[Fantasy] A Eunuch Breaks into the Inner Palace (Complete) - Chapter 23

Part Two, Chapter Four: The Beautiful Female General.

Early morning, in the wilderness, an army was hurrying along.
This army looked extremely disheveled. The soldiers were covered in dust and mud, some with bloodstains, or white bandages wrapped around their wounds. They looked like a defeated army.
The leading general, a strong man, rode a tall horse, looking at his defeated troops, and couldn't help but sigh.
For the past few days, he had been leading his army in flight. Each day, he could only allow his soldiers a short nap, they were often hungry, and he had to be careful not to leave any trace, lest he attract the pursuit of the imperial army. Life had been incredibly difficult.
Thinking of his suffering, Gao Dazheng couldn't help but look up to the sky and sigh. He only hated that damned eunuch Li Xiaomin for leading the army to kill Prime Minister Qian; otherwise, how could he have ended up in such a predicament!
Ever since Prime Minister Qian, who had shown him immense kindness, sent a letter inviting him to join the rebellion, Gao Dazheng, the former garrison commander, led his troops in an uprising towards Jinling. However, before even reaching Jinling, he learned that Qian Song had been killed, Li Xiong had fled, and the rebel army was utterly defeated. He himself, without even seeing Sheling, was already labeled a traitor and faced pursuit by all the soldiers and civilians of the Tang Dynasty!
To avoid being annihilated as a rebel, Gao Dazheng decisively decided to head north to resist the Zhao, leading his army north to evade the imperial army's pursuit. Whether he would resist the Zhao upon reaching the border was uncertain; he would decide later whether to raise an uprising and become a mountain king or to join another side.
During their advance, they encountered several armies loyal to the court and fought several fierce battles.
Although his side suffered considerable losses, the enemy forces were all defeated and could not stop his advance.
However, the imperial army's pursuit was no joke. It was said that a female general was leading the pursuit, having previously quelled several rebellions in response to Qian Song's call, and was now searching for any remaining rebels. If they caught them, there would be trouble.
Thinking of this, Gao Dazheng smiled coldly: "There have never been any famous female generals in the court, only Consort Qin, who last time quelled the rebellion. Most of that was thanks to her nephew and that eunuch. As for other female generals, I've immersed myself in martial arts for decades, fought countless battles, what woman could I possibly fear?"
The army marched north, their throats parched. They finally saw a small river. Gao Dazheng ordered his soldiers to fetch water, rest for a while, and then continue north.
The soldiers, upon receiving the order, rushed to the riverbank to quench their thirst. The formation became somewhat chaotic.
Gao Dazheng sat on a high point by the river, drinking the water offered by his personal guards, and sighed softly. Having led troops for so many years, he had experienced his share of hasty retreats. However, being chased relentlessly by the imperial army within his own country was a particularly painful memory.
By the river, the soldiers sat resting haphazardly, gulping down water. There were no large military camps nearby, and they hadn't seen any enemy troops along the way, so their spirits were low. Aside from a few scouts observing the surroundings, they weren't on high alert.
Suddenly, a plume of dust appeared in Gao Dazheng's vision, rising in the sky and rolling towards them.
Gao Dazheng's brow furrowed sharply. Looking in that direction, he shouted, "Brothers, get up! The enemy is attacking!"
His soldiers hurriedly rose from the ground, hastily forming ranks, ready to fight.
But the distant army arrived swiftly, raising clouds of dust as they charged forward. It was clear that the majority of the troops were mounted, brandishing gleaming swords and roaring as they charged.
Gao Dazheng, aided by his personal guards, quickly donned his armor, mounted his horse, grabbed his spear, and led a well-organized force to meet them.
The horses galloped, their hooves thundering, shaking the earth. The cavalry, with unstoppable momentum, charged forward, arriving before Gao Dazheng in the blink of an eye!
Gao Dazheng looked up and saw that the cavalry wore the armor and uniforms of the Western Route Army, looking extremely fierce. The soldiers on horseback had ferocious expressions; their overwhelming killing intent revealed them to be a battle-hardened army, where killing was ingrained in their very bones. And their target was clearly his own exhausted cavalry!
In the center of the enemy ranks, the general leading his army on a swift charge was a beautiful woman with an oval face, appearing to be in her early twenties. She wore armor and a ceremonial hat, and while quite beautiful, her eyes held a hint of fierceness. Wielding a willow-leaf saber, she shouted angrily, her entire being radiating murderous intent as she led her army straight towards them!
Gao Dazheng, seeing a woman leading the army, secretly gloated. Unwilling to lose face before her, he shouted sharply, "Hey! Where did this woman come from, daring to act so arrogantly before my army! State your name, or I'll spare no nameless wretch!"
Hearing his arrogant words, the woman's eyebrows furrowed, her face contorted with rage. She shouted fiercely, "You glib-tongued scoundrel! Watch me take your head!"
Her steed galloped forward, instantly arriving before Gao Dazheng. The woman brandished her twin willow-leaf sabers and, without a word, slashed at Gao Dazheng. A cold glint flashed, its murderous aura terrifying, as it slashed down fiercely at Gao Dazheng!
Seeing the ferocity of the blade, and realizing that the woman's martial arts were even more refined than most male generals, Gao Dazheng was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly raised his spear to block, and the clash of blade and spear resounded loudly. Gao Dazheng and his horse were thrown to the side, his arms numb, his palms throbbing with pain, the impact even splitting his tiger's mouth.
The woman, seizing the opportunity, spurred her horse forward, shouting, "You scoundrel, where do you think you're going!"
Her sharp twin blades came crashing down. Gao Dazheng hastily parried with his spear, no longer daring to be careless. He used all his martial arts skills to fight the woman for a while, but after more than ten rounds, he gradually felt his strength waning, while the woman's breathing was long and steady, showing no signs of fatigue, which surprised Gao Dazheng even more.
After a few exchanges, Gao Dazheng, seeing the woman's immense strength, fierce fighting spirit, and far superior martial arts skills, lost all will to fight. He feigned a thrust of his spear and spurred his horse to flee.
Hong Sanniang, however, was not about to let him escape so easily. She spurred her horse, brandishing her sword, and gave chase. But Gao Dazheng's personal guards desperately held her back, forcing her to watch helplessly as he rode away.
Hong Sanniang was filled with rage, all the anger from the humiliation and rape she had suffered at the hands of that wicked youth erupting forth. With a loud shout, her willow-leaf sword flashed across the sky, its cold light bursting forth, instantly cleaving through the weapons of several guards, striking them heavily on the heads and bodies. Amidst the screams of her guards, she cut them down one by one, their blood staining the dust.
Thousands of cavalry, led by Hong Sanniang, galloped wildly, charging into the exhausted army, hacking and slashing with abandon. The rebel soldiers, already exhausted, were suddenly pursued by this fresh force, and their hearts trembled with fear. Their strength was waning, and the cavalry charged into their ranks. Heads rolled and cries filled the air; they were utterly routed.
Hong Sanniang gritted her teeth and led her troops in a fierce charge. She swung her steel saber, the sharp blade striking the rebel soldiers' necks, blood gushing forth as heads flew off. Watching the rebels scream and fall to the ground, a violent killing intent surged within the beautiful general.
Gao Dazheng rode away for a while, then looked back and saw the enemy's overwhelming force and his own army's complete rout, powerless to resist. He could only sigh and ride off, hoping to escape the enemy's pursuit and reach the border before deciding what to do next.
Behind them, Hong Sanniang gritted her teeth and led her troops in a fierce charge, vowing to slaughter all the enemy soldiers to quell the rage in her heart. With a flick of her willow-leaf dagger, heads flew off incessantly. She was like a beautiful female demon, slaughtering countless enemies amidst the chaos of battle. The rebel soldiers, terrified by her approach, fled in panic, their will to fight utterly broken.
Gao Dazheng, leading his personal guards, spurred his horse forward. Suddenly, he heard the sounds of battle approaching behind him. Turning around, he saw Hong Sanniang charging right up to him. He was greatly alarmed, thinking to himself, "This woman is incredibly powerful! And even her horse is no ordinary beast!"
Hong Sanniang rode a fine steed carefully selected by Li Xiaomin, its speed surpassing all ordinary horses on the battlefield. Under Hong Sanniang's vigorous urging, the horse was incredibly fast, instantly breaking through the enemy's defenses and charging straight towards Gao Dazheng!
Seeing his personal guards almost all dead and wounded, and the enemy already at the gates, Gao Dazheng knew he couldn't escape. Helpless, he could only turn to face Hong Sanniang, roared, and thrust his spear at her chest, wanting to knock her off her horse in one swift motion and show her the power of a man!
Seeing the sharp spearhead thrusting towards her chest, Hong Sanniang swung her willow-leaf saber, striking the spearhead heavily, instantly deflecting it to the side. With a slight whistle, the steed galloped forward, arriving beside Gao Dazheng in the blink of an eye. She slashed the willow-leaf saber to the side, striking Gao Dazheng heavily in the waist, splitting a long gash.
Gao Dazheng roared in pain, clutching his wounded waist, his anger and shock palpable. Behind him, the sound of hooves approached again; Hong Sanniang had turned her horse around and was charging again with her sword!
He struggled to lift his spear and turned to thrust, knowing that this battle would be his last.
On atop a magnificent steed, a stunningly beautiful female general, her eyebrows furrowed and teeth clenched, raised her sharp steel sword high. With a sharp cry, the blade swiftly sliced through the wind, striking Gao Dazheng squarely in the neck.
With a crack, his helmeted head snapped off, rolling to the ground. The headless body remained on the horse, carried far away by the untamed steed. Long afterward, the corpse's hands finally parted, dropping the steel wheel with a clang onto the battlefield.
By this time, the battle was nearing its end. The cavalry of the Western Route Army, led by Hong Sanniang, were all fierce and valiant, routing the rebel forces and sending them fleeing in all directions, their cries echoing through the air.
Hong Sanniang raised an eyebrow, looked up at the sky, and in the fierce winds sweeping across the battlefield, let out a long, triumphant roar, a roar filled with heroic ambition, as if releasing all the resentment she had harbored throughout her life.
The sun shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the beautiful female general, making her appear awe-inspiring, like a Valkyrie, causing the soldiers to dare not look directly at her.
A sense of admiration and reverence welled up in the hearts of all the soldiers of the Western Route Army. They were all fierce warriors who valued strength above all else, and even facing a woman, seeing her extraordinary courage and unparalleled strength, and her soaring ambition to lead her army into battle, they could not help but feel a sense of reverence and submission.
The rebel soldiers, terrified, watched in the distance as the female general slew their general with a single stroke. Completely devoid of fighting spirit, they knelt and begged for mercy, pleading for their lives. The battlefield quickly fell silent. Only the faint groans of a few wounded soldiers, struggling and dying, drifted from afar and vanished in the wind.
Third Sister, riding proudly on her horse, looked at the respectful eyes of the valiant soldiers, a slight joy rising in her heart. She knew she had won their hearts. Given time, this army would become her loyal subordinates, enabling her to avenge her humiliation and increase her chances of victory.
Looking up at the sky, watching the ever-changing world, Hong Third Sister secretly vowed that she would use all her strength to kill that damned eunuch and make him pay the price for defiling her and her daughter!
The army, escorting the prisoners, slowly arrived at a nearby county town. Based on the edict of the Grand Secretary, the county magistrate was ordered to clear out a large number of civilian houses for the Western Route Army soldiers to rest in. The prisoners were imprisoned in Yuecheng Prison and strictly guarded by the jailers.
Hong Sanniang's central army camp was located within the county government compound. The county magistrate, understanding the situation, moved his family out of the backyard of the county government compound, offering this best residence in the city to General Hong for her rest.
Wearing sturdy and fine armor, Hong Sanniang led her personal guards into the county government compound, seeing that the large residence was now ready for her rest. Hong Sanniang felt a slight joy, but the thought that she had only been able to find a place to rest thanks to that lewd young man filled her with resentment.
She shook her head vigorously, rallied her spirits, and loudly proclaimed, "Pass on my order: tell all troops to rest well, but do not disturb the civilians without permission, or you will not be spared!"
The messenger, terrified, obeyed and left.
Hong Sanniang strode into the courtyard behind the county government office. Looking at the exquisitely built residence, she couldn't help but sigh. She wondered how much of the people's wealth these officials had plundered to build such a fine house in this notoriously impoverished county, so she could live comfortably. Having just fought a fierce battle with the enemy, Hong Sanniang was drenched in sweat and slightly tired.
Looking down at herself, she saw a few drops of blood on her armor, not too many. But covered in sweat, she still needed to wash.
She ordered her personal guards to leave and went into the main room of the courtyard. Just as she was wondering if she should call someone to heat some water for her bath, she suddenly remembered that last month, when she was bathing at the residence in Jinling, Li Xiaomin had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, landed in the tub, and embraced her naked body, begging for sex. At that time, she had not yet formed an alliance with him, so she struggled and resisted with all her might, but she still couldn't withstand his wrath. He pressed her down in the bathtub and had his way with her to his heart's content, until she collapsed on the edge of the tub, moaning and fainting. Only then did he finish, ejaculating his wicked seed inside her. He then held her and bathed her for a while, before carrying her to the bed, making her and her daughter enjoy themselves together. He pressed her down on top, listening to her daughter's soft moans, but she could only helplessly shed tears of shame, hating him to the bone. And that wasn't all. After knocking her daughter unconscious, he wasn't satisfied and embraced her, engaging in wanton sexual acts, leaving both mother and daughter barely able to get out of bed the next day.
Thinking of her shameful thoughts, Hong Sanniang's face burned with embarrassment and anger. She
thought to herself, "Now that I'm no longer in Jinling City, will he come over and spy on me while I bathe again?" Just then, a body pressed against her from behind, two hands reaching out and covering her breasts, kneading them forcefully.
Hong Sanniang sighed, closed her eyes, and felt a surge of anger and frustration. She knew that even in this small town ten miles from Jinling, she couldn't escape his clutches. If he wanted, even from a great distance, he could still arrive in no time.
Behind the beautiful female general, a handsome young man chuckled, embracing her delicate body and squeezing her breasts a few times, only to find them icy cold to the touch, revealing only hard armor. Annoyed, he forced a dry laugh, "My wife, your husband has come to see you!"
After calling several times, seeing that Hong Sanniang ignored him with her eyes closed, Li Xiaomin also felt bored. He coughed lightly and said authoritatively, "General Hong, I have come to inspect the army. Why are you not lining up to greet me?"
Hearing his official airs, Hong Sanniang felt both amused and annoyed. She parted her lips slightly and said lazily, "I was unaware of your arrival, sir. I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"
Li Xiaomin embraced her slender waist, reaching down from under her armor, but could only touch her shapely thighs. He indulged his desires behind her back, listening to her seductive, languid voice. A surge of emotion welled up within him, and he said in a deep voice, "General Hong, since you know you are guilty, why not kneel down and beg for forgiveness!"
Hong Sanniang was deeply ashamed as he reached under her armor, touching her thigh and then moving upwards towards her inner thigh. She hurriedly broke free from his embrace, turned and took two steps back, looking at Li Xiaomin's smiling, handsome face. She sighed inwardly, bowed, and clasped her hands in a salute, saying, "This humble general is under armor and cannot perform a full salute. Please forgive me!"

Part Two, Chapter Five: From Enemy to Sister.

