Chapter 96: This Subject’s Self-Control Won’t Last Much Longer
They drank for a little while before Consort Meng went to check if the sweet dumplings were ready.
Only after she had left did Prince Jing put down his cup, his expression heavy.
"I’ve seen this before. It’s a token from one of the seventh prince’s guards."
"Of all the brothers, the fifth was the most vicious, but the seventh was the most sinister. His mother had a hard life in the palace. Consort Zhang was poisoned and disfigured during the harem infighting, and her personality warped, becoming dark and twisted. She taught him to be just as unscrupulous. He was fixated on the throne—ambitious and unafraid to show it."
"The fifth was considered vicious because he butchered the seventh, not even leaving a whole corpse. But after our father, the Emperor, had him executed, I heard him sigh with regret. It was the seventh who had slaughtered the entire family of the fifth’s mother, Noble Princess Consort Meng. The poison that struck Consort Zhang had originally been intended for Noble Princess Consort Meng. Consort Zhang accidentally took her place and died in her stead."
"The fifth discovered the seventh was behind it, but he had no proof. He was in such a rage at the time that he just went and butchered the seventh."
"The entire Meng Family—one hundred and thirty-one people, from masters to servants—were all killed. Noble Princess Consort Meng was so overcome with grief and anger that she fell ill and never recovered, passing away three months later. To this day, the only person from the Meng Family still alive... is my consort."
Prince Jing looked at Xiao Hong. "You were two years old when it all happened. Your mother was young when she had you, and she had a lively personality. Even after giving birth, she still had the spirit of a young girl and would often take you to see Noble Princess Consort Meng. That all changed with the Meng Family’s calamity—the tragic slaughter of the entire family, the death of the Noble Princess Consort, and the fifth prince getting himself killed in his quest to assassinate the seventh. Your mother fell gravely ill. When she finally woke up, her personality had become what it is today."
Xiao Hong’s eyes trembled. "Mother... never mentioned any of this."
Outside the door, Meng Shuya heard Prince Jing recounting the past. Her expression remained largely unchanged, but tears suddenly streamed from her eyes.
’What was there to say? My entire family was dead, and so was the man responsible. I had nowhere to even direct my hatred, so why burden my child with it?’
Prince Jing didn’t know Consort Meng was right outside the door; he had deliberately waited for her to leave before speaking.
"The token belongs to the seventh prince, but his body was hacked into one hundred and thirty-one pieces... Though it was unrecognizable, the fifth prince hated him so much. It’s impossible he would have killed the wrong person."
Rong Yin added, "I remember it too. When Prince Qing, the fifth prince, confessed, he frantically described how he had butchered Prince Zhuang, the seventh prince. He said he did it with his own hands and couldn’t have made a mistake. Besides, if Prince Zhuang hadn’t died, Prince Qing would never have willingly confessed and committed suicide by taking poison."
Xiao Lv said, "Could it be that Prince Zhuang is dead, but his illegitimate son, a strategist, or the Zhang Family is now controlling the forces he left behind?"
Xiao Yang propped her chin on her hand. "Honestly, this analysis is pointless. We don’t need to figure out who’s alive and who’s not. Regardless of the mastermind’s identity, their goal is obvious: they want to stir up trouble. And no matter who they target along the way, their ultimate objective will be the throne."
"They’re just treacherous rebels. We kill them. Why bother learning their names?"
Everyone was stunned. ’That... actually makes a lot of sense.’
Xiao Yang’s understated words didn’t solve the problem. Instead, she was preparing to eliminate the people creating the problems. Once the people are gone, the problems naturally disappear with them.
A slight smile touched Rong Yin’s lips. "Your Majesty... is brilliant!"
When something happens, most people’s first instinct is to uncover the truth before deciding how to respond.
The Little Emperor, however, clearly had no such curiosity. Her philosophy was simple and brutal: ’I don’t care who you are; if you cause trouble, you die.’
After two more cups of wine, Qing Feng came in. "Prince, it is done."
Rong Yin raised his hand, and Qing Feng retreated. He waited until Xiao Yang stood to leave the Prince Mansion before approaching her and saying, "We’ve found Liu Shixu’s whereabouts. Your Majesty can have him captured at any time."
