Dressing as Ziwei makes the Qing Dynasty more powerful

While everyone was busy packing, Qianlong quietly moved away, taking Ziwei with him. After putting some distance between them and the crowd, he slowly spoke, "Ziwei, I heard from your Empress Dowager that your magic spell caused great damage to your health. I wonder how you are doing now?"

Hearing this, Ziwei understood, knowing that Qianlong's question was actually intended to ask her to help him regain his youthful appearance.

When she had previously performed a ritual to cure the Empress's illness, she had been solely focused on curing her gynecological ailments. Furthermore, since it was her first time using Reiki, she had not considered thoroughly, leading to such a dramatic change in the Empress. As for the change in Qianlong's appearance, she did not want to rush or overdo it.

The Empress could wear a veil all day, but Emperor Qianlong, as the Emperor of a country, could never do so. It would be better to proceed step by step, making small adjustments every day, so that he could transform quietly without noticing.

Ziwei then replied softly, "Father, although I haven't fully recovered yet, I can still perform a few small magic tricks on you every day to improve your appearance. This way, you won't attract attention and you can still achieve your wish. However, after each magic trick, you need to cleanse yourself and bathe, so it would be more convenient for us to find an inn to stay in at night."

Hearing that the ceremony could begin tonight, Qianlong couldn't help but feel an indescribable joy. After all, no one could resist the allure of eternal youth and ageless beauty. Throughout history, countless emperors have sought the secret of immortality, but how many have truly achieved this wish?

His thoughts drifted away, and a captivating image involuntarily formed in his mind: a graceful, handsome man standing side by side with the dignified and beautiful empress, both standing atop a towering city wall, overlooking the vast expanse of the country, each confidently declaring his intentions. And this imposing man was none other than himself. At this thought, Qianlong's lips curled slightly, his eyes gleaming with confidence.

"Okay, okay, everything will be as you say! Ziwei, you are truly a noble lady to me and the Queen, and the blessing of our Great Qing Dynasty!" Qianlong exclaimed happily.

Facing Qianlong's praise, Ziwei simply smiled and replied softly, "As a citizen of the Qing Dynasty, I naturally sincerely hope that our country can become increasingly powerful, the army can be mighty and majestic, and the people can live a stable and happy life. To achieve this goal, we must rely on your tireless and meticulous governance. What Ziwei has done is insignificant and really not worth mentioning."

Deep down, Ziwei's true desire was something more. She envisioned a bright future—a future where China would no longer suffer the wanton invasion and trampling of the Eight-Nation Alliance, and where opium, a drug that ravaged the nation and its people, would no longer be rampant. The country would escape poverty and backwardness, no longer be on the defensive, and no longer have to endure the hardships of war.

Now that she had the ability to cultivate immortality, why not give it a try? What if history could really be changed? Besides, this wasn't the real official history, so it was good to see China's strength in this world.

Her words once again impressed Qianlong. This girl's vision and broad mind were truly beyond the reach of ordinary women. Indeed, a magical immortal knew everything, so why would he care about mundane matters?

Ziwei: ... It's really unfair. No girl can resist exquisite ancient costumes and those jewelry.

The two returned to the carriage, where everyone was already dressed and ready to go. Qianlong glanced at Yongqi and the others, snorted coldly, and got on the carriage.

The journey was long and arduous. Seeing that everyone was drowsy, Emperor Qianlong called out, "Xiaoyanzi, tell us a few jokes."

"What? A joke?" Xiaoyanzi was confused. It would be almost the same if she was asked to perform swordplay.

Qianlong nodded. "You've traveled from Jinan to the capital, so you must have seen a lot. I'm sure you've heard some folk jokes. Tell them out so everyone can have fun."

Yongji's sleepiness was driven away, and he asked enviously, "Sister Xiaoyanzi, how far is Jinan from the capital? How long did it take you to get there? Were you tired? Were you afraid of traveling alone? I heard there are robbers on some roads. Have you ever encountered any?"

Seeing everyone looking at her curiously, Xiaoyanzi stole a glance at Ziwei, who was sitting upright. Remembering what she had said to her when they first met, she bravely spoke, "I don't know how far Jinan is from the capital. Anyway, it took me half a year to walk. I was not used to the climate and I was sick, which delayed me for some time. As for those robbers, they are actually poor people who have no choice but to rob to make a living. I, Xiaoyanzi, am so good at martial arts, I will definitely beat them to a pulp."

It was the first time that Qianlong heard her talk about what happened on the road. He frowned and asked, "Where did you encounter the robbers? Are the people there very poor? Didn't you say, 'As long as there is a Qianlong emperor in the country, there will be no insects in the grain'? Are you just kidding me?"

Yongqi and the others outside were all very nervous and worried about Xiaoyanzi, fearing that she would say something nonsense.

Xiaoyanzi had never even left the capital in her life, so how could she know which places she would pass by on the way from Jinan to the capital? She hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to say. Seeing their suspicious eyes, she said with a broken jar, "I was so tired from walking at that time, how could I care about so many things. As for... As for the saying that the country has Qianlong and the grain is not infested with insects, I also heard it from others."

Afraid they would ask more strange questions, the little swallow said quickly, "Let me sing a song for everyone! Ahem, the weather is so sunny today, and the scenery is so beautiful everywhere. The butterflies are busy, the bees are busy, the birds are busy, and the white clouds are busy. Ah - the fragrance of fallen flowers trampled by horses' hooves... The green fields are vast and the sky is boundless."

The Queen clapped her hands. "Little Swallow, you sing beautifully. It's a beautiful day outside, which is quite fitting. Little Swallow, I heard that every place has its own customs. How about you sing a few more songs from your hometown for everyone?"

The smile on Xiaoyanzi's face fell. She thought she could get away with it, but the old woman, the Queen, gave her another problem. This mother and son were really vicious.

But she was a smart swallow and would never let them succeed. She pinched her throat and coughed twice, then said hoarsely, "It's not that I don't want to sing, but my throat is very itchy now, and I really can't sing."

Seeing this, the Queen asked with concern, "Since you feel unwell, then stop the carriage and let Doctor Hu examine you thoroughly to make sure you don't have any underlying illness."

"Your mother is right, Xiaoyanzi. If you are sick, you must seek treatment. You cannot hide your illness and avoid seeing a doctor." Qianlong interjected.