After the meeting in the Wood Traversing Palace, Palace Lord Cheng Aofang led the Hall Masters to the capital city to hand over the annual tribute.
The capital city was bustling with activity. As soon as he entered the skies above the capital city, Miao Yi immediately felt a change in his mentality. In the past, when he came here, it was only a court meeting, and he only treated himself as an outsider who had come from another place. But now, he no longer felt like an outsider.
Not to mention him, even Cheng Aofang felt like an outsider when she came here every year. This was because Miao Yi had already integrated himself into the power of the capital city. In a sense, the capital city was under his jurisdiction as well. Naturally, the feeling of being above others was different.
After safely escorting Cheng Aofang to Jade Capital Peak, the Hall Masters were no longer allowed to venture deep into the Forbidden Palace. They were free to go to the bustling capital city to enjoy themselves. However, there was one Hall Master who was an exception. Naturally, it was the Great Hall Master Miao. He was a Golden Hall Deacon, so it was probably more convenient for him to come and go as he pleased than Palace Lord Cheng Aofang. As the Hall Masters watched Miao Yi accompany Cheng Aofang deep into the forbidden palace, their eyes were filled with unconcealable envy.
However, Miao Yi was still interrogated a few times along the way. When they found out that this was the newly appointed Golden Hall's Miao Zhi, everyone who tried to stop him bowed and greeted him. Cheng Aofang couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at Miao Yi. The Overlord's subordinates naturally had their own pride. Even in front of her, Cheng Aofang was still a little haughty. It was impossible for the Overlord's subordinates to bow and scrape in front of the feudal vassals. If that happened, how could the Overlord endure it? They had to maintain a certain level of grandeur on the surface. However, right now, in front of Miao Yi, they had put down their airs, all because Miao Yi had the authority to deal with them.
There was a gigantic pagoda on Jade Capital Peak. The bottom floor was the golden palace hall, while the top floor was where the Overlord resided and handled official business. The Overlord's two personal handmaidens also resided on the top floor. The Overlord's concubines, on the other hand, did not have the chance to stay there unless the Overlord summoned someone to serve him in bed.
Cheng Aofang and Miao Yi waited in the golden hall. The Overlord was currently upstairs receiving the Traversing Celestial Palace Lord, Nie Changkong.
When Nie Changkong came downstairs, he was slightly startled to see Miao Yi. He walked over and cupped his fists towards Cheng Aofang.
"Greetings, Palace Lord Nie." Miao Yi took the initiative to greet her.
"Eh?" Nie Changkong stretched out his hand to support Miao Yi's arm. He smiled faintly and said, "No discord, no concord. The unpleasantness of the past is in the past. I hope Deacon Miao will not take it to heart."
"I wouldn't dare!" Miao Yi cupped his fists.
"Deacon Miao, why don't you drop by the Traversing Celestial Palace when you have the time? We will do our best to host you," Nie Changkong said politely. It wasn't that he didn't care that Miao Yi had killed his subordinate. He was still unhappy about it. However, with Miao Yi's current status, he wouldn't be able to help him much. Instead, he might even ruin his plans. On the surface, he had to maintain a passable appearance.
"I will pay you a visit when I have time in the future," Miao Yi agreed.
Nie Changkong chuckled and said to Cheng Aofang, "Palace Lord Cheng, the Overlord is waiting for the two of you up there. He ordered me to summon you up to have an audience with him." He then cupped his fists and left.
The two of them immediately went upstairs. Cheng Aofang was very familiar with the way. He led Miao Yi to the floor where Yue Tianbo handled his official duties.
This was a good place with windows on all four sides. Not only was it otherworldly, but it also allowed one to see the prosperity of the world. Yue Tianbo sat behind a long table, while Elder Auntie Chang Huan and Little Auntie Chang Le stood to his left and right.
After the two of them greeted each other, Yue Tianbo looked at Miao Yi and couldn't help but laugh. When he thought about how this bastard had mentioned that old fool Ouyang's daughter, he found it hilarious. He said to Miao Yi, "Miao Yi, you will temporarily be assigned to the Ministry of Justice in the capital city."
