Zhang Lian walked through the city, covering herself with a gray cloth as she grabbed too much attention and observing the scene while individuals moved around, to rebuild the city.
She noticed a man in front of her, bent over due to the weight of a big wooden piece on his shoulders. He wore loose slacks and a plain, rough-spun shirt that were both soiled from a hard day's work.
Zhang Lian approached him and gently raised a hand to stop him. "Excuse me," she called out softly.
When he looked up and saw her face, the man's eyes widened. He froze, confusedly looked at her. *Isn't this the queen?* he wondered, staring at her face for a little while in awe of her beauty.
Her white hair flowing and blue eyes made her look like someone from a powerful background. But he came out of his daydream and quickly put down as he realized. While putting the wooden log on the ground.
Zhang Lian smiled gently. "Could you do me a favor?" she asked. "I need you to inform as many people as you can that tomorrow, at the same place where I gave my speech, I'll be selecting individuals to help me build new policies for the kingdom and also guards and a lot of peoples.
Make sure to tell them that those selected could become nobles directly, and that the opportunity is open to women and children as well."
The man's eyes lit up with excitement at this offer. "Of course, Your Highness!" he replied at a fast speed. "I'll tell as many people as I can." Without another word, he turned and ran off, his previous task completely forgotten.
Zhang Lian raised a hand, intending to tell him to finish his work first, but he was already gone, his figure disappearing into the crowd.
She sighed softly, a small smile playing on her lips as she shook her head. "Let's go," she said, looking at the cat beside her. The cat nodded in agreement, and the two of them continued walking.
It was already evening time…
Zhang Lian saw a small gathering of people around a fire pit as they walked back toward the location where her uncle was living.
She turned to look as the scene of cooking food filled the air. She moved in silence, taking in the surroundings. Kneeling by the fire, a woman with her hair neatly pulled back in a bun was steering a big pot of stew.
Several people were drinking from water jar's next to her, looking tired yet happy as they took a moment away from their job.This Jar's were filled by the cultivator's.
Zhang Lian hesitated, not wanting to startle them. Subsequently, she softly removed the hood of clothes and clear her throat
"Hum hum,"
To make her presence known. When the woman looked up and saw Zhang Lian, her eyes widened with surprise. She cried out, "Your Highness!" as she quickly wiped her hands on her apron and made a deep bow. With haste, the others bowed their heads in observance.
Zhang Lian smiled softly, raising a hand to put them at ease. "Please, there's no need for that," she said kindly. "I was wondering if you could pack me some of that stew? And may I also have a drink of water?"
"Yes, your highness," the woman said, and she hurriedly began packaging the food for her highness
Zhang Lian watched as the woman speedily ladled the rich stew into a small clay bowl. The steam rising from it carried a good smell of tender meat and vegetables.
The woman, clearly familiar with the task, reached for a wooden plate and placed it firmly over the top of the bowl to prevent any spillage. Then, with swift and skillful movements, she began to wrap the entire setup in a clean, strong cloth.
She started by folding the cloth over the bowl from all sides, tucking the edges neatly beneath it.
Then, she rolled the covered bowl tightly, making sure it was secure. The cloth was wrapped several times around, ensuring that the bowl and its contents would remain intact.
The final knot was tied firmly, forming a compact, portable package that could be easily carried.
Once the bundle was ready, the woman handed it to Zhang Lian with a smile. "Here you go, Your Highness. This should keep the stew warm until you're ready to eat."
Zhang Lian accepted the neatly wrapped bundle, appreciating it. "Thank you," she said warmly. "This will be perfect for later."
The woman then gestured towards the large water jar nearby. "Please, Your Highness, help yourself to some water before you go."
Zhang Lian approached the water jar, crouching beside it. She picked up the wooden Bowl, and dipped it into the jar.
She brought the bowl to her lips and took a slow, deliberate sip. The water soothed her throat a simple but much-needed comfort after the long walk
Once she had quench her thirst, Zhang Lian stood up, the tightly wrapped bundle of stew in one hand and the food carefully placed. "Thank you again," she said to the woman, who bowed her head in respect.
"It's an honor to serve you, Your Highness," the woman replied with sincerity.
"I hope you will be at the selection process tomorrow", saying this Zhang Lian turned to continue her walk back to where her uncle was staying. The cat flew alongside her, glancing up occasionally as if to check on her.
"This stew smells delicious," Zhang Lian said, showing the neatly wrapped bundle to the cat.
The cat, who had never eaten anything in its life, narrowed its eyes and flicked its tail in irritation. "Nya, you can't tease me like that!" it huffed, clearly annoyed.
Zhang Lian couldn't help but laugh at the cat's reaction. "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore," she said, still as they continued walking together.
Zhang Lian and the cat eventually made it to her uncle's temporary home. After spending the entire day on foot and roaming in the city.
Zhang Lian arrived at her uncle's home. The light was low, creating gentle shadows on the wooden flooring.
Zhang Lian felt the pressure of the day's events bearing down on her as she went into her room. She had certain very mortal necessities to attend to before she could rest.
