Chapter 12: Ahhh! Your Host Has Leveled Up! 

“Oww—Zhaocai-ge, you hit my wound again. It hurts so much…”

The noble little prince instantly transformed into a whiny, brainless servant.

As Guyuan Cheng muttered complaints under his breath, his hands moved swiftly, putting on his disguise mask and padded fake backside.

As soon as Steward Zhang entered the room, he was hit with the thick stench of blood. His gaze fell on the boy’s back, now marred with angry scars, and a flash of sympathy crossed his face.

“Alright, just stay put and rest. No need to get up and salute.”

“Our county princess’s people have investigated—it turns out the jade bracelet was never stolen by you. Chang Wu found it in the garden and placed it in your room.”

“Good heavens! You, boy, are just… too honest! Why didn’t you say something when you were falsely accused? If the princess’s secret guards hadn’t discovered the truth, you would’ve been whipped fifty times for nothing!”

Steward Zhang’s face was full of joy. Behind him, a few servants filed in, carefully placing trays of fine medicinal herbs, food, and clothing onto the table.

“Look at this! You’re truly blessed to have met such a kind-hearted young mistress! The little princess said she feels guilty for wronging you, so she specifically ordered these gifts to be delivered.”

“Rest assured! That rascal Chang Wu has already been flogged sixty times and thrown out of the estate. The young mistress told you to focus on recovering and return to duty once you’re well.”

A hint of relief softened Steward Zhang’s stern features.

The little princess had always been pampered beyond reason. No one ever dared to discipline her, so over time, she’d developed a spoiled and willful nature.

Who would’ve thought that today, she’d actually show concern for a servant?

“And that’s not all! Just look at how generous our young mistress is! As an apology, she’s even given you a whole fifty taels of silver!”

Steward Zhang shot a meaningful glance to the side, and a young servant immediately stepped forward, presenting a tray with neatly stacked banknotes.

“T-Thank you, Your Highness… Thank you, Steward Zhang… Wuwu… Joining Prince Qin’s estate is the greatest blessing of my life!”

With eyes brimming with gratitude, ‘Laifu’ trembled as he clutched the silver notes—his slightly chubby fingers grasping them as if they were the most precious things in the world.

He looked so overwhelmed, so utterly stunned by the money, that Steward Zhang couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

“Alright, just rest up. I’ll be leaving now.”

“Oh no, sir! Won’t you stay a while? Perhaps have something to eat before leaving?”

“Oh, you still have business to attend to? Zhaocai-ge, see the steward out!”

The two master and servant pair watched as the steward and his entourage disappeared into the night.

Only then did they shut the door and slowly shed their disguises.

“Tsk tsk… As expected of a princess showered in endless affection—even the way she rewards her servants is different.”

Before Guyuan Cheng could say anything, Xuan Feng had already begun feasting—alternating between sips of pork trotter soup and bites of lean meat porridge.

All in the name of “poison testing.”

“If you ask me, the little princess is actually quite kind! She’s nothing like the arrogant, unruly girl the rumors make her out to be! The gossip must be slander!”

“The little princess… kind?”

Guyuan Cheng’s voice carried a faint trace of mockery.

“Isn’t she? In Nanqi, where social hierarchy is so strict, a county princess punishing a servant by mistake isn’t even a big deal. Yet she still sent us all these things. If that’s not kindness, then what is?!”

Xuan Feng continued munching without a care.

Guyuan Cheng, however, seemed lost in thought, absentmindedly rubbing the silver banknotes between his fingers.

Muttering to himself, Xuan Feng reached out casually, intending to grab one of the fifty-tael notes.

After all, his master never carried money on him. With his status, whatever he wanted would naturally be brought to him by his subordinates—there was never a need for him to handle silver personally.

But the note remained in midair, untouched.

When Xuan Feng looked over, he saw his young master’s long lashes lowered, carefully folding the banknote over and over… and then—

He tucked it into his own chest pocket.

…Into his own pocket?!

Wait. What was he doing with that silver?

His delicate, pampered little master—who had never lifted a finger for menial tasks—did he even know how to use money?!

Xuan Feng was so stunned that he forgot to swallow the mouthful of pork trotter soup in his mouth.

But Guyuan Cheng had no time to deal with his dumbfounded subordinate.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he slowly paced to the window.

Outside, the wind howled fiercely, and snowflakes swirled in the air.

Yet amidst the raging storm, he seemed to pick up on something unusual. His delicate ears twitched instinctively.

