certain guess:
"Your Highness's gift, could it be a record of all the plants in the world?"
Nongyu smiled and gently shook her head. Zhu Yuanzhang was extremely disappointed. Sure enough, how could there be such a great advantage?
Then I heard:
There are countless plants in the world, so it is impossible to record them all.
This is a piece of writing left by a friend of mine who followed the path of plants and trees, done in her spare time. It records the kinds of plants she encountered, probably more than three thousand species.
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were already as bright as those of a wolf in the Western Mountains.
Because of the lack of information, it is difficult for people in other places to know that a useful crop or herb has been discovered in one place.
This scroll, which can be described as a complete encyclopedia of plants, was priceless to Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.
He rubbed his hands together, feigning reluctance: "How could I possibly accept that?"
Nongyu continued sincerely:
"Many of the plants listed in this scroll are useful, but they are of no use to me, a mere remnant soul. Giving them to His Majesty as a gift would be the most effective way to utilize them."
Zhu Yuanzhang readily agreed, and seeing Nongyu so moved, he hurriedly put the scroll away.
Ah, if only Liu Xian were as selfless and gentle as Princess Nongyu.
Seeing that he had accepted the scroll, Nongyu left. This gift-giving was a spontaneous act on her part.
After analyzing the situation, the super-intelligent ghost Jinghuan felt that to further strengthen the relationship with the royal family, this gift should be given!
Of course, it didn't cost any money. As the ruler of the Sea of Emotions and the Heaven of Sin, Jinghuan, who loves collecting all kinds of rare flowers and herbs, combined with her millions of years of accumulation, drawing this scroll was a piece of cake.
Having received such a fine gift, Zhu Yuanzhang found that the birthday gifts that officials racked their brains to present during the Autumn Festival were no longer worthy of his attention.
Besides, the ministers wouldn't dare send overly precious gifts; would they be asking for trouble?
The emperor sharpened his knife, ready to slaughter pigs and sheep. Bah! Minister, well, the salary I set is only this much, yet you can afford such an expensive birthday gift.
Tell me, did you embezzle?
Zhu Yuanzhang was truly capable of doing such a thing.
After the banquet, the princes and princesses, led by the crown prince, stepped forward and presented their gifts in their own unique ways.
Now it was the ministers' turn to offer toasts and congratulations—their gifts had already been given to the eunuchs.
Empress Ma seemed to be searching for something down below, which the Emperor noticed, casting a questioning glance at her.
She replied softly, "Didn't Liu Xian say she was coming? Why hasn't she arrived yet?"
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, feeling a soreness in his teeth and resentment. He had suffered considerable losses during their last meeting.
Moreover, this white snake demon is unpredictable and elusive, making it impossible for her to appear or not.
He was about to comfort the empress when his vision blurred.
Suddenly, the "person" mentioned earlier appeared on a table next to the Queen's seat.
It seems like there's no problem, but according to etiquette, there's a hierarchy, so how could there be a seat next to the Empress!
Moreover, the food and wine on the table showed signs of having been touched. Liu Xian was even pouring wine into a jade cup from a wine pot, and Bai Susu was even cracking walnuts.
When did she arrive? How long have she been here? Why is she only showing herself now? A barrage of questions bombarded Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.
It's terrifying to have someone sitting silently next to you, moving freely without your knowledge.
Zhu Yuanzhang broke out in a cold sweat, and those below also noticed the unusual situation above, gasping in shock upon seeing it.
Together, they formed a clearly audible inhalation sound, and the scene became completely silent, making the music outside even clearer.
Liu Xian propped her head up with one hand, her cheeks flushed with a slightly tipsy blush, as if she had drunk too much. She looked obediently at Empress Ma.
"Oh, I've been here for a while now. How could I possibly miss your birthday?"
As she spoke, she reached out to her disciple, bending her five fingers inward twice. Su Su understood and took out a simple little box from her bosom, placing it in her hand.
Empress Ma smiled gently: "Immortal Liu has been here for quite some time, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wanted to hear if anyone was saying anything bad about me," Liu Xian said with a half-smile.
Hiss! The people below were even more terrified. What's going on? How can a dignified demon immortal be so narrow-minded?
They frantically tried to recall if they had "accidentally" said anything bad about Liu Xian.
Zhu Yuanzhang, recovering from his initial surprise, chuckled awkwardly and joined the conversation.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Immortal Liu. Your demeanor has become even more extraordinary. I suppose your cultivation has greatly improved?"
A glint flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes; Liu Xian was growing stronger and stronger...
"I wouldn't say my cultivation has greatly improved, just a little," Liu Xian replied to the emperor, before handing the small box to Empress Ma.
"Open it and see if my gift suits your taste."
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