"Understood!" Miao Yi replied. However, he was thinking to himself, 'Isn't the one in charge of punishments Governor Lan Hou of the Martial Manor?'
Yue Tianbo then turned around and said, "Chang Le, arrange for someone to show Deacon Miao around Jade Capital Peak."
"Understood!" Little Auntie led Miao Yi away.
Outside the golden palace hall, one of the golden palace deacons, Zhu Shangpo, was quickly summoned. Little Auntie Chang Le conveyed the Overlord's message. Zhu Shangpo accepted the order and left with Miao Yi.
While no one was around, Miao Yi stuffed a small token into Zhu Shangpo's hands. 'Since I'm new here, please take good care of me.'
Zhu Shangpo accepted it with a smile on his face. After all, it was only natural for him to be so generous. He began to lead Miao Yi around Jade Capital Peak, pointing out where he could go and where he couldn't. For example, the Overlord's Imperial Concubines' residences were naturally not places that outsiders could casually barge into.
He then led Miao Yi to visit the various departments on Jade Capital Peak. As a member of the Board of Justice, he was considered half a member of the Martial Manor. Naturally, the first person he went to visit was the Governor of the Martial Manor, Lan Hou.
After entering the Martial Manor, he saw the expressionless Lan Hou. Miao Yi felt a little helpless. 'I've run into this guy's hands again.' 'Why am I always tangling with this Martial Manor?' After paying his respects to Zhu Shangpo, Miao Yi gave him a gift for his first meeting.
Little did he know that Lan Hou was also a little speechless. 'This guy sure climbed up the ranks fast. This guy who's been causing trouble in the capital city time and time again was actually assigned to the Martial Manor that's in charge of causing trouble.'
Lan Hou couldn't tell whether Miao Yi welcomed his new subordinate or not from his face. Miao Yi guessed that the other party most likely didn't welcome him.
Lan Hou also knew that Miao Yi's official duties weren't in the capital city. This was only a temporary position. His official duties were in the two palaces that he was overseeing. After giving Miao Yi some reminders, he gave Miao Yi a token from the Martial Manor.
After bidding farewell to Governor Lan, Miao Yi went to pay his respects to the three Advisors of the Fifth Earthly Branch. His first meeting was with Feng Ze, who was in charge of the Board of Rites. The Board of Rites was a nominal position, and so were the three Advisors. On the other hand, Lan Hou, who wasn't a Advisor, wielded real power. However, each of the six Deacons of the golden palace hall had two Deacons under his command, while Lan Hou didn't have any. If Yue Tianbo were to count, then Lan Hou would have a Deacon of the golden palace hall under his command. This was probably the reason why Yue Tianbo assigned him to Lan Hou.
And the two Golden Hall Deacons, Zhu Shangpo and Yan Ziqiu, were under Feng Ze's command. This was also the reason why Feng Ze had brought the two of them with him during the Treasure Appraisal Conference.
Feng Ze smiled at Miao Yi. The two of them could be considered acquaintances. Even though they were acquaintances, since he was here to pay his respects, a gift was unavoidable. After chatting for a while, Miao Yi took his leave and went to see Yan Ziqiu. He also gave him a small gift.
After that, he went to see the other two Advisors, Dou Lingxue and Jiang Libo. Dou Lingxue was a rather good-looking woman, and always had a smile on her face. To pay his respects to the two Advisors, he had to give them two gifts. There was no reason for him to come empty-handed.
He also went to see Dou Lingxue's two Golden Hall Deacons, Bao Shensi and Di Kuai, as well as Jiang Libo's two Deacons, Shen Xiong and Gu Lihua. Gu Lihua was also a good-looking woman. Needless to say, he had to give the four Golden Hall Deacons a small token of appreciation.
The Golden Hall Deacons agreed that Miao Yi would treat them to a banquet another day.
