Reunion

'So Lingyue, what are you doing out here with Feng Shen? Isn't he an ill boy?' Huangyu asked worriedly as Feng Shen is a well-known medicine pot. Even the soldiers with her knows full well his situation.

'We're doing adaptation therapy to get him resistant combined with some of my medicine.' said Lingyue. 'The beginning is always the hardest so it'll take a while.'

'And why is your hair short?' Huangyu noted Lingyue's very short hair in deep concern due to unfortunate implications.

Only children whose hair has yet to grow are legally allowed with short hair. But criminals get their hair brutally hacked so short!

If you're a commoner, you're allowed up to shoulder-length hair to keep it away when doing labor. That's the shortest you're allowed. Waist length is longest you're allowed.

But if you're wealthy/noble/royal, you can afford to own floor-length hair as a symbol of wealth and prestige.

'Uhm I sorta blew frost wind during a bad cough during my frost attacks and froze her hair?' Feng Shen looked really sheepish now. 'Besides, you should've seen Consort Luo, woman's near bald before she got executed.' he slipped that in to direct the hair topic away from Lingyue.

'Wait-what?' General Nie froze, stunned by the boy's words. 'The hell happened while we're at north for months?' something big clearly happened in the city and all of them in the dark about it!

What Huangyu and the men later found out, were shocking. Heinous crimes exposed, all because of corruption in the Royal Hospital and a literal goddess visit to the Emperor and noble family heads and few officers who saw what hobby, the Crown Prince has that everyone agreed for the sake of future sons and grandsons that he be put to death. Hong Fang took a massive hit for supposedly indulging the boy instead of doing what's right, and people were saying his son Yulang was Crown Prince's catamite lover until he's too old for that! Given how close the Hongs are to the former Crown Prince, supporting him people's imaginations were running wild like a stampede.

'People say he probably let the relationship go on to keep getting the favor of the future Emperor.' said Lingyue to their horror. 'A lot of people went green.' she could see her mother's shock as Lingyue felt her mother must think, 'How far will he go?' in her mind. 'Consort Luo must be aware of her son's wild taste when he ignores his many wives at home and is constantly out...at the Flower-Viewing Party, she invited a lot of girls over for new concubine candidates, a lot of younger girls my age this time while using the older girls as cover because Crown Prince is 19 this year. Probably desperate before his nasty secret gets out...too bad for some of those girls, they're of the wrong age and gender.'

'People just won't stop talking about it as everyone is horrified...because should Xia Houhong become Emperor when current one retires...what's stopping him from making everyone give him their cute sons for him to play with? His Imperial Harem would be full of little tortured boys. Nobody could stop talking about it. Especially as families whose sons went recently missing were horrified at what they put up with.'

Even the hardened soldiers went green and blue at the idea.

'Oh, hell...and is the 6th Prince still ill?'

'Because Empress never stopped praying and caring for her son, she got a divine revelation by phoenixes.' said Lingyue. 'Her beauty and youth was restored and her son fully cured and healed as reward for being a good mother. He's doing his best to catch up as a decade of his life was stolen...and because Crown Prince's pedophilia was exposed, the Emperor turned the city upside-down for a clean-up, and my orphanage is full as a result. I even got royal sponsorship to help me with finances.'

'Wow, I need a damn drink! We missed a lot, boss!' a soldier cried, fanning himself with his hand.

'We did, we better catch up too.' the general agreed. 'Come with us, youngsters! At least up to the gates. As much as I wanna escort you home, I can't have people getting funny ideas since Mrs. Ye, her daughter and young master Feng are all young and good-lookin'. And with nasty news like that still fresh in their heads they might get wrong ideas and we're all innocent!'

Well, the younger three can't blame the General for that one.

xxx

Orphanage...

'Mother, how did you end up with those guys?' Lingyue asked Huangyu after she got hot tea. 'I'm too busy plotting a bad day for the Hongs by watching over the whole city I'm blind with home affairs now.'

