Neither the Minister of Rites nor the Vice Minister of Revenue were figures Mei Zhili could afford to offend.
Not to mention, behind these two families lurked subtle ties to the power struggle between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince over the throne.
Wearing a pained expression, Mei Zhili couldn't help but curse Fan Xian inwardly for his recklessness—daring to commit violence openly in the capital, leaving him roasted over the fire.
Though Mei Zhili wanted nothing to do with the succession battle, the indictment was crystal clear, with both witnesses and evidence present. There was no way to delay, so he had no choice but to send constables to the Sinan Earl's residence to arrest Fan Xian.
While Fan Xian was embroiled in the lawsuit with Guo Baokun, Xiao Feng arrived by carriage at the Royal Villa to conduct Lin Wan'er's second treatment.
As the only daughter of the Grand Princess, Lin Wan'er was deeply cherished by the Empress Dowager and Emperor Qing. Not only was she granted the title of Morning County Princess, but she also resided in the Royal Villa.
Under normal circumstances, anyone wishing to enter Lin Wan'er's quarters would need to make an appointment in advance and be registered in the palace records.
However, Xiao Feng was the Emperor Qing-appointed Carefree King, possessing the privilege of freely entering and exiting the palace. Naturally, the guards dared not stop him.
Guided by the villa's maidservants, Xiao Feng passed through several flower beds before finally arriving at a small building deep within the villa—Lin Wan'er's residence.
Faced with Xiao Feng, the Carefree King currently basking in imperial favor, the elderly matrons and female officials tasked with Lin Wan'er's care didn't dare show the slightest disrespect. They first bowed to him before leading him into Lin Wan'er's boudoir.
As soon as Xiao Feng stepped inside, a delicate fragrance wafted into his nose—soothing and sleep-inducing.
The elegantly decorated boudoir held three figures: Lin Wan'er, her personal maid, and a spirited young woman in a red martial outfit—Lin Wan'er's close friend, Ye Ling'er.
Ye Ling'er's father, Ye Zhong, was the commander of the Capital Garrison. Not only was he a high-ranking official, but he was also a top-tier ninth-grade expert.
Most crucially, Ye Zhong was both the nephew and disciple of the Grandmaster Ye Liuyun, granting him an exceptionally unique status within the Qing Kingdom.
As long as Ye Liuyun lived, no one would dare risk provoking the Ye family and incurring a grandmaster's wrath.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Ye Ling'er and the others rose and bowed upon seeing Xiao Feng.
"No need for formalities. Today, I'm here as Wan'er's physician—treat me as an ordinary doctor."
With that, Xiao Feng had Lin Wan'er lie down on the bed. He then extended two slender fingers and began massaging her acupoints.
At first, nothing seemed amiss. But as Xiao Feng's touches grew increasingly intimate, even Ye Ling'er and the maid watching nearby began breathing heavily.
Lin Wan'er, the subject of the treatment, blushed furiously, covering her face with a handkerchief.
Had it not been for the fact that Lin Wan'er hadn't coughed once since her last treatment—and that Xiao Feng maintained the demeanor of a virtuous gentleman throughout—Ye Ling'er might have suspected him of taking liberties.
After over half an hour, Xiao Feng finally withdrew his fingers. Lin Wan'er, having been massaged into deep relaxation, had unknowingly fallen asleep.
"Let her rest well."
Gazing at Lin Wan'er's peaceful sleeping face, Xiao Feng instructed her maid to take good care of her before turning to Ye Ling'er.
"Miss Ye, come with me. There's something I'd like to discuss."
"???"
Though puzzled, Ye Ling'er instinctively followed him out.
Once they reached the reception hall, Xiao Feng cut straight to the chase:
"Miss Ye, do you wish to become a grandmaster?"
"Of course!" Ye Ling'er replied without hesitation. "My greatest dream is to become a grandmaster like my grandmaster."
Influenced by Ye Liuyun and Ye Zhong, Ye Ling'er was a true martial arts fanatic. Despite her youth, she was already a seventh-grade expert.
Yet precisely because she had encountered a grandmaster, she understood better than most the chasm between grandmasters and ninth-grade martial artists.
For instance, her father—a peak ninth-grade expert, just a step away from grandmaster—couldn't withstand a single move against an actual grandmaster.
Thus, Ye Ling'er held little confidence in breaking through to grandmaster in her lifetime.
"If I said I could help you reach grandmaster, what price would you be willing to pay?" Xiao Feng met Ye Ling'er's gaze squarely.
Though not as stunning as Lin Wan'er, Ye Ling'er was a striking beauty in her own right, with a spirited charm. Moreover, her role in the original story was far from minor.
If Xiao Feng could win her over, the [God's Lobby] would likely absorb nearly as much world origin energy as it had from recruiting Si Lili.
Furthermore, Ye Ling'er could serve as a stepping stone to securing the entire Ye family—and by extension, Ye Liuyun's allegiance.
Among the four grandmasters, Ye Liuyun might not be the strongest, but he was undoubtedly the most gifted.
While Emperor Qing and the others had relied on cultivation manuals from Ye Qingmei to ascend to grandmaster, Ye Liuyun had forged his own path. After battling Wu Zhu, he created the Cloud Hands technique, ascending to grandmaster through sheer ingenuity.
In Xiao Feng's eyes, Ye Liuyun's potential far surpassed that of the other three grandmasters.
"..."
Under Xiao Feng's probing gaze, Ye Ling'er paused briefly before answering with utmost solemnity:
"If Your Highness can truly make me a grandmaster, I'm willing to pay any price!"
"Good. I hope you'll remember these words once you break through."
A flicker of amusement flashed in Xiao Feng's eyes as he retrieved a thumb-sized silver-white metal from his sleeve and handed it to Ye Ling'er.
"This is called a Nuclear Spirit Stone. It contains extremely refined energy. Absorb and refine it completely, and you'll reach grandmaster."
(ω)
Ye Ling'er's eyes lit up. She could distinctly sense the surrounding energy density skyrocketing the moment Xiao Feng produced the stone.
In truth, the so-called "Nuclear Spirit Stone" was purified enriched uranium.
Having refined vast quantities of it for his nuclear puppet constructs, Xiao Feng had no shortage of such material.
In the *Joy of Life* universe, human bodies had long adapted to nuclear radiation. The "energy" martial artists absorbed was, in fact, residual radiation from the ancient nuclear wars.
Thus, for warriors like Ye Ling'er, enriched uranium—packed with intense radiation—was nothing short of a priceless treasure.
(End of Chapter)