Chapter 51: Kill Me Too.

It had been two months since they last saw each other. Unexpectedly, their next encounter was when Qi Youan visited her boudoir late at night. Hearing this familiar, endearing address, Ye Wanwan's heart trembled.

"Your Majesty, what's the matter?" Ye Wanwan said, her delicate fingers frivolously lighting the candle beside her bed. In the dim candlelight, Qi Youan's eyes shimmered, a shimmer of sorrow.

Qi Youan remained silent, burying his head once again deep in the girl's waist, his arms tightening like iron hoops.

Unsure of what to say, Ye Wanwan reached out and gently stroked the man's hair.

The bell chimed, and just as Ye Wanwan thought the man in her arms had fallen asleep, she heard a whisper: "I'm so cold."

"Cold?" Summer was almost here, and Ye Wanwan wished she could strip naked and sleep. Besides, Qi Youan was wearing heavy dragon robes. How could he be cold? Was he ill? Ye Wanwan touched his forehead.

No fever...

"Do you need a physician to see Your Majesty?" Ye Wanwan asked softly.

"I don't want one. They're all bad people." Qi Youan's voice was muffled, yet tinged with childishness.

The girl burst into laughter at this: "Then, in Your Majesty's heart, I'm a good person."

Qi Youan suddenly looked up and buried his face in the crook of her neck. His warm breath brushed against his collarbone, like a wounded cub. Ye Wanwan half-huggled him, like a loving mother comforting her child. She knew Qi Youan must have encountered something heartbreaking.

But why had he come to her?

"The night is getting darker, the dew is heavier, and tomorrow is a new morning. Even if you have countless worries, they will eventually dissipate." She patted the man's back, speaking softly, as if coaxing a child.

"Okay." Qi Youan stood up and began to undress.

Ye Wanwan panicked and stuttered, "Your Majesty, are you staying at Yongshou Palace?"

"You are my queen, where else could I stay?" Qi Youan raised an eyebrow, his expression as if it was a matter of course.

When she regained consciousness, the man had already shed his finery, wearing only a plain white undergarment. Amidst the billowing brocade quilt, his hot body pressed against hers. Ye Wanwan slowly shifted, invisibly moving half an inch closer to the bed.

The next moment, Qi Youan pressed close, his arm around her waist, holding her in his arms. Cheek to cheek, his lips against her earlobe, he said, "It seems we weren't like this before."

Ye Wanwan, pinned to her spot, whispered, "It seems... it was like this." The scene of their past lovemaking flashed through the girl's mind, and her body suddenly heated up, her cheeks flushing.

"Your Majesty, although your holy body is in good health, the succession to the throne is lacking. I dare to ask Your Majesty to select a wide range of ladies to strengthen the foundation of the country." Minister Zhang knelt on the ground and made the speech. Beside him was the empty seat of Song Zhixiao - he was still bedridden from the thirty beatings with the cane

in the court. A sneer came from the throne: "What do you think?"

The whole hall was silent, and the ministers stood there, sweat soaking through their heavy clothes.

"I heard that Mr. Zhang has eight beautiful concubines, but he stays in brothels every night." The emperor's words were like a cold blade, which made Minister Zhang's face turn pale.

The man's big hands slowly penetrated into the thin nightgown, caressing her smooth skin, and at the same time turned his head to kiss her pink lips.

Their lips met, and Ye Wanwan gently nudged him. Finally finding a moment to breathe, she stretched out her arms and pushed the man away, saying, "I'm on my period and can't serve Your Majesty."

Qi Youan seemed stunned for a moment, his tentative movements pausing. His eyes cleared, and he said aggrievedly, "You tease me, but you're not responsible for me."

Ye Wanwan blushed and tilted her head, avoiding Qi Youan's gaze. "Then... I'll help you."

With that, a sly glint flashed in Qi Youan's eyes. "Then how are you going to help me?"

Ye Wanwan glared at him in reproach and said, "I didn't say anything just now."

"No, you did." Qi Youan smiled and pressed closer.

"I didn't say anything." Ye Wanwan turned her head away from him.

"You did," the man teased her again.

The girl simply closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

Qi Youan really wondered if the person in front of him had also poisoned him, a drug that made him unable to resist getting close to her whenever he saw her. Ye Wanwan was as addictive to him as Su Yu.

Qi Youan looked at the sleeping face of the girl like a big bad wolf, thinking about how to eat up the little white rabbit in his arms.

He took Ye Wanwan's hand and reached under him and said, "Wanwan teased me, don't think you can get away with it so easily."

After a long time, Ye Wanwan felt her hand numb, and Qi Youan let her go with a muffled groan.

