Chapter 39

“What?”

“Tushan Ze has become a eunuch!”

Upon hearing this, Yun Yaoyao was so startled that the incense in her hand nearly fell to the ground.

Noticing a monk nearby looking over in confusion, Yun Yaoyao immediately composed herself and placed the incense into the burner.

Inside the Buddhist hall, Yun Yaoyao clasped her hands together as the deep, resonant chants of the Buddha washed over her, and began making her wishes.

“I hope I’ll never grow old or die. I hope I’ll never get sick. I hope I’ll always have more money than I can spend. I hope…”

Beside her, Tu Shanjin couldn’t help twitching the corner of his mouth. “You’re making a wish, not dreaming.”

Interrupted, Yun Yaoyao shot him an irritated glance. “You have a piece of vegetable stuck in your teeth.”

Tu Shanjin: “?”

He had eaten plain congee for breakfast. How could there be a vegetable stuck in his teeth?

Though he thought this, Tu Shanjin silently picked up another stick of incense. He raised it above his head and pretended to pray, then used his sleeve to cover his face while frantically scraping at his teeth with his tongue.

He was the dignified ruler of the realm. How could he possibly have a piece of vegetable stuck in his teeth?

After praying for blessings, the two left the Buddhist hall. When Yun Yaoyao spotted a group of familiar-looking people entering the hall opposite them, she quickly called over a monk to ask about it.

“Why are they here?”

The monk respectfully replied, “To answer Your Excellency, Master Yun and the others come to Mingguang Temple several times a year, all to pray for children.”

Yun Yaoyao remembered.

Aside from her and Yun Yanyan, Yun Liang had no other children. Having a son had always been his obsession.

For that reason, he had consulted countless famous physicians. His household was even constantly taking in new concubines, yet no more children had ever been born.

So the problem lay with Yun Liang. He was impotent.

But more than a decade ago, he had been capable of fathering Yun Yaoyao and Yun Yanyan almost at the same time. That meant he should have been fertile.

Wait!

The Prince of Ze’s infertility powder…

For more than a decade afterward, Yun Liang had never had another child…

And there was also the powder Yun Yanyan had scattered at the hunting grounds to attract the tigers toward Tu Shanjin…

In a flash of insight, Yun Yaoyao connected these scattered pieces of information and formed a suspicion.

Tu Shanjin had thought of the same thing.

The two turned around and exchanged a tacit look.

“Dispatch the Dragon Shadow Guard and investigate Madam Yun Li thoroughly!”

After giving the order, Yun Yaoyao was in an excellent mood. She was just about to take her beloved Consort Tu around to enjoy the sights when a commotion arose in the distance.

Yun Yaoyao, the ultimate lover of excitement, immediately squeezed into the crowd and peered toward the center.

“Excuse me, brother, what happened here? Why are so many people gathered around?” Yun Yaoyao casually asked a pilgrim who was also watching the commotion.

The pilgrim was momentarily dazzled by Yun Yaoyao’s face. “Brother, you’re remarkably handsome. Standing beside you makes me look like a bandit.”

Yun Yaoyao nodded. She was also very appreciative of the tyrant’s looks and physique. “That’s what I think too.”

The pilgrim was stunned by her frankness. “You really don’t hold back at all.”

“Brother, the person surrounded by this crowd is none other than the first divine prodigy of our Yanchi Dynasty—the National Master!”

Yun Yaoyao was astonished. “The National Master?!”

Eighteen years ago, the National Master had prophesied that one of Yun Yaoyao and Yun Yanyan would be the bringer of great fortune. Although the novel had not devoted many words to him, he was an extremely mysterious figure.

“Please, let me through.”

Yun Yaoyao immediately pushed her way into the crowd. Her tall, well-built figure and striking features instantly attracted the attention of the pilgrims. With her extraordinary bearing, she clearly had either money or status—and, most importantly, she seemed incredibly approachable.

At first glance, she was the perfect candidate for a son-in-law!

“Hey, young master, are you betrothed? My daughter turned sixteen last year…”

“I own three restaurants in the capital. I, Li, would be honored to host you and my daughter for a meal at one of them!”

“Young master…”

Seeing several women—and even some burly men—reaching out to touch his chest and arms, Tu Shanjin hurriedly pushed into the crowd and stood beside Yun Yaoyao, glaring coldly at the restless onlookers.

