Chapter 1024: Luring the Snake
Bing Yi Palace was decorated in a luxurious and extravagant manner, to the point that even Emperor Feng Huituo's imperial bedchamber probably wasn't this over-the-top.
"Having a vast stretch of land and rivers isn't as good as having a good master."
Yun Che sighed.
Behind him, the twenty women stood quietly with their heads lowered, nervously waiting. Seeing Yun Che walk to the bedside, they thought he intended to retire early. The lead woman bit her lips secretly, then finally stepped forward and whispered, "Young Master Yun, do you wish to rest?"
"Mm." Yun Che responded, then turned around to glance at the woman who had spoken.
He had noticed this young woman from the very beginning because her attire was different from the other nineteen girls. She wore a pure white dress that trailed along the ground—simple, elegant, yet carrying a striking nobility.
"What's your name?" Yun Che looked at her and suddenly asked.
"This princess... ah!" As soon as the words left her mouth, she startled herself. Hastily lowering her head, she said nervously, "This... this servant is Hanjin. Young Master Yun may call this servant Jin'er."
This princess? Hanjin?
"You... are the princess of the Bingfeng Empire?" Yun Che's gaze swept over her from head to toe. No wonder her temperament was so extraordinary. Feng Huituo had actually sent his own daughter over... Mm, very good, very thoughtful.
"Yes." Feng Hanjin lowered her head even further.
She was the youngest princess of the Bingfeng Empire, only fifteen years old. This time, she had been sent by Feng Huituo's order to personally serve the honored guest. She had been told that if the guest took a liking to her, even if only as a concubine or even a bed-warming maid, it would be a lifetime blessing.
"It really is so," Yun Che nodded slowly. "Your father actually sent a dignified princess like you to serve others. Tsk, quite the sacrifice. I hope you're not feeling wronged."
Feng Hanjin said in a low voice, "Father said that being able to serve Young Master Yun is Hanjin's fortune."
"Hahaha." Yun Che laughed heartily. "Your father is much too courteous. It seems I need to properly thank him tomorrow. Speaking of which, I heard on the way here that your Bingfeng Empire has a history of nearly a hundred thousand years. That's truly remarkable."
"The Bingfeng Empire has existed for eighty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-two years since its founding."
Feng Hanjin's voice was very soft, tinged with nervousness and timidity, yet she spoke the exact number.
"...In the history of the Yin Xue Realm, that should be considered quite long, right?" Yun Che said.
"In answer to Young Master Yun," Feng Hanjin replied obediently, "in the Yin Xue Realm, although the Bingfeng Empire's national strength is not the strongest, it is the oldest in terms of duration. Throughout Yin Xue's history, countless dynasties have risen and fallen, but only our Bingfeng Empire has stood for over fifty thousand years. And it is not far from reaching a second fifty thousand."
"Oh?" Yun Che showed surprise, then exclaimed in admiration, "In the world I come from, a dynasty lasting thousands of years is extremely rare. Over eighty thousand years is truly astonishing. It seems the Bingfeng Empire must be blessed with great national fortune."
"Such a strong national fortune must have its reasons. Since you are the princess of the Bingfeng Empire, you should know the source of such powerful fortune, right? For example... the national vein, or the sacred treasure that protects the nation. Tell me about it." Yun Che appeared extremely curious.
"This..." Feng Hanjin said nervously, "Your servant usually stays in the inner chambers and never involves herself in state affairs. I cannot answer Young Master Yun's question. Please forgive me, Young Master Yun."
"Oh... it's nothing. I was just asking casually." Yun Che waved his hand, then plopped down on the bed and touched the ice silkworm silk quilt on top. "Such a comfortable bed. Looks like I'll have a good sleep tonight."
"If Young Master Yun wishes to rest..." Feng Hanjin twisted her fingers nervously, her face deeply flushed. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Yun Che. "Let your servant... assist you with your... bath."
"Oh, no need." Yun Che lay down sideways. "I never bathe."