'Well, as you know I'm doing all I can to match Hong Qingyun in strength thanks to your pills...I ran out of those, by the way.' Huangyu admitted sheepishly. 'I fought many Spirit Beasts of 9th rank, and I'm currently a fourth element master working on fifth.' Feng Shen was deeply impressed with his mother-in-law now! 'I even spent time in Star Cave, absorbing all its energies for myself that its dry again. It was a month after I broke through that I met those guys.' she said with a slight blush on her cheeks that got them interested.

Did Huangyu like someone in the army?

'I ended up staying with them just to prove I'm not a spy or anything. I'm just glad I met you kids on the way home as I'm supposed to get interrogated at the palace to be on the safe side.'

'Ehhh?!'

They ended up proving her identity by sheer dumb luck!

'M-mother-in-law, I think its best that you stay here for a couple days.' Feng Shen advised as Huangyu's eyes popped at what Feng Shen called her.

'W-what did you call me?' Huangyu's expression was out of comical shock.

'We're happily engaged...and Beiqing Emperor approved of us.' Lingyue beamed. 'We'll go official at New Year's Eve in public...and grandfather already vetted him with approval when he came to visit.'

Huangyu fainted.

'...that's normal...right?' Feng Shen sweatdropped as they had to change seats and put Huangyu on the couch lying down.

'Don't worry, that's typical parent reaction if a lot happened while they're out.' said Lingyue unflappably. 'We dumped too many shocks these past few days.'

'True.' Feng Shen mused as Lingyue then sent a spirit crane away. 'Well, Dao Nu better come to take a nice slab of metal home if he brings a cloth to wrap it around with. Those guys are probably thinking funny ideas right now...well, those ideas became real!'

The couple laughed at that.

'It's our secret.' Feng Shen chuckled, kissing her dotingly.

It was ten minutes later that Dao Nu came with an armful of cloth and a wooden box, and Lingyue gave him a large slab of iron that was big enough to be disguised as a box for a gown if only through shape. Feng Shen took the wooden box from his bodyguard.

'Wow...it's really Meteor Iron...' Dao Nu's eyes popped in awed admiration as the Meteor Iron he got was so pure out of top-rate refinement.

'It belongs to our Phoenix Manor only, and I want some of that forged into a pair of matching swords; one for each of us we can use until we reach our full height as adults. Deceptively ornate but actually deadly for combat.' Feng Shen instructed Dao Nu. 'Don't let any outsider know.'

'Yes, young master.' and Dao Nu left with the priceless treasure in his hold.

As Sunday was an off-day on the trip home, the two still took turns while maintaining Feng Shen's eye color...and when they arrived home, it's a Sunday. The day was split between them...sleep hours not included.

By sundown, both mother and daughter were dressed in dresses expected of their family income affordability. And Lingyue dressed up casual just for today instead of her work clothes, incase there are guests.

Sure enough, there's General Nie and the freaking King.

'I have heard something interesting from General Nie not long ago, and my wife vouched for your identities.' said the King good-naturedly.

'But still, I never dreamed about such a background.' he shook his head. He had been with his queen when General Nie approached him about the woman he met, and his queen vouched for her as she knew Princess Yue's story, shocking both. 'Rest assured that if anything happens, you can approach us.' he promised her.

'We're grateful, your majesty.' Lingyue bowed before the man.

'Where are the children?'

'The boys are at the back doing physical training except for the toddlers who are in the Art Room with the girls.' said Lingyue, guiding them there to show a large room where kids are either drawing or making crafts, and the older girls were practicing their sewing on cheap fabric. The children looked at who opened the door as one, and seeing it's the king, everyone dropped what they were doing and paid respects.

'This art room is where they can express themselves, other than learning necessary skills every after classes.' she said, closing the door. 'Their first artworks since coming here...are sad to look at. Their fears expressed and they're terrified of adult men it took me and the first batch a lot of convincing that Yanche's not a pedophile man.' Lingyue sighed. 'He's my oldest orphan here and helping me out...and despite how he looks, he's really 17. Guess people from Central Plains look really different in body structure unlike us.'

'Mm. Let's go take a look. Where is your mother?'

'She's supervising the boys at the back with my only maid, Chi Lian. Madam Lai is still at hospital to help Manager Mei out, so...'

