Chapter 13: The Ringing of the Bells and the Thousand Pieces of Gold
At the hour of Yin, the sky was still as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Xiaolian, the chief humanoid alarm clock and bitter tea filling machine in the Queen's palace, with a look of tragic heroism, directed the young palace maids to forcibly turn on the humanoid slime (Dongfang Yuning) on the bed.
"Miss! Get up!"
Xiaolian's voice is as penetrating as an air raid siren.
"Hmm...sleep for five more minutes...just five minutes..."
Dongfang Yuning buried his head in the pillow and whimpered in despair.
However, resistance was futile. A cup of refreshing bitter tea, with a strange color and a scent comparable to concentrated Coptis essence, was mercilessly pried open and poured down his throat.
"Pfft——! yue!!!"
[Tongzi! Help! Someone is murdering the host!]
Dongfang Yuning was scrolling through the screen like crazy in his heart, and it seemed as if his soul was about to leave his body due to the pain.
[Host, be patient and calm for a while, take a step back... uh, continue to be fed bitter tea. ]
System 118's voice carried a hint of gloating electronic noise.
[Think about the imperial court! That's the front line of the melon field! Maybe there will be a 'golden melon' today?]
[Golden hammer! I want my 'Simmons cloud bed'! I want my 'down quilt country'! Wuuuuuuu... Brother-in-law Zhou Paopi is not a human being anymore!]
This is child labor abuse! Dali Temple! I want to file a complaint! I want freedom! Daddy! Mommy! Brother! Where are you?! This bitter tea is killing me!
Under Xiaolian's "quick, accurate and ruthless" operation, Dongfang Yuning, like an exquisite (but lifeless) life-size doll, was dressed in the blue palace dress that symbolizes her social status, covered with a light pink shawl, her hair was simply tied up, and a white jade hairpin was inserted - done! She was packed and stuffed into the sedan chair, all in one go!
Xiaolian held onto the sedan chair, breathed a long sigh of relief, and wiped away the nonexistent sweat.
[Today's KPI: Successfully delivered the little ancestor! Mission accomplished! Merit +1! It wasn't easy!]
Tragic Road to the Court
The sedan chair swayed unsteadily along the palace road. Inside, Yuning's inner wail was like a square dance music system turned up to full volume, playing in 360-degree surround sound:
Brother-in-law Zhou Paopi! Black-hearted capitalist! Exploiting labor! Give me back my sleep! Give me back my youth! Wuuuuuu… The taste of bitter tea is still in my mouth, and it feels like life has lost its color…
Tongzi, you don't love me anymore! You made me come here as a morning person! I want to go home! I want to sleep until I wake up naturally! I want to order takeout! I want to watch some drama!]
System 118: [...Host, calm down! Think about the melon! The melon is what keeps us alive! For example... maybe today we'll see a minister wearing his pants backwards?]
The eunuchs carrying the sedan chair and the palace maids passing by all watched closely, walked lightly, and wished they could shrink into a piece of paper - the little ancestor was full of resentment today, comparable to a thousand-year-old evil spirit, and he was not to be provoked!
When they encountered ministers attending court along the way, they acted like turtles:
Taifu Dongfang Yanru (Old Father's Heartbroken Version):
My sweetheart Ning Baoer! Daddy's heart is broken! It's all because of that black-hearted Nangong Papi! Daddy is so sorry for you, for sending you into a den of wolves! Woo woo woo... (tears welling up in my heart)
Marquis of Zhenguo, Dongfang Liezheng (the irritable, incompetent, and furious version): [Sister! I heard it! I want to rush in and give that evil emperor a beating too! But... the salary he gives is too much (crossed out)! I can't beat him! The Nangong family is inhumane! They're so inhumane!]
Dongfang Qi Chen (Warm Second Brother's Heartbroken Version): [Poor Ning'er, like a little flower hit by frost... Waking up at this hour is simply inhumane torture! Second Brother will buy you some candy! Buy you a whole cart!]
Prince Yong Nangong Ye (jealousy + heartbroken MAX version): [My fists are hardened.JPG]
Looking at the sedan chair carrying the grief and anger of his little one, Nangong Ye's eyes were cold enough to freeze a polar bear to death.
[Royal brother! You! Forced! Her! To! Drink! Bitter! Tea! Again! And! Let! Her! Get! Up! So! Early! Wait! This is another addition to Nangong Paopi's list of crimes! I'm so heartbroken! I really want to snatch her back and tuck her into bed right now!]
Finally arriving at the Golden Throne Hall, Emperor Nangong Yu looked at the ministers below, who were trying hard to suppress their laughter, some with expressions of sympathy for the Dongfang family, and some with murderous intent towards their own younger brother. He sighed helplessly and winked at Crown Prince Nangong Chengqian.
