Although Ji Shiyou tilted his head back, he seemed to have anticipated Mingyue's sneak attack.
His body spun like a top, whirling behind Mingyue.
He maintained his posture of tilting his head back to drink, and not a single drop of the fine wine spilled from his cup, all of it going into his mouth.
Their arms were still entangled, but Mingyue's wine-cup-holding hand had been pulled behind her back by him.
Her body was controlled by Ji Shiyou, and the wine-filled cup was now in his hand.
"Are you in such a hurry to kill me? Won't even have a sip of the wedding wine?"
Ji Shiyou brought the cup belonging to Mingyue to her lips, a bitter smile on his face.
"You led your army to break through Cangcheng and invade the Wu Man Palace.
Forced my father, the Emperor, to commit suicide and killed 503 of my kin.
From that moment on, I hated you to the bone, wishing I could flay your skin and eat your flesh.
Your hands are stained with the blood of my people, a blood feud that can never be reconciled.
I willingly became a slave and followed you to Langyue Imperial Palace, intending to kill you at the first opportunity.
If I fail to kill you today, it is my incompetence.
I have failed those who have died, and can only atone with my own death!"
Mingyue's left hand was restrained by Ji Shiyou, but her right hand, holding a dagger, was still free.
She swung the dagger, knocking away the wine cup near her mouth, and then, as if by instinct, moved to slash her own throat.
Her kingdom was destroyed, her family gone, and she could not exact revenge. She did not wish to live on alone.
However, she did not succeed in dying. In a flash, Ji Shiyou used his own arm to block the dagger.
Then, with his other hand, he struck the dagger away and shoved Mingyue to the ground.
"Listen to me, if you dare to commit suicide, I will make all the citizens of Wu Man pay with their lives.
I want you to live a life worse than death, to be a caged songbird for me.
The dagger is right there, die! Die!
The moment you die, I will issue an imperial decree.
That the eight thousand li of Wu Man land will henceforth have not a single living soul."
Blood flowed from Ji Shiyou's arm, soaking the imperial yellow dragon robe, but he paid it no mind.
Instead, he shouted at Mingyue, his entire body exuding a violent aura that filled the bridal chamber.
"Guard! Guard!"
At this moment, the young eunuch guarding the door, hearing the commotion from within the room, came to investigate. He saw the mess on the floor, Ji Shiyou's dragon robe soaked with blood.
Blood dripped from his sleeve onto the floor, and he shrieked in terror.
Ji Shiyou's sword-like eyebrows shot up, and he unleashed a palm strike. The still-screaming young eunuch immediately collapsed to the ground.
Before he died, he could not comprehend why the Emperor would kill him.
"This young eunuch is an assassin, and I have killed him. Take him away and dispose of him.
Clean this place up and attend to the Empress properly.
Keep your mouths shut, and if anything that happened today gets out, I will not forgive you."
The young eunuch's shrill cries quickly drew the attention of the guards and eunuchs on duty in Lan Yue Palace, who all gathered at the door.
Ji Shiyou's chiseled, handsome face was taut.
With a chilling aura, he appeared at the entrance of the bedchamber and gave his cold instructions before turning and leaving Lan Yue Palace.
He left behind a floor full of servants kneeling, unsure of what to do.
"What are you all still gawking at? Get up and clean this place."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you are injured! Where are you going?
We must summon the imperial physician to dress the wound. Please wait, Your Majesty!"
Ji Shiyou's chief eunuch, Dongnan, followed behind him, shouting.
Ji Shiyou glared back at him, and Dongnan immediately fell silent, meekly following Ji Shiyou back to the study.
The bedchamber in Lan Yue Palace had been cleaned, and everyone had withdrawn. Only Mingyue remained sitting on the floor, her expression dazed.
The servants in the palace were all sycophantic and opportunistic. An assassin had appeared on the wedding night, and the Emperor had left in anger.