At the back yard...

The King and General Nie observed on the sly. Ye Huangyu guiding and supervising actively.

They watched all the kids, one of whom, was a dead-ringer for Xia Houqi! This boy's looks was closer than that of the poor boy who was made to ride Houhong. This one boy may as well be Houqi de-aged!

'Er, that boy...'

'I know what you're thinking, but nope.' Lingyue sweatdropped. 'Lu Xian is Chi Lian's son with her dead husband from Yunfeng Town. They wanna come to the capital for a better life since Chi Lian's family won't take her and her son in, but with certain carriages roaming around in search of new victims, I had to take in mother and son for safety since well...resemblance is uncanny, while I was roaming for orphans to rescue.' the King choked at the unsaid what-could-have-beens if she didn't find them in time.

'With a face like that, Lu Xian will definitely suffer if 4th Prince saw him.' the King could only think of that terrible night when they had that raid...he pieced disturbing thoughts together and didn't like the conclusion. That his depraved son is gay for his own brother whose insanity and explosive spirit force tantrums saved him out of irony.

'Chi Lian doesn't know the unfortunate implications nor the reason why I took her and her son in, but thankfully Lu Xian obeys my rules not to leave the orphanage until he's thirteen, old enough to protect himself.'

'But still, these kids ain't half bad.' said General Nie, impressed. 'Their cultivation isn't something kids their age can have.' the barbarians for their young age, are already low Upper Celestials! The newcomers in a short time, are nearing 9th Constitutional Levels. 'Just what magic did you do to these kids?'

'Well...my personal wine brew is a tad strong...'

'...wine brew?' the men chorused.

'Yup. My superior version of Five Treasure Wine.' Lingyue coughed awkwardly. 'I dunno what ingredients Fairy Square uses since I got wind from Sister Lan that that's the wine they sell, but I use high-class goods that wound up boosting my kids. The wine is in the kitchen and they drink one glass only every after meals. Too young to get drunk anyway.'

Upon getting to the large kitchen and pantry Queen Yunxiu spoke of, there's a large jar of covered wine with the label 'Five Treasure'. She uncovered it and shut all doors and windows with her Spirit Force and WHAT AN AROMA that got the King and General weak-kneed and having to gulp down their drool.

'This is indeed, superior class than what I usually get!' the King exclaimed. Although due to An Mingxia's death from trying to help her father help 4th Prince and Hong Yulang to retrieve treasure, Madam Cui Shi, Marquis Anguo's furen was so depressed that deliveries stopped. 'And those children drink this like cultivation supplements?!'

'Yes. Every after three meals only until they no longer get a boost, so the barbarian children stopped drinking this since they turned peak Lower Celestial. The rest is usually sour fruit juice...freshly squeezed lest they ferment into wine...'

'True...that usually happens.' General Nie snorted as Lingyue offered them a cup each and damn, they thought, what a flavor! DELICIOUS! 'Holy cow!'

'How soon do we get this massive shipment for New Year's Day Party?!'

'Humm, two days before since refining wine's no different from medicine.'

'That's good to know. I'll pay you well by the jars and your anonymity maintained, enough for the nobles and court officials and their families!' the King patted her shoulders jovially. 'And we'd like to talk to your mother, so kindly switch with her with the children.'

'Yes, your majesty. Please wait in the Parlor Room with General Nie.' Lingyue then led them back to her Parlor Room...with mugs of wine and slices of fruit pie before going to get her mother.

And so...

Huangyu, dressed like how a lady should looked nervous. Being a commoner, her dress was made of cheap cotton like that of her daughter's. Yet given her daughter's occupation, she has access to cosmetic pills that she didn't look 35 to a 13 year old daughter.

Indeed, this woman must be Lingyue's mother both men thought. General Nie didn't have the chance to look at Lingyue much because Feng Shen's overprotectively hiding her away! Both had the exact same shade of brown hair, amber eyes with the same shape, but they were mirror-reflections when it came to the beauty marks under their eyes. Face shape similar! But that's where it ends. Lingyue, due to her noble blood inheritance, gained the beauty within the blood of the Hong Family while Huangyu was a typical attractive commoner.

