The Empress Dowager Zhang kept Ding Yun chatting for a long time, even having her stay for lunch at Cining Palace before letting her return. She then sent word to the noble families of the capital.
She instructed them to send forth some individuals to participate in the selection for the驸马 (Imperial Son-in-Law). To refuse would be to disrespect her.
No matter how much of a girl Shun De was, she was still her son's first child, her first grandchild.
The first one was bound to be somewhat different.
For the sake of her eldest granddaughter's well-being, it was entirely normal for Empress Dowager Zhang to intervene in the selection of the Imperial Son-in-Law.
Upon her return, Ding Yun continued with her previous plan. During the breaks from her two daughters' studies, she would tell them stories, subtly influencing their thoughts. The most important message was that as long as they, as princesses, did not rebel, they need not fear the palace maids and eunuchs. At worst, they could create a major incident.
As long as they didn't rebel, the most severe consequence would be confinement.
However, if they, as ordinary princesses, were unable to manage their female officials and governesses after marriage, or were even controlled by them, then there would be little difference between that and confinement. Therefore, a sense of agency was crucial.
Many people preyed on the weak and feared the strong.
One must not appear weak and easily bullied.
Simultaneously, Ding Yun also taught them not to worry about having a bad reputation. If someone were to spread malicious rumors about them, they wouldn't need to do anything themselves; the Empress or Empress Dowager, for their own benefit, would have to help control the situation.
Even if their reputation was slightly tarnished, it would be insignificant.
Would they still need to worry about marriage?
This was something they absolutely did not need to concern themselves with.
In short, Ding Yun had no intention of making her two daughters into socialites or ladies of refinement, nor did she want them to be women who strictly adhered to the "Three Obediences and Four Virtues" and the "Woman's Precepts."
Having finally managed to be reincarnated with the status of a princess, if they still had to live their lives like puppets, only allowed to do what was permitted, like statues placed on an altar, then what meaning would life hold?
Ding Yun wanted to liberate them from all constraints.
To allow them to be themselves, happy and at ease.
Of course, at the same time, Ding Yun herself did not forget to delve deeper into the functions of the simulated immortal cultivation artifact.
And she diligently cultivated in her free time.
As well as accompanying the Empress Dowager to chat and pass the time.
Initially, it was Ding Yun who listened to Empress Dowager Zhang's confidences. Then, one time, Ding Yun casually told the Empress Dowager a folk tale, and the situation began to change.
The Empress Dowager started summoning Ding Yun whenever she had free time, wanting to hear exciting stories.
Despite being the Empress Dowager, her entertainment options were quite limited. Her days usually consisted of listening to operas, watching plays, reading storybooks, or gossiping. Beyond that, there were no other recreational activities.
Moreover, the operas she listened to and the storybooks she read were subjected to stricter censorship than even the State Administration for Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Vulgar content, stories reflecting the hardships of the common people, and those with tragic endings were all prohibited.
Even "Romance of the Western Chamber" was deemed unsuitable and not allowed.
One could imagine what she was allowed to watch.
Compared to those things, any story Ding Yun casually told would shine brilliantly, making the Empress Dowager yearn for it.
With exciting stories to listen to, why would she bother with complaints and confidences?
Naturally, she would focus intently on listening to the stories.
When Ding Yun entered different worlds, much of her professional knowledge might be blocked, but stories were not considered professional knowledge. Therefore, even if she told stories to Empress Dowager Zhang every day, she didn't have to worry about running out of them. Sometimes, long stories would captivate the Empress Dowager so much that she would forget to eat and sleep, wanting to listen all night.
In the end, if Ding Yun hadn't refused,
The Empress Dowager had even wanted Ding Yun to move in with her.
Or even to sleep side-by-side.
Besides this, the eunuchs and palace maids serving in Cining Palace also often heard Ding Yun tell stories while attending to her, and they spread those stories further.
It could be said that in a very short time,
Ding Yun's reputation as the "Storytelling Queen" spread throughout the entire harem. Furthermore, due to her vast repertoire of wondrous stories, many people speculated that she might have truly achieved immortal cultivation, capable of soul travel, witnessing the myriad worlds and countless tiny worlds, thus knowing so many magical and wonderful stories to recount.
In short, not long after Ding Yun's arrival,
She had become a prominent figure in the harem.
Although Empress Sun was angry, she dared not deliberately target Ding Yun while her influence was at its peak. After all, Empress Dowager Zhang saw Ding Yun every day and listened to her stories. If she were to stir up trouble, the Empress Dowager would immediately know and deal with her accordingly.
