The Uses of Ren Mingyue

The news of the failed interception spread throughout the Great Desolate like it had grown wings in just two short days.

The three ancestors of the Great Zhou imperial family are shameless, launching a sneak attack on the young master of the Azure Cloud Sword Sect,

The castrated dog Yu Huatian washed the Soul Severing Valley in blood,

The Great Zhou imperial family is too overbearing, can the Justice League defeat Great Zhou?

The Great Zhou betrothal gifts marched grandly into the Extreme North Ice Plains,

...

Explosive news after explosive news blasted the major factions of the Great Desolate until they were charred on the outside and tender on the inside.

But as the creator at the center of this storm, the Great Zhou Emperor Wang Hao was currently leisurely hosting a family banquet in the imperial garden of the palace.

In the imperial garden, a hundred flowers bloomed, and the sound of string and bamboo instruments lingered in the air.

Wang Hao, dressed in casual attire, leaned lazily on the main seat. Sitting just below him to his side was the direct-line pearl of the Ren family who had just entered the palace, Ren Mingyue.

Today, Ren Mingyue had deliberately dressed up. A soft cloud-silk dress perfectly outlined her beautiful figure, and her gentle and sweet face bore just the right amount of shyness.

Holding a wine jug in her jade-like hands, she leaned forward slightly to pour a full cup of fine wine for Wang Hao, and a faint fragrance drifted into Wang Hao's nose.

Your Majesty, please enjoy the wine. Ren Mingyue's voice was soft and sweet, her gaze clinging to him, perfectly interpreting what was meant by the top-tier cultivation of a noble lady of an aristocratic family.

Thank you for your trouble, Mingyue. During these days since you entered the palace, the Empress Dowager has been full of praise for you, saying that you are not only extremely beautiful, but also highly educated and reasonable, born with an innate noble air. Wang Hao smiled as he took the wine cup, and even inadvertently brushed his fingers lightly across the back of Ren Mingyue's fair and tender hand when receiving it.

Ren Mingyue's delicate body trembled imperceptibly, two clouds of red instantly flying to her cheeks. She lowered her head and said, To be able to serve the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty is Mingyue's blessing.

Sitting below were not only a few old dowager consorts of the inner palace, but more importantly, several heads of aristocratic families who had been specially summoned into the palace by Wang Hao today, as well as important court officials, including the Secondary Minister Zhang Wuji.

Watching the emperor and the Miss of the Ren family flirting so openly in public, and Wang Hao even casually rewarding Ren Mingyue with an extremely precious Dragon-patterned Phoenix Blood Jade from his waist, the heads of the aristocratic families below almost had their eyes pop out.

How was this coming to serve the Empress Dowager? This was clearly a Queen in reserve!

Looking at the unpredictable expressions of the crowd below, Wang Hao sneered in his heart, but his face remained as warm as a spring breeze. He stood up, raised his wine cup, and said loudly, My beloved ministers, today's banquet is not only to enjoy the autumn chrysanthemums with you all, but also to announce a major event.

The crowd hurriedly stood up and listened respectfully.

A few days ago, the Heaven's Secret Pavilion ran rampant. Fortunately, the eight major allies, including the Ren family, fought side by side with my Great Zhou imperial family. Although we suffered a slight setback, I will remember this friendship in my heart. Wang Hao paused, his gaze becoming extremely aggressive.

I have decided to take out forty percent of the original shares of the fifteen royal enterprises that the Great Zhou imperial family is about to list on the market, and sell them to these eight allies at a twenty percent discount! At the same time, I propose that led by the Great Zhou imperial family, these eight allies will jointly participate to establish a brand new alliance!

A wicked smile curled up at the corners of Wang Hao's mouth. I have already thought of the name for this alliance, it will be called the Avengers Alliance!

The entire venue was dead silent.

The heads of the eight great hidden families, led by the Ren family, looked at each other, the corners of their mouths twitching madly.

Avengers Alliance? What kind of nonsense name was this? It sounded both childish and like a ragtag troupe! Could the dignified Great Zhou imperial court have some cultural heritage when naming things?

But!

Buying forty percent of original shares at a twenty percent discount!

