Chapter 26: Consort Gui’s Reward
Translated by algoo | Proofread by algoo
For the latest updates, visit: ProNovels.com
Join our Discord for release updates: https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB
In Changchun Palace, Consort Gui smiled, cuddling her spirit pet. She then asked Lin Xiu, “You cured my precious darling. Tell me, what reward do you desire?”
“It was my honor to alleviate Your Ladyship’s worries. I don’t need any reward.” Lin Xiu glanced at the kneeling palace maid. “Since the spirit pet is fine now, I request Your Ladyship to pardon her.”
Consort Gui gave him a sidelong glance. “You, an outsider, dare interfere in the affairs of my palace?”
Her tone then softened. “However, I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll spare her this once. Go make the ice. It’s sweltering in here…”
Shortly after, Steward Li pulled Lin Xiu aside, lowering his voice. “You’ve got guts, interfering in Consort Gui’s affairs, even daring to make requests of her…”
Lin Xiu knew Steward Li meant well. He smiled. “Don’t worry, Steward Li, it won’t happen again.”
He simply couldn’t bear to see the cute little maid suffer a beating.
Men, after all, had a soft spot for beautiful women. Furthermore, Lin Xiu had been completely confident in his ability.
If he wanted, he could become an excellent veterinarian.
Treating humans was simple; treating animals wasn’t. A normal person could describe their discomfort, its duration, and specific symptoms to a physician.
Animals couldn’t. They were like infants who hadn’t yet learned to speak, unable to communicate. Diagnosis relied entirely on the doctor’s experience. This was a major reason why pediatrics was challenging.
Having helped the little maid, Lin Xiu focused on making ice. Soon, a figure scurried over from the palace – the maid who had narrowly escaped punishment.
Her face flushed, she presented a beautifully carved wooden box to Lin Xiu. “This is a reward from Consort Gui.“
Then, sticking out her tongue, she whispered, “Thank you for earlier.”
Lin Xiu smiled. “It was nothing.”
He took the box with one hand while the other continued channeling yuan force into the ice molds, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Seeing this, the little maid quickly took a handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped his sweat.
As she wiped his brow, she looked at him, her face reddening. She then quickly put away the handkerchief and hurried off.
Lin Xiu couldn’t help but smile. The little girl was shy. He had to admit, his appearance was quite appealing to girls.
Wealthy, generous, and handsome. A man with these qualities could effortlessly become a heartbreaker. Lin Xiu’s success in his past life was half due to money and half due to his looks.
While making the last batch of ice for Changchun Palace, Lin Xiu noticed a commotion behind him. He turned to see Consort Gui’s spirit pet, the cat-like creature, fluttering its wings and slowly flying towards him.
It stopped before him and asked excitedly, “Human, can you understand me? How else would you know I had a thorn in my paw?”
Lin Xiu pretended not to understand, not responding.
He already openly possessed ice abilities. If people knew he also understood animal speech, he might be captured for research. No one in history had ever possessed more than two abilities.
Although it couldn’t communicate precise information in human language, and even if it knew, it couldn’t tell anyone, caution was always best. Lin Xiu stared blankly, feigning ignorance.
“So he can’t understand?”
“So boring. What is this place? There’s no one to talk to…”
“Father, Mother, I miss you…”
…
Enjoying the translation? Stay updated with the latest chapters at ProNovels.com.
To Steward Li and the others, it seemed like Consort Gui’s pet simply flew to Lin Xiu, meowed a few times, and then flew back.
Lin Xiu silently channeled his yuan force, lost in thought.
Across the continent, various nations had the custom of keeping rare spirit beasts as pets. Where there was demand, there was a market. Every year, numerous spirit beasts were taken from their habitats and sold in human countries. This spirit beast was likely the same.
Judging by its words, it seemed to hold a high position within its own kind.
Although he pitied it, Lin Xiu couldn’t do anything. After finishing the ice for Changchun Palace, he left.
Unexpectedly, a figure stood at the palace gate, seemingly having waited for him.
The young woman in a pale yellow dress smiled at him. “Young Master Lin.”
Lin Xiu was surprised. “Miss Shuangshuang, were you waiting for me?”
The young woman nodded, then asked curiously, “How did you know Consort Gui’s pet was injured by a thorn?”
Lin Xiu smiled. “Careful observation. The spirit beast was trembling all over, but one leg was shaking more noticeably. So, I guessed that leg was injured.”
“I see.” The young woman seemed to understand. “Young Master Lin is very observant. I am far inferior.”
Lin Xiu said, “You are too modest, Miss Shuangshuang. Treating humans and animals is different. Spirit pets are like children, unable to communicate. Diagnosis is inherently difficult. I simply happened to have raised cats before and understand their habits. It was a lucky guess.”
Bai Shuangshuang’s eyes lit up. “You are right. It would be wonderful if we could understand children and pets. Treatment would be so much easier. Fortunately, you were so attentive, or that little maid would have been punished.”
She then asked, “Did you just say you also know medicine?”
Lin Xiu said modestly, “I’ve self-studied a bit. Of course, I can’t compare to you, Miss Shuangshuang.“
Bai Shuangshuang blushed. “I merely rely on my esoteric abilities. In terms of attentiveness, I am far inferior. If you studied medicine, Young Master Lin, you would surely excel.”
