Residence of the Princess
Huang Beiyue.
Princess of Two Fiefdoms.
Shrewd Businesswoman that led to prosperity of her fiefdoms that there was no such thing as 'poor uneducated citizen' in her fiefs.
Finally, incredible teacher.
The Emperor wondered what she cannot do, as when the day ended, she gave him a stack of updates on her fiefdoms to look over when she was done with them.
Her fiefs yielded a lot of rice and produce that they can effortlessly pay taxes and keep large amounts of extras for themselves. Everyone has jobs, and she was now training militia and experts should the worst come. That she has 200.000 men from Miyang, and 400.000 from Qinghe, and still counting as she recruits every year, youngest being age 12. Not only that, all of them are active Quest Takers they enjoyed rewards from the Mercenary Unions.
Sure the Militia can do low-level quests, but that was more than enough to keep families happy and healthy...oh, and large, too.
With a capable governor, his niece has immense respect from her fiefs and will do as she says as long as she's their governor who brought them wealth they can only dream of before. That, and Qinghe and Miyang are the most secure of fiefs. Nary a single crime happening nor any illegal, covert operations. Its double-checked by the Censorate and Lord Geng was impressed...and its hard to impress the man.
Young girls training in a separate facility from the men, have a Militia Service Term until 20 years old upon which, they'll retire and marry, while men have it longer, say, 80 years old. In four years, she raised such an army, and a large number of experts to date.
Sure they're kids for now, but imagine them in five years!
Emperor checked over the documents and sees that they're all in order.
What's lacking, was how she did it just so nobody gets any dumb ideas plagiarizing off her work!
Once everything is in order, he had his Eunuch make the documents into a stitched book, and for copies to be made to be stored in Lingyang's library.
xxx
Meanwhile...Zhanye thought of paying Beiyue a visit at home that night.
He hid it well, but he was ill.
Thousand Poisons Pill is merely buying him time. But soon it'll wear off. He needed an actual, permanent cure for his condition.
He's gambling with his fate, and he didn't expect much.
But if Beiyue can secure a Spirit Steel Sword for herself, that means her reach, is incredible.
He found her painting by her backyard, while Dongling was harvesting grapes off those trellises using small scissors nearby while Concubine Fang was more in favor of Mangosteens and her daughter nearby with a basket. For his cousin, the only good flowers are fruiting flowers and those actually used for medicine and perfume. The royal family and Concubine Fang has the privilege to come here if they want fruit any time when in season.
'Yue, can we talk for a bit?' Zhanye asked her. She's painting a beautiful young girl with silvery hair and ruby-red eyes with a bright smile on her face, holding pink flowers and wore what looks like a loose tunic and barefoot in a garden of flowers.
'Eh? Sure...what about?' Beiyue asked as she took out an item that creates a sound barrier to ensure privacy.
'Because I am Crown Prince, there are duties and traditions I must do unlike my other brothers. Father did this too.' said Zhanye. 'And I got bitten by a Sky Swallowing Red Python snakelet for my trouble.' Beiyue's eyes widened. 'How should I know there's one in this country, those things are rare...and I'm holding it at bay with Thousand Poisons Pill but its powerful it can't protect me for long.'
'To my guest room. Now.' said Beiyue stiffly. Zhanye followed his cousin to a guest room. Yanking a closet open, she took out a transparent-looking sheet and put it over the bed. 'Strip, underwear included.'
'H-huh?!' Zhanye lit up like a red light.
'You don't have anything I haven't seen yet.' Beiyue snarked as she took out...a beautiful sheath out of her body. Zhanye really wondered about her years outside Linhua City if she claims she's seen enough naked bodies it mortifies him. 'Now hurry up and do it!' very reluctantly, Zhanye did so and lied down on the sheet that felt like leather...and she fused that sheath into his body.
'W-what was that?' Zhanye asked Beiyue curiously before he felt his whole being throb both physically and spiritually...and then his body began seeping out poison and sweat through his skin and its painful no words can describe this misery! 'A-aaaarrrggghh!'
