Chapter 79 "If you dare to bite your tongue and commit suicide, I will pull it out..."

The first rays of morning sunlight shone softly through the gauze curtains of the rear hall of Xuanzheng Hall, gently illuminating Ling Zhenli's tranquil sleeping face.

Pei Xuanlin had already woken up. He quietly got up and dressed, moving cautiously so as not to disturb the peaceful sleep of the person next to him.

After getting dressed, Pei Xuanlin stood by the bed and gazed at her silently.

At this moment, Ling Zhenli had shed the madness and sharpness of last night. Her brows and eyes held a hint of tired gentleness, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyes like butterfly wings. Her breathing was even and long.

The softest spot in his heart was touched, and a mixture of pity and lingering bitterness welled up in his chest.

However, just as he turned to leave, he lingered over the person on the bed, and accidentally bumped his knee against the chair he had kicked over the day before.

A muffled groan rang out, unusually clear in the silent hall.

"Um……"

Ling Zhenli, who was sleeping on the tatami mat, felt the noise. She frowned slightly, let out a soft moan, turned over, and turned her back to him. The blanket on her shoulders slipped down, revealing a section of her snow-white neck covered with ambiguous red marks.

Pei Xuanlin was frowning and in pain from the collision, but when he saw that she only mumbled something and did not wake up, he unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he shook his head self-deprecatingly at his subconscious reaction, his smile carrying a hint of helpless doting.

He came to her side again, bent down, and gently kissed her smooth forehead with endless affection. He tucked the blanket around her, then looked carefully at the road ahead and stepped out of the palace gate.

*

The atmosphere in Hanyuan Hall was solemn.

Rumors about the Empress and the news of the major changes between the Emperor and Empress had already been circulating like an undercurrent among the court officials.

The crowd whispered among themselves, their gazes occasionally sweeping over Xue Wenmian, who stood calmly at the front of the assembled officials.

Because of the Xue family's power, no one dared to openly discuss it, but the suppressed commotion permeated the entire hall.

The eunuch's high-pitched announcement rang out, instantly drowning out all other noises.

Pei Xuanlin, dressed in imperial robes, slowly walked up the steps, his expression indifferent, with a hint of weariness and coldness in his eyes.

He sat down, flicking his sleeves, and accepted the homage of the officials.

"All of you, rise."

Pei Xuanlin's voice was unreadable, and the court officials could not determine his attitude at this moment.

Although the empress had done many wrong things, even causing disgrace to the emperor by defiling the palace, the emperor still suspended court and stayed by her bedside without leaving her side. Based on this alone, the old ministers who wanted to propose deposing the empress backed down.

Pei Xuanlin could tell from the different expressions on the faces of the court officials that today's court assembly was destined to revolve around the topic of Xue Yingyue.

Rather than waiting for his ministers to probe indirectly, he should take the initiative to speak first, so as to save time.

Thinking it over, Pei Xuanlin slowly swept his gaze over the bowed officials below and began to speak.

"The Empress has acted willfully and recklessly, disregarding etiquette and law, defiling the palace, and practicing witchcraft and sorcery in the palace. Furthermore, her identity is questionable, and she has deceived the emperor. What do you think, my beloved ministers, should be done to punish the Empress for such behavior?"

...

Upon hearing this, all the officials fell silent.

Regardless of the dynasty or status, any one of these crimes would be a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family; there was no need to even ask how to deal with it.

Asking how to handle it means they don't want to handle it.

Xue Wenmian stepped forward, knelt down, raised his robe, looked directly at the emperor, and said sternly, "Your humble servant is terrified!"

The Xue family has always followed the crowd, listening to whoever is the emperor. They have always been proud of Xue Wenmian's ability to assess the situation. But this is the only time he has openly challenged the emperor.

As he knelt, a whole group of officials from Xue's faction behind him followed suit, shouting in unison, "Your humble servant is filled with fear!"

In an instant, cries of fear echoed through the hall, and all the officials knelt down.

"Ha, fear?"

Pei Xuanlin's lips curled into a cold smile. He leaned forward slightly and glanced at the kneeling officials. "Then tell me, what exactly are you so afraid of?"

