The pent-up frustration in her chest was ultimately hard to suppress. She couldn't help asking, "Does that dog emperor get away with everything?"
Ying Baichuan looked at her in surprise. "When Nianqing wrote to me, didn't he mention that he had already told you about that?" He paused, a hint of uncertainty in his tone. "Unless... he wasn't referring to the matter of him poisoning His Majesty?"
"That's different," Lin Yi said matter-of-factly. "That dog emperor paid back what he owed Gu Fang, but what about what he owes Consort Gong and her child?"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Ying Baichuan said flatly, as if discussing the weather. "I can't touch him openly, but I've been making small moves behind the scenes. Besides, I have the System Shop. I used a Daily Nightmare Incense on him, ensuring he won't have a peaceful night and will suffer plenty."
"Wow, you have a System Shop!" Lin Yi's eyes lit up. After a moment of envy, she couldn't help adding with hope, "Is there anything in there that can heal Gu Fang's leg injury? I can trade you something for it."
Ying Baichuan's gaze drifted into the air as if checking something. After a moment, he withdrew his gaze. "Among the items that can be taken out directly, there's nothing that can heal it instantly. But there's something called a Super Fast Recovery Pill, which can greatly accelerate wound healing within a day. If he takes it after surgery, he'll recover much faster."
Lin Yi felt a wave of relief. It wasn't that she didn't trust Huang Xining's medical skills, but she was used to having multiple backup plans. "So how do I trade for that pill?"
"You don't need to trade anything specific," Ying Baichuan explained. "The currency in my system is the People's Happiness Index. You just mentioned promoting bean-based food and paving cement roads. Once those things are done, happiness index points will naturally come in."
"The People's Happiness Index?" Lin Yi marveled. "This system really cares about the people." She paused, then thought of something and asked doubtfully, "But since you come from such an advanced future, you must have many ways to boost the happiness index, right? For instance, you must know more ways to prepare beans, don't you?"
"Uh, well..." Ying Baichuan rarely showed embarrassment. "I don't think I've told you how many years apart the Stellar Calendar 3756 is from your era."
"How many years?" Lin Yi asked curiously.
"Nearly six thousand years," Ying Baichuan said, looking away and scratching his nose. "During that time, humans, animals, and plants have all undergone many rounds of evolution. The things from your era are nothing like what they are now. The soybeans you mentioned have evolved to be indestructible by swords or fire. To eat them, we need a very complex processing procedure."
Good grief, even a bean had become sentient after six thousand years. Lin Yi continued, "But surely you have advanced scientific knowledge and good governance strategies that you can use?"
Ying Baichuan looked pained and rubbed his forehead. "That's the trickiest part. The system won't let me OOC!" He sighed helplessly. "It says none of these are things a native ancient person would come up with. If I forcibly introduce modern concepts, I'll get warnings or point deductions at best, or trigger punishment mechanisms at worst. Last time I tried to mention statistical sampling, I got shocked so badly I couldn't hold chopsticks for three days."
Lin Yi was dumbfounded. After a long pause, she murmured, "Your system is really strict."
"Strict is an understatement," Ying Baichuan said bitterly. "It's like directing me with a script. I can only work within the existing knowledge framework of this era, slowly guiding them toward a better direction, just like what you do."
Lin Yi's eyes lit up. "So it's okay for outsiders like us to do these things?"
"Exactly," Ying Baichuan spread his hands. "That's why every time I hear about someone among you doing something beneficial for the people, I'm all for it and even want to lend a hand."
"Great!" LinYi beamed. "I promise to think up more beneficial projects in the future. Then I'll leave the Super Fast Recovery Pill to you. After my fellow countryman performs surgery on Gu Fang, I'll come to you for it, okay?"
"Sure, just send someone to let me know when the time comes," Ying Baichuan agreed readily, then stood up. "Let's go. We should go find Nianqing so he doesn't wait too long."
"Wait," Lin Yi said, rubbing her hands together with a slightly ingratiating smile. "I have one more... small question. Just one. Won't take much time."
"Go ahead," Ying Baichuan said.
"Ahem," Lin Yi cleared her throat. "One of my fellow countrymen once met an alien who claimed to be from Messier Star in the M78 Nebula. Has extraterrestrial life been confirmed in your era? And what about the Great Filter theory—has it been debunked?"
Ying Baichuan glanced at her with a half-smile. "That's not a small question."
Lin Yi sheepishly lowered her head.
Only then did Ying Baichuan speak unhurriedly: "Extraterrestrial life is no longer a secret. The Messier Star you mentioned is the home planet of the Light Race. They are an extremely special life form—essentially a conscious clump of light that can condense into a physical shell. Their bodies are incredibly tough, allowing them to roam the vacuum of space without any protection." He paused. "As for the Great Filter theory, the current consensus is that it's not entirely wrong, but not completely correct either. The path of life's evolution in the universe is far more complex than humans initially imagined."
"I see." Lin Yi nodded contentedly and stood up. "Thank you for satisfying my curiosity! Now let's go find Gu Fang."
