Qiao Zhen: [Why is there no message about the completion of side quest two?]

Xiao Ling: [You didn't finish!]

Qiao Zhen: [What did you say?]

Xiao Ling: [Side Quest Two: Discuss Xun Yin's family background. This requires a private conversation between the two of you. There are two key points to this quest: 1. The conversation must touch upon family matters, not just family history; 2. The two of you must be alone together. Missing either point will disqualify you.]

Qiao Zhen's lips twitched. "Are you teaching reading comprehension? Why don't you become a Chinese language teacher?"

Xiao Ling: [Have you understood?]

Qiao Zhen: […Okay.]

Xiao Ling, maintaining an arrogant demeanor within Qiao Zhen's consciousness, snorted softly and went to read the novels it possessed. These included stories like "The Evil Emperor's Pampered Darling," "The Ghost King's Overbearing Love," and "The President's Imprisoned Love," as well as novels featuring characters with dark sides, sadistic tendencies, and yandere traits. The style of these novels was becoming increasingly frightening to Qiao Zhen.

"Madam." Ye Huaijin had already returned to the gate of the mansion and nodded to Qiao Zhen when she came out.

Without Ye Shangzhou distracting Qiao Zhen, she noticed that the hem of Ye Huaijin's clothes was covered with vines that were winding and climbing up the wall. She reached out and lifted Ye Huaijin's wide sleeves. "It's really unique."

When Ye Shangzhou lifted the carriage curtain to urge Qiao Zhen, he saw the two of them getting along well. Both Qiao Zhen and Ye Huaijin were smiling. The emotions in his eyes were inscrutable. He then lowered the curtain again.

Neither Ye Huaijin nor Qiao Zhen noticed this. Qiao Zhen praised him a few times and then took his leave, saying, "Thank you for today, young master. His Majesty seems to be in a good mood today as well."

"It is my duty."

Qiao Zhen did not answer. She lifted the carriage curtain and entered the carriage, where she saw Ye Shangzhou with a cold face, his gaze fixed on the painting. "Are you still angry, Your Majesty?"

Ye Shangzhou frowned, casually tossed the scroll aside, and scoffed, "Why would I be angry?"

Qiao Zhen carefully picked up the scroll and checked that it was undamaged before gently holding it in her arms. She had come all this way specifically to ask for it, so how could she let Ye Shangzhou ruin it?

Back at the palace, Qiao Zhen was slapped repeatedly. Ye Shangzhou was in a bad mood again, and the eunuchs and maids serving him were replaced one after another. Those who were replaced were all being punished with caning in the Crane Palace. For a while, the screams of pain in the Crane Palace were endless.

Qiao Zhen had seen rows of people sitting and standing, but this was the first time she had ever seen rows of people being beaten. All she could see were bright red, blood-stained buttocks.

The afternoon sun was quite strong, and many palace maids and eunuchs had already fainted from the pain, but the sound of the wooden board hitting their buttocks did not stop for a moment.

Qiao Zhen was telling Xun Yin and Ye Huaijin today that Ye Shangzhou was slowly getting better, but Ye Shangzhou himself contradicted her. Wasn't he trying to cause trouble? She raised her hand to scratch her earlobe and suddenly pushed open the door.

Xiao Xunzi immediately knelt down and tremblingly advised, "Madam, you mustn't act impulsively. The Emperor is angry. If you go in, you may suffer physical harm again."

Qiao Zhen was frantic. With a heavy heart, she pushed open the door. She knew that Ye Shangzhou was inside in a rage, but she could no longer allow him to be so cruel and heartless. Those palace maids and eunuchs were all human lives taken; his sins were too heavy to be atoned for.

"Your Majesty." She knelt on the ground.

Ye Shangzhou's eyes blazed with anger as he glanced sideways at Qiao Zhen and sneered, "Madam is pleading for those people, aren't you afraid you'll be too busy to even take care of yourself?"

Qiao Zhen knelt and moved to Ye Shangzhou's side. She looked up at him, her brows furrowed. "Your Majesty, those are innocent people. Please spare them." She tugged at Ye Shangzhou's sleeve. "What are you angry about? I'm too stupid to guess. Please tell me, okay?"

Ye Shangzhou found Qiao Zhen's appearance irritating. His gaze shifted to the military books on the desk, and he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the surface. "What am I angry about? Why should I tell you?"

Qiao Zhen was truly in tears; she didn't want things to go wrong. Tears streamed down her face, free of charge anyway. Between sobs, she glared at Ye Shangzhou with a wicked look, as if she had been utterly humiliated.

Annoyed by her crying, Ye Shangzhou reached out and pulled her into his arms. "What are you crying about?"

Qiao Zhen was still sobbing, but this time she was smarter. "Your Majesty, I say you must not punish me."

Ye Shangzhou flicked his finger across her pert nose. "Alright, no punishment. Just tell me."

Qiao Zhen burst into tears, blurting out all her words, "You are too cruel, I'm so scared, waaaah..." As she spoke, she tried to burrow into Ye Shangzhou's arms.

Ye Shangzhou sighed softly and raised his voice, "Xiao Xunzi, pardon them all."

Qiao Zhen was still sobbing. Ye Shangzhou had no choice but to clumsily pat her back with his large hand. "Are you satisfied now? If you cry again, I will make you suffer for them."

"Hmph—" Qiao Zhen sniffed hard, her earlier sobbing gone. "Hiccup."

Ye Shangzhou was amused by her and pinched her cheek. "Pretending to cry to deceive me is a crime of deceiving the emperor. Has my wife thought about how she wants to be punished?"

Qiao Zhen lifted Ye Shangzhou's sleeve and wiped away his tears and snot. "You've already shed tears, so why are you still pretending to cry?" She held Ye Shangzhou's sleeve in front of him. "See these? Tears and snot."

Ye Shangzhou couldn't help but rub his forehead. He couldn't bear to hit her, but if he didn't, she'd push her luck. He sighed again, "What do you want me to do?"

"Be a wise ruler." Qiao Zhen looked at Ye Shangzhou earnestly. She nestled in Ye Shangzhou's arms, looked up at him, and her expression was very serious.

Ye Shangzhou frowned, stared at Qiao Zhen for a long while, and asked in return, "Am I not a wise ruler?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!