The remonstrating official stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, the Empress was personally chosen by Emperor Gaozong as your principal wife. She is the mother of the nation. If she is deposed because of some rumors that have not yet been fully verified, it may disturb Emperor Gaozong’s spirit in the afterlife and also damage Your Majesty’s reputation for benevolence and filial piety!”

Immediately afterward, another old minister stepped forward, trembling: "Back then, when you were trapped in Jiangnan and the situation was perilous, Your Majesty the Empress remained alone in the capital. Facing Emperor You's obstruction, the Empress drew her sword and swore that she would never implicate Your Majesty in the slightest. Her plight was pitiful, and her will was commendable! Moreover, since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have shown great favor to the Empress. Yet, the Xue family has remained dutiful and has not overstepped their bounds. If it is said that the Empress has failed in managing her family, this old minister believes that is an overstatement. I hope Your Majesty will remember our past relationship and think twice before acting!"

Opposition voices rose and fell, with seemingly plausible reasons, such as invoking the late emperor, emphasizing past achievements, or affirming his ability to govern the country.

Pei Xuanlin listened and felt utterly ironic.

At one point, these ministers submitted memorials one by one, advising him not to favor the empress exclusively, but to take in more concubines to ensure the continuation of the imperial line.

Now that he's pretending to take action, they're jumping out impatiently to desperately try to dissuade him.

It's simply a matter of vested interests; they're afraid of harming the Xue family and affecting their own power structure.

He sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm.

After the crowd had calmed down, he spoke calmly.

"I am aware of what you have said, my beloved ministers. The matter of the Empress is of great importance, and I have my own considerations."

Pei Xuanlin neither explicitly stated his intention to depose the empress nor denied her faults, leaving only ambiguity for his subordinates to speculate.

"Dismiss the court."

Pei Xuanlin gave the others no further chance to argue, and stood up and left in a huff.

*

After the court session, Pei Xuanlin went straight back to the rear hall of Xuanzheng Hall.

The hall still retained the enchanting yet chaotic atmosphere of last night.

Ling Zhenli was still fast asleep; yesterday's fierce argument and punishment had clearly exhausted her.

Pei Xuanlin's initially agitated state of mind calmed down somewhat upon seeing her.

He walked to the bedside and unconsciously reached out to brush away a few stray strands of hair from her cheek, his movements gentle without even realizing it.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch her skin, Ling Zhenli's thick, long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she slowly woke up.

The moment she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Pei Xuanlin's handsome face, which chilled her to the bone.

The initial confusion in those beautiful eyes lasted only a moment.

Upon recognizing Pei Xuanlin as the person before her, and recalling the events of yesterday, Ling Zhenli almost instinctively turned her head away, avoiding his touch and blocking his view.

This action was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, instantly extinguishing the faint trace of pity in Pei Xuanlin's heart.

His tenderness was shattered by her resistance, replaced by a provoked rage.

"What's with the affectation?"

Pei Xuanlin withdrew his hand, his voice turning cold, "Weren't you crying and begging me to let you go last night? You acted so weak and pitiful, but now you're all tough. Who are you trying to fool?"

His intention was to provoke her, to see her cry helplessly or retaliate angrily as she had the night before; any intense emotion would be better than this cold indifference.

But the provocation went too far.

Ling Zhenli had just woken up and was still a little confused. She didn't intend to confront him immediately, but his words were like a spark that instantly ignited the anger and grievances in her heart.

Ling Zhenli suddenly sat up, the brocade quilt slipped off, revealing her body covered in ambiguous red marks, wearing only a nightgown.

Her long, black hair cascaded down, making her face appear even paler; only her eyes burned with fierce anger.

"Pei Xuanlin!"

Her voice was hoarse as she grabbed a soft pillow and hurled it at him with all her might. "How disgusting! If you've got the guts, just kill me! Don't spout this nauseating nonsense!"

Pei Xuanlin raised his hand to block the flying pillow. Seeing her baring her teeth and claws like an enraged tigress, he felt a surge of anger and retorted without thinking.

"What, in such a hurry to die? Is there a lover waiting for you down there to reunite with him?"

These words struck a nerve with Ling Zhenli, making her bristle like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

She was so angry that she was trembling all over. She grabbed another pillow from the bed and started hitting him with it repeatedly, her voice sharp as she hurled insults.

"Yes! You guessed right! Your ancestors for eighteen generations are all lined up underground waiting for me! Hurry up and send me down there! Be careful, or your grandfathers will get impatient and come up to take the life of this unfilial grandson!"

