Returning to the office and submitting the imprints from two worlds, Ding Yun smoothly received two rewards, along with a piece of not-so-good news.
The new universe exploration mission had concluded. The days of making quick money were over.
Everyone involved in the exploration mission was granted a paid leave of half a month. Regardless of their original department, they were to take this time to relax and recuperate, so they could return to their normal duties with a balanced mindset. This was to prevent them from finding their regular salaries too low after experiencing the quick earnings and consequently struggling to maintain their mental equilibrium while working.
Taking advantage of this rare paid leave, Ding Yun naturally visited the Soul Therapy Center. She addressed some of her minor psychological issues and underwent a soul soothing and memory clearing service. This involved a comprehensive review and organization of the vast, star-sea-like memories in her mind. Unimportant memories were completely deleted. Only knowledge-based memories and those pertaining to her core self remained untouched. While other memories were not entirely erased, about eighty percent were deleted. This was to ensure she retained sufficient experience to avoid being easily deceived or tricked in new worlds, which was deemed sufficient for her needs.
Afterward, Ding Yun traveled to several tourist planets for leisure, spent a few days with her mother, to the point of her mother becoming annoyed, and then finally returned to her post.
She randomly selected a new golden finger and a new world.
...
As soon as she entered the new body, Ding Yun sensed a heavy aura of decay and decline. She could also perceive the body's depleted vital energy and weakened internal organs, clearly indicative of extreme old age and natural death.
Therefore, she did not rush to integrate with the original host. Instead, she first used her mental power to survey her surroundings. Once she confirmed that no one was nearby, she rapidly merged with the original host.
She then used her mental power to activate the host's residual life force, dispelling the aura of decay and decline. This brought a semblance of vitality back to the original host's body, just enough to prolong life for another month or so.
She didn't hurry to extend its lifespan. Instead, she first reviewed the original host's memories.
The original host was born into a family of minor officials in the imperial capital. At the age of twelve, she entered the palace through the imperial concubine selection process. After a period of study and assessment, she was successfully selected and became a second-class palace maid in the Biying Palace, responsible for fetching food from the imperial kitchen.
At fifteen, she was promoted to first-class palace maid.
At seventeen, she managed to catch the eye of Emperor Jianwu through the efforts of Consort Yu, who resided in Biying Palace and had fallen out of favor. She was summoned for an audience and intimacy.
The next day, she was elevated to the rank of *Cainü* (采女), a ninth-rank position.
However, she received no further favor. She did not conceive and remained without imperial affection. Even Consort Yu found her useless and sent her away to a side hall, no longer paying her any mind. Consort Yu then selected several other palace maids, intending to repeat her scheme to regain favor.
At twenty, during Emperor Jianwu's sixtieth birthday, in his jubilant mood, he decreed that all low-ranking concubines in the palace be promoted by one rank. The original host was thus promoted to *Yü Nü* (御女), a seventh-rank position.
At twenty-one, Emperor Jianwu passed away. The Crown Prince ascended the throne, changing the reign title to Hongqing. As per custom, he elevated his father's concubines to the status of Grand Concubine and Grand Consort. The low-ranking Grand Concubines and Consorts were further promoted by one rank. The original host was promoted to *Tai Baolin* (太宝林), a sixth-rank position.
Yet, she remained a low-ranking concubine. Her living standards even declined, as Biying Palace was to be allocated to the new Emperor's consorts. Even Grand Consort Yu, who previously resided there, had to move to the palaces designated for Grand Concubines and Consorts, and was only given a small side hall. The original host, of course, could not expect a better dwelling, and was allocated a single room along with a junior palace maid.
The only fortunate aspect was that no one specifically targeted her, and the eunuchs were hesitant to be overly harsh. At least she had enough to eat and a place to live.
At twenty-nine, Emperor Hongqing passed away. The third prince ascended the throne. Due to his poor health, he specifically changed the reign title to Changchun. Following custom, he enfelegantly promoted a host of Grand Concubines and Consorts. The original host was promoted to *Tai Cairen* (太才人), a fifth-rank position.
At forty-nine, Emperor Changchun fell gravely ill. In a special decree for good fortune, the harem was again elevated. The original host was promoted to *Tai Meiren* (太美人), a fourth-rank position.
