The first battle was won!

Though she had only dealt with a minor eunuch, the significance was profound.

Not only had she gained initial Fortune and Points, more importantly, she had established her authority!

She had sent a message to every sycophant and opportunist in this palace: Li Qinghuan was no longer the powerless, meek girl to be trampled upon!

Her gaze fell upon the trembling young maid, the white [5] above her head shimmering faintly.

"What is your name?" Li Qinghuan asked, her tone softening slightly.

"This… this lowly maid is… Tian Xiang," the girl stammered.

Tian Xiang?

In the original host's memories, this was a name her mother had given her, evoking the scholarly ideal of a 'sleeve adding fragrance.' After her mother's fall from grace, her old servants were scattered or dead. This Tian Xiang, being young and without backing, was relegated here to do menial work.

"Tian Xiang," Li Qinghuan looked at her. "From today, you will serve as my personal attendant."

Tian Xiang stared, dumbfounded.

Personal attendant? Her Highness is… promoting her?

"Is that unwilling?"

"Willing! This maid is willing!" Tian Xiang dropped to her knees, kowtowing. "This maid will serve Your Highness with all her heart and soul!"

Though frightened, she knew this was her only chance to change her destiny. She had witnessed the transformation in her mistress today.

[Ding! Successfully subdued target 'Maid Tian Xiang.' As her allegiance is voluntary, host can slowly siphon a portion of her Fortune as feedback. (Note: The higher the loyalty, the stronger the feedback. If her Fortune rises, the host also benefits.)]

An additional benefit? Li Qinghuan's eyebrow arched slightly.

It seemed building her own faction was crucial.

"Rise. First, throw this garbage out." Li Qinghuan pointed at the 'trash' left by Xiao Luzi. "Then, tidy these chambers."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Tian Xiang scrambled up, setting to work with newfound vigor.

Li Qinghuan turned and walked back into the frigid hall, closing the door against the biting wind.

She summoned the system interface.

A semi-transparent screen materialized before her eyes, listing several options:

[Personal Info], [Fortune Plunder], [System Shop], [Mission Log].

She first tapped [Personal Info].

Host: Li Qinghuan

Status: First Princess of the Great Tang (Fallen from Grace)

Physique: 8 (Sickly Frail)

Spirit: 15 (Sharply Perceptive)

Fortune: -76 (Cursed & Unlucky)

Skills: Eyes of Fortune (Primary)

Villain Points: 330

Evaluation: A wretch who just narrowly escaped death's door, yet seems to have found a sliver of courage to fight back? The path ahead remains arduous. Continue to plunder Fortune!

Ignoring the slightly mocking evaluation, she opened the [System Shop].

The shop was filled with a dazzling array of items, neatly categorized:

[Pills & Talismans], [Cultivation Manuals & Techniques], [Rare Treasures], [Skills & Talents], [Power & Wealth], [Special Items], and more.

Most of what she could currently afford was in the lowest-tier section.

[Body Tempering Pill (Basic)]: Slightly improves Physique. Cost: 50 Points.

[Basic Qi Circulation Art]: A common, bottom-tier method for sensing Qi. Better than nothing. Cost: 100 Points.

[Ten Taels of Silver]: Shiny metal currency. Cost: 1 Point.

[Mind-Fog Incense (One-time use)]: Causes mental confusion in ordinary people, making them answer questions truthfully. Cost: 200 Points.

[Hex of Misfortune (Flawed)]: Use on a target with Fortune <50 to cause a string of bad luck for 12 hours. Success rate depends on target's Fortune. Cost: 300 Points.

There were many items, but the prices were steep for her current means.

Her eyes lingered on the [Body Tempering Pill] and the [Basic Qi Circulation Art].

The body is the capital of revolution, she thought, and this one was far too weak.

Furthermore, this world didn't seem to be a purely mundane ancient setting. Perhaps martial arts, or even cultivation, existed?

Although the system disparaged the Qi Circulation Art as 'common,' for her, it might be a starting point.

After a moment's consideration, she spent 50 Points on the [Body Tempering Pill] and 100 Points on the [Basic Qi Circulation Art].

Two points of light dropped into her hands. One was a brown pill the size of a longan, emitting a faint medicinal scent. The other was a thin booklet made of an unidentifiable material.