Chapter 15 Chapter 15 "I wonder if Your Highness is satisfied with my service..."
Jiu Zhao had used this trick many times: stepping on the palm of someone's hand and forcing them to help him put on his shoes.
And I never get tired of it.
The top-down posture makes it easiest to see the true emotions in the eyes of the person being forced.
Jiu Zhao had Lan Qi do this kind of work, which no maidservants or servants of a certain rank in Lihentian had to do, Fu Xu did it, Zhu Ying, who had just come to guard her, did it, and she had also had all kinds of men and women who had said bad things about her behind her back and provoked her in person do it.
She watched them.
Those with shallow minds couldn't help gritting their teeth, while those with sophisticated minds lowered their eyelashes and tried their best to endure it.
People like Lan Qi, who are experienced and shrewd, and Fu Xu, who are as cold as ice all year round, have no unnecessary expressions.
But no matter what, Jiu Zhao had never met anyone whose reaction was close to Zhu Yan's.
She crushed the young man's slender finger bones with force, and every word she uttered was full of contempt.
But Zhu Yan took out an embroidered white handkerchief from his sleeve and held her foot steadily in his hand, as if he was treating the most ordinary daily fairy work, from knitting socks to satin shoes, he completed it carefully and meticulously.
Throughout the whole process, Zhu Yan's expression was calm, neither shy nor flattering.
His movements were like a handkerchief wrapped around Jiuzhao's feet, gentle, appropriate, and leaving room for maneuver.
This time, Jiu Zhao, who had eight hundred tricks up his sleeve, suddenly couldn't do anything.
"Aren't you angry?"
One foot had already been dressed, leaving only the socks on the other. Just as Zhu Yan used his magical powers to retrieve the satin shoes that had been lost a little way, Jiu Zhao's right foot sank into his warm palm, curling up uncomfortably. She couldn't help but stare into his eyes and demand.
"Serving Your Highness is all I should do. Why should I be angry?"
Zhu Yan's gaze did not waver, and the smile on the corner of his lips was the same as when they first met.
Jiu Zhao couldn't understand him, and he felt that this man, standing in front of him, was like dough that could be flattened and kneaded, without a single temper. "People in this world strive to become gods and immortals. Some do so to reach the pinnacle of power, while others do so for the truth within their hearts. You're already a Golden Immortal, with considerable strength—could it be that you're working so hard to climb the ladder just to do these chores that serve others?"
"I don't actually have such lofty ideals."
The satin shoes in the distance returned to Zhu Yan's fingers like a kite on a string. He bent Jiu Zhao's feet and temporarily placed them on his knees, his eyes focused on straightening the wrinkled goose yellow uppers. "Whether it's offering advice or serving tea, I just want to be a useful person by my lord's side.
"Moreover, there is no distinction between high and low positions. Your Highness, do you think that Meng Chu, as the Crown Prince, is necessarily more noble than Lihentian's immortal servant?"
Of course not.
In her mind, any immortal with a clean character picked out from Sanqingtian is more capable than Meng Chu, that piece of mud.
Zhu Yan's remarks led to a realm that he had never imagined in his heart, and were more in line with Jiu Zhao's preference of making friends based on likes and dislikes rather than status. After contemplating for a while, and figuring it out, Jiu Zhao's fair little face lit up slightly.
Her desire to tease the young man suddenly faded a lot.
During Jiu Zhao's silence, Zhu Yan lowered her right foot, now fully shod and socked. He used his handkerchief to wipe away the unnecessary dust from her satin shoes. Then, his foxy eyes curved, "I wonder if Your Highness is satisfied with my service."
Moonlight-like hair.
Emerald eyes.
Such a beautiful face, yet she is so humble.
Gazing at his half-upturned face, Jiu Zhao snapped his fingers, removing the barrier blocking him. An instinctive thought suddenly occurred to him: Perhaps the image of the king's husband constructed by Lan Qi and Fu Xu was wrong. A gentle and considerate man like Zhu Yan would be more desirable...
