Cough, cough.
The Emperor cleared his throat twice, breaking the heavy silence in the imperial study.
He lifted a gold-rimmed teacup, took a leisurely sip, and turned his gaze toward Xin Long.
“Long’er, after what happened this time, how do you intend to make up for your failure?”
His voice revealed neither anger nor pleasure.
Xin Long looked up at him.
With an expression of unwavering righteousness, she declared, “Your Majesty, I am willing to accompany Xiao Jinghe’s family into exile in Nanling.”
“Along the way… I’ll find a way…”
“…to make them disappear from this world without anyone ever knowing.”
“I beg Your Majesty to give me a chance to redeem myself.”
She spoke with all the solemn conviction of someone prepared to sacrifice herself for the greater good.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes, carefully studying the woman kneeling before him.
He examined her delicate features.
Her face was more beautiful than that of any concubine in his harem.
Her skin was as flawless as fine porcelain, soft enough to seem as though water could be squeezed from it. Every feature was exquisitely proportioned, forming a breathtakingly beautiful face.
Her mother had been a foreign beauty presented as tribute from the Western Regions, blessed with fair, exotic features.
Xin Long had inherited every bit of that unique beauty.
The late Emperor had once doted on her mother deeply.
Unfortunately, her heart belonged to another man. After repeatedly attempting to escape and failing each time, she had ultimately been banished to the Cold Palace.
Before his death, however, the late Emperor had revealed a secret.
Xin Long was not of imperial blood.
She was nothing more than a bastard.
With only a few simple tricks, this bastard had become utterly devoted to him, even willingly marrying into the Duke Dingguo’s household as his spy, reporting every move the Xiao family made.
Now that the Xiao family was on the verge of destruction…
What should he do with this illegitimate daughter?
Looking at her incomparably beautiful face, a meaningful smile slowly curled onto the Emperor’s lips.
He walked over and personally helped her to her feet.
“Long’er, you’ve already sacrificed so much for me.”
His voice was gentle, almost as though he were speaking to a beloved woman.
“Since this attempt failed, then let it be.”
“Once Xiao Jinghe has been exiled…”
He paused, his tone carrying an unmistakable hint of intimacy.
“…remain in the palace and stay by my side.”
???
Xin Long froze.
She genuinely hadn’t expected that response.
What was going on?
According to the original owner’s memories, although there had always been an ambiguous tension between her and the Emperor, he’d merely enjoyed stringing her along.
The original owner had repeatedly wanted to offer herself to him, yet the Emperor had never intended to bring her into his harem.
After all, she was publicly known as his imperial sister.
But judging by his attitude now…
Could he actually be serious?
Damn it.
These two are both complete psychopaths.
An indescribable wave of revulsion surged through Xin Long, and she nearly lost control of her expression.
The Emperor’s fingers, carrying the heavy scent of sandalwood, slowly reached toward her cheek.
The touch reminded her of a venomous snake flicking out its tongue.
Her skin crawled.
“Urgh!”
A sudden dry heave shattered the eerie silence inside the imperial study.
Xin Long clapped a hand over her mouth and bent over, gagging from sheer disgust.
The Emperor: “…”
Catching the stiff expression on his face out of the corner of her eye, Xin Long thought,
This is bad. I need to get out of this somehow.
An idea flashed through her mind.
“Your Majesty! I… I’m pregnant!”
The Emperor froze.
“Pregnant?”
Xin Long nodded.
“Y-Yes… it’s Xiao Jinghe’s child.”
She raised her tear-filled eyes and clutched tightly at his sleeve.
“But that doesn’t matter!”
“What matters is that I can finally stay by Your Majesty’s side!”
“I’m so happy!”
She looked up at him with deliberately innocent eyes full of anticipation.
“I’m carrying Xiao Jinghe’s child… Your Majesty…”
“You… won’t despise me, will you?”
She tested him cautiously, like a frightened little deer.
“After all… after all… I willingly gave myself to him… all for Your Majesty’s sake…”
Her voice grew softer and softer until it was barely above a whisper.
The Emperor’s expression slowly shifted from stunned disbelief…
…to livid fury.
He violently flung her hand away, his eyes filled with disgust.
“You shameless bitch!”
His furious roar echoed throughout the vast imperial study.
Following the force of his shove, Xin Long deliberately allowed herself to fall backward, crashing onto the cold stone floor.
She looked up at the enraged Emperor with eyes full of disbelief.
“Your Majesty… what are you saying?”
Her voice trembled with hurt and confusion.
“Why… why would you say something like that to me?”
Tears spilled from her eyes, rolling down her pale cheeks.
“Everything I’ve done… I’ve done for you…”
She choked out the words through sobs.
The Emperor looked down at her with nothing but contempt and revulsion.
“Just like your mother—filthy and depraved!”
“You couldn’t even keep your legs closed! Now you’ve gone and gotten yourself pregnant with another man’s bastard!”
Xin Long was genuinely speechless at this absurd, overbearing man.
He was the one who ordered the original owner to marry Xiao Jinghe.
What? Did he expect her to remain chaste for him while married to another man?
She slowly climbed to her feet.
Then she deliberately said,
“Your Majesty, none of that matters.”
“What matters is that we siblings can finally be together.”
“No one will ever separate us again.”
“Now that the Duke Dingguo’s household has fallen, I can finally be with Your Majesty openly.”
“Your Majesty… I want to marry you and become your princess consort!”
The Emperor stood motionless.
His face grew even darker.
He frowned in utter disgust as nausea churned in his stomach.
A pregnant woman…
The moment he recalled Xin Long’s retching—and her words, “It’s Xiao Jinghe’s child”—an overwhelming sense of revulsion rose within him.
Every trace of interest he had felt toward her instantly vanished.
No matter how beautiful this woman was…
She was insane.
“Guards.”
The Emperor spoke coldly, his voice devoid of emotion.
Two armored imperial guards immediately entered, dropped to one knee, and awaited his orders.
“Lock her up.”
The Emperor cast Xin Long one final look of disgust before turning and walking back toward the Dragon Throne, as though even looking at her any longer would stain his eyes.
Seeing that the Emperor had completely lost interest in her, Xin Long finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As the guards forcibly escorted her away, she deliberately shouted at the top of her lungs,
“Your Majesty! What did I do wrong?”
“Why are you treating me like this?”
“Everything Long’er has done… was all for you~~”