Winning Over the Imperial Preceptor Through Thangka Painting

【Strong heroine + wholly devoted to her ambitions, balancing cultivation and political strategy.】 When Ningzhou fell, the Bai family was branded traitors. Overnight, Bai Zeqing went from a noblewoman to a prisoner. She refused to accept her fate. A down-and-out Daoist stole her from the prison camp over a wooden carving. Then he swindled her out of three thousand taels… six thousand taels… twelve thousand taels… Might as well give up. There’s no way I can pay him back anyway. Since she already owed him money, she might as well learn something, so she began cultivating under the Daoist while finding ways to make money. … The Art of War of the Sage? Master, how did you get a military manual? Oh, a little friend gave it to me… His name was Sun Wu. The legendary god of war from the previous dynasty was… a little friend??? The Compendium of Puppetcraft? Master, what’s this? You can even make mechanical crossbows with it? The Art of Mountain Medicine, Astrology, and Divination? The Mirror-Breaking Technique? The Illustrated Guide to Thangkas? An Introduction to the Way of Go? What on earth is that! Master, your real identity wouldn’t happen to be… A seller of bootleg books, would it? Her training was complete, and the plan was in motion! The wind was rising, and harvest season had arrived. The greatest mechanical thangka artist in the land, the finest puppetcraft master, heir to the Five Esoteric Arts… Bai Zeqing was now qualified to challenge the person in that position: the silver-masked figure who prayed for the people. She would take their place, become a trusted confidante of the emperor, and serve as the empire’s grand preceptor. For once, her master was serious: Let go of hatred and sever your ties to the mortal world. Only then can you help all under heaven and attain the Great Way. Bai Zeqing: I’m just an ordinary mortal. I can’t worry about everyone under heaven. My Great Way is doing whatever lets me sleep at night! Bai Zeqing: Sob, sob… Master doesn’t want me anymore.