Chapter 34 The Emperor
by 女王不在家Chapter 34 The Emperor
A mountain breeze slipped through the half-open window, carrying the scent of blooming camellias and filling the chamber with the crisp fragrance of tea.
The Jingxi Emperor's gaze darkened, his oppressive presence making the air thick.
A Wu's thin lips trembled slightly as she whispered, "Yes."
The Jingxi Emperor: "From the very beginning, you knew my identity?"
Tears as big as peas rolled down A Wu's cheeks as she hastily shook her head. "At first, A Wu didn't know... A Wu only knew Your Majesty was someone important. How could I dare speculate? It was only later that I realized..."
The Jingxi Emperor's gaze grew even colder. "How did you find out?"
A Wu cowered slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "That day... an important visitor came to see Your Majesty. A Wu thought he seemed extraordinary, yet he still seemed lesser next to Your Majesty. That made me suspicious... so my mind began racing. Then I looked more carefully at the furnishings in the room. Before, I hadn't paid much attention, so I didn't notice. But upon closer inspection, I had an inkling... though I couldn't be sure and didn't dare to ask further."
The Jingxi Emperor's expression was unreadable. "Why didn't you dare to ask?"
A Wu sobbed uncontrollably, her voice cracking with fear. "If it were confirmed... and if the truth were exposed... A Wu was afraid..."
As she spoke, she shuddered.
The Jingxi Emperor took a deep breath, studying the young woman with a piercing gaze. Her tear-filled eyes shimmered with terror.
She wore her heart on her sleeve—transparent to anyone who looked.
His lips twisted in a mocking smirk. "Yet you guessed my identity. You knew I was the Crown Prince's birth father, yet you never mentioned it. You deceived me all along."
At this, A Wu burned with shame, fresh tears streaming down her face.
She wiped her tears with a trembling hand. "How... how could A Wu speak of such a thing? A Wu was afraid... I could only pretend to be ignorant, to act as if I didn't know. If I had spoken of it, A Wu would have wanted to bash her head against the wall and die right there..."
Hearing this, the Jingxi Emperor's expression stiffened slightly.
Then, a tempest of dark emotions swirled in his gaze.
Yes. This affair was far too shameful—impossible to put into words.
She was his son's concubine, the woman his son pined for. Just an hour ago, he had been furious that his son was so bewitched by a mere woman!
He had wanted to put this temptress to death—to frame her, to catch her red-handed, to make his son witness how the woman he loved was intimate with another man!
But now he knew—the man who'd been intimate with her was none other than himself!
He had taken his own son's concubine, even harbored tender feelings for her!
Even while handling military affairs, his mind had occasionally wandered to their intimate moments!
A Wu's heart was filled with dread. Through her tears, she stole a cautious glance, only to see the man's cold, majestic face twisted with icy fury—enough to freeze the blood.
Suddenly, she felt a surge of despair, abandoning all hope.
It seemed she truly was going to die this time.
Then, the Jingxi Emperor lifted his gaze, staring at A Wu with an expression so sharp it seemed to pierce through everything.
His demeanor appeared calm, yet A Wu only grew more terrified.
She sensed the Emperor's ruthless intent to kill.
The Jingxi Emperor twisted his lips into a mocking smile. "In my life, I have always been cautious, never daring to take a wrong step. Yet, in a moment of carelessness, I committed such an unthinkable violation of morality—succumbing to lust with you, lost in depravity and disgrace."
As he spoke, his fingers, which were clutching A Wu’s hand, trembled slightly. "If this were to be exposed, the Yong imperial house of Great Hui would become a laughingstock. A Wu, I cannot spare you."
His elegant fingers slowly descended, settling around A Wu’s neck.
The pale, slender neck was grasped inch by inch, tightening.
A Wu did not resist. She gazed at him submissively, allowing him to choke her.
Fear seeped in, thread by thread, and despair swept over her like a tidal wave.
The jade thumb ring on the man’s finger pressed against her throat, sending a sharp, icy sting.
Shaking, she lifted her gaze to the man before her, meeting those pitiless, icy eyes, her jumbled thoughts racing.
Amidst the chaos in her mind, she unexpectedly recalled the beginning.
Once, he had taken her with wild abandon—that same ring had pressed against her waist, warmed by her body heat.
