Chapter 57: A Beautiful Sister Sent from the Heavens

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he realized the Sovereign had already finished speaking, looking at them with a gentle smile.

Jian Ni and Jian Hong hastily cupped their fists in salute.

Jian Lei, who led them, wore a solemn expression as she received the large leaf with both hands.

"We accept this command!"

"We shall never fail the Sovereign's grace!"

Chai Xiao nodded.

Just as they had surmised, he was indeed playing a game of extraordinary magnitude.

Furthermore, his plans extended far beyond what they had imagined—using this martial arts tournament for bride selection simply to generate wealth and pick out a few genuine military commanders.

His vision was much more far-reaching and grandiose.

First, to build a complete business operation system akin to "Disneyland" and "Universal Studios."

This would encompass dining, lion dancing, arena combats, and in the future, lodging, entertainment, and even parent-child activities.

The singular goal: to generate revenue continuously, steadily, rapidly, reasonably, and legally.

Second, to construct a comprehensive dual-purpose intelligence-gathering, collation, and dissemination system for both peace and wartime.

Its two functions: during peacetime, to cultivate traffic, sway public opinion, and deeply integrate into the lives of ordinary citizens; during wartime, to act with swift precision, serving "decapitation" operations.

Third, to establish an integrated system for talent selection, training, and deployment.

Three-fold significance: select the right people and match them to positions; train the right people to achieve personal growth; employ the right people to accomplish great tasks.

At this moment, Imperial Noble Consort Yun, who had been silently observing, stepped forward with graceful strides and picked up the sole remaining large leaf on the stone table.

"Does this final major money-making method belong to me?"

Chai Xiao could not help but laugh, pointing at "Jian Dian," who ranked fourth among the Twelve Consorts.

"Mother, why are you so certain? Wasn't she the one left?"

Consort Yun deliberately put on a stern face and glared at Jian Dian.

"This little girl's hands were too fast. I was just about to reach for the smaller leaf, but she snatched it away."

"In the end, she looked up at me as if to say, 'You're the master, so of course you take the big one,' and she looked completely righteous about it!"

Chai Xiao stepped forward and came before her.

"Mother, to tell you the truth, you mustn't scold me, and certainly don't hit me!"

Consort Yun spat lightly in mock disdain.

"Showing courtesy for no good reason means you're either up to no good or harboring a scheme. Speak, what mischief are you plotting now?"

Chai Xiao spread his hands.

"Mother, there are actually only four major ways to make money; a fifth method does not exist."

Consort Yun was momentarily startled, her delicate shoulders shrugging slightly as she seemed to relax a fraction, though not entirely, keeping her eyes locked firmly on her son.

"You rascal, are you playing tricks on your mother?"

Chai Xiao smiled and linked his arm through hers.

"Mother, while there may not be a fifth way to make money, there are a few major matters that absolutely require you!"

Consort Yun's shoulders shuddered slightly, and her gaze grew grave.

"I knew you weren't up to any good! As for major matters, this old woman no longer has the energy to handle them!"

Chai Xiao tapped his own round cheek, shook his head, then pointed at his mother's face and nodded.

His gesture meant that her youth was eternal, far surpassing even her son's, and she certainly had no right to call herself an "old woman."

"Mother is not old at all; you are as youthful as ever! You possess more grace and elegance than all the consorts in the Great Qi imperial palace combined!"

Consort Yun's complexion flushed with a pleasant glow.

"Speak, then! Who told me to be your mother? Whatever difficult task there is, I shall take it on for you!"

Chai Xiao took his mother's hand and led her toward Zhu Que.

"Your son wishes for Mother to take on an adoptive daughter!"

An adoptive daughter?

As soon as these words were spoken, Imperial Noble Consort Yun, Zhu Que, Zhang Bao, and the Twelve Consorts were all struck dumb with astonishment.

Clearly, none of them had expected this little master to be harboring such a monumental matter in his heart.

Consort Yun was quick to react.

"Xiao'er, are you trying to emulate Princess Yuzhen or Lady Sun, the sister of Sun Quan, whom you used earlier as examples?"

"And stage a 'genuine' princess bride-selection to boost what you call 'traffic'?"

Chai Xiao nodded, squeezing his round face into the crook of his mother's arm.

"Mother is too brilliant, piercing through the truth with a single word!"

"Initially, the martial artists who register won't be famous—neither Li nor Du, nor the Three Heroes nor Lü Bu—so the traffic starts at zero."

"However, if you recognize her as your adoptive daughter, the traffic will instantly soar to at least ten thousand! After all, this isn't an ordinary household; this is a prince's estate hosting a bride-selection!"

Consort Yun reached out to twist her son's ear.

"You brat, you've been plotting this for a long time, holding back such a massive firecracker just waiting to shake the entire royal city, haven't you!"

Chai Xiao feigned pain.

"I had no choice! I'm so poor I'm practically down to my last pair of trousers!"

Consort Yun nodded.

"I must admit, this is indeed a brilliant method!"

"Transforming a bride-selection for an ordinary family's daughter into one for a princess will cause the prices of admission tickets, food, lottery tickets, and rhapsodies to skyrocket!"

"The crucial point is that this girl Zhu Que, whether in figure, appearance, temperament, or character, genuinely wins my affection!"

"If she were formally conferred the title of Princess of a Commandery, it would have to be reported to the capital."