The prince resigned himself to his fate and walked to the sedan chair, as if holding a tantrum bomb that could explode at any moment. He carefully helped out his aunt, who exuded the aura of "Stranger, No Approach, Familiar, No Disturbance, I Just Want to Lie Down"
"Aunt, be careful with your steps and walk slowly."
Dongfang Yuning, with a blank face that looked as if her body was in the court but her soul was in dreams, was half-supported and half-carried by her eldest nephew to her exclusive seat, a luxurious little stool, where she slumped down like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.
Just when Yuning's eyelids were about to close, an old man with a celestial appearance and flowing white hair came to him.
The director of the Imperial Observatory, Zhengxu Baisheng, walked to the center of the hall, holding an extremely delicate golden nanmu box that exuded a very expensive aura in his hands.
That box! That sheen! That understated luxury!
The glint of money instantly dispelled eighty percent of Yu Ning's sleepiness! She strained to keep her heavy eyelids open and stared intently at the box.
[Tong! Tongzi! Wake up! Something's happening! See that box in that old immortal's hand? It's glittering with gold! It's filled with auspicious energy! What's inside? Is it the legendary He Shi Bi 2.0? Or the youth version of the Cornucopia?]
System 118 instantly recovered to full health, and the gossip radar started beeping wildly:
[Ding! Activate the melon-eating radar! Target locked: The head of the Imperial Observatory, Xu Baisheng! What he holds in his hands is no ordinary object! It's the legendary—Xuan! Ji! Ling!]
[Xuanji Bell? That sounds expensive! Tell me! How many small goals is it worth?]
Dongfang Yuning's eyes suddenly lit up, like searchlights.
[Host, the important thing is not how much it's worth! The important thing is its characteristics! ]
The system is mysterious.
[This bell is made of meteorite iron mixed with unknown and powerful metals. It is extremely mysterious! If ordinary people touch it, it will be a dumb little gold nugget!
But! It only makes a sound when worn by its destined owner! That sound is said to be able to connect heaven and earth and move the stars. In short, it's awesome!
[Wow! So fantastical? So... what happens after it rings? Can I make a wish? Can it conjure up a hot pot?]
Dongfang Yuning's train of thought is always unique.
System: […Host, the pattern is open! According to our database analysis, when this bell rings, something big is sure to happen! It's usually accompanied by keywords like 'auspiciousness' and 'national prosperity'! In simple terms - when the bell rings, a fortune of thousands of taels! Although it doesn't appear directly, the symbolic meaning is full, and there will be great benefits later on!]
[A ton of gold?! Waterfuck?! Is this true?!]
Yu Ning sat up straight instantly, all sleepiness gone, his eyes full of desire for the "wealth code".
[Can this thing win the lottery? Oh no, can it summon the God of Wealth?]
Xu Baisheng seemed to feel Yu Ning's burning gaze, which was mainly directed at gold. He smiled slightly, like an old immortal who saw through everything, and walked straight towards her with the box in his hand.
He opened the box, and inside lay a small, exquisite bell engraved with mysterious runes and shining with golden light.
"Miss Dongfang,"
Xu Baisheng's voice is gentle and full of meaning.
"I believe that the young lady has a clear mind and great blessings. I believe that she has a connection with this bell. Would you mind giving it a try?"
[Try it! You must try it! For the sake of a fortune! Go for it!]
Dongfang Yuning was screaming in her heart, but on the surface she had to maintain the reserve of a lady. Although she was a little out of shape due to sleepiness, she stretched out her white and tender little hand and carefully picked up the cold little bell.
The moment she put the bell on her slender wrist——
"Ding-ling~~~"
A clear, melodious, and almost ethereal ringing sound, like a stone dropped into a tranquil lake, instantly rippled through the hall! Incomparably clear!
Dead silence!
The entire Golden Throne Hall was filled with the sound of a pin drop! All the ministers, including Emperor Nangong Yu, stared wide-eyed! Was this legendary Xuanji Bell really ringing?!
And it was in the hands of this... well, energetic (and sleepy as hell) young lady from the Taifu family?!
Just as the ringing sound was still lingering and everyone was still in shock—
“Report——!!!”
A loud voice was heard outside the hall.
"The Jiangnan Weaving Master and the Imperial Merchant Dongfang Linyuan are escorting this year's tax silver—ten thousand taels of gold! They're here to see you—!!!"
Dongfang Yuning's handsome and dashing third brother Dongfang Linyuan strode into the hall with high spirits, followed by a group of strong men carrying heavy boxes.
When the box was opened, the golden light almost blinded everyone! A full ten thousand taels of gold! Pile up like a small mountain!
[Holy crap!!!]