It was the most primal, intimate bond between man and woman, and he had once been so tender, so full of affection!
Yet now, those same hands that had caressed her with tenderness were gripping her throat with brutal intent, unfeeling and merciless.
The Jingxi Emperor stared fixedly at her, his voice hoarse. "My fault—I didn’t recognize you."
He hadn’t recognized her, and instead, had foolishly wallowed in desire with her.
That morning, as they lay entwined, the Crown Prince had been waiting outside. Even then, he had sensed something amiss—who could have imagined it would lead to the shame of father and son bedding the same woman!
And if the Crown Prince were to learn the truth, the conflict between father and son would undoubtedly plunge the court into chaos!
To preserve order, she had to die.
The Jingxi Emperor watched A Wu, icy and pitiless, his fingers tightening slowly and relentlessly.
A Wu had long resigned herself to fate. She was not afraid of death, so she did not struggle now, knowing it would be futile.
Breathing grew increasingly difficult. Her ears rang, her vision darkened, her head throbbed with dizziness, and her limbs grew weak and limp.
Yet even in this haze, she kept her eyes wide open, gazing into the distant, illusory void.
She thought she saw it—the waves of the Eastern Sea, churning and foaming, a massive merchant ship cutting through the waters. At its bow, her father and elder brother waved flags at her.
She knew it was an illusion. Her mother had once told her that when one is about to die, they see what they most desire—and now, she saw it.
She saw her father and brother returning.
Boundless happiness welled up in her heart. Her father and brother were not dead—they had finally come back.
She flung out her arms to welcome them, whispering their names.
Then, in an instant, a burst of white light.
Suddenly, the pressure around her neck loosened, and she gasped greedily for fresh air, laced with the scent of tea.
The instinct to survive made her inhale frantically, hungrily.
The Jingxi Emperor gripped her shoulders tightly, his scorching breath searing her face.
He shook her hard, his voice hoarse and low: "Why aren't you struggling, why?! Don’t you wanna live?!"
He had seen so many dying people weep and beg for mercy, groveling on the ground, kowtowing until their foreheads bled, begging the Emperor for mercy—but not A Wu!
With tears in her eyes, she gazed at him, accepting her fate without a word, submitting to it without resistance!
These hands of his wielded the imperial brush, ordering the realm.
He had killed before, gripping a sword, merciless and decisive, showing no mercy!
But never had he strangled a helpless woman like this, watching her submit without struggle, her life slipping away bit by bit.
This was the woman who had once brought him joy, who had once enthralled him—yet now he was killing her for it.
Her submission only made him realize with excruciating pain how weak, how despicable he truly was—nothing but a fraud hiding behind his title!
Because he had made a mistake, he was venting his rage on her, who had no means to fight back!
What was he afraid of? That she would tarnish his legacy? Or that the scandal of father and son sharing a woman would make him the laughingstock of the realm?
A Wu choked violently, gasping for air.
If Your Majesty wants A Wu dead, A Wu has nothing to say. To die… to die…”
Her shaking fingers brushed her throat as she lifted her face, her hair disheveled. Through her tears, she whispered, "To die at Your Majesty’s hand… A Wu’s life was worth it…”
The Jingxi Emperor clamped his hand on her chin harshly, his eyes dark and wild, sharp as daggers.
He stared into her eyes, spitting out each word: "Why did you go with him? Did you love him?"
A Wu knew who he meant by "him"—this was the shame an emperor couldn’t admit.
From that single word, "him," he was already wavering between his roles as a man and a father.
And so, she found hope.
Tears in her eyes, lips trembling like petals, she whispered in her own defense: "If I loved him, why would I flee? He was devoted to me, but even if the Emperor disapproved, could I not have found a way to stay at Yanxiang Temple?"
The Jingxi Emperor’s cold eyes narrowed abruptly, his aura turning deadly: "And that guard? Would you ditch the Crown Prince for some guard?"
A Wu shook her head frantically, her voice choked with tears: "No, Your Majesty, A Wu did not elope with a guard! A Wu only wanted to leave. That guard set a trap for me—it was the Crown Princess who—"
The Jingxi Emperor gritted his teeth and roared: "Lies! Spouting nonsense!"