"Xue Yingyue!"

Even when Emperor Wen was alive, he was just an unfavored prince, and no one had ever said such rebellious things to Pei Xuanlin.

Pei Xuanlin was so angry that his face turned red and the veins on his forehead bulged.

He snatched the pillow that Xue Yingyue was using to hit him, threw it hard on the ground, and yelled at the door.

"What are you standing there for! Bring the medicine in!"

Upon hearing the sound, the palace servants waiting outside the palace gates immediately lowered their heads and brought in a bowl of pitch-black medicine, offering it to the servants with trepidation.

Ling Zhenli stared at the bowl of medicine, momentarily stunned, then a stern and cold smile appeared on her face, carrying a sense of resignation and despair.

"Fine, so you've finally decided to kill me? Pei Xuanlin, it seems you're not as cowardly as I thought."

Ling Zhenli felt a pang of bitterness as she thought about the past two years she had spent with Pei Xuanlin.

This was her fate.

That's fine, it'll end it all.

Pei Xuanlin sternly ordered the palace servants, "Hurry up and force-feed her this!"

Upon hearing this, the palace maid was about to step forward.

"Get out of my way!"

Ling Zhenli shouted, her voice hoarse but still carrying the same authority as always.

She coldly swept her gaze over the palace servants, head held high, "I will drink it myself!"

The palace servants were intimidated by her gaze, and then secretly glanced at the emperor's face. Seeing that Pei Xuanlin did not immediately object, and actually hesitated, they lowered their heads and withdrew, closing the palace door behind them.

Upon seeing this, Pei Xuanlin was furious and laughed: "Ha, Xue Yingyue, you really have a lot of power! Even at this point, these palace maids still listen to you."

His words were laced with sarcasm, and at the same time, a hint of doubt flickered in Ling Zhenli's mind.

Wasn't she already deposed? Why do these palace servants still seem to subconsciously obey her orders?

But this slight doubt was quickly overwhelmed by stronger emotions.

She thought of Xue Xianzhu.

The thought of Xue Xianzhu having a child and Pei Xuanlin's infidelity filled her with a sorrow of being completely abandoned and having to make room for someone else.

She thought back to her past with Pei Xuanlin.

Under the flowers and the moon, she played the pipa for him to please him.

The indulgence at the wedding banquet, the tenderness and care on the wedding night.

I played polo with her and applied medicine to her wounds.

She danced for him at the palace banquet.

He rushed to her rescue after she was drugged.

He brought her back to the palace from Shengguang Temple, and even though it wasn't his fault, he apologized first.

Upon entering the capital, he braved the wind and snow to find her immediately.

The coronation ceremony was held alongside her, and they shared the world.

I took her on a tour of Jiangnan.

He said he wanted to have a child with her.

They rescued her from the Huaiming Temple tower.

Give her hope, then plunge her into despair.

The past is like smoke, vanished without a trace.

It's all in the past now.

Ling Zhenli was afraid that if she thought about it any longer, tears would fall. So she didn't hesitate any longer, grabbed the medicine bowl, tilted her head back, and drank the bitter medicine in one gulp, as if drinking strong liquor.

The medicine burned her throat, and she closed her eyes, awaiting death.

However, as time passed, the expected excruciating pain did not come. Apart from the bitter taste of the medicine melting in his mouth, there was nothing else unusual.

She opened her eyes, her gaze blank, which quickly turned into self-mockery. She looked at Pei Xuanlin and smiled.

"Pei Xuanlin, your poison doesn't seem to work very well. It can't even kill me quickly?"

Looking at her desperate, wishing-to-die state, Pei Xuanlin felt a surge of violent and twisted pleasure coexisting within him.

He chuckled, stepped forward, grabbed her chin, forced her to raise her head, and spoke clearly and cruelly, word by word.

"You actually want to die, Xue Yingyue? Let me tell you, dying isn't that easy. This isn't poison at all; it's a contraceptive potion. I'm doing this to prevent you from getting pregnant with my child. Do you understand?"

He stared at her wide-eyed stare and continued to verbally torture her.

"You are now a cripple. Xianzhu will soon be the rightful empress. Only she is worthy to bear my child, and her child will be made crown prince. As for you, I will never allow a promiscuous woman like you to give birth to a child with my blood! You are not worthy!"

