Fu Jue’s expression did not change, but her pupils contracted sharply. When she looked at Pei Liang, the air around them seemed to freeze.
Though it was somewhat at odds with the disorderly atmosphere around them, Fu Jue reacted swiftly, immediately concealing her momentary lapse. Had Pei Liang not been exceptionally observant, one could even say Fu Jue had left no trace of it.
Fu Jue looked at Pei Liang, still surrounded by that otherworldly, detached air. She nodded at Pei Liang without saying a word.
Fortunately, Pei Liang had not intended to pick a fight at a time like this. She had simply spoken her honest opinion.
She genuinely felt that dealing with intelligent people was preferable to playing games with fools.
Intelligent people understood when to advance and retreat, and where to draw the line. Fools were different. You could never comprehend the way their minds worked—especially a fool like Fu Xin, who wielded centuries of accumulated authority and power. A fool with that kind of influence could do an immense amount of damage.
Pei Liang was truly losing patience.
Thinking about it, the Crown Princess really was lucky. In the original story, whenever she dealt with Xianluo Mountain, Fu Jue had been the sole person in charge from beginning to end.
Several years later, when the Crown Princess’s own storyline officially began, it was clear that Fu Jue had already killed her elder sister and ascended to the position of sect master.
In the original story, there had never been anyone called Fu Xin. That was why Pei Liang had been somewhat surprised when she heard that the Xianluo Mountain Sect Master was a woman.
After leaving the imperial palace, the earthquake response operation led by Pei Liang immediately swung into action.
Thanks in part to the fact that she had been openly eliminating her political enemies in court these past few days, Prince Liang’s orders carried considerable weight.
Most of the officials in the court were either her supporters or people who had chosen to keep their heads down and stay out of trouble at such a time. None of them dared provoke her.
With the Empress’s cooperation as well, they encountered little resistance along the way—
Though there was some. Pei Liang cut off the offender’s head with a single stroke of her blade, after which even those who had intended to go through the motions without actually doing any work no longer dared to do so.
In a crisis, Pei Liang would not permit anyone to test her resolve.
If they discovered that her determination had any weakness, then even a few lax links in the chain of command could cost tens of thousands of people their lives.
With messengers from the various departments galloping at full speed, the entire area surrounding the capital received the news and began evacuating according to the methods Prince Liang had hastily laid out.
The countryside was sparsely populated, so a full day was enough for people to move their belongings and grain. The capital, however, was somewhat more chaotic.
Pei Liang requisitioned a number of suitable locations as shelters and had the military organize order. Despite the hectic circumstances, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
The common people of ancient times were also quite cooperative. As long as they were fed, most people would not complain.
By noon the following day, the rats were scurrying, the dogs were barking, and the earth was shaking.
The earthquake itself was not particularly powerful, but when the displaced residents assessed their homes, they realized that even buildings that had remained standing might not hold out.
Their hearts ached, naturally, but the thought of having survived the disaster soon outweighed their distress. Once the earthquake ended, the atmosphere of alarm that had enveloped the entire capital finally began to ease.
The people emerged from the shelters. As expected, the city outside was somewhat chaotic. Prince Liang then issued another decree: losses were to be tallied, those who had lost their homes were to be settled, repairs were to be organized, and precautions were to be taken against the outbreak of disease.
The aftershocks were minor—so minor that they could practically be ignored—which made the entire disaster-relief operation relatively easy to manage.
There was no shortage of labor in the capital now. Under orderly coordination, post-earthquake restoration soon got back on track.
This was also the first time the court officials and the capital’s residents had witnessed Prince Liang’s formidable ability to get things done.
Ordinary people might not have understood, but the old hands in officialdom could see the true significance at a glance.
Prince Liang had held important positions before, but she had long been surrounded by followers who had supported her since childhood. In many cases, when the Emperor assigned her a task, her subordinates would naturally handle it well, leaving her to sit back and claim the credit.
