Zhao Shun, the ruler of the Southern Dynasty, twenty-four years old. He ascended the throne at age six, with his mother, Empress Dowager Zheng, ruling from behind the curtain. When he was nineteen, Empress Dowager Zheng succumbed to illness, returning governance to the emperor. However, because Empress Dowager Zheng had heavily favored maternal relatives during her reign, the Zheng clan's faction had already spread throughout the court, practically blotting out the sun with a single hand. Compounding this, the Empress Dowager had thoroughly pampered Zhao Shun, raising him into a spoiled playboy who spent his days reveling in women and pleasure. Thus, Zhao Shun had no interest in court affairs, continuing to rely on the maternal clan and inciting widespread discontent throughout the imperial court and populace alike.
Yet Zhao Shun did not care in the slightest; in fact, he considered it a paradisiacal existence.
All the beauties under heaven were his for the taking, amidst lavish indulgence and gold-threaded luxury, enjoying the pinnacle of worldly honor without bearing any responsibility—what else could that be but a life fit for gods?
"Only this much memory? I can't even name all the eunuchs around me... Tsk, the dungeon isn't willing to sell me a single shred of extra info..." Zhang Yuanqing groaned as he sat up. Immediately, the Spirit Realm notification rang in his ear:
[Ding! Main Storyline Quest activated: Repel the Northern Dynasty army or defend the Southern Dynasty capital.]
[Ding! Side Quest activated: Survive for 24 hours.]
[Ding! Side Quest activated: Identify the spy lurking in the palace.]
[Ding! Side Quest activated: Win the hearts of the people.]
[Note: For each completed quest, a portion of combat prowess and inventory items will be unsealed.]
[Note: Please be advised that your current identity is Zhao Shun. You must not reveal any identity or information pertaining to Spirit Realm walkers.]
*Aren't there too many quests?* Zhang Yuanqing's expression went blank as the chimes kept ringing.
One of the side quests was to survive for twenty-four hours, yet the Ruler of a Fallen Nation dungeon was a large-scale war dungeon that obviously could not conclude within twenty-four hours. If there were already this many quests in the initial stage, what about the mid and late stages?
Furthermore, his skills were sealed, his inventory was sealed, and his body was now powerless to even truss a chicken, feeble to the point of being unable to care for himself. How was a character like this supposed to survive?
"To everyone else, this is an A-grade dungeon, but to me, it feels on par with an S-grade..."
Evidently, the "ruler of a fallen nation" was the core figure of the dungeon. His luck was truly terrible; he had drawn the highest-difficulty character card.
*Sigh, I don't know where the others ended up or whether they can find me. Where are my Left Protector Demonic Eye and Right Protector Little Fu? We require your protection...*
He had experienced this type of dungeon once before—the Chaos of the Five Elements dungeon.
Just then, the girl beside his pillow was stirred awake by the movement. Rubbing her eyes with small fists, she wrapped her snowy lotus-root arms around him, cooing coquettishly, "Your Majesty~"
Her budding, tender young frame squirmed gently in practiced seduction.
*Already so professionally skilled at such a young age? Damn evil feudal society...* Zhang Yuanqing preferred voluptuous, mature beauties and had zero interest in this chit of a girl. Gently pushing her aside, he commanded, "Dress Us!"
The girl nodded in compliance, quickly scrambled out of bed, hoisted her fair little bottom into the air as she gathered the palace garments from the floor, and under the swift weaving and pulling of her nimble hands, she soon finished dressing herself.
*She's a palace maid...* Zhang Yuanqing noted the relatively plain court attire and deduced her identity.
Makes sense—if she were a consort of status, she wouldn't be dressing herself.
Once dressed, the girl led His Imperial Majesty to the screen, taking down the everyday robes hanging there one by one and skillfully dressing Zhang Yuanqing.
Throughout the entire process, all Zhang Yuanqing had to do was extend his arms, lift his feet, or stand completely still. It reminded him of his father dressing him in childhood.
