Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

The Wu Family holds significant influence in Jiangnan, controlling two-thirds of the docks, canal transport, and the transfer routes.

In Jiangnan, if anyone mentions the Wu Family, there are few who do not know of them. Especially the Wu Family’s legitimate daughter, Wu Xin’Er, known as the family’s talented daughter, who has yet to be married, naturally drawing a lot of attention.

Those who have glimpsed Wu Xin’Er’s true beauty greatly praise her in the streets, as if she were a celestial being descended to earth.

The crowd briefly fell silent when a merchant who boarded from the Capital City exclaimed, ”Are you crazy? Wu Xin’Er is now Princess Consort to Prince Zhen Nan. Who would dare to steal a painting of her?”

Even if Wu Xin’Er wasn’t Prince Zhen Nan’s Princess Consort, given the Wu Family’s influence in Jiangnan, if they knew about this, the painter who stole the painting wouldn’t have a good end.

Meanwhile, the women of the dust do not have such concerns.

They are public figures every day. Even if there are well-connected patrons, most people with some family respect wouldn’t cause such a big scene for a woman of the dust.

As for the women themselves, they wish for more people to steal their paintings, as it would spread their fame further and naturally increase their ’value’.

”What? She’s already a Princess Consort to Prince Zhen Nan?” Many were surprised. In these chaotic times, news travels slowly, so upon hearing this news, some were shocked but not entirely disbelieving.

Being the legitimate daughter of the Wu Family, she certainly wouldn’t marry some rural villager. In a sense, even marrying Prince Zhen Nan is a step down...

”No way, brother, don’t you know? On the day of Prince Zhen Nan’s wedding, Bianliang City was abuzz, with civil and military officials in attendance, even the entire nation...”

The conversation quickly shifted to Chen Mo in the hall. Though Jiangnan beauties were captivating, it was the rising prominence of Prince Zhen Nan, Chen Mo, that sparked common interest.

The storyteller didn’t even acknowledge this topic, being a seasoned martial world individual, he knew his place.

Moreover, even if he was bold enough to actually want to paint Wu Xin’Er, it’s not like he could just paint her at will.

Because he would never even see Wu Xin’Er.

Being such a refined young lady, she typically never goes out. Even when she does, she travels by sedan chair accompanied by dozens of guards, making it hard for ordinary people to catch a glimpse of her true beauty.

...

In a certain loft room in a part of Jiangnan, the place is very quiet with a few men in peculiar attire either sitting or standing, all their eyes fixed on an old man with white hair sitting at a tea table.

After some time, a young woman with a butterfly tattoo on her face and a whip on her waist couldn’t help but speak:

”I’m sure all of you have received the news that Prince Zhen Nan has boarded a Jiangnan merchant ship and, by calculation, will soon arrive at Jianghe County. There are rumors in Jianghu that the Red Sun Bell, which is related to the Nan Zhou Treasure, is on him. And the Empress Dowager of the Western Palace, rumored to be of Nan Zhou royal lineage, is now in his hands. His journey to Jiangnan this time might very well be connected to the Nan Zhou Treasure.”

A burly man holding a broadsword replied, ”Wang San Niang, don’t mistake Prince Zhen Nan for a fat sheep. He is a fierce tiger in sheep’s clothing. As good as the Nan Zhou Treasure is, you’d need to be alive to take it.”

”Brother Chang is right. Prince Zhen Nan is not easy to provoke. Even King Yan and that old fox Xiao Yunqi fell to his hand. Just the few of us, how can we be his match?” said a hooked-eyed man leaning against the window.

”That’s not entirely correct. No matter how strong Prince Zhen Nan is, he has only one pair of eyes, one nose, and one mouth. According to the news, he only brought three women and an old man on this trip. As they say, two fists cannot fend off four hands. Among us, who isn’t a martial world expert?

Moreover, if a head-on confrontation doesn’t work, we can play dirty tricks.” A man leaning in the corner with arms crossed gave a sly smile, raising his eyes to look at the dwarf man sitting on the beam, less than 1.4 meters tall.

The dwarf man is none other than the renowned Poison King in Jianghu, skilled in poison. The Rosemary Soft Bone Powder is one of his creations; colorless and tasteless. Once ingested, even a First Grade Martial Artist cannot manipulate the True Qi in his body for a quarter of an hour.

And a First Grade Martial Artist unable to manipulate True Qi is no different from an ordinary person.

Due to his height, he is infamously known as the Yin (Ying) Poison King in Jianghu.

”Hey, don’t try to push me into this. I’m not doing it. If something goes wrong, it could cost me my life. For a treasure whose existence is uncertain like the Nan Zhou Treasure, it’s not worth it.” The Yin Poison King shook his head, then thought for a moment, took a porcelain bottle from his bosom, and tossed it to Wang San Niang:

”This is a new concoction of mine. Just a whiff, and whoever it is, will sleep for the duration of one incense stick.”

His words egged on Wang San Niang to give it a try.

Wang San Niang glanced around the room, her eyes flickering as if asking if anyone would accompany her.

But the eyes of everyone avoided hers, even the man with his arms crossed said nothing.

”Wonderful Handed Flower Lord, care to join me?” Wang San Niang asked the effeminate man lying on the bed, admiring a scroll painting.

The Wonderful Handed Flower Lord is a renowned Lightweight Skill expert in Jianghu, able to cross rivers on a single reed even before reaching the Innate realm. ’Wonderful Hand’ both describes his adept thieving skills and another aspect.

Despite his excellent Lightweight Skill, he is a flower-picking thief, rumored to be able to lead women to Paradise with only his hands, combined with his good looks, hence his name.

”Not interested. Compared to the Nan Zhou Treasure, I prefer this talented woman, Cao.” The Wonderful Handed Flower Lord looked at the woman in the scroll painting, his eyes a bit fervent.

”What’s the use of being pretty? It’s just a vase that pities the flowers but doesn’t know how to cherish them. If you really have the guts, go to the Capital City. I hear that the few consorts of Prince Zhen Nan are each a national beauty, none of whom Cao Xiyue can compare to.” Wang San Niang, seeing him staring at the scroll in a daze, inexplicably felt a pang of jealousy.

”San Niang, wasn’t it just a pat on your butt, is it really necessary?” The Wonderful Handed Flower Lord put away the scroll and got up, saying, ”I’m lustful, but not brainless. Why deliberately offend Prince Zhen Nan? I advise you not to covet the Nan Zhou Treasure; it’s beyond your control.”

Finishing his words, he went to the window, opened it, and leaped out.

”Where are you going?”

”Jianghe County.” The Wonderful Handed Flower Lord seemed to step on air, flickering a few times before disappearing without a trace.

Wang San Niang gritted her teeth with anger, finally focusing her gaze on the white-haired old man enjoying his tea, ”Old Man Tian Can, wasn’t it because of the Nan Zhou Treasure that Rama died? If we find the Nan Zhou Treasure, we could find clues to Rama’s remains. Are you really not interested either...”

Before she finished speaking, the white-haired old man suddenly appeared before Wang San Niang, clasping her neck with one hand and lifting her up.

With a gentle twist, a crisp snap was heard, and Wang San Niang’s neck was broken.

A sharp, shrill voice came from the white-haired old man’s mouth: ”Noisy!”