Bah. Bah. Bah.
Fuxu and I haven't separated yet, so why think so far ahead?
Loyalty and morality turned into a miniature version of Jiu Zhao, jumping around in her mind and spitting at her.
Jiu Zhao shuddered, breaking free from the endless waves of gentleness in Zhu Yan's eyes. She wanted to praise him, but in the end, her inner thoughts kept her from saying anything more stubbornly, "You have indeed served well. If Meng Chu doesn't tolerate you after you return, you can come to my palace's Lihentian and serve as a famous official."
After saying this, Jiu Zhao jumped twice on the spot to firm his shoes and socks, then turned around and left in a hurry.
It seems that if I stay for another second, my thoughts about the ideal Wang Fu will be revived again.
After she left, Zhu Yan did not stand up immediately.
He picked up the crumpled handkerchief that had been thrown on the grass, unfolded it as if it were a treasure, and smoothed out the wrinkles one by one.
Then, he put the handkerchief into his sleeve and whispered softly in the wind, "Come to Lihentian to be an attendant...
"I thank Your Highness the Goddess for her grace."
…
In order to conceal his tracks, Jiu Zhao used up his magical powers to teleport back to Lihentian.
To her surprise, waiting for her outside Changxi Palace was not only Zhu Ying, but also Fu Xu in casual clothes.
Zhu Ying walked up first and surrounded Jiu Zhao as they walked towards the inner hall.
Fu Xu, who obviously had something to say, saw that Jiu Zhao had no intention of greeting him, hesitated for two seconds and walked to the other side of her.
Having experienced the most embarrassing situation during their joint cultivation, Fuxu didn't know how to look Jiuzhao in the eye for a moment. His gaze was empty, gazing at the void a few feet away, and he took the initiative to speak: "Your Majesty has received the decree that you should confine yourself to reflect on your mistakes for three months."
Jiu Zhao was much more shameless than him, and his mood had been fluctuating greatly, so he had already forgotten most of the memories of the joint practice in the afternoon.
"oh."
She squeaked perfunctorily, showing no interest in conversation at all.
Fu Xu had no choice but to say, "Also, there are dozens of bird cages hanging in the backyard of your Highness's bedroom. They are all gifts from the Northern Divine King."
Jiu Zhao paused: "What birdcage?"
Fu Xu pursed his lips, seeming a little embarrassed to respond to this question.
Zhu Ying, standing to his left, answered, "Didn't Your Highness mention in the Divine King's Residence that he wanted to make a gift for the High God Fuxu? King Chongli didn't know how much dye Your Highness would need, so he captured the birds of paradise around the Divine King's Residence and gave them all to Your Highness."
Speaking of birds of paradise, Jiu Zhao quickly released the pair that Zhu Yan had sent him from his storage ring.
The lively little bird perched in the Silver Frost birdcage, chirping, and stretched its tender yellow beak out of the gap in the cage, rubbing against Jiu Zhao's fingers.
You really asked for it.
Originally I only had to release two, but now I have to take care of a whole bunch.
Jiu Zhao muttered to himself as Zhu Ying's slightly bewildered voice echoed in his ears, "Strange... Your Highness's two birds seem quite energetic. The ones sent by the Northern Divine King are all lying in their cages, looking listless. At first, I thought they were not used to leaving the Divine King's residence."
Considering what Zhu Yan had done before, Jiu Zhao quickly realized what was wrong.
The entire body of the bird of paradise can be used as dye. If you want to use it, you don’t have to worry about its life or death. Just crush it and store it in a container.
In the eyes of the Northern God King, the existence of these lives is nothing more than a tool for coloring.
Since he could use it even after death, why would he waste his energy on applying temperature control spells to numerous bird cages one by one?
“Oh no!”
Jiu Zhao ignored Fu Xu who was hesitant to speak, threw the birdcage in her hand to Zhu Ying, picked up her skirt and ran to the backyard.