These words were more painful to Ling Zhenli than any poison.

She could endure his torment, even accept death, but she could not bear his denigration of her personal dignity.

She once had her own child, but she was in poor health when the child came and couldn't keep it. Pei Xuanlin is a spineless beast; what right does he have to trample on her like this?

"Pei Xuanlin! You beast! You're worse than an animal!"

Ling Zhenli was completely enraged and struggled wildly. She grabbed the porcelain bowl from which she had just drunk her medicine and threw it at Pei Xuanlin's face with all her might.

With a crisp sound, the porcelain bowl struck Pei Xuanlin squarely on his left cheekbone.

The sudden impact made his vision go black.

The bowl fell to the ground and shattered, and a bluish-gray tinge quickly and visibly appeared on his cheekbone.

Ling Zhenli was still cursing.

"You gave me contraceptive soup? What a pointless thing to do! How could a spineless scum like you possibly have a child! Xue Xianzhu is pregnant with your child? You're a fool! You're completely incapable! You'll never have any offspring in this life, you're a childless wretch!"

Pei Xuanlin slowly raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching the wound, and the sharp pain made his pupils shrink.

When he looked up again, his eyes were a terrifying crimson.

"very good."

Pei Xuanlin's voice was terrifyingly low, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "Xue Yingyue, you are truly remarkable."

He approached the bed step by step, and the dangerous aura emanating from him made Ling Zhenli instinctively shrink back.

But it was too late.

Pei Xuanlin grabbed her wrist with such force that he almost crushed her bones.

"Whether I'm capable or not, you know best," he leaned closer, his hot breath spraying on her face. "Since you still want to verify, then I'll let you experience it again, whether I have the guts or not."

"Go to hell!"

Ling Zhenli struggled desperately, scratching his arm wildly with one hand, "Pei Xuanlin, you spineless coward, go find someone else to test you, don't come to me."

"Heh, so you think only Xiao Chongheng has guts, don't you?"

"What does this have to do with him!"

He sneered and easily pinned her hands above her head; the sound of tearing clothes was particularly jarring in the silent hall.

"What do you mean! Get away! Get away from me..."

Ling Zhenli's cries were silenced by his lips; the kiss was bloody, full of punishment and plunder.

"Didn't you say you wanted to see if I had the guts?" He chuckled coldly in her ear. "Now you feel it?"

Ling Zhenli bit her lower lip, stubbornly refusing to make a sound.

But Pei Xuanlin had plenty of ways to make her submit. He knew her body too well and knew how to break her down.

"say!"

"Do I have the guts?!"

"Waaah... um... I don't want to..."

Ling Zhenli finally couldn't help but sob, tears streaming down her face. Her appearance actually pleased Pei Xuanlin, who slowed his movements and gently touched the tear tracks on her face with his fingertips.

"Now you know how to cry?"

His tone was noticeably gentle. "Weren't you very impressive just now?"

Their eyes met, and Ling Zhenli saw the dark undercurrent in his eyes, a pain she couldn't decipher.

"Tell me the truth."

His voice was low and hoarse, "Those men you date, are they good to you? Are they really better than me?"

These words shattered Ling Zhenli's last line of defense. She stopped struggling and just stared at the top of the tent with empty eyes, like a puppet that had lost its soul.

Pei Xuanlin's heart tightened at her appearance. He was most afraid of seeing her so lifeless, neither human nor ghost, half-dead.

Ling Zhenli didn't know what to say.

She was an empty and aimless person. She wanted to live, but she couldn't find a way to live that suited her. Pei Xuanlin was right. She had never figured out how to live her life.

As for those men, it was just that Pei Xuanlin wasn't around, and she happened to be lonely. They took the initiative to seduce her, and each of them was high-ranking and handsome. Why wouldn't she do it? She only used them for amusement and never took them seriously.

But she couldn't possibly say these things to Pei Xuanlin.

Seeing that Ling Zhenli remained unmoved, Pei Xuanlin leaned down and kissed her lips almost fiercely until she instinctively began to struggle due to lack of oxygen.

After struggling, she was panting, and Pei Xuanlin chuckled softly.