That was not to say Prince Liang had lacked political skill. Her talents had simply been directed mainly toward maneuvering within official circles, cultivating her faction, and extracting benefits.
This was the first time anyone had seen her tackle a thankless, labor-intensive task in earnest.
In the eyes of the officials, Prince Liang had previously suffered from the sort of detachment associated with someone who did not understand the hardships of ordinary people. Her only advantage over the Crown Princess was that she could freely enter and leave the imperial palace and had seen somewhat more of the world.
Yet this time, once Prince Liang became serious, her strategic foresight, organizational ability, adaptability, and unfailing calculations were all displayed in plain view.
Not every official in the court was merely occupying a position without doing any work. Many had entered office with lofty ideals and a genuine desire to serve the nation and its people.
They had once believed Prince Liang to be licentious and brutal, and feared that if she became Emperor, she would hardly be a wise ruler who cared about the people.
But now, it seemed their earlier judgment had been mistaken.
Regardless of her personal motives, Prince Liang unquestionably possessed the abilities of an exceptional ruler.
For the first time, the people of the capital had suffered only minor losses in an earthquake of such magnitude. For several days afterward, many of them remained incredulous.
The capital was not an area frequently struck by earthquakes, but when had any natural disaster ever passed so easily?
Even those whose homes had been damaged received financial assistance from the court for repairs. Let alone human lives, even property losses had been kept to a minimum.
It was no secret who had overseen the entire earthquake response.
Overnight, Prince Liang’s prestige soared. Already adored by the men of the capital, she now gained even greater momentum and influence.
As for the court, although every department had been working around the clock, effective preventive measures had reduced the losses to a minimum.
The bulk of the expenditure went toward temporary housing and post-earthquake repairs. But the shelters were either already available or had merely been requisitioned, and under the leadership of Prince Liang’s consort, many wealthy nobles and families had generously donated supplies. Their contributions essentially covered the costs.
The damaged homes required reinforcing materials. Yet because the earthquake-prevention measures had been implemented in time, many merchants from across the realm who had come to the capital had avoided losses. Some donated as a gesture of gratitude, while others simply wanted to make an impression in front of Prince Liang.
One southern trading house organized a donation of a large quantity of timber, relieving the capital’s most pressing need.
Those who contributed money naturally deserved honors and commendations, and Pei Liang did not skimp on them. The earthquake response had been a victory of human effort over natural disaster, and it was certainly worthy of enthusiastic praise.
She therefore ordered the construction of a commemorative stele and had the Empress inscribe it personally. The names of all the donors were recorded upon it, making everyone happy with the arrangement.
However, as time passed, the public narrative surrounding Prince Liang’s good reputation began to change.
At some point, rumors began circulating throughout the city that the earthquake had been caused by Prince Liang in the first place.
The divine edict from Xianluo Mountain had warned the world that so long as this tyrant remained alive, she would bring disaster upon all living things. What Prince Liang had done now, the rumors claimed, was nothing more than cleaning up the mess she herself had created.
Rumors of this sort spread throughout the capital overnight, attempting to erase Prince Liang’s achievements in the earthquake response.
When the claim first appeared, the vast majority of people dismissed it with contempt. But there would never be a shortage of dark-minded people in this world.
The losses from the earthquake had been small, but one had to consider what they were being compared against.
A grain of sand in the wheel of the times could become a mountain pressing down on an individual. There would always be people who wanted someone to blame for their losses.
With deliberate manipulation guiding the public mood, that voice gradually became impossible to ignore.
Pei Liang naturally knew who was behind it. One could figure out this sort of trick with one’s toes.
But who was Pei Liang?
When it came to manipulating public opinion, she was the founding master.
And once Pei Liang realized that this world possessed a “religious power” on the level of Xianluo Mountain, she had already made preparations.
Through Fang Jiu, she had long since recruited a vast network of people from all walks of life.
She had not made a move before, but once she did, anyone with half a brain could immediately see that when it came to killing the body and crushing the spirit, Prince Liang was no amateur.
