#1995 - Just complete the task, not enjoy the process
Xiao Ruoqing was speechless for a moment.
How could she answer her father's question? Wouldn't she be utterly mortified?
"Daughter, speak your mind! Your father will stand up for you!"
The Lanling King signaled to the Queen with his eyes that he would support her.
Although he knew the Emperor had slept here last night, he simply didn't believe the Emperor was a man. And even if he were, in matters of the flesh, it was usually the man who gave out first, not leaving his daughter in such a state.
Unless the Emperor had used some means to torment his daughter last night.
"Father, the way you ask… Your daughter doesn't even know how to begin…"
Xiao Ruoqing's face grew redder and redder. She stole glances at the Emperor inside the room and then at the palace maids.
"All of you, leave!"
The Lanling King dismissed the maids, then turned to the "Emperor." He rose and feigned a courtly bow, saying, "Your Majesty, this old minister has some words to say to the Queen in private."
"Lanling King, this is朕's harem.
In the Queen's chambers, what words could you possibly have for the Queen that 朕 cannot hear?
Do you take 朕's harem for your royal manor?
Jun Wuxie's eyes turned slightly cold. This old codger was truly used to being forceful, forgetting who he was dealing with.
Here, he actually wanted him to leave.
Although leaving wouldn't matter, such an attitude would only embolden his arrogance.
"Your Majesty knows that this old minister does not mean that. I merely have some personal words I wish to say to my daughter.
Although Ruoqing is the esteemed Queen of the dynasty, she is still this old minister's daughter after all.
As an aging father, this old minister devotes himself to the dynasty, sparing no effort, and rarely sees his daughter.
Today, I finally have a chance to see her. I implore Your Majesty to grant my request."
Seeing that the Emperor was so firm today, the Lanling King had to soften his tone. It was indeed inconvenient for the Emperor to be present.
"The King is truly devoted to his daughter.
Since that is the case, 朕 should be considerate of my subjects.
Considering the King's earnest plea, 朕 shall allow it."
Jun Wuxie finished speaking, put his hands behind his back, and walked out.
"Nalan Jingyi!"
The Lanling King watched the "Emperor's" departing figure, his eyes filled with icy coldness.
He actually put on imperial airs in front of him, deliberately saying he earnestly pleaded, and even mentioning 'subject' to warn him to remember his place.
"Your throne will not last long.
The Lanling Dynasty's hereditary imperial power will be lost in your generation, and the vast territory of the entire Lanling Province will surely become the property of my Xiao family!"
The Lanling King said in his heart.
Then, he turned and sat by the bed, saying, "Ruoqing, tell Father, did Nalan Jingyi torment you last night?
Is he truly a man?"
"Father, His Majesty is indeed a man, a genuine man.
His Majesty is mighty and strong. He did not torment your daughter…"
"He's actually a man?"
The Lanling King was incredulous. Could it be that the information he had received before was all false?
"He didn't torment you, but why are you so weak?"
The Lanling King's heart was filled with confusion and vexation.
Originally, he had planned that once it was confirmed that Nalan Jingyi was a woman, the plan to seize the throne could be advanced.
As it turned out, Nalan Jingyi was a man.
Why hadn't he allowed his daughter to serve in the imperial bedchamber for so many years?
But last night, he suddenly came and favored his daughter.
"Father, do you have to ask so clearly?
The reason your daughter is like this is because His Majesty is too mighty, and your daughter couldn't bear his favor…
If His Majesty hadn't been considerate of your daughter, she might have died under His Majesty's virility last night…"
Having said that, Xiao Ruoqing's beautiful face was flushed red, even her neck was red, and she pulled up the blanket to cover her face.
"This…"
The Lanling King felt embarrassed, the muscles on his face twitching fiercely.
The Emperor, that kid, looks so delicate, yet he has such abilities?
You should know that his daughter is also a highly talented cultivator, an unparalleled female prodigy of her generation, a powerhouse at the True God Peak Celestial Realm.
Yet in matters of the flesh, she was actually reduced to this state by the Emperor's kid, overturning his imagination.
How strong would one have to be to do that?
"Daughter, you must not fall in love with him just because that kid has manly vigor. You must remember the purpose of your entry into the palace.
You must always pay attention to Nalan Jingyi. Once you have news, you must immediately have someone inform Father.
Although you are now the esteemed Queen, that kid doesn't favor you.
In the future, when Father ascends the throne, you will be the dynasty's most honored princess, and you will surely be much more glorious than you are now."
"Yes, daughter understands."
Xiao Ruoqing replied muffledly from inside the blanket.
"Then you rest well. Father still has matters to attend to and will come to see you again later."
The Lanling King said and stood up.
At this moment, Xiao Ruoqing pulled down the blanket, revealing her eyes, and looked at the Lanling King, saying, "Daughter is weak and powerless and cannot personally see Father off."
"You lie down and recuperate."
