The distinct marking between her eyebrows, her stained red fingernails, and the red cord tied across her forehead—this was the Female Emperor in all her feminine glory!
As Ying Qingye looked at her, a stream of saliva involuntarily pooled at the corner of his mouth.
Who the heck could possibly resist this?!
Who could say no to the Female Emperor of the Huanyin Pavilion?
Who? I ask you!
And let’s not forget the Nine Heavens Holy Virgins. Every single one of them was an absolute stunner capable of getting anyone’s blood boiling!
Anyone who had watched The Degenerate-Drawing Painting Jianghu knew that these nine women possessed formidable martial arts skills, extraordinary strength, unique specialized techniques, and proved that women could be just as fierce as men.
More importantly, all nine of them were drop-dead gorgeous beauties.
System, you son of a gun, are you really trying to test a loyal official with this kind of temptation?!
“Master?”
“Ah… ah?”
“Ah! Well, um—please, rise quickly, the floor is cold!”
Ying Qingye hurried forward to help her up. The instant their hands made contact, he thought: Her skin is so smooth!
She is drop-dead gorgeous!
Ying Qingye was once again completely captivated!
And those legs! They were longer than his own life expectancy! Slender, fair, and impossibly long!
Oh my word! This was going to be the death of him!
“Master?”
The Female Emperor flushed slightly under his intense gaze.
“Uh…”
“Look here… you don’t need to call me master, just call me ‘Young Master’ will do!”
“Understood, Young Master!”
The Female Emperor’s cheeks tinged with a soft, delicate blush.
“The rest of you, the same goes for you!”
Ying Qingye looked over toward the nine holy virgins, each one prettier than the last, each one more alluring than the next.
“Young Master, Young Master, here are the clothes you asked for…”
Just then, Old Huang walked in, but the moment he laid eyes on the Female Emperor and her entourage, he froze dead in his tracks.
He had never in his life witnessed such stunningly breathtaking women; they looked like celestial maidens descended to the mortal realm. He stared unblinkingly at them.
“Old Huang!”
Ying Qingye let out a low bark.
Old Huang snapped back to his senses instantly, realizing he had been staring at things he had no business looking at. These women were obviously his young master’s companions, so he hurriedly dropped his gaze to the floor, not daring to glance again.
“Y-Young Master, these are the items you requested.”
“Right! You’re dismissed.”
Taking the garments from his hands, Ying Qingye waved dismissively, and Old Huang scrambled out of the room in a hurry, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
“Young Master, are you planning to head out?”
“We shall accompany the Young Master!”
The Female Emperor glanced at the clothes in Ying Qingye’s hands and said calmly.
“Uh…”
“There’s really no need for that!”
He thought to himself: If I’m heading to the Zuiyue Pavilion and show up surrounded by a harem of gorgeous women, what kind of picture would that paint?
With so many stunning women right here at home, why would he even need to go to the Zuiyue Pavilion?
“As a young master of noble status, how could you possibly walk out without a personal guard?”
“Allow us to accompany you by your side!”
“Indeed!”
Ying Qingye felt a wave of helplessness. There was simply no winning against them!
Besides, they were a group of drop-dead gorgeous, smoking-hot beauties—how could he ever find it in his heart to refuse?
“Very well then!”
“You can accompany me alone!”
“Having too many people around draws far too much attention.”
Ying Qingye looked at the Female Emperor and said softly.
“Shui Yunji obeys your command!”
The Female Emperor’s true name was Li Zhaozhao.
She was the younger sister of King Qi Li Maozhen, as well as the maternal niece of Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty.
Originally surnamed Song, her given name was Song Qingqing. Her father, Song Duan, was the son of the Tang chancellor Song Shenxi, while her mother, Lady Lu, was the younger sister of Emperor Xizong.
Because Lady Lu had passed away due to illness shortly after giving birth to their daughter, Song Duan deeply cherished the memory of his late wife and named their daughter Qingqing, drawing inspiration from the phrase “Green, green are your collars” from the Classic of Poetry.
Later on, to secure the allegiance of King Qi Li Maozhen (originally named Song Wentong), Emperor Xizong bestowed his niece Song Qingqing upon him as a consort, granting her the imperial surname Li.
From then on, Song Qingqing changed her name to Li Zhaozhao and followed her older brother Li Maozhen to Fengxiang Prefecture to establish the State of Qi.
