Stepping off the carriage, Yan Zhao was captivated by the scenery before him.
Green mountains and trees, the chirping of birds and the fragrance of flowers, a babbling stream flowed, a stark contrast to the barren lands outside the valley. It was as if this place was a paradise.
And there, standing amidst the flowers, was a maiden, her lips curved in a gentle smile. Her simple, plain dress blended seamlessly with the myriad of blossoms, her pure and beautiful face as lovely as the flowers themselves.
"How is it?" the maiden asked, her lips parting lightly.
He withdrew his gaze, wanting to say that the flowers were beautiful, but they couldn't compare to the radiance of her smile.
"Very good," were the only words that escaped his lips.
"When I was young, whenever I was unhappy, I would come here..." As she spoke, the maiden lowered her eyes. Her previously bright gaze dimmed considerably, as if lost in remembrance.
"Your Majesty, thank you!"
Hearing him, the maiden smiled gently, "No thanks are necessary. Consider it me returning a favor."
Yan Zhao paused slightly, a strange, indescribable feeling washing over him. He felt a sense of loss.
"This is my last sanctuary," the maiden said slowly.
Yan Zhao looked up at this haven, "Indeed, it is a pure land."
"But I wonder how long this pure land can last," the maiden sighed.
Yan Zhao's gaze momentarily sharpened. "Your Majesty, as the Empress of Huang Ze, you can make it last as long as you wish."
"Is that so? But why do I feel this pure land is like a mirage, a fleeting blossom?"
"Your Majesty worries too much. You are the Empress of Huang Ze, and every inch of Huang Ze belongs to you."
"Is that so?" The maiden's lips parted lightly, her voice turning cold.
Yan Zhao blinked, looking up to see an extreme chill beneath her clear gaze, radiating a palpable coldness.
"Your Majesty..."
The maiden looked down at him, her presence exuding an intimidating chill.
He stood there, unmoving, allowing the maiden to scrutinize him.
After a long while, the maiden turned, pointing to the vast, rolling mountains and the array of captivating flowers. Her lips parted lightly, "This world, this Huang Ze, will all eventually be in my hands..." Da Feng Novel Network
Yan Zhao was taken aback. He had sensed the Empress's ambition from the moment he first saw her, but he hadn't expected her to voice such words to him. Wasn't she afraid he would reveal them?
Seeing his apparent surprise, the maiden smiled gently, her lips parting lightly. "Don't you think I'm foolish, speaking such words in front of my opponent, my enemy?"
Yan Zhao remained silent.
The maiden continued, "Since I dare to speak them, I am not afraid of you knowing. Yan Zhao, from the moment you appeared before me, I knew you would ultimately stand against me."
Yan Zhao paused slightly, "Your Majesty..."
"But what of it? Even if you stand on the opposing side, I will still press forward. Yan Zhao, you will ultimately lose."
Hearing this, Yan Zhao smiled. The pure, handsome lines of his face became even more captivating with this smile.
More beautiful than these enchanting hundred flowers.
The maiden turned her face away, fearing that seeing his face, his smile, would make her unable to make up her mind. After all, she was not immune to good looks.
"Your Majesty, until the very end, the outcome of victory and defeat is not yet decided."
"Perhaps! But by standing here now, you have already lost."
Yan Zhao's gaze became filled with deeper meaning.
Suddenly, the sound of many footsteps was heard from outside the valley. Yan Zhao looked at the maiden amidst the flowers, walked out, and came before him.
A slight upturn formed on Yan Zhao's lips. Suddenly, he reached out, grabbed the unprepared maiden, pulled her into his embrace, and kissed her fiercely.
His cool lips met her soft ones. He felt an unprecedented sweetness.
Xue Zining could never have imagined that this refined-looking Yan Zhao before her was a hypocritical libertine.
A group of people entered, led by Hua Yunjin.
Xue Zining pushed Yan Zhao away and exclaimed, "Yan Zhao, you..."
Yan Zhao smiled faintly, the smile on his lips carrying a deep meaning. "Your Majesty's taste is exquisite."
Xue Zining wished she could draw the dagger at her waist and end his life.
However, thinking of her future plans, she forced herself to calm down and said coldly, "Yan Zhao, why did you attempt to assassinate me?"
Yan Zhao spread his hands. "Assassination? Wasn't it that our feelings were deeply intertwined, and we were enjoying a passionate moment here?"
"Presumptuous," Hua Yunjin reprimanded coldly.
"What is that in your arms?" Xue Zining pointed to Yan Zhao's embrace.
Yan Zhao lowered his head, lifted the corner of his robe slightly, and with a clang, a dagger fell to the ground.
"Boldness! Yan Zhao, you dare to openly assassinate His Majesty. Guards, seize him!" Hua Yunjin roared.
"If one intends to frame someone, why worry about the reason?" Yan Zhao looked up at the maiden before him. So this was the trap she had set for him here.
"With witness and evidence, Yan Zhao, you cannot deny it," Hua Yunjin said coldly.
"I will not deny what I have done, but I will not admit to what I have not done," Yan Zhao stated calmly.
"It is beyond your control. Guards, seize him!" Hua Yunjin waved his hand.
"Wait..." Yan Zhao suddenly spoke.
"What else do you have to say?" Hua Yunjin asked.
Yan Zhao turned, looking at the maiden, and asked calmly, "Your Majesty, you truly did not need to go to such lengths. However, I thank you, after all..."
He licked his lips. "Your Majesty's taste was very good."
The maiden's expression indeed darkened.
Hua Yunjin's gaze turned cold. "Take him away."
Regent's Manor
Upon hearing that Yan Zhao had attempted to assassinate the Empress in the palace, Xue Wenjie kicked over the chair in front of him, roaring, "Xue Zining, you truly are the first to strike!"
When Jin Ming entered, he saw the room in disarray and felt a sense of apprehension. He cautiously said, "My Lord, I have heard everything."
Xue Wenjie sneered, "Yan Zhao, truly foolish. I thought he was a person of great intelligence, but it turns out he is nothing special."
"My Lord, we no longer have any informants in the imperial harem. This is very disadvantageous to your ambition."
Hearing this, Xue Wenjie's gaze towards Jin Ming became increasingly cold. "Have you prepared the military order for the Gu family army?"
Jin Ming quickly pulled a token from his sleeve and handed it over. "I have not failed in my Lord's trust. I have finally created a token that is identical to that of the Gu family army."
Xue Wenjie took the token, glanced at it, and placed it on the table, his gaze fixed on Jin Ming.
Jin Ming felt a prickle of unease under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "My Lord, what is wrong?"
Xue Wenjie said coldly, "How to take control of the Gu family army is up to you. You will not disappoint me, will you?"
Jin Ming nodded. "My Lord, rest assured, I will complete this task."
In the Dungeon
Yan Yi looked at his master, sitting calmly and composedly in the cell, feeling somewhat helpless. "Master, have you become addicted to staying here?"
"It's very quiet here," Yan Zhao replied indifferently, without raising his head.