Chapter 154: Taking the Spirit Pearl
When the people from the aristocratic family heard Liu Dazhong say this, a gleam of light flashed in their eyes. They looked at each other and saw satisfied and calculating smiles on each other's faces.
How should I put it? As expected of Liu Xiaozhi's son, right? He's definitely got the hang of things.
They nodded. "Alright, we'll do as you say. As long as we can collect all the spirit stones on time, we're doing all this for the prosperity of Zhongzhou and the immortal race."
Liu Dazhong's face, usually impassive in front of Li Jingui, now broke into a smooth, ingratiating smile. "Yes, seniors, I'm deeply grateful for your understanding. I promise to return the spirit stones double and repay you all."
As he finished speaking, a deep laugh echoed in the hall. "We are just waiting for good news from the governor."
Liu Dazhong chuckled and continued, "Alright, since everyone has agreed, let's start with me and the aristocratic family. I'll take the lead and pay the spirit stones first."
The noble families' expressions grew serious. "However, this year we have to pay three times more than last year. How many spirit stones does each person have to hand over?"
Liu Dazhong had already calculated, "Last year, Zhongzhou handed over 25 million spirit stones to the sect. This year, we need to hand over three times that amount. So, if everyone just hands over an extra 200 spirit stones, that'll be enough."
You know, the value of a spirit bead is approximately equal to one hundred standard spirit stones. Two hundred spirit stones may not sound like a lot, but if it is paid per person, a family with as few as two or three people and as many as ninety people will definitely be a considerable expense.
Furthermore, spirit stones also have different qualities. The more talented a woman is, the better the quality of the spirit beads she produces, and the easier it is to transform them into high-level spirit stones.
This is also the reason why in recent years, immortal cultivation families have sent their daughters to academies for training.
A woman with outstanding qualifications and high cultivation can not only give birth to higher quality spirit beads, but also give birth to the next generation with higher talent.
Therefore, no matter how outstanding the training results of these women from aristocratic families are in the academy, it is difficult for them to pass the assessment and enter the sect. The world's expectations of them are still to take care of their husbands and children.
Take Liu Dazhong for example. He really hated the female cultivators in the academy. Not only did they discuss boring things like clothes and jewelry all day long, but they also kept hanging around in front of him, making him upset and unable to practice.
However, if he were to marry in the future, he would definitely have certain requirements for her cultivation level. Even if he didn't insist on reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, she would at least have to be at the sixth level of Qi Training.
If his cultivation level is higher, he won't age prematurely. He doesn't want to follow in his father's footsteps.
But now is not the time to think about these things. It is important to complete the collection of spirit stones first and secure the position of state lord!
He has already convinced the immortal cultivation family, and now everything is foolproof, except for the support of one last person.
That was his mother, the governor's wife, Li Jingui.
————
A few days later, in the back house of the governor's mansion.
Li Jingui was dressed in plain clothes, leaning on the armrest of the chair, crying in a choked voice as she expressed the pain of losing her husband.
The women of the noble families surrounded her, each speaking softly to comfort her.
"Madam, don't be too sad. You still have the Lord of the State. Everyone envies you for having such an outstanding son."
"I shouldn't say this, but Madam, your life will be much easier now that you don't have to wait on your husband anymore. I'm actually looking forward to that day."
"That's true, but ever since the former state lord left, the lady has really become younger. Seeing this 'dead husband' is really a panacea!"
When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but burst into laughter. One of the older people slapped the speaker on the shoulder and said, "Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about?"
Li Jingui was also amused, and the sadness on her face disappeared.
It turns out that being complimented and praised is such a happy thing. Just because she changed from a lady to a lady-in-waiting, everyone's attitude towards her has changed.
In the past, Liu Xiaozhi had many complaints against her, and even his subordinates did not respect her much, but now, no one dared to disrespect her.
Li Jingui raised the corners of his mouth and showed a happy smile.
She has all this because she has a good man who is filial, smart and promising!
If it weren't for Chong'er, she couldn't imagine how she would have gotten through these painful days.
Just as he was thinking about it, he heard heavy footsteps at the door. Turning around, he saw Liu Dazhong leading a group of tax collectors wearing the uniforms of the Spirit Envoys walking in.
Everyone in the hall stood up and looked at him, and some young girls shyly hid behind their mothers.
Li Jingui happily went to meet him, "Chong'er, how come you have time to come here?"
Liu Dazhong glanced at her, then glanced at the people in the hall and asked with a smile, "Mother, are all the women from the noble families I asked you to invite here?"
Li Jingui nodded and said, "Thanks to their company, I feel much better."
Then she looked at him lovingly and said softly, "You haven't eaten on time again. You look thinner. It's my fault. You're so busy, and I haven't been able to help you with any of the work."
Liu Dazhong smiled and said, "I have something that I want to ask my mother for help."
"Kid, why are you being so polite to me? Tell me, what do you want me to help you with?" Li Jingui asked.