So painful, he coughed up dark, frothy blood! This was horrible! He squirmed and twitched all over until suddenly, no more pain...and he was quite the mess. Of poison and blood down his chin, chest and neck. And his cousin just watched on with a cold, clinical expression while sitting in a chair with an armfold, her legs crossed!
'T-that...was horrible...' Zhanye wheezed out as Beiyue took out a small cloth bag out of her ring to suck out the poison and blood, and burned it. He was weak and delirious with no energy at all.
'Well, go take a bath, you're fully-healed now.' said Beiyue. 'I'll run a hot bath to comfort your muscles. A cold bath will make you feel worse.'
'R-right...thank you, Yue...but what's that sheath?' Zhanye wondered as he got up, fighting his lethargy all the way while Beiyue picked up his clothes.
'Its a treasure mother has, and put in my body for my safety.' said Beiyue. 'Its a magical item that as long as there is Ki, it will create a barrier to protect its owner if used outside in battle. But if fused with the body, it will protect the inside by healing you from all injury and poisoning. The sword is never found though, but mother likes the sheath more and gave it to me and never bothered looking for the sword.' she lied.
How can she say the truth, that Avalon belonged to a King of another world after all~?
And because this world has no King Arthur in it, it er...got broken, but in a way that helped its second owner to whom Saber loved so now it is his. And its a world so rich with power, it kept functioning as is, as her ultimate healer.
Just that, without it in her body, 'that thing' in her consumed some of her ki again!
'After your bath, you should be fully-healed by then, I'll take it back.'
xxx
Zhanye sighed as he was in a bathtub of hot water with medicinal potion poured into it, meant for sore muscles. Yeah, his body went through hell but at least he'll live. Beiyue is washing his long hair patiently and his clothes and shoes in a tub of...something. Because his clothes have poison that came from his sweat he certainly can't wear it again! Sure she touched it but she wasn't poisoned at all due to many enchanted items she has on her person.
'Alright, your hair and scalp no longer has poison sweat.' Beiyue reassured him. 'Still in pain?'
'No more, just extreme lethargy.' said Zhanye, feeling his condition. 'I don't think I can go home tonight.' he said miserably.
'Oh dear...' Beiyue chuckled. 'Spend the night here then. I have guest sleeping robes here. Your clothes and shoes are still under treatment and incase you're bored, your room has a lot of books.'
'OK.'
After rinsing himself using Beiyue's 'shower' gear, she helped him dry up and it got him utterly embarrassed that she's drying a naked man off without even a sliver of reaction. Was she not impressed by his physique, he wondered as he even got dressed into sleeping robes.
He felt a little complex and swore to get his physique better, as Beiyue took back her wonder-sheath from his body and put it back in her body.
xxx
'Oh, so Prince Zhanye is staying over tonight to heal after running afoul of a Sky Swallowing Red Python some days back...' Dongling shuddered, putting food on the table. 'That had to take an incredible amount of bad luck.'
Sky Swallowing Red Python.
A nasty piece of work that becomes a Divine Beast come adulthood so its dang impossible to form a contract with if encountered. And he got bitten by a baby one which was WHY he's still alive long enough to get Thousand Poisons Pill but the venom is merely suppressed, too powerful to be cured. Its been three weeks since the incident and he's starting to feel ill again.
His stomach feels like HELL and intense self-control enables him to feign his agony as a cough and a cold. He will never let anyone but those he trusted know of his state!
'No kidding.' Beiyue frowned as Dongling served their meal. 'Guess he chose a bad timing to do royal tradition since Royal Uncle got off scott-free...is his hotpot ready?'
'Almost.'
xxx
That night, Zhanye enjoyed a vegetable and tofu hotpot in a clay pot. Leafy greens, tofu, mushrooms and herbs its very delicious. Sweet-savory and nourishing with some heat from spices he's feeling better and there's enough for two people in that claypot Dongling gave him, as well as a breakfast-in-bed table with a tea set, and a bowl and spoon with silver chopsticks...for obvious reasons. Even her tea was more on savory spice than the usual sweet variety.
His cousin is an incredible cook after all and clearly the culprit behind those jam-packed restaurants in the bazaar. Enchanter's and Alchemist's identities are protected in the bazaar after all!