"Ah Li, don't think you can get away with this trick. I won't let you off the hook. In the days to come, I will do everything I can to make you suffer."

Ling Zhenli finally reacted. She looked at him and suddenly laughed, a tragic laugh.

"Sanlang, I don't care at all."

Pei Xuanlin's pupils contracted sharply. Before he could react, Xue Yingyue's cool hands touched the bruise on his cheekbone, looking at him tenderly.

"I'm not even afraid of death anymore, so what do you think I would care about? You've crippled me anyway, so I don't need to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. For the sake of our past relationship, after I die, please bury me in Huaiming Temple. My daughter is there. I love her very much, but my health was too poor to keep her. When I get to the afterlife, I want to make it up to her... Yes, if I met you with her, you definitely wouldn't have taken a liking to me. It would be perfect for both of us."

The best of both worlds...

Pei Xuanlin felt as if his heart had been pierced by those words, the pain almost suffocating him. She actually thought that if he had a child, he would abandon her.

If she had met her sooner, she might not have been so sensitive and melancholic.

Pei Xuanlin bent down and kissed away the tears from the corners of her eyes with almost reverence, the salty taste burning all the way to the bottom of his heart.

"Stop talking..."

His voice was terribly hoarse, “I will not bury you in Huaiming Temple, don’t even think about it. You are not allowed to die, and I will not let you die.”

He would never allow her to leave him in this way, to seek relief through death, and to reunite with the daughter he didn't even know existed.

For him, this was a more cruel punishment than her betrayal.

After saying that, Pei Xuanlin got up, quickly put on his robe, then bent down, wrapped her tightly in the quilt, and picked her up horizontally.

Ling Zhenli did not struggle at all, closed her eyes, and let him do as he pleased.

He carried her in his arms, and they walked in silence straight toward the Zichen Palace.

The interior was still luxuriously and comfortably furnished, with incense burners, brocade curtains, and soft pillows—everything was provided, except for the lack of a sense of freedom.

Pei Xuanlin gently placed her on the large bed covered with a thick plush cushion.

However, he then took out several pieces of silk that were smooth and durable.

He took her slender wrist and wrapped it around her soft silk, carefully tying a knot to ensure that he wouldn't hurt her or make it easy for her to break free.

Next was her ankle.

Ling Zhenli kept her eyes closed, letting him do as he pleased, until her limbs were properly bound to the bedposts. Only then did she slowly open her eyes, staring blankly at the intricate embroidery on the ceiling, her voice as soft as a wisp of smoke.

"Pei Xuanlin, why are you doing this..."

Pei Xuanlin stood by the bed, gazing intently at her, his eyes as dark as a bottomless pool.

He leaned down, his fingertips gently brushing her cheek, finally resting on her lips. His tone was gentle, but the words he spoke sent chills down her spine.

“Ah Li, listen to me carefully. If you dare to bite your tongue and commit suicide…if I find out,” he paused, smiled, and pried open her lips with his fingers, “I’ll pull out all your teeth.”

He saw her eyelashes tremble violently, and then continued in that soft, cruel voice.

"Furthermore, if you die, I will immediately send someone to Huaiming Temple to dig up your daughter's grave and abandon her remains in the wilderness, so that she will never have peace. I mean what I say."

"you!"

Terrification flashed in Ling Zhenli's eyes. "Pei Xuanlin! Are you even human?! How could you... Why did you bully my child? She's just an unborn child! What does what happened between you and me have to do with her?!"

Seeing that she finally had a strong emotional reaction, even hatred, Pei Xuanlin felt a twisted sense of satisfaction that overwhelmed his pain.

He would rather she hate him to the core than see her lifelessly begging for death.

"I am not human, I am an animal."

He straightened up, his shadow looming over her. "So, for her to rest in peace, you'd better live well and bear all of this, as if it were something you owe me."

After saying that, he stopped looking at her hateful eyes and turned away resolutely.

The palace doors slammed shut behind him, the sound of the lock clicking clearly echoing, completely isolating this magnificent cage from the outside world.

Ling Zhenli was left alone in that soft confinement, her limbs bound and unable to move.

She stared at the canopy above her head, tears silently streaming down her face, not because of the physical constraints, but because Pei Xuanlin had precisely grasped her most vulnerable spot.

Unable to die, hopeless to live.

Her future seemed to be nothing but endless darkness.