The rumors were spreading enthusiastically when, all of a sudden, the developments of that day’s court session began circulating throughout the capital.
It was said that the court had disagreed over compensation and relief for the earthquake victims.
His Highness Prince Liang had fought tirelessly to secure benefits for the victims, sparing no expense. Yet the officials led by the Second Imperial Daughter had opposed her, claiming that the disaster was not severe enough and that even greater calamities might arise three months from now, making it necessary to conserve resources.
This concerned the vital interests of the majority of the people, so public opinion shifted instantly.
When someone was fighting to secure benefits for you, how could they possibly be stabbed in the back like this? What kind of intentions did the Second Imperial Daughter have?
People even sarcastically remarked that the Second Imperial Daughter truly was incapable of intimacy and utterly indifferent to the lives and deaths of the common people. The disaster before them had not yet been brought under control, yet she was using possible events three months from now as an excuse to cut back on the people’s means of survival.
When the Second Imperial Daughter heard how public opinion had completely changed overnight at the Prince’s residence, her face twisted with rage.
“The Boss actually dares—” The Second Imperial Daughter swept the cups and plates from the table.
If she had not participated in that morning’s court session herself, she might even have believed the rumors, which had been spread with such convincing detail.
She had merely raised some objections regarding cost and priorities. Given the Boss’s current influence and domineering attitude, only an idiot would openly oppose her.
Yet someone had deliberately twisted the truth. There was no way the Boss was not behind it.
The Second Imperial Daughter felt that she had still underestimated the Boss’s shamelessness. She had assumed that her tacit understanding with Fu Xin was airtight, and that outsiders would never find any evidence. Even if the Boss suspected her, she would have no excuse to make trouble for her.
But she had never expected that the woman simply had no intention of looking for evidence. She would attack her first and worry about reasons later.
No—that was not quite right. Hadn’t every one of the things the Boss had done recently been provoked by her first?
She had been too presumptuous herself. She had failed to keep pace with the Boss’s transformation and had continued to regard her as the reputation-conscious woman of the past.
The Boss had long since abandoned all shame.
Still, the Second Imperial Daughter found some comfort a few days later. She had wanted to hide behind Xianluo Mountain and make her moves from the shadows, but the Boss had refused to play by the usual rules. She had dragged her into the open and publicly torn her to pieces instead.
The Second Imperial Daughter wanted Xianluo Mountain to help turn public opinion around, so that her reputation among the people would not continue to deteriorate.
But the people of Xianluo Mountain were thinking along the very same lines. Since Prince Liang had dragged the Second Imperial Daughter out to vent her anger and take the blame, and since they had already tested the depths of Prince Liang’s strength, while public sentiment was running high and it was unsuitable to launch any further attacks, they naturally withdrew and waited to see what would happen.
Unfortunately, Xianluo Mountain had evidently never encountered a truly formidable opponent in a battle of public opinion throughout its long history. As a result, it remained far too arrogant.
Even at this point, it still thought that it held the initiative.
Within a few days, of course, the flames spread from the Second Imperial Daughter to Xianluo Mountain itself.
The Xianluo Mountain Sect Master had predicted the earthquake in advance, yet had kept silent. Only after His Highness Prince Liang questioned her identity and relentlessly pressed her had she revealed the matter.
After Pei Liang refined and guided the narrative, and with the pain left by the earthquake still fresh, the people of the capital—who had experienced it most deeply—naturally began voicing their dissatisfaction with Xianluo Mountain.
For a time, criticism of Xianluo Mountain spread everywhere.
Some fervent religious believers tried to defend it, saying that even immortals could not always reveal the secrets of Heaven—
“Give me a break. Normally, they’re always saying that Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed, but when the royal family questioned the Sect Master’s identity, she suddenly had plenty to say.”