Even if he wanted to read books, he only forced himself to eat and rest, that his whole night, is full of boredom...!
xxx
Lingyang School, 7th Pagoda...
Beiyue saw the energy shield Zhanye broke to get into the Pagoda for his tradition.
The 7th Pagoda is forbidden.
Who knows what's here that he had to be here for. Must be some weird test of courage or something, she thought with a snicker. What a tradition!
She explored the place, and found a dead snakelet struck to the wall which she took. As expected of a Divine Beast's scion, it even takes a while to rot.
Sky Swallowing Red Pythons have two babies every hundred years. One stronger, one weaker snake. So they're very rare. And from that dead one on the wall, it was the weaker baby.
There must be one more. Perhaps Yingye would want one.
She descended down the Pagoda using Reinforcement on her eyes.
And at the bottom was a crack and cue snakelet peeking out, which she stunned with magic before picking it up and capturing it. 'Bingo.' she whispered as she fled the Pagoda and returned home...while ignoring the throbbing of the jade in her possession.
Inside the large doors of the bottom of the Pagoda, an otherworldly-handsome man with pristine-white hair and blood-red eyes quickly looked to the doors that was so far away from him that it was a pencil dot in his sight. He quickly lunged to seek out the presence that resonated with him.
Gone? He rose up to the top, to get out and he saw the Ice Phoenix flying away...and on it, was a young girl. He could not see her face but she has it! She has that presence!
He'll know who it is soon! After all, it's THAT time of the year!
xxx
Next day was Summoner's Event.
'Zhanye, can you go today or do you need to stay home?' Beiyue asked Zhanye during breakfast.
'I can go. I think your medicine and food fixed me overnight alongside some sleep.' said Zhanye reassuringly. 'I no longer feel my insides being boiled by the poison so your magical tool is incredible.'
'That's good to hear.' Beiyue smiled softly. 'Did you tell uncle the truth at least?' Zhanye looked somber.
'He knows...he had Prince Xiaoyao get me a Thousand Poisons Pill to buy me time. But as there is no cure, I'll be dependent on it for life...I got really lucky with you.' Zhanye admitted with a strained voice. 'How could I have known, that you have an incredible treasure?'
'Ask my mom one day in the afterlife.' Beiyue smiled wryly. 'However, there are limits to my treasures OK? One day, don't you dare get into something not even I can get you out of. My treasures have limits and I don't wanna know the hard way.' Zhanye nodded. Her magical items have limits no doubt. And he's not dumb enough to test his mortality too.
xxx
School...
'It's Yingye and Dongling's turn today isn't it?' said Lianyi as the princes and the Emperor noted that Zhanye came with Beiyue. 'By the way, are your Summoners going to play?'
'Nah, next year...they mostly trained as Warriors so they're not sitting ducks incase their beasts are incapacitated.' said Beiyue with a handwave. 'The price to pay for that is that they start at the beginning like I did so they'll go a few years from now.'
'Ah...'
Beiyue then took out a large plate of french fries. Split even in sour cream and barbecue flavors, and a pair of tongs since they have their own smaller plates in front of them.
'Here, fried potato strips. They can be eaten by hand.'
'They smell nice...what are the powders on them?' Prince Jing mused as they all took some. He felt his cousin is an utter moron for crossing this girl. Powerful, wealthy and a damn good cook. How many brides can claim to be such?! Not even his fiancee cooked for him!
'Powdered spices.'
'This is good!' Xiaoyao exclaimed in delight. The french fries are delicious!
'A snack good for watching a show, right?'
The royalty enjoyed the French Fries as Beiyue then took out iced tall glasses of fresh longan juice. The royal men were delighted about the snacks and drinks provided because while simple, it's so delicious! It made watching this contest fun as their usual snacks are sweet things they're weary of it and it's usually worse in summer heat that savory snacks were a very welcome thing!
Yingye and Dongling did very well for their two fights to qualify for the trip.
Once the Feat Contest Week was all over, Cang He gathered all winners from all contests.
'Well done all of you!' Cang He spoke to the winners. 'As you all know, this camp will take half a month, so all of you are given ten days to prepare everything you might need with you.' he said, handing out pamphlets to the students when suddenly, she felt her Jade throb again!