One must know that the stock prices of the five royal enterprises listed by Great Zhou a few months ago had already been hyped up by a full six times on the black market these past few days! How was this buying stocks? This was clearly the emperor opening the national treasury and directly stuffing mountains of gold and silver into their homes!

Compared to this overwhelming wealth, let alone calling it the Avengers Alliance, even if the emperor insisted on calling it the Bald Strong Alliance, they would have to pinch their noses and accept it, and even praise the emperor's naming as world-shaking!

We thank Your Majesty for your kindness! We are willing to be on good terms with Great Zhou for generations, advancing and retreating together! The name Avengers Alliance leaks domineering aura, highlighting our determination to take revenge on the Heaven's Secret Pavilion and the Crimson Moon Demonic Cult, it truly lives up to its name!

The current person in charge of the Ren family, Ren Mingyue's father Ren Piaomiao, was the first to jump out and loudly agree, not forgetting to offer a resounding flattery. He was dead set on making Ren Mingyue the empress; this was a strict order from his old man. Right now, even if Wang Hao said shit was fragrant, he would agree.

The other seven families also reacted and continuously offered their flatteries.

Good! From today on, our Avengers Alliance will be completely irreconcilable with whatever Justice League the Heaven's Secret Pavilion has set up! Wang Hao drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, radiating a domineering aura.

This news, as if it had grown legs, spread out of the imperial palace within half a day.

The Great Desolate completely exploded.

The bipolar landscape of the Eastern Desolate Divine State was officially formed! On one side was the Justice League, led by the Heaven's Secret Pavilion and mainly composed of hidden sects; on the other side was the Avengers Alliance, led by the Great Zhou imperial court, assisted by the eight top hidden families, and holding massive capital and a huge army.

The two super factions faced off across the air with the Western Regions as the boundary, swords drawn and bows bent!

And with this drastic change in the situation, the first to be unable to sit still were the higher-ups of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace and the Illusory Sea Immortal Sect.

Previously, they were still putting on airs, wanting to fight for a little more benefit in the alliance. But now that the Avengers Alliance was established, the eight major hidden families were completely bound to Great Zhou, and Great Zhou's strength instantly inflated. And the news of the Ren family's direct daughter Ren Mingyue being favored in the palace was like a resounding slap to their faces.

If you don't come soon, the positions in this inner palace and the core interests in this alliance will be completely snatched away by the Ren family!

For a time, flying sword letters from the two sects flew toward the capital like snowflakes, urging Shen Xue and Yun Meng to make a decision as soon as possible; even the higher-ups of the sects had faintly issued an ultimatum.

And within Great Zhou, the aristocratic families and powerful clans who originally wanted to wait and see, led by Secondary Minister Zhang Wuji, completely panicked.

Watching the eight major hidden families earn pots full of wealth while their own families couldn't even get a sip of soup; watching the Ren family send their daughter in, about to fly up the branch and become a phoenix, how could they still sit still?

Less than an hour after the banquet had dispersed, Secondary Minister Zhang Wuji led over a dozen heads of aristocratic families to kneel outside the door of the imperial study in a burning hurry.

Your Majesty! This old minister also has a direct granddaughter in the family, just sixteen years of age, gentle, kind, and virtuous. I am willing to send her into the palace to be a slave and a maid to serve Your Majesty! Despite his old age, Zhang Wuji cried and shouted with vigorous breath.

This minister also has a young daughter in the family, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I beg for Your Majesty's pity!

Inside the imperial study, listening to the ghostly wailing and wolf-like howling outside, Wang Hao smiled like an old fox who had stolen the fattest hen in the world.

"Wei Zhongxian, pass down my decree," Wang Hao said slowly. "Since my beloved ministers are so considerate of my loneliness, I cannot refuse their goodwill. Starting tomorrow, the Great Zhou will officially begin the Royal Draft!"

Wei Zhongxian's eyes lit up. "Is Your Majesty planning to expand the harem and spread your royal lineage?"

"Expand my foot!" Wang Hao slapped Wei Zhongxian on the forehead. "These old foxes are sending their daughters in, firstly to take a share of my money, and secondly to plant spies in the palace. Do you think I would let them get what they want?"

"Then Your Majesty's meaning is..."

