Chapter 223 - 192: Character Card Draw

Of all the products in the System Mall, Jiang Xian had always coveted the "Draw a Character Card" feature that unlocked after a system upgrade. The only problem was her limited Palace Fighting Points. She had to keep some in reserve for emergencies, leaving no surplus to spend on drawing cards.

After giving birth to Xie Zhao, she found herself needing to spend points on everything.

Even though the Imperial Palace was heavily guarded and the chances of an assassination were low, Jiang Xian didn’t dare to be complacent. Looking back through history, even an emperor had nearly been strangled to death by a young palace maid. Once outside a parent’s protection, a child was like a toddler carrying gold through a crowded market. A sharp hairpin, a wooden plank, or even just being picked up and tossed into a hole cut in a frozen lake was all it would take for her to lose her only son.

In this regard, Jiang Xian completely understood Guo Xiao Yi’s decision to keep the Second Prince confined within Zhongcui Palace.

But since she had the System Mall, Jiang Xian wanted Xie Zhao to have a happy childhood. She wanted him to be able to tease the cats and dogs in the Imperial Palace and the Hot Spring Villa, to swagger through the market without a care in the world. If the sky were to fall, his mother would be there to hold it up by burning her points.

Beyond ensuring his safety, there were also various nutritional supplements far superior to anything available in the current dynasty.

The two Princes were clearly the same age, yet Xie Zhao was as strong as a little tiger cub. Even the Empress Dowager often praised the Pure Consort for knowing how to raise a son. ’It’s just like how people born after 2000 are generally taller than those from the 80s and 90s. It’s because the country’s living standards improved, and more people could afford enough meat, eggs, and milk in their daily diets. Being "raised well" just means being willing to spend money on food. Increase their intake of meat, eggs, and milk, ensure it’s balanced, and you’re guaranteed to have a healthy child.’

[Host, do not be discouraged. Your promotion speed in the harem has already surpassed 98% of your peers! The System is very proud of you!]

As Jiang Xian was lost in thought, the System offered a timely word of comfort.

Unfortunately, its host was not one to appreciate such sentiments. Her brow furrowed even deeper. ’So that means 0.2% of people are faster than me.’ She needed to reflect on this. What was the gap between her and that 0.2%? She had to make targeted improvements and catch up.

System: [...]

System: [It is not the host’s fault. It’s the difference in the targets of conquest.]

After the System’s explanation, Jiang Xian learned that even with the same Palace Fighting System, the difficulty level varied between dynasties. There were foolish emperors who would be utterly infatuated within a year, even poisoning their own Empress to let the host take her place. In other dynasties, the Empress might be so jealous and volatile that she’d destroy her own power base. The unluckiest host of all ran into an emperor who preferred men and had to change her gender first.

A shiny virtual wheel appeared before Jiang Xian once again.

Above the wheel, the words read: [You have 0 card draw chances].

Jiang Xian spent a whopping 6,000 points to purchase two card draw chances.

System: [Please spin the wheel, Host.]

She reached out and spun the wheel.

This time, the wheel stopped on a rather short silhouette, and a virtual screen simultaneously projected the character’s personal data.

Name: Mu Changsi

Age: 25

Occupation: Palace Maid

Skills: Master of the four arts (zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting), a basic understanding of medicine, and exceptional culinary skills.

Personality: Gentle, reliable, and patient. Her absolute loyalty will grant the host a true confidante in the cold harem. She can be both a good teacher and a helpful friend, and can also ensure the safety of the host’s food.

At twenty-five, a palace maid was old enough to choose to leave the palace and marry. If she stayed, she would be addressed as "Nanny," a palace maid of senior standing. In countless palace-intrigue dramas, a fiercely loyal and multi-talented palace maid or eunuch was an essential part of the protagonist’s success. Jiang Xian thought for a moment. "From now on, I can just buy semi-finished ingredients from the Mall for Zhao’er’s meals. I won’t have to watch over him constantly."

’My little cub should be very happy with meals cooked using the System’s skills.’

Thanks to Xie Che’s efforts, Jiang Xian had finally grown accustomed to meals that required one to wait and savor, rather than just gobbling everything down at once to fill her stomach without tasting the flavors.

