Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world

Imperial Palace.

These days, the palace was far from peaceful.

During one of Liang Jin's routine shift changes with the Imperial Guards, as he passed through the Meridian Gate, he witnessed a group of ministers being subjected to the廷杖 (court beating) punishment.

At least a hundred ministers were dragged out of the palace by the Embroidered Uniform Guard's henchmen and forced to the ground outside the Meridian Gate.

The henchmen used linen to tie up the ministers below their shoulders, exposing only their buttocks and legs.

Then, they used the 廷杖 to strike them mercilessly.

The 廷杖 was no simple wooden stick; it was usually made of chestnut wood, with the striking end shaped like a mallet and wrapped in iron, the iron even having barbs on it.

With one strike, the executioner would tear off a large piece of flesh and skin from the victim's body with the sharp barbs.

Liang Jin personally witnessed the ministers' buttocks and legs turn into a pile of烂肉 (rotten flesh), a bloody mess, after dozens of blows.

At least twenty ministers were even beaten to death on the spot.

Even those who survived would likely suffer lifelong disabilities.

The scene was truly bloody, brutal, and unbearable to witness.

Liang Jin didn't bother to inquire why so many ministers were subjected to the 廷杖 punishment.

But such a big event would always spread quickly.

Sure enough, rumors began to circulate within two days.

It turned out...

That the Emperor was planning to open a brothel in the palace, forcing the palace maids to become prostitutes for himself and his favored ministers to patronize.

Such an absurd idea naturally met with opposition and remonstrance from the ministers.

The Emperor, enraged, handed the matter over to the chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The chief then had all the remonstrating ministers arrested and subjected to the 廷杖 outside the Meridian Gate, leading to the tragic deaths and maiming of so many ministers.

Liang Jin shook his head upon hearing the news.

He had long heard that the Emperor of the Great Qian was lewd and immoral, but he never expected him to be so outrageous.

No wonder the Great Qian was declining day by day, showing signs of its impending demise.

However, Liang Jin didn't care about these matters; his goal was to stand guard properly and check in.

During these days of guarding...

Su Lian would come to visit Liang Jin whenever she had the chance.

But Zhao Bao hadn't appeared for a long time.

This made Liang Jin and Su Lian somewhat worried, unsure of Zhao Bao's current situation.

Until one day, as Liang Jin was about to change shifts again, Zhao Bao finally appeared.

"Brother Jin, I'm fine."

"Please tell Little Lian not to worry about me."

"Cao Xian has promised to protect me; Li Dafu can't harm me for now."

Zhao Bao said with a smile.

But Liang Jin felt that he had changed a lot.

"Judging by your aura, you seem to be much stronger."

"Could it be that you have already entered the eighth rank?"

Liang Jin asked.

Zhao Bao was greatly surprised:

"Brother Jin, you can even see that?"

"Could it be that you are also already at the eighth rank, or even higher in martial arts?"

Liang Jin nodded slightly.

This immediately revealed a look of regret in Zhao Bao's eyes.

He knew very well that because of Liang Jin's background, even if his martial arts reached the eighth rank or higher, it would be difficult for him to advance.

On the contrary, Zhao Bao himself would often encounter more opportunities as his martial arts improved.

And if there was anyone who could change Liang Jin's predicament in the future?

Zhao Bao believed it would be himself.

Cao Xian had already paved the way for him, and once he was able to rise to a higher position, he would definitely fight for opportunities for Liang Jin.

"Brother Jin, I am already at the peak of the eighth rank, and not far from the seventh rank. I estimate that I will be able to break through in a little over a month."

"Once I reach the seventh rank, I will have a better future."

"If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely find a way to help Brother Jin."

Zhao Bao comforted and promised.

These words surprised Liang Jin.

He was surprised not by Zhao Bao's sentiment, but by Zhao Bao's martial arts talent.

How long had it been, and Zhao Bao was already at the peak of the eighth rank?

If Liang Jin didn't have his cheat, he really couldn't catch up with Zhao Bao's cultivation speed.

Liang Jin then smiled:

"You kid are a martial arts prodigy. It seems that I might really have to rely on you in the future."

As he spoke, Liang Jin patted Zhao Bao on the shoulder.

With this pat, Zhao Bao's face suddenly changed, and he couldn't help but gasp.

Liang Jin frowned and pulled open Zhao Bao's collar.

He saw that Zhao Bao's body was covered with many scars.

These scars were a mix of new and old, and they looked shocking.

It was Liang Jin's unintentional pat on Zhao Bao's wounds that caused Zhao Bao so much pain.

"What's going on?"

Liang Jin asked in a deep voice.