'Clearly a lot happened while I'm out in seclusion!' she was really jittery, nervous with being in front of the monarch. Yet her cultivation was powerful. She's a Reincarnation Realm martialist but she didn't bear the arrogance of one. 'I'm gone for a few months and my daughter's had an interesting life since!'

'But she did a lot ever since.' said the King with a gentle smile. 'Alchemy Tutor for my son, Caretaker of Children and a highly-trusted member in the Alchemist Association. But you've done well as she's a good humble girl who never wanted fame for her accomplishments, only anonymity other than pay for her work. The patients in the hospital speak highly of her personality and ability to rehabilitate the injured that they will be home in time for the New Year.' Huangyu shyly smiled with pride. 'But what motivated your daughter so?'

'...my daughter has been doing strange things ever since she was young, but its usually to our benefit.' said Huangyu. 'It started with cooking. Dishes this country never had and I traveled when I was young, I've never seen what she makes. She also made flavorings and I realized we've been eating bland food all our lives and she was disgusted with how we usually do it. Boiling, steaming, grilling, roasting and poaching...with no flavor aid from herbs and the sauces she makes. Condiments were her first alchemy products.'

'She also learned how to read and write unusually quick...and a number of oddities its a long list.' said Huangyu. 'And at age 10, she began taking interest in alchemy since finding that ancestral cauldron in our ancestral hall...and the first spiritual thing she made was Monkey Wine and cosmetics. She follows her instincts. Odd ideas that turn out great...that we lived in simple luxury at home for cheap. And an uncanny way of knowing about things as long as its ingredients and a human body. Its as if...she was born for alchemy and medicine so her mindset is on the peaceful side unlike martialists like the family...and admittedly, my family's hot-blooded. We're all OK with it.'

'Yet she's a capable teacher in martial arts.' General Nie commented.

'Yes. Any peaceful-sided occupation, she'll excel in for sure.' Huangyu chuckled. 'She really doesn't like standing out. Maybe its why she grew to like young master Feng because his life wasn't exciting...those kids dropped on me that they're engaged for Legal Marriage with Beiqing Emperor's approval.'

'Eh?!'

Now that, they did NOT expect. When did that happen?!

'I was shocked too...but given how happy they are, at least...I know my daughter will be alright.' said Huangyu with a sad smile. 'Her tale ended good unlike mine. At least Feng Shen will be good for her since his eyes are warm and full of light looking at Lingyue. But he's still young...a marriage's downfall is concubinage. I hope he keeps his promise to her.'

Well, given what Lingyue told the Queen as to why she wanted anonymity, who can blame these two, the King thought darkly. Ye Lingyue wrote her own name differently and hid her surname to go by an alias. 'Lastly...this is a sensitive topic, but what do you think about his children other than Princess Yue?'

'Well, they're a thing to be pitied. Lingyue lived under sunshine, those kids are mired neck-deep in muck.' said Huangyu in sympathy. 'If their parents get too power-hungry, especially now that Hong Fang is ruined through former Crown Prince, those kids will meet a terrible end while forced to redeem themselves by all means necessary. May they have better parents in the next life.' were her surprising remarks.

'They are they way they are without knowing any better. Raised as assets and tools to rise in status that the word 'family' may as well be synonymous to 'organization'. They never knew the warmth and joy of a childhood nor genuine loving nurturing from actual parents and they learned everything about politics as soon as they can read and write. At age 13, they are told to start their political careers by associating with the right people to boost family power and act as they see fit to elevate themselves, while girls are politically married off for business benefits in order to reach the power of the Qing Family and surpass it. When I was still married to him fourteen years ago, I learned that from Hong Fang himself and its how they rose in power.' the two men before her frowned gloomily.

And what after surpassing the Qings in power, is the question. The Qing Clan is powerful because they were one of the Founding Families of Daxia, controlling Daxia's waterways and all forms of Water Transportation Security to keep illegal contraband out. As such, they are neutral entities refusing to make alliances as alliances means being pressured into transporting this and that for them in the name of 'friendship' and then when discovered, fingers are pointed and blame-slinging begins. That happened before in Daxia's very early years when the kingdom is still small, so they refused to ally with anyone since and very strict with themselves since.