"It would be so much better to be a cultivator," she muttered to herself, "at least they don't have to deal with things like this, while peeing."
When she was done, she hurriedly put her clothes back in place and moved away from the bucket, turning to glance at the old pee that had remained since yesterday.
She sighed, thinking, "I miss the days when maids took care of these things." After that, she returned to her room.
She opened the food she had brought with her earlier, a simple rice, steamed vegetables, and a tiny piece of seasoned pork, and decided to eat something before sleeping.
The vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the rice had a sticky, slightly sweet taste. She could taste the rich tastes of the well-cooked pork together with a lot of the spice that made her tongue hot.
Zhang Lian sat at her room's table and ate gently, enjoying every bite. The food was straightforward but filling, and it relieved some of the strain that had been building all day.
After that, Zhang Lian sipped some water and prepared for bed as fatigue started to set in. She lit a little incense coil to keep bugs away before she lay down.
The room smelled earthy as the fragrant smoke came out slowly into the air. Zhang Lian's sleep with comfort. She reclined on the pillow, breathing a sigh of relaxation as her muscles at last relaxed with cat sleeping beside her.
…..
The next morning,
Zhang Lian woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. Her dress had cleaned the sweat from her body, leaving her dry and comfortable despite the humid night.
She stretched her arms above her head, a small smile at her lips as she realized that, today, she hadn't been bitten by any mosquitoes, thanks to the incense she had lit the night before.
Feeling a rare sense of pride, she rose from bed and prepared for the day ahead.
Cat too woke up stretching itself, following the Zhnag Lian.
Zhnag Lian headed towards the small washroom to freshen up.
After peeing she started brushing her teeth.
People here brushed their teeth using a simple willow branch, chewed to fray the ends into bristles.
Zhang Lian followed this practice, picking up a small twig she had prepared the night before.
She chewed on one end until it became soft and brush-like, then used it to clean her teeth, the taste of the fresh wood spreading through her mouth. It was far from the conveniences of modern times, but it was effective enough.
Once she was finished, Zhang Lian made her way to her uncle Li Feng's room to greet him. However, when she arrived, she found that, like the day before, the door didn't open immediately. She pushed it gently, and it creaked open, revealing an empty, spotless room.
The only thing inside was a paper note, pinned to the floor with a small stone, lying where her uncle usually sat to meditate.
Curious, Zhang Lian stepped inside and picked up the note. It read:
*"Zhang Lian, my Dao heart has calmed, and I am returning back to the sect. I've warned the other cultivators—they won't cause any more trouble like yesterday. See you next time, when you're a proper queen."*
As she finished reading, the cat peeped at the note over her shoulder and said, "Nya, looks like you're all by yourself now. So, what's the plan? Are we going to select people for the role of your husband?"
Zhang Lian chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not now. We're going to select people who will work for us. Let's go."
After some time walking, Zhang Lian finally arrived at the gathering place. The moment people saw her approaching, they immediately stepped aside, creating a path for her.
As she walked through, she noticed a few cultivators away from the crowd glaring at her, clearly annoyed that so many people had been summoned again, disturbing their work.
Zhang Lian sighed inwardly, realizing she was indeed interrupting their tasks. But since it was already done, she decided to continue with the plan.
Stepping onto the stage, she addressed the crowd in a loud, clear voice. "As I mentioned yesterday, today I will be selecting some of the talented people from you."
She scanned the crowd and pointed to a man who stood near the front. The man was tall and lean. His hair was tied back in a simple knot, and his hands were rough, likely from laborious tasks.
His eyes widened in surprise as he realized Queen was pointing directly at him.
"Me?" he asked, pointing at himself in disbelief.
"Yes, you," Zhang Lian confirmed with a nod. "Come here and bring me some wooden boards and coal."
The man nodded quickly, did what he was told . Along with a few other men who stepped forward to help, he retrieved wooden boards and pieces of coal, placing them on the stage in front of Zhang Lian.
"Do you know how to write?" Zhang Lian asked the man.
He nodded again, more confidently this time. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Good. Write these down," she instructed, watching as the man dipped the piece of coal into water to make it easier to write with. He then began writing on the wooden boards as Zhang Lian dictated. "First, write 'Martial Arts.'"
The man carefully wrote the characters for Martial Arts on the first board. Zhang Lian continued, "Next, write 'Cooking.'" on other board
He quickly wrote it down.
"Then 'Literature.'"
Again, the man wrote the words as instructed.
"And finally, 'Medicine.'"
Once the boards were ready, Zhang Lian directed the men to place them a short distance away, marking different areas where people could line up according to their skills and interests.
She then turned back to the crowd and announced, "Everyone, select your category and stand in line accordingly. And if Gou Liang is present, he should come forward."
Among the crowd, a man named Gou Liang stood frozen in place, his heart racing. He had only returned yesterday and had been shocked to find that Zhang Lian was now the queen.
A sense of thought filled him as he wondered if he had done anything to offend her in the past. But now, with her calling his name, he had no choice but to step forward.
Zhang Lian watched him approach, a faint smile on her lips as she prepared to begin the process of selecting the people who would help her rebuild the city and its policies.