Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Song and Miss Song are requesting an audience."

The two arrived at an opportune moment. Xiao Yang had just finished her work and sat down for a sip of tea. Of course, she wasn’t alone; Rong Yin, Xie Liuzheng, and Xiao Lv were all present.

Xie Liuzheng had the strongest reaction, leaping to her feet at the announcement. "What is Song Qingyi doing here?"

She had originally scorned her role as the story’s villainess; there was no way she would ever fight another woman over a man.

But ever since discovering the Emperor was a woman, she had embraced her dark side. Fight! She had to fight for her!

Without even lifting an eyelid, Xiao Lv casually grabbed her by the collar and pulled her back down. "Sit. This has nothing to do with you."

Xie Liuzheng puffed up her cheeks and glared at him. ’What does he mean it has nothing to do with me? Her Majesty is my conquest target!’

Xiao Yang didn’t have time to pay attention to the Song Family, but since they were already here, she figured there was no harm in seeing them.

"Let them in."

A little eunuch immediately ran out, returning a moment later with the two in tow.

"This humble subject pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"This humble servant... pays her respects to Your Majesty."

"You may rise." Xiao Yang looked at the pair, waiting for them to state their purpose.

Song Qingyi only had eyes for Xiao Yang. The Emperor was still dressed in the purple and gold Dragon Robe from before. Her face was as handsome as a jade carving, dashing and debonair. Her looks were already outstanding, but they were amplified by the noble, intimidating aura of a sovereign.

She was a combination of beauty and power. She ruled the world with decisive ruthlessness, yet she remained courteous. For any woman, that combination was no different from poison.

The more Song Qingyi looked, the less she could believe the Emperor was a woman. ’How could such a handsome Majesty be a young girl?’

Song Qinghe found it difficult to speak, but his daughter was already staring, utterly entranced by the Emperor. Helpless, he said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it is about Qingyi... She wished to have a few words with you. She was making a scene about becoming a nun before, and yesterday she even tried to do something foolish. This subject had no other choice but to bring her before Your Majesty, in the hopes that you can put an end to her foolish fantasies."

Xiao Yang looked at Song Qingyi. Song Qingyi looked at Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang said, "I have already told you that I am a woman. What is there that you can’t let go of?"

Tears welled in Song Qingyi’s eyes as she slowly shook her head. "I don’t believe you. Your Majesty has the face of a deity, divinely handsome. How could you possibly be a woman?"

The others’ disbelief had been an act, but here was someone who truly didn’t believe it.

The adoration in her eyes was far too obvious.

Xiao Yang really hadn’t expected to have attracted such a romantic entanglement. She hadn’t even done anything to Song Qingyi. How had she managed to make the girl fall so head over heels?

Not knowing how to explain, she simply raised a hand and beckoned. "Come here."

Song Qingyi’s eyes lit up, and she immediately came closer. "Your Majesty."

Xiao Yang glanced at the distance between them, then stood and took a step forward.

"Hold out your hand."

Song Qingyi obediently extended her hand.

Xiao Yang seized it and pressed it against her own chest.

"What are you doing?!"

Xie Liuzheng shot up from her seat in an instant. Xiao Lv barely managed to hold her back.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Xiao Lv forcibly held onto her, only to get a hard slap across the face for his troubles, his skin stinging from her nails.

Xie Liuzheng finally broke free and rushed over, raising a hand to shove the two apart, but Xiao Yang stopped her with a hand to her face.

The raging little dragon was instantly subdued, staring pitifully at Xiao Yang. "Your Majesty, you can’t let her take advantage of you."

’What gives her the right!?’

CRACK!

The teacup in Rong Yin’s hand finally couldn’t withstand the pressure and was crushed to pieces.

His cold, gloomy eyes stared death at Song Qingyi’s hand, wishing he could chop it off that very second.

As for Song Qingyi, after feeling for a moment, she wasn’t discouraged at all. Instead, her face reddened. "Your... Your Majesty, what are you doing...? So many people are watching..."

Xiao Yang: "..."

She suddenly suffered ten thousand points of critical damage. She had almost forgotten that her current self was flat-chested.

