Chapter 6: Imperial Master: Whoever wants this lucky star can have it
Chu Xuanyi was just getting excited about the news about the secret path in the north. He was thinking about how to use this information to give the barbarians a "surprise" when Lin Feng rushed into the study, tumbling and crawling, his face uglier than crying.
"Sir! No, this is bad! Miss Jiu…she…she 'optimized' the birthday gift you prepared for the Queen Mother!"
Chu Xuanyi: “!!!!”
With the Empress Dowager's birthday approaching, he carefully selected a statue of Guanyin made of smooth, translucent white jade as a birthday gift. This statue, exquisitely carved and made of high-quality jade, symbolized auspiciousness and had taken considerable effort to find.
"Optimize?!" Chu Xuanyi felt his back teeth begin to ache. "How did she 'optimize' it?!"
Lin Feng said with a sad face: "Your subordinate... Your subordinate doesn't know how to describe it, you... You should go and see it yourself..."
Chu Xuanyi took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and quickly walked towards the side hall. The side hall was specially used to store valuable gifts, and he had specifically instructed that no one was allowed to approach.
As a result... he still underestimated Jiu's ability to be "omnipresent".
As soon as he walked to the door of the side hall, Chu Xuanyi smelled a... rich smell, a mixture of floral scent, fruit scent and some indescribable sweet smell.
His heart sank, and the ominous premonition grew stronger.
When I pushed open the door, I saw Ajiu standing in front of the white jade Guanyin statue, holding a few strings of colorful glass beads and some colored silk threads in his hands, with a focused and satisfied smile on his little face.
And the originally simple, elegant and solemn white jade Guanyin statue, at this moment... is simply unbearable to look at!
A few sparkling red glass beads, wrapped with silk thread by Ah Jiu, were fastened to Guanyin Bodhisattva's head, resembling a cheap ruby tiara. A string of colorful beads shone brightly around the Bodhisattva's neck. In the jade vase held by the compassionate and downcast Guanyin, Ah Jiu had placed a small bouquet of wild daisies picked from the roadside!
The most outrageous thing is that the base of the Guanyin statue was painted with a circle of crooked auspicious cloud patterns by Jiu using colorful jam (which she said she "borrowed" from the kitchen), and it was also dotted with a few sparkling sugar beans!
"Ajiu!" Chu Xuanyi's voice was almost squeezed out from between his teeth. He felt that he was about to lose control of the primordial power in his body.
Ah Jiu heard the voice and turned around in surprise: "Sir! You're here! Look, look! Do I dress up Guanyin Bodhisattva beautifully? Let me tell you, I heard the maid in the mansion say that the Empress Dowager likes festive and lively things. I think the original Guanyin Bodhisattva was too plain and not lively at all! Now it's colorful and festive! The Empress Dowager will definitely like it!"
She even pointed proudly at the jam-filled auspicious clouds on the base and said, "Look, sir! I specially used strawberry, orange, and grape jams on this auspicious cloud! Doesn't it smell delicious? The Empress Dowager can even lick it when she's hungry!"
Chu Xuanyi: "..."
His vision went dark, and he felt like he was not going to die of anger, but of sweetness!
They transformed the solemn and majestic White Jade Guanyin into a rural stage style, and even suggested that the Queen Mother lick the jam when she was hungry?!
Is this a birthday gift, or is it to mess things up?!
Lin Feng was almost suffocating. He tried his best to reduce his presence, fearing that the anger of the National Master would affect him.
"Ajiu," Chu Xuanyi closed his eyes, trying not to sound murderous. "Remember, I told you... not to touch anything in the study without my permission, and not to invent anything 'new'."
Jiu tilted his head, looking innocent. "But sir, this is a side hall, not a study! Besides, I didn't invent anything new. I just... I just 'dressed' Guanyin Bodhisattva in new clothes to make her look prettier! That's not really a novelty, is it? Girls all like to dress up beautifully. Guanyin Bodhisattva is also a girl!"
Chu Xuanyi felt a throbbing pain in his temples.
Her logic... is always so clear and impeccable!
He now deeply understood what it meant to be "a scholar meeting a soldier, unable to explain his reason clearly". No, he met a "stupid genius" whose brain circuits were comparable to a maze!
"Someone come here!" Chu Xuanyi almost shouted.
Hearing the sound, two guards rushed in.
"Give... give me this... 'brand new' Guanyin statue... immediately! Right now! Clean it up! If any trace is left, you will be beheaded!" Chu Xuanyi pointed at the "gorgeous" Guanyin statue, his voice trembling.
Then, he pointed at Ah Jiu again, his tone filled with a deep sense of powerlessness: "And you! From now on, you are under house arrest! Without my order, you are not allowed to step out of your room! Not even a single step!"
He was scared, he was really scared! If he let her move freely in the mansion, sooner or later she would "optimize" his Imperial Master's Mansion into a colorful children's playground!
Ah Jiu pouted and looked at Chu Xuanyi aggrievedly: "Sir... I really mean well... Does the Queen Mother really not like this?"
Chu Xuanyi took a deep breath and forced a smile that was uglier than crying. "The Empress Dowager...she likes quietness and...the original flavor. I appreciate your 'thought'."
He was afraid that if he continued talking, he would not be able to help but pack up the girl and throw her back to Guanyintai, and by the way, attach a "never return" guarantee letter.
Just as Chu Xuanyi was directing the guards to carefully clean the "tragically murdered" Guanyin statue, a young eunuch hurried in from the palace.
"Your humble servant greets the Imperial Master!" the young eunuch saluted. "His Majesty has decreed that the Imperial Master should immediately enter the palace to discuss a matter... said to be related to the barbarians in the northern border. His Majesty has also specifically instructed you... to bring Miss Jiu, the 'little fortune teller', with you."
Chu Xuanyi: “???”
Bringing Ah Jiu into the palace? How did His Majesty know Ah Jiu? And why did he specifically ask to bring her along?
Could it be that... the news of the geese returning to the city through the secret path has reached His Majesty's ears so quickly?
Chu Xuanyi was filled with doubts, but he couldn't disobey the emperor's order. He glanced at Ah Jiu, who was still tugging at the corner of his clothes with a wronged look on his face, and a strong sense of foreboding rose in his heart.
Bring her into the palace... This palace is probably more lively than his Imperial Master's residence.
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