"However, if I merely take her as an adoptive daughter and grant her the title of a junior princess, there's no need to make such a grand fuss."

"Yet..."

This prudent mother of the Sovereign suddenly lowered her voice and whispered directly into her son's ear.

"It is fine for me to take her as an adoptive daughter, but there is one thing you must consider carefully!"

"Once adopted, she becomes your younger sister! Although not by blood, if you still harbor thoughts of marrying her in the future, then..."

Chai Xiao widened his eyes in utter speechlessness.

"Mother, I've told you several times already, I do not want to marry her!"

"Besides, the adoptive daughter I want you to take isn't Zhu Que!"

Consort Yun had originally intended to reproach him.

"You rascal, you're always saying one thing while meaning another! You say you don't want to marry her now, but when you regret it later, there will be no medicine for regret!"

"Wait, what did you just say?"

"The adoptive daughter isn't Zhu Que?"

"Then why did you lead me right up to her? Isn't that like hanging a sign that says 'the buried silver is not here'?"

"If not her, then who? Jian Yu, Jian Feng, Jian Lei—surely it isn't Jian Dian, who just snatched my small leaf!"

"Ah, yes! That little girl has a mind full of tricks; taking her would work too!"

Chai Xiao smiled helplessly and drew out his words in a long tone.

"Mother!"

"Did you listen carefully to my previous arrangements?"

"The maiden for this martial arts tournament is both Zhu Que and not Zhu Que; she is both the Twelve Consorts and not them."

"She is a fictional persona, a 'masked figure' whom the thirteen heroic women will take turns playing as circumstances permit!"

"Her name is Red Luan or Dan Huang!"

Consort Yun was displeased.

"I know all about this fictional persona you speak of!"

"It's just a way to prevent the registered martial artists and spectators from recognizing a fixed lineage or school of martial arts, so she wears a mask and they take turns stepping up."

"Using interchangeable people to maintain a single fixed combatant!"

"However, since we are talking about adopting a daughter, there must be a real, living person, not a crowd of people or a nonexistent entity!"

"I don't care, I am adopting Zhu Que. As for whether you call her Princess Red Luan or Princess Dan Huang, that's fine by me, I'm not fussy!"

"And as for whether you want to marry her in the future, I won't meddle in that either!"

"When the time comes, I'll throw caution to the wind—since there's no blood relation, we'll just call it 'deepening ties through marriage' and see who dares to stop us!"

Having said that, this true "Queen Mother" of Great Xu brushed her son's hand aside and reached out, gently placing her palm upon Zhu Que's forehead.

"Very well!"

Chai Xiao could do nothing against his mother and was forced to raise his voice.

"Zhu Que!"

Zhu Que started, hastily pressing her fist to her chest and dropping to one knee.

"Subordinate is here!"

Chai Xiao pointed at his mother's hand.

"Mother wishes to take you as her adoptive daughter and confer upon you the title of 'Princess Red Luan.'"

"Let the martial arts arena later today be named 'Princess Red Luan's Bride-Selection.' What is your will?"

"I..."

Zhu Que choked up momentarily, unable to utter a word.

Consort Yun's palm rested gently on Zhu Que's forehead.

"Que'er, don't listen to this brat's nonsense. I genuinely think highly of you and truly wish to take you as my adoptive daughter."

"From now on, you may call me adoptive mother, and call him elder brother."

"As for this martial arts tournament, you needn't take it too seriously; it is merely one means to fulfill the task of raising a million silver taels."

"After the finals, if you feel the selected person is passable, you may give him a second look. If not, pay him no heed and defeat him with a single move."

"Whether to marry or not—while that might have been difficult to decide back in the capital, now that we are in the royal city of Great Xu, there is only one rule."

"You have the final say!"

Zhu Que bit her lower lip hard, her phoenix-like brows trembling slightly. Her eyes, which usually gazed with the sharpness of a sword, were now shimmering with unshed tears, as a myriad of thoughts surged within her.

Her cheeks flushed slightly at first, then gradually yielded to a distinct, pearlescent pallor.

Every single word Consort Yun spoke sent a subtle tremor through her entire body.

Especially that final phrase—"You have the final say"—anchored her in place for a long, lingering moment.

It was as if her agile soul had been firmly locked down by those words, rendering her completely immobile.

All the surrounding clamor ceased to have anything to do with her.

Every gaze in the audience converged upon the woman about to become Great Xu's very first "Princess Red Luan."

Seeming to sense the heavy weight of all those watching eyes, she slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Abruptly, she seemed to make a monumental resolve.

"Thud!"

She dropped heavily onto both knees.

"Both of Zhu Que's parents passed away when I was young, and I owe everything to the master of the Qingguan Temple on Mount Taibai, who took me in and instructed me, leading to who I am today."

"Consort Yun has favored me deeply, treating me as her own daughter. Even if Zhu Que were to shatter her bones and spill her brains, she could never fully repay this grace!"

"I am willing to serve Her Ladyship as my mother from this day forth. However, 'once a teacher, forever a father'—after I write a letter to seek my master's guidance, we shall formalize the adoption!"

"I believe my master will certainly be happy for me and instruct me to serve you with utmost filial piety!"

With that, she raised her hands flat before her and executed a subordinate's bow of fealty to a sovereign, rather than a daughter's kowtow to a mother.

At this single gesture, everyone present was struck dumb with shock.

She had actually refused the Consort's offer of adoption!

Was she out of her mind?