Hong Sanniang, fearing that Li Xiaomin might do something else to her in this secret room, hurriedly said, "My lord, you are tired from your journey. I will go out and call someone to serve you and
help you rest!" Without waiting for Li Xiaomin's reply, she turned and hurriedly left the room, entering the sun-drenched courtyard. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to have escaped this cruelty.
She raised her head, about to call someone to serve the Grand Secretary. But looking around, the courtyard was eerily quiet; not a soul was to be seen. Even the personal guards who had accompanied her had vanished without a trace, and not a single servant of the magistrate was in sight.
A sense of foreboding washed over her, and Hong Sanniang hurriedly began searching everywhere. She walked almost to the county government gate, but still couldn't find a single person.
A familiar voice whispered in her ear, "General Hong, you don't need me. I've already ordered them all to leave. No one will come here without my summons!"
With that, a pair of strong arms reached out from behind, embracing the slender waist of the armored beauty, their hands reaching towards her thighs, which the armor couldn't conceal, and invading deeper.
Li Xiaomin held the slender beauty tightly, feeling that even the armor couldn't hide her alluring figure. His heart swayed, and he leaned in to gently kiss her fragrant nape.
Hong Sanniang was both ashamed and angry, struggling fiercely. Although she was a female general with great strength, invincible on the battlefield, she ultimately couldn't withstand the immense strength of the young man behind her, pinned against the wall, his hands groping her body.
Those demonic hands on the mature woman's body caused Hong Sanniang's strength to rapidly drain. She struggled to turn around, trying to suppress the heat rising within her. Her beautiful eyes were glazed, but she struggled to stay awake, looking directly at the handsome young man.
Her voice trembled as she said, "My lord, someone might come here. Not here..." Li Xiaomin was already aroused and didn't care about anything else. He laughed, "If someone comes, let them watch! Anyway, when we made love before, the maid and your daughter were always watching!"
His hand reached to the silk sash binding Hong Sanniang's armor, gently pulling it open. He then reached inside the armor and pulled off the brocade trousers Hong Sanniang wore, revealing her long, snow-white thighs.
Touching her smooth, soft thighs, Li Xiaomin couldn't help but sigh softly. The tenderness was almost unbelievable; this was a woman who had given birth, and her daughter was already older than him.
Her thighs were exposed to the air, giving Hong Sanniang a chill. Feeling those demonic hands gently caressing her legs, her body went limp, and she involuntarily embraced the young man before her. She pressed his head against her chest, longing for him to suckle her breasts as he had before. Her
jade-like breasts were covered by armor. Unable to suckle them, Li Xiaomin had to settle for second best, tilting his head back to kiss the mature beauty's fragrant lips, his hands groping wildly,
touching her beautiful legs and snowy buttocks. Her buttocks, encased in her underpants, had a soft, graceful curve, which writhed slightly in Li Xiaomin's hands. His fingers sank deep into her soft flesh. Li Xiaomin's hand slipped inside her underpants, forcefully caressing her buttocks, probing that intoxicatingly intimate place.
Hong Sanniang groaned loudly, hugging the young man tightly, her legs involuntarily rising and pressing against Li Xiaomin's waist.
Li Xiaomin smiled excitedly, reaching down to unbuckle his belt, letting his trousers fall to his feet. He lifted her legs, allowing Hong Sanniang to wrap around his waist, and thrust forward firmly, slowly uniting with this mature and beautiful woman in the most intimate position.
Sunlight streamed into the courtyard behind the county government office. Within the tall, imposing walls, a handsome couple was entwined, moaning softly. The scene was incredibly erotic. A beautiful, mature woman, clad in armor and wearing a pheasant feather headdress, resembling a female general who had fought on the battlefield, leaned against the wall, tightly embracing a much younger boy. Her voice trembled as she moaned softly. Her long, slender, snow-white legs were wrapped tightly around the boy's waist, moving up and down as she sought pleasure she couldn't find on the battlefield.
The handsome young man, embracing the armored beauty, pressed her against the wall, thrusting his hips forcefully, using the pressure of the wall against her back to penetrate her deeply. Sensing her arousal, he became even more excited, his movements growing increasingly frenzied.
Under his frenzied thrusts, the beautiful female warrior's face flushed crimson. She clung to Li Xiaomin's head, shaking her head and moaning, her eyes glazed and watery, showing no trace of the heroic woman who had once galloped across the battlefield.
This handsome couple, in the empty, quiet county town, under the blazing sunlight, indulged in unrestrained pleasure, bringing Hong Sanniang to ecstasy several times before Li Xiaomin reached the final climax. He thrust his hips forcefully, pressing her against the wall, his body trembling violently. Amidst Hong Sanniang's mournful cries, they reached their most intimate and complete union.
The rain subsided, the clouds dispersed, and Li Xiaomin, holding the disheveled beauty, set her down, making her kneel and clean and serve him.
Hong Sanniang knelt listlessly, having lost all will to resist, only following his instructions, extending her fragrant tongue to clean the sticky substance from his body, regardless of whose body it came from.
As her lips and tongue unconsciously sucked at him, Li Xiaomin's virility surged again, reaching his throat. He embraced the female general's head, stroking her dark hair and the chick feathers on her head symbolizing her heroic spirit. Standing before her, he thrust his hips forcefully, feeling the tight, slippery sensation in the beautiful general's mouth. He couldn't help but let out a long, excited roar, his chest filled with heroic ambition, thrilled that he could conquer this proud female general.
Hong Sanniang, however, choked and coughed, forcefully turning her head away from the object that was suffocating her. She lay on the ground, gagging slightly.
Li Xiaomin squatted down, kindly patting her back to make her feel better. His other hand, however, touched her long, shapely legs and soft buttocks, exploring all the way to the mysterious place that had just given them both such pleasure.
Hong Sanniang, while gagging, couldn't help but moan softly. She turned her head and looked at the smiling, handsome young man. Slightly panicked, her face flushed, she said, "Sir, should we go back inside..."
Li Xiaomin's hand... He suddenly reached inside, his face grim as he reprimanded, "When no one is around, you must call me master!"
Hong Sanniang let out a mournful cry, her body going limp, almost collapsing to the ground. Tears involuntarily streamed down her beautiful eyes as she sobbed, "Let's go, master!"
Li Xiaomin nodded in satisfaction, noticing they were now in the county government's garden. He pressed her down among the flowers, making her lie prone amidst the blossoms, her buttocks raised high, facing him.
Hong Sanniang groaned tremulously, looking back at the elated young man, then at herself still wearing her armor. A wave of sorrow surged within her.
Just half a day ago, she had been a formidable warrior on the battlefield, fearlessly pursuing enemy soldiers; now, she had lost all dignity, kneeling on the ground in this humiliating position, like a female dog, awaiting this wicked young man's defilement!
Overwhelmed with sorrow, tears welled in her beautiful eyes, falling drop by drop into the flowerbed. They mingled with the blossoms, resembling dewdrops on flower petals, evoking pity.
Seeing the woman weeping, Li Xiaomin felt a surge of pity. He gripped her delicate, fragrant buttocks tightly with both hands, thrusting his hips, exploring her smooth, moist depths, slowly entering her mature body, all the way inside.
During this exploration, both women couldn't help but moan softly, feeling the close union, pleasure rising within them. Hong Sanniang felt both sorrow and joy, knowing she and this wicked young man were once again tightly connected, yet her lips couldn't help but utter moans that even she found shameful. Hearing
her soft moans, Li Xiaomin's desire surged. He embraced the woman's hips, thrusting wildly, wantonly ravaging her. He continued until Hong Sanniang's body trembled violently, drenched in sweat, and she began to utter incoherent words and loud cries of pleasure.
Just as the two were reaching the climax of their passionate encounter, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. It seemed a gatekeeper was shouting, "Your Highness, with the Grand Secretary's presence, no one is allowed to enter!"
Then, a sharp "slap" was heard, as if the soldier blocking their way had been slapped. He immediately ducked to the side, silent.
The gate opened, and footsteps approached, indicating someone was entering the courtyard behind the county government office.
Hearing this, Hong Sanniang was filled with shame and desperately tried to hide among the flowers, hoping to conceal herself from the intruder.
Li Xiaomin listened intently to the footsteps, a mysterious smile playing on his handsome face. While he also pushed Hong Sanniang towards the flowers, his movements were far more forceful, like a torrential downpour lashing at the frail woman.
Caught off guard by the unexpected and intense impact, Hong Sanniang couldn't help but let out a soft moan. Although she realized it in time and desperately tried to bite down on the dangling chicken feathers on her head to muffle the sound, it was too late. The person who had entered heard her and his footsteps approached.
Hong Sanniang was terrified and struggled desperately to escape Li Xiaomin's rape, but he held her tightly by the buttocks and relentlessly thrust into her, driving her to the brink of ecstasy. Did she still have the strength to resist his brutality?
Suddenly, a startled and angry cry rang out: "What are you doing?"
This cry jolted Hong Sanniang awake from her daze. Looking up, she saw a beautiful woman in golden armor standing outside the flower bushes, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury as she glared at the couple inside.
Hong Sanniang was utterly terrified. Looking up at the imposing figure of Consort Qin, then back at the young man raping her, she was overwhelmed with shame and collapsed into the flower bushes, weeping bitterly.
At this moment, the scene in the courtyard was filled with a mesmerizing, almost surreal beauty.
Beyond the lush, vibrant flowers stood a woman of unparalleled beauty, tall and graceful.
Bathed in sunlight, her armor gleamed with golden light, making her appear like a war goddess, yet also brimming with beauty and power. She clenched her fists, glaring angrily at the man and woman within the flowers.
Within the flowers, an equally beautiful female general lay prostrate on the ground in a humiliating posture, weeping bitterly.
Chicken feathers, hanging from her cloud-like hair, mingled with the flowers. The headdress, originally a symbol of power, now carried a touch of desolate beauty, strewn with fallen petals.
Behind her, a young man embraced her exposed, snow-white lower body, their bodies intertwined in a tight embrace. He continued thrusting, completely unconcerned by the golden-armored beauty's furious gaze.
Instead, he smiled at her and said, "Your Highness, I am currently preoccupied and unable to perform the proper greetings. Please forgive me!"
Consort Qin, filled with rage, strode over to this audacious servant. She grabbed his ear and gritted her teeth, saying, "I knew you were up to no good behind closed doors! I caught you red-handed!"
She had led her troops to pursue the rebels, but she was too late; Hong Sanniang had beaten her to it. The troops were exhausted and needed to rest in this county town. Hearing the gatekeepers say that the Grand Secretary was inside and had ordered everyone to come out, Consort Qin immediately guessed what he was doing. Enraged, she stormed in alone and caught him red-handed.
Seeing that she had come alone without any attendants, Li Xiaomin wasn't afraid. Instead, he hugged Consort Qin tightly and teased, "Your Highness, you say I'm up to no good. But what I did with Your Highness before was all good!"
As he spoke, he thrust his hips forward forcefully. Hearing Hong Sanniang's soft moan, her body trembling slightly, he felt a surge of joy.
Consort Qin, held in his arms and hearing him recount their private affairs, felt deeply ashamed. She reached out a delicate finger and pinched his waist hard, her voice trembling as she said, "Little servant, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Li Xiaomin chuckled, pulling her tightly into his embrace, lowering his head, and kissing her tender, rosy lips deeply.
Consort Qin let out a soft moan, her body quickly softening. Under Li Xiaomin's skilled, passionate kiss, her body began to heat up, her hands pressed against Li Xiaomin's chest, her attempts to push him away becoming less resolute.
Hong Sanniang, lying on the ground, trembled as she turned her head, watching Li Xiaomin passionately kissing Consort Qin, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The scene was so familiar. Just the day before, it was her own daughter being held and kissed by him, but now it was this beautiful female general, who had once been her enemy, who was now making love to her while passionately kissing her. Hong Sanniang couldn't help but sigh at the unpredictability of life. Even former mortal enemies could become sisters in the same boat the next moment.
However, now that Hong Sanniang had found a scapegoat, she couldn't care less about anything else and hurriedly said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, it's your turn. I can't take it anymore..."
Hearing her weak and feeble moans, Consort Qin raised her head and looked at the beautiful female general, who was exhausted and confused. She felt both pity and hatred in her heart. What was pitiful was Hong Sanniang's pitiful state; after being captured, she not only had to fight for Li Xiaomin but also satisfy his insatiable lust after the battles. What was hateful was that this little lackey Li Xiaomin could be so cruel, turning such a delicate beauty into such a tired and pitiful state. Didn't he know how to cherish a woman?
But before she could punish Li Xiaomin, he had already taken the initiative, quickly untying her armor and silk sashes, pinning her to the ground, and kissing and caressing her passionately.
Feeling him withdraw from her body, Hong Sanniang collapsed into the flower bushes, letting out a soft moan, filled with relief and shyness, knowing she could finally rest for a while.
Li Xiaomin, kissing Qin Guigu passionately, felt her armor was so heavy and cumbersome that he frowned slightly, got up, knelt beside her, and tore off her golden armor, revealing the tight-fitting clothes underneath.
Consort Qin trembled and moaned. Although she wanted to resist, the heat within her body grew increasingly unbearable, leaving her no choice but to lie among the flowers and submit to his actions.
Under Li Xiaomin's rapid movements, she was soon stripped naked like a lamb. Then she saw Li Xiaomin grinning wickedly as he pounced on her. After a sharp pain, a deep sense of satisfaction suddenly enveloped her entire being.
Hong Sanniang lay beside her, breathing softly, struggling to look up at the peerless, icy Consort Qin, moaning and screaming beneath Li Xiaomin, tears streaming down her jade-like face from his powerful thrusts. The handsome young man and the exquisite woman, frantically merging amidst the flowers, created a stimulating scene with a strange beauty that captivated Hong Sanniang.
Amidst the flowers, Li Xiaomin embraced two beautiful women who had fought on the battlefield, indulging in unrestrained pleasure with them. He even used them as warhorses, driving them to tears and moaning. Under his skillful manipulation, they uttered all sorts of lewd cries, appearing as two charming women immersed in the pleasures of love, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the heroines revered by thousands of soldiers.
Finally, the two beauties were rendered limp by Li Xiaomin, dazed and sobbing, embracing each other naked, enduring the boy's thrusts from left and right. Former mortal enemies had truly become kind sisters in shared suffering. Former mortal enemies had truly become kind sisters in shared suffering.

