Chapter 442: Indeed passionate, passionate enough to roll in the sheets!
After spending a week, Lin Beifan finally arrived in the capital city of Great Wu.
On the previous day, Lin Beifan immediately entered the palace to meet the Empress. The Empress looked at Lin Beifan with a mixed expression and said, “Prime Minister, you finally decided to go home!”
Lin Beifan was puzzled and asked, “Your Majesty, what do you mean?”
The Empress angrily said, “Prime Minister, look at yourself. From the time you left the capital until now, it’s been a month and a half! According to the protocol, after participating in the Slanted Moon Restoration Ceremony, you should have returned. But you delayed for half a month. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Lin Beifan sighed and said, “Your Majesty, it’s because of Empress Ziyue’s enthusiasm! She was so grateful for my assistance and the help of Great Wu that she insisted on keeping me there for several days, treating me hospitably. I had no choice.”
The Empress chuckled coldly and said inwardly, “Yes, indeed, enthusiasm, enthusiasm enough to roll in the bed!”
Lin Beifan felt extremely anxious. The thing he had been worried about had indeed happened.
The Empress seemed to know something!
Next, the Empress’s words confirmed his thoughts. “Don’t think I don’t know. That Ziyue Empress, she used to be the top courtesan in the capital, and at the same time, she’s your lover, Ziyue Lady, isn’t she?” The Empress questioned.
Lin Beifan became even more panicked; the Empress indeed knew! His relationship with Ziyue Empress, to put it mildly, was a mutual affection, but to put it bluntly, it was treason!
After all, he was a high-ranking official of Great Wu, and she was a princess of another country, both with sensitive identities. Their involvement could not help but raise suspicions.
Now that it was out in the open, what should he do next? Lin Beifan’s first thought was to escape!
The Empress continued angrily, “You two have really done well, conspiring behind my back!”
Lin Beifan squinted and said, “Your Majesty, that’s a bit unfair! In fact, it was me who established the relationship with her first, you came later!”
The Empress, infuriated, said, “You dare to argue?”
Lin Beifan straightened his neck and boldly said, “Your Majesty, now that you already know about my relationship with Ziyue Empress, whether you want to kill me or punish me, I won’t frown!”
“Very well… this is what you said!” The Empress pointed at Lin Beifan and said with anger, “I’ll punish you… I’ll punish you…” Looking at the Empress’s angry expression, Lin Beifan felt extremely uneasy, and his emotions were in turmoil. Could it be that our relationship is over now?
Although he had imagined many times in the past the scene of running away.
However, there has never been such a strong reluctance before. It’s not that I can’t bear to part with wealth, high rank, and riches; it’s that I can’t bear to part with the person in front of me!
Should I abandon my wicked ways and completely submit to her? Just then, the Empress’s finger pointed to the high stack of memorials on the nearby desk and said, “I will punish you. In the next week, you must review these memorials for me, and you are not allowed to leave until they are all corrected.”
Lin Beifan: “Huh?”
Lin Beifan was utterly baffled. He had prepared to escape, even contemplated releasing his inner evil and taking a forceful approach, but now the Empress was punishing him by… reviewing memorials? And he couldn’t leave until he finished them? What kind of punishment was this? It was just his daily work, right? It was just a hint of the 996 working hours!
Lin Beifan blinked, “Is that it?”
“Isn’t it enough?” the Empress said with irritation. “Should I add another week?”
Lin Beifan hastily waved his hand, “No, no, no… It’s definitely enough! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your leniency. I will give my all to complete this task.”
“Now that you know, why aren’t you getting to work?” The Empress stood up, somewhat impatient.
“Oh… alright, I’ll get to it!” So, Lin Beifan embarked on the daunting task of handling state affairs once again. There were so many memorials, piled up on his desk and strewn across the floor. It made his head spin. Lin Beifan suspected that these memorials were deliberately left for him to handle as a punishment for showing leniency during the Slanted Moon Ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Empress was in the adjacent room, selecting jewelry for the upcoming grand wedding. She personally examined every piece of jewelry and scrutinized every little detail until she was satisfied. Although it seemed like a meticulous process, the Empress found joy in it, and a faint, blissful smile adorned her face, the smile of a contented woman.
Seeing her, Lin Beifan couldn’t help but feel his heart sway, and he walked over.
The Empress glared at him and asked, “Have you finished correcting the memorials?”
Lin Beifan shook his head, “Not yet.”
“Then why aren’t you continuing? Let me make it clear, if you don’t finish, I won’t let you leave!” the Empress huffed.
With two delicate golden hairpins in her hands, she was comparing them to see which one looked better for the wedding. Which one would be more suitable for the occasion.
Lin Beifan sat down and looked at the Empress sincerely, saying, “Your Majesty, you look truly beautiful!” This sudden expression of affection caught the Empress off guard, and her cheeks turned red in an instant.
