Chapter 59 Fengdu Ghost Banquet 4

"Why wasn't he judged by the system? What's going on?"

The crowd chattered and cast puzzled glances at Xia Qi.

Xia Qi frowned. As an introverted and low-key person, being gawked at like a monkey made him extremely uncomfortable.

After all, these were living people, not zombies.

However, compared to Xia Qi's discomfort, Concubine Lin and the maid felt even more embarrassed. With their dignity shattered, the situation became awkward.

"This game is too unfair. If you're not careful, high-level players can frame you, and you're done for," a player muttered quietly.

Not just this new player, but the other newcomers also began to regain their composure, showing wary and disdainful looks towards Concubine Lin and the other concubines.

These veteran players, taking advantage of information asymmetry and their higher levels, wanted to grind down the new players, hoping to eliminate them all upon arrival. It was truly disgusting.

Fortunately, Xia Qi had slapped them in the face, proving that high-level players weren't invincible. Otherwise, they would still be in the dark.

Seeing the new players becoming aware, the concubines had to muster up their spirits to deal with the situation.

Concubine Lin reacted first and shouted at the maid, "What business do you have here? Retreat immediately!"

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty." The maid, sobbing, hastily stepped back and hid behind Concubine Lin.

"Xiu Nv Xia Qi." After shifting the blame onto the maid, Concubine Lin raised her chin and spoke condescendingly to Xia Qi, "Come to my palace."

Unexpectedly, Concubine Lin ignored the order of precedence and directly invited Xia Qi to her palace, bypassing Concubine Ou.

Hearing this, Concubine Ou's expression changed, and she looked at Xia Qi with concern.

Once Xia Qi entered Concubine Lin's palace, he might never come out.

Seeing Concubine Ou's distressed look, Concubine Lin smiled smugly and said to Xia Qi, "According to the rules, you should be granted the rank of 'Eighth-Rank Beauty.'"

Eighth-Rank Beauty?

Players with a charm value around 15 could receive the rank of Eighth-Rank Beauty. Xia Qi thought that although Concubine Lin seemed like a gang leader, she did things by the book.

[Ding! Xiu Nv Xia Qi cannot be granted the rank of 'Eighth-Rank Beauty.' Please try again.]

"Hmm?" Surprised that the system didn't follow her judgment, Concubine Lin's expression froze.

Judging from the light on Xia Qi's face, his charm value should be around 15. Theoretically, he should be granted the rank of Eighth-Rank Beauty.

But why couldn't he be granted it?

Could it be because it's too high?

"Very well, I'll grant you the rank of 'Ninth-Rank Talent,'" Concubine Lin said impatiently. This Xia Qi was truly annoying, wasting her words.

[Ding! Xiu Nv Xia Qi cannot be granted the rank of 'Ninth-Rank Talent.' Please try again.]

The familiar prompt sounded again, causing Concubine Lin's expression to twist. Her eyes then turned fierce.

Why couldn't Xia Qi be granted the rank of Ninth-Rank Talent?

Could it be... he wants a higher rank?

Concubine Lin cursed inwardly. How dare Xia Qi force her to give him a higher rank!

Under Concubine Lin's murderous gaze, Xia Qi felt helpless. He wished he could shrug and tell her he was innocent.

Because even he didn't know why he couldn't be granted the rank.

Standing there for so long, Xia Qi's feet started to go numb. He had to shift his weight between his legs, urging Concubine Lin with his eyes to quickly settle his rank.

Seeing Xia Qi's anxious look, Concubine Lin grew angrier, feeling as if her chest was on fire.

She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, "Fine, very fine. Xiu Nv Xia Qi, I grant you the rank of 'Seventh-Rank Jieyu.'"

[Ding! Xiu Nv Xia Qi cannot be granted the rank of 'Seventh-Rank Jieyu.' Please try again.]

Damn it!

Even Seventh-Rank Jieyu won't work?

Why doesn't he just go straight to the top and become the Empress!

Concubine Lin's lips twitched, wishing she could slap Xia Qi herself.