"Ignore it, ignore it..." Beiyue maintained her poker face as she got her pamphlet. Not only that, there are strong eyes watching! Pretend and don't react no matter what!
Once the hullaballoo is done, Beiyue can't wait to get the eff out!
'So the tents are provided by the school and the rest is up to us.' Beiyue mused. Dongling has been to camp before, so she'd be able to help her out in packing faster.
That, and shopping.
xxx
'We have a lot to pack, it's best we get started on it sooner so we can relax till our days out.' said Beiyue. She's been to camps in the past after all in his quest to be a Hero. Well, until things went south...but that's in the past.
Here, he is free...with a catch.
He is now a princess thus in his newfound freedom, he could enjoy a normal life...by standards.
EMIYA wished he listened to Tohsaka...and he wished he never made that promise to his father. In Earth, being a Hero was nothing but despair. You give and give, and they take and take.
He realized that too late that being a Hero is suffering in modern-day Earth. Had it been at least more than 1000 years back...whatever!
From afar, the man was watching the stage, searching on who has it.
A young girl with black hair.
So many of them.
But...
'That girl...she looks like her...' he mused as his eyes zeroed in on Huang Beiyue. '...that must be it...' he mused softly before vanishing.
xxx
At home...
They listed everything they need to bring enough for two weeks...and packed it up. Though for medicine, they needed to refine supplies as making their own, was cheaper than buying it.
Foraging materials was Beiyue's job and having Dongling make medicine needed. And to not spend her hard-earned ki so she can return to school, she lent Dongling the Black Jade.
'This is like a big cheat!' Dongling gasped out in delight as she tucked the jade into her clothes. She was cultivating, refining and conserving her Earth Ki yet has no choice but to spend some, and now she has a way out!
'Yes, but for some reason, it's responding to something in school. Something...mysterious and ominous and I dare not check it out. I'm not seeking death.' said Beiyue seriously. One, while she enjoyed being a magus doesn't mean she has the mentality of one, particularly curiosity that kills. She beat those traits out of herself in the past unless it's for family's sake this time. 'Should it throb while in your care, pretend nothing's going on, give nothing away and do your usual thing. The first response was in the 7th Pagoda where Zhanye got poisoned. Then I felt eyes on the award stage back at school...they're looking for it!' Dongling gulped at that. 'Incase if it throbs too strongly, it means bastard is near, toss it in your ring. Do NOT let anyone see it!'
'Yes!' Dongling quickly nodded and Beiyue stood up.
'Well, time for foraging! I dare not spend too much since I computed everything where money should go...' Beiyue shuddered. 'I gotta go, you go get busy!'
She pays for salaries of the farmers as well as created their farming equipment to make their work easier, restaurant employees, maintenance of the restaurant and supplies and the Militia of two counties while being generous with salary in exchange for a good performance by her standards. Oh, and the Buji'er as her suppliers with rushed services to boot to keep everything operating smoothly!
It was why to save up money, she hunts her own ingredients than hire people to do it for her.
Farmers' salaries are 200 gold as opposed to 50 gold a month. Their own equipment and tools as well.
Militia's salaries are double that, plus their weapons, armor, the barracks and their food!
Restaurant Employees? Janitor's 40 gold, the largest salary for Janitors ever as they usually earn almost a silver a month, Waiters and Waitresses earn 60, the Cashier and Bookkeeper earns 80 and Chefs 100 gold.
She spends about less than 10 million taels a year on those alone. It was why she took Enchanter Course, dammit. Sure she can be an Alchemist but only with the Jade, but its power is finite however massive. Being an Enchanter is much better.
Then she pays for the cultivation of the chosen children as well. Its too late for the militia adults. That was where most of her wealth was going, along with sponsoring Temple Schools and paying for teachers before kids serve their term in the Militia for six hours a day starting at lunch time till dinner time.
Truthfully, she could have had two entire fiefs apply, but she's not THAT rich and she's picky with who to give power to. That, and the rest of economic sectors must keep running, not just the army! She chooses kids who are allowed training and cultivation, while denying others with undesirable personalities.