Yun Yaoyao immediately put an arm around her beautiful wife Consort Tu’s shoulder and smiled politely at everyone. “I already have a short-tempered wife at home. Sadly, I’m afraid I won’t be able to accept your kindness.”

Only then did the eager crowd disperse. They took one look at Tu Shanjin, first dazzled by his beauty, then shook their heads with a sigh.

“Such a waste of a handsome face. He’s so cold and fierce.”

“This young master is much better—amiable and polite. What a pity…”

“This is the first time in my life I’ve seen such an ideal son-in-law. I really can’t bear to give him up.”

Hearing the surrounding comments, Yun Yaoyao bent down and whispered beside Tu Shanjin’s ear, “I didn’t realize your body was so popular.”

Tu Shanjin radiated an icy aura that warned others to keep their distance and did not answer.

He wasn’t the popular one. On the contrary, everyone usually kept a respectful distance from him.

What he wanted to say was: It’s only because the soul inside this body is yours that everyone likes you so much.

The two finally reached the center of the crowd.

Yun Yaoyao saw a man dressed in white. He had an otherworldly bearing, flowing white hair, and an ethereal air, as though he had stepped out of the mortal world without truly belonging to it.

Yet the man in white was enthusiastically greeting everyone. The scene looked just like a modern idol meeting his fans, completely at odds with his transcendent appearance.

Upon seeing Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin, the National Master smiled. “I’ve been waiting for you two. Come, let’s have lunch together.”

Yun Yaoyao: “?”

And so, the three of them had lunch together.

Only after Tu Shanjin went off alone to ask the National Master about the doubts in his heart did Yun Yaoyao finally get a chance to speak with him.

She secretly slipped a priceless piece of jade into the National Master’s hand.

The National Master raised an eyebrow in surprise. “What does this mean?”

Yun Yaoyao answered solemnly, “It doesn’t mean anything. I’m just showing a little meaning. You know what I mean, right?”

The National Master laughed. “You really are something.”

“Ask whatever you want. Don’t beat around the bush.”

Yun Yaoyao immediately got to the point. “Eighteen years ago, when you spoke of the bringer of great fortune, were you referring to Yun Yaoyao or Yun Yanyan?”

The National Master smiled faintly. “Of course I meant you, Yun Yaoyao.”

Yun Yaoyao was slightly surprised. The man really did seem to possess some ability.

She asked another question, this time with an unusually serious expression. “Why did I end up inside a novel?”

“Everything you’ve experienced here is real. Why do you still regard this place as a novel instead of a world that truly exists?”

Yun Yaoyao asked, “Then why did Tu Shanjin and I exchange souls?”

“There is a reason for everything beneath the heavens.”

Yun Yaoyao continued, “Will Tu Shanjin and I switch back? If so, when will it happen? And after we switch back, will we keep switching again?”

“When you enter the next stage.”

The National Master gave her an official-sounding answer that was no more useful than a non-answer. Yun Yaoyao was left utterly bewildered.

While her thoughts were in a tangled mess, the National Master’s figure had already vanished into the distance, leaving behind only one sentence:

“I’ll answer the rest of your questions the next time we meet!”

Yun Yaoyao still didn’t understand. But she lived by the principle that anything she didn’t understand didn’t need to be understood—that anything capable of defeating her sooner or later would do so eventually.

So she simply stopped thinking about it.

This time, she and Tu Shanjin enjoyed themselves at Mingguang Temple for a full seven days. Yun Yaoyao forced the workaholic Tu Shanjin to deal only with matters requiring his personal decisions, and only then did the two return to the imperial palace.

Ah! It was time to attend court at six every morning again!

During court that day, Yun Yaoyao noticed that her four beloved ministers all looked visibly haggard!

Zhou Siren in particular looked as though every last drop of vitality had been sucked out of him, like an old chrysanthemum at the end of autumn—withered, shriveled, and covered in wrinkles!

Lin Qingti’s eyes were deeply sunken from exhaustion, and Guan Wanyu, newly appointed as a female official, was in much the same state.

As for Di Shunzhi, who had taken Yun Yaoyao’s hint and started writing two more storybooks, he looked even more dispirited. He felt as though his body had been hollowed out, and there wasn’t a single drop of inspiration left in his head!

