Chapter 9, Perilous

Your Majesty, you are the most wise and martial emperor of the northern lands. I am merely a defenseless and weak woman, who has wandered among the common folk since childhood, enduring countless hardships. It is with great difficulty that I have received your favor, to marry me as your wife. Today is the first time I have met Your Majesty, and my heart is filled with joy. Why do you treat me this way, Your Majesty? It hurts so much. I said sorrowfully, and indeed, the whip in my hand came to a halt. However, my body was pricked by countless sharp needles, blood flowing profusely, the pain piercing to the heart.

He is a lofty emperor, and the women in the palace are all daughters of officials, refined young ladies. There should never have been a woman like this with him, so the more he listened, the more excited he became. His already flushed face turned even redder, as if it were bleeding, and his hands began to loosen their bindings, displaying an urgent demeanor.

"Your Majesty—" The bloodied dagger in hand clattered to the ground.

"Your Majesty, to attain the utmost pleasure, one must obey and close their eyes." As he closed his eyes, I took a slender twig and gently scratched his chest while moving downward. However, in my haste, I accidentally brushed against a small stone, which made a sound. He suddenly opened his eyes wide, and upon discovering my escape, he became furious like a little lion.

He laughed heartily, and another whip came swirling towards me. I screamed in agony, and upon hearing my cry, he seemed to become even more exhilarated

"Your Majesty, would you like to give it a try?" I said softly

Your Majesty, the night is cool and the wind is strong, I am cold, I will go down to get some clothes. At this moment, the injuries on my body are no longer significant; what I desire most is to have clothes to cover my body. I crouched down and rushed downstairs. At this time, I do not expect this drunkard to help me pick up my clothes. The old man drinks every day, and when he is most drunk, he just shouts for his wife. How could he be like this?

The Emperor has commanded me to personally attend to you. I have learned a method from the common folk that will surely make the Emperor remember for a lifetime. First... I will use the seductive voice of a courtesan, a languorous melody that will temporarily captivate his heart and mind. Fortunately, over the years, I have followed my mistress in and out of the brothels.

"Your Majesty, the whole world knows of your deep affection for me, treating me with the honor of a queen. If I were to appear before everyone tomorrow, covered in wounds, what would they think?" I said, my voice trembling.

Why is there a dagger here? I don't remember it being here when I arrived. I suddenly looked up and glanced at the dark, towering tree beside me. At that moment, I locked eyes with a pair of bright eyes that shone like stars. Upon being discovered by me, he did not show the slightest hint of panic.

He looked down at me from a height, his murky eyes filled with intoxication, and the strong smell of alcohol permeated his body. For the first time, I found myself hating alcohol, hating this scent.

"There is no need to trouble the Emperor, this minor injury is of no consequence." I would not allow him to finish his sentence and immediately rushed down, but was quickly seized by him. I did not know when he had acquired a rope in his hand. He aimed it at my wrists, and despite my utmost efforts, I still could not escape his clutches and was securely bound.

"My good virtuous consort, you—please—be patient a little longer, I will surely give you an unforgettable wedding night." Perhaps due to excitement, his face was unusually flushed, and deep wrinkles formed at the corners of his eyes.

"Noble Consort, I am sorry, did I hurt you? I may have had too much to drink tonight." Suddenly, the Emperor's voice became incredibly gentle, his murky gaze filled with guilt and tenderness. I looked at him in disbelief, has he sobered up?

I haven't drunk so much for a long time. I have never drunk as much as today in my life. Do you know why? Li Shuanghong, that scoundrel, used to be by my side. I couldn't sleep or eat in peace, and I didn't even dare to get drunk because I had to stay sober all the time. It has been 25 years, a full 20 years, and today Li Hong, that old thief, finally died. He finally died. I waited for 25 years and finally waited for this day. Hahaha!" The laughter was sharp and terrifying, full of hatred, making me shudder. Full of hatred, making me shudder.

In my life, even when I was reduced to the status of a beggar, I never felt as wretched and humiliated as I do today. Now, stripped of all possessions, I am so embarrassed that I cannot even stand up straight, let alone speak of dignity. If this continues, I will surely be killed by this drunkard tonight

"Shall I play a game with my beloved consort?" Suddenly, he had a whip in his hand, covered in sharp needles, which sent a chill down my spine. What does he intend to do? This madman.

"My good virtuous consort, how could I allow you to appear before everyone in such a state of injury?" Before he could finish his words, he stepped on my face, causing pain that brought tears to my eyes. I struggled desperately, but no matter how fiercely I fought, I could not free myself from him. At that moment, I particularly hated myself, wondering why I did not diligently practice martial arts while following the old master Leng back in the day. If I had been as hardworking as the young lady, I would not have found myself in this predicament today. I could not free myself from him, and at that moment, I particularly hated myself, wondering why I did not diligently practice martial arts while following the old master Leng back in the day. If I had been as hardworking as the young lady, I would not have found myself in this predicament today.

The man jumped down from the tree, the moonlight like water, filtering through the treetops and falling on his face, with handsome brows and a straight nose, making him appear flawless and perfect.

