Chapter 1: The Empress’s Undergarment Still Hangs on the Rogue’s Waist

Chapter 1: The Empress's Undergarment Still Hangs on the Rogue's Waist

Feng Xiyao had passed away.

During an online game in her bedroom, her teammates were so incompetent that her blood pressure soared, leading to her sudden demise.

As she collapsed, her teammates were still frantically clicking "Charge!"

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"The Emperor, when we rushed in, we saw Her Majesty the Empress's undergarment still hanging on that rogue's waist!"

"How can the Empress, with such licentiousness, deserve to be the mother of our nation?"

With great effort, Feng Xiyao opened her eyes, feeling an excruciating headache. She swayed her dizzy head to gain a clearer view of her surroundings. On a dais sat a handsome man, but due to her pounding headache and weak body, she couldn't make out his features clearly.

"..."

Mo Cangyan looked down at his nominal empress with a cold expression. Seeing her agony, a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

By his side, Ruyi, fearful of the emperor's icy gaze, crawled over to shake Feng Xiyao who was on the ground.

"Empress, wake up! You must explain to His Majesty! This isn't how it happened! We were framed!"

With great strength, Ruyi almost flipped her over. Struggling, Feng Xiyao weakly patted Ruyi, indicating that she still had some life left in her.

"Oh, Feng Xiyao, are you trying to play dead?" A lady dressed in luxurious robes, exuding elegance and grace, mocked from the side.

"Feng Xiyao, is that my name?"

Hearing her familiar name, the one on the ground experienced a mental breakdown.

"..."

In an instant, she snapped open her eyes, staring in shock at her surroundings. Ancient architecture filled her vision, pillars adorned with carved dragons, and everyone present dressed in traditional garb. On a raised platform sat a handsome man in a dragon robe, seated on an intricately carved throne.

Recalling that they had just called her Feng Xiyao, she furrowed her brow.

"Isn't this the name of Empress Feng, who had a mere minute of screen time in the male-oriented novel I was reading last night?"

Seeing everyone's eyes on her, she widened hers in surprise.

"I can't be that unlucky, right? I was just too excited playing a game, had an adrenaline surge, and then suddenly... I transmigrated into a book!"

A clear and bright voice rang in Mo Cangyan's ears. He lifted his gaze to survey the others – the palace maids and guards were all staring at the woman on the ground, no one speaking a word. Shock flickered in his eyes.

He then turned to Eunuch Hai beside him, "Did you hear anything?"

Eunuch Hai listened attentively, then shook his head. "Your Majesty, this old servant did not hear anything."

Not noticing the Emperor's unusual demeanor, Concubine Shu continued.

"Your Majesty, the Empress daringly consorted with a man secretly. Even in an ordinary family, such an act would not be tolerated, let alone for the mother of our nation. If this were to become known outside the palace, it would surely tarnish the royal reputation. For the sake of Great Xia's dignity, please, Your Majesty, sentence the Empress to death!"

As soon as Concubine Shu finished, those around her promptly echoed her plea in a resounding chorus.

"Please, Your Majesty, sentence the Empress to death!"

"I recall now, the book mentioned that Empress Feng was framed by the Concubine Shu. It was because Concubine Shu and her cousin were caught in an illicit affair within the palace by the Empress's maid, Yu'er. To prevent their secret from being exposed, they threatened Yu'er with the lives of her parents and coerced her into falsely accusing the Empress of infidelity."

"The Empress was already out of favor. Even if she didn't die, the Emperor would have utterly despised her. What a vicious scheme. How I despise being drugged and unable to speak now!"

Feng Xiyao opened her mouth, looking at Mo Cangyan with a mournful expression. The man stood tall and proud, his handsome face cold as ice. His slender phoenix eyes were profound and intimidating, exuding an aura of authority.

Voices continued to echo in Mo Cangyan's ears, but everyone around him seemed unperturbed, as if only he could hear this voice.

"What are you staring at, tyrant? The mood has been set. Are you going to end me with a white silk rope?"

Observing the man's gaze grow increasingly cold, she, too, felt a surge of anger.