Qi Youan snuggled into her arms and found that this bed was a hundred times more comfortable than the emperor's bedroom. He fell asleep immediately until dawn. While getting dressed, he looked at the fragrant and soft girl on the bed and couldn't help but lower his head to give her another light kiss. Not feeling it was not enough, he kissed her again, and then kissed her again, as if no matter how he kissed her, it seemed like he could never get enough.

Yongshou Palace is so good, I must come here often in the future. The emperor thought.

...

"Your Majesty, although you are young and healthy, you have not yet had any children since ascending the throne. I, a humble servant, dare to advise Your Majesty to expand your harem to make the Qi royal family more prosperous and powerful, and to further stabilize the country's position," said a minister. There was a vacant seat next to him, which belonged to Song Zhixiao, but he was punished with thirty strokes of the cane too severely, and he is still recuperating in his palace.

The emperor's eyes turned cold upon hearing this, and he asked the ministers in the hall, "Do any of you agree with Lord Zhang's opinion?"

The hall was silent, and everyone bowed their heads, not saying a word.

"I heard that Lord Zhang has three wives and eight concubines. With so many beautiful wives and concubines, why do you spend every day in brothels?" Qi Youan's words pierced the minister's heart like a sword. He buried his head even lower in shame, not daring to say another word.

Qi Youan snorted disdainfully, and just as he was about to say something, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. He gritted his teeth and tried to remain calm.

"Dismiss..." He hurriedly stood up and returned to his study.

The pain now spread throughout his body. Qi Youan broke out in a cold sweat and collapsed limply beside his desk, veins bulging on his forehead and his crown tilted.

Trembling, Qi Youan pulled a small white bottle from his bosom, poured two pills into his mouth, and swallowed them, but the pain in his chest continued. It took a while for the oppressive feeling in his heart to dissipate.

He pushed aside his sleeve to look at the purple-black pulse that surged in his forearm, which disappeared after a moment.

The recurrences were getting more severe and more frequent.

"Li Yu."

"What are your majesty's orders?" The young eunuch hurried to the emperor's side.

"Call Imperial Physician Zhang." Qi Youan stood up and straightened his clothes, as if nothing had happened.

Imperial Physician Zhang carefully felt the emperor's pulse, his brow furrowed. After a long moment, he respectfully said, "Your Majesty, this poison is extremely potent and has already invaded your internal organs."

"How much longer can I live?" Qi Youan demanded bluntly.

"I will do my best to develop an antidote. At most... it will take three months." The doctor's voice became weaker and weaker.

"Three months." Qi Youan sneered. It was longer than he expected.

He still had a lot to do in three months.

Qi Youan's expression did not change. He just pushed another memorial to the side of the table and said, "Let's see."

"Your nephew thinks..." "

Pass it on to Yu Shimo."

Soon, a young man in brocade robes came in. He walked with a breeze and looked heroic. There was no trace of his former timidity.

"Your nephew pays respect to the emperor's uncle."

Qi Youan did not raise his eyes, but threw a few memorials on the table: "Open them and tell me what you think."

Yu Shimo held the memorials in both hands and read them carefully. It turned out to be about the relief of the flood in Jizhou. His eyes drifted between the lines, his peripheral vision glimpsing the emperor's expression. Finally, he weighed in,

"In your humble opinion, the court officials' request for direct monetary relief for the victims is likely to be exploited by the prefectures and counties, leaving only a tenth of the money. It would be better to convert the money and grain into food and clothing for the porridge factory, and then clearly define the number of relief buildings. This would both alleviate the people's immediate needs and prevent officials from enriching themselves."

Qi Youan's face remained emotionless. "Take a look at the other memorial."

Yu Shimo unfolded it for a closer look; this one reported on the rampant banditry in Yancheng.

"Your nephew thinks..."

...

Ye Wanwan rose from her bed, still feeling the lingering warmth of that person.

Ever since Yun Ting's departure, she had no one she could trust, and her plan with Song Zhixiao had become increasingly difficult.

She needed to complete her tribulation quickly, and Ye Wanwan feared the delay would only lead to her becoming soft-hearted.

She needed to get over this fate as soon as possible—Ye Wanwan was afraid that the longer she delayed, the softer her heart would become.

For days, she often went to the front court, hoping to find any trace of Song Zhixiao, but to no avail. Not to mention Song Zhixiao, even Qi Youan was hard to find, presumably because he was too busy with his work. However, every night when she took a nap, she could always feel a sudden warmth beside her, enveloping her tightly in the early summer heat.

Ye Wanwan was always sweating profusely from the heat, and whenever she tried to break free, she would be pulled back into those iron arms, unable to move.

