Chapter 61 – Its Meaning Is Extraordinary

“The Left Chancellor presents a white jade Buddha statue…”

“The Right Chancellor presents a golden dragon-beaded incense chain…”

“The Minister of Personnel presents a renowned painting…”

As the Chief Eunuch recited each gift offered by the officials, Mu Nanjin couldn’t help but feel envious.

【Just one birthday and he’s already receiving so many expensive gifts, how enviable!】

【These congratulatory gifts must be going into the Emperor’s private treasury, right?】

【If he ever runs out of money, he could always sneak a few things out and sell them.】

The Emperor and the civil and military officials: “…”

【Ah, now it’s the Minister of Rites’ turn to offer his gift. Why does he look so terrified? He’s trying to keep a calm face, but those trembling hands are giving him away.】

【Oh, I get it. He must be afraid the Fifth Prince of the Great Wei Kingdom will use this moment to control him and assassinate the Emperor.】

Originally, no one had been paying much attention to the Minister of Rites, but as soon as Mu Nanjin’s thoughts echoed in everyone’s minds, all eyes turned toward him.

The poor Minister of Rites felt despair.

Just as he approached the Emperor, Mu Nanjin suddenly shouted:

【Not good! The Fifth Prince of Great Wei has made his move!】

The Minister of Rites’ legs instantly gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.

Tension swept through the hall as two Commanders of the Imperial Guards, who stood behind the Emperor, immediately turned to glare at the Fifth Prince of Great Wei.

The Fifth Prince: “???”

He had just been sipping wine when suddenly everyone was staring at him. Why?

Had they somehow discovered his plan to harm the Emperor?

Perhaps tonight wasn’t the right time to act after all. Especially with Feng Sinan standing right beside the Emperor, if he tried to use poison, Feng Sinan would surely notice at once.

He didn’t dare take the risk.

It seemed there would be no killing the Emperor of Great Qian tonight.

The other envoys of Great Wei, already uneasy, now found their palms and backs drenched in sweat as every official of Great Qian stared at them intently.

They hadn’t even done anything yet, so why did it feel like they were already exposed?

【Haha, I was just teasing you guys. The Fifth Prince didn’t actually do anything. Relax. Even if he wanted to, as long as I’m here, he can’t control any of you.】

The officials of Great Qian: “…”

It wasn’t just the Minister of Rites who had been frightened half to death; they all had been terrified!

Little girl, please don’t scare people like that when nothing’s wrong.

These old bones can’t handle it.

As for the military officials, they were ready to draw their swords and cut Mu Nanjin down on the spot.

【Uh? I didn’t actually shout out loud just now, did I? So why did the Minister of Rites drop to his knees? Did he just… scare himself?】

The Minister of Rites hastily picked up the gift he had dropped, kneeling properly again while silently cursing Mu Nanjin’s ancestors eighteen generations back.

He forced a smile. “Your Majesty, this humble servant wishes you eternal peace and health, and also prays for smooth success in founding the Women’s Imperial Examinations and the river transport project.”

The Emperor’s eyes brightened; those words struck a chord with him. He laughed heartily. “Good.”

After the gift was accepted and the Minister of Rites safely returned to his seat, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

Next came the Minister of Works’ offering.

When the gifts were finally done, the feast began in earnest.

【Mmm, the chicken’s pretty good.】

Captain Liu, seated nearby, froze at the sound of her thought. He turned sharply to see Mu Nanjin chewing contentedly on a piece of meat.

Suppressing his voice, he hissed, “Where did you get that food in your mouth?”

Mu Nanjin lowered her gaze toward the Vice Minister of Rites seated in front of them.

Captain Liu: “…”

In all his years as a guard, this was the first time he’d ever seen a palace guard dare to steal food right under the Emperor’s nose.

The Vice Minister of Rites looked utterly miserable. Half of the dishes on his table had already vanished into Mu Nanjin’s stomach, yet neither the Emperor nor the guards seemed to notice.

Captain Liu glanced at the envoys from the Great Liao and Great Zhou kingdoms, then said to Mu Nanjin, pretending casual conversation, “Great Chen sent a beauty to seduce His Majesty, Great Wei tried to control the Minister of Rites to assassinate him. What about Great Liao and Great Zhou? They’ve been here so long but haven’t done anything. Don’t they want to kill the Emperor too?”