"Then... let your servant help Young Master Yun undress."
"No need either. I never take off my clothes when I sleep." Yun Che tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and waved his hand casually. "There's nothing here for you. You may withdraw."
Feng Hanjin's expression was complex—whether disappointed or relieved was unclear. She bowed and said, "Yes... Your servant will wait outside, ready for Young Master Yun's orders at any time."
"Oh, wait!" Yun Che suddenly sat up again, glanced outside, and muttered, "It's rare that I've come to the Bingfeng Empire. Sleeping so early would be a waste. Princess Hanjin, why don't you go and summon your imperial brother Hanyi? Have him show me around the Bingfeng Imperial Palace."
"Yes, your servant will go at once."
Feng Hanjin left Bing Yi Palace and was about to send a sound transmission to Mu Hanyi when she saw him approaching from a distance.
She quickly went up to meet him: "Thirteenth Brother."
"Hanjin?" Mu Hanyi was slightly surprised. "Weren't you ordered by Father to attend to Senior Brother Yun Che? Why are you outside? Could it be that Senior Brother Yun Che is not in Bing Yi Palace right now?"
"Young Master Yun is in Bing Yi Palace right now, but he asked me to find Thirteenth Brother. He hopes you can take him on a tour of the imperial city." Feng Hanjin replied.
"Oh, I see." Mu Hanyi nodded slightly. "Then let's go quickly."
"Hanjin, what do you think of this Yun Che?" Mu Hanyi asked casually.
Feng Hanjin thought for a moment and said softly, "This... Your servant hasn't exchanged many words with Young Master Yun, but I find him very gentle. Despite his noble status, he doesn't act arrogantly at all."
"Heh, of course. If his character were bad, how could he have been chosen by the Sect Master?" Mu Hanyi smiled and then naturally continued, "Since you've spoken with him, did he ask you anything?"
He added, "Whatever he needs, be sure to fulfill it."
"He didn't ask much... Ah, he just casually mentioned a few things about our Bingfeng Empire's history and also asked about national fortune." Feng Hanjin answered truthfully. Although she was a royal princess, she had been strictly educated in the royal household since childhood and was always docile.
"National fortune?" Mu Hanyi's brows twitched sharply.
The sudden change in Mu Hanyi's tone made Feng Hanjin look at him sideways. "Thirteenth Brother, what's wrong?"
"Oh," Mu Hanyi laughed. "I never expected that Senior Brother Yun Che would believe in something as intangible as national fortune. Quite surprising, haha."
Mu Hanyi and Feng Hanjin arrived at Bing Yi Palace together. As soon as he saw Yun Che, he quickly apologized: "Senior Brother Yun Che, Hanyi has been away for several years and had many trivial matters to attend to. I've neglected you for so long. I deeply regret it."
"I've said it many times—Junior Brother Hanyi need not be so polite." Yun Che smiled casually. "I took a short walk earlier, and the Bingfeng Imperial Palace is truly beautiful—completely incomparable to the imperial palaces of the lower realm. I thought I'd like to see a bit more, so I'll trouble Senior Brother Hanyi to show me around again, if that's all right?"
"No trouble at all. It's my honor."
Yun Che and Mu Hanyi walked side by side out of Bing Yi Palace, strolling together to enjoy the Bingfeng Imperial Palace under the night sky.
The Divine Realm and the lower realm were worlds apart in terms of status. The grandeur of a Divine Realm imperial palace naturally far surpassed the Cangfeng Imperial Palace or Shenhuang Imperial Palace that Yun Che was familiar with.
Yun Che listened to Mu Hanyi's detailed introductions of various parts of the palace, occasionally mentioning some matters about the Lan Ji Star. The two of them laughed frequently and conversed pleasantly. Before they knew it, they had walked through most of the imperial palace.
"So the lifespan of the Bingfeng Empire is truly unparalleled in the history of the Yin Xue Realm. Over eighty thousand years of history is truly astonishing."