This day, Ye Wanwan finally saw Song Zhixiao, as he was leaving court and preparing to leave the palace.

Song Zhixiao also caught sight of that beautiful figure when he looked up, their eyes meeting and, in tacit understanding, they turned towards the secluded path.

"Does your Majesty really want to do this?" Song Zhixiao asked softly again.

"I'll give you one last chance. If you fear for your life, you may turn around and leave now, and continue to be your wealthy and powerful minister," Ye Wanwan said calmly.

"Since your Majesty has saved my life, I shall return it to you. I will go through fire and water without hesitation." The man's tone was as firm as a rock.

...

Late at night, Qi Youan returned to Yongshou Palace, but when he entered the bedroom, the girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Your Majesty, the Empress has not returned since she left the palace alone this morning. I have not been able to find her whereabouts. Please forgive me," Lan Ge replied tremblingly.

At this moment, a dark figure suddenly appeared before everyone, breaking through the darkness. His face was covered with a black cloth, making his true appearance unclear. "Your Majesty, the Empress and a man are currently under the pear tree in the southwest corner of the Imperial Garden." Ah San's tone was emotionless.

Qi Youan's fury surged upon hearing this. His expression grim, he strode towards the Imperial Garden, his sleeves and dress billowing in the wind, his entire presence emanating a terrifying aura.

Ye Wanwan nestled in Song Zhixiao's arms. Moonlight poured down, casting a silvery glow over the two of them, making them look like a pair of divine lovers.

The rustling of footsteps approached, and Song Zhixiao whispered, "The Empress and the others are here."

The next moment, Ye Wanwan stood straight, smiling, cupping the face of the man before her, and said wistfully, "Song, my dear, why can't fate keep us together forever?" She raised her toes to kiss him.

Just as they were about to press their lips together, the rockery behind them suddenly cracked with a loud bang, scattering rubble.

The two, still entwined, looked in horror, meeting the emperor's cursed gaze from the shadows, his entire body emanating a thick, black smoke.

A chill ran down Ye Wanwan's spine, and she lost consciousness.

...

When she opened her eyes again, she saw the familiar gauze curtains and the familiar palace.

Could it be just a dream?

Such a real dream.

Ye Wanwan wanted to get up, but she felt her arms were weak and powerless, as if her joints were broken. After a long time, she managed to prop herself up and leaned on the bedpost.

Suddenly, she felt a chill on her ankles, and she realized that her feet were locked. There was an iron ring on her ankle, and the other end of the iron chain was wrapped around the end of the bed. The iron ring was very thick, but there was a layer of soft cotton inside, so it would not rub her.

Ye Wanwan wanted to call for help, but found that she couldn't even use the strength in her throat. She could only whisper, and her voice could not be heard outside the bedroom. She pinched her throat and tried to make her voice louder, but it was useless. Suddenly

, the door of the palace was opened, and the sunlight poured into the dim room, illuminating the burly figure of a man.

Qi Youan stepped into the inner room in the sunlight, with a frosty look on his face.

Ye Wanwan felt the oppressive aura surrounding him and instinctively moved to the foot of the bed.

The emperor walked slowly to the couch, brushed his robe, and sat down. His eyes were deep and he asked, "Wanwan, why are you so far away from me?"

Before he finished speaking, a large hand gripped her slender foot. With the sound of metal clashing, she was dragged to the man's side.

Meanwhile, Lang Ge bent down and brought Guilian Eight Treasure Soup, his head bowed humbly. He then quickly pushed her out of the room, never daring to look up.

"Wanwan, you've slept so long, you must be hungry. Let me feed you." He blew gently on the soup, then scooped up a mouthful and slowly offered it to Ye Wanwan's lips.

Qi Youan's eyes were gentle, yet strangely chilled.

Ye Wanwan couldn't understand why the man before her was so calm, as if nothing had happened. But the sound of the iron chains clashing around her ankles told her that this was not a dream.

The spoon was already handed to her mouth, so Ye Wanwan had no choice but to half-open her mouth and drink the soup obediently.

The man fed her spoonful by spoonful, and the girl drank it mouthful by mouthful.

Finally, there was no more soup left in the bowl, and Ye Wanwan mustered up the courage to ask, "Your

Majesty, what are you doing?" Qi Youan didn't seem to hear her words, but just said to himself, "What do you want to eat tonight? I'll ask the imperial chef to make it for you."

"Is Song Zhixiao okay?"

Qi Youan's movements froze as soon as he said this. He raised his eyes and said, "He's dead."

Qi Youan's light words made Ye Wanwan's eyes widen. She gritted her teeth and said, "I love him. If you kill him, kill me too."