“The lives and deaths of tens of thousands of people were too important to mention, but when the Sect Master had to prove her own identity, suddenly it didn’t matter anymore. Is she the only one whose life is precious because she has the fate of an immortal? Are the lives of us commoners worthless because we might stain her purity?”
“Didn’t you see the annual calculations released by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau under the Crown Princess? Their achievements far surpass those of Xianluo Mountain. How did Xianluo Mountain become the land of immortals?”
“Looking back over the past several centuries, how many times has Xianluo Mountain intervened without meddling in the selection of the imperial heir? Its predictions may be accurate, but the immortal behind them is simply greedy for power. If the matter does not involve a dispute over the imperial heir, they refuse to speak. Even if Xianluo Mountain truly possesses divine power, what does that have to do with us commoners?”
The people’s dissatisfaction grew more intense by the day. No matter how Xianluo Mountain responded using the methods that had always worked in the past, everything it said would ultimately be distorted by the time it reached the public.
Sitting behind the scenes, Pei Liang could only sigh at how inexperienced these people were. Although some brilliant expert had designed an excellent system of operation, one so effective that even a fool like Fu Xin could inherit it and keep it running smoothly enough to stand against the ancient imperial family, it was still ultimately relying on the relatively simple and backward public-opinion environment of ancient times.
Once the methods of later-generation information warfare were brought to bear, these so-called “successors,” who lacked practical experience and knew only how to theorize on paper, were beaten senseless.
Pei Liang had not even resorted to particularly dirty tactics in the battle of public opinion. Of course, this was also partly because she had already removed most of the people in important positions before Xianluo Mountain arrived.
On this day, Pei Liang went out to dine with Su Yue.
The capital’s economy had gradually recovered in recent days. The beams of the capital’s foremost restaurant, Fragrant Heaven Pavilion, had sustained some damage during the earthquake. Given the restaurant’s immense wealth and distinguished clientele, it naturally would not reopen until every possible safety concern had been addressed.
As a result, it was among the last businesses to resume operations.
Pei Liang had worked with Fragrant Heaven Pavilion extensively when she had previously helped Consort Zhou sell his recipes, so when the restaurant reopened that day, it respectfully sent her an invitation.
Pei Liang had been busy for half a month and happened to need some time to relax, so she readily accepted.
As soon as Pei Liang and Su Yue arrived at Fragrant Heaven Pavilion, they were ushered into a private room that had been prepared for them in advance. The head chef personally prepared their meal.
Pei Liang took a bite and nodded. “A feast fit for the heavens. Chef Liu has put a great deal of thought into this.”
The proprietor’s face was wreathed in smiles. “Your Highness is too kind. It was only because Your Highness pointed out the shortcomings and gave us guidance that Chef Liu, despite his age, was able to make such a breakthrough in his culinary skills. Your Highness has been the true benefactor of both Chef Liu and our establishment.”
Pei Liang smiled and nodded. After saying that she looked forward to seeing what else they had in store, she let the proprietor leave to attend to the other guests.
Then she said to Su Yue, “When I previously suggested that Fragrant Heaven Pavilion try a different seasoning for this glutinous-rice duck, the response was quite good. Give it a try.”
Su Yue nodded, feeling a little sweet inside.
Consort Zhou was free today as well, but Pei Liang had deliberately brought only her. There had been some consideration of appearances behind the decision, certainly, but it also gave them a rare day alone together.
While Little Sheng was helping her pick up some glutinous-rice duck, Su Yue casually placed a piece of spare rib into Prince Liang’s bowl.
When the other woman looked over in surprise, Su Yue’s face flushed. The usually clever and calculating woman suddenly became awkward as she said, “You should eat too.”
Pei Liang smiled and was just about to pick up her chopsticks when the private-room door suddenly swung open.
Everyone inside turned toward the sound and saw a boy of thirteen or fourteen. His face still held a trace of childishness, yet he was exceptionally handsome and delicately featured.
The person outside seemed a little strange. He pushed the door open, and his gaze landed directly on Pei Liang. There was no trace of unfamiliarity on his face.
