The Baosi of history once smiled.
She saw the feudal lords being fooled and played like puppets, and she revealed a smile that could topple kingdoms.
What about the Baosi in the game?
‘What does this woman, who usually flatters me and clings to me, look like when she truly smiles?’ Shen Xixi wondered.
However, Baosi was an NPC. Her smile was likely just a line of code.
Lishan Palace was even larger than Deer Terrace Pavilion.
The pavilions and towers were built along the mountainside in an orderly fashion. Lush pines and cypresses were everywhere, and the fragrance of pine needles drifted through the air.
Luo Tiantian followed Shen Xixi inside, secretly observing her expression as they walked.
The Sponsor Mom seemed to be thinking about something.
‘What is she thinking about?’
“Do your feet hurt?” Shen Xixi asked.
Luo Tiantian was stunned by the sudden question.
“My feet? No, they don’t…”
“You ran so fast just now, and you weren’t even wearing shoes.”
“Your humble servant was just anxious to see Your Majesty.”
Shen Xixi drifted into a crouch, grasped her ankle, and lifted the foot that was only covered by a white sock.
The sock was indeed dirty, stained with dust and grass clippings. It looked a bit messy.
Shen Xixi stared at the foot for a moment.
Luo Tiantian’s face turned beet red, unsure of what the other woman meant.
“Your Majesty, it’s dirty…”
Shen Xixi ignored her, recalling Xiao Tao’s expression from earlier.
That palace maid had held this foot as if it were some rare treasure.
‘Is it really that tasty?’
Shen Xixi hesitated for a second, then lowered her head and gently bit Luo Tiantian’s toe through the sock.
Luo Tiantian felt a wave of numbness wash over him.
“Your Majesty?!”
Shen Xixi looked up, her expression serious. “It really is quite tasty.”
Luo Tiantian was speechless.
‘What the hell?’
‘What’s wrong with this rich woman?’
**[System Notification: Intimate behavior from assistance target “You Wang/Zhou Wang” detected. Satisfaction +5]**
**[Current Assistance Points: 105]**
Luo Tiantian sighed inwardly.
‘Fine. As long as she pays, she can do whatever she wants.’
**[System Notification: Congratulations, you have completed “Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords: Chapter One – Punishing Servants”]**
**[Quest Evaluation: Excellent (The method of punishment was creative, the emotional expression was just right, and it effectively triggered the target’s desire for exploration and curiosity)]**
**[Quest Rewards: Assistance Points +50, Game Coins +150]**
**[Current Assistance Points: 155]**
**[Current Game Coins: 250]**
**[System Notification: Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords: Chapter Two has been unlocked]**
**[Quest Name: The Monarch’s Reward]**
**[Quest Background: After punishing the servants, you have established your authority at Lishan Palace. However, the path of a favored consort lies not only in establishing authority but also in receiving grace. Expressing expectations for a reward to the monarch at the right time allows him to feel the satisfaction of being needed. Appropriately asking for things is also proof of favor.]**
**[Quest Requirements: Within Lishan Palace, express your expectation for a reward or gift to King You (format is flexible), and successfully receive at least one reward from the King (game coins, physical items, or assistance points are all acceptable)]**
**[Quest Rewards: Assistance Points x30, Game Coins x100]**
**[Quest Tip: Asking is an art. Being too direct seems greedy, while being too subtle makes it easy to be ignored. Please find the right balance :)]**
‘Nice.’
Luo Tiantian was delighted.
Shen Xixi was still crouching on the ground, holding her ankle with a pensive expression, as if savoring the toe-biting from a moment ago.
“Your Majesty,” Luo Tiantian said softly.
“Hmm?”
“Your humble servant… has a small request.”
Shen Xixi looked up at her.
“Your Majesty is so good to me, and my heart is full of gratitude. I was wondering if I could receive a small reward from Your Majesty? It doesn’t have to be much, just a little bit would make me happy.”
Shen Xixi’s expression froze.
‘A reward. She wants money.’