Rong Yin’s intention was to take credit and curry favor with her.
However, the Little Emperor’s train of thought was rather peculiar. "Are you showing off to me?"
Rong Yin asked, "? Why would Your Majesty say such a thing?"
Xiao Yang replied, "You’re showing off that your men are more capable than mine."
Jealousy was making Her Majesty ugly.
Rong Yin: "..."
’He was certain Her Majesty was doing this on purpose—deliberately antagonizing him and refusing to give him the slightest opening.’
But even so, Rong Yin still squeezed his way into Xiao Yang’s carriage.
"I will escort Your Majesty back to the Imperial Palace."
The guards had all gathered around. There was now a vast contingent of two hundred men outside. Besides, the Imperial Palace was only a few hundred meters away. A special escort was completely unnecessary.
Not only could Rong Yin not be driven from the carriage, but he also shamelessly took Xiao Yang’s hand. With no one else around, he held it brazenly, even toying with it between both of his own hands.
’Her Majesty’s hands were slender, fair, and perfectly formed. Unlike his own angular hands, hers were incredibly soft.’
’The classic poetic description naturally came to his mind: hands like tender shoots, as if without bone.’
’They were so soft, like the finest jade, yet he knew they possessed immense strength and showed no mercy when they killed.’
Xiao Yang was fuming. "Have you had enough of your squeezing?"
Rong Yin squeezed her hand first with his left, then his right, then turned it over and over, kneading it relentlessly.
’It was her hand, not a piece of modeling clay!’
’He looked so enthralled with it that she felt if she weren’t staring him down, he might have tried to put it in his mouth.’
Xiao Yang tried to pull her hand back. She got it back, but it came with a large, man-sized accessory attached.
Rong Yin used the momentum to lean closer, his upturned, almond-shaped eyes glinting with a sharpness that couldn’t be ignored. "What is Your Majesty running from?"
He stared at Xiao Yang’s face. A smile spread across his usually grim and aloof features—a smile that was both dazzlingly bewitching and full of provocation.
"We’ve kissed, we’ve embraced. Is Your Majesty getting scared now?"
"Too late!"
’When she didn’t permit it, he still yearned to get closer. Now that she had given him an inch, he wouldn’t retreat a single step.’
"Scared of you? My ass! Can’t I just be purely disgusted by you?"
Xiao Yang tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge. She resorted to using her foot to fend him off, but he simply used the motion to scoop her up, pulling her entire body into his arms.
Heedless of her struggle, Rong Yin buried his face in her shoulder and took a deep breath.
The corner of Xiao Yang’s mouth twitched. "You’re acting like a real pervert."
’Is he huffing me like a cat?’
Rong Yin lowered his head, placing soft, scattered kisses on her neck. "Your Majesty can despise me, or you can kill me..."
’He knew the dagger Li Wei had given her was hidden in her boot.’
"Your Majesty had better act quickly. My self-control won’t last much longer."
’Her hands were soft, her scent was intoxicating... But only now, touching her, kissing her, did he realize that all the temptation he’d felt before was less than a ten-thousandth of the real thing.’
’He felt like he was going insane.’
’His mind was consumed with thoughts of how to devour her whole. A wave of emotion surged through him, and his very eyes felt hot.’
It wasn’t until something cold and sharp pressed against his neck that he was finally shocked back to some semblance of clarity.
Xiao Yang tried to sit up, but his arm was clamped tightly around her waist, and she couldn’t move an inch.
Xiao Yang was exasperated. She had to admit, though, that his normally cool and ascetic face, now flushed with desire, was exceptionally captivating.
Appetite and desire were, after all, human nature. Xiao Yang might not be one to fall deeply in love with a man, but a peerless beauty like Rong Yin certainly had what it took to tempt her.
"You lay another hand on me, and I’ll kill you where you sit."
Rong Yin was about to protest when Xiao Yang’s dagger slid from his neck, down past his lapels, and finally came to rest on his belt. She smiled, a wicked and dangerous glint in her eyes. "Untie it yourself."