Chapter 473: Chapter 460: The Secret of the Nine-Eyed Heavenly Bead

Just select five?

Lin Yi widened his eyes.

[Are you kidding me, picking just five girls in the first grand imperial selection? Oh dear, isn’t this proclaiming to the world that Your Majesty is lacking? The least you could do is take them all, giving them titles and sending them to the Cold Palace would be fine too.]

The young Emperor saw right through Lin Yi’s scheming mind.

You want a harem plentiful enough to bask in carnal delights every night? Well, I won’t let that happen. It was hard enough marrying the Empress and avoiding public scrutiny, and if I suddenly change too much all at once, it will arouse suspicion.

So, all changes must happen gradually, going unnoticed by others.

Empress was also quite surprised by the young Emperor’s decision but dared not to question even the slightest, while Lin Yi was getting anxious.

“Your Majesty, isn’t five people a bit too few?”

“What? Do you intend to defy the Holy Decree?”

The young Emperor suddenly raised his voice, and the Emperor’s majesty scared Lin Yi into kneeling and begging for mercy.

“Your Majesty, spare my life, even with a hundred heads I wouldn’t dare defy the Holy Will. Please calm your anger, Your Majesty, I beg you.”

[Aiyo, my dear heart, you scared me to death. You can’t be angry now; you’re not alone anymore. From now on, I’ll listen to eve

rything you say as long as you’re not angry, I beg you.]

Seeing Lin Yi trembling and begging for mercy, the young Emperor suddenly found it quite amusing. Regardless of what this guy was thinking, the act of just going along with this scene achieved a deterring effect.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. General Lin is just earnestly hoping that the Imperial Family could flourish and expand.”

“Even though we’ve only selected five sisters for now, I believe the Harem will gradually grow stronger.”

Empress’s efforts to smooth things over were quite pleasing to the young Emperor, displaying somewhat of a harmonious relationship between husband and wife.

“Then, I’ll leave the affairs of the Harem to the Empress. Little Linzi, help me to the Imperial Study Room.”

No sooner had the young Emperor left than the Empress began to size up the five newcomers seriously.

The young Emperor’s selection was indeed sharp; outwardly, he let the Empress take charge of the selection of beauties, but now it seems these beauties were all pre-designated.

Han Yuxiu, niece of Eighth Prince’s wife, definitely a lady from a reputable lineage, a maiden from a great family with proficiency in zither, Go, calligraphy, painting, and all kinds of arts.

Du Xiaoting, granddaughter of Fourth Prince’s mentor, charming and lovely, a woman with allure in many forms.

Chu Jieyu and another Jieyu were not simple either; they were backed by the former Ministry of War power as well as the contemporary Ministry of Personnel’s influence. As for Murong Qingxue, she was purely an unexpected dark horse that appeared out of nowhere.

The Empress thought that after the selection had ended, she would be able to settle the An Palace in peace, but just as the young Emperor was about to take a nap, the Ministers of Six Ministries came to seek an audience.

“All Six Ministries have come? What is so important that the Six Ministries need to take action collectively?”

Lin Yi quickly scrambled out from the Dragon Couch and straightened his attire. But glancing at the young Emperor, enjoying his sweet sleep, he simply couldn’t bear to disturb his sweetheart’s good dream.

“His Majesty is resting. If there is an issue, you may report it tomorrow.”

Lin Yi instructed the eunuch to relay the message, but the Ministers of Six Ministries insisted on not leaving.

“Your Majesty, your ministers have urgent matters to report.”

What could it be? How important must it be that it could delay urgent military information? That wouldn’t be trivial. But then, military reports shouldn’t be delivered by the Six Ministries, right?

After much deliberation, Lin Yi could only gently wake up the young Emperor.

“My dear heart, please wake up. The old men from the Six Ministries have an urgent matter to report.”