“Prince Qin’s estate is under lockdown.”

“Oh my little ancestor! Prince Qin is one of the most powerful non-royal lords in Nanqi. His estate being on lockdown this late at night—isn’t that completely normal?”

Xuan Feng also heard the sound of many people approaching Prince Qin’s estate, but he remained indifferent.

“It’s different this time. Judging by their footsteps, there are at least ten thousand soldiers. Their steps are firm and heavy—clearly, they’re all fully armored troops.”

Guyuan Cheng’s expression turned grave, his small face tightening.

“And tonight, even Prince Qin’s own guards have been replaced by those with higher martial skills.”

Watching the snow outside grow heavier, Guyuan Cheng’s youthful face suddenly became incredibly solemn.

“It seems… a storm is coming.”

“A storm?”

Xuan Feng stuck his head out the window.

“Mm, looks like it’s going to snow heavily later in the night. Oh no! My little ancestor! I need to bring your clothes inside before they get wet!”

“I’m talking about the political storm—the court is about to change.”

Guyuan Cheng clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze dark and unreadable.

“What? A change in court?! What do we do?!”

Xuan Feng, a towering man over six feet tall, was more panicked than the small ten-year-old beside him. He paced anxiously around the room—then suddenly paused.

“Wait… You mean Nanqi’s court is changing? Oh, that’s fine then.”

“…No, wait! If Nanqi’s court is changing, that’s even worse! We’re in Nanqi right now! Oh no, my little ancestor! What are we waiting for? We need to run!”

Guyuan Cheng couldn’t take it anymore—he flicked Xuan Feng’s forehead sharply. His childish voice suddenly turned sharp:

“A few days ago, the Grand Preceptor sent me a message. He suspected that Emperor Nanqi and the Imperial Uncle were planning to eliminate Prince Qin’s faction. I just didn’t expect them to move so quickly.”

“Quickly notify the others—have our Dark One team, who planned to infiltrate Prince Qin’s study tonight, withdraw immediately!”

“Tell them to monitor every move of the imperial court and Prince Qin’s estate. The moment chaos erupts in the study, we’ll slip in and steal—no, I mean, find—the legendary Phoenix-Tail Ganoderma!”

Their original plan had been to gather intelligence on the Phoenix-Tail Ganoderma and negotiate a deal with Prince Qin.

But now… if the treasure was going to end up in Emperor Nanqi’s hands anyway, why not take it first?

A glint of cunning flashed in Guyuan Cheng’s dark eyes. Despite his small frame, he radiated an aura of immense power. He continued giving orders:

“Send another letter back to our country. Tell the Grand Preceptor to keep a close watch over my father. I will find the Phoenix-Tail Ganoderma as soon as possible!”

“Yes!”

Xuan Feng instantly sobered, dropping his usual playful demeanor and accepting the order seriously before retreating.

Guyuan Cheng remained standing at the window, clad in his simple blue robe, his expression unreadable.

After a long silence, he sighed softly.

Raising the cup of now-cold tea in his hand, he solemnly gestured toward Prince Qin’s ancestral hall before tilting his head back and drinking it all in one go.

Prince Qin’s sword had taken the lives of many Beichen soldiers. But the man himself had devoted his life to his country and its people, exhausting himself in service.

And now, in the end…

To meet such a fate—

It was truly a pity.

—

Meanwhile, completely unaware of the chaos unfolding at Prince Qin’s estate, Sheng Nanxi was happily looting the Grand Preceptor’s mansion with her little system.

One mansion after another, seven or eight officials’ homes had already been ransacked.

Now, they were joyfully indulging in a “zero-dollar shopping spree” at the Imperial Uncle’s residence.

The first wife had a collection of rare jade treasures? Take them!

The second concubine’s family owned a lumber business, and her rooms were filled with precious wood? Take it all!

The third concubine, formerly a courtesan, had a stash of aphrodisiacs and certain other toys? Yep, taking those too!

The ninth concubine…

Sheng Nanxi opened the ninth concubine’s treasured wooden chest—only to find it filled with filthy, stinking shoes and socks.

From muscular men.

…What the hell?! The ninth concubine was a foot fetishist who stole the stable boys’ footwear?!

Sheng Nanxi was absolutely disgusted. She was just about to dump the entire dirty stash over the perverted woman’s head when—

Her system, Gou Dan, suddenly shrieked in excitement:

【Xi-jie! Ahhh! Your system baby is leveling up! Ahhh!】

【I’m about to unlock new functions!!!】