Therefore, Empress Sun could only endure.
She was still young, she still had her son, and if she could just endure for a few more years until her son ascended the throne, she would no longer have to tolerate this. It was with this thought that Empress Sun could endure repeatedly.
She turned a blind eye.
Pretending not to see, not to hear.
Of course, this did not mean Empress Sun did nothing. She quickly purged the attendants around Emperor Xuande, forbidding anyone from mentioning the deposition of the Empress and prohibiting anyone from spreading Ding Yun's stories to Emperor Xuande. Anyone who dared to do so would be beaten to death.
Due to her strict control, even though stories about Ding Yun's tales and the possibility of her being a truly cultivated immortal master named Jingci were circulating privately within the harem, Emperor Xuande himself remained unaware. This pleased Empress Sun greatly, as she believed Ding Yun was telling these stories to attract Emperor Xuande's attention.
Now that she had prevented Emperor Xuande from hearing them,
She felt she had won a battle.
But in reality, Ding Yun didn't care at all. When she told these stories, she never considered Emperor Xuande.
She was merely trying to appease Empress Dowager Zhang.
In this harem, the Empress Dowager's authority was ultimately the greatest.
While the Empress Dowager might not be able to interfere much in court affairs, in harem matters, her word was absolute. Regardless of whether it was the Empress or the Emperor, they were junior to the Empress Dowager. If Ding Yun didn't cling to her leg, whose leg would she cling to?
Besides, the Empress Dowager was a good person.
At least Ding Yun felt comfortable interacting with her.
Of course, this might also be because they were no longer in a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship, which naturally made them easier to get along with.
But regardless, Ding Yun was quite satisfied with the current situation where everyone was grudgingly coexisting. This situation was undoubtedly ideal for her to continue "lying low" and cultivating.
To diligently improve her abilities.
After more than a year, Ding Yun began to change the content of the stories she told, gradually ceasing to recount various folk tales or fabricated legends.
Instead, she began to tell stories of immortals, gods, demons, and monsters.
At the same time, she also began to practice辟谷 (abstinence from grains).
The reason was simple: after more than a year of cultivation, she had finally succeeded in reaching a minor accomplishment in her cultivation technique, transforming herself into a Myriad Wood Spiritual Body.
At this point, the spiritual seed within her body had vanished.
Her roots had also disappeared.
Because that spiritual seed had taken root, sprouted, and completely integrated into Ding Yun's body, she no longer needed to absorb sunlight through her hair. Now, any part of her body could absorb sunlight.
By stepping on the earth, she could also absorb its essence.
This was the characteristic of the Myriad Wood Spiritual Body.
Furthermore, her five-elemental spells and physical constitution had made significant progress. In terms of spells, she was now on par with ordinary Golden Core cultivators. Her physical constitution was also comparable to Golden Core-level body refiners. How to describe it?
Taking a bath in a steel furnace would be no problem. While saying she was indestructible might be an exaggeration, ordinary mortal blades and iron weapons would definitely not be able to harm her, that much was certain.
She also enjoyed a lifespan of ten thousand years.
Ordinary Golden Core cultivators only had a lifespan of a thousand years. However, because she cultivated the Myriad Wood Spiritual Body, training herself towards a spiritual plant, and plants naturally lived long lives, it was normal for her lifespan to be extended after her cultivation succeeded.
Living for another million years would not be a problem.
There were also abilities such as a single drop of blood being able to cure all illnesses and prolong life, a single strand of hair transforming into endless green vines capable of defeating an army of thousands, and her mental power being able to bewitch mortals, making them obey her commands.
In short, she could no longer be considered human.
She possessed an abundance of magical abilities.
She no longer had to worry about or fear the oppression and various threats posed by Emperor Xuande's imperial power.
With these abilities, Ding Yun naturally possessed the means for self-preservation and the ability to protect her daughters. Therefore, there was no longer a need to hide excessively.
Telling more stories of immortals, gods, demons, and monsters.
And along with it, demonstrating her ability of 辟谷.
This could indirectly allow Empress Dowager Zhang to discover her miraculousness herself, to realize that she, the deposed Empress, might have obtained some incredible fortune and truly achieved cultivation.
She was already separated from them by a celestial-mortal divide.
But claiming to be an immortal herself wasn't enough.
It was better to let others discover it.
This was why Ding Yun deliberately practiced 辟谷 to attract attention.