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When he checked Tang Zisu's pulse, she was in a daze, and all he heard was him saying, "Congratulations, Ming Wang, your wife is pregnant!"
Kong Xuan was taken aback and after a moment asked, "What did you say?"
"Ming Wang, your wife has been pregnant for two months. This is just morning sickness; there's nothing to worry about. It's just that her body is quite weak. I will prescribe some medicine for her. Also, please do not let her take ginseng or reishi mushrooms; Bird's Nest is fine."
There was no trace of joy on Kong Xuan's face. He frowned and stared at Old Medicine Immortal for a long time before finally saying nothing, only managing a slight smile, "Thank you for your trouble."
Kong Xuan called out, "Lang Ye."
Lang Ye responded and came in. Due to the shortage of personnel, Black Wolf King also took on the role of a doorman. Although he wasn't paid, he had gotten used to being a guard dog and managed well.
Lang Ye pulled out a large conch from his pocket and tossed it to Old Medicine Immortal without looking. The old man trembled as he caught it, and upon seeing it, his beard perked up with delight: "Sound Shell? Could it be that the Medicine King Book is sealed inside?"
Kong Xuan replied, "Just a small token of appreciation. Please keep this a secret for me."
The old man nodded vigorously, "Of course, of course."
Feeling a bit guilty for taking someone else's item, the old man glanced at Lang Ye and quietly said to Kong Xuan, "Ming Wang, there’s something I didn’t want to mention, but it seems a bit strange. After so many years of practicing medicine, I know that the Phoenix Clan has few descendants; even the women of our clan have difficulty conceiving. It’s impossible for human women to conceive as well. Is your wife not an ordinary person?"
Kong Xuan's expression changed slightly but quickly smiled and said, "You are correct; she is indeed not an ordinary person."
"Ah, I see. Then Ming Wang must pay extra attention. This child will likely be difficult to carry; you need to take good care of her."
Kong Xuan nodded, "You are absolutely right."
The old man walked out, and Kong Xuan's face immediately turned cold.
Lifting the soft gauze curtain of sky blue, Kong Xuan looked at the small woman lying there, and suddenly a storm surged in his eyes, as if he wanted to tear apart the face reflected in his gaze.
Tang Zisu's expression was calm. "You already know? With things being this way now, the timing for the child is really not right."
"Has Horse Abdomen been following you all along?" Kong Xuan asked abruptly.
"Didn't you already know? Since that day when Liu Xian Water Pavilion sent him to me through the jade ring, he has indeed been following me," Tang Zisu replied.
"What is your relationship? Does he often come to see you?"
Even Tang Zisu, who was not very clever, could hear the implication in Kong Xuan's words. The warmth that had just returned was doused with a bucket of cold water: "Kong Xuan, what do you mean by that?"
Kong Xuan sat down beside her and said in a deep voice, "Tang Zisu, my father is a Phoenix, but I have no mother. Do you know why?"
Tang Zisu did not understand what he meant, but before she could respond, he continued speaking.
"In the beginning of chaos, when heaven and earth united, the Phoenix was born. It is said that the male is the Phoenix and the female is the Huang. The Phoenix has features such as a crane's front, scales behind, a snake's neck, a fish's tail, and a stork's voice. It has dragon patterns, turtle backs, swallow beaks, and chicken mouths. With five colors displayed, it comes from the land of noble gentlemen in the east and soars beyond the seas. However, the Huang is merely an ordinary mountain chicken. Later on, when people spoke of the Phoenix, they were actually referring to the male; the female had no presence at all. Tang Zisu, my father does not age or die; he has countless consorts in his harem, yet none have given birth to me or Peng Yue’s mother. Don't you find that strange?"
Tang Zisu shook her head. Kong Xuan's expression became very peculiar as he leaned forward to grasp Tang Zisu's chin and whispered in her ear word by word: "Because he is hermaphroditic; both Peng Yue and I were born from him."
Kong Xuan's seemingly light words stunned Tang Zisu: "What the hell? Your father is so impressive; he’s actually a dual-gender bird who can both give birth and receive! This is truly a Great Deity story!"
