“So, you are basically trying to mimic those puppet carriages from the second era?”

Da Wei’s image in the Communication artifact gave a thoughtful look before replying.

“Not really. The Puppet Carriages of the second era operated using High-Grade Spirit Stones which were extremely abundant during those times. They are also extremely complicated to produce and maintain, making them impractical for my needs. What I am doing is something much simpler. A chain of carts traveling on a set path using Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Since most of the heavy lifting is done by the physical systems of the machine, they become relatively cheap to operate and easier to maintain.”

Princess Yin Lingxi smiled at his words.

“Only you can make something so extraordinary sound so easy. Do you even realize how the various forces in our empire, including the rest of my family, would react if they knew you were replicating an artifact from more than ten thousand years ago, from the golden age of this continent?”

“Believe me, I know. That is why I am already working on a way to mass produce these things and sell them.”

“Very clever. By selling them, you can deflect most of the negative attention that you would have gained if you kept such an artifact to yourself. However, it still does not solve the problem of others wishing to take you for themselves through any method possible. I’ll give you my offer once again, join my side and I will make sure nobody even dares to harm you or your people.”

“Not happening.”

Da Wei grinned as Yin Lingxi gave an amused smile at his rejection. At this point, her offers and his rejections have become a game between them, which they enjoy greatly. The Princess found the process of thinking up new schemes and ways to tempt Da Wei quite fulfilling and a way to get rid of her boredom. In contrast, Da Wei found her various offers very enlightening in the ways of understanding how he might be trapped into an unwanted deal in the future at the hands of unsavory individuals. These conversations also helped him relax from his hectic schedule in recent months.

“Still, a barrier that safeguards your village while also promoting self-sufficiency, trade deals with your neighbors, establishing new trade routes, teaching body cultivation to your people, and creating a workforce that can easily be turned into an army if need be, If I didn’t know any better, I would think that you are building a tiny kingdom of your own within the borders of my Empire.”

Once again, Da Wei had a thoughtful look on his face.

“…Now that you mention it, it does appear that way, doesn’t it? Thankfully, I have no such ambition. All I want is for my people to be safe and happy.”

Yin Lingxi continued smiling at Da Wei’s words as a gentle look passed through her eyes.

“A noble reason to seek power. Be that as it may, if your artifact does end up becoming a success, I want to put in an order for those carts as well. Or rather, I want the manufacturing method for those things.”

“That won’t happen. Not because I am not willing but because the process of manufacturing is something that can’t be replicated easily with ordinary inscriptions. It requires a personal touch from me or my disciple not to mention the fact that I would lose monopoly over a potential bargaining chip should something bad happen in the future and I needed a way to secure our future.”

“It was worth a try.”

Da Wei laughed at her words before they devolved into talking about inane things and their daily lives these days.

“But really, Da Wei, if your village does end up prospering in the next five years under your schemes, I really do want to copy such methods across my empire, I will need your input if such a time comes.”

“Sure. I can help you with those things if we really do succeed.”

Suddenly, Yin Lingxi picked up the Qi signature of her Aunt entering the house.

“Looks like my Aunt has something to discuss with me. Should I contact you same time tomorrow?”

“You know it.”

With a smile Yin Lingxi cut off the Qi to the artifact, causing Da Wei’s image to fade away along with her smile.

Turning to the door, her Aunt walked in while covered in blood, a sword in one hand, and the severed head of the City Lord in the other.

“It is done, Princess.”

“Good. What about his family?”

“Eradicated to the last man. I made sure that not even the chicken in his house survived.”

Yin Lingxi continued to stare coldly at the severed head as she picked up the communication artifact once again.

This time, it connected to the local governing office and showed the Official in charge of the imperial authority in White Jade City.

The official immediately bowed to the Princess.

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“Your Highness.”

“I have taken care of the last traitor belonging to the Yanfeng family, clean up the mess. Make sure that the Yanfeng family does not realize that all of their supporters have disappeared in the span of a few months. Especially their spies in this city.”

“By your order, Your Highness.”

“And what have you done about my instructions?”

“…We have already begun the process of liquidating the assets of all the martial and influential families in this city that defied your order. The infrastructure and resources you wanted to be distributed to the mortals are already being prepared. Projections show that it will take two months to complete the task.”

“How convenient. Are you hoping that this princess will be gone from this city by that time? Allowing you to indulge in embezzling the funds?”

“I don’t dare-“

“Of course you don’t. Unless you want to be reduced to ashes like your predecessor.”

Yin Lingxi sat up straight and started projecting her authority and regality as a member of the royal family and future empress, a side that she had not yet shown to Da Wei in full and wished to never show to him.

“I am not my father. He may have overlooked all of you ants benefiting yourself from the misery of the mortals and the unfortunate for the sake of political power. But I have no qualms about purging all of you and putting someone else in your position should you defy my words either in principle or practice. If this empire can’t exist without corruption and darkness, then it is better for this empire to not exist at all.”

