Volume 1, Chapter 20: The Amorous Emperor and the Quiet Eunuch

Watching the man’s retreating figure, Ye Yuntang called out, "Your Majesty, that is where you are wrong. How can you be so sure that joining forces with me wouldn't be a win-win?"

Always speaking of death—how dreadfully ominous!

Outside, the moonlight was swallowed by dark clouds, plunging the room into shadow. Xie Chenyan’s face was half-hidden in the gloom, his eyes brewing with icy coldness. "A delusional fantasy."

"I believe that success lies in human effort. Though this palace is fraught with crises, have you not survived these many years with ease?"

Ye Yuntang raised her voice. "I, Ye Yuntang, am no coward who clings to life in fear. Having survived the cold palace, you should trust in my capabilities."

"Until a matter is at hand, all things can change. Your Majesty, pray do not be so pessimistic."

"You are quite the optimist, yet aren't you still struggling to survive in the cracks?" Xie Chenyan remarked mockingly.

Ye Yuntang smiled. "You said it yourself—it is a struggle for survival. And so, I shall grow toward the light."

"You desire peace and stability for this realm; I desire the prestige and power of being the Empress. We have our own agendas, yet our goals align. Even if you wished to lose, I would drag you to victory in this gamble!"

Xie Chenyan’s gaze flickered.

Where did this woman get such confidence? What a bold claim!

"Within the scope of my ability, I can certainly help you, provided you trust me," Ye Yuntang laid her cards on the table.

Xie Chenyan narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think you can?"

"Because you have developed feelings for me!"

The dark clouds dispersed, and the brilliant moonlight fell upon Ye Yuntang, who stood in the room, highlighting her cold, exquisite features.

"Because the likes of Bai Yanran have used me as a blade to test your defenses."

"The poisoned wine and the assassination attempt on our wedding night—you made it appear as though I had fallen from grace into the cold palace, discarded like worn-out shoes, but in reality, it was your meticulous design. You let them believe you were protecting me, using me as bait, casting me out as your 'soft underbelly' to lure those with ulterior motives into the open. What a masterful strategy of advancing by retreating!"

Ye Yuntang lifted her gaze, her eyes shimmering with a wisdom that saw through the ways of the world.

"You have endured for a long time, wishing to root them out, yet you lacked the opportunity to act. My appearance became the key to opening that door. During my time in the cold palace, you used my presence to effortlessly draw out those ghosts and monsters."

As Ye Yuntang dissected his plans, Xie Chenyan’s expression shifted imperceptibly.

Ye Yuntang tilted her chin slightly, her lips curling into a subtle arc. "And as I make my moves, they will surely stir. That is when you can seize the opportunity to strike and send them all to the afterlife!"

When his gaze touched her smiling face, a chilling frost enveloped him. He looked like a beast hidden in the dark, coiled and ready to strike from the depths of his profound eyes.

For a brief moment, murderous intent flickered.

The sensation of having his most hidden secrets laid bare stirred a intense displeasure and rejection within him—a revulsion that grew like vines in his heart, nearly consuming him.

He reached out with a long arm, pulled her into his embrace, and leaned down to bite her neck.

Ye Yuntang: !!!

"Scared?" Sensing her tremble, Xie Chenyan pushed her away. "If you're scared, then get out!"

Ye Yuntang gritted her teeth. "I will not! Bite me if you wish, but biting me to death will do you no good. Do not forget, I am here on a mission to seduce you!"

"Threatening the Emperor?" Xie Chenyan’s eyes shifted to a deep, azure blue, staring at her with malevolence.

Ye Yuntang shook her head quickly, casting a glance toward a sneaky figure hiding in the shadows. She leaned weakly against his chest. "How would I dare threaten you? But since I am already here, surely you wouldn't want me, this 'pawn in the middle,' to return empty-handed?"

"Then what would the Empress have me do?" He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and magnetic, mingling with the thick night air, causing Ye Yuntang to flush.

She coughed twice, then said with a straight face, "I arrived tonight dressed as a eunuch... I thought perhaps we could play at a 'debauched emperor and a secret eunuch'—don't you want to... secretly do something with me?"

Bai Yanran had told her: a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a secret affair. One must not walk the beaten path...

"The Empress wants to play something exciting with me?" he said slowly.

He never smiled, his cold features usually exuding an unapproachable distance. But now, a faint curve appeared at the corners of his lips, his languid voice laced with temptation.

Ye Yuntang, oblivious to the danger, stepped toward him and drew circles on his chest. "The moon is high, and I am ripe for the taking. Your Majesty, do you not wish to pluck this flower?"

Though she acted the part, her heart was pounding. Playing the temptress was no easy feat...

Xie Chenyan raised his eyes to scan her. "You want to?"

"It is *you* who wants to!" Ye Yuntang swallowed and corrected him immediately.

Xie Chenyan hummed, then bent down, scooped her up, and walked toward the side hall—the place where he usually rested after tiring of reviewing memorials.

He kicked the door open and shut it behind him. Sweeping the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone off the table, he pressed her against it. His voice felt like an electric current surging through her: "How does the Empress find this? Is it exciting enough?"

Ye Yuntang’s face was flushed and bewildered: "..."

Is... is the progress moving this fast? She only spoke of seduction; she hadn't intended to engage in the real thing!

Just as her cheeks burned and her eyes darted around in panic, Xie Chenyan began to pull at her clothes... Her chaotic heartbeat drummed against her chest in the silent room.

"Your Majesty, is... is this not a bit too sudden?" she murmured, her voice like a mosquito's hum.

He chuckled, the sound like a hook pulling at her heartstrings. "Why, Empress, are you shy? Wasn't it you who begged me to have a secret affair with you?"

As he spoke, his fingers lightly traced her cheek, sending a tingling shudder through her.

Ye Yuntang shrank her neck, casting him a playful, reproving look. "Your Majesty, you love to tease me."

"Tease?"

He leaned down toward her. Ye Yuntang held her breath, wanting to dodge but afraid to move, her body stiffening.

A glint of amusement surfaced in Xie Chenyan’s eyes. He whispered seductively in her ear: "Wash up, and wait for me... to favor you."

With that, he carried her behind the screen. With a splash, she was ruthlessly tossed into the wooden bathing tub.

Ye Yuntang’s expression changed instantly.

"Be good, wash up quickly..."

Ye Yuntang did not miss the mockery in his eyes, and her heart sank. He dared to play her?

Feigning embarrassment, she bit her lower lip, took a deep breath, and finally lifted her hands to untie her robe...

Unexpectedly, in the next instant, Xie Chenyan threw his outer cloak over her head, covering her completely.

"Since the Empress loves to act so much, you may scream all night long. It will let them know exactly how I 'cherish' you." His cold words fell upon her head.