The Emperor of Langyue Kingdom, Ji Shiyou, twenty-six years old this year, was a legendary ruler.
He was the sixth son of the late Emperor of Langyue Kingdom, and due to his humble birth, he was not favored.
Moreover, his mother passed away shortly after giving birth to him.
From birth, Ji Shiyou was raised by palace wet nurses.
He was like an invisible person, so much so that the old Emperor barely remembered he had a son named Ji Shiyou.
When Ji Shiyou was twelve years old, Langyue Kingdom, due to a border mine, engaged in war with the neighboring Wuman Kingdom.
The Wuman Kingdom was fierce and valiant, leading to Langyue Kingdom's utter defeat and subjugation.
To demonstrate sincerity of submission, Langyue Kingdom was required to send a prince to Wuman Kingdom as a hostage.
The old Emperor had nine sons, and the maternal families of the other eight princes were all powerful.
Being a hostage, far from one's homeland, meant not only suffering humiliation in a foreign land.
But also, if the two countries were to go to war again, the hostage would be the first to be executed.
Therefore, no one was willing to go and risk their life. It was then, upon someone's reminder, that the old Emperor remembered he still had a sixth son.
Thus, twelve-year-old Ji Shiyou was packed off to Cangcheng, the imperial capital of Wuman Kingdom.
At the time, everyone believed Ji Shiyou was cannon fodder, an abandoned pawn, destined never to return.
However, eight years later, twenty-year-old Ji Shiyou not only returned gloriously.
But was also adopted by the Empress, who had no children, transforming him from an unfavored庶子 (son of a concubine) into a legitimate imperial son.
Ji Shiyou, upon his return from Wuman Kingdom, seemed to have gained an extraordinary advantage.
In just two years, he defeated all his eight brothers.
He was made Crown Prince by the old Emperor, and a year later, the old Emperor passed away, and Ji Shiyou ascended the throne.
The first thing he did after his enthronement was to send troops to Wuman Kingdom.
After three years of conquest, Wuman Kingdom was annihilated. Ji Shiyou killed all the royal family of Wuman Kingdom, leaving only Princess Mingyue.
When he issued another decree to slaughter the entire populace of Wuman Kingdom.
The only surviving royal of Wuman Kingdom, Princess Mingyue.
Volunteered to enter the palace, willing to become a slave, in exchange for the lives of the Wuman Kingdom's citizens.
Ji Shiyou readily agreed and brought Mingyue back to the imperial palace of Yue Capital.
However, upon entering the palace, he did not make Mingyue a slave.
Instead, he placed Mingyue under house arrest in her chambers, forbidding her to leave.
He, on the other hand, began extensive construction in the palace, building a grand palace.
Three months later, the palace was completed. He personally inscribed the plaque, naming it Lanyue.
Seven days ago, Ji Shiyou suddenly announced on the Golden Hall that he intended to establish an Empress.
This greatly pleased the civil and military officials. Since Ji Shiyou's enthronement, the position of Empress had remained vacant.
They had repeatedly advised that the central palace should not be without a mistress and that an Empress should be appointed soon.
But Ji Shiyou never responded. Today, he suddenly declared his intention to establish an Empress.
Everyone speculated in their hearts about which woman would fly to the branches and become a phoenix.
The court was abuzz with discussion.
But Ji Shiyou's next words left everyone bewildered.
For the Empress he intended to establish was none other than Mingyue, the princess of a fallen kingdom who had entered the palace as a slave.
All the civil and military officials knelt on the ground, imploring Ji Shiyou to reconsider, and opposed the appointment of Mingyue as Empress.
Some argued that Mingyue was a princess of an enemy nation, and Ji Shiyou had killed her entire family. It was inevitable that she harbored resentment.
Her entry into the palace as a slave was already inappropriate; making her Empress would be even more dangerous.
Others argued that Mingyue, as a princess of a fallen kingdom, was inauspicious and her status was incompatible with that of the foremost consort of the realm.
For a time, the Golden Hall was filled with voices of opposition.
Ji Shiyou sat on the dragon throne, silent.
A cold smile played on his lips as he looked at the chattering officials below.