After paying his respects to some of the officials, he went to Yue Tianbo's harem. This trip to the harem had Miao Yi grumbling about Yue Tianbo. 'This bastard Overlord actually has over thirty concubines, each with their own merits. Each of them is as beautiful as a goddess. He really knows how to enjoy life. If he were to enjoy one every day, he wouldn't be able to finish them all in a month. What the hell is he doing with so many women?'
It was fine that Yue Tianbo had many concubines. The problem was that Miao Yi was a little reluctant to pay his respects to the Overlord for the first time. Fortunately, he had heard from Zhu Shangpo that ever since Yue Tianbo's legal wife had died in battle, Yue Tianbo had never had another legal wife. Otherwise, the formal etiquette used to greet the Overlord would have been too light. What was a legal wife? She was the only person in the Fifth Earthly Branch who had the right to quarrel with the Overlord.
Miao Yi had a slight suspicion that he knew why Yue Tianbo no longer had a legal wife. Without the constraints of a legal wife, Yue Tianbo was able to marry so many concubines without restraint.
After running around, with Miao Yi's position, these were the only people he should be paying his respects to in the capital city. Then there were his two Aunties, Chang Huan and Chang Le. When they were free, he would have to give them two generous gifts. The gifts he had prepared for them were more than what he had prepared for everyone else combined. There was nothing he could do about it. All of Yue Tianbo's concubines combined were not as important as these two aunts. Those concubines were just there to please the Overlord, while these two aunts held real power in their hands. A single word from these two aunts could decide one's fate in front of the Overlord. They were the Overlord's true trusted aides, whom no one could replace.
When Miao Yi paid his respects to his concubines, Zhu Shangpo had hinted that the Overlord didn't only have these concubines. Not only did some of them offend his two Aunties, there were even some who thought they were superior and treated the two Aunties like handmaidens. In the end, a few of them were executed by the Overlord. With no legal wife to suppress his two Aunties, his two Aunties were truly second only to the Overlord in the entire Fifth Earthly Branch. Aside from the Overlord, who would dare to disrespect them?
Miao Yi smiled bitterly in his heart. Previously, a bunch of people had given him gifts to congratulate him on his promotion. Now, not only had they given him all of them, they even paid for it. It was truly a huge loss.
However, he had gained something as well. Jade Capital Peak had already prepared a manor for Miao Yi. The conditions of the manor weren't too bad, but it was completely dispensable to him. If it wasn't necessary, he wouldn't even bother staying here. Not to mention, he couldn't possibly sell this manor for money either.
After taking a stroll around his own manor, Miao Yi bid farewell to Zhu Shangpo, then descended the mountain. Since the Overlord was specifically going to meet the Palace Lords today, there was no one to order him around. Miao Yi minded his own business and headed straight for Lin Pingping's residence.
When she saw Miao Yi, Lin Pingping was even more respectful of him. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that Miao Yi would actually become the Deacon of Jade Capital Peak's Golden Palace. When she first heard the news, she found it hard to believe. With such a backer, it would be much easier for him to do anything in the capital city in the future.
Lin Pingping had specifically waited here for him. After receiving the message from Suppressing Ninth Hall, she had already prepared a place for Miao Yi to stay. After leading Miao Yi to his place, Luo Ping, Zhao Fei, Sikong Wuwei, Gu Sanzheng, Tan Lao, and Ye Xin were all waiting for him.
Luo Ping was the first to step forward and congratulate him, "Congratulations on your promotion, Brother Miao."
That was truly a pleasant surprise. Things would be different now that he had the status of a Golden Palace Deacon. Even the Palace Lords with enough authority couldn't directly manage the affairs of the capital city, but a Golden Palace Deacon could. In the future, he would be able to help Luo Ping out if he needed help.
Miao Yi shot a glance at Zhao Fei, then pulled on Luo Ping's arm and said, "Brother Luo, quickly go and help me check if Wu Menglan, the Hall Master of Traversing Moon Palace's Suppressing Third Hall, has arrived. I have urgent matters to attend to. If she's here, quickly invite her over to meet me."
Zhao Fei remained expressionless as he heard Miao Yi's words. He couldn't tell what was going on, but Sikong Wuwei, who was in the know, was trying to stifle his laughter.
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