Zhao Bao forced a smile and pulled his clothes back up:

"No pain, no gain."

"If I want to climb up, I have to endure more hardship."

"Brother Jin doesn't need to worry; these are all of my own free will."

"I only have to endure for a little over a month, and once I break through to the seventh rank, I can finally enjoy myself."

Liang Jin was slightly silent upon hearing this.

Zhao Bao didn't elaborate on his situation, and Liang Jin believed he had his reasons.

If Zhao Bao could really stop suffering this torment once he broke through to the seventh rank, then Liang Jin was happy to help him achieve that.

So Liang Jin flipped his hand and took out a medicinal膏 (balm), which was the 【益气膏】(Qi-Boosting Balm) he had obtained from the system.

"Here, eat it."

Liang Jin said, stuffing the Qi-Boosting Balm into Zhao Bao's mouth.

Although Zhao Bao looked puzzled, he obediently swallowed it.

Liang Jin continued to urge:

"Sit cross-legged and meditate, properly digest the newly generated internal energy in your body."

Zhao Bao's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he seemed to guess what effect the thing Liang Jin had given him had.

Immediately, Zhao Bao hurriedly sat cross-legged and began to circulate his energy for cultivation.

After a moment, Zhao Bao's bones crackled, and his aura fluctuated, obviously starting to break through the final obstacle between the two realms.

Just then.

A crisp female voice came:

"Brother Jin, I'm here."

"Huh? Brother Bao has finally appeared too!"

Along with the voice, a girl came hopping over.

It was Su Lian.

Liang Jin quickly gestured for Su Lian to be quiet.

Although Su Lian didn't understand, she hurriedly obeyed.

She stood beside Liang Jin, curiously watching Zhao Bao sitting on the ground in meditation.

After a while.

Zhao Bao's aura quickly stabilized and no longer fluctuated violently.

Liang Jin knew that Zhao Bao had successfully broken through.

Zhao Bao was already at the peak of the eighth rank, and all that separated him from the seventh rank was the final step.

Now, with the help of the 【益气膏】(Qi-Boosting Balm), that gap was quickly filled.

Sure enough.

Zhao Bao opened his eyes in surprise, then stood up:

"Brother Jin, I really broke through to the seventh rank!"

"Oh heavens! Now I don't have to suffer the torment of the Zongwu Mansion and Cao Xian anymore, and I can finally start to escape the sea of bitterness!"

Zhao Bao was obviously very happy at this moment, waving his arms and jumping around.

It was unknown how much hardship he had suffered recently, so that he could be so out of control after entering the seventh rank.

Su Lian finally asked curiously:

"Brother Bao, what exactly happened to you?"

Zhao Bao turned his gaze and saw Su Lian, and he couldn't hide the excitement in his heart.

He said with a flushed face:

"Little Lian, I can leave the Zongwu Mansion to pursue my own future soon."

"I believe that I will definitely be successful in the future!"

"When that time comes, will you marry me?"

This surprised Liang Jin greatly.

He could naturally see that Zhao Bao cared for Su Lian on a daily basis, but he only thought of it as brotherly and sisterly affection.

But now he didn't expect Zhao Bao to say that he wanted to marry Su Lian.

It was not new for eunuchs to marry palace maids.

There were often eunuchs and palace maids secretly combining, called "对食(sharing meals)".

In addition to this shady relationship, there were also eunuchs who openly married palace maids.

Palace maids often left the palace relatively early, as early as their twenties and as late as their thirties.

At this time, it was not forbidden for eunuchs to marry palace maids who had left the palace.

And even in the palace, some powerful eunuchs would choose their favorite palace maids to be their wives.

Sometimes, the Emperor would even grant some eunuchs and palace maids legitimate marital relationships in the name of "御赐(imperial gift)".

"You kid, are you talking nonsense?"

Liang Jin laughed.

He only thought that Zhao Bao was too excited for a moment, so he was talking nonsense.

Zhao Bao seriously pulled Su Lian and said:

"No, I'm serious."

"If one day I really become successful, will you be my wife?"

Zhao Bao clearly remembered the time when he was in the cleaning department and his master stuffed feces into his mouth.

It was because he had withheld the filial money for his master and used it to buy a silver hairpin to give to Little Lian that he was humiliated and tortured by his master.

Although he was a eunuch, he still had feelings and love.

But Su Lian shook her head like a rattle:

"No, I don't want to marry you."

"My aunt often says that palace maids who marry eunuchs are the most miserable."

"Not only do they have to live as widows, but they also have to suffer all kinds of perverted torments."

"So my aunt often tells us that we must never marry eunuchs in the future."