【Those two countries aren’t as strong as the other three. To avoid being swallowed up, they came to Great Qian to discuss an alliance under the pretense of attending the Emperor’s birthday banquet. And, well, they also came to watch, see how Great Chen and Great Wei move, and maybe profit from the chaos.】

Captain Liu: “…”

As expected, none of them came with good intentions.

By the time the feast ended at the hour of Xu, the birthday celebration concluded amidst another round of congratulations.

Deng Xingchao escorted the envoys back to their lodgings.

Once the Jinyiwei departed, the Great Chen envoys sneered. “We’ve been in Great Qian for days and still haven’t found a chance to act. What a useless bunch.”

The Great Wei envoy laughed coldly. “And you’re useful? A group of men relying on one woman to do the job?”

“You!” The Great Chen envoy glared at him furiously.

The Great Liao and Great Zhou envoys, seeing there was no more entertainment to be had, simply left to return to their quarters.

The Great Wei envoy smirked. “Well then, may your princess succeed soon.”

They had figured it out; whether they assassinated the Emperor or the Great Chen princess used her charms to ensnare him, the end result would be the same. Why risk their own lives?

The Great Chen envoy: “…”

The four nations’ envoys remained in Great Qian for another three days before taking their leave.

The Fourth Prince of Great Chen wished to enter the palace to bid farewell to his sister, but was told the Princess awaited him atop the city gate tower.

There, in a chamber within the tower, the Great Chen Princess stood beside Mu Nanjin.

When the Fourth Prince arrived, the princess stepped forward, reluctant to part. “Fourth Brother.”

The Fourth Prince sighed softly. He didn’t like leaving his sister alone in a foreign land. “I’ll leave two guards and two maids with you. With your own people nearby, things will be easier.”

The princess hesitated, then shook her head. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Why not?” he asked, puzzled.

Her expression dimmed. “Seeing them will only remind me of unpleasant things.”

Because of her peculiar constitution, she had lived her whole life like a caged bird, kept within palace walls, forbidden to meet outsiders.

Every day, the only faces she saw were those of her four maids. When she finally escaped, she had almost lost her innocence.

So when she’d been chosen to come to Great Qian to offer birthday felicitations, she’d been elated. She thought that if she could use her power to influence the Emperor, she might finally take control of her own fate.

But reality was cruel. The Emperor of Great Qian was not as easily swayed as she had imagined.

Fortunately…

Her gaze drifted toward Mu Nanjin, who stood quietly outside.

Knowing her situation, the Fourth Prince frowned. “Without our people around you, you’ll find it difficult to move freely within the Great Qian Palace. Even communicating with us will be hard.”

The princess realized that refusing further might raise suspicion, so she relented. “Very well. Let them stay.”

After a pause, the Fourth Prince asked softly, “How are things progressing with the Emperor?”

“You saw for yourself at the banquet, he’s unaffected by me. I’ll have to find another way.”

He lowered his voice. “Don’t delay too long. You must stir chaos in Great Qian’s court as soon as possible.”

She nodded perfunctorily.

It was already late, and the Fourth Prince dared not linger. After one last look, he turned and left.

The princess and Mu Nanjin watched him disappear into the distance.

“Are you sure you want to stay?” Mu Nanjin asked. “You won’t regret giving up your status as a princess?”

The princess looked into the horizon. “Do you know, the days I spent living in Xiaoqing Tower were the happiest in my twenty years? No one watched me, no one controlled me. I could walk the streets freely, buy food I liked, watch the common folk laugh and chat… I felt truly alive.”

She wasn’t foolish; she knew Mu Nanjin had shown her the sweetness of freedom precisely so she wouldn’t want to return to her gilded cage. And it had worked.

“As for regret? That depends on whether you can keep your promise. If you can, then no, I won’t regret it. But…”

Her eyes flicked toward the four people her brother had left behind. “What about them? If they realize I’m not returning to the palace, they’ll summon my brother back immediately.”

Mu Nanjin glanced at the four. “Leave them to me.”

“You’re not going to kill them, are you?”

“Of course not.”

She led the princess and the four attendants back into a room at Xiaoqing Tower.

The guards and maids exchanged confused looks. Why weren’t they being sent back to the palace?

Mu Nanjin smiled. “Look into my eyes.”

They hesitated, but none dared refuse. As their gazes met hers, a faint light flickered in her pupils, and their expressions turned blank.

“My lady here is named Xijin,” Mu Nanjin said calmly. “From this day forth, she is your mistress. You will obey her orders and protect her well. No one else’s commands are to be followed.”

The four responded in unison, “Yes.”