The Lanling King left, his face as black as coal the moment he turned around.
Things had not developed as he had expected.
It seemed that seizing the throne would have to be postponed.
Now, even if he launched a coup, it would not be justified.
Moreover, the Emperor held two of the dynasty's most elite armies in his hands.
He had to find a way to disintegrate those two elite armies.
Otherwise, if he used force, his army would inevitably pay a huge price, causing the entire dynasty's military strength to suffer a heavy blow.
By then, even if he ascended the throne, he would have an extremely headache-inducing mess to clean up.
If the dynasty suffered internal strife and the army was weakened after the change of emperors, how could the dynasties of other provinces miss the opportunity? They would probably gather their forces at the fastest speed and launch an offensive against the dynasty's borders.
For a long time, although he had secretly cooperated with the Langya Dynasty's border army, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
At least he could benefit from it.
But once the dynasty's military strength declined and other dynasties attacked, he would not only not benefit but would even suffer huge losses as a result.
"Your Majesty."
After the Lanling King left, several palace maids entered the Queen's chambers.
"All of you leave. This consort wants to rest."
"Yes."
The palace maids silently withdrew, closing the door.
There was no one else in the chamber.
Xiao Ruoqing looked at the carved flower canopy, slightly lost in thought.
The slender hand she was holding the edge of the blanket with would sometimes tighten and sometimes relax.
At this moment, her beautiful eyes became somewhat eerie.
The black pupils in her eyes gradually overlapped, flashing with a strange light.
No one knew her secret: she possessed double pupils.
Her double pupils had awakened when she was young.
But her mother had told her not to tell anyone, including her father.
To this day, she had never shown her double pupils in front of anyone.
Her mother had passed away when she was a teenager.
Her father had said that her mother had died at the hands of experts from other provinces.
But she didn't quite believe this.
When she was very young, she had accidentally overheard her mother and father arguing. Their relationship wasn't so harmonious.
She was actually very clear that her father did love her, but in her father's heart, there were more important people or things than her.
For example, her father's so-called grand ambitions, and the positions of her older and younger brothers in her father's heart were far more important than hers.
Her family had obtained a secret technique from ancient times that allowed them to strip others of their bloodlines for their own use.
This secret technique was much more sophisticated than ordinary stripping and fusion methods, greatly reducing various negative effects and allowing the acquired bloodline to be better integrated.
When she was a child, she didn't know why her mother wanted her to hide the fact that she possessed the double pupil bloodline from her father.
Later, she slowly understood.
Although her heart was unwilling to accept it, she knew that once her father knew she possessed the double pupil bloodline, he would most likely strip her of her double pupil bloodline and give it to her older or younger brother to fuse with.
Her father intended to seize imperial power, even to rule the entire world.
Whether it was her older or younger brother, they could become her father's inheritors, but she couldn't, simply because she was a woman.
Therefore, for the sake of his ambitions, her father didn't ask for her consent and wanted her to enter the palace.
Her heart rejected this.
Because she didn't like the current Emperor.
Until last night, the Emperor came to her chamber.
She saw a different "Emperor."
Therefore, without much inner struggle, she willingly offered her virginity.
If she hadn't been born with double pupils, she might have had difficulty discovering that the Emperor last night was not the Emperor.
That man favored by the heavens became her first man last night.
She didn't know why Jun Wuxie wanted to help the Emperor put on this act.
But none of that mattered.
Only that man deserved to gain the approval of the proud her.
From childhood to adulthood, she had seen too many imperial geniuses.
However, no one could compare to that man favored by the heavens.
That day, when the Heavenly Gift Divine Hall released the rankings, the moment she saw his appearance, her heart inexplicably beat faster.
At that time, she was thinking that if there really was such a thing as love at first sight in this world, perhaps that was the feeling at that time.
Sometimes even she herself felt it was absurd.
She would actually fall in love at first sight with a man from the outside world whom she had never understood or even met in such an instant.
In any case, her body had already been deeply branded by him and had completely and utterly belonged to him.
Although he might not have any feelings for her, that would not change her inner intentions and thoughts.
"If I guessed correctly, he is going to join hands with the Emperor to deal with my Lanling King's mansion.
Perhaps he can help me get rid of this nightmare and truly have freedom."
But I also don't want to see him and Father in a life-or-death struggle.
What should I do… … ”
Although she wanted to break free from the bonds of the Lanling Prince's Mansion, and although she knew that her father would sacrifice her for his own ambitions.
But that was, after all, her own father.
If one day in the future, the man she admired and her father reached the point of no return… …
Crystalline tears flowed from her妖异之美's heterochromatic eyes, sliding down her cheeks and soaking the pillow.
… …
Inside the Imperial Palace, in the Imperial Study.
The Empress Nalan Jingyi listened to Feng Ling recount what happened earlier, her eyes looking unkindly at Jun Wuxie beside her.