However, due to being alone, they were a unique family that doesn't marry noblewomen from other families to maintain their neutrality. They look for beauties abroad. Commoner brides they may be, but they maintain neutrality this way. As for Qing Family daughters, due to how very diverse their blood was, they can marry male cousins within the family so the Qing clan is very huge. And wealthy. With wealth comes very powerful members, that the chosen family heir has to be chosen through character as there's many Dan realm young men and women in there. A personality that will never be pressured into alliances, loyal only to the Royal Family and country's security and prosperity.

'As things stand now, Yulang's reputation is damaged by people thinking he's er, his lover that no girl would marry him now thinking he's gay. Yuying's marriage prospects are ruined as her family's a known pedophile supporter. From gossip Lingyue gets in the palace, her friends and associates quickly dropped her.' the King winced. 'As for Hong Mingyue whom nobody has seen yet, she's away from home since she's seven years old living with Three-Life Valley Sect and is hardly home but she's just as ruined, so maybe she'll marry into the sect than into nobility. Who'd marry a Hong now? Their social status now plunged a thousand zhang, along with other families who supported that prince. Who knows what old Qingyun will do now, that decades of cultivating power that they chucked their souls out the window for, all that effort is gone in a blink I'm surprised he hasn't thrown a tantrum yet.'

'He's begun coming out of seclusion.' said the King. 'And active in politics again. Things are awkward in court because of Houhong's supporters losing respect among their peers even the neutral factions are shunning them.' he sighed. 'Things are tense as we speak and I'm doing a delicate balance of power. I too, am on a lookout on what he'll do. At least he's smart enough not to go near Houqi to try again on another prince. Clearly their upbringing is...questionable.' he grunted. 'Your daughter and his other tutors are more than enough. Even my former tutor, my wife's father was called back in. Houqi will be my only successor as well as the best one I've had, even when my other sons were alive before they died.'

'Ah...'

'Mrs. Ye, we would like for you to remain in the capital as a precaution.' the King requested. 'Remain here with your daughter. Should things...happen...we could use your help should things spiral out of my control while I keep two forces in balance. Hong Qingyun has become very active since Hong Fang's major blunder.' he sighed. 'Princess Yue is close friends with Princess Lan and supports the Civilian Faction before she's engaged to the young prince. Should Hong Qingyun, the only strongest member of the Noble Faction boil over...Marquis Wu will no doubt take action. But this will cause your former husband to mobilize as well.' Huangyu clearly understood his intentions. 'He's a two element master. You?'

Huangyu's smile was chilly and dark.

'Compared to him, I'll soon be four.' the King and General gasped at this.

'Four?!' the King burst out.

'...hell hath no fury a woman scorned.' Nie Feng croaked out. 'Especially an ex-wife with an alchemist daughter!'

xxx

'Looks like they're gone now.' said Lingyue as the two men left.

'Yes.' said Huangyu. 'Let's get dinner ready.'

'Mm. Use my room for now mom. Winter's a bad time I sleep over at Feng Shen's place since he gets bad relapses and frost attacks.'

'Eh?! Er, nothing happens...right?'

'Nope.'

Lingyue lied to reassure her mother...when after dinner, as she went to Feng Shen's house...

'So your mother is asked to stay incase things go dicey.' said Feng Shen with a wince.

'Well, right now, only we two can handle Hong Fang and my sister Mingyue.' said Lingyue. 'By the time of the Royal Competition next year, she'll be a two-element Master herself. No can do.' Lingyue frowned. 'I'm catching up fast myself to be a level ahead at the time. At least, by being your fiancee, I'm out of Daxia's politics, but that doesn't mean I won't stand by my family. This karma between us and Hong Fang and Zhu Gerou must end soon.'

'You avoided public events as much as possible.' Feng Shen told her. 'New Year's Party is when you'll truly show up.'

'Yes.' said Lingyue. 'Won't he be surprised to see a bit of my mother in me.' Lingyue smirked. 'To show him that the past...never dies and so does his sins.' she said, spending time with him.

