Volume One, Chapter 12: May I Borrow a Hug?

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Ye Yuntang’s eyes widened in terror as she instinctively tried to pry Xie Chenyen’s iron-like grip from her hands, struggling to break free. Her breathing grew more rapid and labored, her face quickly flushing deep red.

“I... I truly...” she managed to say with difficulty, her eyes brimming with grievance.

But Xie Chenyen remained unmoved, his grip unyielding. Leaning close, he spoke coldly, “Do not think I am unaware of your schemes. Your petty tricks are nothing but child’s play before me!”

“Tell me, who sent you?”

Ye Yuntang’s vision began to blur, consciousness slipping away. Just as she thought she was about to suffocate, she violently spat out a mouthful of tainted blood.

Xie Chenyen released his hold, and she collapsed like a heap of soft clay onto the floor, coughing up blood uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

“Your Majesty, I truly wished to please you from my heart; I am no spy sent by anyone...” she sobbed, voice trembling.

Xie Chenyen looked down at her from above, his gaze icy and filled only with suspicion.

“A clever ruse, indeed. You really know how to win my favor!” He squinted at the blood trickling from her lips. “The Empress is truly willing to harm herself?”

Ye Yuntang curled up in pain, the agony tearing through her insides like a thousand knives.

After watching for a moment, Xie Chenyen said sternly, “If you keep pretending, you will truly die. I do not want to see blood on our wedding night...”

Though in pain and resentment, Ye Yuntang realized he was unwilling to save her and doubted her sincerity—truly a difficult man to deal with!

“Save... save me...” she struggled, growing weaker, but he simply watched her with cold indifference.

Desperate to survive, Ye Yuntang abandoned all restraint. Crawling to Xie Chenyen’s feet, she grabbed his robe and stood, pressing a bold kiss upon his lips.

“If you won’t save me... then you shall die too...”

No sooner had she spoken than Xie Chenyen struck her away with a single palm.

He himself suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, lowering his brows in silent curse: Damn it!

“Darknight!”

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A shadow swiftly entered the room. Darknight knelt on one knee, head bowed low, as if bearing a painful guilt.

Xie Chenyen wiped the blood from his mouth coldly. “I keep you by my side not to commit such careless mistakes.”

“My lord, I acknowledge my fault and will accept punishment,” Darknight said humbly.

Xie Chenyen snorted coldly. “First, save her.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Darknight immediately retrieved an antidote pill from his robes and fed it to Ye Yuntang.

“Your Majesty, your own wound—”

“Leave.”

Darknight vanished instantly, leaving Xie Chenyen alone in the chamber, staring thoughtfully at the blood at the corner of Ye Yuntang’s mouth.

Could it be true, she did not poison herself?

Xie Chenyen approached the water kettle, briefly glanced at it, then summoned all the palace maids who had been attending outside.

“Speak.”

His gaze was sharp, as if piercing through all falsehoods. “Who prepared this water?”

The maids trembled in fear, falling to their knees pleading.

One older maid, mustering courage, replied, “Your Majesty, we prepared it together, but once brought inside, none of us entered the room again.”

As she spoke, her eyes glanced meaningfully toward Ye Yuntang lying on the floor.

The implication was clear.

Xie Chenyen’s gaze grew colder still. “How long have you served in the palace?”

“Ten years, Your Majesty,” the maid answered truthfully.

“Guards, immediately execute by flogging!”

His voice was icy.

“Your Majesty, you have no proof! Why kill me?” The maid knelt upright, eyes fearless.

“Next time you poison, remember to wash your fingers clean...” Xie Chenyen’s voice was low and sinister. “Though, it seems you won’t get the chance.”

Looking down, the maid suddenly saw a trace of black powder beneath her fingernails.

“Xie Chenyen, you slaughtered my entire family, murdered my father and brothers to seize the throne—you will meet a terrible end!”

“Even if I die, countless others will seek your life. You won’t hold the throne long, ha!”

Dragged away by the guards, the maid screamed hoarsely, while Xie Chenyen remained expressionless.

Wiping a trace of blood from his lips, he smiled wickedly. All wanting his life, huh? Ha—

Bending down, he lifted the still prone Ye Yuntang and laid her on the bed.

He reached out to gently brush her lips, fingertips tracing the delicate shape of her mouth. These very lips had dared to kiss him moments ago?

She was truly fearless.

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Ye Yuntang, dazed and fuzzy, seemed to feel someone touching her. Blinking, her blurred vision caught a shadowy figure.

“Th-thank you... Chenyen?!!”

She intended to brush away the intrusive hands but froze mid-motion.

Seeing the surprise and fear in her eyes pleased him greatly. His large, well-defined fingers traced down from her soft lips to the marks left by his handprints on her neck, then over her heaving chest.

Suddenly, Xie Chenyen leaned closer, his face near her cheek. The fresh scent of mint wafted over her, tickling and thrilling.

“You wish me dead, don’t you?”

A chill surged through her chest. His fingertips circled over her heart, his voice as cold as a demon from hell.

“N-no, no, I only wish for you to live long and well!”

Ye Yuntang’s lashes trembled uncontrollably, yet to survive, she forced down her terror.

Desperately shaking her head, she explained, “I was panicked just now and acted out of fear, doing what I must so you would save me...”

“Is that so?”

His fingertips pressed slightly on her heart. His once dark pupils instantly turned a brilliant sapphire blue, shimmering with an otherworldly glow.

Expecting fear or disgust, he was surprised to see her eyes suddenly brighten.

She exclaimed, “Oh? Your Majesty, your eyes change color? How beautiful!”

“Are you not afraid of me?”

The violent aura surrounding him receded by half in that moment.

“I like you too much to be afraid,” Ye Yuntang said, reaching out to gently touch his eyes.

“When I was young, I had a white cat whose eyes were as blue as jewels. I loved it dearly, but unfortunately—”

“Unfortunately?”

A hint of sadness appeared in Ye Yuntang’s eyes, her gaze reddening.

“That cat was my only comfort after my mother passed away. But my step-sister coveted it and wanted to take it. I refused, so she ordered someone to steal it and drown it in the pond.”

A shadow of cruelty flashed through Xie Chenyen’s eyes. “Does she often snatch things from you?”

“Not often, but everything I own, she wants it all.”

As Ye Yuntang spoke, soft tears fell. She felt utterly wronged with no one to confide in. “Since my mother hanged herself, no one has stood up for me...”

After crying for a while, she lifted her tear-filled eyes. “Your Majesty, may I borrow your embrace? You are all I have now...”