This princess, who had just become Empress for a day, might be deposed tomorrow. Therefore, no one paid any attention to Mingyue on the floor.
After cleaning up, they all withdrew, each thinking of finding a way to transfer out.
They had initially thought the Emperor doted on this Empress, which was why they had scrambled to work in Lan Yue Palace.
But now, it seemed there was no future here.
In the inner palace, servants relied on their masters' influence.
The Empress had lost favor, so everyone wanted to find a new patron.
Mingyue did not notice their sentiments; she was lost in her own emotions.
Her kingdom was destroyed, her family gone. She had two wishes: first, to kill Ji Shiyou and avenge her entire clan.
Second, to leave this world and follow her loved ones, unwilling to live on alone.
But now, neither of her wishes could be fulfilled.
Ji Shiyou was highly skilled in martial arts and meticulous in his planning, making it difficult for her to succeed.
Now, he was threatening her with the lives of the Wu Man people, preventing her from even dying.
She had once thought him a gentleman, but now she saw he was cunning as a fox and utterly shameless.
He intended to keep her as a songbird, to humiliate her, the former princess of Wu Man, and satisfy his desire for revenge.
She would not yield, nor would she bring shame to Wu Man.
Thinking this, a fighting spirit ignited in Mingyue's eyes.
She stood up from the floor, walked to the table laden with delicious food, and sat down to eat heartily.
After eating her fill, she wiped her mouth and went to bed.
She had decided that since she could not die now, nor would she die.
Then she would court death. As long as it was not suicide, Ji Shiyou would have no reason to harm the people of Wu Man.
Her main plan was to court death.
Her secondary plan was to seize an opportunity during this process to kill Ji Shiyou.
Therefore, she needed to eat her fill and conserve her energy.
Tomorrow, when she woke up, she would begin her fight.
"Your Majesty, please summon the imperial physician. The wound is too large, and I may not be able to handle it."
Looking at Ji Shiyou on the couch, who had removed his dragon robe and inner garment to reveal the wound, Dongnan pleaded again.
The wound was six inches long, grotesque, and the bone was already visible.
Fortunately, it was on the outer side of his forearm and did not damage the tendons, which was a great relief.
But Dongnan felt dizzy just looking at it and hesitated to proceed.
"Do you want everyone to know that I was injured in Lan Yue Palace?
If this matter leaks out, the officials will surely make a big fuss at the morning court tomorrow.
You know my body.
The wound will heal by tomorrow morning.
Why are you standing there? Apply the medicine and bandage it."
Dongnan was a young eunuch who had grown up with Ji Shiyou.
He was the only one willing to follow Ji Shiyou to Cangcheng when Ji Shiyou was exiled to Wu Man as a hostage, and he understood Ji Shiyou the best.
Hearing Ji Shiyou's words, he knew further protest was futile.
He could only brace himself and begin to treat the wound.
"Your Majesty, why put yourself through this? Isn't it better to explain things clearly?"
Dongnan's only flaw was his garrulousness. As he bandaged, he muttered incessantly.
However, Ji Shiyou's glare immediately silenced him, and he tightly closed his mouth.
"In a moment, go and inform Xing Sheng. Tell him to guard Lan Yue Palace secretly."
After the wound was treated, Ji Shiyou changed into a different set of clothes.
He stood by the window, looking at the moon in the sky, and instructed Dongnan.
Dongnan agreed, took the blood-stained robe, and left the study.
With a goal in mind, Mingyue slept soundly through the night.
When she woke up, she felt that Lan Yue Palace was eerily quiet.
There was no one attending to her. The sun was high in the sky, and no one had come to wake her.
She got out of bed and saw that the washbasin was empty, and breakfast had not been served.
Even the tea on the table was cold. It seemed no one had been on duty last night.
She went out of the bedchamber and saw that the courtyard was deserted, with not a soul in sight.
Mingyue rejoiced in her heart. What a great opportunity to court death!