'Oh yes, Lingyue, while I can suppress myself with Wu Chong's presence plus your pills, you really can't any more, right?' Feng Shen commented. 'You cannot avoid the Ranking List no matter how hard you try.'

'Ohhh I have my way.' Lingyue smiled. 'When we were a day away for our quest for Meteor Iron, they came to this city. I also warned my family to hide my cousins in our training grounds so we will not be on the list as they roam around at a certain time of the year to make it in time for Early Spring Publication of the books.'

The Ranking List.

Youngsters under age 30 who make it to Dan Realm make it into this book. There's even versions for Reincarnation onwards.

The Heaven's Court, the antithesis to Wu Chong's Underground Palace is a well-informed organization. They have eyes and ears everywhere. But unlike the massive influence and far-reaching hands of the Underground Palace, this Heaven's Court was extremely secretive and could not be located for even the most well-informed agency around.

And they are responsible for the book called Qing Continent's Dan Ranking Board. And information within is accurate one would think a member stalked you all your life.

'Well, Wu Chong is first place in all rankings no doubt...'

'And I demanded my name and information be removed.' said Wu Chong unhappily, suddenly taking over out of his schedule. 'If I get my hands on that damn book and my name is still there, I'll make clear my displeasure.' and he was gone.

'...I should buy one just for fun.' Feng Shen grinned, causing Lingyue to snort.

'I wonder how many cities will he blow up just to blow up Heaven's Court? Wu Chong can blow up a valley by himself if he wanted and make a desert out of it.'

'...he definitely will do that...that book will be published around spring next year. You managed to avoid the list with your family so let's relax for now.'

'Mm.'

Feng Shen knew with Lingyue's way of knowing, she can really escape anything she wanted. She was several steps ahead!

xxx

New Year's Party...hours before event begins...

Lingyue taught the maids responsible for the drinks how to use the barrel tap. The giant barrel she created, was freaking 4 meters tall, and she created ten barrels enough to get everyone drunk stupid.

She made a giant wooden barrel filled with her Five Treasure Wine that has five faucet taps in it.

Then she went to Feng Shen's mansion as it's there she gets dressed.

As his fiancee, she gets to wear Beiqing's style of fashion and she gets to dress like a royal princess, and trinkets that reveal her new identity as Phoenix Princess.

Her hair is still short, but at least unlike months earlier, her hair now reaches her mid-back, as a result of eating healthy and a lot before she consumes a hair-growing pill that she can now wear her hair into a respectable hairstyle.

Color theme is red with gold however way you like it!

At the party, while so far because of school, only the noble scions got to see Lingyue, along with select few adults that mostly weren't nobles as they hardly go to the clinic anyway...

As the eunuch announces each arrival of guests, the nobles coming first, naturally...

People got off the carriages in the parking lot to check each other out. Competition between women on who's the most stylish one and young men looking for single ladies to talk to once the party gets going.

But when the carriage pulled by a Golden Dragonsteed horse came, everyone knew Feng Shen is here. He's usually alone without a date and he dresses as handsome as ever with nobody wanting to go nor worry about a known medicine pot and have fun, but!

He's now engaged!

To who?!

He held out his hand to someone in the carriage and a lily-white, dainty small hand came out, wearing a ring that matched his, only on a smaller size fit for women. The identity was none other than Lingyue herself, wearing a gorgeous dress of shades of vibrant red and pink in foreign fashion that flaunted her full figure that's normally...hidden. She usually wears unflattering clothing as much as possible...to hide THIS. She was just as beautiful in her form as her face! What enviable curves and proportions! Combine that with her dress, she was stunning! Boys her age up to twenty years old were stunned speechless.

But adults noted she only looked at one man and that's her fiancee with gentle warmth in her eyes and she never looked at other men.

'It's Alchemist Teacher Ling?!'

'When and how?!'

'Guess her hair finally grew back. I heard she lost her hair from an accident at work.'

But many girls can only pout at her dress as her dress was gorgeous. Its not sold in any boutique in Daxia as they all follow set trends yet her awesome dress doesn't exist in their country.

