CH 42.1

Great Demon King 01

The ministers wonder if the new Emperor’s ascension indicates a lack of understanding of the current situation within the court. The late Emperor worked hard to overthrow the Xin family, but now the new Emperor has quickly reinstated the deposed Empress, who is the legitimate daughter of the Xin family and was previously the Empress.

Regarding the cause of the late Emperor’s death, there are actually many doubts among people. However, since it’s already a done deal and the new Emperor has ascended the throne, there’s no point in dwelling on these matters.

Whether the late Emperor died of natural causes or for some other reason, it doesn’t matter anymore.

Those who find the new Emperor’s intentions unreasonable have sought out the Prime Minister, Qu Zhi’an Daren. After all, Qu Daren was one of the key figures in toppling the Xin family. Previously, he and the Xin family were like water and fire. Now, it seems like the new Emperor wants to support the Xin family once again to restrain the Prime Minister. Isn’t this the prelude to history repeating itself?

Upon hearing their words, Qu Zhi’an glanced at them indifferently, revealing a smile that was neither friendly nor mocking.

Without saying a word, he turned and walked away.

Rather than appearing angry, his demeanor seemed happy, leaving everyone puzzled.

The Prime Minister showed no reaction, so everyone stopped worrying. After all, they weren’t in the spotlight.

Not long after the new Emperor ascended the throne, he restored the position of the Minister of Justice and promoted two others, but there were no other actions taken.

The other ministers were greatly surprised and thought that the former Prime Minister might return, especially since the deposed Empress was still present. However, it didn’t happen. The Xin family also didn’t rise to power as they did before; they maintained a neutral stance.

Xin Lan became the Empress dowager and moved out of the Jade Moon Palace. For Xin Lan, it didn’t make much difference where she lived. When the imperial decree arrived, there was no joy on her face; she simply turned to instruct Chun Yue to pack their belongings.

Chun Yue and Si Yong were extremely excited, especially Si Yong. She knew she had made the right choice and hadn’t followed the wrong person.

Now, from being the lowest-ranked palace maid, she had instantly become the stewardess by the Empress dowager’s side. Other palace maids and eunuchs had to address her as “Aunt Si Tong,” let alone mentioning her authority.

However, Xin Lan thought that being the Empress dowager had one advantage: she could sleep on a more comfortable and spacious bed, which would improve the quality of her sleep.

She was probably the youngest Empress dowager in history, not even twenty years old, yet she had ascended to this position.

At this moment, Xin Lan was receiving her nominal eldest brother, who happened to be the father of Xin Long, in her own palace. Xin Long’s father was Lord Xin, the Minister of Justice.

Lord Xin looked at the dignified Xin Lan, and the words “Third Sister” he intended to call out got stuck in his throat.

“Empress Dowager.”

He respectfully addressed her.

This third sister of his had gone through a series of ups and downs in her life. She started as a Princess, then became the Empress, followed by being deposed, and now she was the Empress dowager. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that her life had been full of dramatic twists and turns.

The two of them chatted for a while before Lord Xin finally broached the main topic.

“Father was wrongly accused. How could he possibly have hired an assassin to assassinate the late Emperor?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xin Lan’s actions silenced him.

Xin Lan pressed her index finger against her lips and only lowered it when Lord Xin had no words left.

“Have you ever heard of the saying ‘As the emperor, so are the ministers’?”

Lord Xin paused, understanding the implication behind Xin Lan’s words.

“Father is getting old. It’s time for him to live out his remaining years in peace. It’s best not to trouble him with these matters. He has toiled for most of his life and deserves rest.”

Xin Lan took a sip of tea and gestured to indicate the end of the meeting.

Lord Xin sighed, rose from his seat, and took his leave.

Xin Lan had no grudges against the Xin family. The decision to abandon the original owner of her body was a necessary move by the Xin family, not an intentional act. Xin Lan’s actions were not aimed at the Xin family either. If they were, she wouldn’t have allowed the young Emperor to reinstate Lord Xin’s official position in her name.

However, she wanted to keep a few loyal and capable individuals who could serve the young Emperor faithfully.

After seeing off Lord Xin, Xin Lan had lunch together with the young Emperor, who had come to her palace.

The young Emperor had been well-educated, with excellent manners and knowledge. He lacked the impetuousness often found in young people and was remarkably attentive and composed.

When Xin Lan saw him, she knew that the Third Prince, who had lost the power struggle, hadn’t given up. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have raised his son so well. Qu Zhi’an had tested him with some questions, and he had answered them all correctly. At the time, Qu Zhi’an had jokingly told Xin Lan that the child had been raised according to the standards of a Crown Prince.

Having such a child put Xin Lan’s mind at ease. She didn’t come here to be an Empress or rule from behind the scenes. She didn’t need any puppet strings. If she were to stay and educate a child until they became a responsible adult, she knew it would be tiring and troublesome.

After finishing lunch with the young Emperor and discussing some court matters with him, she informed him about who could be trusted and who was cunning. Upon hearing this, the young Emperor couldn’t help but make a playful remark.

“Mother Empress, this sounds like instructions for dealing with afterlife affairs.”

Xin Lan remained silent, just smiling at him.

Suddenly, the young Emperor fell silent, and both of them remained quiet in the courtyard.

Upon waking up from a nap, Xin Lan once again discovered the challenges of being an Empress dowager.

There were too many people around, making it impossible for Xin Lan to freely enter and leave the palace during the day.

As a result, she could only meet with Qu Zhi’an at night and had to return before dawn. Therefore, their meetings were brief, and she would leave soon after.