At fifty, Emperor Changchun passed away. The six princes engaged in a power struggle in the imperial capital. Eventually, the ninth prince emerged victorious after eliminating his five brothers and formally ascended the throne. While reviewing the promotion list for the harem's Grand Concubines and Consorts, he noticed that among those of the original host's generation, she was the only one still alive. Furthermore, having just killed five brothers, demonstrating filial piety and brotherly love was difficult. He could only exhibit filial devotion, and thus directly promoted the original host to the title of Reverend Grand Consort (敬太妃).
A multitude of honorific titles were bestowed upon her, effectively enshrining her as a figurehead. The reign title was changed to Demao.
At sixty-four, Emperor Demao died of illness. The third prince, still a child, ascended the throne, and his birth mother, Empress Dowager Zhang, governed from behind the curtain. The elder concubines in the harem did not receive further promotions. The reign title was changed to Shengrong.
At seventy-nine, Emperor Shengrong died of a cough that produced blood. His younger brother succeeded him, changing the reign title to Dingding. He vigorously curtailed the power of feudal lords. In the same year, the six kings rebelled, plunging the realm into chaos. Due to the widespread turmoil, the elder concubines in the harem still did not receive promotions.
At eighty-nine: The great-grandson of Emperor Jianwu's sixth son, Prince Jin'an, swept across the land, breaching the imperial capital. Emperor Dingding immolated himself. Prince Jin'an pacified the capital and formally ascended the throne.
At ninety: Emperor Jin'an investigated the imperial harem and discovered the original host, a living concubine of Emperor Taizong Jianwu. He dared not show any disrespect and, before his own grand harem promotions, specifically elevated the original host to the position of Reverend Grand Consort of Taizong, Desheng Changsheng (太宗德圣长生贵太妃). This was the highest possible rank. There was no precedent for a childless Grand Consort to become Empress Dowager.
In addition, as Emperor Jin'an's birth mother and maternal grandmother had both passed away, and there were no other close elder female relatives in the harem, he specially favored the original host. He elevated her to the status of Reverend Grand Consort, granting her the treatment of a Supreme Grand Empress Dowager. Harem consorts and imperial consorts from the court were required to pay their respects to her first before visiting the Empress. Even the Empress had to perform courtesies typically rendered to a younger generation by an elder. This was due to her seniority. Emperor Jin'an was Emperor Jianwu's great-grandson, and the original host was a woman of Emperor Jianwu, placing her in the generation of the founding emperor's ancestors. She would typically be enshrined in a temple. However, since the original host was still alive, he naturally showed her great respect.
More importantly, by honoring the original host, a consort of Emperor Jianwu, he could, to a certain extent, demonstrate his legitimate claim to the throne and strengthen his connection with Emperor Taizong. The original host, being shrewd, willingly lent her support, endorsing his succession. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
It could be said that the original host had lived a life of insignificance for most of her existence. It wasn't until she reached ninety years old that she finally gained some status and respect, experiencing what it meant to have a multitude of servants at her beck and call, able to eat whatever she desired, rather than being confined to whatever was brought to her.
As for why the original host died, it was truly no one else's fault. Eleven years had passed since the original host became Reverend Grand Consort. After her hundredth birthday celebration, she had enjoyed immense wealth and luxury. Her diet, compared to the simple fare of the past, had indeed become slightly richer and more oily. Her death at the age of one hundred and one was entirely normal.
The original host's only dying wish was a regret that she had ultimately failed to reach the pinnacle of female status. To her death, she remained a Reverend Grand Consort, unable to be buried in the imperial mausoleum or enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Upon finishing the review of memories, Ding Yun quickly examined her randomly assigned golden finger, wanting to see if it could be used on her current body. If so, she would use it immediately. Otherwise, she would have to look through her soul space for something useful.
[High-Quality Replica Life Bottle]
"As the name suggests, this is a replica crafted in imitation of the divine artifact, the Life Bottle, belonging to the goddess Gaia. It contains an infinite space, holding the seeds of all things and the water of life.
The seeds of all things can generate the embryonic seeds of all creations. Gaia once used this to create life.
The water of life can nourish all things and promote growth. Gaia once used this to bestow life.
Note that the genuine article can create gods and all things at the level of upper, middle, and lower gods. The water of life has a certain nourishing and restorative effect even on True Gods.
This high-quality replica possesses only one-thousandth the efficacy of the genuine article! It cannot reach the level of immortals and gods!"