"The Phoenix is an immortal bird; every five hundred years it undergoes nirvana and rebirth. After rebirth, its appearance changes—Fire Phoenix, Colorful Phoenix, White Phoenix, Azure Phoenix... The so-called nine types of Phoenix are merely transformations during Reincarnation; its appearance changes along with its memories. The only thing that remains unchanged is that it knows it has two sons: Peacock and Dapeng."
Tang Zisu had read some myths about the Phoenix—about how it nests in parasol trees and its rebirth—but what did this have to do with the child in her womb? What was Kong Xuan trying to prove by saying all this? Suddenly, a small firework exploded in Tang Zisu's mind. No way... Could it be that Kong Xuan is also hermaphroditic?
The moment this idea emerged, it was like a dam bursting, and Tang Zisu found herself swept away in the torrent, trying to trace the faintest clues. She had seen Kong Xuan's physique more than once or twice; it was a perfectly straight cucumber, with not a single flaw. However, that was hard to say definitively. Gods always had their secrets. No, back then he had no powers; even growing two bean bags required medicine. What was all this? A tangled mess.
"Ah, it hurts!" Tang Zisu exclaimed as Kong Xuan, seeing her bewildered expression, realized that Silly Goose was letting her imagination take flight again and pinched her chin tightly.
"Stop overthinking. I am a genuine man, unlike him. I have lived for thousands of years, and that phoenix who is nominally my father has undergone countless rebirths. There is no bond between us. But Tang Zisu, from the moment I was born, I decided one thing: I cannot have offspring."
"Kong Xuan, what do you mean? Are you just rambling? Is it that you can't get it up or that Kyoko has a low survival rate? Don't tell me you can't reproduce; we have plenty of peacocks at our zoo. Do you think you're so special?"
Kong Xuan frowned. "What you're talking about are ordinary peacocks. I am the unique Peacock King. Peacocks cannot have offspring simply because they don't need to. Peacocks are not immortal, but Ming Wang has always existed because he can Reincarnate."
Tang Zisu was utterly confused by his words. She had only consumed a bowl of porridge all day and ended up throwing it up; she was so hungry she felt faint. Yet Kong Xuan continued to puzzle her with riddles. Growing impatient, she said, "Are you done? If you want to say something, just say it clearly instead of being so cryptic."
Kong Xuan coldly huffed, "What I mean is, I will die, but the Peacock King will not die. When I die, the immortal phoenix will give birth to peacocks and Dapeng. They will be born as Demon God, Peacock King, and Golden-Winged Roc King. Do you understand now?"
His words hit Tang Zisu like an ice ball crashing into her chest; she felt a chill seep into her heart, a sharp coldness enveloping her. Trembling, she asked, "Are you saying that you don't need to bear children at all? Your soul is always being nurtured in the body your father provides for your Reincarnation?"
"These are the attributes of the Phoenix Clan. Only this way can we ensure the purity and immortality of the Phoenix Clan bloodline."
"So you're telling me that we can never have children together? Then whose child is in my belly?" Tang Zisu shouted at Kong Xuan, her emotions flaring.
"That's what I want to ask you too, Tang Zisu. Whose child is in your belly?"
With a sharp sound of flesh colliding, Tang Zisu slapped Kong Xuan across the face. "How can you do this, Kong Xuan? You don't trust me at all?"
Kong Xuan gently touched his left cheek where she had struck him with his slender fingers. He pushed his cheek with his tongue and squinted his eyes with a meaningful smile: "Tang Zisu, I allow you to slap me this time, but what will make me believe you?"
The ice ball she held shattered suddenly, soaking her through and through. By now, the last remnants of warmth and affection within Tang Zisu had frozen over. This journey had merely been about shielding others from the rain; the tenderness she received was nothing but charity from those who no longer needed it—laughable, pitiful, tragic.
Tang Zisu laughed heartily, tears streaming down her face: "Yes, you don't have to believe it. The child is not yours, and you have no right to be the child's father. We are not a couple; at most, we are just friends with benefits. Now that I have a child, our relationship ends here. You can continue being your demon king, and I will return to my home. Let me go!"
Kong Xuan stroked his chin with a wicked smile: "Want to leave? It's not that easy. I want to see what kind of thing is growing in your belly when you give birth."