Lin Xiu had been looking for an opportunity to get closer to her. “I would like to learn, but I have no teacher. If I have questions in the future, could I consult you, Miss Shuangshuang?”
Bai Shuangshuang didn’t overthink it, nodding readily. “Of course! I’m sometimes at the Academy of Esoteric Arts, but mostly at the Imperial Hospital. You can find me there.”
She had a good impression of Lin Xiu. Firstly, his handsome appearance made it hard to dislike him. Secondly, his willingness to risk offending Consort Gui for an unrelated maid earned her respect.
Lin Xiu smiled and cupped his hands. “Thank you, Miss Shuangshuang.“
He then excused himself, saying he had other duties.
After witnessing her abilities, Lin Xiu was determined to befriend her. While he lacked experience in making friends, he was experienced in making girlfriends. The principles were similar. “Friend” and “girlfriend” only differed by one character; the methods should be more or less the same.
Based on his experience with girlfriends, such matters required a gradual approach. The first step was to establish a favorable impression, then nurture the relationship.
Lin Xiu then continued his rounds, visiting the palaces of the other consorts.
Consort Xian, Consort Shu, Consort De, followed by lower-ranking consorts and nobles…
Passing Ruidong Palace, the little maid informed him they didn’t need ice today, much to his relief.
His abilities clashed with Princess Minghe’s. Whenever they met, he felt a strong urge to fight her. While he could control this instinct, he wasn’t sure about her.
If they fought, he would most likely, no, definitely lose. She had years of experience, while he was a novice who had cultivated for less than a month. They were leagues apart.
At that moment, in Ruidong Palace…
The little maid named Cai’er said to the young woman in red on the swing, “Princess, that Young Master Lin is a good person. I heard that in Changchun Palace, if it wasn’t for him pleading for Linglong, she would have been beaten…”
The young woman in red curled her lip. “He doesn’t even know that tigress’s temper and dared to plead for someone? He was lucky this time. Next time, he might not be able to save himself.”
Consort Gui was notorious in the Inner Palace. Even the Empress gave her some leeway. Only the princess dared to call her a “tigress.” Cai’er stuck out her tongue, not daring to reply.
…
Enjoying the translation? Stay updated with the latest chapters at ProNovels.com.
As darkness fell, Lin Xiu finally emerged from the palace, exhausted. Except for a cup of tea offered by a maid in Qianqiu Palace under Consort Shu’s orders, he hadn’t had a single sip of water all day. However, he had absorbed a dozen more low-grade yuan crystals.
These two days in the palace were equivalent to a month of his previous cultivation. His internal yuan force had more than doubled.
For esoteric practitioners, yuan force was the source of their abilities, and their bodies were vessels for storing it. Cultivation was the process of expanding this vessel. The more yuan force it could hold, the stronger the practitioner.
At the palace gate, a figure was waiting for him.
Lin Xiu approached. “How long have you been here?”
“Just arrived.” Zhao Lingyin didn’t even look at him. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
Those words, “I’ll take you home,” filled Lin Xiu with a sense of security.
Remembering something, he took a wooden box from his sleeve and offered it to her. “This is for you.”
It was Consort Gui’s reward. He had opened it earlier. Although she had a bad temper, she was generous. This item would fetch at least several hundred, if not a thousand taels, if sold.
Zhao Lingyin opened the box and found an exquisite golden hairpin. Its body was intricately carved, and its head was shaped like a peacock about to take flight. The peacock was as thin as a cicada’s wing, lifelike. Just taking it out of the box made its wings tremble slightly, as if it would soar into the sky.
Even Zhao Lingyin’s eyes lit up with admiration. Both the craftsmanship and design were top-tier, something beyond the reach of ordinary people. If it were sold, countless ladies and madams in the Capital would go crazy for it.
It was such a precious gift that Zhao Lingyin couldn’t help but wonder if Lin Xiu had ulterior motives.
She frowned. “Why are you giving this to me?”
Lin Xiu explained, “It was a reward from Consort Gui. It’s a woman’s accessory; I have no use for it. My mother is too old to wear this. I just gave Sister Ayue a hairpin a few days ago. I thought about it, and you were the only one left. You’ve helped me so much with my cultivation and with making ice at Zhaiyue Lou. Consider it a token of my gratitude.”
He glanced at her, then hesitantly asked, “What are you thinking? You don’t think…”
Zhao Lingyin immediately denied it. “No, it’s just that this gift is too precious. I can’t accept it.”
Lin Xiu said readily, “Fine, I’ll give it to someone else then.”
He reached for the box, but with a flick of her wrist, it vanished into her sleeve.
She glanced at him indifferently. “Who else would you give it to? Don’t forget you’re engaged to my sister. I’ll keep it for her and give it to her when she returns.”
“I didn’t say I was going to give it to her…”
“Then who were you going to give it to?”
Lin Xiu’s eyelid twitched, seeing her clench her fist. He quickly said, “Just kidding! There’s no reason to take back a gift once it’s given. I’ve given it to you now. What you do with it is your business…”
For the latest updates, visit ProNovels.com. Join our Discord for release updates: https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB.