Dongfang Yuning looked at the glittering gold, then at the small bell on his wrist that was still trembling slightly, and an earth-shaking cry broke out in his heart:
[Tongzi!!! Amazing!!! Seriously, when the bell rings, a ton of gold!!! Was my third brother sent by the God of Wealth?! This teamwork is flawless! Is this Xuanji bell the Alipay payment notification sound?! Love it!]
All the ministers' hearts: 【!!!】
The look he gave Dongfang Yuning completely changed! How could this be a walking Bagua machine? This was clearly a walking auspicious sign! A humanoid lucky cat! A national treasure! Not only could it strip people's underwear, but it could also summon gold?! What kind of divine daughter did the Taifu family raise?!
Taoist Master Xu Baisheng's beard was shaking with excitement, and he bowed deeply to Yuning:
"God bless Yan Nation! A lucky star has appeared! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
This effect is ten thousand times better than he expected!
Nangong Yu was also stunned by this "miracle coordination." Looking at the naive sister-in-law with a golden bell on her wrist and a look of "Who am I? Where am I? Where is the gold?", and then looking at the boxes of dazzling gold next to her, he was delighted! This auspicious sign was so powerful! So impressive!
He immediately said loudly:
"Auspicious signs have descended from heaven, blessing our Yan Nation! Dongfang Yuning, the daughter of the Grand Tutor, is blessed with good fortune, activating the Xuanji, attracting wealth and treasure, and contributing greatly to the nation! I am deeply pleased! I hereby confer upon Dongfang Yuning the title of—Yan Nation's Lucky Star! She shall enjoy the salary of a princess, and shall not kneel when she sees you!"
Nangong Yu's inner thoughts: [Proclaim her a princess? No, no, if I make her a princess, won't my brother Ye fight me to the death? Better keep her as my sister-in-law!]
What a great name this Lucky Star is! It's both reputable and won't hinder my brother's marriage prospects. I'm such a clever little idiot!
Dongfang Yuning was still dazed. There was a golden bell on his wrist and a shining title of "Yan Guo Fuxing" on his head. He felt like he was dreaming.
At this time, her third brother Dongfang Linyuan, who had just contributed a divine assist of ten thousand taels of gold, rushed over like a whirlwind.
"Ning'er! My good sister! Lucky sister!"
Dongfang Linyuan was so excited that his face flushed. He picked up his little sister who was still in a daze, spun her around several times, and laughed heartily.
"Hahahaha! Third brother's gold arrived just in time, didn't it? Isn't it amazing? My Ning'er is indeed a lucky star! A huge lucky star!"
[Ah! Third brother! Put me down! I feel dizzy!]
Yu Ning was so dizzy from being spun around that the little rabbit lantern was almost thrown away.
However, this heartwarming (??) interaction between brother and sister caught the eye of a prince not far away, and instantly ignited a nuclear reactor of jealousy!
Nangong Ye watched Dongfang Linyuan holding his little thing and spinning around in circles, the intimate posture, the hearty laughter (harsh!), the hand on Ning'er's waist (an eyesore!)...
The air pressure around him instantly dropped to freezing point! His eyes were so sharp they could be used as a laser cutter!
[Dongfang Linyuan! Hands! Where do you put them?!]
Nangong Ye was filled with jealousy.
[You're so proud of just giving away gold?! You dared to hug me! And even spin me around?! I've never even hugged someone like that before!]
His face was expressionless, but beneath his wide sleeves, his fingers were nearly crushing the jade ring. His other hand silently pulled out the little grudge notebook he always carried with him, specifically to record the names of those who coveted his little things!
With a cold expression, he used his inner strength to force out an extremely fine ink pen. Don't ask why the prince carries this with him; it's just to be prepared. He opened the latest page of the small notebook and wrote in a flamboyant manner:
"At the hour of Yin, after the court session, Dongfang Linyuan (his third brother) hugged and twirled my lucky star in public outside the Golden Throne Hall. His behavior was frivolous and beyond the bounds of propriety!"
Crime one: excessive physical contact! Crime two: laughter too harsh! Crime three: a thousand ounces of gold will offset three-tenths of this crime! The remaining seven points, remember!
After finishing, Nangong Ye snapped the notebook shut and stuffed it back into his arms. His eyes swept coldly over Dongfang Linyuan, who was still spinning excitedly. The meaning in his eyes was clear:
[Dongfang Lao San, you're done! Get ready for some trouble! I think it's necessary to reassess Jiangnan's tax quota for next year! Humph!]
Dongfang Linyuan suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck, as if he was being stared at by some ferocious beast, and his spinning movements couldn't help but slow down.
He looked around in confusion, and saw only the handsome face of His Royal Highness Prince Yong, but the face full of icy expressions of "Don't get close to me" and "You're dead".
Dongfang Linyuan: “???”
What did I do wrong? I just hugged my lovely sister Fuxing?
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