The young Emperor unwillingly turned over, murmuring in a daze, “I know they are here regarding the selection of the Harem. Inform them of my will, not to confer titles to consorts for now; we will consider it next month based on their performance.”

After receiving the young Emperor’s answer, the Ministers of Six Ministries looked at each other and then respectfully shouted to the Emperor: “Your Majesty is wise, we shall take our leave.”

The trial period of a month before conferring titles as consorts was very agreeable to the Six Ministries, as there were lessons from the previous reign where newly selected consorts who were too quickly given high ranks often became arrogant due to favoritism and did not lack in causing trouble in the Harem.

“Leaving just like that?”

Lin Yi couldn’t believe it as he watched the six elders leave, realizing that the young Emperor was quite discerning, taming their schemes with just a sentence. It seems that underestimating the young Emperor would be a mistake.

“Little Linzi, roll in here for me.”

The young Emperor reached out, finding Lin Yi not beside him, he grunted in displeasure, and Lin Yi obediently came in to continue his duty as a human pillow.

“Look at you, an Emperor of a nation, yet still drooling in your sleep.”

Lin Yi felt very satisfied watching the young Emperor’s adorable sleeping face.

“Less nonsense. If you disrupt my dream, be careful not to lose your head.”

“Alright, alright. Chop as many as you like, my little Linzi’s head is all yours. Go on, sleep. When you wake up there’s a pile of memorials to attend to.”

Lin Yi lovingly looked at the young Emperor, his hand touched his pocket, and suddenly discovered something annoying.

Huh, what’s in the pocket?

He pulled it out and saw, oh, the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead gifted by the Empress.

“Heh heh, this Nine-Eyed Sky Bead is a treasure.”

Lin Yi carefully caressed the Heavenly Bead, it really had nine eyes; each eye seemed like a window into a mysterious world.

Just as he was gazing intently at the bead, the eye facing the window suddenly lit up.

Could it be that the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead was showing its divine power?

Lin Yi was thrilled,he twisted the bead slightly, and as the previously lit eye dimmed, a new eye facing the window lit up!

This was too magical!

He excitedly shook the young Emperor, wanting to share this magical moment with him, but alas, someone was sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, another gust of wind sounded, and Lin Yi wasn’t startled this time.

“Shh! Your Majesty is asleep.”

Lin Yi cautiously reminded Ying Yi, but Ying Yi’s gaze was fixated on the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead in Lin Yi’s hand.

“Where did this come from?”

Ying Yi questioned Lin Yi, the look in his eyes almost a warning that this matter was of great significance and no lies could be told.

Lin Yi had never seen Ying Yi so nervous, except about the Emperor’s safety, so he truthfully explained the origin of the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead.

“I heard from my mentor that the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead is a divine object lost for centuries, never expected it to reappear in the world today, it’s just uncertain whether what you hold is the real Nine-Eyed Sky Bead.”

Lin Yi had seen the miraculous transformation earlier and was very certain, nodding affirmatively, but was stopped by Ying Yi as he was about to speak.

“Let’s discuss this outside, so as not to disturb His Majesty’s rest.”

At this moment, Lin Yi’s thigh was tightly embraced by the young Emperor as a pillow, and in order not to disturb the young Emperor, Ying Yi also came over to assist, gently turning the Emperor over to a new pillow, and then the two moved behind the screen to talk.

“Ying Yi, this is the real deal. Look, when I face it towards the window, this Heavenly Eye lights up!”

Lin Yi patiently demonstrated his earlier discovery, convinced that his Nine-Eyed Sky Bead must possess magical powers.

But Ying Yi looked and looked and couldn’t see any illumination from the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead at all; every eye looked the same to him.

“Where is this lit up? Looks the same in every direction, none are lit.”

Of course, it cannot be denied, this Nine-Eyed Sky Bead was of exquisite quality, filled with spiritual energy.

“I remember my mentor saying, the real Nine-Eyed Sky Bead will ‘open its eyes,’ but yours does not, it’s fake.”