The clouds and rain had barely subsided when Xiao Ren, embracing the sweat-drenched Wei Zhu, rested in a pavilion. The surrounding palace attendants had wisely withdrawn.
“Now that the wretched woman can no longer fly, if she has any backbone, she’ll eat the poisoned food and end it all. If she refuses and chooses to cling to life, I want her to suffer a hundred times more despair!”
“Your Majesty, my sister was merely stimulated by General Qiao’s affair, which is why her temperament changed so drastically…”
“You don’t need to speak for her anymore. It’s all her own doing! Alas, you, you are simply too kind. What am I to do with you…”
“Your Majesty… Ah, it hurts so much… Sister was indeed too ruthless. I am covered in injuries, sob sob sob…”
“After that old rascal Qiao Liang dies, I will crown you Empress. My beloved concubine, please endure a while longer…”
The satisfied dog emperor made his grand pronouncements.
“Crack, crack, crackle.”
A clear, loud sound reached their ears, followed by a wave of intoxicatingly fragrant melon seeds drifting towards them. A gust of wind blew, and a single melon seed husk danced in the air, landing squarely on Wei Zhu’s ample bosom.
Qiao Ci’s eyes widened, staring intently.
So voluptuous!
One couldn't tell this when she was dressed normally. Otherwise, she might have been gentler with her when striking.
Tsk, tsk, no wonder the original host lost.
Who wouldn't be dazed by such a magnificent display?
“Ah!” Seeing Qiao Ci squatting lewdly behind a green plant not far from the pavilion, staring at them with gleaming eyes, Wei Zhu screamed, brushing off the melon seed husks from her body and fumbling with her clothes, trying to cover her exposed state.
“How dare you, Qiao Ci! To dare to spy on the imperial body, do you have no shame!” Xiao Ren was also startled. Seeing Qiao Ci made his entire body ache.
Recalling that what she cared about most was her father, he threatened, “Think about the consequences of your actions. Your father is currently in the imperial prison. With just one word from me, your father will die a tragic death!”
Whose father it was, that person would care. The original host hadn't even thought of saving her father, so she was indifferent.
Besides, she hadn't come to do any damned task. She shrugged, her tone relaxed, "Go ahead and kill him."
She inwardly sighed to Little Spoon, youth is truly wonderful. She had been beaten this morning, and the bruises hadn't even faded before she was indulging in pavilion play in the afternoon.
Spoon didn't respond to her banter, reminding her, “Host, I just received a strong wave of resentment from the original host. She wishes to add a condition: she hopes you can save her father’s life and restore his honor.”
“Doesn’t that woman only want male favor and power? Now she remembers she has a father? If she wants to save him, she should come back to life and save him herself,” Qiao Ci retorted to the system in her mind, while secretly glancing at the disheveled pair.
Good heavens, in just a moment of distraction, they had both mostly dressed themselves.
The more Qiao Ci appeared nonchalant, the more Xiao Ren dared not act rashly.
He knew better than anyone how many Imperial Guards he had dispatched to the cold palace.
Now, she could be here, completely unharmed, watching him and his beloved concubine…
She definitely hadn’t eaten the poison he’d given her, and the Imperial Guards monitoring her had likely all been annihilated.
Having lived for so many years, Xiao Ren felt lost for the first time.
Why, after becoming emperor, must he still endure such human tragedies? He had worked diligently, endured hardships, and only then reached this supreme position, only to be completely controlled by an ant he considered his defeated foe. A slight misstep could cost him his life.
Xiao Ren felt stifled, his expression gloomy as he fell silent.
“What are you spacing out about? Continue, is this all the capability you have as an emperor?” Suddenly, Qiao Ci’s ethereal voice rang out.
“Con-continue what?” interrupted in his self-pity, Xiao Ren looked up, confused, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
Be strong, smile.
One does not hit a smiling person.
“Of course, the live… *cough cough*, aren’t you going to kill Qiao… my father? Hurry up then?” Sensing her words were affecting her prestige, Qiao Ci slammed on the brakes, feigning helpfulness, “Oh, right, since you’re playing so openly, everyone around has been dismissed. Shall I call someone to carry out your imperial decree?”
“…Haha, A’Ci, I was joking with you. The Great General served the nation and the people his entire life. There must be a hidden story behind the treasonous act. I will thoroughly investigate this matter later and restore the Great General’s honor.”
Xiao Ren, with a strong survival instinct, quickly assured her.
Now this wretched woman, relying on her superior martial prowess, was fearless. With her ferocious fighting ability and her frenzied state, she might truly commit regicide, an unforgivable act.
Although the former Qiao Ci was uninhibited, she would never have done something as shameless as watching a live scene like this.
Wei Zhu was right; she must have been stimulated by the Great General’s death sentence, but he absolutely could not provoke her further.
Now, not only could he not kill that old scoundrel Qiao Liang, but he had to serve him well, lest Qiao Ci’s rage lead to a “slaughter”!
Qiao Ci had also finished digesting her meal and had even seen a free performance. Ignoring the emperor who was talking to himself and Wei Zhu, who was casting him furious, knife-like glances filled with fear and anger, she didn’t even say goodbye and slowly ambled back to the cold palace.
“Host, don’t be sad. Although Xiao Ren’s body is tainted, you must understand that as an emperor, this is unavoidable. As long as you successfully win him over, you can make him be chaste for you alone from now on. The empresses in the six palaces will pale in comparison, and from then on, the emperor will only favor you…”
“Which eye of yours saw me being sad?” Qiao Ci interrupted Spoon’s words with a look of annoyance. “How desperate would I have to be to fancy a weakling like him? No looks, no physique, no ability. He just called me A’Ci, ptooey~”
The system was bewildered.
Not desperate?
When she first arrived, she was surrounded by a group of young heartthrobs, her eyes sparkling like a sex maniac. It worried her that she couldn’t handle it.
Now, this child of destiny, in terms of looks and physique, was not inferior to those young heartthrobs at all. The host wasn't attracted to him at all and belittled the child of destiny so much, it was definitely because she disliked that he wasn’t clean.
“Host, I can understand you. You must have some lingering feelings in your heart.” Spoon lowered its voice and said lewdly, “When you become the most favored, you can also secretly keep male favorites. We’ll cheat back too. Don’t worry, with this system here, no one will ever find out.”
Qiao Ci’s mouth twitched. She felt this system was a bit nuts.
Entering and exiting the Imperial Garden and returning to the cold palace as if no one was watching, the Imperial Guards had withdrawn for some unknown reason. Looking at the dilapidated cold palace and thinking of the luxurious palaces surrounding the Imperial Garden, Qiao Ci felt that this place was somewhat unworthy of her status.
As she was trying to search through the original host’s memories for a better dwelling, she pushed open the door and sensed a faint, unfamiliar aura… almost imperceptible.
Using her internal energy, she forced open the wardrobe door. Inside, a young man with a weak aura was curled up.
The young man’s eyes were tightly closed, as if plagued by nightmares. His eyelashes, like black crows, trembled slightly. His face was fair, his features delicate, his nose bridge high, and his lips were as tender and pink as a rose…
Slurp, slurp~
Little Spoon muttered to itself:lsp confirmed!
Qiao Ci also felt her reaction was a bit embarrassing. Without acting rashly, she asked the system in her mind what was going on. There was no such person in the original host’s memories.