Rong Xi inherited all of Ulanara's skills, including her achievements in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. As a time traveler who had seen portrait paintings from later generations, drawing someone from her memories was not a difficult task at all.
"Grandmother, this is what the old nanny who gave her granddaughter-in-law the cultivation technique looks like!"
Rong Xi quickly put down her brush and placed a lifelike portrait in front of the Empress Dowager.
"Granny Lian!"
The Empress Dowager immediately summoned Granny Lian and said, "Take a look and see where this person works in the palace. I find him quite unfamiliar!"
"Your Majesty, this person seems completely unfamiliar to me!"
Although Granny Lian appears to be only in her forties, she has actually been in the palace for many years, and her cultivation is unfathomable. Granny Lian understands the affairs of the inner palace even better than the Empress Dowager.
"Your Highness, this servant believes that this person may not be the Fourth Prince's wife in her true form!"
The portrait was so lifelike that it was easy to identify the person in it. However, in Granny Lian's memory, there was no Granny who looked like this, which meant that this person must have changed their appearance.
This is something that's easy to understand with a little thought. After all, the Empress Dowager had already issued an imperial edict strictly forbidding anyone in the palace from teaching Ulanara clan members cultivation techniques.
How could someone who dared to disobey the Empress Dowager's decree dare to show his true face?
"By the way, Grandmother, that old nanny has a peculiar smell about her, hmm, it's a bit like the stench of a dead fish. Although she carries a sachet to cover up the smell, I can still detect a hint of it!"
Rong Xi went through Ulanara's memories again and again, and finally found something that could be used as a clue.
Appearance can be faked, but body odor shouldn't be a problem, right?
"Granny Lian!"
The Empress Dowager immediately looked at Granny Lian.
Granny Lian said respectfully, "Your Highness, if what the Fourth Princess Consort said is correct, then this person is very likely from the Capital Garrison, in charge of hunting and fishing. Or, from the Imperial Kitchen's meat and food department!"
"Then go investigate!"
The Empress Dowager's face was cold. "The events of Empress Renxiao must not be repeated. Before, we had not a single clue, but now, we have some leads!"
"This servant will go right away!"
Granny Lian respectfully agreed and was about to leave when she turned back to the Empress Dowager and asked, "Your Majesty, should we inform His Majesty about this matter?"
"Just say so!"
After a moment's thought, the Empress Dowager gave her answer.
The death of Empress Renxiao remained a thorn in Kangxi's side. If this matter could not be thoroughly investigated, Kangxi might face a great torment of inner demons when he ascended to heaven.
Cultivators who go against the will of Heaven will inevitably encounter various tribulations.
Therefore, the cultivation of a monk emphasizes the clarity of thought.
If one's mind is not clear, one will inevitably encounter the tribulation of inner demons if one tries to take that crucial step. Throughout history, whenever inner demons strike, nine out of ten cultivators will be reduced to ashes by them.
"Grandmother, will I be able to receive my monthly cultivation allowance this month?"
After Granny Lian left, Rong Xi decisively stated her purpose. Now that she was a cultivator, her monthly allowance should naturally follow the rules for cultivators, and should be her cultivation monthly allowance.
"You'll get your share!"
The Empress Dowager instantly understood Rong Xi's purpose.
"However, you must understand that with five spiritual roots, the path ahead is unpredictable if the cultivation method is incomplete. Although you can cultivate now, you can also choose not to!"
"Grandmother, your granddaughter-in-law wants to take a gamble!"
Rong Xi looked at the Empress Dowager, her attitude resolute.
Others with the five spiritual roots may indeed have their path blocked, but she is different.
However, the illusory pentagon, the cyclical balance pattern of the five elements, is too profound to be explained to outsiders.
"Fine, since this is your choice, I will say no more!"
The Empress Dowager sighed, ordered someone to bring the imperial seal, and wrote a note using the writing implements in front of her, then affixed the seal.
With this note bearing the Empress Dowager's seal, Rong Xi was able to obtain her own monthly cultivation allowance from the Imperial Household Department. A cultivation allowance worth a total of one thousand low-grade spirit stones and ten mid-grade spirit stones was truly a great fortune for Rong Xi.
"Granddaughter-in-law thanks Your Majesty!"
Rong Xi bowed respectfully to the Empress Dowager to express her gratitude.
Looking at Rong Xi's face full of joy, the Empress Dowager finally waved her hand and said, "Go!"
"Granddaughter-in-law takes her leave!"
Rong Xi left Cining Palace in a hurry, boarded the flying carriage, and headed straight for the Imperial Household Department.
In the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager sat quietly in her chair, remaining motionless for a long time.
When Granny Lian returned, the Empress Dowager was still sitting there without moving an inch.
"Your Majesty, there is none!"
Granny Lian bowed respectfully before the Empress Dowager. "This servant went to the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Kitchen and checked carefully. No one meets the requirements!"
Still can't find it?
The Empress Dowager looked up at Granny Lian and sighed again, "Tell me, who exactly is she? What is her purpose? First it was Empress Hesheli, and now it's Empress Ulanara..."
"Your Highness, you can tell Fourth Prince's wife to stop her religious practice!"
Granny Lian looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "As long as you issue an imperial decree, the Fourth Princess Consort will definitely listen to you!"
"How can you stop something like this?"
The Empress Dowager shook her head. "I only hope that this child is blessed and that nothing goes wrong."
...
Rong Xi was naturally unaware of what happened after she left; her mind was now filled with the cultivation allowance she was about to receive. With the cultivation allowance, her cultivation speed would undoubtedly increase significantly.
Because the balance of the five elements' generating and restraining cycle has been established, even if the spiritual energy of a certain attribute exceeds the standard, it will be transformed into the spiritual energy of other attributes under the generating and restraining cycle, thus always maintaining the balance of the five elements.
Therefore, Rong Xi had already calculated that once she received her monthly allowance, she would exchange ten mid-grade spirit stones for low-grade spirit stones, aiming to exchange for the maximum amount possible.
What others fear most is impure spiritual energy, but for her, it's not a problem at all.
The Imperial Household Department was not close to the Cining Palace. The imperial carriage flew for more than a quarter of an hour before arriving at its destination.
When Rong Xi produced the Empress Dowager's handwritten note and demanded her monthly stipend for cultivation, the head of the Imperial Household Department felt completely disoriented.
"Fourth Princess Consort, this, you, this,..."
The head of the Imperial Household Department was quite agitated.
Everyone in the palace knew that Ulanara possessed the five spiritual roots. The path of cultivation for those with the five spiritual roots was now blocked; attempting cultivation there would almost certainly lead to certain death.
"What 'this' and 'that'? The Empress Dowager's decree, are you going to disobey it?"
"This servant wouldn't dare!"
The head steward of the Imperial Household Department shuddered.
Rong Xi snorted and said, "Then hurry up, one thousand low-grade spirit stones and ten mid-grade spirit stones. Also, I only started cultivating a few days ago. So, the Imperial Household Department owes me my cultivation allowance for last month, and I'll make it up to you this time!"
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