Chapter 10: She’ll Keep Them in Secret
Xiao Li went to the Emperor’s private study. Xiao Jingyi popped out of nowhere, quickly pulling her away. He had a wary look on his face. "Imperial Sister, why did you come here with that man?"
Xiao Li asked, "Who is he? Are you afraid of him?"
"You don’t recognize Lou Yan, the Chief Eunuch?"
Xiao Jingyi thought about how Xiao Li had been chasing after Lu Yanzhi all this time. It wasn’t so strange that she wouldn’t recognize him.
"He’s the new Chief Eunuch, promoted just last month. Don’t let his youth fool you, his methods are ruthless. He used to be on duty at the Imprisonment Department, where his job was basically to flay people alive."
"Others climb the ranks through age and seniority. He killed his way up. Whoever was his superior, he’d get rid of them. The previous Chief Eunuch died at his hands, and his competitors all died one after another. In the end, it was his turn."
It was clear that Xiao Jingyi was truly afraid of the eunuch. "I don’t know what Brother is thinking, insisting on keeping such a vicious person by his side. It’s so scary."
Xiao Li wasn’t surprised. ’How could an Emperor not have a useful weapon by his side?’
This Lou Yan was clearly a very convenient blade for the Emperor to wield. His sinister, cold, and hostile aura was no surprise, then.
Of course, an Emperor’s executioner like him was also bound to be killed by a successor as a show of power.
The Emperor, Xiao Jingyun, seemed to be in a very good mood. He had tea prepared for them while he waited.
"Ah, Xuanyang, you did very well tonight. I am most gratified. I knew you couldn’t bear to part with Lu Yanzhi. It’s not too late to return from a wrong path, and I am happy for you..."
The Emperor was gloating after getting his way. Xiao Li put down her teacup, her expression turning vicious. "You’re mistaken, Brother. I just couldn’t swallow my anger."
"Lu Yanzhi has neglected me for three years. He wouldn’t even let me touch a single finger. If I just divorced him like that, wouldn’t that be letting him off too easily?"
"Hah. He’s made me suffer for three years, and I will absolutely not let him have an easy time. He doesn’t want to be the Prince Consort? I’ll force him to be the Prince Consort. He won’t touch me? I’ll keep ten or eight pretty boys, make him a laughingstock for the entire world, and make him live his whole life in gut-wrenching, hopeless regret!"
The Emperor and Prince Wei stared at each other in shock, seeing the same thought in each other’s eyes: ’...It’s over. Xuanyang (Imperial Sister) has been driven mad.’
The Emperor sternly stated that keeping male paramours was out of the question. What about the dignity of the Royal Family?
Xiao Li said she understood about the Royal Family’s dignity. That’s why she would keep them secretly, letting only the Prince Consort know, and would absolutely not damage the Royal Family’s dignity.
The Emperor: "..." ’You’ve really thought of everything.’
’What a headache.’
Prince Wei: "..." ’Imperial Sister is amazing!!’
"It’s getting late. You should hurry back."
Xiao Li walked out, head held high. The Emperor wiped his face, suddenly feeling world-weary. He didn’t know if this change in his imperial sister was a good thing or a bad thing.
But then he thought that since his imperial sister’s love had turned to hate, and her revenge was aimed at the Lu family, it should be a good thing for him...
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Xiao Li returned to the Princess Mansion. Nanny Li, Hong Yue, and the others had prepared everything for her to wash up and attended to her meticulously.
A scented bath, an essential oil massage—they did whatever was most comfortable for her.
’Even though I’m stuck in this stupid story, the small pleasures of being a princess are still quite satisfying.’
She put on her nightgown, dried her hair, and comfortably prepared for bed.
"Princess." A guard reported from the door, "Reporting to the Princess, the Prince Consort has come again, and he reeks of alcohol."
Xiao Li, who had been in an excellent mood, instantly flared up. "You couldn’t stop him the first time, you couldn’t stop him the second time, what use are you?"
"Forgive us, Princess!"
Xiao Li was annoyed, but she understood. ’It’s because I’m not powerful enough yet. My subordinates don’t have the confidence to offend others.’
’To bully others with borrowed power, you first need power to borrow.’
’A noble status is useless because there will always be someone nobler. What’s most important is power.’
’With great power, even the Emperor himself must be wary of you. Without enough power, even an Emperor has to be mindful of others’ moods.’
’As expected. No matter the world, no matter the setting, the only constant is that the strong are revered.’
BANG!
A wine bottle smashed in through the doorway. The maids inside quickly shielded Xiao Li, afraid the shattered porcelain would injure her.
Lu Yanzhi staggered in, reeking of alcohol. His figure was unsteady, and he no longer possessed his usual aloof and elegant demeanor. Instead, he was shrouded in gloom. An unnatural flush spread across his cheeks from the drink, and his bloodshot eyes, neither fully drunk nor sober, roiled with hatred. He was like a beast unleashed from its seal, looking ready to devour someone.
Seeing Xiao Li, his hatred immediately found its target, crushing down on her without reservation. "You schemed and stopped at nothing, wasn’t it all just to make me consummate the marriage with you? I’ll grant you your wish. Are you satisfied now?"
He looked as resentful and humiliated as someone about to swallow a fly, yet also as vicious as if he were about to rip a piece of flesh from Xiao Li’s living body.
Xiao Li couldn’t be bothered to waste words on him. She grabbed a nearby water kettle and flung its contents right in his face.
"Sober up that pig brain of yours before you speak to me!"
Lu Yanzhi clearly hadn’t sobered up, and he was now enraged. "Out! The rest of you, get out!"
He roared, his eyes fixed on Xiao Li as if he wanted to eat her alive.
Seeing him in this state, who would dare to leave? Instead, they all drew closer to Xiao Li, protecting her in their midst.
’Did Lu Yanzhi think she would be scared just because he was throwing a tantrum?’
Pathetic!
"All of you, out!"
Nanny Qian was worried. "Princess, the Prince Consort is drunk. You..."
The thing Xiao Li hated most was people who couldn’t help her or solve the problem, yet acted worried and concerned for her sake.
"Out!"
The group of people hesitated, then left.
"Close the door!"
The door that had been deliberately left open was closed.
With no one else around, Lu Yanzhi’s viciousness was fully revealed. His pent-up hatred boiled over, and he lunged at Xiao Li, looking like he was about to strangle her.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Li slapped him hard across the face.
SLAP!
Lu Yanzhi had been seventy percent drunk, but now he was only thirty percent.
His eyes were red, but more from shock than anything else. "You hit me?"
Xiao Li sneered. "What, weren’t you asking for it?"
’I was about to go to sleep, and I still have to deal with this nuisance.’
Xiao Li grabbed him by the collar, and with a powerful heave, threw him viciously to the ground. Burning with rage, she pounced on him and started tearing at his clothes.
RIP! RIP!
No matter how expensive, summer clothing was inevitably thin and tore easily with a sharp pull.
Xiao Li was ferocious, like a predator wolf. Even though Lu Yanzhi was a man, he couldn’t withstand her sudden assault. He was about to be stripped bare.
"Stop! Stop it!"
Lu Yanzhi was completely sober now. Little of his hatred remained, replaced by the after-the-fact fear of a sheep in a tiger’s den. He struggled frantically, his eyes wide with panic. "Someone! Help, someone..."
Lu Yanzhi was shouting for help, and the group waiting outside heard him clearly, but they all hesitated and didn’t move.
’The Princess isn’t the one getting hurt, so we’d better not go in and disturb her good mood.’
’Judging by the sound of clothes ripping... yeah, the Prince Consort probably won’t die.’