CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56 I DON’T WANT SUCH GOOD FORTUNE 14

No matter how worried Bai Desheng and Zhang Yue Mei were, Anning had to enter the palace.

Because Emperor Shengping specifically instructed that Anning be carried in a sedan chair when she entered the palace.

The sedan chair moved forward all the way to the outside of Zicheng Hall.

The little palace maid helped Anning out of the sedan chair and led her into Zicheng Hall.

Upon arriving in the hall, Anning finally met Emperor Shengping.

Emperor Shengping was already middle-aged, around forty years old, but appeared particularly aged, looking like he was in his fifties or sixties.

He was very thin, wearing a light purple casual dress, exuding a sort of scholarly aura unique to literati; at first glance, he seemed more like a great scholar than an emperor with great power.

Anning noticed that Emperor Shengping did not seem to be in good spirits; his dark circles were quite pronounced, and his eye bags were especially evident.

After looking at him for a moment, she went straight over to perform a respectful bow.

Emperor Shengping stood up from behind the Imperial Case and raised his hand, saying, "No need for too many formalities, please rise."

Anning promptly stood up.

Emperor Shengping then asked Anning, "Lu Liao reported that you have grown high-yielding crops. Could you tell me how you managed to do that?"

Anning chuckled lightly: "Your Majesty, have you heard the saying, ’Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and a mouse’s son can dig holes’?"

Emperor Shengping nodded: "I am aware of that."

He motioned for someone to bring a stool for Anning: "Go ahead, I am listening."

Anning spoke softly, "If the parents are tall, there is a great chance that the children will also be tall. If the parents are good-looking, the children are naturally not bad either. This is what we call heredity."

"Heredity?"

Emperor Shengping repeated the word twice, feeling that the term was very vivid.

He smiled: "Well said."

Anning also smiled: "It is the same with humans, animals, and naturally with crops. I realized this quite early and often collected seeds from the better-growing crops. Each time, I planted using the best seeds, and over time, these crops naturally grew better and better."

Anning had no way to explain modern agriculture to Emperor Shengping, so she had to use the simplest language that he could understand.

Emperor Shengping understood it immediately.

He excitedly stood up: "This is indeed the reality. The principle is clear and simple, yet all these years, apart from you, nobody paid attention."

He laughed again: "Mrs. Xiao has exerted great effort in producing high-yielding crops, which is a significant merit for the country. Your contribution benefits the state and will last for generations. I wonder what reward Mrs. Xiao would like..."

Anning quickly stood up: "This humble woman only hopes that Your Majesty could grant me a few good fields, send people to help me grow crops so that I may produce even more high-yielding crops. Apart from that, this humble woman desires nothing else."

Her words made Emperor Shengping even more fond of her.

For some reason, from the moment Anning entered Zicheng Hall, Emperor Shengping felt very good.

Seeing Anning, he felt a warmth and joy, a deep-seated affection that wasn’t just superficial, but was like...

Like he would feel towards his own daughter.

Emperor Shengping had no daughters and did not know what father-daughter affection was like, but he thought if he had a daughter, she would probably be someone who would please him like Anning.

Driven by this affection, Emperor Shengping thought of rewarding Anning generously.

He had also prepared himself, thinking Anning might ask for a high position or a lot of money, but he never expected that Anning would want nothing but to continue farming.

Emperor Shengping was moved by Anning’s pure-heartedness, and momentarily felt emotional: "Alright, I will grant you a manor and allocate some people to assist you, just hoping that you can produce even better crops."

Anning quickly knelt to express her gratitude.

Emperor Shengping then instructed someone to draft an edict; apart from granting the manor and manpower, he also bestowed upon Anning the title of First-rank Imperial Decree Lady.

Afterwards, Emperor Shengping, remembering that Xiao Yuan was indeed of the Xiao Family and the husband of Anning, grandly bestowed upon him the title of Earl.

When Anning left the palace, Empress Chu had someone send gifts; naturally, Imperial Concubine Tian gave something too, as did other concubines of rank, all sending gifts.

Bai Desheng and Zhang Yue Mei were frightened and anxious at home, waiting for a long time before finally seeing Anning.

Then, they saw that Anning’s carriage was filled with a heap of items.

The two immediately smiled as they approached, not excited so much by the quantity of items, but relieved by Anning’s safe return.

Anning and Bai Desheng talked for a while before she excused herself, citing tiredness, to retreat to her room.

At this moment, Xiao Yuan went to the palace to express his gratitude, leaving Anning alone in the house.

Languidly, she lay on the couch, combing her disheveled hair with one hand and nibbling on an osmanthus cake with the other.

"An Xin."

In her heart, Anning called for An Xin.

"Ningning."

An Xin happily sprang forth, cheerfully spinning in circles.

"Did you notice any traces of other systems in the palace?"

Anning asked An Xin, furrowing her brows, "I sense that someone has interfered with Emperor Shengping."

An Xin calmed down: "Does Ningning mean there’s a system that has smuggled its way in here?"

"I’m not sure."

Anning finished her osmanthus cake: "I just have a feeling, and it seems like Emperor Shengping has been tampered with by a system."

An Xin thought hard: "Indeed, we’ve seen palace-fighting women with systems carrying out tasks. No matter which emperor, the longer they are with such women, the more unstable their minds become and they are influenced by the system, becoming submissive to the system’s bearer."

An Xin exclaimed: "Could it be Imperial Concubine Tian?"

Anning nodded: "Very likely."

She mused: "The palace fighting system extracts the dynasty’s Qi Fortune. The system with Imperial Concubine Tian must be doing the same. Today, I noticed that Emperor Shengping’s Dragon Energy is quite diluted, probably having been absorbed by Imperial Concubine Tian."

Anning became increasingly anxious: "It’s said that Imperial Concubine Tian is set on eliminating the Crown Prince, who is Emperor Shengping’s only son. If the Crown Prince is gone, and Emperor Shengping has no heir, after a hundred years, the Royal Family may fight for the throne. By then, anything could happen amidst such chaos, plus invasions from foreign tribes could lead to the downfall of this dynasty."

An Xin also reflected on this: "If a dynasty destined for three hundred years collapses within a hundred, it can cause massive upheavals in time-space rules, throwing the Heavenly Dao of this world into chaos. This world might get swallowed by another, or perhaps even by the Main God..."

Anning stood up abruptly: "Could this system be a flawed product made by the Main God?"

She touched her chin: "An Xin, please go to the palace tonight and take a careful look to see what exactly that system is."

"Okay."

An Xin obediently agreed.

Anning smiled: "I thought this was just an ordinary world, but with a palace fighting system here, I can employ certain strategies."

That night, An Xin went to the palace, while Anning began cultivating after Xiao Yuan fell asleep.

It was almost dawn when An Xin returned.

She immediately entered into Anning’s Divine Soul and sighed with relief.

"How was it?"

Anning asked her.

An Xin pouted: "It really is a palace fighting system, but it’s nothing special, possibly damaged during turmoil in time-space, and it looks quite primitive. It provides Imperial Concubine Tian with only low-level, unremarkable things."

Anning laughed, visibly more relieved: "In that case, we need not worry too much."

An Xin bounced: "Ningning, I heard Imperial Concubine Tian and the palace fighting system plotting to administer the Loyalty Gu to the Crown Prince. They said Emperor Shengping won’t live much longer, and if the Crown Prince survives, he is bound to ascend to the throne. Then they would meet bad ends. Better to sow chaos, administer the gu to the Crown Prince, making him subservient to Imperial Concubine Tian, and ideally have the Crown Prince kill Empress Chu himself."