"Kong Xuan, you bastard," Tang Zisu shouted as she grabbed a pillow and swung it at him. Kong Xuan caught her wrist: "Woman, consider that slap a concession from me. If you dare to act up again, I will make sure your child never sees the light of day."
Tang Zisu widened her eyes in terror: "Kong Xuan, you wouldn't dare!"
"I dare anything. You can try me. By the way, if you're staying here, you can't eat for free. Starting today, you'll be my personal maid, attending to my daily needs. Do you understand?"
With her wrist still held in Kong Xuan's grip, Tang Zisu couldn't stop the tears streaming down her pale face. She suddenly felt that no amount of Night Pearl could illuminate the dimness of this Demon Palace. Against this dark backdrop, she felt increasingly small and hopeless.
Kong Xuan released her wrist and instead pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at him: "I remember you can do more than just cry. Pack your things and get off my bed; from today on, you'll only sleep on the mat by the door. Get up now and change out of those dirty clothes you've slept in. Burn incense and clean up; I don't want to smell your scent."
With tear-filled eyes, Tang Zisu looked at the man before her. She suddenly realized she had never truly seen Kong Xuan. In the darkness, his eyes gathered like a galaxy, yet his expression was as cold as a blade, stripped of the gentleness he had shown in the Shrine. Even his smile had turned harsh and cruel. No wonder even the Jade Emperor referred to him as Satan; she had been riding high on this counterfeit face while forgetting that such an alluring and domineering big boss could elevate her to the heavens or crush her into the ground.
Tang Zisu was not particularly strong; she was merely someone else's little waste product. But now they truly treated her like waste. For the sake of the child in her belly, she could only turn waste into treasure and rely on herself. With that thought, she finally got out of bed. The moment her toes touched the ground, gold seemed to flash before her eyes, but unfortunately, she couldn't grasp a single piece.
"You have one hour to get it done; otherwise, you won't eat tonight," Kong Xuan said coldly before turning to leave.
Tang Zisu wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked down at her flat belly. She whispered, "Baby, did you see him? He doesn't want you; what should I do?"
Suddenly, she felt a little flutter in her abdomen. In disbelief, Tang Zisu pressed her hand against it; indeed, there was a subtle yet vigorous movement. She widened her eyes and forgot to cry: "Is that you moving, baby?"
There were a few more flutters as if responding to her words. Tang Zisu suddenly felt less sad; she wasn't completely alone—there was a small life growing inside her that was even comforting and protecting her. The sensation of life moving was truly miraculous. She recalled hearing her senior brother discuss how women usually couldn't feel fetal movements until four months or more had passed, but her Little Baby was exceptional. With such handsome looks paired with intelligence, he would surely captivate many people in the future. If she could bring him back to her world, she would definitely nurture him to become a star.
Thinking this way, Tang Zisu began her tasks; she needed to survive and show him whose child he really was. Then she would slap him across the face later and say, "My child has nothing to do with you."
However, Tang Zisu was still too optimistic. If she knew that she would soon be living in dire straits, she might not be so cheerful.
At night, Tang Zisu slept on the blanket by the door.
Separated by a screen and bead curtain, she could not see Kong Xuan, only hearing his faint breathing above her, which no longer felt as safe and warm as before.
As she dozed off, Tang Zisu was jolted awake by a kick. Kong Xuan looked down at her and said, "Get up and help me change."
"Why should I serve you? You can dress yourself," Tang Zisu replied groggily, her irritation making her quite agitated.
With her eyes closed and still half-asleep, she didn’t hear him at first. Just as she opened her eyes to see what was happening, a cup of cold water was poured over her head, instantly turning her into a drenched chicken.
"Kong Xuan, are you out of your mind? What’s wrong with you early in the morning?"
"I'm helping you wake up. Now, help me change."
Tang Zisu wiped her face and glared at Kong Xuan. She couldn’t understand how this scumbag with the demeanor of a cold-blooded CEO could act this way.
Her hair dripped with water, but she still had to help him get dressed. Kong Xuan now resembled someone completely helpless, extending his arms for Tang Zisu to take off his inner garment and layer by layer put on new clothes.
The chest she had embraced the night before was right in front of her. Bai Xiying was alluring, and for a moment, Tang Zisu really wanted to lean her face against him. However, his breath felt so indifferent that she could only tremble as she helped him fasten his waist.