When they had spoken until their throats were dry and fallen silent, he directly ordered the eunuchs.
To seize the few officials who had spoken most disparagingly of Mingyue and have them beheaded.
The officials were shocked. The Marquis of Protector of the State, Zheng Siqi, pleaded with his life, attempting to protect those officials.
He rammed his head against a pillar, bleeding profusely, and fainted.
Ji Shiyou summoned imperial physicians to revive him. The assembled officials thought that Ji Shiyou would abandon his intention to establish Mingyue as Empress.
And that the seized officials would be released. To their surprise, Ji Shiyou coldly told the Marquis of Protector of the State.
To hit the pillar again, and only if he died from it would it be considered a sincere remonstrance.
Only then would he consider abandoning his intention.
Furthermore, he summoned all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy to the Golden Hall.
He stated they were there to attend to any other officials who disagreed and wished to emulate the Marquis of Protector of the State by hitting the pillar.
As long as they did not die, the imperial physicians would treat them, and they could continue hitting until they died.
This, he declared, was the conduct of loyal and upright ministers.
The officials immediately fell silent. Officials serve for wealth, and their lives were their own.
Who the Emperor wanted to marry as his wife was none of their business.
Ji Shiyou was right; they had merely followed the crowd and made a fuss earlier.
They had only wanted to appear as loyal ministers who dared to speak their minds, but there was no need to risk their lives.
Ji Shiyou repeated himself one last time: he would establish Mingyue as Empress.
Silence descended upon the hall. Not a single voice of opposition was heard, including that of the bleeding Marquis of Protector of the State.
He tightly covered his mouth, fearing that any sound would cause the Emperor to make him hit the pillar again.
Thus, the matter of Mingyue becoming the Empress of Langyue Kingdom was settled, with no opposition in the court.
The front court and the inner palace were thus connected. In the inner palace, rumors began to spread.
But they were all behind Ji Shiyou's back; no one dared to discuss it in his presence.
Everyone knew that Mingyue now enjoyed favor.
In Ji Shiyou's eyes, she was a treasure.
For the sake of their heads, no one dared to touch his sensitive spot.
In the bridal chamber, Ji Shiyou silently gazed at Mingyue, who wore a veil and festive attire, lost in thought for a moment.
"Tired? Hungry?
I got a bit lost in thought and lost track of time.
I'll remove this stuffy thing for you first."
After a long pause, Ji Shiyou stood up, walked over, and lifted the veil from Mingyue's head.
Under the candlelight, Mingyue's face was indifferent, and she did not even glance at Ji Shiyou.
"How did you get so thin? Haven't you been eating properly?
If you hate me, I'll sleep in the side hall tonight."
The two had not met since returning to the palace. Seeing Mingyue's gaunt face.
Ji Shiyou, after a moment of bewilderment, spoke with concern.
He knew Mingyue hated him and didn't want to see him, so he turned to leave.
"Where are you going? We haven't drunk the nuptial cup yet."
Unexpectedly, Mingyue, who had been sitting on the bed, suddenly spoke, stopping him.
"It was my oversight. We'll drink it now.
You must be hungry too. I had the Imperial Kitchen specially prepare Wuman cuisine. Try it and see if it suits your taste."
Ji Shiyou turned back abruptly and stood by the table, picking up the wine pot and pouring two cups of wine.
Mingyue rose from the bed and also walked to the table, picking up a cup of wine.
"Little beggar, are we husband and wife now?"
Mingyue raised her cup and asked in a hollow voice.
"Yes, after drinking this nuptial cup, we will be husband and wife."
Ji Shiyou quickly picked up the other cup of wine from the table, raised his arm, and passed it over Mingyue's left hand holding her wine cup.
He brought the cup to his lips, tilted his head back, and prepared to drink it all in one gulp.
"Husband and wife! They are the closest people in the world.
But even so, they cannot overcome a deep-seated hatred!"
Just as Ji Shiyou tilted his head back, Mingyue's right hand, which was not holding a cup, was raised.
Her right hand, hidden within the wide sleeve of her ceremonial robe, held a gleaming dagger.
With a flash of cold light, Mingyue fiercely, fiercely, stabbed towards Ji Shiyou's chest.