Part Two, Chapter Six: The powerful

army returned victorious, the rebel forces scattered everywhere were all wiped out by the imperial army.
When the imperial army entered the city, as usual, they were welcomed by the people of Jinling lining the streets.
Hong Sanniang and Consort Qin, fully armored, rode side by side, slowly advancing through the army. Hearing the cheers and seeing the genuine joy of the people lining the road, their hearts were filled with confusion; they didn't know how to react to this joyous scene.
Ahead, Li Xiaomin, however, smiled broadly, waving approachably as
he urged his horse forward. He appeared to be a Grand Secretary sharing the joy with the people, a sight that both amused and annoyed the two women. They exchanged a glance and sighed softly.
Li Xiaomin, however, paid no heed to their mutual sympathy. Feeling utterly satisfied, he went to the palace to report his orders, exchanged a few glances with Empress Zhou, and respectfully announced that his troops had completely annihilated the rebels, and that Her Majesty could now rest easy.
As he spoke, he was thinking to himself, "Hmph, what a high pillow! It's just a pity that this high pillow isn't under the Empress's head. Every time we make love, I put my pillow under her buttocks!"
None of the civil and military officials in the hall could see the strange thoughts in his heart. Instead, they only saw him bowing his head respectfully and humbly, saying that everything was thanks to the Empress's good fortune. They felt that the Grand Secretary was humble and polite, without the slightest bit of youthful arrogance, and they couldn't help but feel respect for him.
Empress Zhou sat behind the beaded curtain, exuding a dignified and solemn air. She offered a few words of encouragement and then ordered rewards for Li Xiaomin, granting him an additional thousand households in fiefdom. His generals also received their own rewards.
Upon descending from the palace, all the officials came to congratulate him on his renewed honors. Even those who hadn't been close to Li Xiaomin before came to offer their congratulations, hoping to cultivate a closer relationship and avoid being seen as a dissident and purged.
Li Xiaomin laughed heartily and bowed to the officials, saying, "If you gentlemen have time today, please come to my mountain retreat for a cup of wine to celebrate the peace of the realm!"
The officials were delighted. Being invited by the Grand Secretary to drink together would naturally bring them closer. In recent days, the court had been in chaos, and the Grand Secretary had been busy leading troops to pursue the rebels, so they hadn't had the chance to congratulate him or celebrate with a feast. Now that the opportunity had arrived, they certainly couldn't miss it.
Li Xiaomin then led his civil and military officials in a grand procession, with a large entourage of carriages and horses, straight to his residence.
On this day, a grand banquet was held at the Grand Secretary's residence to entertain the civil and military officials. The officials had prepared congratulatory gifts several days in advance, having them brought from their homes to present to the Grand Secretary, celebrating his recent promotions and advancements.
Countless officials stepped forward to raise their cups in congratulations, praising the Marquis of Annan for his unparalleled achievements; without him, the court would have been in peril, and the treacherous Qian Song and his gang would have seized the throne.
Li Xiaomin smiled modestly, saying that the officials' contributions were immense, and without their support, the chaos could not have been quelled so quickly. For a moment, the hall was filled with harmony. The officials all raised their cups and laughed, most of them deeply pleased that they had escaped a
great calamity and could once again enjoy a period of peace.
The food and wine were served. Li Xiaomin sat at the head of the table, raising his cup and enthusiastically urging the officials to drink, engaging in a hearty toast. Looking at the numerous officials and courtiers, all treating him with the utmost respect, he felt a surge of satisfaction. He knew
this was what it meant to wield absolute power. Although the courtiers were unwilling to let a eunuch hold power and manage state affairs, they were powerless against the immense contributions of Marquis Li of Annan. He had almost single-handedly thwarted the rebellion plot of Qian Song and others, and controlled the majority of the nation's military forces. His strength and achievements were unparalleled, and many officials were sincerely convinced of his authority, rallying under his banner and wholeheartedly serving the court. Even those with ulterior motives, seeing Li Xiaomin's immense power, could only feign compliance and pretend to be his loyal subordinates.
Occasionally, a few, oblivious to the changing times, complained about Li Xiaomin's rapid rise to power.
However, Li Xiaomin had many spies around them. Unbeknownst to them, these spies relayed the secret conversations to the officials in charge of intelligence, who then compiled the information and presented it to Li Xiaomin.
Li Xiaomin didn't want to indiscriminately kill such disloyal individuals; he simply handed over a few with conclusive evidence of their crimes to the Dali Temple, treating them as accomplices of Qian Song, and beheading them. Those who had spoken ill of Li Xiaomin to their colleagues were also attacked and killed by mutinous soldiers during the chaos in Jinling. And after the mutinous soldiers had killed and looted, they scattered in all directions—where could they find them?
This happened several times, and most of the court officials were aware of the situation. Even those who harbored resentment dared not speak out, and could only endure it for the time being. After all, military power was in the hands of others; if they dared to speak out, they would be courting death.
Of course, Li Xiaomin didn't want to go too far. After some time, he naturally came out to quell the chaos, driving the mutinous soldiers out of Jinling. From then on, there were no more incidents of mutinous soldiers attacking and killing court officials.
Inside the Grand Chancellor's residence, the court officials were all in a harmonious atmosphere, drinking and making merry. After several rounds of drinks, Li Xiaomin, as usual, ordered the court entertainers to sing and dance.
As groups of beautiful young women began to sing and dance to music the officials had never heard before, the officials, half-drunk, exchanged smiles. Listening to the celestial music and watching the beautiful young women, they felt as if they were in a fairyland, enjoying a pleasure unattainable by humankind.
Such beautiful young women were what the officials dreamed of but could never obtain. Only someone as wealthy as Li Xiaomin could afford to buy so many beauties of exceptional talent and beauty and keep them in his home.
Unfortunately, Grand Chancellor Li was too stingy, neither using these beauties himself nor giving them away, leaving the officials helpless and gradually growing dissatisfied.
Ding Guan, the Minister of Revenue, was drinking when he spotted his longtime political rival, Di Renji, the Minister of Works, also drinking and making merry. Di Renji was squinting his lecherous eyes, secretly watching the beautiful women dancing and singing, clearly enjoying himself. Ding Guan felt a surge of resentment and slammed his hand on the table, laughing under the influence of alcohol, "Indeed, the singing and dancing are wonderful, but unfortunately, even these beauties cannot compare to the beauty of Madam Di!"
Those who overheard this were somewhat surprised. An official who was on good terms with Ding Guan asked jokingly, "Which Madam Di is the Minister speaking of?"
Ding Guan, still drunk, laughed and said, "Who else could it be? Among the wives and children of officials in the capital, the most beautiful is none other than Minister Di's wife!"
Di Renji, upon hearing this... A slight anger, yet also a hint of self-satisfaction, appeared on his face as he calmly smiled and said, "Not at all, my wife is ugly, how could she compare to the beauty of Minister Ding's wife!"
Li Xiaomin, curious, cupped his hands and smiled, "What are you two ministers discussing, so happily?" Minister
Ding knew that although Li Xiaomin was a eunuch
, he was quite lecherous; otherwise, he wouldn't have kept so many beautiful singing girls. He immediately embellished the story, praising the beauty of Di Renji's wife to be unparalleled, his only thought being to bring trouble to his family. Li Xiaomin looked at the two long-bearded ministers, both in their forties or fifties, and wondered how they could have such beautiful wives. He shook his head in disbelief. Minister Ding, however, laughed, "Minister Di remarried and has such a beautiful wife. Truly, he is blessed!"
Only then did Li Xiaomin realize that Di Renji had remarried and taken a beautiful wife. His curiosity was piqued, and he wanted to see just how beautiful Di Renji's wife was.
However, in front of all the officials, he naturally couldn't ask about this matter, so Li Xiaomin smiled and changed the subject, joining the officials in enjoying the song and dance.
That day, the civil and military officials drank to their hearts' content at the residence of the Grand Secretary, until they were thoroughly drunk. But in Li Xiaomin's heart, he remembered the name of the beautiful woman, thinking that he must see her someday. Princess Zhenping, whose health had always been astonishingly good, suddenly fell ill, and quite seriously.
When this news arrived, Empress Zhou was lying in bed, passionately making love with the Grand Eunuch Li Xiaomin. They were drenched in sweat, her body flushed, when she suddenly heard a palace maid rush in, alarmed, saying that Princess Zhenping had suddenly fainted and was coughing up blood. She was greatly shocked. She tried to push Li Xiaomin off, but was no match for his strength. She could only plead with him to finish quickly and let her off. Without even bothering to dress, she left in disheveled state to visit her daughter, leaving only the beautiful maid who had delivered the message for Li Xiaomin to use to relieve his lust.
Disturbed by this interruption, Li Xiaomin lost his interest. He simply lay on the bed, letting the beautiful girl kneel beneath him, sucking and licking the fluids from the Empress's body. He wondered to himself, "Why is Princess Zhenping suddenly ill? Last time I was with her, she was full of energy!"
Recalling the intense and passionate scene with Princess Zhenping last time, Li Xiaomin's lust flared. He pushed the maid who served Empress Zhou onto the bed and began to make love, his mind filled with thoughts of Princess Zhenping's fair skin. Breathless, he finished quickly and lazily lay on top of the maid, not wanting to get up.
The beautiful young woman sobbed softly, not daring to move away from Eunuch Li, letting him lie on top of her, pressing down on her
until she was breathless. Having lain on top of the young woman for a long time without Empress Zhou returning to seek pleasure with him, the commoner Li Yu grew bored. He got up, looking at the palace maid beneath him, already panting heavily, and felt a pang of pity. He summoned another palace maid to help him clean up, dress, pat the young woman's cheek, and tell her to lie down on the Empress's phoenix couch to rest.
He then left. The palace maid, not daring to remain on the Empress's bed, hurriedly struggled to prop herself up, and with the help of another palace maid, walked outside.
The young girl had only used her mouth to serve Li Xiaomin, cleaning him up, and was now panting heavily, her face flushed. She looked at her sister with envy. She secretly planned that if she had such a good opportunity, she would definitely rush to deliver the news.
Li Xiaomin went out for a walk, found Princess Changping, and spent some time kissing and cuddling with her. He casually told her about Princess Zhenping's illness.
Princess Changping, being very close to her sister, was immediately alarmed and took Li Xiaomin straight to Princess Zhenping's palace.
Upon entering the palace, they saw a large group of palace maids standing in the courtyard, heads bowed, their faces filled with anxiety; it seemed Princess Zhenping's illness was quite serious.
Li Xiaomin followed Princess Changping into Princess Zhenping's bedroom, where several imperial physicians stood with their heads bowed before the bed, not daring to utter a sound.
On the fragrant couch, a stunningly beautiful young woman lay weakly, her face as white as paper, seemingly on the verge of death.
Empress Zhou sat by her bedside, holding her hand, tears streaming down her face, and cried out in a trembling voice, "My dear! How could you become so ill? You've been gone for only a few days, and you've fallen so gravely!"
Princess Zhenping barely opened her eyes, quietly looking at her mother, and whispered, "Mother! This time, I will never see you again. Please take care of yourself, Mother. We will meet again in the next life!"
Empress Zhou was shocked and embraced Princess Zhenping, weeping uncontrollably until she almost fainted.
Princess Zhenping, held in Empress Zhou's arms, remained calm, showing no sign of fear of death. Her gaze shifted to Li Xiaomin's face, and suddenly her expression changed drastically. She coughed violently, coughing up blood that splattered onto Empress Zhou's clothes.
Li Xiaomin hurriedly lowered his head and stepped back, wondering, "She was perfectly fine just now, why did her face change as soon as she saw me? Could it be that this illness clashes with mine? But I've never heard of my practicing this magic causing anyone's death!"
Seeing such a beautiful woman in this state filled Li Xiaomin with sorrow, and he remained silent, head bowed.
The beaded curtain outside the door was rolled up, and a fragrant breeze wafted in. It was Consort Qin, who had also rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing her daughter with Li Xiaomin, her brows furrowed slightly, but she didn't have time to inquire. She quickly went forward to support Empress Zhou, gently comforting her, but she couldn't stop Empress Zhou's overwhelming grief; tears soaked her clothes.
Several other concubines also arrived, surrounding Empress Zhou and trying to comfort her. Consort Qin emerged, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and asked the imperial physicians, "May I ask, physicians, what illness does Princess Zhenping suffer from, and how serious is it?" The