Yun Che praised with sincere admiration. "It seems that this vast Bingfeng Empire must be favored by the Heavenly Dao, blessed with powerful national fortune."
"Oh?" Mu Hanyi smiled. "Senior Brother Yun Che also believes in such things as 'fortune'?"
"The concept of fortune—whether it's a person's fortune or a nation's fortune—I suspect no one truly fully believes in it, yet no one truly fully disbelieves it either. It's like how no one can say for sure whether fate is determined by heaven or by oneself." Yun Che said slowly and deliberately.
"Hahahaha!" Mu Hanyi laughed heartily and nodded in agreement. "Well said, Senior Brother Yun Che. In Hanyi's understanding, fortune is something one must neither fully believe nor fully disbelieve. The reason our Bingfeng Empire has stood for so long is, first, because the successive emperors ruled wisely. The first rule of the Bingfeng Imperial Code is to be close to the people and unite their hearts. If the people's hearts are lost, the foundation is lost, and no matter how strong the national power, it will totter. 'He who wins the people's hearts wins the world' is never an empty saying. Every emperor strictly adhered to this ruling, keeping the ruler's heart and the people's hearts stable, and thus Bingfeng has remained unshaken."
Yun Che gave Mu Hanyi a deep look, then said, "Is there a second reason?"
"Second," Mu Hanyi smiled somewhat mysteriously, "as Senior Brother Yun Che said, perhaps it is due to a considerable blessing of national fortune."
"Oh?" Yun Che showed surprise. "Could it be that there is a spiritual vein beneath this imperial city?"
"No, not that," Mu Hanyi shook his head. "Rather, in the early days of Bingfeng's founding, we obtained a heaven-given sacred treasure that protects the nation. This treasure has accompanied Bingfeng for over eighty thousand years. The Bingfeng Empire still stands, and that sacred treasure has remained unchanged through eighty thousand years of vicissitudes. If there truly is such a thing as national fortune, then it is this sacred treasure that has protected Bingfeng to this day."
"A treasure that protects the nation... Such a thing exists?" Yun Che exclaimed in amazement. "I wonder what kind of sacred treasure it is? To remain unchanged through eighty thousand years of vicissitudes—it must be an extraordinary artifact."
"..." Mu Hanyi opened his mouth, clearly hesitating, then said frankly, "The existence of this treasure is not a secret, but the world only knows that Bingfeng possesses a treasure that protects the nation. Almost no one knows exactly what it is. This is one of the greatest secrets of the Bingfeng Imperial Clan. However, telling Senior Brother Yun Che is naturally fine. I only ask that Senior Brother Yun Che keep it confidential."
"Of course." Yun Che nodded.
"This treasure is a qilin horn." Mu Hanyi spoke with a solemn expression. "It was discovered by the founding emperor deep beneath a vast ice plain. In an era when qilins had long been extinct, to find a qilin horn—and a perfectly intact one at that—was truly an incredible stroke of fortune."
"A... qilin horn?" Yun Che stopped in his tracks, a look of deep surprise on his face. "Aren't qilins legendary auspicious beasts? Could it be that they aren't fictional but truly exist?"
"Of course," Mu Hanyi nodded. "Qilins have been extinct in the Eastern Divine Realm for a long time. Naturally, they became extinct even earlier in the lower realm, leaving only legends that are hard to distinguish as true or false. So it's not strange that Senior Brother Yun Che would think they are fictional. But qilins do indeed exist. It is said that in the distant Western Divine Realm, a qilin clan survived by obtaining ancient divine blood. So, if fate allows, Senior Brother Yun Che might one day see a real qilin with his own eyes."
Yun Che was stunned for a long moment before slowly nodding with a face full of amazement. "The world is indeed vast and full of wonders. So the legendary auspicious beast truly exists. It seems that my twenty-something years in the lower realm were spent entirely like a frog at the bottom of a well."
"By the way, where is this qilin horn now? I would like to see it with my own eyes."
Yun Che's tone and expression were filled with deep curiosity and excitement.