Even if Nie San had intentions, why had she taken the bait so easily? Did she think her little tricks could fool him?!
She *had* eloped—ditching the Crown Prince for a lowly guard, fleeing with a pile of gold!
If not for his personal arrival at Nanqiongzi, if the Imperial Guard hadn’t blocked their path, they would have vanished long ago, living it up somewhere!
His chest ached as if struck by a boulder, the pain unbearable: "Liar. Would you go with just anyone? Would you jump into bed with any man who wanted you?"
His hatred burned uncontrollably: "You just happened to meet *me*. You’d throw yourself into any man’s arms—had it been another, you’d be clinging to *him* instead! You’re truly—"
His voice cut off abruptly, his mind blank.
Because A Wu had pressed against him like clinging ivy.
Frail and helpless, her figure delicate, yet she gazed at him with soft, trusting eyes.
The Jingxi Emperor had never seen such clear yet complex emotions in anyone's eyes—reverence, filial devotion, love, and supplication.
As if he were the very core of her being, the sole desire of her lifetime.
Trembling, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, attempting to soften his unyielding strength with her delicate embrace.
Undeterred by his cutting wrath, she met his fury head-on, like a fragile moth hurling itself at fire.
At this moment, the weight of the empire faded, riches and authority as fleeting as passing clouds—the entire world vanished. The Jingxi Emperor could see nothing but A Wu.
In this world, there was only one woman, and her name was A Wu.
A Wu clung to the Jingxi Emperor’s shoulders, her delicate arms clinging to the embroidered sun, moon, and stars on his imperial robe.
Gazing devoutly into those cold eyes, she pleaded softly, "Your Majesty, I don’t want any other man in this world—only you. I love only you. Hold me, please, don’t be angry with me… Rescue me. You alone can rescue me. If you abandon me, I’d rather die than live..."
The Crown Prince, Princess De Ning, the Empress, the Crown Princess—all had shone with the honor he granted.
He stood atop the highest peak, surveying all under heaven.
She was begging him, pleading for even crumbs from his fingertips—enough to let her stand before the world again.
The Jingxi Emperor watched this helpless woman in silence.
A weeping beauty, like a blood-weeping begonia—she was an orphaned nestling without a branch to cling to, offering everything in exchange for his mercy and protection.
Yet she was also a heart-eating enchantress, luring him to ruin.
He spoke, "Do you know what you’re saying?"
A Wu replied, "Your Majesty, either kill me or hold me."
She lifted her trembling, thick lashes, her tear-filled eyes daring to meet his gaze. "A Wu is yours—in life and in death. My life is yours to command."
The Jingxi Emperor stared deeply at A Wu, for a long, long time.
In the time it took for a single leaf to fall, a person’s destiny could be sealed.
A Wu waited.
Finally, the Jingxi Emperor raised his hand, his fingers slowly unfurling before settling at the nape of her slender neck, clasping the base of her neck as if holding a dying swan.
A Wu closed her eyes in resignation.
She had lost the gamble.
Then, she heard a hoarse, forceful voice growl in her ear, "I want you. But from now on, you belong only to me—every strand of your hair, every breath in your body. You must revere me as your sovereign."
A Wu’s eyes flew open, and she saw the madness in the Jingxi Emperor’s gaze.
His former composure had shattered completely—his gaze blazed with raw possession.
Jealousy and anguish nearly overflowed.
He had long been moved, clinging to his imperial dignity, unwilling to descend from his lofty perch!
A Wu tilted her neck back, her soft, long hair spilling over her slender shoulders as she gazed up at him without regret. "A Wu swears—in this life, my heart belongs only to Zelang. Every strand of my hair is yours. I honor you as my sovereign. I am willing to kneel before you through all our days."
The Jingxi Emperor stared at her unblinkingly, his heart aching with the thought—she was dangerously skilled at this.
She pressed her advantage, knowing exactly how to manipulate a man's heartstrings.
She no longer addressed him as "Emperor."
She called him Zelang.
That word slipped from her lips in a soft, lingering murmur, as if it were her whole world.
No man could escape such a snare of passion—not even him.
A searing emotion surged from the left side of Emperor Jingxi's chest, making his nose sting, his eyes burn, and tightening his chest with an aching swell.