Yun Yaoyao was extremely pleased to see them like this.

Moreover, this time, the officials under the Ministry of Revenue included many new faces. Most had been promoted on the basis of merit. They were upright in character and outstanding in ability.

Over the past seven days, Tu Shanjin had issued a series of ruthless orders from afar. Using the collapse of the Ministry of Revenue as a pretext, he had launched a major campaign against corruption throughout the court, leaving the officials grumbling with resentment and deeply dissatisfied.

Furthermore, ever since Zhou Siren had taken office as Minister of Revenue, every allocation approved by the Ministry of Revenue was calculated and recalculated. Not a single coin more, not a single coin less—just enough to cover the actual need!

Ask for one extra coin, and Zhou Siren, that penny-pinching miser, would immediately cry out in distress.

“No money! Keep pestering me, and you won’t get a single coin from the Ministry of Revenue!”

The old unspoken rule among the court officials had been that allocations should exceed the actual budget by a certain amount. That surplus was used by senior officials at every level to line their own pockets or grease the wheels when granting favors.

Now that extra portion had been cut off entirely. Wasn’t that as good as taking their lives?!

Since their own interests were involved, the officials’ dissatisfaction and resentment grew even stronger, and they began submitting one outspoken remonstrance after another.

From her elevated seat, Yun Yaoyao took in every expression among the officials below. She merely smiled and said nothing.

Yun Yaoyao understood why their resentment was so intense this time.

The Yanchi Dynasty placed great importance on incorruptibility in office. Its mainstream culture even revered living simply and forbade indulgence. As a result, the salaries of court officials were truly pitifully low—enough to scrape by, but little more.

Yun Yaoyao had only one thing to say about that:

“​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍Bullshit!”

They had studied hard for so many years and earned their qualifications through the examinations, all to gain the chance to serve in court—and then they were told their monthly salary was only three thousand?

“I worked my ass off for half my life so I could build a better life and give my family a good one!”

The rampant corruption was so severe not only because the previous dynasty had done nothing to address it, but also because of this underlying cause: official salaries were simply too low.

Facing the anger and resentment of the officials below, Yun Yaoyao rose to her feet and spoke slowly.

“My esteemed ministers, today I have an announcement to make.”

“The salaries of all court officials will be increased!”

“Minister Zhou, tell the assembled ministers the newly revised salary standards.”

Only then did Zhou Siren take a folded document from his robes. After clearing his throat twice, he began to read it aloud.

As the salary standards for each position were announced one after another, the anger and resentment on the ministers’ faces vanished almost instantly.

What? His salary had increased more than tenfold!

What? There were also detailed rules for various rewards. Anyone who made a major contribution during their tenure would receive fertile farmland, fine residences, and silver!

The officials were all delighted. Among them, even a few officials known for their incorruptibility could not help wiping away tears with their sleeves.

Two years earlier, one such official’s wife had contracted a serious illness. The daily cost of her medicine alone had been an enormous burden. Yet although he served in court, he despised corruption and bribery. Before long, his modest savings had been completely depleted.

At the time, he had been so poor that he could barely bring himself to eat steamed buns. Even his once-firm belief in honesty and integrity had begun to waver.

His wife understood his principles. Thus, she would rather stop taking the life-sustaining medicine altogether than allow him to violate his moral convictions.

Heaven above, why had you never opened your eyes and seen the suffering of honest officials like him? Why had you not allowed such a wise ruler to ascend the throne sooner?

If that had happened, perhaps when he returned home from court today, he would still be able to see his wife waiting for him with a warm meal and a bright smile…

After announcing the salary adjustments, Zhou Siren proclaimed another policy.

“Any official who has served for more than three years may send their direct descendants to the Imperial Academy, where they will be admitted directly and exempted from all tuition fees to receive an official education! Any official who has served for more than five years…”

The issue of salaries had been resolved, and the matter of their children’s education had been settled as well. Both were tangible benefits that directly affected the officials’ lives. What more could they possibly say?

They dropped to their knees in unison. Regardless of which faction they had previously belonged to, at this moment they were simply court officials whose personal interests and livelihoods had been secured.

Their voices, carrying more than a little genuine feeling, rang throughout Xuanzheng Palace, deafening in their force.

“Your Majesty is wise!”

“Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long, long live Your Majesty!”