My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

Chapter 1305 - 1227: Retrieving the Array Plate, Returning Things to Their Owner

Feng Xiu came to the Imperial Palace, entrusted by Qin Liuxi, to retrieve an item from Qi Qian.

After dismissing the ministers, he spoke directly to Qi Qian.

The Imperial Palace’s inner treasury holds a Taoist Sect’s magic artifact, the Taiji Qiankun Dunjia Plate, and he came for this.

Qi Qian was taken aback: "Does the inner treasury have such a thing? I hadn’t noticed; there are indeed many rare treasures."

The inner treasury director had sent over a copy of the inventory before. He had glanced over it briefly, not paying much attention, considering he hadn’t been Emperor for long and had little leisure.

"How long have you been Emperor? Naturally, you wouldn’t know everything that is there. Besides this Dunjia Plate, there are many precious Taoist scrolls and magic treasures." Qi Qian looked at him with a half-smile and said, "Can you guess how they came to be here?"

Qi Qian, seeing this playful yet somewhat sarcastic smile, felt embarrassed and hesitated to ask further.

"Indeed, it was your grandfather, Emperor Jianxing, who, in an act of filial piety, while avenging his father, oppressed the Taoist Sect and seized them." Feng Xiu smiled faintly. "You might think oppression only meant closing temples and expelling Taoists, but it’s more than that."

He toyed with a fox-shaped ring on his finger and continued, "True oppression isn’t just about expulsion and demolishing temples, but destroying their beliefs and heritage. Yet human nature is inherently selfish, and when faced with valuable things, greed inevitably arises."

Qi Qian’s face turned hot, becoming a deep purplish shade like pig liver.

"Those years, as the Taoist Sect faced oppression and decline, many Taoists were forced to retreat to deep mountains for cultivation. Those who had time hid some treasures, while others could only grab scrolls and flee, but many valuable magic treasures and scriptures ended up with the Qi Family. Three generations later, who knows what’s left, but this Dunjia Plate, since she says it’s here, it certainly is."

Qi Qian tasted blood in his mouth, realizing he’d unknowingly bitten his lip, the metallic taste filling his mouth.

"Follow me then," he said, forcing a smile.

Passing through the many palace gates, Qi Qian led Feng Xiu into the heavily guarded inner treasury, a vast warehouse filled with numerous rare treasures, antiques, and countless ancient books and paintings, some even covered in dust.

Feng Xiu didn’t cast a glance at those trinkets, which only added to Qi Qian’s shame; what seemed incredibly precious to the world were lifeless objects in the eyes of cultivators like them.

"I don’t know what this Dunjia Plate looks like? Should I have the warehouse guard retrieve the inventory to search for it?"

Feng Xiu shook his head: "No need."

He extended his Divine Sense, scanning the entire warehouse for Spiritual Energy.

Indeed, the Emperor’s inner treasury was rich with treasures, filled with items infused with Spiritual Energy, not only from the Buddhist and Taoist Sects, but also ancient books, paintings, and even the Duan inkstone. There was even a Jade Tree with craftsmanship spirit.

There it is.

Feng Xiu walked in its direction, and Qi Qian followed him to the deepest corner of the treasury. There were several shelves holding many items of the Buddhist and Taoist Sects. Buddhism had Buddhist Scriptures, Buddha and Bodhisattva Images, Thangka, and even murals, along with Vajra Mallet Wooden Fish Bracelets. Most notably, they had even collected a relic.

As for the Taoist Sect, there were Money Swords, Talismanic Scrolls, Taoist Medical Scriptures, horsetail whisks, and statues of The Three Pure Ones. There was even a replica of a Donghuang Bell, though it was inscribed with runes and considered a magic artifact. Without exception, these items were all covered in dust.

Feng Xiu’s gaze swept over the items on the shelves, glanced at Qi Qian, but remained silent.

Yet Qi Qian distinctly felt the irony, his face nearly burning with embarrassment, he said dryly, "I truly didn’t know. Rest assured, I will ensure they return to the rightful place."

Rather than let them collect dust here like pearls, it would be better to send them to temples and Daoist Temples, preserving them as cultural treasures for the world.

Feng Xiu said, "You should be a Bright Monarch, and let your son be one too, so that the mountain remains with the Qi Family for decades. If you can’t hold it, there’s no need for resentment. Cause and effect lie in these!"

He pointed at the items; the sins the Imperial Family committed must be repaid, it’s just a matter of when.

Qi Qian’s pupils slightly contracted; was he implying the mountain would change ownership?

Feng Xiu said no more. He took from a pile of disorderly stacked Curse Scriptures a Dunjia Plate so small it fit only in a woman’s palm. Wiping away the dust with a wisp of demonic power, it revealed its true form.

The petite Dunjia Plate was meticulously crafted, yet it encapsulated the Heavenly Plate and Earth Plate, Eight Gates and Nine Stars, along with the Eight Gods and colors of the Palace. The Three Wonders of the Earth Plate were all within the Nine Gan. Looking at the Six Instruments, they were all positioned correspondingly within the Nine Palace. It was a complete Dunjia Plate, undamaged, its Artifact Spirit intact.

However, for Qin Liuxi wanting it, most likely she intended to refine it, just like her Divine Weapon.

Refining an array plate takes more Spiritual Power and spirit than refining a Divine Weapon, as arrays require precise calculations, any misstep could ruin them. For more complex arrays that layers upon layers, it’s more taxing on the Divine Sense.

It’s a significant test.

Feng Xiu put away the Dunjia Plate and prepared to leave, Qi Qian called out to him: "Look around this warehouse and take whatever you can make use of."

Feng Xiu raised an eyebrow: "This is the imperial treasury. Now that you’re Emperor, it belongs to you. To be an Emperor, one must reward consorts and loyalty; without something to show, it looks bad."

Qi Qian replied: "Since it belongs to me, I can give it to whomever I please. She is the meritorious supporter of my ascension, what’s wrong with rewarding her? As for what’s outside, it is their duty to offer tributes to the Emperor, and I, giving ink treasures are better than an Imperial Gift."

Alright, emphasizing a bit of frugality.

Feng Xiu wasn’t polite, his Divine Sense expanded again, taking all items rich with Spiritual Energy that he could use. Better to take them than leave them untouched.

After taking them, he waved his hand and disappeared before Qi Qian.

Qi Qian stood in the treasury for a moment, watching Feng Xiu come and go freely, and silently sighed, realizing they were not the same kind of people after all.

"For an Emperor, one must not be soft-hearted."

Emperor Kangwu’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

Qi Qian couldn’t help but recall the words Kangwu once told him in private; being Emperor, one cannot tolerate a threat nor breed a potential calamity. The Taoist Sect had skills of divine level; if they rebelled against the court, they could easily cause upheaval, evident from Feng Xiu causing chaos in the Ministry of Justice. Thus, they cannot be kept.

Emperor Kangwu wanted to eradicate the Taoist Sect and all cultivators with skills that rivaled the heavens, irrespective of whether they were human or demon.

Laughably, he never considered that if these people truly wanted the mountain, the Qi Family would have been long gone from the picture.

"Summon the inner treasury director," Qi Qian ordered, directing them to organize the items of the Buddhist and Taoist Sects into a clear list, and send all Taoist items to Li City Qingping Temple.

Returning the property to its rightful owner.