This was one of the few memories he had of Zhang Zizhen. Chen Shu was a woman who strove to excel at everything throughout her life, and her child-rearing style leaned toward strict independence. Starting from age three, she had demanded that Zhang Yuanqing dress himself.
Zhang Yuanqing hadn't known how, and in his memories, a pair of broad, warm hands had always helped him get dressed.
Taking advantage of the interval while the maid attended to his clothing, Zhang Yuanqing put his mind to work, pondering what he should do next.
*What were my side quests again? Damn it, even my memory has declined...* Zhang Yuanqing opened his attribute panel to review the dungeon quests.
The main quest could be ignored for now.
The three side quests were "Survive 24 hours," "Identify the spy," and "Win the hearts of the people." Winning the people's hearts could also be set aside; it was impossible for the moment.
The two side quests he needed to focus on were "Survive 24 hours" and "Identify the spy."
"Surviving twenty-four hours indicates that Our palace is not safe. The two side quests are likely linked—the danger stems from the spy lurking in the palace."
Then the immediate objective was crystal clear: find the spy!
To find a spy, one needed sufficient intelligence. Right, first learn the situation in the palace... Just as he was thinking this, Zhang Yuanqing heard a muffled, resonant urge from beyond the curtain:
"Your Majesty! It is time for your medicine. The imperial physician stated that the medicine must be taken while hot; once cold, its efficacy will be greatly reduced."
Beyond the curtain, that tall, burly silhouette appeared once more.
"We know," Zhang Yuanqing responded in an impatient tone. Once the maid placed a gold-threaded jade cap atop his head, he walked before the bronze mirror to inspect himself.
A handsome young man, tall yet frail, his complexion carrying a sickly pallor, eyes lackluster and dim.
*A classic body hollowed out by booze and women, severely compromised health. In this era, any sudden illness could easily make him croak...* Zhang Yuanqing muttered internally.
Where did this look like the heavenly prodigy Yuanshi Tianzun? Even if Guan Ya stood right before him, she probably wouldn't recognize him.
Lifting the curtain, he stepped into the outer hall.
The hall was lavishly decorated: expensive gold-threaded carpet, calligraphy and paintings by renowned masters gracing the walls, ceramics and jade artifacts displayed on curio shelves, and the orchids by the window were all rare, prized varieties.
Upon a round table draped in bright yellow silk sat a bowl of medicine whose steam was gradually fading. Beside the table stood a burly, middle-aged eunuch with crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, temples frosted with gray, and an impatience knotted between his brows, as if he might strike someone at any moment.
Zhang Yuanqing sat down by the table, raised the bowl, and took a sip. Finding it foul-smelling and bitter enough to induce retching, he deliberately shouted, "What kind of medicine is this? It's worse than ditchwater! Take it away, take it away, We will not drink it!"
He did this partly to maintain the persona of an incompetent monarch, and partly to open a conversation naturally to gather intelligence.
The middle-aged eunuch with frosted temples frowned, speaking in a tone that said *I'm talking to you politely, so you'd better not be ungrateful*: "Your Majesty, the toxins in your body have yet to be purged. The imperial physician stated that it will take at least ten days to fully recover. Over these few days, it is best that you no longer indulge in female company."
The palace maid who had shared his bed last night shrank her head back, full of dread.
*Toxins?* Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up, and he deliberately boomed, "Toxins? What toxins! We are the True Dragon, Son of Heaven, the supreme lord of nine-five! We are immune to a hundred poisons!"
The gray-templed eunuch's brows shot up. Taking several steps closer, he glared down at him: "Nonsense... You may be the supreme lord of nine-five, but a vial of red crane crest could take your life just the same! Three days ago, you were poisoned. If this old servant had not discovered it in time, Your Majesty would have already passed away!"
*Though Zhao Shun is a debauched monarch who lived a carefree life of revelry, even a eunuch can pull a face at him, which means he has no real power at all... The eunuch might belong to the Zheng clan... He was poisoned three days ago. From the looks of it, the spy has already struck once... Within twenty-four hours, I will face another assassination attempt, poisoning, or something similar. If I can't find the spy, it's pretty much game over.*
Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced, and he lamented internally once more: *Demonic Eye, Little Fu, this King needs you to protect Us!*
"This medicine tastes terrible. Take it away." Zhang Yuanqing pushed the bowl aside. Since the original host had nearly died of poisoning, there was no way he would touch anything in the palace.
