Chapter 266: Chapter 211: Return to Chang’an

Outside the Golden Light Sect in Chang’an City, what should be the busiest Eight-Vehicle Raceway of the Outer City County Town is now locked down for ten miles in all directions. All shops are closed, all windows shut, and no idlers are allowed to come near.

Both sides of the raceway are lined with guards adorned in gold and jade, their flags raised to block out the sun, creating a carpet that only one person can enjoy. Behind the attendants are high-ranking court officials, whose joined crowns form the sky of the Zhou Kingdom. On the left are the heavyweights of the Six Ministries, and on the right are the Generals of the Imperial Guards. In their respective ministries, these are people who can affect the livelihoods of millions, now reduced to being inconspicuous little lackeys.

For in front of them is the Emperor’s procession, and the young Emperor who was nearly confined in the Imperial Palace by the control of Yao Shi Moke for the past ten years is now taking his first outing after reclaiming political power, leading officials to welcome the new Duke Jin.

When the carriage appeared on the horizon, the guards began to blow their resounding horns. Every five steps the carriage took, a row of guards would blow their horn. By the time the carriage reached the Emperor’s procession, the sound of the horns had formed an unbroken wave, echoing across Chang’an!

"Welcome back Duke Jin, victorious in your campaign against the thieves!"

The officials’ congratulatory voices surged like waves, the ceremonial band played stirring music, and the Emperor stepped out of the procession to greet her, even though Yao Shi Moke had never had such prestige.

A hand pulled aside the curtain of the carriage, and out walked a graceful yet valiant young woman. She wore a simple ponytail, with the ends of her hair tinged with a light red hue. She emerged into the sunlight, looking down at the Emperor and the officials, her eyes calm like a lake, exuding authority without a word.

This was the first time she appeared in such a setting as ’Pharmacist’s Wish’ instead of ’Yao Shi Moke’s daughter,’ making her debut above all others.

Another Yao Shi Moke, yet younger and more favored by the ancestors... Seeing this scene, many people had the same thought, but without exception, they all bowed their heads in homage: "Congratulations to Duke Jin!"

"Congratulations to Duke Jin." The Emperor, Yao Shijie Luo, slightly lowered his head and said with hands clasped.

Pharmacist’s Wish looked at the young Emperor before her, knowing it was he who plotted the downfall of her father and ordered the execution of the entire Ba River Pharmacist family.

In all honesty, Pharmacist’s Wish did not hate him; any Emperor under the control of a powerful minister would be tempted to fight back. If Yao Shi Moke hadn’t acted too absolutely, favoring only his friends, the Emperor’s counterattack wouldn’t have been so fierce, a gentle push wouldn’t have caused a landslide collapse—besides a few Military Generals, the majority of Military Towns immediately turned on the Ba River Pharmacists upon receiving orders, with Pharmacist’s Wish being the only one to escape.

Her father was destined to lose; Pharmacist’s Wish merely regretted that he hadn’t lost at her hand, becoming instead a sacrifice to the Emperor’s grasp on power.

Pharmacist’s Wish once thought when she returned to Chang’an, she would surely make her enemies tremble in fear; reality was that officials greeted her, bowing in reverence; she imagined she would openly reclaim the Ba River Pharmacists’ assets; reality was that everything was returned with interest to her; she planned to seize the throne and rule the world as Ba River Pharmacist; reality was that even the Emperor had to lower his head to her, the Duke Jin.

The ambition she had plotted for a comeback was realized in less than half a month, rendering that half-month of escape, determination, and calamity seemingly a joke.

Yet it was not funny at all.

She seemingly obtained everything she wanted, even more than she imagined, now she could even command the Emperor’s abdication, and the court officials dared not disobey, yet Pharmacist’s Wish felt no imagined excitement, nor any triumphant joy.

For these people did not submit to her, but to the True Man of Locking Dragon.

How many Third-Turned exist in the Zhou Kingdom? Each of the Twenty-four Military Mansions has at least one, plus various others that probably exceed fifty people, but among these fifty, those favored by Foundation Establishment are few and far between. The last one favored, Yao Shi Moke, ruled Zhou Kingdom for nearly twenty years, and if not for Pharmacist Changqiu’s death, he would have continued ruling, leaving the Emperor to bear with the bitterness.

The True Man of Locking Dragon had personally spoken of giving power, treasure, authority, thus Pharmacist’s Wish had everything, the worldly matters at her beck and call. This is the power of Foundation Establishment; once they issue a command, it becomes the destiny that all must obey.

But even with vast mountains and rivers, it’s still impossible to save the ones you care about.

Pharmacist’s Wish suddenly felt uninterested and turned back into her carriage, giving orders: "Return to the Mansion."

"Seeing Duke Jin off."

The Emperor and the officials immediately stepped aside, with none daring to murmur among themselves, but Pharmacist’s Wish knew that the civil and military officials outside must now think she is more domineering and arrogant than her father. She also knew how to act to win over some of the people, she had even prepared for this moment, because she thought her father had done terribly and felt she could certainly do better... yet she wasn’t in the mood at all now.

It’s amusing to think that Pharmacist’s Wish previously believed her father ought to favor wise and virtuous people and distance himself from lower men, but when it was her turn, she couldn’t even be bothered to curry favor with such lower men. Perhaps it’s because she grew up, or maybe she now has a grander ambition, one that a small Zhou Kingdom can no longer bear.

As she passed inside the Golden Light Sect, Pharmacist’s Wish lifted the window to look outside; ever since Immortal’s orders appeared on the trading board, she would glance at it every time she passed.

Half a month since she last looked, she wondered what Immortal’s orders were on the trading board now.

