With Taiyang Yuan back in seclusion, and the clan’s retired elders currently requesting an audience in the Evernight Palace, this should have been a routine matter. But Jingzhao’s announcement turned these plans upside down, putting the Divine Tailor in the limelight…even in the Central Domain.
Did Xinzi care?
Not that much. The attention wouldn’t affect his plans significantly, and Tailor-Xinzi could leverage this “subsidy” to speed up the takeover of the Eastern Continent’s economy — all while corrupting the Central Domain with a bolder series of moves. Also, there was some poetic flair in using the Central Domain’s own resources to take over its vassal empires’ economies.
”The Taiyang clan has bigger problems than trying to make sense of its new Divine Empress’ irresponsible spending habits. In any case, Jingzhao is only using the portion of state revenues set aside for the empress. Besides bankrupting the Solar Palace’s inner court, she’s not guilty of any wrongdoing…and they’ll still have to bail her out.” Xinzi mused on the events.
The Central Domain’s palace officials couldn’t allow the ladies of the inner court to fall into poverty because of Jingzhao’s actions. So, whether they liked it or not, they’d have to set aside more state revenues to bail out the Solar Palace’s inner court — with some provisions to prevent Jingzhao from spending it all on her tailor…again.
Likewise, they’d investigate the origins of the Divine Tailor, but find only what Xinzi enabled them to.
”I suppose I can use the opportunity to make her look like a visionary. But still, I want to know…’why’,” Xinzi said, and stretched one hand out. Waves of colorful smoke flowed out of his palm, coalescing in a smoke spiral that acted as a portal towards another domain.
A slender, curvaceous figure appeared amidst the smoke. The spiral vanished, revealing Xue Jingzhao, who glanced left and right, confused by the abrupt change in scenery she had just gone through. One moment, she was cultivating in her private palace, the next, she stood in a lavishly decorated office suite — her mind buzzing from the confusing change.
But once Jingzhao’s blue eyes fell on the Divine Tailor, the confusion vanished, and she dropped to her knees.
Never in a rush, Tailor-Xinzi took a moment to study Jingzhao’s body language. Able to guess why she’d been summoned, Jingzhao knelt without a word. Thus, for a moment, silence settled in. Tailor-Xinzi enjoyed that silence, for with every second that passed, Jingzhao grew more nervous, her fidgeting body exposing her inner thoughts before Xinzi peered into her mind.
”I’m confused. Your nervousness tells me that you’re aware you did something wrong. This doesn’t make any sense. You knew that you were doing something that I would likely not agree with, and yet you still did it? Jingzhao, Jingzhao, are you bored…or tired of living?” Xinzi broke the silence, his words echoing with a rumbling pressure that made a mess of Jingzhao’s nerves.
”Master, I—”
”Shush, not yet. I’m still thinking. Maybe you’re attention-starved. Yeah, that’s a possibility. After sending you back to the Central Domain, I didn’t give you much attention, which could explain why you decided to get some, somehow.
But I thought you understood that our unequal partnership wasn’t a traditional relationship. Your collar, if nothing else, should have acted as a permanent reminder of who you are to me. Jingzhao, did you start expecting more? Do you want more?” Xinzi asked in a mild and straightforward tone. But carried by the pressure of his Dao Breath, that mild tone became clapping thunder that made Jingzhao — an ice spirit — break into a cold sweat.
”…” Crushed by fear, Jingzhao gasped for breath and kept her mouth shut tight.
”Now you can speak.”
”Y-yes! Master…I…I just wanted to do something…for you.”
”Do something for me? Just like how I asked you to sneak 100 Solar Dragon Guards into the Silkshifter God’s Abode, if I needed you to do something for me, you’d know. Strange. You’re a smart woman — a deviously cunning one, at that. Usually, the good thing about the likes of you is that I don’t have to explain what you shouldn’t do.” Jingzhao’s words only added to Xinzi’s confusion, and again, our lost monk had to resist the urge to outright read a female interlocutor’s emotions and thoughts.
”I…know that…as the master of the Eternal Night Dynasty…you cannot use the Hengye clan’s resources as you like. You…must also consider the allocation and training of the various lords and ladies of the Evernight Palace. You…might be able to get better and more potent resources elsewhere, but…on the four continents and in the Endless Sea, spirit stones are the main currency. Your plans need…as many spirit stones as you can get. So I thought…I thought I could help.” Challenging her inner fears, Jingzhao spoke her mind.
”Mhm…so the logic was to help speed up my plans and earn some merit in exchange?”
”No! No logic! Master, I want you…to like me!” Cut deep by Xinzi’s words, Jingzhao raised her eyes and blurted out.
”Huh?” Xinzi’s confusion deepened, and his eyes narrowed at the divine empress. That look kindled Jingzhao’s fighting spirit, and she rattled off:
”Master, I know that you think nothing of me. In your eyes, I’m just an opportunistic whore! A slave you control through her own greed. But master…I also have a heart. Seeing you despising me day and night…despising me with the sweetest of smiles…hurts! So, master, I want to try and change. Change enough that you can look at me…with a bit of affection.” Jingzhao’s balled fists trembled as she spoke, but still, she spoke, unloading all the emotions she kept bottled up.