"Tell them they can participate in the draft. However, considering the limited spots in the harem, and to demonstrate each family's loyalty to the Great Zhou, this draft will implement a registration fee system! The preliminary selection fee is one hundred thousand taels of fine silver per family; the secondary selection is five hundred thousand taels; and entering the final palace selection is one million taels!" Wang Hao's eyes flashed with the greedy light of a capitalist.

"Hiss—" Wei Zhongxian gasped and gave a thumbs up. "Your Majesty, how is this a draft? This is simply daylight robbery! If word gets out, the noble families will definitely curse us out."

"Curse us out? Right now, they are afraid they won't be able to spend this money!" Wang Hao sneered. "Those who do not pay are disloyal! For disloyal noble families, the Embroidered Uniform Guard can go to their homes to check their water meters."

"Oh, and have the Royal Casino open betting immediately on which family's daughter will win the position of Empress and the Four Great Noble Consorts."

After sending Wei Zhongxian off to rake in the wealth, Wang Hao rubbed his temples and turned to look at Ren Mingyue, who was slowly walking out from behind the screen in the inner chamber.

Wang Hao was amused. Being an emperor was great; people were scrambling to send him wives. Thinking back to his past life as an older corporate slave, over thirty and still a bachelor, he could not help but feel like crying. Being an emperor was truly great; at the very least, he would not lack happiness.

At this moment, Ren Mingyue's face no longer had the slightest trace of the weakness and shyness she had displayed at the banquet earlier. Her eyes were clear, revealing the shrewdness and competence cultivated by a noble family.

"I greet Your Majesty." Ren Mingyue curtsied slightly, performing the standard etiquette of a subject to a ruler, rather than that of a concubine.

Wang Hao looked at her appreciatively. "You cooperated well just now. Your acting was spot on; even that old fox Zhang Wuji was fooled by you."

"It was Your Majesty's imposing presence; I merely went along with the flow," Ren Mingyue replied neither humbly nor arrogantly. Her expression then turned solemn. "Your Majesty, aside from expressing my great-grandfather's sincerity in forming an alliance, my entry into the palace this time is also to personally deliver a top-secret piece of intelligence from my family."

"Oh?" Wang Hao put away his joking demeanor. "Speak."

Ren Mingyue took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "Your Majesty, when my great-grandfather was severely injured by that Martial God Corpse in the Crimson Moon Demon Sect, he noticed something amiss. The power circulating within the Martial God Corpse was not pure demonic qi, but was mixed with extremely dense Heavenly Dao destiny!"

Wang Hao's pupils shrank violently. "Heavenly Dao destiny? Are you saying that corpse..."

"Not only that." Ren Mingyue stared intently into Wang Hao's eyes. "My Ren family's hidden spies risked their lives to find out that the bizarre artifact the Crimson Moon Demon Sect used to forcefully drive the Martial God Corpse, that rust-covered ghost-faced token... the hidden patterns carved on it share the exact same origin as the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's core Heavenly Secret Compass!"

The imperial study instantly fell into a dead silence.

Wang Hao's eyes became colder and sharper than ever before.

To think that the Crimson Moon Demon Sect's trump card actually had ties to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion? This not only meant that Xie Wujiu of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was playing a shocking game of an inside job, but it also meant that this so-called contest between justice and evil was, from beginning to end, a massive lie woven by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion for some ulterior motive!

"Xie Wujiu..." Wang Hao slowly spat out the name, his eyes turning extremely vicious. "You old schemer, you actually reached your hands onto the Martial God Corpse. You want to use the entire Great Wasteland as your chessboard? Fine, then I will flip your table!"

"Mingyue, you have achieved a great merit. What reward do you want?" Wang Hao looked at Ren Mingyue.

Ren Mingyue suddenly smiled sweetly, a hint of slyness in her expression. "I do not want gold, silver, or jewelry, nor do I want any power. I only ask Your Majesty that if one day those two Holy Maidens from the Ice and Snow Divine Palace and the Illusory Sea Immortal Sect really enter the palace..."

"I just want to suppress them and stand a head above them. After all, we are tied for first place on the Beauty Ranking."

Wang Hao was slightly taken aback, then could not help but burst into loud laughter.

"Alright! I promise you!"

It seemed that the Great Zhou's harem would never be lonely in the future. And this world of the Great Wasteland would inevitably be turned completely upside down because of him, Wang Hao!