She took a quick glance, Advanced Sword Mastery Secret Manual, current bid at only one hundred seventy-eight thousand, so cheap? Could it always be sold continuously? 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Feiyu Boots, fifty-six thousand, Second-Turned Rare Boots, worth the price...

Night Jade Pendant, one hundred and twenty-two thousand, Third-Turned Rare defensive token...

Seven-Star Sword, forty-three thousand...

Seven-Star Sword?

A thought stirred in Pharmacist’s Wish’s heart, but the carriage had already moved past. She sat in silence on the carriage until outside she heard the call, "Patriarch returns home," then the carriage slowly came to a stop. Wuqiu and Shidong were the first to disembark, and then helped her down from the carriage outside.

She looked at the vast Duke Jin’s Mansion and softly whispered in her heart, "Father, I’m back."

The interior decoration seemed unchanged, though the unfamiliar, timid servants and the faint stains on the wood beams and stone lamps hinted at the bloody massacre that occurred half a month ago. The Ba River Pharmacist Family still stood, but she was the only one left.

"From now on, you two will be the chief stewards, responsible for all matters within the mansion," Pharmacist’s Wish suddenly said.

"What?" Shidong was shocked. "Ch-chief steward? But I have always been serving you, Miss, I don’t know how..."

"Yes, Miss," Wuqiu replied swiftly and decisively, "We will help Miss...help you manage the Duke’s Mansion, keeping a close watch on everything. There will be no problems."

"You can continue to call me Miss, no need to change titles," Pharmacist’s Wish shook her head. "Although I let you manage, don’t spend too much time on it; cultivation is the foundation of everything." Her tone was as casual as giving two little toys to children, reminding them not to get too obsessed and that learning is more important.

With the directive from Pharmacist’s Wish, Wuqiu and Shidong naturally took over all the servants in the Duke’s Mansion, and though Shidong was timid just moments ago, she now commanded them with great vigor, even Wuqiu couldn’t restrain her excitement, her voice growing louder.

For them, who lived in the Duke’s Mansion since childhood, the chief steward was the highest position they could ever reach in their lives. They thought they would have to wait until the Miss married to reach this position in the future in their brother-in-law’s house. To become the leading figures of the Duke’s Mansion at such a young age was beyond belief, apart from the Miss, brother-in-law, and their future children, they were almost the highest authority in the Duke’s Mansion!

Pharmacist’s Wish looked at them fulfilling their wishes, vaguely understanding how the True Man of Locking Dragon viewed her. However, it wasn’t bad at all. Pharmacist’s Wish even felt a bit envious of them. If she hadn’t met her sister, perhaps she would also be hosting banquets exuberantly for civil and military officials, preparing to take over the Zhou Kingdom and revel in supreme power? Surely such joy could intoxicate one’s life, otherwise, her father wouldn’t have indulged in the intoxicating wine of power for twenty years.

But one who has experienced powerlessness finds it difficult to enjoy life’s comforts, for powerlessness becomes a relentless demon that the fiercest of wolves can’t escape from, chased eternally across vast fields, unable to rest even when weary.

The only solution is to erase the sense of powerlessness from one’s life, achieving what was once impossible, saving those who couldn’t be saved in the past.

Pharmacist’s Wish didn’t move into her father’s Changqiu Courtyard but returned to her own courtyard. Her boudoir was immaculate as ever, as if she merely went to Shu Dao Mountain to hunt thieves for half a month, and the house was always tended to.

Wuqiu arrived soon after, bringing a stack of papers, "Miss, as per your instructions, these are the details of Immortal orders over the past half month."

Pharmacist’s Wish sat down and reviewed them one by one, occasionally jotting down figures on white paper.

With each entry recorded, Pharmacist’s Wish’s expression grew increasingly grim, and upon seeing one particular sheet, she instinctively snapped the Demon Eyebrow Lake Brush worth a hundred jade pieces.

Wuqiu immediately fetched a new brush from the cabinet beside her, but Pharmacist’s Wish waved her hand to indicate it wasn’t necessary. She lit a candle, burning all the papers, conjured a Fine Steel Long Spear, and stepped into the courtyard, suddenly practicing her spear techniques, startling fallen leaves, making the spear dance like a dragon in frenzy. Yet, Wuqiu beside her was full of concern.

She’d never seen the young mistress like this, both lost and bewildered...not even when she first heard the news of the master’s death was she so disoriented.

"Ha!"

Pharmacist’s Wish shouted, turning and thrusting a counterattack, piercing the steel mannequin in the courtyard straight through its head! She panted softly, fragrant sweat beaded down her cheek, dripping onto her cuirass, yet the frustration in her heart didn’t dissipate a bit; instead, it grew stronger.

She even contemplated heading to the Thief’s House now to find Yellow Dog and ask him why.

Upon noticing the Seven-Star Sword and Feiyu Boots appearing on the Trading Board within the Immortal orders, Pharmacist’s Wish realized a possibility. Reviewing the orders from the past half month confirmed her suspicions: the Immortal orders occasionally featured spoils they had obtained, with the dates even matching, and just two days ago, tokens from the Helan Family appeared! The merchant behind the scenes had no intention of hiding, or perhaps he wasn’t afraid of being discovered.

All unwanted spoils were handed to the Rabbit Heroine, who said her brother would help fence them, guaranteeing a high price and quick returns.

Pharmacist’s Wish had previously thought the Rabbit Heroine’s brother was a well-connected black market merchant, considering that selling tokens at high prices required the right buyers...who would have known her brother had channels to trade with anyone in the world, as the sole seller; it would be surprising if sales weren’t fast.

Yellow Dog was the merchant behind the scenes!