Lin Yi and Ying Baichuan stepped out of the main hall and saw Gu Fang sitting quietly in a waterside pavilion not far away. Cheng Xu stood guard nearby and bowed slightly when he saw them coming. Lin Yi hurried over, putting on a bright smile. "Husband, we're done chatting. Did you see any new scenery here?"
A gentle smile tugged at the corner of Gu Fang's lips. He said slowly, "The flowers and trees here... seem somewhat different from what I remember."
Just then, Ying Baichuan strolled over and casually responded, "Really? I didn't order anyone to change the flowers. Maybe the servants did it themselves. I didn't notice."
Lin Yi: "..."
Bro, you really have zero sensitivity. Can't you hear the subtext? She silently facepalmed and quickly changed the subject. "It's getting late. Let's hurry and go see the cement."
Gu Fang glanced at Lin Yi with a smile and followed suit. "Alright. It'll take nearly half an hour to get there from here, so we should set out early."
Seeing both of them say so, Ying Baichuan naturally had no objection. "Okay, let's head out."
Since they were going together, Ying Baichuan rode in the Prince Ning's carriage, while Lin Yi shared a carriage with Gu Fang. As the wheels slowly began to turn, Lin Yi sat next to Gu Fang. That subtle feeling of guilt rose again, and she tested softly, "Husband... did you notice something?"
Gu Fang smiled faintly and asked gently, "Notice what?"
Lin Yi was momentarily at a loss for words. Seeing this, Gu Fang's eyes deepened with amusement. He said softly, "Everyone has their own secrets. That's perfectly normal. I don't intend to pry, but..." He paused, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible hint of grievance, "Seeing you and Anjin speak intimately about things I can't join in on... made me a little jealous."
Lin Yi's heart warmed, feeling both touched and soft.
Listen to that! What a divine response! He sensed she had things she couldn't say openly, thoughtfully made an excuse to leave, giving her space, yet didn't go far, always staying close enough to protect her reputation for being alone with another man. And when she was anxious, he gracefully turned the conversation into a little marital spat about jealousy, lightly brushing over the whole matter.
Wuwuwu, how could her husband be so considerate and so gentle!
Lin Yi was deeply moved. She took Gu Fang's hands, tears glistening in her eyes. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just... I don't know how to make you understand and accept it. I'm afraid these things would be too shocking for you and only add to your worries."
Hearing this, Gu Fang gently squeezed her hand back, his palm warm and thick. "I know. I can probably guess some of it." He paused, softening his voice even more. "So, please... don't tell me."
"Huh? Why?" Lin Yi was stunned. For a moment, she didn't dwell on how terrifying it was that Gu Fang could guess their origins.
Gu Fang looked at her quietly, his gaze deep and calm, his words carrying an unspoken implication: "In life, ignorance is bliss."
Lin Yi was taken aback, then an indescribable admiration surged in her heart. She couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up, her tone teasing but sincere: "Husband is... wise like a fool. That's nice. Sometimes I think stumbling through life in a daze might be happier than walking it fully awake."
Following her cue, Gu Fang asked gently, "Xiaoyi seems... to have some insights?"
"Not exactly insights," Lin Yi thought for a moment and repackaged a past story. "My master once said that the less people know, the more easily satisfied they tend to be. He told me a story: A friend of his was born deep in the mountains and struggled to get out, seeing the prosperity outside. But after seeing it, she felt... pain."
"Pain?" Gu Fang was puzzled. "Because she realized she had never enjoyed the good life outside? And comparing the two, she felt resentful?"
"No," Lin Yi shook her head. "She originally thought life in the mountains was normal because everyone lived that way. Only when she left did she realize how impoverished her previous life had been, and how everyone in the mountains lived in the same poverty—but they were completely unaware of it."
"So her pain came from seeing others' suffering but being powerless to change it? Or was she distressed by their numbness to hardship?" Gu Fang tried to grasp the story's meaning. "You think she became aware by leaving the mountains and thus suffered?"
"Something like that. If she had never left, she might have lived out her life unknowingly." Lin Yi lowered her eyes, her voice softening.
Gu Fang tilted his head, pondering for a moment. Then he looked at Lin Yi and said slowly, "In my years on the battlefield, I've seen the people of Great Qian's border cities suffer from the Northern Frontier's raids and plunder. They were in pain. Once, while pursuing enemy troops deep into the Northern Frontier, I passed a small tribe filled with women, the elderly, and children. Their lives, I imagine, were also... painful. Perhaps suffering is the norm in this world, regardless of north or south, friend or foe."
"Maybe," Lin Yi nodded. Feeling the topic was too heavy, she didn't delve deeper. Instead, she turned, lifted the carriage curtain, and stuck her head out to look around.
A moment later, she suddenly pulled back inside, her eyes sparkling as she turned to Gu Fang, her voice brimming with excitement: "Husband, husband! I saw that little river we walked along last time! Under that biggest tree—a young couple was kissing! Why didn't we do that last time!"
Gu Fang: "..."
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Author's note: First, a little reveal for my dear readers—this alien is not a villain, just a lead-in to the main story's conclusion. It only briefly appears in the final chapter.