physicians

smiled wryly, "Your Highness, we dare not deceive you: the princess has fallen seriously ill due to excessive worry. She needs proper medicine and care. If we can alleviate her worries, the chances of successful treatment will be much greater." Empress
Zhou embraced her daughter, weeping, "Zhenping, tell your mother what you are thinking about, and I will definitely find a way to help you!"
Princess Zhenping nestled in Empress Zhou's arms, her gaze fixed on Li Xiaomin, who was hiding in the corner of the room, her lips moving slightly. A woman whispered in Empress Zhou's ear as she bowed her head, "Mother, if you truly care about me, go find a man named Li Bai. Only he can cure my illness!"
Li Xiaomin, with his sharp ears, overheard this from afar and felt a pang of sorrow. "So this princess fell ill because of me. This is my fault. I neglected her for so long, causing her to miss me so much and ruin her health. Alas, such a healthy body, how could I let it be ruined? Isn't that such a pity?"
A beautiful young girl, her face painted with delicate makeup, lay beside the bed, tears streaming down her face. This was Princess Anping, Princess Zhenping's younger sister from the same mother. Several concubines surrounded her, and Princess Changping stepped forward to weep with her,
gently pushing her away so she wouldn't see such a pitiful scene. If she also contracted the disease, it would be too tragic.
Everyone was gathered around Empress Zhou and Princess Zhenping, offering words of comfort. No one paid any attention to Princess Anping. Only Li Xiaomin, ever the public-spirited one, took Princess Anping's small hand and led her outside, softly comforting her, "Your Highness, don't worry, Princess Zhenping will surely recover. It's too chaotic here, and the air isn't fresh. Let's go out and rest for a while, then come back to see your sister!"
Princess Anping picked up her jade-like hand, covered her face, and wept as she walked outside. Only then did she realize that the person holding her was the very man who had once taken liberties with her. She hurriedly pulled her hand away, glaring at Li Xiaomin with her swollen, red eyes, gritting her teeth, "You wicked man, what evil scheme are you plotting now?"
Li Xiaomin lowered his head and sighed, "Your Highness, how can you say that! I'm only saying this for the sake of you sisters and Her Majesty the Empress. Now that Princess Zhenping is so ill, what if you also fall ill from worry? What will Her Majesty the Empress do then?"
These words stirred up Princess Anping's sorrow. With tears streaming down her face, she asked, "Do you think my sister is going to die this time?"
Li Xiaomin took her small hand and led her to the garden behind the courtyard. He pondered, "She looks very ill. If it weren't for me, she might really have died."
Princess Anping pouted. Trying to appear disdainful, she said in a coquettish voice, "Look at you, spouting nonsense again. Do you really have any way to cure my sister's illness in a few days?"
Li Xiaomin's pride was indeed severely wounded. With a stern face and a straight back, she declared loudly, "I'm not bragging, but within five days, I'll definitely restore your sister to her former vigor!"
Princess Anping's heart stirred, but she feigned disbelief, pouting and saying, "Hmph, I don't believe you! Unless you can truly cure my sister's illness, otherwise, you'll be guilty of deceiving the emperor and your entire clan will be exterminated!"
Li Xiaomin was secretly annoyed. This little girl was so vengeful; she had only touched and kissed him a few times, yet she had been targeting him ever since. Now she had even set a trap for him. If he cured her sister, she would naturally be happy; if she couldn't, she could use this opportunity to eliminate him, her formidable enemy—it would be a win-win situation.
He turned to look at Princess Anping's fair and delicate face, feigning a smile, and said, "Your Highness, since that's the case, how about we make a bet?"
Princess Anping looked up at him warily, gritting her teeth, and said, "What kind of bet?"
Li Xiaomin calmly replied, "How about this, we bet that if I can cure Princess Anping's illness within five days, you'll grant me one request, okay?"
Princess Anping's bright, dark eyes darted around in their sockets, and she thought to herself, "Grant him one request? Hmph, it's definitely not something good, he's just trying to take advantage of me again!
Oh well, let him ..." He was happy for once, and as long as he could save my sister, it was only once, so I could just close my eyes and bear it!
She looked up at Li Xiaomin and said with a smile, "Alright. But if he can't cure her within five days, you have to promise me one thing, okay?"
Li Xiaomin nodded without hesitation, which secretly pleased Princess Anping. "Hmph, if anything happens to my sister, I'll make you jump into the grave yourself to be buried with her!"
Li Xiaomin saw her black eyes darting around, and although he didn't know what she was thinking, he guessed she was up to no good. However, he had a large number of elixirs and medicines that he had collected from Gongsun Bubai, so he naturally wouldn't take this minor illness to heart.
Seeing Li Xiaomin's quick agreement, Princess Anping became somewhat worried and quickly added, "Within five days, you must give me a sister who looks exactly like she used to, otherwise you'll lose our bet!"
Li Xiaomin nodded in agreement, but Princess Anping smiled and said, "Also, she has to be in a good mood. If she's still a little sullen, she won't be the same as before!"
Li Xiaomin was taken aback, secretly annoyed. How could a doctor control a patient's mood? Seeing that no one was around, Li Xiaomin decided to retaliate on the spot. He pulled Princess Anping into his arms and groped her all over, scaring her so much that she almost screamed. But Li Xiaomin, who was prepared, lowered his head and kissed her cherry lips. With a forceful suck, he drew her small, fragrant tongue into his mouth.
Princess Anping struggled fiercely, waving her small, pink fists and striking Li Xiaomin on the head, whispering, "You wicked eunuch, you're up to no good again! Be careful, or I'll tell the Empress Dowager and have your entire family wiped out!"
Right there in Princess Zhenping's palace courtyard, Li Xiaomin didn't act too recklessly. He secretly reached out and casually touched her small, soft breasts, thinking to himself, "They seem to be developing! I wonder if it's because I touched them last time?"
Princess Anping angrily ran away, but after a dozen steps, she turned back and whispered, "Remember what you said earlier! If my sister's illness isn't cured, I will never let you off!"
She ran all the way back to Princess Zhenping's bedroom, seeing everyone still busy there, and dared not say anything more. She could only stand carefully in front of Princess Zhenping's bed, weeping as she looked at her unconscious sister.
Consort Qin stroked her hair and sighed, "Poor child! Oh, Anping, where did you go? Your hair is all messed up."
Just as Li Xiaomin had said before, Princess Anping dared not tell anyone that she had been "touched on the breasts by a eunuch." She could only grit her teeth and say, "Thank you for your concern, Consort Qin. I went out for some fresh air, and the wind messed up my hair."
A familiar voice came from the side, "Your Highness, it's windy outside. Don't run around. If you catch a cold, that would be terrible!"
Princess Anping turned her head and glared at Li Xiaomin, who had a pitying expression on his face. She wished she could step forward and stomp on his big toe to stop him from saying such hypocritical words to disgust people.
Li Xiaomin, holding a box, pretended not to see the anger on Princess Anping's face and bowed to Empress Zhou, saying, "Your Majesty, I have a family heirloom elixir here, which is quite effective for those with serious illnesses. I offer it to you now, please give it to Princess Zhenping; perhaps it will be effective."
Seeing her powerful lover bring her an elixir, the Empress, like a drowning woman grasping at a straw, hurriedly opened the box, took out a pill, and said in a trembling voice, "Good, since there's an elixir, that's good. Quickly, pour water and feed the princess the medicine!"
Several concubines bustled about, helping Princess Zhenping up, pouring her warm water, and placing the pill Li Xiaomin brought in her mouth, swallowing it with water. Princess Zhenping, drowsy, swallowed the medicine.
Before long, Princess Zhenping's health indeed seemed much better; she no longer had the fever and cough she had before. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes towards Li Xiaomin filled with admiration and gratitude.
Empress Zhou sighed softly, saying, "Xiaomin, we really owe you a great debt!"
Li Xiaomin bowed modestly, saying, "This is all thanks to Your Majesty's blessings; I dare not take credit."
Empress Zhou raised her beautiful eyes, looking at him gratefully. She recalled how she hadn't been able to satisfy him fully during their lovemaking, and how she had rushed over upon hearing of her daughter's sudden illness. She resolved that once they returned to her palace, she would do her utmost to please him. Thinking of what she was about to do for him, her beautiful face flushed slightly.
Li Xiaomin chuckled inwardly, glancing defiantly at Princess Anping beside him. He thought to himself, "How about that? This young general is two men in one! What five-day agreement? I'll probably cure her today!"
Princess Anping's face flushed slightly, her pearly white teeth gently biting her cherry lips, yet she smiled nonchalantly, "Yes, my sister's illness will be cured quickly, and I bet she'll be very happy, just like before. Don't you all agree?"
The concubines hurriedly nodded in agreement, and Princess Changping smiled and pulled her into her arms, affectionately pinching her little nose. Only Li Xiaomin, speaking in riddles with her, stood by the bed, head bowed, a slight, cold smile on his face.
Outside Jinling City, in a large manor on the outskirts of the city.
The manor was heavily guarded, with many soldiers surrounding the gate, carefully protecting the princess's safety. Even though it was late at night, soldiers were still dutifully on duty, lest any unforeseen events occur.
Princess Zhenping should have lived in the palace, but because she fell ill, the Grand Secretary petitioned Empress Zhou, saying that only by living in a manor outside the palace could she absorb the vital energy of heaven and earth, which would greatly help her condition. Empress Zhou, who was already completely obedient to the Grand Secretary, immediately ordered that Princess Zhenping be sent to live outside the palace. This residence was the manor where she often met with Li Xiaomin in secret.
At this moment, on a high embroidered tower in the very center of the manor, all the lights were out, and the people inside seemed to be asleep.
However, those asleep were only the palace maids who served the princess. In the largest bedroom, a red candle was still burning, and the candle wax slowly dripped down, forming a sea of tears at the bottom.
On the bed in the embroidered room lay a delicate young girl, her beautiful face deathly pale, as if she had not yet recovered from a serious illness.
She stared blankly at the night sky outside the window with her large, misty eyes, silent, only a soft sigh escaping from her fragrant lips.
A brocade quilt covered her; this frail girl appeared extremely thin, coughing gently, looking utterly pitiful.
It was late at night, and the only one still watching her was the young man spying on her from outside.
He was dressed in black, lying on the outside of the window, secretly peering through a homemade periscope. Observing the girl's every move on the bed, a deep pity slowly welled up in his heart.
This black-clad outfit was the one Li Xiaomin had worn when he first met her. Seeing the girl he loved so severely ill because of her longing for him, Li Xiaomin felt a pang of sorrow. He wanted to climb over the window and jump into the room.
But his legs were weak, preventing him from moving as freely as usual. The reason for this weakness... It was all thanks to the mother of the princess in the bed.
He stroked his weak legs, recalling the night before when he had spent the entire night in Empress Zhou's palace, indulging in pleasure with her. Empress Zhou was unusually charming and compliant, fulfilling all of Li Xiaomin's requests and serving him wholeheartedly, making it the most pleasurable night they had ever shared.
Not only last night. Just now, Li Xiaomin, having tasted the sweetness, had returned to Empress Zhou's bed, lifted her body, and made love to her. Empress Zhou, exhausted from the night, was still asleep. But after his lovemaking in her sleep, she was awakened. She didn't blame him for his sneaky attack, but instead, she forced herself to continue, offering oral and oral services, her body swaying wildly until she screamed and fainted in extreme pleasure. Only then did Li Xiaomin finish his release inside her, and with the help of several beautiful, blushing palace maids, he put on his clothes. He quietly left the palace.
His affair with Empress Zhou was no secret among her personal maids. But Li Xiaomin didn't care; he'd already slept with every one of Empress Zhou's dozens of maids. He'd taken countless virgins' worth of blood; they were all involved, so he wasn't worried about them gossiping. Besides, even
if they wanted to, each of them had a ghostly maidservant lurking in the shadows, tasked with preventing them from speaking out. With such powerful covert protection, what was there to fear about leaks?
Looking at the delicate and beautiful Princess Zhenping in the room, and recalling Empress Zhou's alluring and wanton demeanor earlier, he wondered what it would be like if the mother and daughter served him together.
Thinking of this, Li Xiaomin couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
The young girl, quietly resting in bed, was startled by the sound, raised her head, and weakly asked, "Who's coming out?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a man in black pushed open the window and jumped in.
Princess Zhenping was slightly startled but didn't cry out. Looking at the familiar figure, her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears.
The dark-skinned young man in black slowly walked to the bedside, lowered his head, and quietly looked at the delicate girl lying on the bed wrapped in blankets. He said softly, "Your Highness, you've suffered so much!"
He slowly sat on the bed, gently picked up Princess Zhenping, and held her frail body, clad only in a small garment, in his arms. He
lowered his head and gently kissed her lips. Pure tears streamed from Princess Zhenping's large eyes. She hugged him tightly with all her might, her fragrant tongue deeply entering his mouth, intertwining with his strong tongue.
Li Xiaomin's hands gently caressed Princess Zhenping's body, not missing a single spot, as if trying to recall the warmth and joy he had once enjoyed on this delicate body.
Under his caresses, Princess Zhenping couldn't help but moan softly, twisting her delicate body, and a slight blush rose to her pale face.
Li Xiaomin's hand had already caressed her uneven breasts, grasping her small, jade-like nipples. His other hand slid down her smooth, snowy buttocks, stroking the slightly damp forbidden area of the princess. His mind, however, was only focused on how to help her recover faster.
Besides the stolen elixirs, the most effective treatment he knew was the Yin-Yang dual cultivation method, allowing immortal energy to flow within the woman's body, repairing her damaged organs and cells. Even the woman who served as his vessel would greatly benefit from this method.
To save the girl he loved, Li Xiaomin disregarded the excessive energy he had already expended on her beautiful mother, forgetting the exhaustion of several days and nights of passionate lovemaking. He resolutely climbed onto the bed, pulled down his trousers, and lay on top of Princess Zhenping. Princess Zhenping blushed
, but did not resist, simply watching him quietly, letting him do as he pleased.
The frail girl lay prone on the bed, utterly powerless due to her illness.
Li Xiaomin couldn't bear to see her overworked, so he willingly took the extra effort, holding her slender waist with both hands, slightly raising her pink buttocks, pressing his hips against Princess Zhenping's smooth and tender buttocks, allowing his still slightly moist, nectar-like member to enter her body from behind. Princess
Zhenping gasped softly, letting out soft, tearful moans, feeling her body completely filled. She was almost suffocating from Li Xiaomin's enormous size.
Li Xiaomin embraced the frail girl, ignoring his own exhaustion, thrusting deeply into her, forcefully circulating his inner energy through their union into her body, listening to her soft moans and cries. Remembering how she had fallen seriously ill because of him, he felt both joy and emotion, and his movements became even more vigorous, bringing Princess Zhenping to the peak of desire several times, crying out for Li Xiaomin's name, then clutching him tightly before fainting peacefully.
Li Xiaomin continued his tireless work, using his divine power to repair all her damaged internal organs. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, collapsing onto her body, panting. He felt the smooth, delicate texture of her jade-like back, pink buttocks, and beautiful legs. Looking down, he saw that the instrument that had entered the bodies of two noble women of the Tang Dynasty on the same night was now slightly red from
exhaustion. Although he was so tired, Li Xiaomin felt that such a sacrifice was worthwhile. So, he resolutely got up, sat cross-legged on Princess Zhenping's jade-like back, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and used his divine power to repair the overworked divine instrument, causing it to faintly glow.
Princess Zhenping slowly awoke, feeling something pressing on her back. But it wasn't heavy. Looking back, she saw that Li Xiaomin had already floated slightly, though his body would occasionally drop down, pressing against her jade-like back. His warm thighs and buttocks intimately touched her smooth jade-like back.
Princess Zhenping struggled to her feet, feeling much better. Looking at Li Xiaomin, who was already floating in the air, she softly asked, "What are you doing?"
Li Xiaomin, looking down from the air, smiled solemnly and said, "I've learned a new levitation technique, but I haven't mastered it yet. I need to practice more."
He floated cross-legged in the air, a certain part of his suspended body shimmering with a faint light. That part, created by immortal power, was naturally quite different from his other organs.
Princess Zhenping's gaze was drawn to that shimmering spot. She quietly looked at the immortal artifact so close to her, her face slightly flushed, and softly asked, "What...what's going on?"
Li Xiaomin smiled wryly, "It's been a bit tired lately because the levitation technique has affected it. If you can help me, it can recover faster."
Princess Zhenping nodded obediently, about to ask how she could help him, when Li Xiaomin's hand reached down from the air, placing it on her head and guiding her head towards his crotch.
A beautiful, delicate young girl gently licked and sucked; the boy floating in the air smiled and nodded approvingly, admiring the dutiful girl who was willing to absorb her mother's remaining fluids. In the euphoria, his own body floated even higher.
Princess Zhenping tilted her head back, her tongue swirling and tightly entwining, completely unaware that she was now sucking the bodily fluids of three people, including her own. The other two were her closest relatives. A familiar feeling made her movements even more gentle and delicate, the suction of her mouth almost drawing Li Xiaomin's soul out.
This disturbance made it impossible for Li Xiaomin to concentrate on practicing his levitation technique. With a thud, he fell from the air, landing squarely on Princess Zhenping's beautiful face, his bare buttocks landing on her cheek, while she continued to dutifully suckle.
Li Xiaomin clamped his legs around the princess's jade-like cheeks, intimately contacting her mouth for a while, then pulled her up, held her in his arms, and gently comforted her.
His hands diligently kneaded Princess Zhenping's soft, smooth breasts, trying to make them larger: at least as well-developed as her younger sister, Princess Anping; otherwise, if they were smaller than that little girl's, it would be a great loss of dignity for an elder sister.
Princess Zhenping lay obediently in his arms, a blush on her delicate face, her slender fingers gently playing with his nipples, softly asking about his experiences after he left.
Li Xiaomin made up a story, coaxing Princess Zhenping into believing him. Just as he was about to coax her to sleep and leave, he suddenly heard Princess Zhenping say softly, "Xiaobai, when will you pass the imperial examination and come to the palace to propose to my mother?"
Li Xiaomin was startled, inwardly groaning, "Do I really have to propose to your mother? I'm afraid she won't agree! Unless I work incredibly hard and make her lose her mind, maybe she'll agree to marry you to me."
He chuckled dryly and replied perfunctorily, "There aren't any exams recently, so I'm afraid I'll only have a chance to become the top scholar after the exams start. Only then will I have a chance to propose to your mother. Otherwise, as a commoner, I have no chance of marrying you."
Princess Zhenping smiled and said, "But I'm in a hurry. How about this, I'll talk to my mother and ask for an extra imperial examination in advance, then you'll have a chance to become the top scholar!"
Li Xiaomin Li Xiaomin chuckled, "That works too? But your mother might not agree. If a princess interferes in politics, people might say it's meddling, right?"
Princess Zhenping hesitated, frowning as she pondered for a moment. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she smiled, "I've got it! There's another way. We can ask that little eunuch you met last time, Li Xiaomin. He's now in charge of the Grand Secretariat. You've heard about it, haven't you?"
Li Xiaomin nodded, sincerely praising, "For an ordinary little eunuch to rise to the position of Grand Secretariat so quickly, he's truly remarkable! He's practically a great idol for all eunuchs!"
Princess Zhenping smiled as well, "That's true. He's really capable. These past few crises were resolved thanks to him; otherwise, my eldest brother's conspiracy would have succeeded! It's just a pity about my father..."
At the mention of Zhou Tai's murder, Princess Zhenping's eyes reddened. Li Xiaomin hurriedly comforted her, and after a while, they made love, causing her to moan and whimper. Forgetting her sadness, she hugged Li Xiaomin tightly, softly groaning, comfortably enjoying the wonderful pleasure her lover brought her. In