The princess stared at her in shock.

Mu Nanjin gestured toward the door. “I have something to say to your mistress. You may wait outside.”

“Yes.”

The four left and closed the door.

The princess immediately asked, “What did you do to them?”

“I used Word Spirit Arts, a voice-bound spell. It seals their original memories and implants new thoughts. They won’t remember their past. From now on, they’re yours alone, unless someone stronger than me uses a superior Word Spirit.”

The princess studied her carefully. “I can’t help feeling you’re more than just an Ordinary Jinyiwei.”

Mu Nanjin smiled. “Did you forget? I’m also the owner of three brothels.”

“That’s not what I meant…” She shook her head. “Forget it. Let’s talk about my charm. I can’t control it. Whenever it flares up, men and women alike turn into beasts, throwing themselves at me.”

Mu Nanjin took out two wooden bracelets and slipped them onto her wrists. “These are handmade by me. The right one can suppress half your charm. It’ll make men deeply attracted to you, but not uncontrollably so. The left one can completely hide your charm, making you appear as an ordinary woman.”

“That’s wonderful.” The princess lovingly touched the bracelets. “How long will they last?”

“Forever.”

Delighted, she bowed slightly. “Thank you, Guard Mu.”

“In a few days, there will be a courtesan contest in the capital. Show your face then. Until that time, you’re free to play as you wish. If you run out of money, ask the madam for some.”

“Alright.” She paused, then asked curiously, “You said my name is Xijin. Is that the name I’ll use in the brothel? Which characters are those?”

“‘Xi’ as in attract, and ‘Jin’ as in gold.”

“Xijin…” She tilted her head, puzzled. “That’s quite an unusual name.”

Mu Nanjin nodded. “It holds special meaning.”

“Very well. From now on, I’ll be called Xijin.” The woman smiled brightly.

Mu Nanjin glanced at the sun outside. “It’s getting late. I need to fetch someone to help guard the brothel.”

“Fetch?”

“Xijin” blinked, not understanding. Before she could ask again, Mu Nanjin had already vanished.

“She… she disappeared?” She looked around in disbelief. “Guard Mu?”

No response.

That only confirmed her suspicion. Mu Nanjin was no ordinary guard. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn’t have entrusted her with this mission.

Leaving Xiaoqing Tower, Mu Nanjin headed swiftly toward the direction of the Great Wei envoys.

At noon, the Great Wei convoy stopped by a small village to rest.

The Fifth Prince had just stepped out to dine when a sudden sense of danger seized him. Before he could react, his body froze. He couldn’t move or speak, only feel an overwhelming dread, as though a demon had descended upon him.

Then, a soft breeze stirred.

Mu Nanjin appeared before him.

It was her, the Ordinary Jinyiwei of Great Qian.

The Fifth Prince’s eyes widened.

She had slipped into his carriage without a sound; her martial rank must be higher than his!

But she hadn’t fought him that day. Was she hiding her strength? Or had she spared him because he was an envoy?

Why had she come now? To kill him?

Mu Nanjin smiled faintly. “Fifth Prince, we meet again. Don’t worry, I’m not here to kill you.”

The prince exhaled in relief.

Not here to kill him, good.

“A while back, you threw a little venomous snake at me. Your poison skills impressed me, so I decided, once you left Great Qian, I’d catch you and make you serve me.”

The Fifth Prince: “…”

She wants me… as her subordinate?

Without another word, Mu Nanjin picked up a peanut from the table and flicked it outside, striking the horses.

“Neigh!”

Startled, the horses bolted, pulling the carriage out of the village at full speed.

Jin Beiyun gave chase. “Your Highness! Where are you going?”

Inside the carriage, Mu Nanjin, mimicking the prince’s voice perfectly, called back, “I just remembered an urgent matter. I’ll return to Great Wei once it’s settled.”

Jin Beiyun stopped his horse in confusion.

Inside the carriage, the real Fifth Prince could only stare, horrified.

She could even imitate his voice.

Two hours later, his body finally regained movement.

“Where… are we going?” he demanded.

The carriage rolled to a stop.

Mu Nanjin’s voice came from outside. “We’ve arrived.”

The prince stepped down and froze when he saw the sign before him.

Xiaoqing Tower.

He frowned. “What is this place?”

“A brothel,” Mu Nanjin replied casually.

His brows furrowed deeper. “Why bring me to a brothel?”

“To make you the keeper.”

The Fifth Prince: “!!!!!!”