Quality over Quantity, is her motto.
Good person her new mother may be, but...she's a terrible judge of character. Not everyone, will change for the better if given a chance.
xxx
'Zhanye, you didn't return home last night, where have you been?' the Emperor asked him in concern during dinnertime.
'Oh, I stayed over at Beiyue's last night.' said Zhanye. 'I had stuff to deal with her help we finished by midnight it was too late to go home.' he said tiredly. 'And here.' he took out a large wooden platter of french fries. 'Beiyue said you might want more since she saw how you liked it.'
'Ooh, those potato strips!' Third Prince exclaimed in delight. 'For something so simple they're incredibly delicious! I definitely like!'
'Potato strips?' Yingye was all question marks on her head as her father and brothers took large helpings for themselves. She had no idea what kind of food it was other than being made out of potatoes and some dark red and white powder with green little specks. And smells nice as always!
'It's delicious.' said Zhanye with a smile. 'She handed it out as a snack while we watched the Summoners' Event. 'Its your chance to have some. They're two different flavors!'
'Ooh, she's the good cook in the family anything she makes is always good!' said Yingye, reaching out for some. 'I wonder if she ever made a bad dish while trying to make something new...'
xxx
Three days later, returning home from foraging late at night for medicinal herbs for pills...she heard a loud, heart-wrenching scream.
Halting her footsteps, she also felt an absurd level of power. That pressure was too strong which for a second, led her heart to feel as though it was pressed down tightly by something. She had difficulty breathing. Is someone here reenacting Bleach anime now that they know how to recreate Reiatsu? She can do the same, but she really hopes there's no Japanese Otaku Reincarnate here who'd stir trouble.
This person, is stronger than her and Zhanye. They were Arcane Summoners, along with her kids. However, this person is approaching Divinity Class!
When she escaped from the powerful pressure, she already felt that pressure leaving.
Huang Beiyue furrowed her eyebrows. Instantly, she chased after in the direction of the pressure just to know who this monster was, while suppressing herself to be unnoticed.
There was actually this level type of master within Linhua City? How is it possible? The strongest in cultivation, is her as she has Bing, the strongest Wuling while Zhanye has Kirin, fourth strongest of the five. Nanyi Country has no Divine-Class Summoners to date, otherwise everyone down to toddler would know who by now!
Beiyue, quietly and without any noise, approached the pressure.
'Humph, a fool who won't admit their mistake. It's better to kill you off!' The cold and ruthless voice of a woman rose from afar.
Right after, a burst of lighting suddenly exploded which lightened up half the sky! The huge Raging Seven Tail Dragon's body swelled by many times. In the sky, it shouted out loud and let out thunder rolls. Right then, the weather rolled about and then followed by the atmosphere!
'Stop looking down at people! What are you? You dared to act to so arrogant on the land of Nanyi Country!' The furious yell within the air appeared to be incomparably coarse.
The man on the Raging Seven Tail Dragon raised a heavy sword and on the body of the sword, numerous thunder rays tangled around. He held a fierce face, already reaching the state in which he was about to completely explode. The hair on the head all stood up!
That person was Sima Guiyan, Nanyi Country's one of the very best nine-star summoners! His strength was definitely not to be questioned. In Nanyi Country, he was given the name as 'Undefeatable Legend'. It could even be said that he was a paragon.
But the completely violent Sima Guiyan and the Raging Seven Tail Dragon under the powerful pressure seemed insignificant.
'Go, Raging Seven Tail Dragon! Let this fool taste our strength!' Sima Guiyan hollered, driving the Raging Seven Tail Dragon suddenly down.
Beiyue couldn't help to furrow her eyebrows in annoyance.
Taste, their strength? Helloooo, you're a rat compared to a cat?
This Sima Guiyan has a wooden brain. Meeting such a powerful opponent, he should be thinking of his next steps in order to save himself. Instead, he wanted to drive himself over? 9-stars have no hope against Arcane-Classes, what more of a Divine Class! He's definitely courting death!
'Since you wanna die that badly, I will grant it.' That clear and icy voice seemed to be haughty and considered themselves to be arrogant.