As for why she was called Shui Yunji, historical records noted that her beauty was like water and her visage like clouds—which formed the source of “Shui Yun” (“Water and Clouds”).
As for the “Ji” portion, it likely served as a title of respect. In ancient times, “Ji” was an honorific title reserved for empresses and noblewomen, denoting a position of high distinction.
Therefore, the title “Shui Yunji” emphasized her dignity and prestige as a female sovereign. The moniker may also have incorporated praise for her iron will and wisdom, highlighting her capabilities within the arena of political struggle.
While “Shui Yunji” was originally a title given to her by others, the system had forcibly overwritten it as her actual given name here.
And so, respected readers, there is no need to dwell on the technicality—from here on out, Shui Yunji is the Female Emperor’s formal name.
“Wearing that outfit isn’t very convenient. Why don’t you change into men’s attire?”
“Your will is my command, Young Master!”
The Female Emperor replied softly, her vermillion lips parting slightly.
“My clothes probably won’t fit you properly. Let me have someone fetch a set for you!”
“Someone come!”
“How may this servant assist the Young Master?”
Old Huang pushed open the door, bowing low with his head ducked.
“Go, find her a set of men’s garments!”
“Understood!”
Old Huang acknowledged the order and hurried away, returning shortly with a folded set of clothing in his arms.
“Here! Change into these.”
“Young Master…”
The Female Emperor’s cheeks flushed crimson once more, a hint of bashfulness coloring her expression.
“Oh, right! My apologies!”
Ying Qingye hastily retreated outside and pulled the door shut, standing guard in the corridor!
Before long, the door creaked open, and the Female Emperor stepped out slowly.
Dressed in male attire, her styling carried a heavy, imposing air of nobility. Her features appeared refined yet icy, radiating a vibrant spirit with a tall, slender physique. With her hair bound high in a crown, she looked dashing, completely at ease, and exuded an unyielding, heroic aura.
From head to toe, she projected a mature, aloof, and deeply majestic presence—radiating an overwhelmingly formidable aura.
She is drop-dead gorgeous and utterly dashing!
Wasn’t this basically the legendary beauty of Pan An reborn?
In women’s wear, she could render people breathless with her beauty; in men’s wear, she looked dashing enough to sweep anyone off their feet.
She possessed a charm that appealed to both men and women alike!
“Young Master, how does this look?”
The Female Emperor smiled faintly.
“Acceptable—quite acceptable indeed!”
“You’re almost starting to look more dashing than me!”
Ying Qingye nodded in satisfaction!
“Old Huang!”
“Young Master!”
“Arrange quarters for the other nine!”
Ying Qingye indicated the Nine Heavens Holy Virgins as he spoke.
“Understood!”
“Let’s get going, then.”
With that, he led the Female Emperor out toward the streets.
Outside the Zuiyue Pavilion!
“Young Master, this is a pleasure house!”
“Why on earth are we coming to a place like this?”
The Female Emperor looked up at the facade of the Zuiyue Pavilion with a touch of discomfort. Though her regular outfits tended to be rather daring and alluring, that didn’t mean she was a casual or loose woman.
“What’s the matter?”
“Afraid to go in?”
Seeing her hesitation, Ying Qingye couldn’t resist teasing her a little.
“Not at all. As long as the Young Master wishes to go, I will follow you anywhere!”
“Even if it means stepping into boiling water or walking through fire, I will not hesitate!”
The Female Emperor’s tone carried absolute, unwavering conviction.
“Relax, we’re just coming here to drink some wine and listen to music, nothing more!”
Seeing how serious she was, Ying Qingye stopped teasing her.
“Come on, let’s go inside!”
“Since we’re already here!”
With that, he reached out and grabbed the Female Emperor’s soft, boneless hand. A flicker of bashful surprise flashed across her eyes.
“Oh my! Welcome, esteemed young masters! What took you two so long?”
“My goodness! This young master is strikingly handsome!”
The moment the two of them stepped through the doors, the madam of the house hurried over to greet them. When her eyes landed on the Female Emperor, they lit up with undisguised adoration.
Having managed the Zuiyue Pavilion for years, she had seen all sorts of patrons come and go, but she had never laid eyes on such a delicate, striking young gentleman.
Unable to help herself, she reached out to stroke the Female Emperor’s smooth cheek.
However, her hand never reached its target; the Female Emperor was not only blessed with stunning looks, but her martial prowess was also anything but ordinary.