Murim's Weakest Princess

Chapter 301: Ugly Vase

Gaining permission was not difficult. The Emperor and Empress readily granted it, and Anji recalled the awkward situation when they kneeled and bowed before her in return, asking her to save their people. Such important figures should never be kneeling, yet they lowered their pride sincerely. Compared to the dynasty that Song Min entered as a scholar and court official, times have truly changed. They had benevolent rulers who truly cared for the commonfolk.If only Song Min could look at this objectively and make a rational judgment, he would know just how wrong his actions were. However, the ghost general was too trapped in his past and pain to care. It was why Anji swore to stop him at all costs. Pain and revenge only create an endless cycle of despair. This was a new era, and Anji wanted to believe in humanity’s potential for good to triumph over evil.

As it had to be a covert operation, there was much to prepare. But first, Anji had to extract the source of negative energy from the Emperor. After experiencing just how dangerous it was firsthand, Anji made several preparations to trap and contain that energy after extraction.

"Is that what I think it is?" Noble Consort Liu leaned over.

Earlier, Anji requested a porcelain container. They ended up emptying a small flower vase for her sake, and even the Empress, who had been yawning, watched keenly. It was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience to watch a spell master work up close.

While Anji did not mind working in their presence, their overflowing attention made her feel out of place. Thankfully, drawing spells and weaving energy threads was a familiar routine that made her forget about the three audiences she had.

Although uncomplicated, this array required delicate control. Unlike her artificial cores, this porcelain vase’s nature, no matter how expensive and fine the craftsmanship, was only made of porcelain. It should be enough to contain the negative energy like an artificial core. Anji made the spell act like a magnet for the energy she wanted to extract. That way, she could study it and make the necessary preparations to locate the cursed object.

Even at her fastest pace, Anji took two hours to complete the process. By now, both the Emperor and Empress had red eyes from the lack of sleep. They had official duties tomorrow, and Anji felt bad for making them stay up this late. It had to be at least two in the morning by the time she was done and apologised for the wait.

Laughing it off, the royal couple promised they were staying up late voluntarily because they were curious. Besides, it was no secret how they usually pulled all-nighters during the busy season.

"Staying up for one night is fine," the Emperor agreed. "More importantly, would both of you be alright? It’s ok for me to carry this negative energy a little longer because it does not affect non-cultivators as much."

Anji shook her head firmly. Although she understood the Emperor’s kind intention, she could not overlook it.

"I have to take a sample to formulate a cure after identifying it. This is very similar to the miasma that has been slowly poisoning the capital. As there are many people here, stress and negative emotions are at an all-time high. The demonic cult has been preying on the misery in people’s hearts to gain power. It would be disastrous should the Emperor and Empress meet the same fate. Even if we do not interfere with the mortal way of life as cultivators, we do not wish to see commonfolk suffer. Not all cultivators are born from cultivation clans. Not all born in cultivation clans have cultivation aptitude either."

Hong Nian Niang’s husbands were a great example. They live on the grey area between murim and mortal worlds, operating on both spectrums as non-cultivators. The line was even blurrier with Noble Consort Liu’s existence. Even after she handed the Heavenly Phoenix Sect to her niece, nobody would dare think of her as a mortal woman, even after she entered the Imperial Court. Likewise, those living in the Mystical Qilin Sect for generations without ever learning how to cultivate were another group of people who needed a wise and benevolent leader like the present Emperor.

If Anji traced history, Song Min’s existence was also linked to the emperor. He wasn’t even a cultivator, but he had dragged the murim world into a business it had no stakes in. Thinking from this perspective, it was only fair to ignore murim ethics and get her hands dirty. Two could play at a game, and Anji had the upper hand this time.

Like Yin and Yang trapped in a twisted dance, Anji wondered if they would ever be free from karma as she directed the negative energy from the Emperor’s body into the expensive vase. The Empress explained it was a gift from one of the magistrates and was not very important, even if it were valuable.

"The vase is one of the many gifts they send regularly to get on our good side and make an impression. The Emperor and I never reject them, but we don’t give favours to those who have ill intentions. The royal budget and assets are generous, but our personal income is pathetic. I was planning to sell these for gold in the black market through the Red Palace if there ever was a need, but thankfully, there is a better use for this overly expensive, ugly vase now."

Anji’s eyes turned slightly round when she heard the Empress comment about the celadon vase that now contained the unknown energy.

"You’re working with the Red Palace too?" Anji blinked, and Noble Consort Liu chuckled.

"In name, it belongs to my sworn sister. I’m just the broker, but the biggest investor is the Empress herself. Why do you think she’s allowed to build a tower taller than the main palace and call it the Red Palace without getting into trouble?"

Suddenly, it all made sense. The preferential treatment and patience with cultivators. While mortals, the royal couple were also living in the same grey area as Hong Nian Niang’s husbands.

"In that case, you should know the Red Palace deals with information and sensitive missions too. Did you already know my second brother was the co-founder of Red Palace?"

Here, the Emperor and Empress seemed surprised. Anji soon realised it was a mistake to reveal Mingshen’s true identity and apologised to her absent brother mentally. However, the new knowledge seemed to give the Emperor peace of mind. Maybe Mingshen would understand.

"We only know he’s the Red Palace’s manager, not the co-founder. The Gentleman Club was a small espionage and assassination guild that worked with the Red Palace as a hired mercenary. We had no idea he was a co-founder. What disrespect have we shown our benefactor!" the Emperor lamented.

Hearing a new side of her second brother, Anji kept her thoughts to herself behind a small, awkward laugh. Just how many layers did Mingshen build around him in the last four years? No wonder she always felt as if his truths were still suspicious-sounding. Although he never lied to her, Mingshen never truly spoke his mind and kept the most difficult things to himself, not even when they decided to drop the facade and speak honestly when Yihao was drunk that night of their first reunion after years apart.