Before leaving the room, Kong Xuan instructed, "Mei Xiao will arrange your work today. Don’t think you can slack off just because I’m not around. Anyone here can punish you, slave!"
Slave? What nonsense! I’ve been liberated and have been my own master for many years!
For breakfast, all Tang Zisu received was a bowl of mush made with wild vegetables.
Tang Zisu smiled wryly, "They really have it tough. You know, this bowl of rice was made by Mei Xiao alone. This vixen has been served by others for hundreds of years, and recently she has been quite dissatisfied with serving everyone. Now she's even more upset and will soon vent her frustrations on me."
With a clatter, a large box of golden and silver beans spilled onto the floor. She flicked her fingers and said, "Ming Wang instructed that you must separate the beans. If you can't separate them, you won't get any food."
Tang Zisu looked at the shimmering beans scattered all over the ground and suddenly felt like laughing: "If you're going to act like a palace maid, at least be professional about it. Why not take a stroll in the palace and learn some palace intrigue techniques before coming to torment me? Not giving me food is so unoriginal."
But regardless of how original it was, it always worked on Tang Zisu.
People are just like that. When she was lying on the bed, Kong Xuan would try all sorts of ways to coax her into eating, but she couldn't swallow a single bite. Now that she was being tormented like this, her appetite had returned. As she picked up the beans, she thought about delicious food, especially craving the macarons made by Boss's mother from the café across Third Street from the school.
A bowl of vegetable mush suited Tang Zisu's taste quite well; it had little oil and salt, just as she liked it. She wanted to praise Mei Xiao for it, but why was there so little? Why not give her a bigger bowl? Although these beans were golden and silver, they initially seemed exciting to pick up, but after a while, they became dizzying; everything looked like golden or silver beans.
One hand quickly picked up the beans, and Tang Zisu realized it belonged to Horse Abdomen.
The young man across from her had red lips and white teeth, with a particularly bright dot of cinnabar between his brows. Tang Zisu raised her hand to poke at it: "It's real! I thought it was painted on."
The young man held her hand down: "Master, why does he treat you like this?"
Tang Zisu sighed wryly: "Labor reform; I've committed an offense."
Horse Abdomen furrowed his brow in confusion at Tang Zisu's words, causing the dot of cinnabar to shift shape between his brows. Tang Zisu suddenly remembered how much Kong Xuan loved to frown; there was something uniquely charming about his frown. Lost in thought, Tang Zisu pressed her hand against Horse Abdomen's brow: "Don't frown; you'll get frown lines."
Horse Abdomen became somewhat stiff, remaining motionless as Tang Zisu pressed down on him, creating a subtly awkward atmosphere.
With a crash, Kong Xuan kicked over the box containing the golden and silver beans, sending half of them rolling across the floor again.
Kong Xuan said to the soldier behind him: "Take this Half-Demon to the Stable to work."
"What Stable?" Horse Abdomen thought. "Isn't there nothing here except the wind and those few people?"
Horse Abdomen's expression was cold as he stared blankly at Kong Xuan and said, "Why are you treating the master poorly?"
Kong Xuan snorted coldly, "What do you expect me to do? Wear a big green hat and raise your son while watching you flirt?"
Horse Abdomen was confused. He turned to look at Tang Zisu, who also looked at him with concern. In Kong Xuan's eyes, it seemed like a deep gaze of affection. Anger surged in his heart, and he kicked Horse Abdomen's knee with a swift motion, hearing a crunch as the kneecap shattered.
Horse Abdomen collapsed to the ground, his face contorted in pain, but he remained silent, his expression flat.
Tang Zisu suspected he might not even have facial nerves.
This time, Tang Zisu learned her lesson. She knew that the more she cared about Horse Abdomen, the more it would anger Kong Xuan. She wasn't a reckless person, so she kept her distance as much as possible.
However, that stubborn Brat continued to ask, "Why are you treating the master poorly?"
Kong Xuan kicked him in the chest and shouted at Breaking Army, "Take him out."
Breaking Army didn't bother to hide his glee; he dragged Horse Abdomen out with one hand, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground.
