SLLBTT Chapter 54
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 54⊱⊷⋇
Not only did Bai Lingling receive a secret decree, but also Leng Jiao, who was far away in the deep palace, received one from the Snow Wolf King.
[Divine Snow Wolf King] has requested to add you as a friend.
Leng Jiao's hand trembled, almost clicking on [Reject], only to realize that the button was grayed out. Clicking it wouldn't do anything.
"What a user-friendly harem system," Leng Jiao commented.
Before long, Leng Jiao arrived at the Temple of Heavenly Emperor in the "Royal No.1" private plane. After arriving, he went directly to the hall where the Great King resided.
As soon as the courtyard door opened, Liu Jiao excitedly ran up to Leng Jiao. "Jiao'er, long time no see!"
Leng Jiao nodded and smiled at Liu Jiao. "Long time no see."
"How have you been in the palace recently?"
"Everything is fine." After a pause, he added, "Enough small talk. I'll go greet the Great King first."
After speaking, Leng Jiao entered the room. With Hong Huli leading the way, he reached the inner chamber and paid his respects through the curtain. The Snow Wolf King nodded slightly. "You may rise."
Leng Jiao bowed. "When I heard that the Great King has fallen seriously ill, my heart feels as if it's engulfed in flames."
Liu Jiao had also entered the inner chamber by now. Upon hearing Leng Jiao's words, he furrowed his brow, finding them oddly familiar. Oh right, it was something Hong Huli had mentioned. Could it be that even words of concern follow a template?
Accustomed to template expressions, the Snow Wolf King simply responded, "Your concern is appreciated."
"May the Great King recover soon," Leng Jiao replied.
The Snow Wolf King asked, "How is the Queen Dowager faring in the harem now?"
Hearing the Great King mention the Queen Dowager, Leng Jiao felt uneasy. Fearing to offend either side, he quickly said, "I have been engrossed in my studies and not well-versed in other matters. The Queen Dowager should be in good health, I assume."
The Snow Wolf King chuckled. "News of my recent illness has spread and raised concern. Some officials suggest I lift the Queen Dowager's house arrest, allowing him to manage the harem again. What are your thoughts?"
Leng Jiao, cautious not to offer an opinion, repeated, "I have been immersed in my studies and not well-versed in other matters."
"Indeed, you are dedicated to your studies. After reviewing the recent exam papers in the harem, you consistently secured the top spot. It's time to elevate your status."
"What?" Leng Jiao's spine tensed. Promoting Leng Jiao during this time felt like putting him in the line of fire, didn't it?
The Snow Wolf King simply stated, "Hong Huli, draft the decree. Promote Talented Lady Jiao as Noble Consort and grant him the authority to manage the six palaces."
Leng Jiao's knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground with a thud. "Great King, please reconsider!"
Hong Huli chuckled, "Congratulations, Noble Consort! This is a joyous occasion!"
Leng Jiao wanted to retort, "If it's so joyous, why not take this Noble Consort position yourself?"
However, Leng Jiao didn't dare to be impudent in front of the Great King and could only say, "My virtues and talents are shallow. I'm not worthy of such a significant responsibility."
The Snow Wolf King contradicted, "Talented Lady Jiao... no, Noble Consort Leng, why belittle yourself? You earned your position through genuine talent. No one would question that."
Leng Jiao trembled, "Great King..."
The Snow Wolf King continued, "Or do you think the power to manage the harem should be returned to Queen Ming?"
"This..." Leng Jiao couldn't say "yes," but he also couldn't say "no." After a pause, he bowed his head. "I don't know anything!"
Liu Jiao asked in confusion, "Jiao'er, have you gone crazy from happiness?"
Leng Jiao remained silent, tears in his eyes, accepting the role of Noble Consort.
After addressing matters at hand, the Snow Wolf King dismissed Leng Jiao. Crouching under the courtyard wall, he grazed on grass while using a sheep's hoof to lightly hit himself, muttering, "What made you top the exams! What made you top the exams!"
Liu Jiao rushed over to find Leng Jiao. Witnessing the scene with wide-eyed amazement, he asked, "Jiao'er, have you truly been driven crazy from joy?"
Spotting Liu Jiao, Leng Jiao stood up and declared, "I'm going to be Noble Consort. Aren't you jealous?"
"You're my good friend. I shouldn't envy you." Liu Jiao honestly felt no jealousy. "Besides, with your excellent exam results, the promotion follows the rules."
Leng Jiao shook his head. "You still don't understand!"
Queen Ming, stripped of harem management rights, should logically have them returned during the Snow Wolf King's illness. However, by appointing Leng Jiao as Noble Consort and entrusting him with harem management now, it seemed like a ploy to pit Leng Jiao against Queen Ming!
Leng Jiao was truly overwhelmed.
After a while, Leng Jiao asked, "How is the Great King's condition?"
Liu Jiao hesitantly answered, "I can't say."
"Well, fair enough," Leng Jiao nodded, "Consider it as if I didn't ask."
Turning back, Leng Jiao opened his tablet, logged into the harem system, and found himself with administrator privileges.
"What? This is bad."
The Snow Wolf King sent an encouraging private message: "Don't worry. I will fully support you."
"Many thanks, Great King. I am overwhelmed with joy," Leng Jiao replied, but in his heart, he thought, "Men's words are like deceitful ghosts."