Feeling the increasingly intense gazes of nearby players, Xia Qi felt his scalp tingle.

"Grant you the rank of 'Sixth-Rank Zhaorong.' Satisfied now?" Concubine Lin glared fiercely at Xia Qi, her eyes turning red and bloodshot.

Upon hearing this, the concubines collectively gasped.

Since entering the Fengdu instance, their hands had been stained with blood to reach their current ranks. Yet, Xia Qi had rocketed straight to Sixth-Rank Zhaorong upon entry!

This could only be explained as cheating.

Facing the bloodshot eyes of the imperial concubines, Xia Qi felt wronged, as if it were about to snow in June.

Too wronged; he really hadn't cheated.

His system content, gameplay, and even the game category were different from others. Failing to receive a rank might seem abnormal, but compared to other instances, it was relatively normal.

After Concubine Lin's words, the familiar system voice sounded again.

[Ding! Xiu Nv Xia Qi cannot be granted the rank of 'Sixth-Rank Zhaorong.' Please try again.]

Hearing that piercing announcement, one of the concubines nearly spilled her cup of black tea.

"Is there a bug in this game?" Concubine Ou muttered under her breath. Due to her hidden attribute, she could see the two S-grade items on Xia Qi and knew he hadn't used any items to cheat.

Thinking about it further, Concubine Ou felt something was amiss. She had been in this instance for nearly half a month, and it had always been stable; she had never encountered a bug before.

So, what was going on with Xia Qi?

Unlike Concubine Ou, who remained calm, Concubine Lin's eyes turned red like a rabbit's, and her face darkened as if ink were dripping from it.

As for the other concubines watching, their faces flushed with envy, jealousy, and resentment, their gazes burning into Xia Qi.

However, Xia Qi remained exceptionally composed, appearing indifferent to his position, which only fueled the other concubines' hatred even more, some feeling a metallic taste in their throats.

Concubine Lin, already furious, continued without emotion, "Xiu Nu Xia Qi... This palace hereby confers upon you the rank of Fifth-Class Zhaoyi."

When she said this, she sounded like she was reading a news bulletin.

[Ding! Xiu Nu Xia Qi cannot be conferred the rank of Fifth-Class Zhaoyi. Please try again.]

"Goodness, is he going to be directly conferred the rank of Concubine?" Concubine Wu exclaimed, sensing a strong sense of crisis.

"Hmph." Concubine Lin glanced at the other concubines with grim faces and sneered, thinking, so you're afraid too?

Resources in the harem of Fengdu were limited; adding another Concubine meant less for the others.

Apart from Concubine Ou, Xia Qi's good neighbor, the other four Concubines panicked.

One of them, clutching her chest, suggested to Concubine Lin, "Your Highness, why not call it a night? Some xiu nu aren't conferred ranks when they enter the palace."

"Huh." Hearing this, Concubine Lin scoffed inwardly, thinking, how shortsighted. They actually believe withholding a rank will stop Xia Qi.

From her understanding of Xia Qi, he was no pushover.

If they didn't confer him a rank now, once he grew stronger, what if he shamelessly won over the one in Bi'an Palace and received an even higher rank? Then, Concubine Lin would be powerless, left to be trampled by Xia Qi.

Though she didn't want Xia Qi to jump straight to Concubine rank, she had to stabilize him first, as upgrading after setting a rank would be extremely difficult and long.

After a moment of contemplation, Concubine Lin announced, "Xiu Nu Xia Qi, this palace hereby confers upon you the rank of Concubine Xia, Fourth-Class."

This time, the system should approve it, right?

After Concubine Lin spoke, everyone held their breath, waiting for the system's judgment.

"Click." Concubine Lin's right hand gripped the edge of the table tightly, chipping off a corner due to her immense strength.

Had the system finally succeeded?

Just as Concubine Lin showed a hint of relief, the system beeped, delivering another heavy blow.

[Ding! Xiu Nu Xia Qi cannot be conferred the rank of Concubine Xia. Please try again.]

"What?!" This time, Concubine Lin collapsed backward onto her chair, utterly defeated.

