Qin Ming was momentarily stunned by the question.
Of course, black stockings were a must!
All 108 girls in his hard drive wore them.
But he absolutely couldn't say that.
"Reporting to Your Highness, my hometown has a harsh climate, and the women there dress very warmly. I've never seen any black stockings."
Princess Han Yuexi suddenly reached out her delicate hand and lightly pressed against Qin Ming's wounded chest.
Qin Ming's mind reacted swiftly—he immediately activated his innate concealment ability, hiding his bloodline!
Copying Jingxiang's talent had really been a lifesaver.
With a flick of the princess's right hand, a dozen drops of blood were forcibly drawn from Qin Ming's wound, suspended midair.
With her left hand, she reached toward the window, pulling in countless falling snowflakes.
The snow melted into droplets that enveloped the blood, forming a rotating orb in midair.
A powerful icy aura surged from the princess's palm.
Her breathtakingly beautiful face showed signs of exhaustion—evidently, this bloodline detection technique was extremely taxing.
Even for her, it couldn't be used recklessly.
Fortunately, that was the case—otherwise, Qin Ming wouldn't have escaped unscathed when he first arrived.
After thirty breaths, the princess's once sharp expression calmed.
She turned and sat back on her white jade chair.
At that moment—
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
Then came the sound of someone kneeling.
"Your Highness, Lingyin seeks an audience."
"What is it?"
"Your Highness, I fell ill and had no charcoal for my room. It was I who asked Qin Ming to fetch some from the imperial kitchen. He is not a transmigrator. Please forgive him!
Your Highness, if anyone is to blame, it is me for falling ill tonight, causing all this trouble. Please punish me instead!"
Princess Han Yuexi's voice turned icy.
"Silence! If you dare plead again, I'll kill you as well!"
Outside the door, Lingyin's voice trembled with sobs.
Qin Ming felt a bit moved—Sister Ling yin was truly a kind person.
The princess's sharp gaze locked onto Qin Ming's face.
"The scars on your face have faded quite a bit—you're quite the handsome man. No wonder even Lingyin is pleading for you."
"Your Highness, Ling yin only pleaded for me because we both hail from Cold Night City. We're from the same hometown."
"You're rather loyal to your fellow townsfolk."
[Warning: Danger level increased 5x! Luck point growth rate increased 5x during danger!]
Damn! Qin Ming was speechless.
Was this princess insane? Even this could provoke killing intent?
"Your Highness, my loyalty to Ling yin stems from my loyalty to the Lunar Palace!"
"Sweet talk. Men truly deserve to die."
[Warning: Danger level increased 10x! Luck point growth rate increased 10x during danger!]
Qin Ming wanted to slap this crazy woman. What the hell? Nothing worked on her!
"Your Highness, tonight, when Jingxiang took the poisonous ink sac, my first thought was that she intended to harm you! So I risked my life to stop her, getting stabbed multiple times in the chest!
I have spoken no falsehoods! My loyalty to Your Highness is unwavering!"
Qin Ming clutched his wound, feigning agony.
"You think a mere ink sac could poison me?!" The princess's aura suddenly surged with killing intent.
"Xiao Qinzi, do you take me for a child? You've only been in the palace for three days—what loyalty could you possibly have? You're lying!"
[Warning: Danger level increased 50x! Luck point growth rate increased 50x during danger!]
Shit! It's over!
This lunatic was impossible to deal with!
Am I really about to die here?
Am I really going to die such a pathetic death?
"Your Highness! There's another reason!"
"Oh? Speak! What reason?"
Qin Ming felt like he needed a melancholic soundtrack playing in the background.
"In Cold Night City, life was too hard. No food, no drink—I often had to eat ice just to survive!
Many of my fellow townsfolk traveled to the capital in search of a better life, but most of them died along the way, some even killed by time traveler!
It wasn't until I arrived at the Lunar Palace that I finally had a roof over my head, food to eat—every day feels like a holiday!
Of course, I cherish this life! Naturally, I am deeply grateful to Your Highness!"
"…That barely qualifies as a reason."
The princess raised her slender, jade-like hand.
"Come closer."
The firelight from the lantern on the table suddenly floated toward Qin Ming, illuminating his face completely.
"What a pity! Turns out he's a eunuch!"
Qin Ming thought to himself—did the princess actually wish he wasn't one?
Did she have… other thoughts?
Your Highness, if you do have any special thoughts, I'm more than willing to give my all!
"But! Xiao Qinzi, you're lucky you're a eunuch. If not, for sneaking into Lingyin's room at night, I could have killed you a hundred times over!"
Qin Ming: (⊙o⊙)!
Unparalleled lunatic!
The princess retrieved a blue token from her sleeve, adorned with a diamond-shaped snowflake emblem.
"Since you helped me root out the transmigrator Jingxiang, you will now take her place and serve at the Demon Suppression Tower."
"Understood, Your Highness!"
"Someone, come in."
The door opened, and Captain Mengtu walked in carrying a tray.
On it lay a hundred taels of silver and a gray booklet.
"You killed a transmigrator—this is your reward: one hundred taels of silver and a cultivation manual, Frozen Soul Fist.
The path of cultivation is arduous. If you can reach the first level of Body Tempering within a year, I will grant you entry into the Demon Suppression Guard."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Qin Ming was ecstatic.
Not only had he obtained a martial art technique, but he also gained access to the Demon Suppression Tower.
That place held many transmigrators.
Perhaps there, he could find some crucial information.
He had to uncover the truth of this world.
He had to find people with whom he could speak freely, without hiding.
The princess waved her jade-like hand dismissively.
"Leave now. Let Lingyin tend to your chest wound."
"As you command!"
Qin Ming accepted the Frozen Soul Fist manual and silver, retreating joyfully.
In this era, gold and silver were extremely precious, while jade artifacts and antiques were worth nothing.
Inside the room, the princess's once-calm expression turned cold again.
Captain Mengtu, who had been standing beside her, stepped forward and gently massaged her shoulders.
"Your Highness, what do you think of this Xiao Qinzi?"
"You performed a bloodline test on him, Your Highness. He can't possibly be a transmigrator. Otherwise, he would have been a corpse by now."
"I tested Jingxiang's bloodline before as well, and yet she still slipped through.
Even now, I can't figure out how that happened."
"Your Highness, you tested Jingxiang six months after she arrived. She could have encountered a special ability user among the transmigrators or consumed some kind of elixir.
But Xiao Qinzi has only been in the palace for two days. He has no friends. His bloodline test is definitely accurate."
The princess's elegant, willow-like eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"He serves near me and works in the Demon Suppression Tower—I must be cautious!
Find out who else came with Xiao Qinzi from Cold Night City.
Make sure his background is clean.
I will not make the same mistake I did with Jingxiang!"
"As you command!"
"Mengtu, have you even eaten today? Your shoulder massage has no strength at all."
"Your Highness, I am a delicate lady. How much strength could I possibly have?
You've suffered from cold ailments for years and need massages regularly… Why not let me train Xiao Qinzi for the task?"
"Impudent! Utter nonsense! How could I possibly let a man massage my legs?"
Captain Mengtu playfully crouched in front of the princess, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Oh, my dear master, have you forgotten? He's a eunuch! What bad intentions could a eunuch possibly have? Besides, he's got strength in his hands!"
The princess frowned slightly.
"Let's wait a little longer—until I completely trust him."
"As you command!"