Chapter 81: Almost Forgot She Was a Woman
Xie Liuzheng looked to her left: the Regent King wore a feigned expression of pain and distress, but his eyes held a doting smile, his affection practically overflowing.
Then she looked to her right: the Little Emperor, believing his revenge had succeeded, was so smug he was practically preening—so wicked, and so beautiful.
One was making a fuss, the other was smiling.
’Aaaah, the black-bellied Regent King top and the tsundere Emperor bottom, I ship them so hard!’
Xiao Yang was startled by the excitement in her voice. Once she understood what Xie Liuzheng meant, she immediately wanted to protest. ’I’m not the bottom, I’d definitely be the one on top!’
Then her brain short-circuited: ’I almost forgot I’m a woman.’
’No, that’s not right. Rong Yin and I don’t have that kind of relationship at all!!’
Catching sight of Xie Liuzheng’s dazed expression, completely lost in her shipping fantasies, Xiao Yang sighed in resignation. Forget it. It wasn’t worth arguing with a silly young girl like her.
She pointed toward the cell. "Xie Liuzheng, do you want to go in and keep him company?"
’I remember that Xie Liuzheng is supposed to be winning over Rong Yin,’ she thought. ’I don’t mind giving her an opportunity.’
’If Xie Liuzheng managed to handle Rong Yin and turn him straight, it would be a great service to the world.’
Xie Liuzheng’s head instantly shook like a pellet drum, her entire body recoiling in resistance. "No way. Absolutely not."
’What a joke. Who would want to be in prison? Especially with the main villain! I haven’t had nearly enough of the good life yet.’
"Your Majesty."
Xu Xingchen entered, his gaze fixed squarely on Xiao Yang.
Xiao Yang turned to look at him, her entire demeanor softening instantly. "Why are you still here?"
Xu Xingchen drew closer, blinking. "I heard Your Majesty had arrived, so I came to see. Are there any further issues with the case?"
Xiao Yang said, "No issues. You rendered a great service today. What reward would you like?"
Xu Xingchen shook his head and said sincerely, "Your Majesty’s trust in me is already the greatest reward."
He spoke from the heart.
’To many people, a deduction without supporting evidence is just nonsense.’
’His interests were peculiar. The Xu Family, even his own parents, didn’t approve of him; they even thought he was possessed.’
’His grandfather was the most tolerant person in the family, but that was tolerance, not understanding or trust. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have repeatedly tried to stop him from seeking the truth.’
’But Your Majesty had.’
’Could this be why his grandfather entrusted him to Your Majesty?’
When Xu Xingchen was being obedient, he was truly endearing. Xiao Yang reached out and casually patted his head. "I know you’re very clever. Keep up the good work, and I won’t treat you unfairly."
Xu Xingchen’s eyes sparkled. ’Your Majesty praised me! I want to take Your Majesty home and hide her away! Hide her away!’
’Xie Liuzheng looked at the Emperor with her doting gaze, and then at Xu Xingchen, who resembled a starry-eyed puppy. The Emperor and her loyal little puppy... also a great ship!’
Her gaze shifted—’Whoa, the Regent King looks terrifying. He’s about to go dark!’
’That sinister gaze, that expression so frosty it could shatter... He’s jealous! He’s totally jealous!’
’I’d bet two steamed buns on it: the Regent King definitely liked the Emperor!’
’My ship is real!’
Xiao Yang had deigned to visit the Heavenly Prison for the sole purpose of causing trouble for the Regent King. Having accomplished her goal, she didn’t want to stay a moment longer and left with her people.
SLAM!
Rong Yin slammed his palm on the table. Was Xu Xingchen really that special? She had never looked at *him* so kindly!
His gaze fell upon the pile of books on the table, and his vision went dark. There were so many. He had no idea when he’d ever finish copying them all.
’Did she want to avoid seeing me that badly?’
He fumed for a long time before finally picking up a book and opening it. Tucked inside was a bookmark with just two words written on it: "Don’t die."
It was the Emperor’s handwriting.
The gloom surrounding Rong Yin dissipated, and he closed his eyes with a sense of helpless resignation.