Her composure shattered completely.

Concubine Lin looked as if she had been slapped several times, staring in disbelief, screaming internally:

What is Xia Qi's background? Why can't he even be conferred the Fourth-Class Concubine rank?

Seeing Concubine Lin's near-stroke expression, Xia Qi gave her a sympathetic look.

There was no helping it; his survival game was just different.

His legs were numb from standing, and he desperately needed rest. His stomach growled, needing food to regain strength, but Concubine Lin couldn't confer him a rank, prolonging everything.

Seeing the others looking equally drained, Xia Qi felt apologetic.

Why was it so hard to play the same game as everyone else?

"Your Highness, since it's late, let's postpone conferring a rank to Xiu Nu Xia Qi. We can do it another day," Concubine Wu, pale with fear, suggested, having never encountered such a terrifying situation.

If Xia Qi were successfully conferred a Concubine rank today, the four Concubines would be doomed.

Concubine rank was already hard to achieve, and resources were scarce. If a "Xia Concubine" appeared, they would all be finished.

"Concubine Wu, you make a valid point." Concubine Lin, supported by the armrests, slowly sat up.

Fortunately, being a man, Concubine Lin had a naturally better constitution than women, surviving these setbacks without collapsing into the ICU.

Biting her lip, Concubine Lin firmly sat down and announced, "This matter is too suspicious. We will not confer a rank to Xiu Nu Xia Qi today."

Concubine Lin seethed inwardly, unable to take the risk. If Xia Qi were conferred a Concubine rank, it would be a direct threat to her.

Everything she had done in this game would be for naught.

"The next one, step forward for inspection." After skipping Xia Qi, the subsequent conferrals became much easier.

After conferring ranks based on normal charm values, the only one left unranked was her sister.

However, due to her sister's low charm value, the game deemed her "ugly," and she was not conferred a concubine rank but instead reassigned as a palace maid.

Fortunately, her sister entered Concubine Lin's palace as a maid, giving Xia Qi a companion.

"Today's proceedings end here. All sisters, please return to rest." Concubine Lin stood up weakly, ending the sour-scented selection.

With that, Concubine Lin dramatically swept her sleeves and strode away, ignoring the maids trailing behind her, rushing out of the garden.

The remaining concubines, except for the calm Concubine Ou, were helped up by their maids, each clutching their chests as if struck by a heavy blow.

"Brother Xia, the nanny told us to follow her to Shouju Palace. Let's go quickly." When Xia Qi was lost in thought, his sister suddenly tugged at his sleeve, urging him to head to Concubine Lin's palace together.

Hearing "Shouju Palace," Xia Qi was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself, who would have thought that Concubine Lin, who looks so proper, would live in a palace with such an outrageous name...

The nanny who escorted Xia Qi and his sister was the same one who had brought them into the palace.

Since Concubine Lin's Shouju Palace was close to Concubine Wu's palace, the nanny had to take the Yellow Haired Girl along with them, aside from leading Xia Qi and his sister.

Because the Yellow Haired Girl had been directly eliminated, the White Collar Girl no longer had her companion in the palace intrigue. She kept her distance from Xia Qi and his sister, looking particularly lonely.

However, to gain an advantage in the days ahead, she mustered up her spirits and tried to get some useful information by getting closer to the nanny.

"Auntie, where are we now?" As they passed a low shrubbery emitting a floral fragrance, the White Collar Girl couldn't help but ask cautiously.

Due to the White Collar Girl being granted the title of Talent, the nanny, though impatient, still had to respond, saying, "This is the Imperial Garden."

"The Imperial Garden? Does His Majesty often visit the Imperial Garden?" The White Collar Girl's eyes lit up; the Imperial Garden was a place where emperors were often encountered in dramas...

The nanny glanced at the White Collar Girl, and upon seeing her eyes darting around, she gave a cold smile, thinking, what a fearless one, daring to provoke the most terrifying boss in the palace.

"Talent, His Majesty does indeed visit the Imperial Garden frequently," the nanny replied with a strange smirk.

