Chapter 72-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
Things went more smoothly than Ye Zheng had anticipated.
After returning to the upper district, she wasn't subjected to any harsh questioning. The Royal Family was busy hunting down Sierra; every day Sierra remained at large was another day the Royal Family's face was trampled underfoot. Meanwhile, the Sei Curia was overwhelmed, dealing with the sudden explosion of public opinion.
This time, it wasn't just the Pope's personal reputation in crisis; the entire Sei Curia was implicated.
Currently, one of the Sei Curia's major sources of income was the issuance of "Peace Talismans" to the common people. In recent years, the Demonic Domains had become increasingly rampant, and people longed for another miracle. Wen Jian capitalized on the public's panic, claiming that the Peace Talismans were created by him personally, blessed through his prayers to the God of Hope, and then infused with the power of Dragon Bone after receiving divine permission. Carrying a Peace Talisman was said to intimidate monsters from the Demonic Domains and represent divine protection.
When they were first issued, the Sei Curia had specifically hired people to build momentum, including both commoners and nobles, making it seem as if the Peace Talismans were incredibly effective. Commoners could supposedly stay away from the encroachment of Demonic Domains by carrying them, while nobles could enhance their fortunes.
But as the Saintess of the Sei Curia, Ye Zheng knew perfectly well that they were just ordinary pieces of paper. As for being infused with the power of Dragon Bone, Ye Zheng couldn't feel a single trace of its power on them.
A Peace Talisman wasn't excessively expensive; residents of the lower district could afford one or two a month if they gritted their teeth.
For the nobility, buying them was even more casual. Those from the upper district didn't necessarily believe in the talismans, but it was an excellent way to bribe the Sei Curia and the Pope. Consequently, influential people in the upper district bought them in large quantities. When the commoners in the lower district heard about the enthusiasm of the upper class, their belief in the Peace Talismans became unshakable.
This was Wen Jian's cunning.
When luck was on their side, people would celebrate having bought the Peace Talismans, attributing their recent peace and good fortune to them. When luck was bad, they couldn't blame the talismans either. After all, they weren't that expensive, so how could one expect them to be perfect?
Ye Zheng tore the paper talisman in her hand, and the portrait printed on it split in two, ripping apart the gentle smile of the man on the paper.
She tossed it aside carelessly, and the scraps of paper fell to the floor, only to be lightly stepped on by her.
Wen Jian was too greedy. If he hadn't used his own portrait as the symbol for the Peace Talismans, the lower district wouldn't be littered with their shredded remains now.
Who would believe that such a cruel and hypocritical man could bring anyone protection?
Ye Zheng walked out of her room and into the hallway, where she ran right into Ye Di.
The boy gave her a deliberate smile, walked over, and put his arm around her shoulder, feigning concern with what he thought was flawless execution. "Sister, I heard about what happened with the Sei Curia. You must be feeling terrible right now, right? You had the favor of the Crown Prince and Father, and with your status as the Saintess, which noble lady could have outshone you? But now...sigh, it's all that Sierra's fault!"
Sierra had become a true celebrity in the Empire. Originally, she was a thug feared by all, unscrupulously slaughtering nobles, provoking the Royal Family, and controlling a prince. But now, because of the execution incident, different voices regarding Sierra had begun to emerge in the lower district.
Ye Zheng subtly brushed Ye Di's hand away and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm actually in a pretty good mood right now."
Ye Di put on an "I know you're just putting on a brave face" expression, filled with condescending pity and poorly concealed delight.
He comforted her, "Alright, alright, I won't bring up your sorrows. I'll be going to work for the Crown Prince soon. Even if the Sei Curia wanes, our Ye family won't be dragged down with it."
"Then you'll have to work hard, Xiao Di. As long as you work diligently with a pious heart, whether it's in the Sei Curia or with the Royal Family, you will achieve the results you desire."
Ye Zheng maintained the demeanor of a good-natured older sister as she reached out to straighten Ye Di's loose bow tie, speaking in a heartfelt tone.
Suddenly, the girl's hand tightened. Ye Di felt as if his neck was nearly snapped by the tie, suffocating for a moment. Just as he was about to burst out cursing, Ye Zheng's gentle voice cut him off.
"The Crown Prince doesn't like his own clothes to be messy, and he probably doesn't like others to be dressed that way either. Every single detail must be impeccable in his presence, otherwise..."
Listening to his sister's words, Ye Di almost held his breath, instantly recalling the rumors of the Crown Prince's tyranny and falling into a less-than-wonderful fantasy about his future.
"Otherwise, the Crown Prince might just fire you. So, you should get yourself in order starting today."
Ye Zheng suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"—Look how worried you are. Did you think the Crown Prince would just kill you for no reason?"
That possibility wasn't entirely out of the question, but seeing the look of relief on Ye Di's face, Ye Zheng decided not to spoil his future expectations.
Ye Zheng swiftly tied a dead knot. Ye Di let out a short "Urk," like a fish suddenly thrown ashore, gasping for air. She looked with satisfaction at her brother, his neck tightly bound, the usually flippant boy finally unable to smile.
Nearby, Ye Fanjing had come downstairs at some point and was looking at the scene of sibling affection with a gratified expression.
"Ye Zheng, you must rest well these next few days. Take leave for anything you need. My daughter has suffered such a hardship, not even the Pope can order you to continue working!"
Ye Fanjing's face was serious, his words carrying a rare tone of protectiveness, truly the image of a caring father.
"Well, it's the Crown Prince who needs me for something. Perhaps he wants to ask for more details about the Demonic Domain."
