"No rush, we'll talk about it later," the Empress said with a faint smile. She lifted her skirt and sat down behind him, picking up some ointment with her fingers and gently applying it to his wound. "Those scoundrels are ruthless; they didn't hold back at all."

Zu An said calmly, "The emperor has given the order; who would dare to disobey?"

This is a world of cultivation, so the punishment of caning is naturally different from that of the previous life. The executioners are also specialized cultivators, and the instruments they use are engraved with special runes and formations, making it impossible for the victim to resist.

"Wow, I have to say youth is wonderful; your injuries have healed so quickly." The Empress gently ran her fingers over the wounds on his back. The amazing heat and elasticity from her fingers made her eyes water. It was the masculine aura of a young man; she seemed to have forgotten this thrilling feeling all these years.

Zuan frowned at this moment. The Queen was sitting behind him, and the two were so close that he could even smell her body fragrance.

Her fingers were smooth and soft, and the subtle touches fueled his growing lust.

Fearing something might go wrong, he asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, are you trying to seduce me?"

The Empress chuckled lightly: "I'm just applying medicine to your wound."

Zuan: "..."

This is unbelievable! Shouldn't a normal concubine be terrified and immediately distance herself after hearing such direct words from me?

It would be strange if this woman acted like a ghost.

But she just wouldn't admit it. Sure enough, a mature woman's grasp of the relationship is far beyond what an ordinary, naive girl can achieve.

Zu An could no longer sit still and stood up abruptly: "Since Your Majesty has nothing else to say, I'll be leaving now."

The Empress grabbed his hand: "What's wrong? Are you scared out of your wits by the Crown Princess's affair? Are you afraid that I will plot against you too?"

Zu An sighed: "Isn't that right? Her Majesty's unusual behavior today gives me reason to suspect that this is a carefully planned honey trap."

"Honey trap?" The Empress was taken aback. Although she had never heard of this term before, she roughly guessed what it meant. She suddenly sighed softly, "I am a woman too."

Zuan frowned, waiting for her to continue.

The Empress sat on the couch, her usual majesty and sharpness replaced by a hint of fragility and sorrow: "His Majesty hasn't stayed here for at least ten years. I understand that he's trying to prolong his life, but I'm still at the peak of my life. Being alone in this cold palace must make me feel lonely."

Zu An's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't believe it easily: "Does Your Majesty know that what you are saying now is a crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan?"

The Queen slowly stood up, took a step forward to close the distance between them, and Zuan could even clearly see her trembling eyelashes and feel the freshness of her breath.

A pair of beautiful, watery phoenix eyes gazed at him quietly: "If it were anyone else, I would naturally not dare to say these things to him, but you are different. I know you have no respect for the Emperor, and you are the only man who dares to do certain things."

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