Hearing this, the White Collar Girl covered her mouth and giggled, then thanked the nanny happily: "Thank you, Auntie."

The four continued walking, leaving the Imperial Garden behind. Xia Qi saw an exceptionally dazzling palace ahead. Its brightness made it stand out prominently against the night sky, contrasting sharply with the dark surroundings of the imperial palace.

The palace had three stories and was entirely built from white jade, adorned with exquisite dragon and phoenix carvings. Even the eaves hung delicate moon-shaped lanterns, making the entire palace glisten like a moonlit orb, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

Moreover, in front of the palace stood a three-story tall osmanthus tree. A gentle breeze blew, causing countless shimmering yellow leaves to fall, and several white rabbits emerged, sniffing the leaves with their tiny noses, looking adorable.

Since the sign hanging above the palace was written in ancient script, the White Collar Girl couldn't read its name. She couldn't help but ask, "Whose palace is this? It looks so beautiful."

Xia Qi couldn't help but glance at the palace, thinking, how could this palace resemble the Moon Palace so much?

The nanny cleared her throat and said, "This palace is extraordinary; even Concubine Lin cannot reside within it."

"Oh my, then who is this palace for? Could it be for the Empress?" The White Collar Girl clasped both hands over her cheeks, revealing a starry-eyed expression.

The nanny looked at her coldly and said, "There is currently no Empress in the palace. However, Talent, you are correct. This 'My Love Palace' is reserved for the future Empress."

"My Love Palace... Wow, His Majesty is so romantic." The White Collar Girl exclaimed excitedly.

Xia Qi: "..."

Hearing this peculiar name, which rivaled "Shouju Palace," Xia Qi shivered involuntarily, feeling a familiar sense of powerlessness once again.

After leaving the vicinity of My Love Palace, the four walked through a palace path and arrived at the entrance of Concubine Lin's Shouju Palace. Concubine Wu's palace was next door, appearing slightly smaller.

After delivering Xia Qi and his sister to the entrance, the nanny knocked on the door and then left with the White Collar Girl.

"Hmph, you finally showed up." The sharp-tongued maid who greeted Xia Qi and his sister was the same one from Concubine Lin's palace.

Having just been scolded by Concubine Lin, the maid's face was particularly grim when she saw Xia Qi, as if she wanted to devour him whole.

She said irritably, "You don't have any rank yet, so the Lady won't give you a separate chamber. You'll have to stay in the maids' quarters."

Xia Qi didn't mind; he actually preferred staying closer to his sister, so they could look after each other.

After leading them to the small room where the maids lived, the maid berated them again.

After her tirade, she didn't tell them what to do or what to pay attention to, nor did she leave them any bedding. She kicked the door in frustration before leaving.

Once the room fell silent, Xia Qi felt hungry and asked his sister, "Are you hungry?"

"I am, but I don't have any food," she said, lowering her head in embarrassment.

Because she had been stuck in beginner scenarios and spent most of her time in dungeons, she had very few sin coins and couldn't afford food.

Since she always went hungry in dungeons, she immediately chose planting and cooking skills upon entering the Fengdu scenario.

"Don't worry, I have compressed biscuits." Xia Qi had bought supplies from Concubine Ou before, and they would come in handy now.

The two sat in the room and finished a biscuit. Xia Qi thought he would need several to feel full, but surprisingly, Concubine Ou's business was honest, and one biscuit was enough to satisfy his hunger.

After eating, Xia Qi felt drowsy and planned to rest in his own room. Just as he was about to open the door, he heard a woman's sobbing nearby.

"Someone is crying. Do you hear it?" Xia Qi paused, turning to his sister.

"I hear it too." She got up from her chair and opened the window, pointing to the red brick wall in front of them. "The crying is coming from Concubine Wu's palace."

As they spoke, the crying continued.

"Waaah, no... Please... Don't... ...Help..."

Xia Qi walked to the window and listened carefully, finding the voice increasingly familiar.

He suddenly turned to his sister, their eyes meeting.

"Is it her?"