'Honglian, since there isn't any news then let's go. There is no need to stir up trouble in Nanyi Country.' Another voice even icier rang. It sounded languid and undisciplined. It was a young man's voice. Hearing these led people to feel a sense of chilliness rising from the chest.
'After I get rid of this small potato then we can go.' Honglian sneered. 'What's the rush? We have all time in the world. We only have a small job.'
After the arrogant woman completed her sentence, she raised her hand and the movement was so rapid it was a little unbelievable. Only to see a clear icy light flashed by towards the Raging Seven Tail Dragon abruptly then it was divided into two parts from the sword's light? Her casting is befitting a first-rate magus. Most sorcerers here cast so slow in Nanyi Country it was laughable.
Beiyue knew Sima Guiyan is deader than dead.
It was lucky she has that Jade that she can cheat with Summoner's Contract. That way if Bing dies, she won't die. But most Summoners, Dongling included, are bound by Life! If one is killed, the other dies too.
She found the darn Jade last year that only she can afford to cheat. There was no editing contracts already made, sadly. That for her subordinates...well...
'You must be tired of living!' the woman stated in vicious icy sneers of contempt as she left with the young man she was with.
From a distance from here, plus that one man and one man also had their backs against her, she wasn't able to see what type of people that had made the moves going against the light to see. She only got one name. Honglian.
It's just that walking out at this moment and looking clearly at them, only to see that behind that woman followed an enormous and deep red snake!
Sky Swallowing Red Python!
She basically came to the judgment that it was a Sky Swallowing Red Python from the first look as she was familiar with snakelets.
The Sky Swallowing Red Python was an arcane-class beast at young ages. After it turned into an adult, it will come into the rank of a divine beast! And as Honglian is more powerful than her, her snake is an adult soon!
The strength was frightening and it was unbelievable. If they weren't the same level summoners, they had no way of making a contract as the damn snake will understandably, refuse to contract with an inferior!
Now that she thought about it, she cannot give Yingye the snakelet she has...her 4-star to this snakelet's power? Who's she trying to kid here, huh? Had it been other types of Divine Beasts, she can tame it for Yingye IF still young. But these snakes who knows they'll be divinity come adulthood has Gilgamesh-class egos. Soooo yes, Zhanye it is.
She went home to get a Glancing Memory Disk and give it to Royal Uncle as soon as possible.
xxx
'This, is troubling, Yue'er.' the Emperor shook as he, his aides and Lord Geng whom she called as he was assigned to the Sima Guiyan Murder Case watched her memories from her disk.
Some people found Sima Guiyan dead, killed by unknown people or so they thought!
There was a hidden witness to their battle: Beiyue herself who came home late from Forest Excursions and by sheer dumb luck she witnessed while avoiding detection...and she deemed herself AND Zhanye outclassed by Honglian and probably, her male companion too, if Honglian is a Divine-Class Summoner while she and Zhanye are merely Arcane-Classes! They lose hands down! She had trouble breathing while watching as anything can happen, but she got off lucky.
'We will investigate this matter delicately.' said Geng Zhong gloomily, taking the disk. He shook his head at how stupid the man was! Most people would run than die! 'And Princess, no more late night excursions, please.' he gently scolded Beiyue. 'At least, until they're out of the city.'
xxx
Zhanye's Residence...
'So that's how it is...' Zhanye twitched as Beiyue kicked out his servants and aides to talk to him in private.
She told him what just happened and what she intends for him to do while there is still time.
He just can't believe he'll have a contract made with a stronger snakelet while it's still tameable for an arcane-class brat before it grows an ego.
'Its out of necessity and who else can be Emperor of Nanyi?' Beiyue told him. 'You're wise and prudent for your age out of the Princes here so at least Nanyi's future will be secure incase anything happens to Uncle.' she advised. 'So how about it? At least, one of us must be stronger than that Honglian and I'm elementally-incompatible with this snake. You're all we've got here.'
'Alright alright!' Zhanye grumbled, his arms raised in surrender as he caved in to her persuasions. 'So...where's the snakelet?'
'Right here, but I'll teach you how to cheat.'