Suddenly, news of Leng Jiao's promotion spread like wildfire, even reaching the television stations:
"Leng Jiao, previously overlooked, secured the position of Noble Consort through academic excellence. Liu Jiao, favored but with poor grades, was caught cheating and expelled from the palace. This is the importance of knowledge! Knowledge changes destiny! Knowledge shapes the future! Knowledge forges brilliance! Don't hesitate, call now: 233-2333-6666, enroll in our elite tutoring center! Tomorrow, you could be the next Noble Consort!"
Liu Jiao, indulging on cat food, watched the program in disbelief. "So, I've been struggling this much?"
Da Huangya, opening cat food for Liu Jiao, commented, "Master, do you believe this ad?"
Liu Jiao thought for a moment, then nodded. "I feel quite comfortable now." He then dug into another can of cat food.
Neutered cat Ah Ye watched on the side, craving a bite. "Master, could you reward me with a taste?"
Liu Jiao considered and said, "Just one bite..."
With one bite, the entire pack of salmon disappeared in Ah Ye's mouth.
Liu Jiao exclaimed, "A cat's mouth can open so wide!"
After a while, the Chief Investigator also arrived, observing Liu Jiao and Ah Ye munching on cat food. He then inquired, "Is the Great King in?"
Licking his paw, Liu Jiao replied, "He's inside, reviewing official documents."
Despite still being "seriously ill," the Snow Wolf King persisted in completing his diligent governance tasks, earning commendation from the Son of Heaven. Liu Jiao, accompanied by the Chief Investigator, entered the bedroom. The Snow Wolf King was at the window, working on tasks, while Hong Huli read the newspaper nearby. Seeing the officials, Hong Huli stood up to greet them.
"Please have a seat," the Snow Wolf King said without looking up from his tablet.
Hong Huli brought a small stool for the Chief Investigator. Liu Jiao, however, casually sat on the edge of the Great King's bed, resting his head on it like a lazy cat. The Snow Wolf King put down his tablet and caressed Liu Jiao's cheek.
The Chief Investigator reported, "Regarding the gang Lord Bai mentioned, we've identified it. It's a well-known local underground organization called 'Poisonous Me,' consisting mainly of individuals skilled in poisons. They've been dominating the area for a long time."
The Snow Wolf King frowned. "Doesn't Bai Lingling manage them?"
"If they go too far, Lord Bai will intervene, but generally, they keep a balance with other local gangs and don't escalate matters too much," the Chief Investigator replied.
"They dared to attempt an assassination on even the Great King. Saying they won't escalate is absurd!" Liu Jiao expressed indignation. "We must not let them go!"
The Chief Investigator cautioned, "Although there are suspicions, we lack concrete evidence."
"Then let's investigate," the Snow Wolf King said.
The Chief Investigator asked, "How does the Great King plan to handle this case? 'Poisonous Me' is quite unique. Their headquarters is in the Southern Kingdom."
"A transnational criminal organization?" The Snow Wolf King became concerned. "Bai Lingling is too lax. He should have dealt with this."
The Chief Investigator nodded. "Yes, Lord Bai indeed has a carefree approach, not suitable for a governing role. However, the leader of 'Poisonous Me' holds considerable influence in the Southern Kingdom. The organization has been operating under the guise of unofficial cultural exchange between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. There's no evidence proving their criminal activities, so it's not advisable to act against them without cause."
"Given the scale of their involvement, a thorough investigation is necessary!" Liu Jiao declared with passion. "I suggest involving the Ministry of Justice immediately and rounding up these villains for interrogation."
The Chief Investigator cautioned, "If we apprehend them all at once, it might lead to unrest, especially the risk of triggering a diplomatic incident."
"Well said," the Snow Wolf King agreed. "We shouldn't act too aggressively. Caution is essential."
Liu Jiao asked in surprise, "Then how should we conduct a proper investigation?"
The Chief Investigator responded, "Has the Chief Guards seen movies like 'Infernal Affairs' or 'The Departed'?"
Liu Jiao shook his head. "No. Are they good? Suitable for entertainment?"
The Snow Wolf King explained, "The Chief Investigator suggests sending an undercover agent to gather evidence covertly."
"Yes," the Chief Investigator nodded.
Liu Jiao asked, "So, who would be suitable as an undercover agent?"
After some thought, the Snow Wolf King said, "I've heard that engaging in thrilling activities together deepens the bond between couples..."
The Chief Investigator's face changed dramatically upon hearing this. He immediately knelt and begged, "Great King, please reconsider!"
Ignoring the official, the Snow Wolf King, while petting Liu Jiao's tail, said, "Do you find disguises entertaining?"
Liu Jiao nodded. "Very entertaining!"
The Chief Investigator hurriedly cut in, "Great King, this isn't right. If you personally act as an undercover agent, infiltrating the criminal organization... what if you're discovered? How will that be handled?"
"Handled?" The Snow Wolf King sighed. "Then we'll have to bite them to death directly."
The Chief Investigator was momentarily speechless.
Frowning, Liu Jiao said, "Wait a minute. If you can bite them to death at any time, why bother going undercover?"
The Snow Wolf King replied, "Actions need evidence."
Liu Jiao nodded in agreement. "Great King, you are indeed fair!"
Meanwhile, the Chief Investigator suspected that the Snow Wolf King just wanted some thrilling adventure with the snow leopard.