Although her heart was secretly delighted, she bit her lip and retorted, “Honeyed words, smooth talk! Let me tell you, I’m not as easily fooled as those naive young girls who know nothing about the world!”
Lin Beifan felt a bit wronged and said, “Your Majesty, who else could I possibly deceive? Even my relationship with Ziyue Empress is known to you. In this lifetime… I can’t escape your grasp!”
The Empress smirked triumphantly, “Indeed! Under the heavens, there is no one who understands you better than I do! Alright, my dear, come help me decide which hairpin is suitable for the wedding day.”
“I would be delighted to assist, my beloved Majesty!” Lin Beifan immediately moved closer, one hand on the Empress’s slender waist, and the other helping her select a hairpin. The Empress leaned her head against Lin Beifan’s shoulder, her smile even more radiant.
At this moment, Great Wu remained peaceful and prosperous, thanks to the alliance between the Slanted Moon Dynasty and Great Wu. But in other regions, chaos and turmoil still prevailed.
At this time, shocking news came from Great Xia: Great Xia’s Crown Prince, Xia Tianqiong, had successfully returned to Great Xia.
Initially, his influence in the court had been largely divided among others. However, he unexpectedly possessed a mysterious power in the background. This power, aside from a few individuals, remained unknown to all.
It was a secret power left to him by the Great Xia Emperor, hidden away and not easily used. This power was secretive but formidable.
The Great Xia Crown Prince had successfully returned to Great Xia thanks to this power. Upon his return, he immediately embarked on a bloody path of slaughter. Anyone who defied him, resisted him, regardless of their status, background, even if they were royal relatives or close siblings, he mercilessly slaughtered them.
In one palace, the Crown Prince of Great Xia, dressed in a dragon robe, looked at the bloody corpses scattered everywhere. He yelled angrily at the young man in black armor in front of him, “Brother, am I not your own flesh and blood? Are you going to kill me too?”
“Of course! When the ruler breaks the law, he shares the same guilt as the common people!” Xia Tianqiong shouted, “Have I done anything wrong?”
“Heh, still unrepentant?” Xia Tianqiong’s gaze was extremely cold. “Our Great Xia has fallen to this state because you and others disregarded the country’s interests, fought for power and profit! All of you are traitors, all of you are scoundrels who bring disaster to the nation and the people, all of you deserve to die! Only by killing all of you can Great Xia see the dawn!”
The Great Xia Crown Prince yelled, “Xia Tianqiong, for your cruelty, you will face retribution!”
“Cruelty? Retribution?” Xia Tianqiong gave a desolate smile. “I’ve long stopped caring about that! For the sake of Great Xia, even if I fall into an endless hell, so be it.”
With a gentle wave of his hand, he ordered, “Kill them all! Leave no one behind!”
“Yes, Your Highness!” A group of black-armored men rushed in and continued the slaughter. They spared no one, not even a prince.
When Xia Tianqiong left, there was hardly anyone left in the entire palace, not even a single one of the 730 living beings. Xia Tianqiong continued leading his forces, and the entire capital city became a scene of carnage.
No one had expected that the returning Great Xia Crown Prince would be so ruthless. Not only did he control a terrifying power, but he had also become even more brutal, sparing no one. In just a few days, he had decimated the high-ranking officials and nobility of the capital city, leaving tens of thousands of heads rolling.
The entire city was permeated with a strong smell of blood, making people nauseous. Great Xia had descended into even greater chaos.
The fugitive princes and royal figures, who had previously been governing independently and fighting amongst themselves, had now united to confront Xia Tianqiong.
“The Great Xia Crown Prince has fallen into darkness and is unworthy of being the crown prince!”
“Yes, the Crown Prince is cruel and tyrannical. Great Xia is in danger under his rule!”
“I will unite with you all! First, we must defeat Xia Tianqiong and then contend for the throne!”
“I strongly agree!”
They formed a million-strong coalition army and advanced toward the capital city.
Xia Tianqiong showed no fear. Although he had only 200,000 troops, each one was valiant and skilled in battle. They defended the Great Xia capital against enemies from all directions.
Inside the palace, an elderly advisor bowed and said with great concern, “Your Highness, various vassal lords are leading a million-strong army, and their momentum is fierce. We should consider a temporary retreat. Preserve the green hills; we’re not afraid of having no firewood.”
Xia Tianqiong sighed, “Teacher, I understand your intentions, but we don’t have much time left. Great Xia cannot afford further division, or the risk of losing the country. We must swiftly resolve this chaos in one fell swoop.”
“But…” the elderly advisor hesitated.
Xia Tianqiong waved his hand decisively, “Teacher, there’s no need for further discussion. I have my own arrangements.”
The elderly advisor sighed deeply and refrained from further persuasion.
Looking at the Crown Prince, who had been by his side for over a decade, it seemed that he had changed since his return. But at the same time, he hadn’t changed at all.