Yet he said, “Sorry, I came to the wrong room. I’m a guest from the Bamboo Garden next door.”
Su Yue frowned slightly. For some reason, he felt that something was off, but he didn’t pursue it. “It’s fine.”
Little Sheng stepped forward and shut the door, cutting off the youth’s view of their prince. “Since you came to the wrong room, why haven’t you left yet?”
The boy pouted, glaring at Pei Liang with a mixture of displeasure and defiance before turning around and walking away.
Little Sheng turned back to Pei Liang and gave a quiet snort as well.
At the same time, he couldn’t help worrying on behalf of his master. There was already Consort Zhou in the residence, and outside, their prince was even more popular—everywhere she went, those little vixens were batting their eyelashes at her.
That child just now had probably deliberately come over to make his move too.
With all these little demons outside being so fierce, what was their consort supposed to do?
Just as Little Sheng was fretting over it, he saw their Highness stand up and say to Su Yue, “I’m going out for a while. You go ahead and eat.”
Su Yue watched her leave the private room, and the strange feeling in his heart only grew stronger.
As for Pei Liang, the moment she left the private room, she went straight into the Bamboo Garden next door.
When she pushed the door open, sure enough, the brothers Fang Jiu and Fang Shi were waiting inside.
The moment Fang Jiu saw her enter, obvious delight appeared on his face. Fang Shi, however, looked far more awkward.
Pei Liang decided to tease him. “Who made our Little Ten angry?”
Fang Shi glared at her. “My brother has been running himself ragged for you. He’s lost a whole lot of weight. Have you forgotten that there’s someone like him at the Ripple Pavilion?”
Before Pei Liang could say anything, Fang Jiu hurriedly scolded him. “That’s enough.”
Fang Shi seemed to remember their identities as well. At the end of the day, they were merely the sons of disgraced officials. Without Prince Liang’s protection, they were destined to be trampled into the mud.
Recently, this woman had treated them so well—so well that he couldn’t help acting spoiled and overstepping himself.
Fang Jiu was afraid his younger brother would throw a tantrum and say something reckless, so he dismissed him. “When we came out, so many people asked you to buy things for them. Hurry up and go.”
Fang Shi didn’t want to disturb the two of them either, so he left the private room with his attendants.
The moment the boy left, the private room naturally switched straight into adult mode.
Fang Jiu immediately went boneless and burrowed into Pei Liang’s arms, his voice plaintive. “Your Highness…”
A beauty throwing herself into her arms—how could a shameless lecher like Pei Liang possibly resist?
She quickly comforted him. “You’ve worked hard these past few days. Once everything is settled, I’ll buy you a residence. You won’t have to personally oversee the Ripple Pavilion every day.”
“Judging from how you handled this incident, your abilities clearly extend far beyond that.”
Fang Jiu looked up at her mournfully. “Will Your Highness come to that residence?”
“I will, of course I will,” Pei Liang answered without thinking.
Fang Jiu was a talented intelligence-gatherer and propagandist. Though he had been born into nobility, after his family’s downfall he had displayed an astonishing ability to adapt. He was particularly skilled at recruiting and making use of people from the lower rungs of society.
Naturally, Pei Liang would have to visit the place where he worked from time to time. That was all she meant.
Yet Fang Jiu’s face lit up with delight, and a blush spread across his cheeks.
His voice became even more tender. “Your Highness, I thought my life would wither away like this. After being reduced to a common entertainer, I never dared dream of finding a place to settle down as someone’s husband.”
“Who could have imagined that Your Highness would take pity on me? Though I have no formal title, if Your Highness were willing to close the doors and be the head of my household, then even if it were only an illusion, I would be content.”
Pei Liang was currently enjoying the soft, fragrant warmth in her arms, but the more she listened, the more something seemed wrong.
Had he misunderstood something? Why did it sound as though she were keeping a mistress behind her official consort’s back?
But when she thought about it that way, it did seem rather exciting.