Feng Shen observed the people around them as they openly doted on each other warmly.

If in Daxia the fashion trend is qixiong-ruqun as the dowager's a traditionalist, in Beiqing it's fashion-advanced in hanfu and its noblewomen wearing daxiushan. If they're talking about traditional dresses, it's a shenyi dress as the royals felt Qixiong is only good for pregnant women thus if anyone is to wear any, they have to prepare maternity dresses and ordered as nobody in Beiqing will sell Qixiong Ruqun.

But his bride-to-be...well, his mother-in-law did say Lingyue has odd ideas that usually turns out good. He has no idea what style she wears, all he knows is that it's doggone gorgeous when she made her own dress, and came out with it. Now that she is his wife, tradition no more and she can happily wear anything she wanted from now on. When at home, she wears cute outfits he knows is not sold anywhere in Daxia nor in his own country. But at work, it's her 'usual thing'. Only he ever sees what's in her closet...including her...gulp, sleepwear.

Sleepwear that usually...gets them hot and frisky.

Dear mother said her ideas are out of this world indeed.

The noble scions can only remember the very strict disciplinarian in school that Daxia Martial Arts Hall has changed...to the relief of the low-class students, really. Strict with discipline and one's identity. She punishes harshly those who do wrong yet capable of treating others well and boosting the morale of those picked on and advising them. She believed that those who had it hard will get stronger in the future, while those who coasted by easily are actually the ones frail in character as they failed to grow up. Because she's IMPOSSIBLE to be threatened and bribed that she rules the school with an iron fist that teachers happily cater to her whims. She also has the air and grace of a noblewoman when out and about in public.

For someone who looks like a harmless rose, she wields 'power'. Due to how she does things, she has great respect from the neutrals and civilians in school as she was clearly a reliable authority unlike older instructors who can only squirm out of fear for their families. Now the parents got to see the 6th Prince's tutor who's beautiful with the air and grace of a noblewoman...and to think she's a commoner. Now how did this pairing happen, they wonder.

As the hubbub grew with intrigue, Hong Fang and Zhu Gerou's eyes widened.

They saw a certain woman in Lingyue.

"Impossible." they shook their heads. They haven't seen HER in years nor heard of what happened.

After the royalty, is the Qing Family. Followed by...

'His highness Feng Shen and his fiancee, Princess Ling Yue!' By the Royal Family seats, Houqi's heart shattered into a million pieces.

He had long known the news as his father told the family about it but seeing it now for real...

The first girl to show him kindness after years of hell and treated him well, taught him wisdom nobody'd BOTHER to teach him...is now someone else's woman.

How long, he wondered. Was this why she was distant from any male interaction but gets easily and normally close with female interaction?

Then things came awkward as after the Imperial Qings and Feng Shen and his bride, were the Dukes. Normal from there but when Marquis Families are introduced?

The strongest Marquis Family was Marquis Zhenyuan, the Hong Household. This time with the mysterious Hong Mingyue in attendance, the family genius who is now a Reincarnation Master. Since she is now of age, she can now socially-debut, but given the trouble her family caused to happen, her debut was AWKWARD...

No matter your looks, wealth and prestige, reputation is still everything.

After everyone was announced, everyone took to socializing, enjoying the banquet. But the divide was clear. Those who supported the taboo prince, was shunned. That's usually a number of families. So they talked amongst themselves more.

Many people approached the couple, wanting to know when, how, why, stuff like that.

They were a couple genuinely in love, but given Ling Yue's social status, they had to get the approval of the Emperor of Beiqing first. He had sent inspectors...and passed a number of tests and possessed qualities and traits that got her approved of despite her social status that she can become Furen due to accomplishments under her belt. Investigated and proven. She won over the Emperor's very-high standards thus she would be future Madam Feng of Feng Shen's manor when they get married in Beiqing when she turns sixteen.

The fact that Lingyue, a commoner passed all standards and tests Feng Shen spoke of, made furens of households feel that their daughters should get up to levels to marry well.

If Lingyue can do it, why can't their daughters!