“Young Master Jun is truly heroic and unparalleled, actually leaving Xiao Ruoqing without even the strength to get out of bed. You guys had quite the wild night last night.”
“I say, Your Majesty, can’t you speak without being sarcastic?”
Jun Wuxie plopped down on the table and said, “You’re the one who wanted me to help, and I worked hard all night for it, but you don’t even say thank you. Instead, you’re sarcastic as soon as we meet.
What’s the meaning of this?”
“Are you sure it was working hard all night, and not indulging in pleasure all night?”
Empress Nalan Jingyi glanced at him with a slight sneer.
Jun Wuxie was speechless. He looked at Feng Ling and said, “Feng Ling, quickly summon the imperial physician.”
“Why summon the imperial physician?”
Feng Ling looked at him blankly.
“To see if your Empress’s brain is fried.”
“You dare say this to the Emperor… …”
Nalan Jingyi casually drew the sword from Feng Ling's hand. With a clang, the sword sang, and the sword light flashed like a startled swan.
In an instant, the sword was placed on Jun Wuxie's neck.
“You’re being unreasonable! Why are you resorting to violence all of a sudden?”
Jun Wuxie lowered his eyes and glanced at the sword on his neck. “Stop it, move the sword away.”
“It’s not impossible for this Emperor to sheathe the sword, but you must promise this Emperor that the next time you go to find Xiao Ruoqing, you are only allowed to complete the task, and not allowed to enjoy the process!”
“What do you mean by not being allowed to enjoy the process? Or, why don’t you demonstrate how I should do it?”
Nalan Jingyi's face flushed slightly, and she said, “What this Emperor means is that you cannot be addicted to her gentle charms, and you cannot develop feelings for Xiao Ruoqing. She is the daughter of the Lanling King!”
“Since the Empress distrusts me so much, why did you ask me to help you? You can do this yourself in the future. You can do whatever you want.”
“I… … If this Emperor could do it herself, would there be a need for you to take her place?”
Nalan Jingyi said angrily.
“Your Majesty, I will say it one last time, move the sword away from my neck.”
Jun Wuxie’s voice was slightly cold, and so was his gaze.
Nalan Jingyi still wanted to argue, but when she saw his eyes, for some reason, her heart skipped a beat.
“You… … You did something wrong yourself, and you still dare to be fierce with this Emperor!”
She said, but she sheathed the sword and returned it to Feng Ling's scabbard.
Throughout the entire process, Feng Ling's heart was hanging.
A man favored by the heavens, such an outstanding person, his heart must be extremely proud.
The Emperor placing the sword on Young Master Jun's neck would definitely make him angry. She was really afraid that Young Master Jun would teach the Emperor a lesson.
At that time, what should she do? Help the Emperor deal with Young Master Jun?
“Your Majesty, I hope you remember that there should be no similar behavior in the future.
I am not your enemy, so don't point a sword at me, and don't put a weapon on my neck.
If you do it again, I will assume that you treat me as an enemy.
That's all I have to say.”
After speaking, he turned and walked out of the Imperial Study.
“Feng Ling, come out here for a moment.”
Walking to the door of the Imperial Study, he called out.
Feng Ling looked at the angry Emperor, and then hurriedly walked out of the Imperial Study.
“Feng Ling, whose guard are you anyway? He tells you to go out and you go out?”
Nalan Jingyi said irritably.
“Your Majesty, Young Master Jun might have something important… …”
Nalan Jingyi stopped talking and made a gesture for her to go.
Outside the Imperial Study, Jun Wuxie took Feng Ling to a deserted place.
Seeing him so mysterious, Feng Ling was about to speak when she saw him inject a golden talisman into her body.
“This is… … what? What terrifying slaughter!”
She was shocked. The slaughter contained within the talisman in her body made her feel terrified.
It was too terrifying.
She believed that if the slaughter of this talisman were released, she would not even have the ability to resist!
“This is the Martial Dao Slaughter Talisman I condensed. When I am not in the Imperial Palace, it will help you resist any danger that you cannot handle.”
Feng Ling was stunned and hurriedly said, “Is Young Master Jun leaving? Didn’t you promise Her Majesty that you would protect her?”
“I am free. Don’t you really think that I am her guard and must stay by her side 24 hours a day?”
“No, Feng Ling didn’t mean that. Young Master Jun, don’t misunderstand… …”
Feng Ling hurriedly explained, losing the heroic and aloof air she had in front of others.
She knew very well that she had no capital to be arrogant in front of this man.
Just the slaughter talisman he condensed casually was already far superior to her.
This was a person worthy of her looking up to.
His realm didn't seem to be very high, which she could sense, but his strength was beyond imagination, subverting her understanding.
“I will be back at dusk.”
Jun Wuxie left after saying these words.
“He must be angry.”
Looking at his departing figure, Feng Ling let out a helpless sigh.
Today, Her Majesty's behavior was really a bit too much, clearly being unreasonable.