It was a sad story.

Since feeling her chest couldn’t prove she was a woman, she said, "Well then, how about you bathe with me tonight?"

Song Qinghe’s face paled in terror. He hastily cried, "Your Majesty, you mustn’t! Qingyi, stop this foolishness..."

"Your Majesty!"

Rong Yin’s face was dark as he yanked Xiao Yang back, his fury on the verge of boiling over.

"Why must Your Majesty sacrifice yourself like this just to prove it to her? She can believe it or not."

Rong Yin shot Song Qingyi a look brimming with murderous intent. His dagger-like gaze had already sliced her to pieces.

Xie Liuzheng clung to Xiao Yang’s arm, seizing the opportunity. "Your Majesty, I can attend to you during your bath. You don’t need her."

Xiao Lv put a hand to his forehead. ’This whole chaotic mess is just too much.’

In the end, it was unclear whether Song Qingyi believed the Emperor was a woman, but she was certainly eager to test the theory about bathing together.

As Song Qinghe dragged her out of the palace, she suddenly blurted out, "Father, I want to enter the palace and become a female official."

Song Qinghe: ’Great. Not only is she not cured, her condition has gotten worse.’

「Deep in the night」

Everyone returned to their own quarters. Xie Liuzheng muttered and cursed to herself as she walked.

She was determined to be the villainess. She would be Her Majesty’s main palace and utterly crush that love-addled heroine, Song Qingyi.

A host who was proactive about completing her mission should have been a good thing. But the System: ...

’Forget it. I have no objections. Let’s just leave it like this. It’s not like I can control this situation anyway.’

’The male lead is dead, and the new ’male lead’ is a woman.’

’My host isn’t trying to capture a man, but is passionately interested in this Empress. And on top of that, she’s also flirting with the Empress’s cousin.’

’I have no idea how to assign missions in this situation. Just let it all burn!’

The Emperor was bathing and changing when someone who had left returned.

Upon seeing him, Nanny Yang immediately raised her hand. A group of palace maids instantly formed a line, blocking the screen in front of the Emperor’s bath to prevent the Regent King from entering.

Fortunately, Rong Yin did nothing improper, merely finding a seat to wait.

A short while later, Xiao Yang emerged from her bath.

The room was quite warm, so she wore only a thin nightgown.

Her freshly washed hair was only half-dry, draping casually over her shoulders.

Nanny Yang had already told her that Rong Yin had returned, so she wasn’t particularly surprised.

"Is there something else?"

Xiao Yang asked while arranging her hair. When she heard no reply after a long moment, she looked up. Heh, a certain someone was staring blankly.

With her hair down, Xiao Yang’s face was still the same, but it now held a touch of feminine softness. Her freshly washed face was flushed with a healthy, rosy glow. Her features were gentle, her eyes shimmering like water, exuding endless charm.

Even though he knew the Emperor was a woman, it wasn’t until this moment that Rong Yin truly felt that the Emperor looked very much like a woman.

The Little Emperor from before had been too handsome, almost androgynous. She had a wicked, mischievous air about her—beautiful and bewitching, but it was truly hard to imagine what she would look like as a woman.

Now, all his imaginings were gone, replaced by the woman before him.

It seemed as if nothing had changed, yet it also felt like so much had. At the very least, one glance was enough to tell she was a woman. But the one thing that remained unchanged was the way his heart still raced for her.

"Your Majesty..."

Rong Yin felt his eyes grow hot and his throat turn dry. For a moment, he forgot what he had wanted to say.

Xiao Yang sat down beside him naturally. "Coming back so late, did you forget to say something?"

Rong Yin struggled to tear his gaze away. All sorts of treasonous thoughts surged wildly in his mind, only to be suppressed by him again and again.

"Your Majesty is a woman..."

He had only just begun his sentence when he suddenly realized his own strange reaction. Forgetting what he was about to say, he shot to his feet, left a single sentence, and fled in disarray.

"Your Majesty, please rest well!"

Xiao Yang: "..."

Rong Yin had a face so handsome it could kill, yet his innocence was astonishing.

’What was this called again? An unexpectedly endearing contrast?’