For eighteen years as emperor, he had believed he held absolute control over everything—until now, when he suddenly realized it was only because he had never met her!
He adored her deeply, craving to possess her completely. His resentment toward her sprang only from her indifference, from the knowledge that she had once belonged to others!
He despised her fleeting attachments!
At times, he even recalled that night in the tent, the way she had averted her gaze.
She had just been toying with him—how could he not know? He was the supreme ruler, above all others, and he would never stoop to begging for crumbs from some common woman!
His eyes darkened with fury as he growled through clenched teeth, "You are mine—born to be mine! You will look only at me, always at me!"
A Wu listened, her heart swelling with triumph, as if she had devoured the most exquisite dessert.
Emperor Jingxi's voice hissed: "If anyone dares to even glance at you, if anyone so much as touches a single finger of yours, I will ensure they meet a gruesome end!"
Tears sprang to A Wu's eyes.
Large drops rolled down her cheeks—tears of overwhelming joy.
This man, who had recklessly ridden out from the depths of the palace, had finally granted her a glimmer of salvation!
She stretched out her slender arms toward him, whispering tremulously, "Zelang..."
Her eyes were tinged with red, her skin flushed with delicate pink, alluring as a siren yet vulnerable as a stray child.
No one could refuse such a plea.
Ravenous desire flared in Emperor Jingxi's tea-colored eyes. He abruptly seized her, dragging her against him and locking her in a vise-like grip.
A Wu was afraid—terrified of this tempest of domination—yet she still trembled as she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, clinging to his back, yielding completely.
No matter the cost, she wanted to live.
Emperor Jingxi's eyes blazed red as he tore A Wu's robes apart with his bare hands and hurled her onto the bed.
The resplendent dragon robe was violently cast to the floor, the jade belt clattering sharply against the marble tiles.
A Wu's heart raced, her scalp prickling.
At the sound, a wave of desire overflowed within her uncontrollably.
If she wished, she could have a hundred men—but none could offer her the protection she craved.
Only this one could!
This was her only chance in this lifetime. She would seize it, using every weapon in her arsenal to make him completely enslaved!
The Jingxi Emperor seized A Wu in his embrace, like a raging storm, nearly suffocating her.
He was ruthless, using all his strength, reckless and unrestrained, without a shred of mercy.
A Wu even thought she might die under him.
But A Wu didn’t care.
She clung like seaweed, like vines, entwining around him.
She knew how to make a man surrender completely, and she knew even better how to make a man remember her forever.
Yet it was too intense—she could hardly endure it, reduced to desperate pleas, which only spurred him to greater ferocity. Amid the furious pace, she suddenly reached her climax.
Her fingers clutched the embroidered bedding, her soft voice crying out, ragged and utterly intoxicating.
As she cried out like this, she even felt a smug satisfaction—*Look, you mighty Emperor, still you lust after me. You know full well I was your son’s concubine, yet you’re lost in my embrace all the same!*
Amid these uninhibited, wanton moans, she wept even harder.
In the midst of her sobs, the man suddenly lowered his head and kissed her cheeks, his movements gentle, almost coaxing.
A Wu had always been one to take a mile when given an inch.
So she gripped his arm tightly, her teary, hazy eyes full of reproach as she whimpered, "Does Zelang want to take A Wu’s life? How could A Wu endure all this…"
Innocent, aggrieved words, yet so brazen—no man could resist them.
The Jingxi Emperor felt a shiver run down his spine.
His fingers dug into her slender waist. "Where did you learn such words?"
His face darkened as he pressed, "Did you say such things to *him* too?"
A Wu gazed up at him with wet eyes, relying on pure instinct in her panic. "But Zelang, you’re better than he—"
A storm brewed in the Jingxi Emperor’s eyes as he suddenly commanded in a low voice, "Never say such words again. Never mention him. Or else I will punish you severely."
A Wu trembled inside. *Had she gone too far?*
The Jingxi Emperor raised his hand and brought it down.
It wasn’t forceful, nor did it hurt much, but the slap rang out sharp and sweet—A Wu let out a startled yelp.
Yet this reaction only excited him further. The Jingxi Emperor tilted his chiseled neck, his sharp eyes half-lidded, a satisfied sigh escaping his throat.
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