"Your Highness, where did you learn that from?"
After the eunuchs and palace maids had left, Chu Chen asked with a strange expression.
"Hehe, of course, I learned it from you, Little Chenzi. Otherwise, where would I find someone so cunning around me to learn from?"
Princess Xin Yue chuckled proudly.
"I learned it from you? But I don't remember teaching Your Highness to call a deer a horse?"
Chu Chen was confused. He thought back carefully, and he really hadn't taught her that.
"Is that so? Then I don't know. It's not important anyway."
Princess Xin Yue waved her hand dismissively and said excitedly, "Little Chenzi, you said before that most of the people in our Qingming Palace are unreliable. Now that I've used a little trick, the remaining people are absolutely reliable."
"You can also continue to work with peace of mind in Qingming Palace without worrying about leaks."
"Although I don't know where Your Highness learned it from, this trick is indeed very effective."
Chu Chen first praised Princess Xin Yue, then changed the subject, saying, "But human hearts are unpredictable, and the sea is hard to measure. Only time will tell the true heart. They can be trusted now, but they may change in the future."
"So, Your Highness should still pay close attention."
"I know, honestly." Princess Xin Yue pouted slightly, a little unhappy.
She waved her hand and said, "The two talented individuals you brought back, I'll entrust them to you. If you have nothing else to do, get lost and go to work for me."
"Yes!"
Chu Chen cupped his hands in return, helpless.
This princess, after growing up, had learned to test people's hearts with her wit, but her temper was still like a child's. He wondered when she would mature in that aspect.
Chu Chen borrowed Princess Xin Yue's personal guard captain, Wang Biao, and ten personal guards, and took them to the military camp to hand over the recruitment of new soldiers to them.
As he was leaving, Chu Chen instructed, "General Wang, once the soldiers are fully recruited, some of the five thousand new recruits I train can be promoted to squad leaders to temporarily lead the training."
"Your subordinate understands."
Wang Biao replied sternly.
This time, a total of fifty thousand new soldiers were to be recruited in two batches, to be trained for the imperial court to supplement the recent battle losses.
With so many people, Chu Chen couldn't possibly train them all by himself. He planned to be a hands-off manager, only inspecting occasionally.
Returning to Qingming Palace, Princess Xin Yue went back to rest.
With nothing to do for the moment, Chu Chen ordered someone to fetch the archives from the Hanlin Academy, intending to examine the caliber of the scholars remaining there through the records.
"It's a bit boring waiting, so let's simulate life."
Chu Chen lay on the bed, thinking, and then opened the Life Simulator.
[Simulation loading complete, protagonist: Chu Chen!]
[The Empress followed your advice and dispatched three Foundation Establishment realm imperial enforcers to capture Chen Guangliang in his hometown.]
[...]
[You were ordered by the Empress to lead troops to capture Chen Yuanliang's remnants.]
[You fell into an ambush and were surrounded and killed by three Foundation Establishment realm imperial enforcers and a group of experts.]
[You resisted with all your might but were no match for them.]
[You died at the age of 23.]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully completing the life simulation. You can choose one of the following three rewards.]
[...]
Chu Chen was stunned.
"What the hell! Xin Yue cleaned up Qingming Palace, and this time I didn't get poisoned and ambushed, but I got ambushed and attacked outside? And I still died!"
"And the rewards this time are nothing good."
Chu Chen glanced at them. They were all white or blue level, and none of them were useful.
"I don't believe it. Why would the Empress want to kill me later? Doesn't she want me to support Princess Xin Yue to ascend the throne?"
Disbelieving, Chu Chen ran several life simulations. The manner of death varied, but in general, he was still killed by imperial enforcers.
Moreover, his luck seemed to have run out today. The rewards kept declining, yielding no good items, only a few hundred Qi and Blood Pills, herbs, and a hundred points.
"Damn it, when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are gone, the good bow is stored away."
Chu Chen cursed inwardly, feeling very unhappy, thinking the Empress was not a good person.
This world is truly too dangerous.
"Alas, if only this system could simulate other people's lives. I'm always simulating my own, and most of the time I just end up dead."
Chu Chen stared at the ceiling, thinking idly.
As for the various deaths displayed by the life simulation, Chu Chen was not worried. Knowing the future, he had plenty of time to change it.
It seemed as if the Life Simulation System had heard Chu Chen's complaint and proactively displayed a message.
[Using ten thousand points, you can update the life simulation function. Do you wish to update?]
"Huh? There's such a function? But the price is too high."
Chu Chen was happy at first, then felt the pinch.
But new functions from the system had to be tried out.
He spent ten thousand points to unlock it, leaving him with only six hundred points.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully updating the main template function. Do you wish to proceed with the life simulation?]
Of course, Chu Chen clicked on the Life Simulator without hesitation.
The screen that appeared was not an immediate simulation, but a screen resembling save files.
The first one clearly displayed his name, Chu Chen.
The second line and below were blank.
However, this line had a very different color. Chu Chen's save file had a golden frame, while the others had black borders.
"Interesting, like save files?"
Chu Chen stroked his chin, sat up from the bed, and clicked on an empty slot.
[Year 3235 of the Qingyun Continent calendar, you were born in a rural village in Zhongting Commandery. You are a boy. Because you were born in summer, your parents named you Chen Yan, with the nickname Gou Dan.]
[Age 1: Your birth brought continuation and joy to this family.]
[Age 2: The imperial court increased taxes, from ten percent to four.]
[Age 3: Your mother became pregnant and gave birth to a sister for you. The family began to struggle financially.]
[Age 4: You showed extraordinary intelligence, making your parents very happy, but they were unable to afford your education.]
[Ages 5-6: The imperial court increased taxes to five out of ten. Life at home was difficult and impoverished.]
[Age 7: Your parents worked tirelessly to farm and earn money.]
[Age 8: Your mother became pregnant and died in childbirth. The burden of the family fell on your father's shoulders.]
[Age 9: Your elder brother turned twelve and began to share household chores.]
[Age 10: The imperial court increased taxes to six out of ten.]
[Age 11: Your sister was sold off.]
[Age 12: Your second brother turned twelve and began to share household chores.]
[Age 13: Your father died in bed from overwork.]
[Age 14: Drought and little rain led to reduced harvests.]
[Age 15: Your eldest and second brothers starved to death one after another. You became the pillar of the family.]
[Age 16: The Yunyue Plow method for tilling fields was promoted, increasing household income by twelve percent.]
[Age 17: You died from overwork.]