Chapter Eight of Part Two, Lady Di, the Minister

of Works Di Renji, was busy with a distinguished guest. She instructed the steward to prepare a banquet quickly while she personally went out to greet him respectfully and brought him into her home.
The servants were very curious, wondering who this distinguished guest was. Upon seeing him, they were somewhat surprised; the guest was a young man, dressed in the magnificent robes of a high-ranking official of the Tang Dynasty, not the attire of a prince. They wondered which court official he was, so young to have reached such a high position, and why their master treated him with such respect.
Faced with Di Renji's flustered welcome, Li Xiaomin bowed and smiled, explaining that he was simply passing by when he suddenly remembered a major water conservancy project that needed to be addressed sooner. He added that he didn't have time to discuss it at court and would first visit Di Renji
's residence to discuss the matter further before submitting his report. Di Renji was deeply impressed by the Grand Secretary's diligence. He ordered a banquet to be prepared while he discussed matters in detail with Li Xiaomin, covering everything from preparing funds and recruiting laborers to how the river channel should be modified. Li Xiaomin's familiarity with the area and the meticulousness of his plans left Di Renji in awe and filled with secret admiration.
After finishing his official business, Di Renji naturally invited the Grand Secretary to dine there. During the banquet, Di Renji enthusiastically urged the guests to drink, and both host and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.
As a high-ranking official, Di Renji also kept singers and musicians at home, which he summoned to entertain the guests. Li Xiaomin, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness, observed that the young women's singing and dancing were quite decent, though not nearly as beautiful as the girls in his own household, but still above average for Jinling City.
They drank for a long time, and now night had fallen. A bright moon hung high outside, illuminating the area in front of the door.
Looking at the moonlight outside the window, Li Xiaomin raised his cup and laughed, "Your Excellency, why don't we go out to enjoy the moon, drink, and make merry?"
Di Renji readily agreed, instructing his family to set up another table in the pavilion in the backyard. With the singing and dancing girls in tow, the group strolled gracefully towards the backyard.
Sitting in the beautifully landscaped back garden, enjoying the refreshing night breeze on his face, Li Xiaomin felt immensely happy, laughing and chatting as he drank. He drank several more cups.
The moonlight, like water, shone brightly in the back garden. The entire garden was bathed in an air of elegance, and the sight of geisha dancing and singing under the moonlight only enhanced the enchanting atmosphere.
Li Xiaomin, quite drunk, raised his cup and laughed, "Lord Di Renji, I've long heard of your wife's celestial beauty. Would you be so kind as to grant me a glimpse, satisfying my curiosity?"
Di Renji was taken aback. The request from the Grand Secretary was arguably excessive. As fellow courtiers, how could he speak of wanting to see someone else's wife in their own home?
But then he remembered that Li Xiaomin was a eunuch. Although the Grand Secretary's position was awe-inspiring, he was, after all, just a lowly eunuch, hardly a man. Even if he saw his wife, it wouldn't matter. Heh heh, even if they were stripped naked and placed together, nothing would happen!
Thinking this, Di Renji felt reassured. Unwilling to offend the powerful Li Xiaomin over such a trivial matter, he bowed and said, "My lord, how could I disobey your command! Maid, quickly go and fetch the lady!"
The maid standing nearby hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly agreed and ran to fetch the lady.
Li Xiaomin patiently drank and waited, chatting idly with Di Renji. Di Renji smiled and kept him company, trying his best to make the Grand Secretary happy.
They sat in the pavilion, admiring the flowers and the moon, watching the pale silver-white blossoms sway under the moonlight, chatting and laughing, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
In the distance, a faint fragrance seemed to waft towards them. Li Xiaomin looked up and gazed into the distance, momentarily stunned.
Inside the round moon gate of the garden, a beautiful woman, accompanied by a maid, gracefully approached.
She appeared to be in her early twenties, with an exquisitely beautiful face, a straight nose, and eyes like autumn water, exuding an elegant and refined aura. She walked gracefully along the garden path under the moonlight, radiating a faint, holy silver glow that inspired reverence and a sense of awe.
The entire garden was bathed in moonlight, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere. Sitting in the pavilion, watching the beautiful woman approach under the moon, Li Xiaomin suddenly felt a dryness in his throat, unable to speak.
The stunningly beautiful woman, accompanied by several pretty maids, slowly walked to the pavilion and gracefully bowed, saying, "This humble servant greets Your Excellency, the Grand Secretary!"
Li Xiaomin hurriedly stood up, returned the greeting with clasped hands, and said in a hoarse voice, "Madam, please excuse the formalities. I am truly unworthy of such a gift!"
Di Renji stood up and smiled obsequiously, "This is my wife, Bai Shi, whom I married three years ago. Her father was a great Confucian scholar of this dynasty, from a family of scholars with strict upbringing and high respect. It's a pity that I returned from my posting four years ago and never met my father-in-law before hearing that he had already passed away. So, I went through many connections to arrange for her to marry his daughter. Over the years, we have lived a harmonious and loving life together.
" Li Xiaomin came to his senses, clasped his hands, and smiled, "In that case, I have been disrespectful. Please, Madam, take a seat. I would like to learn a thing or two about scholarship from you." Lady Di
kept her eyes downcast, her mouth closed, her mind elsewhere, refusing to even glance at Li Xiaomin. Only at Di Renji's urging did she gracefully enter the pavilion, sit beside him, and lower her eyes, completely ignoring the handsome young man, Li Xiaomin.
Li Xiaomin, indignant, tried to amuse her with jokes. Lady Di, however, only smiled faintly, never showing any genuine joy. Li Xiaomin couldn't help but sigh, "Truly a fine daughter raised by a great Confucian scholar, so disciplined and never making a single mistake. Seeing her adherence to etiquette, I know the difference between inside and outside the court. If I weren't a eunuch, she probably wouldn't have obeyed her husband's command to come out and see me."
After a few drinks, Li Xiaomin sensed Lady Di's intention to leave and hurriedly said with a smile, "I've heard that Lady Di is skilled in music. Would you be so kind as to play a piece so I can hear your celestial music?"
Lady Di paused slightly, then smiled and shook her head, saying, "I haven't played the zither in a long time." "I've become rusty, and besides, there's no guqin here. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, sir."
Li Xiaomin clapped his hands and laughed, "It's quite a coincidence, actually. I went to the market to buy things just now and saw someone selling a guqin, asking for a very high price. I was curious, so I picked it up and played it a few times. I found the sound to be very beautiful, so I bought it. I was on my way back to the mansion when I suddenly remembered that major water conservancy case, so I stopped by your mansion to discuss it with Lord Di. I have that guqin with me now. Madam Di, why don't you play a tune on this guqin?" Madam Di
was also surprised upon hearing this. A lover of the zither, she was naturally curious upon hearing of an ancient instrument and nodded in agreement to see what kind of instrument Li Xiaomin had brought out.
Seeing her consent, Li Xiaomin became solemn. He stood up, called for water to wash his hands, and carefully took out an ancient zither from a long bag he carried with him, placing it solemnly on the long table.
Upon seeing the zither, Di Renji exclaimed first, "Your Excellency, this zither is so ancient! Could it be the famous 'Falling Goose Zither' from the previous dynasty?"
Madam Di was also surprised, gently covering her cherry-like lips with her hand to suppress her exclamation, her beautiful eyes quietly gazing at the zither with a hint of joy.
Li Xiaomin shook his head and smiled, "No, in my opinion, this zither is even older, probably more than a thousand years old. As for its name, it is no longer known. Please, Your Excellency, bestow a name upon it, what do you say?" "
Di Renji dared not name the Grand Secretary's beloved zither, and hurriedly declined. He then asked his wife to put away the incense and prepare to play a piece for the Grand Secretary to hear. Upon seeing such a fine zither, Di Renji was naturally delighted. She washed her hands with water in a silver basin, and a pretty maidservant lit incense. In the faint smoke, Di Renji sat gracefully behind the table, and with her fair hands she gently plucked the strings. A beautiful melody floated from the zither."
Li Xiaomin sat in the pavilion, gazing at the moonlight, so bright and clear, and the beautiful woman, as fair as jade, as beautiful as a celestial being. The exquisite ancient melody played on the beautiful guqin captivated him, and he gazed at
the stunning beauty with a dreamy expression, as if he had ascended to heaven. When the piece ended, the pavilion and the surrounding area fell silent. Everyone was stunned by the unparalleled beauty of the music, their minds captivated, remaining silent and still. Even Madam Di herself was mesmerized by the beautiful music she had never heard before, speechless for a long time.
A few crisp claps broke the awkward silence. Li Xiaomin stood up, clapping and smiling, "Truly excellent zither playing! Only such a fine zither can match such skill. I present this zither to you, Madam, and hope you will not refuse!"
Di Renji exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Chancellor, how can you accept such a gift! This zither is priceless, worth more than a thousand pieces of gold! How could I dare to accept such a generous gift!"
Li Xiaomin shook his head and smiled, "It's not like that. As the saying goes, a fine sword is given to a chivalrous knight, and a beautiful woman to a lady. Such a fine zither can only be played by someone with exceptional zither skills. In my opinion,
there is no one in Jinling City whose zither playing is as good as yours. If I don't give this fine zither to Madam Di, who else can I give it to? Wouldn't that be a waste of such a fine zither?" In fact, in Jinling City, there is another person whose zither playing is similar to Madam Di's, Qin Xian'er. However, Li Xiaomin had unearthed several ancient zithers, and he had already given her a good one, so he figured she wouldn't need so many. Therefore, he was determined to give this zither to the exceptionally beautiful Lady Di.

(Part Two, Chapter Nine: The Phoenix Zither)

Seeing the beautiful woman sitting behind the table, a slight hesitation on her jade-like face, Li Xiaomin seized the opportunity, cupping his hands and smiling, "Such a fine zither, paired with your skill, is a peerless heavenly sound rarely heard in this world! I only hope that you will allow me to come and listen to your celestial music often; that would be my great fortune!"
Di Renji was both surprised and delighted. Li Xiaomin's offer of a zither was clearly an attempt to win him over. Moreover, frequent visits to hear his wife play would mean more meetings, making it the most convenient way to cultivate their relationship. Since the death of Prime Minister Zhou, he had been lost and uncertain, fearing that the powerful Li Xiaomin and Empress Zhou would consider him a dissident and eliminate him. Now that Li Xiaomin was actively showing goodwill, how could he refuse?
He hurriedly bowed and clasped his hands, forcing a smile, "Since Lord Zhongshu Jin has shown such kindness, it would be impolite of me to refuse. I thank you in advance for your generous gift!"
Hearing her husband's words, Lady Di gracefully rose and knelt before him, her cherry lips parting slightly as she sang in a melodious voice, "This concubine thanks Lord Zhongshu Jin
for bestowing the zither!" Hearing her clear voice, Li Xiaomin's throat went dry. He tried his best to appear approachable, cupping his hands and smiling, "Madam is too modest. Such a fine zither, to be played by you, allows us to hear its celestial music; it is our great fortune!
" His gaze fell upon the nameless ancient zither, and he smiled slightly, saying in a deep voice, "Such a fine zither cannot remain nameless. In my opinion, this zither could be named 'Phoenix Zither.' What do you two think?"
Di Renji clapped his hands in praise, saying, "Phoenix Zither, what a fine name! The Grand Secretary is indeed extraordinary; the name you have chosen is awe-inspiring and perfectly fitting!"
Madam Di lowered her long eyelashes, her beautiful eyes fixed on the zither. Thinking that it now had a beautiful name, she couldn't help but feel happy, and a faint, subtle smile appeared on her beautiful lips.
Night had fallen. Madam Di sat in her boudoir, behind a long table, gently stroking the zither on it, overjoyed.
In public, she had to follow the teachings she had received since childhood, keeping her eyes straight ahead, not speaking or acting rashly, and not doing anything unbecoming of her status. But now, in her own boudoir, she didn't have to follow the rules so strictly. Her gaze towards the Phoenix Zither was filled with joy, and her smile was deep. She smiled radiantly, like a naive young girl.
She chuckled softly for a while. Lady Di rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought, wondering what kind of person the young man she had met today was.
When she first heard the maid bring her husband's message, Lady Di was surprised. She wondered why her husband would send her to see another man. Later, she learned that this Grand Secretary was originally from the inner palace, a eunuch, which made her understand, and thus she obeyed her husband's command. She wondered if this counted as violating her father's dying wish.
After thinking for a while, Lady Di gently shook her head. Anyway, she hadn't met a man this time, so naturally nothing would happen. Besides, a married woman obeys her husband; his command was something she had to follow.
And that young man was even more astonishing. As a palace servant, at such a young age, he had already made great contributions, saving the entire city of Jinling from danger several times. Now, he had risen to the high position of Grand Secretary, a position even more prestigious than the former Left and Right Chancellors, practically wielding absolute power. If he weren't a palace attendant without a son to succeed him, who knows if he might harbor rebellious intentions?
Lady Di shook her head and smiled bitterly. Thinking about such matters was not something a woman like herself should be concerned with. She lowered her head to carefully admire the zither, but her mind couldn't shake the image of the handsome young man standing tall and smiling.
Such a handsome young man was someone she had never seen before in her life. Her father was very strict, forbidding his daughters from seeing men outside the household. After her father's death, her mother betrothed her to Di Renji. After entering the manor, although she managed the household affairs, she rarely saw men. The Di family rules were strict; the servants dared not raise their heads before her, and Lady Di, upholding the authority of the mistress, naturally couldn't show any disrespect. Today, seeing a man outside, though not yet a complete man, still stirred her heart slightly. Amidst the novelty, a trace of unease arose.
The young man's handsome face, elegant demeanor, and kind smile all made her heart flutter. She didn't know why she felt this way. Could it be that she had actually violated the rules and harbored inappropriate thoughts towards that young man?
She shook her head forcefully, forcing herself not to think about these strange things. Reaching for the zither, she began to play an ancient piece, "The Phoenix Seeks
Its Mate." This piece was originally something she had casually played, in response to the name of the Phoenix Zither. But born from her heart, the piece was played perfectly, its profound meaning surprising even Madam Di herself.
After finishing the piece, Madam Di sighed softly, thinking that although she had displayed extraordinary skill, bringing out the unique sound of the Phoenix Zither to its fullest extent, her mind was in turmoil, and how could she calm it down?
A round of applause rang out crisply, quite loud in the night.
Madam Di was startled and stood up, asking in a low voice, "Who is it?"
This question was actually just to bolster her courage. With her keen hearing, the applause she had just heard at the banquet was almost identical to this one, allowing her to easily guess who was clapping.
Li Xiaomin slowly emerged from the shadows by the window, clapping his hands and smiling, "Madam, your performance of 'The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate' perfectly captured its essence. This is why I gifted you the Phoenix Zither. Indeed, we are of one mind; our hearts are in perfect harmony. Madam, you so quickly guessed my intention!"
Madam Di blushed. Fang Xin was extremely startled and suspicious, and said in a trembling voice, "Lord Chancellor, why have you come here in the dead of night? This is against etiquette, please leave immediately!"
Li Xiaomin shook his head and smiled, "I came with sincerity, why must you keep me at arm's length? Please rest assured, my visit will not be reported elsewhere. I am not very talented, but I have learned a sleeping spell. Your maids are all fast asleep now and will not hear a word we exchange!"
At this moment, Madam Di, who was looking back at her maid searching for her, turned pale. Although she was no longer worried that her maids would tell her husband about this, the two of them were alone together in the dead of night. Although this man was a young man eighteen years younger than her and a eunuch, it was still against etiquette. How could she not be terrified?
Li Xiaomin took a few steps forward and stood before her, looking at Madam Di with sincere eyes. He said gently, "Madam, please allow me to express my heartfelt feelings! Ever since I saw your beauty and talent at the banquet, I have been unable to contain myself. Therefore, I have come here overnight to see you. Madam, please do not refuse me!"
Having said that, he opened his arms and neatly embraced Madam Di, lowering his head to kiss her delicate cherry lips. Madam Di was already stunned, and only when he inserted his tongue into her lips did she think of struggling, her pearly teeth clenched tightly, refusing to let his tongue into her mouth.
Li Xiaomin was not in a hurry, his tongue lightly licking her smooth pearly teeth, his lips sucking on her sweet and tender lips, his hands holding her delicate body tightly. Although this beauty was a little taller than him, a young man who was not yet fully grown, he held her delicate body in his arms, unable to break free. His hands could still spare a few moments to caress her slender waist, feeling the softness to the touch, which was extremely intoxicating. He couldn't help but be overjoyed, his mouth fiercely sucking on Madam Di's upper lip, his tongue sticking out to lightly lick her delicate nose, feeling the hot breath rushing against his tongue and lips, knowing that she was aroused, and he was even more secretly delighted.
Lady Di was flustered and bewildered. She had never encountered such a shameless man in her life, and now she had met one she'd been set on by a eunuch. Her long, slender legs were pressed tightly together, her delicate hands reaching down to resist his shameless, groping touch, but she couldn't defend herself from above. He grabbed her arms with one arm, and with the other, he grabbed her breasts hard!
Her breasts, untouched by human hands, fell into the man's grasp. This forceful squeeze threw Lady Di into a frenzy, and she opened her mouth, letting out a cry.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Xiaomin's tongue swiftly entered, intertwining with Lady Di's smooth, fragrant tongue, sucking hard at her sweet saliva. A fierce tongue battle ensued, leaving Lady Di panting heavily, weakly closing her beautiful eyes, two crystal tears slowly sliding down her long eyelashes.
Seeing her cry, Li Xiaomin felt pity. He gently kissed away her glistening tears, licked her earlobe, and smiled, "Madam, why must you be like this? The desires of men and women are a fundamental human responsibility. Don't you know this yourself?"
Madam Di closed her eyes and said in a trembling voice, "Grand Chancellor, please don't be like this! I am a woman of the Di family, and that will never change! Your actions are extremely rude, please stop!"
Li Xiaomin shook his head and smiled, "Madam, why deceive yourself? Since Di Renji was injured while serving as a local official, he has already..." "Being unable to have sex, even if I marry a woman, it's just a smokescreen to cover up my weakness and incompetence. My lady is still a virgin; how can she be called a wife of the Di family?"
Accompanying his words, his hand swiftly moved down, from her breasts to her most mysterious and forbidden area, grasping it and gently caressing it. He felt the hair and skin lightly rubbing against her through her silk robes, and he seemed to hear the dry, pleasant sounds. A smug, wicked smile appeared on his handsome face.