By the time she walked through the long, winding corridors and reached the bird garden, the most lively and active creatures were already dying.
Jiu Zhao didn't think twice and released his magic to transform the five elements into fire, which brought with it the power of scorching hot true blood.
Fire and water are in conflict with each other, so it is not easy to compress one's own spiritual power into an extremely cold state.
The flame, sometimes big and sometimes small, floated in the palm of his hand. Driven by immortal power, it gradually changed from red to frost color.
Throughout the entire process, Jiu Zhao's transformation was difficult and slow due to the obstruction of the five elements.
By the time she had applied the temperature-control magic to a dozen bird cages simultaneously, restoring the temperature inside the cages and bringing the dying birds of paradise back to life, she was no longer as relaxed as before, and cold sweat dripped down her forehead due to excessive loss of strength.
After rescuing a batch, there are still more than 30 left.
Jiu Zhao exhaled and tried to gather his spiritual power again, but his hand was grasped by a big hand.
"Wood is not as opposed to water and fire, so it is easier to use the temperature control technique. Your Highness, please remove the seal on me, and I will do it."
As he spoke, Fuxu called to Zhu Ying, who was trying to imitate Jiu Zhao and catalyze his own fire-type immortal power. "Please ask Immortal Officer Zhu Ying to summon the water-type immortal officials and maids within Lihentian. Have them mobilize their immortal power to create cold dew and feed it to the overheated bird of paradise in the cage. The situation should improve."
The matter was urgent, and Jiu Zhao did not bother to blame Fu Xu for interfering in other people's affairs.
She gave a glance and Zhu Ying's figure understood and disappeared under the corridor.
She grabbed Fuxu's collar, forced him to bend his neck, and peeled off the yellow talisman that appeared in the center of his forehead.
Feeling the power surge, Fuxu formed hand seals with his hands, revealing the Frost Flower Seal, a temperature control technique that was far more flexible and powerful than Jiuzhao's.
The frost flowers slowly rotated and enlarged, and then one became two, two became four, four became eight... and turned into countless arrow-like shadows that shot towards the birdcage.
Jiu Zhao's eyes moved along the trajectory of the magic, watching the smooth process intently.
She struggled to lower the temperature of her fire energy, using up nearly half her strength to simultaneously cast a dozen or so temperature-control spells. Meanwhile, Fuxu, severely wounded and at the end of his realm, effortlessly cast seals on the dozens of remaining bird cages—comparing yourself to others is truly infuriating!
After observing for a while and making sure that the treatment was timely and no bird of paradise died, the people Zhu Ying went to call arrived.
The maids and servants carefully fed the cold dew, which contained the spirit of the gods, drop by drop into the beaks of the hungry birds, and the crisp chirping sounds returned.
After returning the talisman to Fuxu's forehead after completing his mission, Jiuzhao leaned in the shadow of the corridor where the sunlight could not reach, watching these people dividing the work and rescuing each other, and suddenly found that he had become an outsider again.
Indescribable thoughts flashed through her mind, and she realized that it would be ridiculous if the notorious Jiu Zhao Shen Ji almost exhausted her immortal power for dozens of birds. So she touched the tip of her nose, intending to turn around and leave while no one was paying attention.
With light steps and a shawl in her arms, she walked silently along the corridor, like a gust of wind.
After taking a few steps, his spiritual sense quickly sensed that another person was following him quietly.
At first it fell at the end of her long skirt, and then, as if trying to prove its existence, it strode half an arm's length behind her.
Without looking back, Jiu Zhao knew who it was.
She ignored Fuxu, and Fuxu followed her in silence.
The two of them returned to Jiu Zhao's bedroom one after the other.
Jiu Zhao finally lost her patience and turned around abruptly: "Why are you following me all the time? Isn't it true that your mouth is on your body——"
The questioning turned into a short scream at the end.
Fu Xu was so distracted by his thoughts, thinking over and over again what to say, that he didn't have time to retract his steps and his chest suddenly bumped into Jiu Zhao's small nose.
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