Catching the gleam of madness in her golden eyes and the blood-soaked figure of Yao Xingchen standing behind her, the official shook like a leaf.

It is well know fact that the Yin family is filled with lunatics, each with their own brand of insanity. This insanity was said to be the reason why their empire still stood to this day despite being surrounded by danger on all sides and also the reason why the Yin family was so scarily competent at running their empire. However, it is also a known fact that should a person ever provoke this insanity of theirs, they would never have a good end.

To the official, it was very clear that the actions of his predecessor that died an unfortunate death by drowning in literal shit a few days ago along with the Yanfeng family’s actions have provoked this insanity within the princess.

The official was willing to do anything to escape the sheer terror of being targeted by this insanity of the Royal Family, even if it meant making an enemy of every single martial family and influential force in this city.

“….I will make sure that the task is done in half a month at most. Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will never break your order no matter what.”

“Good. Also, I’ll have Aunt Xingchen deliver a jade slip to you later today. I want that person made into the new City Lord. I’ll warn you right now, if that person faces any adversity because of his commoner status and his straightforward nature, well, I don’t think I need to explain the consequences right?”

“Of course! Your Highness! I will personally back this person in any way possible. Rest assured, I will make sure that they have a smooth path.”

With a nod, Yin Lingxi cut off the artifact and took out a jade slip.

“Take this to him.”

Yao Xingchen sent her Qi into the slip and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“A dual spirit of Wood and Fire. Foundation Establishment realm as a loose cultivator. The last surviving member of a scholar family massacred by the previous City Lord. How did you find someone like this?”

“Remember our last trip to the slums a few days ago?”

Yao Xingchen grimaced at that memory.

Unlike the slum that they had visited in the Imperial capital, the slum of this city was much worse for wear despite the clear presence of people who had been helped by Da Wei in the past.

It had saddened the princess to see that, unlike the people of the imperial capital, the mortals and the unfortunate of this slum had taken Da Wei’s help for granted and ended up becoming humans in name only with how they acted and the heinous crimes they committed so casually.

Of course, not everyone was like that just like not everyone in the slums of the Imperial Capital were good people, but the majority had been flipped in this city with only a few decent people to be found in the White Jade City’s slums.

It was a fact that Yin Lingxi had not told Da Wei about it because she did not want to destroy his optimistic way of looking at people.

Unlike her who had no trust in humans and saw her fellow people, be they mortal or cultivators, as nothing but her charges and potential tools, Da Wei looked at people with a kindness and optimism that Yin Lingxi found refreshing and beautiful. She did not want to taint such an optimistic person with such knowledge.

It was also the reason why she decided not to show her ruthless side to Da Wei and made sure that anything she did was not leaked out to those not involved in the situation so that rumors did not spread about her actions.

She leaned back into her seat.

“Aunt Yao, inform our people in the capital. Once we return from my trip, we will pull the Yanfeng family from the roots and eliminate this hidden threat for good.”

“Alright. But, what about those three?”

At the mention of those words, Yin Lingxi’s mood became complicated.

“….We will take Yun Xin to the capital where she will be taken in as a maid. As for Xiao Kai, treat him the same way we treat any other cultivator from the demonic path.”

“And as far as Wang Qiang is concerned, keep him imprisoned. I think Da Wei would like to have some closure from this demonic bastard.”

“….Alright.”

Yin Lingxi once again grimaced and closed her eyes, thinking back to when the mess with those three began a few months ago.

When traveling through the ruins of the Heavenly Sword Sect, they happened upon the three who were rummaging through the remains for things left behind by the dead disciples and elders of the sect.

Thinking that they were regular scavengers, Yin Lingxi had them captured. It was only when they were captured that she realized who they were.

Wang Qiang, the patriarch of the Wang family and a Nascent Soul realm cultivator. Xiao Kai, a promising talent who had Quintuple Spirit Roots with two of them being advanced spirit roots of lightning and Yin. He was also one of the main reasons for Da Wei’s self-exile from the sect.

Finally, Yun Xin. The girl who was engaged to Da Wei before certain events happened.

During their capture, Yin Lingxi observed a few details that made things very complicated for her.

Originally, she wanted to present Wang Qiang and Xiao Kai as a gift for Da Wei to do as he pleases with. However, during their capture, the two men showed traces of Demonic Qi within their cultivation, leading her to take drastic measures and destroy their cultivation on the spot.

As for Yun Xin, she had originally wanted to send this girl to Da Wei as well, but strangely enough, that thought did not sit well with Yin Lingxi for some reason.

That was why she now decided to send her to the Royal Palace where she would receive training to become a maid of the family.

After all, it was a much better fate than becoming a living cauldron for Wang Qiang and Xiao Kai like when Yin Lingxi stumbled upon them.

It was sheer luck that Yun Xin avoided a fate worse than death so it was only proper that she repay her savior.

With her orders received, Yao Xingchen headed out of the room, leaving her niece to rest.