(Part Two, Chapter Ten: The Virtuous Lady Di) Lady Di

was almost fainting from the shock of his words. How did he know such a secret? Since marrying into the Di family, she and Di Renji had never shared a bed. They lived far apart and had never been intimate. At first, she knew nothing of matters between men and women, simply believing it was how things should be. Later, after hearing the maids talk about this strange affair, she learned about matters between men and women and was utterly astonished. As for Di Renji, after being injured in office, he lost his male function, but kept it a secret and forbade anyone to talk about it. She herself only learned of it by chance from a loyal servant woman. How could the Grand Secretary know such a significant matter?
In her extreme shock, she didn't even notice Li Xiaomin's excessive actions until she felt a strange friction in her lower body. Only then did Madam Di struggle violently, a strong sense of grievance welling up in her chest, crying and groaning, "You...you shouldn't do this, I...I don't want to..."
Hearing her incoherent moans, Li Xiaomin's smile deepened. He lowered his head and gently kissed her cherry lips, smiling, "This kiss is probably Madam's first kiss, isn't it? To receive Madam's first kiss, how fortunate I am! Since I've already received one kiss, why don't you be a little more generous, Madam?" "May I, your humble servant, comfort you, for your many years of loneliness? But may I, your humble servant, have the honor of sharing your
bed?" Years of loneliness and grievance, the fear and anger of being bullied by her husband, Shangguan, transformed into a powerful force, causing Madam Di to forcefully push Li Xiaomin away, crying out loudly, "No!
I was born a member of the Di family, and I will die a member of the Di family. Since I married into the Di family, no matter what my husband does, I will never do such a disgraceful thing! If you continue to force me, I will only have death to save myself!"
Her hand swiftly pulled a gold hairpin from her hair, pointing its sharp tip directly at her snow-white, slender neck. A resolute expression graced her beautiful face as she quietly watched Li Xiaomin, waiting for him to make any further outrageous move before plunging the hairpin in!
Li Xiaomin's expression changed slightly as he quietly watched her, seeing that her resolve to die was firm. Not daring to
press her too hard , he could only slowly remove his hand from her lower body, sighing, "Madam, why must you do this! I only wish to find someone who understands and cares for me. If you are unwilling, I will not force you. It's just a pity, just a pity..."
He looked up to the sky and sighed, "Where can I, Li Xiaomin, find such a beautiful and intelligent woman as my wife? Even if I did, I'm afraid they would all be married and no longer willing to be my confidante!
Unless their husbands are no longer alive. What a pity, what a pity, there is no such thing as a good thing! It seems I can only rely on you, Madam!"
Madam Di was already so panicked that she didn't know what to do, but she didn't want to die. She only hoped that Li Xiaomin would back down. Hearing Li Xiaomin say this, she hurriedly said, "Don't bother me anymore. I can introduce my sister to you. As for whether she is willing to remarry, that's up to you!"
Li Xiaomin was secretly delighted. He had already investigated Madam Di's family background thoroughly before coming here. Otherwise, how could he have remembered such a trivial matter as Di Renji's impotence? His face was ashen, and he shook his head, sighing, "Is my sister already married? I'm afraid it's against propriety for us to be together?"
Madam Di, flustered, blurted out, her voice trembling, "A widow remarrying is not against propriety. If you are willing, I will let my sister meet you. If she is unwilling, you cannot force her."
Li Xiaomin looked up to the sky and sighed, "Why is it so difficult to find someone who understands my feelings? Are we eunuchs not human?"
He dejectedly released the beauty in his arms, turned and walked towards the window, his body filled with loneliness and desolation. He softly recited, "Those who know me say I am worried. Those who do not know me ask what I seek!" Standing at
the window, he turned back, looking at Madam Di with infinite longing and heartache, then climbed over the window and jumped into the vast night.
Madam Di was greatly alarmed; her boudoir was on the third floor, and he would likely be injured if he jumped.
She hastily put down her hairpin, disregarding her ladylike demeanor, and rushed to the window. Watching a lonely, forlorn young man in white walk alone into the vast night towards the guest room, she turned slightly and, distraught, walked to the bedside.
Sitting blankly on the bed, she pondered the strange young man's words and recalled the events of the moment. Although he was a eunuch and incapable of violating her chastity, a single kiss with him had already made her lose her virtue. Fortunately, he hadn't undressed her; otherwise, it would have been an even greater loss of chastity, and she would have no face to face her deceased parents after death! Suddenly
, she remembered that her sister's husband had just died, and it would be against propriety for her to introduce her to another man; moreover, her sister was even more resolute than herself, and when her brother-in-law was seriously ill, she had repeatedly said that if anything happened, she would remain chaste for life. Although eunuchs could marry, allowing her sister to remarry would likely break her vow of lifelong chastity. How could she possibly face her sister like that?
Overwhelmed with turmoil, Lady Di collapsed onto her embroidered pillow, sobbing uncontrollably. She was filled with remorse for betraying her sister and wished she could die on the spot.
Unbeknownst to her, the vengeful spirits of several servants hovered in the air nearby, watching her intently. If she showed even the slightest sign of death, they would step forward to stop her, determined not to let her die easily and incur the wrath and punishment of the Immortal Lord.
These ghostly servants had not been allowed to enter when the Immortal Lord and Lady Di were intimate.
However, before the Immortal Lord departed, he had ordered that nothing should happen to them, or their souls would be scattered; conversely, those who performed well would be richly rewarded. These servants hurriedly flew in through the window, surrounding Lady Di and protecting her from harm, whether from outsiders or themselves.
The next morning, Li Xiaomin, still hungover, rose from his guest room in the Di residence. Served by the servants, he washed and dressed, then went out to greet Di Renji with clasped hands. They then boarded a sedan chair and went to court together.
In court, Li Xiaomin, positioned at the head of the court officials, bowed and presented his report, informing his beautiful lover behind the beaded curtain about the water conservancy project he and Di Renji had discussed.
When Empress Zhou inquired further, Li Xiaomin claimed that Di Renji was in charge and that he would answer the questions.
Empress Zhou then inquired of Di Renji. Di Renji had discussed the matter at length with Li Xiaomin the previous night and was thoroughly familiar with all the details. Standing respectfully in the court, he explained everything clearly and logically, causing the court officials to nod in approval. They knew Di Renji was a master of domestic affairs, and appointing him Minister of Works was indeed very suitable.
Empress Zhou pondered for a long time before making a decision, entrusting Di Renji with full authority over the matter. All funding would be provided from the national treasury. She greatly encouraged his diligence in his duties and rewarded him with dozens of bolts of silk. This favor from the Empress made even the Minister of Revenue, Ding Guan, and others, who were eager to see him fail, green with envy, but could only curse him inwardly.
Di Renji was overjoyed and thanked Empress Zhou for her generous gift, his heart filled with boundless delight.
Although the dozens of bolts of silk were valuable, they were of little interest to him. Only the construction of water conservancy projects, with their enormous expenditure, presented a golden opportunity for embezzlement and bribery. If he could finish this task, it would be enough for his descendants to live on for many years—if he still had descendants.
He knew that this was thanks to Li Xiaomin, or perhaps it was a way for Li Xiaomin to win him over. After descending from the palace, he pulled Li Xiaomin aside, thanked him repeatedly, and vaguely mentioned that he would definitely send him generous gifts during festivals.
Seeing how happy he was, and even his intention to share the spoils with him, Li Xiaomin couldn't help but mutter to himself, "He's so happy, could it be that he's like those corrupt officials of later generations, trying to ruin this major water conservancy project? Humph, if he only embezzles a lot, it's fine, consider it payment. But if he messes up the project, even if I forgive him, Empress Zhou won't let him off! I'll have to send some spies to follow him, to prevent him from embezzling too much. It's just a pity that once we're a hundred miles from Jinling, the safety of the wronged souls under my command can't be guaranteed. Last time I sent a few wronged ghosts to deliver a message to the Western Route Army, they were intercepted by Black Impermanence and several ghostly soldiers after only a hundred and twenty miles." "I almost had them arrested and taken to the underworld to be punished for failing to report there! Luckily, they mentioned my name, and Black Impermanence showed them some leniency and let them pass. Otherwise, my message wouldn't have reached me! Hmm, it seems there's something strange about the underworld of Jinling. Within this hundred li, ghosts can escape the pressure of the underworld, but once they leave this hundred li, their lives are no longer guaranteed. This is truly bizarre! With such a situation, if he wants to go out and build water conservancy projects, he really needs to find some powerful ghost guards to accompany him."
He was lost in thought, laughing and joking with Di Renji. After watching him leave with profuse thanks, he turned around and entered the inner palace through an inconspicuous small door.
Actually, for someone of his status as the chief steward of the inner palace, entering the inner palace after court was nothing unusual. Especially after all the guards had been replaced by his trusted soldiers, he could do whatever he wanted. If it weren't for the need to keep the chronically ill and comatose Li Yu alive so that Empress Zhou could legitimately rule from behind the curtain, killing him earlier wouldn't have been a big deal.
Standing in the palace garden, Li Xiaomin looked up and took a deep breath. Enjoying the pure air, he felt joyful. This inner palace was the only place where he could indulge himself. No woman would be so bound by any high moral principles as to refuse him.

Part Two, Chapter Eleven: The Ghost King of Dongshan .

A hundred miles southeast of Jinling City, there was a towering mountain, majestic and soaring into the clouds.
Although this mountain was tall and precipitous, worthy of being among the most famous mountains in the world, it was surrounded by gloomy clouds and mist, appearing extremely eerie.
The roads within the mountain were extremely dangerous, and the howling winds filled the numerous caves scattered throughout the mountainside, creating a piercing sound that chilled the heart.
In the distance outside the mountain, there were still a few human settlements; but below and within the mountain, there was no trace of human life.
The mountains are inhabited by terrifying vengeful spirits and wandering demons. Using the underground yin energy, they forcefully resist the jurisdiction of the underworld. The wronged souls from all directions are gathered on the mountain by these monsters, forming a powerful force that refuses to be reincarnated in the underworld. They frequently wreak havoc, causing immense headaches for the underworld's messengers.
This place, like Jinling, has a strong accumulation of yin energy underground, allowing these vengeful spirits to withstand the underworld's soldiers. Along with Jinling, it is one of the two places in Southern Tang that causes the underworld's messengers the most trouble.
This high mountain is called Ghost Mountain by distant humans because most who approach it die mysteriously and cannot leave.
Originally, although ghosts inhabited this mountain, it hadn't reached this point:
however, since the destruction of the Turtle Mountain Sect, Southern Tang has lost its guardian sect, and the ghosts on the mountain have become rampant. The strongest of these ghosts, relying on its powerful magic cultivated over many years, subdued all the other lesser demons and spirits, proclaiming itself the Ghost King of Dongshan. It ruled the mountain, commanding all ghosts, none daring to disobey.
Besides the large number of ghosts gathered in this extremely yin place, some monsters also resided there.
The demon race was quite prosperous a thousand years ago. They roamed the mountains and forests, occasionally descending to capture and devour living people, finding great pleasure in their bloody farewells. However, a thousand years ago, Taoism rose to prominence. All Taoist practitioners took it upon themselves to slay demons and monsters. After thousands of years of brutal slaughter, the demons of the world were reduced to a sparse population. In many mountains, entire families of demons were wiped out by Taoist practitioners. Dongshan itself had also been ravaged several times by the senior masters of the Turtle Mountain Sect, who had wiped out all the demons, large and small, making it a pure land where one could travel freely at night; however, though the demons were gone… The ghosts have returned. In recent decades, the yin energy here has grown stronger, and countless ghosts have gathered.
Even now, their power
is immense; even if the Turtle Mountain Sect were to be resurrected, it would be difficult to shake their foundations. The distant demons, residing in the kingdoms of Northern Zhao, Chen, and Shu, have been driven to their knees by the righteous forces of Taoism. Hearing of the growing power of the ghosts
here, many have brought their families to seek refuge. Although they are of minority ethnicity and subject to the control of the Eastern Mountain Ghost King, they are content as long as they can at least survive under his protection. Seeing the large number of demons under his jurisdiction—gradually reaching one-tenth of the total number of ghosts—the Eastern Mountain Ghost King selected those with some magical power and appointed twelve demon servants to command the demons.
For such a group of ghosts who dared to defy the authority of the underworld, the netherworld should naturally send troops to suppress them. Unfortunately, the netherworld has recently been lacking in strength, having suffered countless casualties in several battles with the Western Demon Realm, and has only managed to maintain a stalemate. It is difficult to spare the strength to deal with such a large and unruly group of ghosts in the mortal world. Therefore, it can only turn a blind eye and leave the matter to the emperors and sorcerers of the human world to handle.
Other countries still have their own guardian sects, so they are not so bad. However, in the Southern Tang Dynasty, all the guardian sects have been wiped out. Although Emperor Li Yu wanted to establish the Yinshan Sect as the new guardian sect, most of the sorcerers of the Yinshan Sect were still recovering from internal injuries in the last great battle and could not come to answer the call. Therefore, it can only let the Ghost King of Dongshan lead his horde of ghosts to live a carefree life here.
The Eastern Mountain Ghost King had a large and powerful army under his command, and lived a carefree life. He should have been enjoying himself, but today, standing in his tent on the mountain peak, he was furious and roared, "What? My sworn brother, the Netherworld Fiend King, was murdered. I asked you to avenge him, and you say you have no way?"
The Eastern Mountain Ghost King was over ten feet tall, with a dark face and a ferocious appearance. He had a pair of sharp horns on his head, and his two large, copper-bell-like eyes shone with a fierce light. With a sway of his head, he looked like a ferocious god, making people tremble with fear.
It was already late when he stood in the middle of the mountain, under a carefully constructed awning built in a large tree. He pointed at his subordinates and roared, "I've long said I'd mobilize all the ghosts in the mountain and march on Jinling to slaughter the city! But you all made excuses, saying the roads were too dangerous, that you feared the King of Hell would send troops to ambush us in a place where the Yin energy was weak; and that that dog eunuch was facing internal and external troubles and would sooner or later suffer a terrible fate. But now the news I hear is that that dog eunuch has become the Grand Secretary, wielding great power and living a more and more comfortable life! You've misled me like this, aren't you afraid of my strict laws?"
His ghostly subordinates, scattered all over the mountain, knelt down in fear when they saw him angry, not daring to raise their heads. The whole mountain was filled with trembling ghosts kneeling on the ground.
An old ghost dressed in courtier's robes knelt down tremblingly, kowtowing and reporting, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! It's not that I'm making excuses, but the Yin energy underground has been fluctuating abnormally lately, especially more than ten miles away, where the Yin energy is almost completely dissipated. If we were to suddenly emerge and encounter the underworld's forces coming to capture us, I fear many of the ghosts on this mountain would suffer heavy losses! If Your Majesty truly doesn't want that eunuch to live comfortably, you can send twelve demon servants to Jinling to seize the opportunity to kill the eunuch, the Grand Secretary! Even if you can't kill him, you can still throw the city into chaos, causing that eunuch endless trouble, and vent Your Majesty's anger!"
Upon hearing this, the Eastern Mountain Ghost King's spirits lifted. He slowly retreated, sitting in an enormous chair, his eyes flickering, lost in thought.
Since he remained silent, his subordinate ghosts and lesser demons dared not utter a sound either. For a moment, the entire mountain was silent; even the birds and beasts dared not make a sound to disturb the ferocious and terrifying Eastern Mountain Ghost King.
After a long pause, the Ghost King of Dongshan raised his head, forcefully swung his enormous demonic claw, and roared, "Where are the twelve demon generals! Is there anyone willing to share my burden and wreak havoc on Jinling?"
Before he finished speaking, one of his most valiant generals eagerly stepped forward, bowed, clasped his hands, and said in a rough voice, "Your Majesty, do not worry! This humble general is willing to go to Jinling and will surely behead that dog eunuch to report back to Your Majesty!" The
Ghost King of Dongshan looked up and saw that the general was broad-shouldered, thick-waisted, and burly. His eyes were like lightning, and his mouth was like a blood basin: he was the most valiant of his demon generals, and his eyes lit up. Nodding, he said, "Well said! It's commendable that you are so brave; you truly deserve to be my tiger general!"
The tiger general, pleased by the praise, grinned broadly, puffed out his back, and even the large "King" character on his forehead trembled with joy. He humbly replied, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. This humble general is unworthy of such praise!"
The Eastern Mountain Ghost King turned to look at the other eleven demon generals, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
The eleven demon generals, already unhappy that the tiger general had stolen their thunder, were even more terrified by the Eastern Mountain Ghost King's displeasure. They hurriedly rushed forward, kneeling before the Eastern Mountain Ghost King's throne, desperately expressing their loyalty. They vied to go to Jinling City, where humans gathered, and wreak havoc, even if they couldn't kill that dog eunuch, they would make him miserable and unable to sleep!
One of the fat, big-eared demon generals shouted the loudest, puffing out his large chest. He shouted, "Your Majesty, please send me to war! I will surely cut off that dog's head and bring it back to Your Majesty!"
A demon general kneeling beside him, however, was filled with rage. He turned and glared at the man, knowing that he was using this opportunity to insult him indirectly. He also clasped his fists and shouted, "Your Majesty, please send me to war! If I don't bring back that stupid pig's head, Your Majesty will cut off my head!"
Upon hearing this, the pig general beside him felt displeased. He turned his head and glared angrily at the dog general. If they weren't in front of the Eastern Mountain Ghost King's throne, they would have grabbed each other, pinned each other to the ground, and given each other a good beating with pig fists!
The Ghost King of Dongshan smiled as he watched his subordinates eagerly rush into battle. He coughed lightly and said, "Don't rush! Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Monkey General, tell me the intelligence you gathered during your last trip to Jinling!"
Among the demon generals, a monkey dressed in red puffed out his chest and shouted, "Yes! Last time, I was scouting in Jinling. While mingling in the streets and performing a talent show, I overheard someone watching the show whispering to the person next to him about the last great battle. It was the eunuch Li Xiaomin, who had harmed the Demon King, who used his magic to break the spell of an enemy Taoist priest and kill him on the spot. Afterward, he led his troops to kill the enemy leader in one fell swoop, thus quelling the rebellion. The eunuch was rewarded for his great contribution and was appointed as the Grand Secretary, in charge of military and political affairs." "Power!" Upon hearing this, the general was enraged. "That eunuch is so audacious! He harmed the King and didn't even flee, yet he dares to serve as an official here! Originally, I wanted to infiltrate the palace and take his life, but without Your Majesty's permission, I dared not act rashly. I beg Your Majesty to grant me permission to go forth and surely behead that eunuch… bring back his head and present it to Your Majesty!"
He withdrew his words at the last minute, thus avoiding involvement in the conflict between the Pig General and the Captive General. However, this displeased the Tiger General with a large head beside him. The Tiger General glanced at him sideways and sneered, "Don't boast! Everyone knows your meager skills; you can only play the clown and make people laugh! What street talent show? Just say you're a monkey performer!"
The Monkey General, enraged, turned and glared at the Tiger General, only to be met with a fierce stare from the Tiger General, who stared back at his small monkey head.
The Monkey General immediately lost his momentum, shrinking to the side, head bowed, not daring to speak.
Among the demons, he was one of the weakest in terms of magical power. He shouldn't have been chosen as a general, but the previous monkey general was old and had developed a habit of consuming the "Extreme Bliss Dao Dispersion Elixir," ultimately dying from it. This position was then filled by the strongest monkey, though even he couldn't match the demonic power of the other generals. He was often bullied among the demons, but being a lone monkey, he was powerless to resist and could only grit his teeth and endure it. Aside from occasionally being able to show off his power to the smaller rat and rabbit generals to satisfy his twisted psychological needs, he was destined to be bullied the rest of the time.
The Ghost King of Dongshan was delighted, laughing heartily, "Good, good, good! You're all so eager to go! You're all so loyal! Hmph, demon generals and ghosts are different, they're not afraid of being captured by the Yin soldiers, that's good!"
His gaze swept over the twelve demon generals, then he suddenly pointed to a few and shouted, "Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, you few go! Oh, and take Monkey with you too. He often performs monkey shows in Jinling to earn money, so he's quite familiar with everything in Jinling City. Let him gather intelligence for you, that'll be good for yourselves. As for the others, they can attack the city in the next batch!"
Tiger General was overjoyed, knowing he could bully Monkey at will, and was about to step forward to request a vanguard position when the Ghost King of Dongshan waved his hand to stop him, saying in a deep voice, "You few, you must come one by one, in the order I say, leading your subordinates into the city to cause chaos. Don't go in a disorderly manner." " Prologue! Rat, you'll be the first to enter the city and attack. When you come to my tent later, I have some instructions for you!"
A fat rat with shifty eyes trembled at the sound of the voice. Though frightened, he had no choice but to step forward and kowtow, his voice
trembling as he said, "Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty!" The Tiger General, unwilling to accept this, stepped forward to protest, but the Eastern Mountain Ghost King gave him a cold glance and said in a deep voice, "Little Tiger, what is it?"
The Tiger General felt a chill run down his spine from that look, his body trembling slightly. He lowered his head and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I wanted to thank you for your trust in allowing me to be among the first to fight. I am deeply grateful!"
The Eastern Mountain Ghost King nodded, a faint smile appearing on his terrifying ghostly face. He said calmly, "Very good! Go and pack your things. Rat, come with me!"
Watching the Eastern Mountain Ghost King's terrifying figure turn and walk into the huge cave behind him, all the demon generals and ghosts breathed a sigh of relief.
The four generals, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, and Monkey, went to pack their belongings and summon their subordinates, preparing for the expedition. The Rat, head bowed, entered the cave, his heart filled with trepidation, wondering what the King would say to him.
A moment later, he scrambled out of the hole, his face a mixture of worry and joy, and ran off quickly.
In the pitch-black cave, the Eastern Mountain Ghost King stood alone in the darkness, the rage gone from his face. He calmly watched the rat's departing figure, a slight smile playing on his lips.
From the darkness, his sinister voice drifted out in a low voice: "Li Xiaomin, your appearance is quite interesting. My schemes of millions of years might just fall to you, to be fulfilled for me!"