At this moment, he stands silently, as if from the time of Pangu creating the heavens and the earth, he has been quietly standing here, so serene, like a natural high mountain, like a thousand-year-old green pine, quietly gazing at the stars and the moon, the sunset and the twilight, in such a state of contentment

Ha—ha—ha—he laughed heartily, his voice old and filled with drunkenness, carrying an indescribable sense of pride and arrogance. After laughing, he looked down at me from a height, his gaze as fierce as a wolf's and as venomous as a snake's, as if he wanted to bite me piece by piece until nothing remained of my bones

Just when I was about to lose my breath, my hand unexpectedly touched a dagger. In that moment, without a second thought, I plunged it fiercely into his back. This strike exhausted all the strength I had left in me. He let out a terrible scream, looking at me in disbelief

"You—You—You—" His voice was venomous and harsh, as if saying that even in death he would not let me go. His body suddenly convulsed, but soon he fell silent; he was dead. I had killed a person, and I had killed the emperor. My hands trembled, yet in that moment I felt an unprecedented sense of liberation

"You have killed someone." His sensual lips curled slightly into a smile, a smile as warm as the sunlight on a winter afternoon, yet in such a scene, it appeared exceedingly eerie, for at that moment I was completely unclothed, and on the ground lay the corpse of the Northern Emperor

I never expected Li Shuanghong to raise such a daughter. As he watches me with his daughter from hell, he must be quite entertained, hahahaha—this dead man, his eyes glowing red, filled with desire, clearly aroused.

At that moment, I realized how foolish my words had been in my moment of panic; the Dragon Talisman had always been the most despised object by the Northern Emperor. By bringing it up now, was I not seeking my own demise

His tongue slid down my neck, an indescribable disgust; it cannot continue like this, it cannot be like this

He actually called my father an old thief. My father is dead, and he dares to act this way—there is a surge of anger rising in my heart, raging and clamoring within me. The poison in my father must have been administered by him, right? My poor father, who was so loyal to the royal family, never expected this.

"Wait, such tender skin has been scraped; I am heartbroken. I shall help my beloved consort apply medicine." He said to me with a tenderness that felt like water, and such a gaze was far more terrifying than when he looked at me with a fierce and menacing expression

I simply cannot smile, for I know what outcome awaits me next

"Noble Consort, do not be afraid, I am very gentle, very gentle. I have the best medicine here; as soon as it is applied, the pain will immediately cease, and there will be no scars left behind." Before his words had finished, he had already lashed out at my body with a whip, swift and fierce, countless sharp needles piercing into my body, causing me to convulse in pain, and I let out a wretched scream

The stone slab was cold and rough, and I felt anxious, flustered, and embarrassed, covering my chest with my hands

"In a moment, I will indulge in the pleasures of the bloody consort; the experience will surely be delightful." His gaze was filled with malice, resembling a beast ready to feast on a delicacy. I was terrified to the utmost; I looked up at the sky, "Miss, where are you? Miss, save me, Miss, please save me."

"The virtuous consort is truly adorable, even more so than my little daughter." The withered hand reached towards my face, a chill permeated from my face, seeping into my very organs, lingering here; I would die. Instinctively, I crawled up, wanting to rush down.

"You woman, you are indeed as cunning as that old thief Li Shuanghong, you actually dared to deceive me?" I was caught at the corner of the stairs, he gripped my neck tightly with his hand, and my breathing gradually became difficult. The feeling of being on the brink of death was terrifying. My hands flailed about randomly. If he were not drunk, he would probably consider the entire Hulong Division behind me and would not dare to treat me too badly, but right now, he is just a drunkard.

He struck me with the whip repeatedly until I finally lost consciousness. When I awoke, I found myself bound to a pillar, my body devoid of any intact flesh. There was already a pool of blood on the ground, and that old man was licking my face with his tongue, which resembled the bright red forked tongue of a snake. I trembled all over.

"Your Majesty, I am the master of the Dragon Talisman, you cannot—" Before I could finish my sentence, he lashed out again, even more ferociously than before, as if a sharp knife were slicing through flesh. My cries of agony elicited a hearty laugh from him, yet the whip in his hand did not rest, raining down upon me like a storm. I was beaten to the point of my skin splitting and flesh tearing, blood flowing profusely, and I was on the verge of losing consciousness.

"Your Majesty, please lie down first, close your eyes, and allow me to take you to the land of bliss," I said coyly. He indeed followed my words and lay down, his gaze radiating excitement.

My movements were already very quick, but his were even faster. He grabbed me with a hand that was as bony as it was hard as iron, lifting me to the highest point before slamming me down heavily. With a dull thud, my back burned with pain, as if a layer of skin had been scraped off by the rough floor. I struggled to get up, but he stepped on my disheveled hair, his eyes and face slightly flushed, as if preparing to unleash a primal ferocity.

I took a deep breath, softening and enchanting my voice, uttering one method after another, all extremely tempting. In that moment, I had forgotten my shyness, only wanting to arouse the interest of this old man, in order to evade this disaster