For all he knew, the spy was right here in the bedchamber, perhaps among the maids and eunuchs present. Any lapse in vigilance would cost him his life on the spot.
The burly eunuch snapped in irritation, "Your Majesty, if you refuse to drink your medicine, I will have no choice but to force-feed you."
"Dog servant..." Zhang Yuanqing simply smashed the bowl onto the floor with all his might, roaring in fury, "You birdless castrato, how dare you threaten Us!"
The middle-aged eunuch's chest heaved with rage. Finally, he flung his sleeves and stormed out.
Watching the eunuch depart, Zhang Yuanqing's gaze flickered. Dismissing the attendants around him, he beckoned over the maid who had shared his bed last night and huffed, "Who is he?"
In this vast bedchamber, the only person he currently trusted was this little maid.
If she were the spy, Zhao Shun would already be dead. Guard as one might against a thousand perils, one could never guard against the person sharing their pillow.
The little maid was likely an NPC provided by the dungeon—safe and reliable—and he could obtain certain information from her.
"He is Attendant Li..." The little maid looked somewhat bewildered, not understanding why His Majesty asked such a question.
"Attendant Li? Can he be trusted?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
The maid looked even more bewildered. "Attendant Li is a veteran from the Empress Dowager's palace. Before the Empress Dowager passed away, she arranged for him to serve by your side. Attendant Li can certainly be trusted, though... his temper is rather foul..."
*Someone from the Empress Dowager's side, eh? Then he shouldn't be the spy!* Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts spun as he asked, "He just mentioned that We were poisoned. Is that true?"
The maid nodded repeatedly. "A few days ago, Your Majesty indeed fell suddenly ill with unbearable abdominal pain. It was Attendant Li who noticed something was amiss and summoned the imperial physician to treat Your Majesty."
"Before the poisoning, where did I go?" Zhang Yuanqing asked again.
The maid lowered her head in thought for a moment, then answered with difficulty, "Your Majesty went to many places and came into contact with numerous consorts and palace maids..."
The subtext was: *You fool around way too much; no one knows how you were poisoned.*
*This is a bit of a headache...* Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds. Drawing upon his profound literary and historical knowledge, an idea struck him. "I want to see the palace activity record."
The maid replied, "Your Majesty may request it from the Secretariat."
The official responsible for the emperor's daily records was called the Diarist of Daily Life, subordinate to the Secretariat.
Zhang Yuanqing waved his hand. "Not that court diary—the one documenting Our activities inside the palace."
An emperor had two daily activity records. One was recorded by the Diarists of Daily Life, logging the imperial decrees and the emperor's conversations with ministers in audience halls. The other recorded daily life in the imperial harem, kept by the eunuchs.
The maid replied, "Your Majesty may request that from Attendant Li."
*I'm afraid he'll beat me up...* Zhang Yuanqing ordered, "Go fetch it."
Frightened, the maid pursed her lips and replied aggrievedly, "Yes!"
Lowering her head, she hurried out of the bedchamber.
A quarter of an hour later, the maid returned clutching a thick volume and presented it with both hands.
Zhang Yuanqing nodded in satisfaction. "Well done. You shall attend to Our bed again tonight."
The maid's heart instantly bloomed with joy. Among the palace personnel—be they consorts, maids, or singing girls—who wouldn't want to share the emperor's bed? As long as she could bear the dragon's child, she could soar to the high branches and become a phoenix.
Zhang Yuanqing waved the maid away, opened the palace activity record, and read with focused eyes. The text inside was in standard regular script, presenting no reading barrier for a top student from Songhai University.
The daily record detailed the people Zhao Shun had interacted with and the deeds he had performed; there would definitely be clues.
After skimming a few pages, Zhang Yuanqing felt a massive headache, realizing he had still underestimated Zhao Shun's wanton debauchery.
Chapter 840