Part Two, Chapter Twelve: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Monkey

. At dawn, as the sun rose,
on the desolate wilderness outside Jinling City, a small creature gazed longingly at the distant city, its face filled with sorrow.
It was only a foot or so tall, just reaching the height of a human's calf, standing firmly on the sand on its two hind legs. Its teeth were bushy and covered in dust, giving it a weary appearance. Its small face, with its pointed snout and whiskers, was filled with hesitation, yet it gritted its teeth, grinding them silently. With a chilling squeak, its expression gradually hardened, finally hardening into a resolute one. With a final, determined stride, it bravely stepped into Jinling, ready to make its due contribution to the King's great cause!
However, the rat general's foot had barely taken a step when it abruptly stopped, its expression becoming even more tragic. The muscles in its cheeks twitched slightly, and a single tear slowly rolled down its left eye.
Its pointed mouth slowly opened, filled with boundless sorrow. It gritted its teeth and uttered a poignant phrase:
"It hurts!!!"
Its rat head slowly turned, glaring with intense resentment at the monkey standing behind it, its face beaming with affection.
A monkey stood straight behind it, its eyes fixed on it, a deep tenderness radiating from its gaze as it silently watched the rat. One of its feet was slightly extended forward, resting precisely on the rat's large tail, the sharp nail of its middle toe pressing firmly into the base of the tail, digging deep into the sand.
The rat turned around, glaring at the monkey with hatred, and gritted its teeth, asking, "Monkey, what are you doing?"
The monkey looked at it quietly, its comical face filled with touching brotherly affection, and said in a trembling voice, "Because you are going to war. I can't bear to part with you, so I came to personally see you off into the city!"
Its voice was extremely mournful and desolate, making the rat's nose tingle with emotion. It felt its monkey paws tighten even more in its agitation, causing the base of its tail to ache unbearably.
A strong wind swept across the wilderness, rustling the monkey's fur. The monkey standing in the wilderness appeared so desolate and pained.
Its monkey face began to contort violently, tears slowly streaming from its eyes. Looking down at the rat general, who was also weeping, it uttered a harsh, clenched-teeth threat:
"Who stepped on my tail?!"
Its monkey head suddenly turned, glaring angrily at an old ox behind it. Its expression of grief and indignation was identical to that of the rat general whose tail had been stepped on.
The old ox, however, was much taller. Its strong forehooves, carrying the ox's immense weight, stomped hard on the long monkey tail, pressing the middle section deep into the sand.
The old ox, with its innocent,憨厚 gaze, looked at the angry monkey general, slowly opened its mouth, and chuckled wickedly: "I found it amusing to see you stepping on each other like this, and I figured you must enjoy having your tail stepped on too, so I came to help you!"
The rat general at the front gripped the base of the tail tightly with its claws. He forcefully pulled out the long tail from under the sharp monkey's paws, and sneered with satisfaction, "The oriole stalks the cicada, the ox is behind; indeed, the wicked are always punished... and the good man is the one to suffer!"
The monkey general glared angrily at the ox for a while, then turned back to glare contemptuously at the rat general, grinding his teeth, "You even know how to mispronounce idioms, no wonder people say rats are short-sighted!"
The rat general's eyes turned red, and he angrily said, "You came here early in the morning to bully people, and you dare to talk back to me! I know you're unhappy because you didn't get first place, but what's wrong with the king's order?"
The monkey general angrily said, "What unhappiness? Bullying people? I came here out of brotherly affection to see you off." "Well, who knew you'd bite the hand that feeds you, ungrateful for my kindness!" It turned its head and glared angrily at the ox general, gritting its teeth, "You old ox,
always riding on my head, and today you've come to stir up trouble again! If your tail weren't so short, I would definitely stomp on it!"
Despite being scolded, the old ox's face didn't change color at all; instead, its expression was full of concern for the monkey. It chuckled wickedly, "Don't be angry, monkey. I'll treat you to steamed monkey tail later, how about that?"
Its hard hooves ground hard on the sand, and the monkey general's tears streamed down his face. He looked up at the sky and let out a piercing scream!
The old ox chuckled wickedly, about to offer some words of comfort to the monkey general, when suddenly its expression changed. Turning around, it looked at the white rabbit swinging on its tail and roared, "Rabbit, what are you doing?"
A rabbit, about the size of an ordinary white rabbit, gripped the ox's tail tightly on all fours, hanging there and laughing, "You guys go ahead and stomp on it, I'll stomp on it too!"
Behind it, a large, powerful tiger extended its sharp claws, grinning maliciously, "Is today a tail-stomping contest? Looks like I can't refuse!"
It raised its leg to stomp on the rabbit's tail, but missed several times. Enraged, it kicked the rabbit hard in the rump, but the rabbit nimbly dodged, and the kick landed squarely on the ox's leg, causing it to howl in pain, its moo echoing across the open field.
Just as the old ox staggered from the tiger's kick, the monkey general seized the opportunity to retract its long tail. Clutching the mouse in his arms in grief, tears of anger streaming down his face, he shouted angrily, "Stop this nonsense! The King has ordered the five of us to attack Jinling together. What kind of behavior is
this, fighting amongst yourselves!" The Rabbit General had already jumped onto the Ox General's back, dancing and laughing shrilly,
"You still dare to talk back! Weren't you the first to bully the mouse? Besides, it wasn't us attacking together; the mouse is the King's favorite, so he sent it first. Don't get it wrong!"
The Monkey General was even more enraged upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "I've performed in Jinling for so long, I know Jinling best. Why should I give this opportunity to gain merit to the mouse! If the Tiger had taken this opportunity, that would be one thing, but now this little mouse is starting to act all high and mighty. Will I still have a good life in the future?"
His gaze... The tiger general landed diagonally on the rat general's teeth, scoffing, "The king must have made a mistake. How could he send such a small thing to lead the charge in Jinling?"
The tiger general shouted from behind, "That's right! What use is such a small thing! It would be better to send a tiger general to take Jinling in one fell swoop. Let those humans know the power of our demon race!"
The ox general also sneered, "Exactly! Sending such a small thing into the city, it'll probably be trampled to death by human horses in the first encounter! At the very least, a larger demon general should be sent into the city, lest we lose face in Dongshan!" As he spoke, he stretched out his hoof to step on the monkey general's tail. The monkey general was so frightened that he hurriedly flicked his tail to the side, dodging the ox general's hoof.
The rabbit general stood on its back, stroking its whiskers, and sneered, "It's currently favored by the king. What's the use of saying so much! There's nothing we can do. Even if it means losing face for all of us, we have to let it go first! Who told us we don't know how to flatter!"
The monkey general's tail, which had been stepped on painfully, was now flicked back. The pain was excruciating, and anger surged within him, yet he dared not vent it on the powerful Ox General. He kicked the rat in front of him, sending it flying, and roared, "Disgraceful! Why should it fight the first battle!"
The rat's plump body was sent flying into the air before crashing heavily to the ground, landing in a heap.
It struggled to its feet, turned back to glare at the Monkey General, and gritted its teeth, forcing out, "Monkey, you're determined to cause trouble, aren't you?"
The Monkey General retorted angrily, "Nonsense! What trouble? I'm only trying to teach you out of brotherly love, to prevent you from making a single mistake that could lead to endless regret..."
Before he could finish, the rat, its face contorted with rage, reached for its mouth and let out a piercing shriek!
In the blink of an eye, pointed rat heads emerged from the holes large and small on the ground, squeaking and chirping, exchanging information in rat language.
The monkey's expression changed slightly, and he took a step back, angrily saying, "Rat, what do you want? Do you think I'll be afraid of you just because you've brought help?"
The rat general glared at him, pointed forward, and squeaked loudly. Immediately, rats all over the ground leaped out of their holes and charged madly at the monkey general, following his gesture!
Even though the monkey was large, he couldn't withstand the onslaught of hundreds and thousands of rats. He crashed to the ground, and a large group of rats stood on him, swinging their tiny rat fists and hitting him hard!
The largest rat, seeing its kin succeed in one fell swoop, also jumped over. It first cast a spell, rendering the monkey general weak, then ordered its subordinate rats to grab one of its monkey fingers, preventing it from casting spells. The rat itself jumped onto the monkey's head and swung its big fist, smashing it hard onto the monkey's head.
Fearing the wrath of the Eastern Mountain Ghost King, it dared not injure the monkey general with its sharp rat teeth. Instead, it led a large group of subordinates, wielding rat fists and pounding them hard on the monkey's head, cursing and stomping on its head in anger.
Even a monkey much larger than a rat couldn't withstand the hundreds and thousands of small fists striking it; its teeth ached with pain, and it cried out in agony. The large rats then beat it senseless, leaving it on the ground.

In Chapter Thirteen of Part Two, "Xu Xian's Widow,"