"I promised the Sect Master that I would triple the amount of spirit stones collected and handed over to the Sect next month. I've calculated that if we collect spirit stone taxes from Zhongzhou alone, and each person hands in 300 spirit stones, the Immortal Clan will receive 75 million spirit stones. This will help reverse the Immortal Clan's spiritual energy shortage, greatly increase their strength, and the people of Zhongzhou will no longer have to worry about the threat of the Demon Clan."
Li Jingui's smile faded, and a sense of foreboding rose in her heart. She asked uneasily, "So, what do you want us to do?"
Liu Dazhong said, "I hope that mother and all the ladies and sisters can set an example. With you setting an example, the women of Zhongzhou will surely not dare to disobey."
"W-what?" Li Jingui widened her eyes, clenched her hands hanging at her sides, and her nails dug into her palms.
Liu Dazhong seemed to have anticipated her reaction. He stared at her with a dark gaze, a faint smile on his face. "Don't worry, mother. I'm only taking sixty of your spirit beads. It's okay. I'm doing this for the sake of the entire Zhongzhou. Mother, you won't refuse to support your son, right?"
"Sixty?!" Li Jingui screamed, her legs went limp, and she fell powerlessly into the chair.
She could only produce twelve spirit beads a year at most, so sixty would mean consuming five years of her lifespan and blood essence. This wasn't just collecting spirit stones, it was taking her life!
Ever since she became the wife of the governor, she has never handed over the spirit beads. It is because of this that she can tolerate Liu Xiaozhi's occasional bullying and beatings.
But now, what did she hear? Her son had just become the governor, and he was asking her to give him sixty spirit beads. Didn't he care about her life at all?
Li Jingui's tears burst out, her voice almost trembling, "You...are you trying to sell your mother for fame?"
Liu Dazhong shook his head. "How could that be? Isn't this a great deed for Mother?"
He gave a wink to the spirit envoys waiting on the side, and immediately two people came forward and knelt in front of Li Jingui.
One of them opened the box, took out the elixir that ripened the spirit pearl, held it in front of her, and asked her to take it.
The other man took out a knife and said respectfully, "Madam, please rest assured. I have taken out thousands, if not tens of thousands, of spiritual pearls. I guarantee that you won't feel any pain, and there won't be a single scar."
"No, no, Chong'er, make them stop!" Li Jingui looked at Liu Dazhong helplessly, but she didn't expect that the other party just looked at her impatiently, as if scolding her for not being sensible enough.
The other women in the hall were all terrified. They stood there blankly, motionless, with fear in their eyes.
Should they step forward to stop him? But the other party is the state master, who represents the Golden Gate Immortal Palace. How can they have the ability to resist all this?
Besides, it’s only sixty spirit beads…it’s not unbearable.
They didn't dare look at Li Jingui, but raised their hands to cover their eyes, as if as long as they didn't look, they could pretend that nothing had happened. As long as they comforted themselves that this sacrifice was nothing, they could convince themselves to endure all the pain.
Li Jingui was forced to swallow the pill. She felt a faint heat in her dantian, as if something was growing and swelling wildly.
While waiting for the spirit pearl to mature, she raised her hand and grabbed the spirit envoy's wrist, questioning him, "If it were your mother, would you have the heart to treat her like this?"
Don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you. If you let them think about it in their own situation, they will realize how absurd and terrible this is!
The spirit envoy raised his hand and scratched his head, smiling innocently: "Madam, I don't have a mother. I sold her to a brothel a long time ago."
Li Jingui felt cold all over, as if she had fallen into an icy cave.
She knew that some men in this world were terrible and despicable, but she never thought that her son would be such a person, nor did she think that there would be a man around her who would do such evil things.
Even Liu Xiaozhi didn't just beat and scold her occasionally. Compared with other men, he was simply a perfect man.
She suddenly felt dazed and felt like she was dreaming. Yes, this was definitely a nightmare!
It was not until she heard a crisp sound and looked down to see countless crystal white spirit beads falling into the jade box that she came to her senses.
Sure enough, I didn’t feel any pain at all.
What's strange is that normally women are not allowed to show even a bit of their arms, otherwise they would be considered shameless, but when it comes to taking the spirit pearl, there are no such taboos.
On the contrary, the woman who was too coy to lift her clothes to expose her belly seemed to be making a fuss. It's just a piece of meat, right? Who would care to see it?
What happened next? Li Jingui's consciousness was a little fuzzy, and she only heard Liu Dazhong's voice, "Okay, send the lady back to rest."
She returned to the room in a daze, and stood in front of the mirror in a daze. When she looked up, a withered old man suddenly caught her eye.
Ahhhhhhhh——!!!
Li Jingui screamed and fell to the ground almost collapsing. Her hands trembled as she held the face that was young and round just a moment ago, her eyes full of pain and despair.
Her face, her face actually became older than before she took that elixir!
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