Indeed, a thoughtless tyrant, deserving to be betrayed by the woman he loved most and then toppled alongside her paramour. Their entire family's corpses hung in a row on the city walls, subjected to public humiliation. How else could he have so easily killed the queen he had deeply loved, based solely on Concubine Shu's accusations?

Before Mo Cangyan could fully compose himself, another explosive piece of news jolted him, making his body sway.

This brazen woman actually dared to curse at me!

Eunuch Hai, standing nearby with sharp eyes, noticed the emperor sway and immediately asked with concern, "What's the matter, Your Majesty?"

Mo Cangyan composed himself. As an emperor, he couldn't possibly believe Feng Xiyao's words solely based on her claims. But if the Lady Concubine had an uncle, how would she know about it?

It was only recently that Lady Concubine's cousin, Wang Kang, had been transferred to serve in his presence; he had learned of this from his attendants.

Contemplating this, Mo Cangyan reconsidered the authenticity of the situation. Upon reflection, he found it riddled with inconsistencies. Observing the queen, weakened and drained on the ground, he suspected she might have been drugged.

Putting aside the queen's words for now, since there were such glaring doubts, he vowed to thoroughly investigate the matter.

Instead of responding to Eunuch Hai, Mo Cangyan rose to his feet and approached Yu'er, the one who had exposed the queen's alleged infidelity. He looked down at her from a towering height.

"Did you truly witness the Empress committing adultery with someone?"

Yu'er's body on the floor trembled uncontrollably. "Your Majesty, it was this servant who saw it with her own eyes!"

Ruyi angrily shouted, "You're lying! You must have been bribed to falsely accuse Her Majesty the Empress!"

Feng Xiyao leaned limply against Ruyi. She wanted to plead her innocence, but alas, she couldn't find the strength to speak.

Upon hearing this, Mo Cangyan's sharp gaze swept towards Feng Xiyao kneeling on the ground. As everyone expected him to protect the royal dignity by ordering Feng Xiyao's execution, in the next moment, he reached out and pulled her up from the floor, his hand tightly encircling her slender waist.

Feng Xiyao's vision blurred for a moment before she found herself securely nestled in the man's embrace, her delicate face pressed against his muscular chest. She could even hear his heart thudding powerfully against it...

Everyone was stunned, and before they could react, Mo Cangyan swiftly drew a sword from a nearby guard's waist and held it to Yu'er's throat.

His voice was icy, each word slicing through the air as he repeated his question, "I'll give you one last chance. Speak the truth, or I'll kill you on the spot!"

Just as Mo Cangyan finished speaking, the woman in his arms spoke up again.

"This tyrant must have taken the wrong medicine to suddenly realize that the Empress is being falsely accused!"

Hearing her sarcastic words, Mo Cangyan restrained himself from casting her aside. Had this occurred in the past, anyone who dared to speak to him like that would have already lost their head.

Yu'er trembled even more violently. The Concubine Shu had threatened her with her family's lives; if she didn't confess, perhaps her family might have a chance to live, but if she did, her fate would be sealed.

Seeing the emperor's disbelief, Concubine Shu grew restless. If Yu'er accidentally revealed her affair with her cousin, it would lead to the execution of all nine branches of their family. Filled with guilt, she stepped forward and loudly accused Yu'er, "How dare you, a lowly servant, stammer in front of the Emperor! Don't you care about your family at all? Speak now! How did you witness the Empress committing adultery with a man?"

Yu'er understood that the Concubine Shu was threatening her. Recalling her aged parents and young brother at home, she steeled herself and said,

"I, your servant, know nothing. All I can say is that when we arrived after hearing the commotion, we found Her Majesty the Empress lying in bed, disheveled, with a man who had overindulged in pleasure beside her – he even had... my lady's red mandarin duck undershirt on his waist!"

"Damned heavens, what a vicious scheme! The witness is dead, having succumbed to excess pleasure. I'd be hard-pressed to explain myself, even with a hundred mouths!"

At this thought, Feng Xiyao glanced cautiously at Mo Cangyan.

"This tyrant has a simplistic mind, only knowing how to yell for violence and be deceived by women until he loses everything, even his underwear. He's probably considering throwing me to the ground now!"

With this thought in mind, Feng Xiyao closed her eyes in pain, "I need to find a better angle, what position should I fall in so as not to get severely injured!"