She lowered her eyes to look at the foot in her hand.
The white sock was stained with dust, but the toes still looked round and cute. When she bit down just now, Baosi had turned numb but still didn’t pull away.
She was so well-behaved.
She was so obedient.
But she didn’t have much money right now.
A massive sense of guilt welled up in Shen Xixi’s heart.
‘I feel like an incompetent husband being asked for money by his wife after returning home.’
Baosi had coaxed her to log on and stayed with her for so long. She couldn’t let her leave empty-handed.
Her game coins only had 3,120 left. It sounded like a lot, but any game option usually cost 500 or 600. She had to be careful with her spending.
But…
Shen Xixi looked up and met Luo Tiantian’s expectant eyes.
Her heart softened completely.
‘Forget it.’
She reached out and navigated the system panel.
**[System Notification: Assistance target “You Wang/Zhou Wang” has gifted you Game Coins x100]**
**[Current Game Coins: 350]**
100 coins.
The Sponsor Mom had basically given him 10,000 yuan.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Luo Tiantian lunged forward, wrapped his arms around Shen Xixi’s neck, and kissed her on the cheek. “Your Majesty is so good to me! I’m so happy, Mie!”
Shen Xixi’s ears turned red.
“It’s… it’s only 100. It’s not much,” she said, turning her head away, not daring to look Luo Tiantian in the eye.
She would never have given such a small tip under normal circumstances.
“100 is plenty! As long as it’s from Your Majesty, even a single blade of grass would make me happy!”
Shen Xixi’s ears turned even redder.
“I… I have something to do. I’m logging off now.”
Luo Tiantian blinked.
‘Logging off? So soon?’
“When will Your Majesty return? I’ll be waiting for you.”
Shen Xixi bit her lip.
‘What’s the point of playing without money? If I log in, I’ll just be staring at Baosi, unable to even afford a proper reward. How embarrassing.’
“We’ll see.”
**[System Notification: Your assistance target “You Wang/Zhou Wang” has logged out]**
Luo Tiantian felt a bit worried.
‘We’ll see.’
Those three words didn’t sound very promising.
It sounded like those polite excuses that would never be fulfilled.
**[System Notification: Congratulations, you have completed “Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords: Chapter Two – The Monarch’s Reward”]**
**[Quest Evaluation: Excellent (The timing for the request was appropriate, the emotional expression was sincere, and it effectively triggered the target’s desire to give)]**
**[Quest Rewards: Assistance Points +30, Game Coins +100]**
**[Current Assistance Points: 185]**
**[Current Game Coins: 450]**
**[System Notification: Playing with Fire to Tease the Feudal Lords: Chapter Three has been unlocked]**
**[Quest Name: Mother’s Shackles]**
**[Quest Background: Your favor at Lishan Palace grows daily, but a tall tree attracts the wind. Undercurrents surge within the harem. The Queen, Concubine Zheng, and others know that to shake your position, they must first shake your foundation. And your foundation is your weak, sickly mother in the Cold Palace. They have already poisoned Si’s Mother, intending to drain your energy.]**
**[Quest Requirements: Within the game’s time limit (three days), achieve “liberation” for Si’s Mother. Si’s Mother’s existence has become your weakness. Only by completely severing this attachment can you truly establish yourself in the harem. Please end Si’s Mother’s life with your own hands. The method is up to you.]**
**[Quest Rewards: Assistance Points x200, Game Coins x500, Special Title “One Who Severs Ties”]**
**[Quest Penalty: If the quest fails or you refuse to execute it, the “Filial-Justice Dilemma” negative status will be triggered. Assistance points will be deducted by ten daily until the quest is completed or Si’s Mother dies of natural causes.]**
**[System Tip: This is a necessary path for your survival in the harem. Your mother’s sacrifice will forge your future :)]**
Luo Tiantian stood there, staring at the lines of text.
‘End Si’s Mother’s life with my own hands.’
What?
The system wanted him to kill Si’s Mother?
‘How could that be possible?!’