’I really am a hopeless case.’
------
Xiao Yang did, in fact, want the Empress Dowager dead.
She knew perfectly well that as long as the Empress Dowager lived, she would never stop causing trouble. Having tasted power, how could she ever be content with an ordinary life?
Banking on the fact that she was the Emperor’s mother and he wouldn’t dare kill her, she would only grow more reckless.
Xiao Yang felt guilty for dragging an innocent person like Jiang Shuhuai into this, but the Empress Dowager felt no such thing. The only thing in her eyes was power.
She was ruthless enough to strike at her own daughter, so why would she care about a stranger?
Xiao Yang didn’t want the Empress Dowager haunting her for the rest of her days, so she decided to first place her under confinement and, after some time, arrange for her to "die of illness."
This was the only conventional method that was acceptable. She didn’t have to kill her with her own hands and bear the eternal infamy of matricide.
Although she didn’t care for her reputation, being openly condemned would still be a nuisance.
To prevent the Emperor from killing her mother, Xie Liuzheng moved into the palace once again.
Her system’s mission had changed to winning over the Emperor. The Xie family had also pivoted, now wanting her to marry the Emperor instead of the Regent King, because the Emperor now seemed more valuable.
Xie Liuzheng hadn’t expected it either. After all the twists and turns, she had still ended up on a path similar to the original plot.
She knew she wouldn’t succeed, though. There was no way the Emperor would marry her.
Still, she went through the motions symbolically, sidling up to the Emperor, giving little gifts, and casting a flirtatious glance now and then.
However, the Emperor accepted her gifts, and also accepted her flirtatious glances.
Was it creating an ambiguous atmosphere? Not at all. It didn’t make the slightest ripple.
If you were to say the Emperor wasn’t interested in her, you’d be wrong—she was granted free access to the imperial court. But if you were to say the Emperor *was* interested, that would also be wrong—the look in the Emperor’s eyes was so platonic it was like looking at a cabbage.
"Sigh..." ’As expected, I have no talent for seduction whatsoever.’
Xie Liuzheng draped herself over the white jade railing like a salted fish, sighing dramatically without any care for her image.
"What seems to be the matter, Miss Xie?"
Xie Liuzheng looked up. The speaker was Xiao Lv. He stood under the covered walkway, looking up at her with a perfectly polite, faint smile in his eyes.
’Xie Liuzheng thought he seemed like a crafty old fox, but it was also true that the Princely Heir was easy to talk to.’
She scrunched up her face. "Young Master, you wouldn’t understand my troubles."
Xiao Lv let out a soft laugh and came up the stairs to her side. "Tell me anyway."
Xie Liuzheng rubbed her cheeks. "Princely Heir, what kind of person do you think the Emperor likes?"
"Men," Xiao Lv stated unequivocally.
Xie Liuzheng’s mouth twitched. "I know that much."
Xiao Lv studied her. "Are you in love with the Emperor?"
Xie Liuzheng shook her head. "No."
Xiao Lv asked, "Then what are you worried about?"
Xie Liuzheng’s expression soured. ’How am I supposed to explain this?’
"My parents want me to enter the palace and marry the Emperor."
Xiao Lv said, "The Emperor will not be selecting any consorts."
"I know." Xie Liuzheng rallied, leaning in closer. "The Emperor has placed the Empress Dowager under confinement. I’ve heard people say the Emperor might..."
Xie Liuzheng made a throat-slitting gesture, her expression one of shock. "But the Empress Dowager is the Emperor’s own mother. That’s impossible, right?"
Xiao Lv didn’t say anything. Xie Liuzheng moved closer still. "Won’t you try to persuade the Emperor, Princely Heir? Something like that simply cannot be allowed to happen."
’It wasn’t appropriate for me to be the one to persuade the Emperor, but I can find an ally! Xiao Lv is the Emperor’s confidant; the Emperor will surely listen to him.’
’I’m a genius.’
Xiao Lv stared at her for a moment, his gaze deep and heavy. "You’re right. Something like this... indeed cannot be done by the Emperor."