353: Chapter 353 Blue

It was the sixth night since arriving at the royal capital.

Inside the magnificent royal palace, Lin Xiao finally had some rare leisure time.

Drinking Western Regions fruit wine and eating dried goat milk, he enjoyed a moment of relaxation.

These past few days had exhausted him; setting up the Dingxi Protectorate, revising laws, and resolving hidden threats—none of it was easy!

He was never one gifted at statecraft or administration; he relied entirely on knowledge that surpassed this era.

Whenever he encountered specific, complex problems, he was not sure what to do and could only feel his way across the river.

Whenever this happened, he missed Xiao Qingxuan immensely.

If his Empress wife were here, would he, an engineering-minded man, have to suffer so much?

Taking a sip of wine, Lin Xiao suddenly saw the system pop up a string of numbers...

[Comprehension Ability + 1324...]

Lin Xiao grinned. Here it comes again!

Ever since he started issuing various decrees in the name of Princess Meng Xi, his Comprehension Ability points would surge every now and then!

In just a few days, they had increased by tens of thousands!

In all likelihood, these were the grassroots slaves and commoners on the grasslands developing a sense of support for him.

The key was that this was just the beginning; once more pro-people policies were implemented, the increase should be even greater.

This was far easier than killing people; power was indeed a good thing!

Lin Xiao did not know exactly how many people there were among these nomadic tribes in Northern Desert; after all, the grassland organization was loose and difficult to count.

But even if it were only the population of the Northern Frontier, it was still a significant "experience pack."

"Husband, why are you suddenly so happy?"

Mu Wanying was eating some yogurt, a grassland specialty, nearby. Seeing her man suddenly smiling, she could not help but ask out of curiosity.

"Oh... I was just thinking that once the regulations for the Dingxi Protectorate are finalized, it will be time for us to go home."

Upon hearing they were going back, both women revealed looks of anticipation.

Since arriving in Western Qiang, they had not had a chance to fight, and the military camp was being managed by Lu Sanchuan.

They were not skilled at handling administrative affairs either, so they had been bored to death all day.

"Then Husband... do you really not intend to marry Princess Meng Xi?" Zhao Caiwei asked.

"Her? She looks good, but her ambition is too heavy. She needs to be tempered; we will see how she performs in the future."

Lin Xiao shook his head, saying, "If I were to take her in purely because she approached me for benefits, it would be disrespectful to you both."

Zhao Caiwei bit her lower lip, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Husband, let me share a few of my own thoughts, please do not be angry..."

"Caiwei, do you take your husband for some kind of tyrant? Speak your mind!"

Zhao Caiwei smiled, "Although this is my first time in Western Qiang, I spent years dealing with the Khitan people while in the Yan Region."

"Women on the grasslands are very different from women in the Central Plains. Although they appear free-spirited and daring in love and hate, they actually lack a sense of security."

"Because women on the grasslands are only slightly higher in status than slaves; they are often treated as spoils of war or gifts, passed around by the nobles."

"In Khitan, it is very normal for men to have their wives and concubines serve their guests."

"I believe that even if Western Qiang is slightly better, it cannot be much better..."

Lin Xiao nodded; he believed this.

"For a royal princess like Princess Meng Xi, wanting to earn respect is many times more difficult than it is for her brothers."

"If she were not outstanding enough, and if the former King Meng Liang had not been quite fond of this daughter of his, she absolutely could not have survived until now."

"So, Husband, you feel Princess Meng Xi is too calculating and profit-oriented, but that is all created by her environment. If she did not do that, she would lose everything."

"At the very least, Wanying and I both feel that Princess Meng Xi is not bad by nature; she has... developed genuine feelings for you, Husband."

Zhao Caiwei sighed, "It is just that for a woman like Princess Meng Xi, even if she truly falls in love with a man, she will not give herself over completely. She lacks too much security."

Mu Wanying, who was beside her, nodded along, clearly in agreement.

Lin Xiao had not expected that the two women had gotten along so well with Princess Meng Xi over these days.

They were actually taking the initiative to persuade him to take a concubine?

"Husband, although we rely on strength to control the grasslands, would it not be more beneficial if Princess Meng Xi became one of our own sisters?"

Mu Wanying said, "In the future, you and her descendants will be able to take over Western Qiang even more easily."

Lin Xiao was almost moved to tears; the two women really worried their hearts out for his harem and his hegemony!

No wonder they say the ancient times were good!

"Wanying, Caiwei, you are both too considerate. Since that is the case, I will think it over carefully!"

"However, you have both been slacking off in your cultivation these past few days. Since we have free time today, let us practice Luan Feng Harmony all night in the bedroom of the King of Western Qiang!"

"No one is allowed to stop until you each increase a year of cultivation!"

Upon hearing this, both women's beautiful faces flushed with spring, and their bodies went weak...

The next morning.

Lin Xiao rode his horse in high spirits, setting off with Princess Meng Xi to the Dalar Temple.

That was the great temple of the Shamanism branch in Western Qiang.

Lin Xiao had been eyeing it for a long time because the collectibles of the Shaman priest here had not yet been "confiscated"!

"General Lin, why did Mu Wanying and Zhao Caiwei not come along today?"

Lin Xiao said casually, "They were too tired from practicing, so they are resting this morning."

Princess Meng Xi was surprised, "Their martial arts are already so good, yet they are still so diligent?"

"The intensity of my training is naturally something they cannot withstand," Lin Xiao said proudly.

Princess Meng Xi said enviously, "Being personally instructed by General Lin is not an opportunity that just any woman can have."

Lin Xiao felt it sounded strange, and he did not know if the woman understood what he meant.

Upon arriving at Dalar Temple, the priest and a large group of clergy were already waiting respectfully.

Lin Xiao did not talk nonsense and directly utilized Dragon Seeking and Point Locating, finding a stone chamber located underground.

The Shaman priest was shocked; he had deliberately created a fake secret chamber, trying to brush Lin Xiao off, but the other party had not fallen for it at all?

Walking into the stone chamber, Lin Xiao revealed a happy smile once again.

Although it could not compare to the wealth of Wudugan Temple, the high-grade equipment and medicinal pills collected here could still earn him over ten thousand in prestige.

However, halfway through redeeming his rewards, Lin Xiao discovered that there were quite a few murals on the stone walls here as well?

And unlike the murals at Wudugan Temple, because this place had been underground for years, the murals were better preserved and had relatively vibrant colors?

After obtaining the ten thousand-plus prestige, Lin Xiao called the Shaman priest in, and Princess Meng Xi followed out of curiosity.

When he saw the empty cellar, the Shaman priest's face turned ashen, as if his soul had been sucked away.

Lin Xiao did not care about his almost-crying appearance and pointed to a "celestial god" in the mural, saying:

"Why is this person's hair blue?"

Lin Xiao discovered that in the murals here, humans all had black hair, but when it came to the images of celestial gods, they all had blue hair.

This indicated that it was not a matter of lacking pigments; it was that the artist was convinced the celestial gods had blue hair.