Qu Zhi’an felt quite helpless about this situation, but there was nothing she could do.

Four or five days after Wu Yanqing was thrown into that place, Xin Lan went to see him.

She was dressed in a sky-blue embroidered cotton dress with gold thread, draped in a sable fur, exuding an air of elegance and nobility that seemed out of place in that setting.

Wu Yanqing had become thin from torture, covered in scars and marks of past events. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, and when he saw Xin Lan, he remained silent.

“What’s the matter? Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Wu Yanqing moved his lips but remained silent.

Anyone who saw his current state would find it hard to believe that he was once a spirited Emperor.

“How does it feel to fall from the clouds into the mud?”

“Go ahead and kill me.”

Wu Yanqing rasped.

Xin Lan felt bored, looking at his lifeless face, and let out a scoff.

“I announced your death to the outside world. I even sent your beloved Concubine Xi to guard your tomb. Are you satisfied?”

Wu Yanqing indeed showed a reaction, but it wasn’t because of Concubine Xi. It was because of the news of his own death.

“The new Emperor is your third brother’s son.”

Wu Yanqing’s body trembled, looking at Xin Lan in disbelief.

“You hate me so much.”

Wu Yanqing murmured.

He and his third brother had fought fiercely in the past, competing against each other since childhood. His greatest satisfaction was winning over his third brother and becoming the Emperor. Now Xin Lan was telling him that the new Emperor was his third brother’s child?

Isn’t this just poking a knife into his heart?

“If you’re in this state, do you think I don’t hate you?”

“The feeling of having nothing in the end, of complete defeat, how does it feel?”

It felt the same as when the original owner of her body was beaten to death in the Cold Palace—a half-lived life, like a grand illusion.

When the dream ended, there was nothing left.

Xin Lan left without further torturing Wu Yanqing, instead ordering his execution by beating.

She always enjoyed letting the wrongdoers experience the pain inflicted upon others.

Some things couldn’t be brushed aside as if they never happened. Even attempted crimes carried penalties, so Xin Lan made sure to be thorough.

Zero Nine: Host, I’ve already submitted the results. When are we leaving?

Xin Lan: Let’s wait for two more days.

This time, Xin Lan wanted to bid farewell to her friends properly.

She left the palace alone, without bringing Chun Yue and Si Tong, and went to Qu Zhi’an’s residence.

Qu Zhi’an was very happy to see her and even poured her a little wine that evening.

“It’s really good.”

Qu Zhi’an said.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve accomplished everything you wanted to do.”

The phrases “fulfilled wishes” and “getting what one desires” sounded so beautiful.

“Yeah, I’ve accomplished everything.”

“Then what about your future? Do you plan to stay in the harem or…?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

Xin Lan replied. She fell silent for a moment and looked at Qu Zhi’an.

“What’s the matter?”

“Let’s go eat wontons at that stall together tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

The next morning, they walked hand in hand and arrived at the wonton stall in the alley.

“Hey, it’s been a while since Young Master last came. And now you’ve brought your wife to eat wontons.”

“Yes.”

Qu Zhi’an replied, unusually composed.

They finished eating the wontons and then went to a teahouse.

This time, they sat in the teahouse, sipping hot tea and enjoying hot pastries while listening to storytellers narrating theatrical scripts.

When it was time to part ways, Xin Lan bid farewell to Qu Zhi’an.

“Why do you have such an expression, Ah Lan? It’s not like we won’t see each other again. Come again tomorrow, and I’ll treat you to something delicious.”

Xin Lan smiled and nodded, then turned and walked away.

After taking just a few steps, she suddenly turned back and saw Qu Zhi’an still standing there, watching her receding figure. When she saw her turn back, she waved her hand at her.

An indescribable feeling stirred within Xin Lan’s heart, and she silently apologized.

Lying in bed, Xin Lan whispered to Zero Nine, “Let’s go.”

In the next instant, she returned to the mission space.

As she pushed open the door and stepped out, Zero Nine ran towards her couch.

“I missed you so much, my chip-and-cola sweetheart! Host, do you remember your promise to expand my virtual space?”

Zero Nine looked at Xin Lan with eager eyes, and she nodded.

“You can take a look yourself. When you’ve chosen, I’ll foot the bill. Promise me, if you’re purchasing kitchen utensils, they must be 100% silent, alright?”

Xin Lan didn’t want to hear the sizzling sound in her head while eating fried chicken legs.

“Alright!”

Feeling a bit tired, Xin Lan took a shower and collapsed onto the bed.

She wondered what Qu Zhi’an’s reaction would be when she learned of her “death.”

Although she felt sorry, she still had to go.

Since the mission was already completed, there was no need to linger any longer.

She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

At the moment Xin Lan left, Qu Zhi’an’s mind began to recall some memories.

After learning about the news circulating in the palace, Qu Zhi’an didn’t feel too devastated. Instead, she quickly handed over some items and promptly logged out.

Once outside, she opened the electronic screen, recorded some information, and closed the document.

Then, she opened the mission interface and searched for Xin Lan’s name. She saw the evaluation of her mission, which indeed showed the highest rating.

After completing these tasks, she lay on the couch, her expression somewhat vacant.

She was System A05, serving as the overall commander for the “Ex-girlfriend Series” mission. Her role was to coordinate testing, observe the feasibility of the mission series, and assess the host’s execution capability. As a result, she would randomly enter different worlds. Systems that didn’t accompany the host into the mission world were not allowed to retain memories and could only play the role of NPCs. However, they didn’t necessarily have to follow the original storyline.