'Phew, now that's over.' Lingyue smiled as she sat on her seat with Feng Shen.

'I never talked that much in my life either.' said Feng Shen with a sheepish laugh. Well, he was treated like delicate glass all his life and all so his social life was a bust. Lingyue's social life is also a bust that it makes good sense that they're friends with Lan Cai'er, another with such a social life because of how petty 4th prince was five years ago, Lingyue called them the 'Trio of Social Duds' as a joke.

It's cold as expected of New Year still in Bingyue. Since it didn't snow today, the party is held outside. Well, mostly outside. The Banquet will happen later about two hours before midnight as socializing, was very important.

They mostly talk to the royal family, the Imperial Founding Families and the Dukes, befitting their status.

Later, five minutes before banquet, they excused themselves, so no discomfort for later.

The Banquet was a set course cuisine, followed by a lot of performers as maids began bringing out the courses...and pushing out giant barrels!

What are those barrels, everyone thought.

The King's eyes just looked anticipative as the maids began filling up the drinks that was extremely fragrantly aromatic.

Dinner with incredibly high-class wine!

But it hit people. This is Five Treasure Wine!

Those familiar with this wine knows that it's usually served in Fairy Square but this version is extremely high class, and it provides cultivation boosts!

But for those in Upper Celestials and up, it provided no boosts whatsoever. But for those in Lower Celestials, this benefited many Civilians who cannot afford high-class goods, particularly if you're children of side concubines who don't get much from their fathers.

Such is reality, but with this wine, this enabled these deliberately-neglected people to catch up, on the Emperor's Graces no less!

Upon drinking, the boosts were noticeable in the youngsters...even little children got large jumps. CHILDREN. Needless to say, a lot of people took advantage. Many people's eyes widened at this.

'Your majesty, this is...her wine isn't it?' Queen Yunxiu glanced at Lingyue who was animatedly talking with her fiancee and her only friend Lan Cai'er. 'She's the only brewmaster I know capable of this.'

'Yes. New Year should promise prosperity. So I ordered a lot of wine from her though I did not expect these...five barrel monsters she's brought.' the King laughed joyfully. 'We have enough for the night.'

Once the boostings ended, all children, were low level Upper Celestials, even the little kids, now quite powerful for their young age at the expense of being dead drunk, the Emperor declared this year highly-auspicious, and celebrate prosperity with vigor.

The feast ended, with the grandiose Fireworks Display.

When the party ended, the Emperor asked what she used to make her wine so he could pay appropriately for her barrels.

'Humm, about 80 9th rank poisonous bugs and herbs.' said Lingyue. 'The stuff I get is 'get boosted or die' if used wrong, but if made just right, benefits with no risks...other than getting drunk.'

The Emperor went white granite.

'9th...rank?'

'Yes.'

This girl must have gone shopping in Treasure Cave, he thought, as he paid her ten million gold.

xxx

'The Emperor must be thinking you went shopping in Treasure Cave.' Feng Shen smirked. 'When in reality, your herbs are from your own...pockets.'

He had been to her pocket dimension and saw high-class herbs, both what he knows, and extinct species. She owns a rainbow water lake blessed with phoenix energy too. What she has, is a thing to be envied of by Alchemists. Even Wu Chong was amazed with her Ye Family's Inheritance...if they chose to be an Alchemist. Its a secret known only to Ye Headmasters.

'Yeah, he's easy to read.' Lingyue chuckled. 'At least I can make it in time for three years' worth of taxes until I fully become a Beiqing Citizen. By then I can hand being Matron over to Madam Lai and Yanche being the main orphanage protector.'

'Taxes.' Feng Shen chuckled. 'Speaking, we should pay up tomorrow. Nobles must pay taxes before civil servants.'

Feng Shen is the former and Lingyue, the latter given their occupations.

When they woke up that morning when they don't really wanna go...they don't wanna get accused of Tax Evasion either!

'Ah, dammit, I don't wanna get up but we have to.' Feng Shen whined. 'We were up nearly the whole night!'

'I don't want to either you know.' Lingyue groaned. 'Let's just deal with it and go back to sleep later.'