In the past, playing around with pretty boys had only been a game. Now she was actually getting involved for real.
With mischief in her heart, Pei Liang teased him. “Oh? You’d be satisfied even without a title?”
Fang Jiu lowered his head, his expression desolate. “I was born in a pleasure house. I would only bring shame upon Your Highness.”
“Even if Your Highness takes other consorts in the future, or seeks to marry a secondary husband, you should choose someone from a respectable, spotless family.”
“Consort Zhou, for instance, would be an excellent choice. He’s had a hard life. Though he has been married before, he is still perfectly clean.”
Pei Liang laughed. “Don’t talk nonsense. My relationship with my brother-in-law is entirely innocent.”
Fang Jiu looked up at her. The meaning in his eyes was obvious: You can pretend to be proper in front of other people, but don’t try that act with me.
Pei Liang found it even more amusing. She had discovered that Fang Jiu, though he appeared to have had all his sharp edges worn away and seemed to have accepted his fate, was nothing like that inside.
The Emperor of Yan’s consort might look like a seductive, bewitching beauty capable of bringing ruin to a kingdom, but when it came to the art of playing the innocent victim, Fang Jiu was still the true master.
Pei Liang ran her thumb over his petal-soft lips and continued, “You’re quite bold. I was having a meal with my consort just now, yet you dared send Little Ten over to lure me here.”
“What will happen if your existence is discovered by my consort in the future? What if he comes knocking on your door?”
Fang Jiu leaned against her even more dependently. “With Your Highness’s ability, as long as you wish to protect me, I’ll naturally remain safe and sound.”
“If the day ever comes when Your Highness no longer wishes to protect me, there will be no need for Consort Su to trouble himself by coming here. I’m not so blind to another person’s feelings. If I ever incur Your Highness’s displeasure, I’ll find a well and throw myself into it.”
Pei Liang wondered if this was the power of a courtesan. She was thoroughly impressed.
But no matter how alluring Fang Jiu was, she had been away from her table for too long. Continuing to stay would be disrespectful to Su Yue.
So she asked, “Did you have something important to discuss with me today?”
Seeing that she clearly intended to leave, Fang Jiu bit his lower lip. The current Prince Liang still enjoyed his beauty, but for no apparent reason, she was always so proper.
Fang Jiu’s feelings were complicated. He was happy about it, yet at the same time, he felt a vague sense of loss.
These days, unless he took the initiative, Prince Liang always treated him in a strictly businesslike manner. It left Fang Jiu deeply disappointed.
Thus, he worked up his courage and said, “Your Highness has been busy lately, so I—I was only concerned about your health.”
How could Pei Liang fail to understand the implication?
She looked at Fang Jiu’s heated breathing and the flush at the corners of his eyes.
She began to reflect on her own behavior. Perhaps, in the future, she shouldn’t indulge herself by giving her beautiful subordinate too much hands-on “health care.”
Look at this. Once someone had gotten a taste of it, the rewards for completing their missions had to include yet another item. As the boss, she couldn’t neglect the material rewards, but she also had to personally provide physical rewards.
Wasn’t that a bit of a loss for her?
Still, Fang Jiu was a grown man who had already experienced such things. Leaving him hanging like this would hardly be humane.
So she coaxed him, “You’ve worked hard. Go back today, and I—”
Before she could finish, Fang Jiu interrupted her. “Are you planning to send me away and leave me alone at the Ripple Pavilion, waiting endlessly for you?”
Why did this sound more and more like something a heartless scoundrel would say? Wasn’t she supposed to be a masseuse?
As Fang Jiu spoke, he lowered himself inch by inch. “I know Consort Su is right next door, so it’s inconvenient for Your Highness to stay.”
“But at least let me serve Your Highness once.”
As he spoke, he knelt between Pei Liang’s legs and reached out to undo her trousers.
Pei Liang: “…”
Wait. How had this conversation suddenly taken such a wicked turn?