the three demon generals behind it all paled and took a few steps back, staring dumbfounded at the fierce battle. They never imagined that the rat general, always so cunning and hiding underground, possessed such a fierce temper and skill.
The rat, riding on the monkey's head, gave it a good beating, venting its pent-up anger from the bullying it had suffered at the hands of its companions. Still not satisfied, it leaped up, raised its arms, and shouted, "Long live the Ghost King of Dongshan! For the Ghost King of Dongshan, we are willing to sacrifice our lives, to advance relentlessly, ever forward! Down with all those who dare to oppose us!"
A burning passion, like a raging fire, blazed in its small heart. The rat leaped up, gazing at the sun, its soaring ambition reaching the heavens.
It slowly turned, glaring angrily at its nine dumbfounded demon general companions standing to the side, coldly snorted, and strode towards Jinling City, roaring as it went, "Since the King has sent me to do this, I must do it well to repay his kindness! Even if I am shattered to pieces, I will never regret it!"
The rats all stood on their hind legs, watching their leader generously heading towards the human city, their small eyes filled with tears!
This soaring ambition influenced more than just the rat. The nine demon generals beside him were also deeply moved, lost in thought.
Among them, the one most affected was the tiger general. Hearing the rat general's heroic words, he couldn't help but tremble. Looking into the distance, he saw that under the crimson morning sun, that tiny figure appeared so majestic, faintly exuding the aura of a king...
In Jinling City, inside a private residence, came the mournful sound of a woman weeping.
A young monk slowly walked to the residence, looked up, and saw that it was a grand mansion, clearly belonging to a wealthy family. However, a white banner hung at the door, indicating that a funeral was taking place.
The young monk shook his head and sighed, stepped forward, gently knocked on the door, and called out, "Excuse me, are you Mianmian?"
The weeping inside gradually subsided, paused for a moment, and then the gate opened, and a beautiful woman came out to open it. With red and swollen eyes, she carefully examined the monk and asked, "May I ask what brings you here, Master?"
The monk raised his hand to brush aside the disheveled hair covering his face, scrutinizing the woman who had opened the door. She was dressed in simple white mourning clothes, appearing to be in her early twenties, with an exceptionally beautiful face. She was practically a celestial being, with a slender and alluring figure, which, combined with the simple
white mourning clothes, made her even more captivating. Her black hair, styled in a cloud-like bun, was tied back with a white ribbon, slightly loosened from crying, and adorned with a white flower.
Her beautiful eyes were now red and swollen, like ripe peaches, making her appear even more delicate and pitiful.
The monk clasped his hands together and bowed in respect. He said gently, "Madam, is this the home of Layman Xu Xian? I met him briefly the other day, and today I'm passing through Jinling and have come to pay my respects."
Hearing her late husband's name, the mourning woman's eyes reddened again. She struggled to suppress her tears and said in a trembling voice, "Thank you for your concern, Master. My late husband passed away five days ago."
The monk exclaimed in surprise, "Is that so? When I saw Layman Xu Xian before, I felt he had a dark aura, as if he were possessed by a demon, and I've been worried about him ever since. I never imagined that I would find out he had truly passed away! Has he been buried yet?"
The mourning woman covered her face and wept, "He hasn't been buried yet. The burial ceremony will be held in seven days."
The monk clasped his hands in prayer and sighed, "In that case, Madam, would you allow me to go in and pay my respects to Layman Xu Xian's memorial tablet?" The
woman, her eyes red-rimmed, nodded in agreement and led him into the mourning hall.
The ascetic looked around and saw white banners hanging everywhere, a scene of utter desolation. There was no one else in the room except for the woman, who was keeping vigil.
Before the memorial tablet, the ascetic clasped his hands in prayer and murmured a scripture, hoping for Xu Xian's soul to be reborn quickly and not linger in the mortal world, becoming someone else's third wheel.
With his magical powers, even if Xu Xian had died unjustly and remained a vengeful ghost in the underworld of Jinling, he could easily be freed and reincarnated. Besides, Xu Xian had already died of illness, and his ghost might have been taken away by the Black and White Impermanence, likely already reincarnated as a human. His recitation of this scripture was merely a small act of kindness, just in case.
The woman, standing to the side, felt a pang of sorrow and couldn't help but cover her face and weep.
After finishing the scripture, the ascetic turned and sighed, "Since this humble monk has come here and met you, madam, it is fate." "May I ask, madam, is your surname Bai, and your given name Suzhen?"
Bai Suzhen looked surprised, wiping away her tears and asking doubtfully, "How does Master know my maiden name? Did my late husband tell you?"
The monk nodded and smiled, inwardly sighing, "Indeed, history has its accidental and inevitable aspects. Bai Suzhen's marriage to Xu Xian is already ordained by fate!"
Looking at his handsome face hidden by his disheveled hair, a hint of doubt flashed in Bai Suzhen's beautiful eyes, and she asked softly, "May I ask, Master, what is your Dharma name, and in which temple did you become a nun?"
The monk smiled and put his palms together, "This humble monk is a wandering monk, living a simple life. As for my Dharma name, I am Fahai. Please enlighten me, madam!"
Bai Suzhen looked surprised, took a step back, and murmured, "Fahai? "
The monk nodded and smiled, and said in a deep voice, "Madam, are you surprised to hear my Dharma name?" The sorrow on Bai
Suzhen's beautiful face vanished, replaced by a cold indifference. Looking at the young monk, she gave a cold smile and said calmly, "My surprise isn't because of your Dharma name, Master, but because your smile is so strange, it reminds me of someone!"
The monk remained unmoved, replying calmly, "Oh? I wonder who my smile reminds you of?"
Bai Suzhen sneered, "That person is a glib-tongued, frivolous man who only knows how to flirt with women! As far as I know, that person's smile is just as wicked, exactly like yours, Master!"
The monk paused, looking up at the intelligent and beautiful woman, then burst into laughter, "My lady is indeed astute! You recognized me the first time I disguised myself as a monk! It seems my disguise wasn't convincing enough!" A mocking smile appeared on Bai Suzhen's lips as she calmly said, "
Although I haven't seen many wandering monks, this is the first time I've seen one dressed like you, sir. Has anyone ever seen a disheveled monk wearing official boots?"
Li Xiaomin lowered his head, looking at the official boots beneath his monk's robe. He then raised his head, feigning innocence, and said, "These boots were custom-made for me; they're very comfortable! What, is it wrong to want to be comfortable?"
Bai Suzhen was speechless. Looking at this shameless official, she calmly said, "I am a widow; it's inconvenient for me to entertain outsiders. If you have nothing else, please leave!"
Li Xiaomin hurriedly said, "Wait, wait! Of course I have other important matters to attend to. Judging from your tone, your sister must have spoken to you. So, your sister intends to match us up; do you have any objections?" Recalling her sister
's tearful complaints, Bai Suzhen felt both ashamed and angry. She gritted her teeth and said, "Your Excellency is mistaken! Although I am foolish, I know the principle that 'a virtuous woman does not serve two husbands.' Since I have pledged myself to Xu Xian, I will remain faithful to him for life and never remarry. Yet you, sir, hold a high-ranking official position, yet you wear the robes of a monk..." "What's the meaning of 'a widow's door'?"
Li Xiaomin muttered. "Just kidding, why make such a fuss?" Seeing Bai Suzhen's unfriendly expression, he didn't waste any words and said directly, "This humble official finds your beauty exceptional, and you two are a perfect match. Why don't we return to my residence now, have our wedding ceremony, and what do you think, my lady?"
Bai Suzhen glared at the shameless Grand Secretary. He seemed to be several years younger than her, yet he spoke so shamelessly. She didn't want to waste any more words with him. She turned around, picked up a mourning stick, and gritted her teeth, saying, "If you continue to be disrespectful, don't blame me for being rude!"
Li Xiaomin was taken aback, but couldn't help laughing. He clapped his hands and laughed, "Alright, alright, I'm disrespectful, you're rude, we really are a match made in heaven!"
Before he could laugh for more than a few minutes, the mourning stick came down on his head. Li Xiaomin was caught off guard and took several blows to the head. He was knocked out the door and slammed it shut.
Standing outside the door, the disheveled monk looked at the large bump on his head and muttered, "He can't take a joke. If I weren't afraid of hurting you, do you think I wouldn't fight back? I didn't mean anything by it. I just heard there was a virtuous woman here and came to see what was going on. And I got this rudeness! Tch, I'm ignoring you. I have important business to attend to! National affairs can't be taken lightly!"
The monk turned and walked away, randomly striking his wooden fish, head held high, still looking smug, swaggering down the street. Passersby stared, wondering what was so great about being a monk, and why this monk acted so arrogantly.

Part Two, Chapter Fourteen: The Rat Enters

the City Bridge, Taking a Big Step, Charging Towards the Tiny Enemy!
Outside Jinling City, on the main road, a burly general, full of heroic spirit, wielding a sharp, heavy spear, galloped across the drawbridge, raised his spear, and thrust it straight at the rat in front of him!
The tiny mouse, however, stood defiantly, its face resolute and unwavering, its fists clenched, glaring defiantly at the approaching general!
The difference in their physical proportions was like heaven and earth. Everyone stared in astonishment at this remarkable scene, a surge of amazement and admiration welling up within them.
The warhorse galloped forward, its hooves thundering. The long, sharp steel spear thrust out like a raging torrent, aiming straight for the mouse's face, intending to send it flying and cement the invincible reputation of General He Daniu, the city's defense commander!
The rat, however, stood firmly in place, took a deep breath, and its small body suddenly swelled up, swelling like a balloon. Seeing the sharp spear tip flying towards it, its cold light flashing wildly, it suddenly exhaled its breath and roared,
"World-Destroying Heaven-Shattering Fist!"
With this roar, its tiny rat fist struck out wildly, slamming heavily against the gleaming spear tip with immense force, seemingly unconcerned about its sharpness!
He Daniu was astonished, secretly admiring the rat's courage. However, being on the battlefield, and facing the enemy, even admiring the rat's heroic spirit, he couldn't show mercy. He could only muster all his strength and thrust the spear forward!
The rat angrily swung its fist, this punch, carrying a violent force, heavily struck the sharp spear tip, producing a deafening roar!
With the roar, the burly general, along with his large, fat horse, was slammed into the sky by the rat general's fist!
At the same time, a violent shockwave swept outwards in all directions, knocking the onlookers off their feet. The force of the blow was astounding!
The rat's tiny fist, forged into steel by its unique martial arts, slammed heavily onto the spear tip. Although the spear tip was also forged from refined iron, its rat fist remained remarkably undamaged. It glared at the enemy general and horse tumbling and screaming in the air, a triumphant smile appearing on its proud face.
He Daniu's burly body tumbled and rolled in the air, screaming in terror as he plummeted downwards with his warhorse. With a loud splash, both men and their horse plunged into the moat, creating a large spray of water. He Daniu, however,
was not a good swimmer, and, further fueled by intoxication, had forgotten how to swim. In the river, his mouth filled with water, he could only struggle and cry for help, looking utterly pathetic.
On the suspension bridge, the tiny rat, with the arrogance of a victor, slowly turned its head, looking at its defeated opponent struggling and crying for help in the river. It opened its mouth and contemptuously spat into the river, landing squarely on He Daniu's head.
He Daniu's eyes widened; he clearly saw the rat humiliating him like this. A surge of grief and indignation welled up from the depths of his heart, and he let out a mournful cry before sinking into the water.

In Chapter Fifteen of Part Two, the Great Buddhist Principle

, several water ghosts were already patrolling the moat, all subordinates of his father, He Jiong, ordered to guard it. Although they saw the duel between him and the rat, they dared not intervene because of the rat's overwhelming demonic aura. Furthermore, the bright sunlight and strong yang energy prevented the water ghosts from easily emerging. They could only watch helplessly as their superior's only son was punched into the water by the rat, rushing to his aid, supporting his body, lifting his large buttocks, and pushing him ashore.
The rat on the drawbridge, however, paid no heed to these insignificant humans. It strode across the bridge with the agility of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, heading straight for the city gate.
At the gate, several generals were already dumbfounded, speechless.
They had just witnessed a general struggling against a rat, using the standard training posture, charging forward with spear and horse, which had made them laugh hysterically, exclaiming that this guy was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, utterly disgracing the city defense battalion.
But this rat was even more ruthless; with a single punch, it sent the burly man, dozens or even hundreds of times its size, flying into the air. Such immense power chilled the generals to the bone; they knew that even if they were in its place, they would surely meet the same tragic end!
Seeing the rat swaggering towards them, the generals hurriedly turned their horses aside, exchanging bitter smiles.
They knew that even if they went up, they couldn't stop the rat; if they were defeated on the spot, their lifelong reputation would be lost in the moat, and they would never be able to hold their heads high again, forever ridiculed!
The magnificent rat, under the fearful gazes of the crowd, was so small that they could only look down at it.
Full of pride, the rat slowly stepped into the city gate, and no one dared to block its path. It strode confidently away, disappearing around the corner of the street.
In the sewer beside the street, several surprised little heads peeked out. They were rats just like it, only much smaller.
An old, grey-white rat, stroking its white whiskers, was overcome with emotion, tears welling in its eyes. Its voice trembled as it exclaimed, "Heavens! That's not... the Royal Annihilation Heaven-Shattering Fist! I never imagined I'd witness such an incredibly wondrous skill again in my lifetime!"
It looked up at the sky, murmuring a devout prayer: "Heaven has spared my rat race, allowing our great rat clan to finally produce another peerless hero!"
Only when the rat's figure completely disappeared around the street corner did the crowd at the city gate remember to scream and shout, creating chaos.
At this moment, the monk was walking happily down the street. Suddenly, he heard a great commotion ahead, with many people shouting and yelling, as if something had happened. He was puzzled and quickened his pace, running towards the city gate .
By the time he arrived, the rat had vanished without a trace, leaving only a large crowd of people, marveling and discussing, excitedly recounting the strange events that had just occurred.
By the moat, several soldiers were helping a general, soaked to the bone, spit out the river water he had swallowed. Li Xiaomin, seeing him from afar, thought he looked familiar and hurriedly ran over. Standing beside the general, he looked down and recognized him as his former personal guard, He Daniu.
He Daniu lay on the ground, vomiting loudly, expelling the river water from his stomach. Suddenly, he saw a pair of familiar official boots in front of him. His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly raised his head. Seeing the astonished face of the monk, a wave of sorrow welled up from the bottom of his heart, and tears slowly flowed from his tiger-like eyes. He said in a trembling voice, "Uncle, your nephew has been bullied by rats! You must avenge your nephew!"
# # # # # # # # #
In the palace, in the back garden, hundreds of flowers bloomed, a riot of colors, vying for beauty.
A beautiful woman of about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, dressed in a magnificent palace dress made of silk and satin,
stood among the flowers, gazing at the vibrant blossoms, and sighed softly. This palace garden was vast, with brightly colored flowers everywhere, a riot of colors, making one marvel at how the palace truly was the most luxurious place in the world. Even a garden could be so perfectly crafted, surpassing all other first-class gardens in the world.
The beautiful woman, surrounded by fragrant flowers, wore a faint sadness on her face. Gazing at the alluring scenery, she sighed softly, her sorrow evident in her jade-like countenance.
No eunuchs or maids were by her side; she stood alone in the empty garden, surrounded by flowers, yet utterly lonely and forlorn, a sight that evoked pity.
Behind her, a soft rustling sound came, as if someone was walking slowly towards her, stepping on fallen petals.
The woman turned around in surprise, only to see an exceptionally handsome young man, dressed in comfortable casual clothes, walking towards her.
His face was exquisitely handsome, his eyes filled with deep compassion, his gentle gaze seemingly piercing into her very soul.
The woman bit her lip, somewhat at a loss. She recognized this young man. Although young and a eunuch, this man had repeatedly rendered great service, saving the imperial family, officials, and common people of Jinling from peril. Therefore, he was appointed Grand Chancellor, in charge of the Tang Dynasty's affairs, wielding both military and political power. Furthermore, he concurrently served as the Palace Steward, holding most of the real power within the palace—a position even more important to the imperial concubines living there than the former.
Without pondering why the Palace Steward was here, she quickly composed herself and bowed, softly saying, "This concubine greets the Grand Chancellor!"
For an imperial concubine, paying homage to the Palace Steward was inappropriate; however, paying homage to the Grand Chancellor, the head of all officials, was perfectly natural, demonstrating the imperial family's respect for its ministers.
Li Xiaomin gazed intently at her. The woman before him was as beautiful as a flower, her cheeks as white and smooth as jade, her cherry lips rosy. When she greeted him, she gave a slight, shy smile, revealing her pearly white teeth, like scattered gold and jade. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, the most mature and beautiful age. Her breasts were high and full, two alluring, towering peaks protruding beneath her silk robe. Her waist was slender enough to be encircled in one hand; her figure was incredibly alluring
, beyond compare. Even models of later generations might not possess such a voluptuous, breathtakingly beautiful figure. He had been troubled and puzzled by the strange incident with the rat, and had been wandering aimlessly when he passed by this large garden, intending to enter and relax. Unexpectedly, he saw this beautiful woman standing forlornly amidst the flowers, and a feeling of pity arose within him, prompting him to approach and strike up a conversation.
When she turned around, Li Xiaomin's eyes lit up. He lamented his poor judgment, having allowed such a beautiful woman to remain alone in the deep palace without comforting her lonely heart—a heinous crime, unforgivable!
He recognized the beauty before him. At the Empress Zhou's birthday banquet, he had seen this mature and stunning Consort Yan among the beautiful concubines, and had swallowed hard. He had intended to approach her after the banquet, but suddenly, demons from Yinshan attacked, attempting to harm Consort Chen and Consort Xiao. Li Xiaomin, of course, couldn't stand idly by. He fought the demons and vanquished them, but in the chaos, he had completely forgotten about Consort Yan.
Now, Consort Chen and Consort Xiao were kept as his concubines in his private residence outside the palace, where he visited them occasionally to soothe their loneliness. Although he could not visit the two imperial concubines often, it was still a hundred times better than when they lived in the deep palace for many years without seeing a man!
But the beauty in front of him was obviously lonely and had no way to relieve her loneliness. If this continued for a long time, it might cause great damage to her physical and mental health.
With a benevolent heart dedicated to healing and saving lives, Li Xiaomin sighed inwardly, "Alas, how can there be so many beauties in the deep palace who need psychological treatment? There are far more than the number of college students with psychological problems in later generations! There's no way around it. Although I've been very tired for so long, I still have to drag my weary body and try my best to comfort them, using the latest scientifically proven therapies to treat their psychological trauma. Although my body is starting to give out, no matter how bitter or tiring it is, I have to persevere! As the Buddha said, 'If I don't go to hell, who
will?!'" This great Buddhist principle flashed through his mind like lightning. Li Xiaomin raised his eyebrows, his bright eyes radiating a strong determination. With the lofty ideal of selflessly saving others, he slowly stepped forward and, with gentle yet firm movements, embraced Consort Yan's soft and fragrant body!
Consort Yan let out a soft cry, looking in surprise at the young steward who was about ten years younger than her. Her heart pounded violently as she stared blankly at the handsome young man so close to her, unable to utter a single word.
The selfless young man, looking with compassion at the pitiful beauty in the palace, slowly lowered his head and resolutely pressed his lips to her slightly pale cherry lips! Consort Yan's heart was already pounding wildly; she
could hardly withstand such a lip-tongue attack. With only a soft moan, she was already deeply immersed in the intoxicating effect of his superb healing techniques.

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