"I’m going to draw for the second time."

Jiang Xian spun the wheel again. It stopped on an especially tall silhouette, a head and a half taller than the other Character Cards.

Name: ?

Age: 17

Occupation: Military General

Skills: Leading troops into battle, unparalleled in both archery and horsemanship, exceptionally courageous.

Personality: Loyal and forthright, yet with a subtle understanding of worldly affairs (to avoid becoming a liability to the host). In his heart, the host comes first and his soldiers second. Not even the most severe torture could make him betray you. He obeys only your commands.

The last line was a Note: "As this character will operate mostly outside the palace, the host can establish him as a member of your family, adding a valuable asset to your clan and ensuring you are not without family members to rely on."

System: [The host may choose his name.]

’That’s actually pretty good,’ Jiang Xian thought, ’since almost everyone in the Jiang family is dead.’

The ancients valued large families and great enterprises, but the Jiang family only had Jiang Ke’s line. The original owner of this body and her father were both in poor health, which was how she ended up so incensed after being deceived by a scumbag that she became bedridden and died suddenly from overwhelming grief.

Jiang Xian: [System, do you have a name generator?]

System: [Please do not make things difficult for the System.]

Since the System couldn’t provide any useful help, Jiang Xian filled in the name field with "Jiang Yi."

Jiang Xian sent all the palace maids and eunuchs outside to wait. Only in an environment that the System had scanned and confirmed to be completely secure did she redeem the two of them. Nanny Mu had a gentle and deferential face that would inspire a feeling of warmth in anyone who saw her. She curtsied and paid her respects to her host, then stood quietly to the side after receiving no further instructions.

As for the other card...

"Cousin!"

The young man, who had sharp brows and bright, starlike eyes, dropped to his knees with a THUD. Worried about being discovered, he suppressed his excited voice. "I can finally see you again, Cousin. To think, it was you who gave me my name back then. Now that we can finally meet, this little brother wishes to ask you, what is the meaning behind my name?"

Unlike the other Character Cards, Jiang Yi seemed to be unaware of the System’s existence.

"Er..."

System: [Let this System see what kind of story the host comes up with.]

Jiang Xian smiled smoothly and replied, "Jiang Yi. It means ’the one and only.’"

The naive young man looked at her, his eyes filled with emotion.

After the pleasantries were over, Jiang Xian used a secret signal to call Sikong Rui back. She told him to put his current task on hold and find a way to get Jiang Yi out of the Imperial Palace without alerting anyone.

"That’s easy enough,"

Sikong Rui said. "I don’t have any other tasks at the moment. I was just helping His Highness find the Three-section brocade Cricket King he wanted, but none of the ones I’ve found have met the standard."

Jiang Yi asked curiously, "What is this Cricket King? It sounds so mighty and impressive. And what are the standards? I want to be of service to you as well, Cousin."

Sikong Rui glanced back at him and appraised him. "Oh, your head is quite large, but it’s not prominent enough. There’s no golden glint in your eyes, and having no feelers makes you defective. Your voice isn’t very resonant, either. Low-grade."

Sikong Rui added, "A Cricket King is a fighting cricket."

The low-grade cricket Great General: "..."

Following his mistress’s orders, Sikong Rui safely escorted Jiang Yi out of the palace and established his kinship with the Jiang family. The System smoothed over any inconsistencies to make the story plausible. Once his identity was officially established, Jiang Ke wrote a letter to the palace, asking his daughter to find a post for his nephew, explaining that even getting a spot as a common soldier in the barracks required connections and a way in.

Two days later, after hearing his beloved concubine’s request, Xie Che smiled. "What’s so difficult about that? I was just worrying that I have no one suitable to use in the military."

Jiang Xian’s heart stirred. She understood the hidden meaning in her boss’s words.

’How could there be no one in the Yan Chi Army? The Rong Family’s General Yun Hui is still alive and well.’

’But on second thought,’ she realized, ’the Rong Family is the only great military family left.’

The Ma Family was a vassal to the Rong Family, and had even sent their daughter into the palace to serve as an attendant to the Lady.