"Ah... is that so? That's a good thing. The Crown Prince has suffered such a scare recently. We should indeed show our support and cooperate with the investigation."
Ye Fanjing lowered his head slightly, a hint of embarrassment crossing his serious face.
Ye Zheng lowered her head slightly to hide the smile in her eyes. She thoughtfully changed the awkward subject, asking about her father's recent proudest achievement. "I heard the Empire is forming a special agency to coordinate the response against high-risk Demonic Domains, and it's said to have command authority over both the royal and the Sei Curia's knight orders."
At the mention of this, Ye Fanjing lifted his head a little higher, his smile becoming more natural. "Yes, this is a sign of a power shuffle in the upper district. Real military authority."
The incident in the crimson Demonic Domain not only resulted in the deaths of many noble children, but the Crown Prince himself almost died inside. With the culprit at large, the faces of both the Royal Family and the Pope were trampled. The Emperor was furious, dismissing several related officials from their posts, including the commander of the knight order.
Ye Fanjing had finally gotten the opportunity he wanted. He could already see that the Emperor was not just acting out of anger but also had the intention of weakening the major noble families. Wasn't this the perfect time for the Emperor to need someone like him—talented and with a suitable status?
He looked at his daughter's gentle and amiable face, remembering her words. She had said she would help her father and brother reach greater heights.
Originally, Ye Fanjing had blamed Ye Zheng somewhat. If she hadn't provoked the criminal in that square, the Pope wouldn't be in his current predicament. The Pope was too busy to deal with it now, but once he recovered, he would surely punish the trouble-making Saintess, which could implicate the entire Ye family.
But looking at it now, this might not be a bad thing.
The public opinion storm had spiraled out of control. It was said that commoners were brazenly waving Peace Talismans with the Pope's portrait, demanding an explanation at the church gates. Could the Royal Family not have had a hand in fanning the flames?
The Sei Curia was now showing signs of decline, while Ye Zheng had the merit of saving the Crown Prince in this incident and had also inadvertently pushed forward the Royal Family's move to weaken the Sei Curia. He heard that His Highness the Crown Prince also saw her in a new light. At this critical juncture, this would definitely draw the Royal Family's attention to the Ye family.
"Xiao Di, your sister hasn't recovered yet. You, go and escort your sister to the palace. Take good care of her, and remember to greet the Crown Prince properly."
Ye Di was fumbling with the suffocating bow tie when his father suddenly gave him a push, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
He had heard that the school was recruiting for the Crown Prince's personal guard and had wanted to try out. But after hearing Ye Zheng mention how difficult the Crown Prince was to serve, he instantly dismissed the idea. He had no desire to face a Crown Prince who was even more spoiled than he was.
"I'm not going! What's unhealthy about her? She looks perfectly fine to me—Ah!"
Ye Fanjing glared and slapped his son across the face, completely stunning Ye Di.
He looked at his son with disappointment. Although Ye Di's talent was higher than Ye Zheng's, his mind was childish and immature. If this continued, even if he paved the way for this foolish son, he would only be a puppet for others to manipulate in the world of fame and fortune.
Ye Di covered his face in disbelief, looking at his father with disappointment. Why would his father hit him for Ye Zheng's sake? Wasn't he his father's favorite child?
Ye Zheng silently watched this drama between father and son, finding it utterly ridiculous but unable to laugh, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
After the two exchanged gazes filled with complex emotions like disappointment, sadness, and expectation, Ye Zheng finally stepped forward to ease the tension. "Ye Di, walk with me. Just to the main gate is fine. His Highness the Crown Prince might not wish to receive other visitors."
"Father, rest assured, I have already prepared a gift to greet His Highness. I believe His Highness will be satisfied with the Ye family's courtesy."
Seeing his sensible and polite daughter, Ye Fanjing's anger toward his disappointing son dissipated slightly. At least Ye Di had a good sister.
Although he occasionally felt a prickle of annoyance at his daughter's excessive cleverness, Ye Zheng was, after all, a member of the Ye family. Even if she were to marry and leave her position as Saintess, the Ye family would still be her strongest support. What reason would she have not to promote her own family?
With this thought, Ye Fanjing watched the siblings' departing figures with a relieved smile. He turned and went back to his study to continue pondering the complex situation in the upper district.
Outside the main gate, Ye Zheng lifted her long hair and got into the car. Ye Di reluctantly followed.
The car started moving slowly. Ye Zheng looked at the faint reflection in the window. Ye Di had his head turned, seemingly still immersed in the sorrow of his father having hit him.
Just as they thought, as a member of the Ye family, she would certainly help them climb higher.
After all, directly monitoring the Royal Family and the Crown Prince was a difficult task, but monitoring Ye Fanjing and Ye Di was simple.
The events of the past few days had suddenly increased the number of cards in Ye Zheng's hand. She needed to consider carefully how to play each one for the best effect.
This time, the Saintess of the Sei Curia had risked her life to enter a Demonic Domain to save the Crown Prince, was captured by a vicious criminal, and nearly died in a public execution, and now she might even face the Pope's wrath.
After all that misery, Sykes owed her a massive debt. She had to remind him to be a grateful person—and even if Sykes didn't understand, the people around him would.
Seeing the speed at which public opinion was fermenting, it seemed the Royal Family wasn't too pleased with Wen Jian being the Pope.
However, they should have no objections to a considerate Saintess like her.
Translator's Note: Excited to see the first review of the novel on novelupdates! Looks like western readers also suffering the fake strong female lead stories lol, don't worry, this is exactly what you want! And we'll continue to bring more stories like this in future, don't forget to drop comment and review if you like it, we'd be appreciated for it!
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