At this moment, Kong Xuan turned his attention to Tang Zisu.
Tang Zisu curled up in the corner, even praying silently that he wouldn't see her. It wasn't that she was overly afraid of death; she just couldn't afford to die now, especially not at Kong Xuan's hands.
Fortunately, Kong Xuan didn't kick her as well; he simply said, "Pick up the beans and clean up the ground."
Watching his tall figure walk away, Tang Zisu patted her chest and thought: Horse Abdomen, you foolish thing, can't you just avoid this madman?
Madman? Perhaps this is the true face of the Peacock King. That Kong Xuan, who was busy showing off in the Shrine, might just be a dream!
Tang Zisu resignedly bent down to pick up beans, unaware that a pair of resentful eyes were staring at her.
Mei Xiao and Liya watched the low-level monsters coming and going. Mei Xiao said, "Although they have taken on decent human forms, they still lack a bit of spirit."
The Celestial Maiden giggled, "What do a bunch of uncultured slaves need spirit for? If they had spirit, how could they listen to your commands?"
Mei Xiao replied, "Celestial Maiden, you are impressive. Where did you find so many low-level monsters in such a short time? I really wonder if you are a demoness or a Celestial Maiden."
The Celestial Maiden said, "That's none of your concern. I can't have the enchanting Nine-Tailed White Fox cooking and doing laundry all day. This grand palace needs to have an imposing presence; it wouldn't do without a hundred or eighty attendants."
Mei Xiao remarked, "Now that the master has returned, the presence is there, but it seems we still lack a mistress."
Upon hearing this, Liya's spirits lifted as she stepped forward with her slender waist swaying. "I think that day isn't far off. That person has already begun to lose her footing. If we add some fuel to the fire, we can definitely make Brother Xuan completely abandon her."
Mei Xiao expressed her concern, "Do you really think so? Ming Wang has been treating her so well; it's almost life and death for him. This change is too drastic."
The Celestial Maiden replied, "You don't understand. They say the deeper the love, the deeper the hate. This time she has truly hurt Brother Xuan deeply. At first, I panicked when I heard she was pregnant and wanted to kill her. But later, thanks to your reminder, I remembered that Kong Xuan would never acknowledge this child. That's the most powerful weapon—ha ha."
Mei Xiao asked, "Is that child really Ming Wang's?"
The Celestial Maiden smiled charmingly to the side, "Who knows?"
After finally finishing picking up beans and cleaning the floor, Tang Zisu rubbed her sore waist and leaned against the wall as she slowly walked out. To her surprise, she found many more people in the courtyard of the side hall.
These people were both male and female but all very young, dressed in uniforms like servants from noble families in the human world. They stood in separate lines by gender while Celestial Maiden Rika was giving them a lecture.
Mei Xiao saw Tang Zisu and whispered to the Celestial Maiden. The Celestial Maiden raised an eyebrow and said, "You, come here and stand properly."
Tang Zisu really wanted to go over and slap that arrogant face a couple of times, but she knew she couldn't win against her, so she could only support her waist and stand in the designated spot.
Liya spoke slowly, "Tang Zisu, you are a servant, so you should follow the rules of a servant. Today, considering it's your first offense, I won't punish you. But remember this for future gatherings: if you're late, you'll receive twenty lashes."
Tang Zisu lowered her head and remained silent; if possible, she didn't want to provoke her.
Liya seemed quite satisfied and continued, "From now on, you won't have a name. You'll be Number 121, that's you."
Tang Zisu curled up within herself and endured.
Liya stepped forward and tugged at her hair and clothes. "From now on, you must wear the same clothes as everyone else and style your hair the same way. Look at you now; do you think you look like someone who works?"
Tang Zisu continued to endure.
Liya became even more arrogant. She noticed the Malachite necklace around Tang Zisu's neck and reached out to yank it off. "Who allowed you to wear these things? Look at everyone else; they are all neat and tidy. This will be confiscated."
If Tang Zisu could endure any longer, she would be a ninja turtle. She snatched back the necklace. "I just won't wear it; what right do you have to take my things?"
"What right? Just the fact that Ming Wang entrusted your management to me. You little servant, it doesn't matter anymore; someone drag her away and give her twenty lashes."
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