Chapter 244 "My Handsome Guy".
Besides, he's an absolutely stunningly handsome man.
The Elf King looked at me without saying a word for a long time. Just as I was about to push open the door and leave, he said, "Even the boldest woman in our land wouldn't dare speak like you."
I pushed the door open to continue, and he added, "Including prostitutes."
I smiled and turned around: "That's because you've spent too much time in the secret realm and haven't seen the world."
While having breakfast in the private dining room, I heard that the closet in my room had collapsed.
"It's a cabinet used to store decorative trinkets," the maid said respectfully.
"Destroyed by the Elf King?"
"Yes."
I took a small sip of black tea before saying, "I'm not a stingy person. I won't ask him for compensation."
For the next two days, I didn't meet with the Elf King. Instead, I took a winged carriage to the newly conquered capital. It was in chaos, and I needed to reorganize the rear. As soon as I stepped off the carriage, I saw Paria, dressed in a magnificent snow robe, standing in the dazzling sunlight, his smile radiant—a truly handsome man.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.
“I knew you would come here, my Prime Minister, so I came ahead of time to wait for you.” He smiled sweetly.
"Why were you waiting for me?" After getting off the carriage, I was surrounded by a group of guards. Paria walked beside me, smiling, "I missed you, how could I not come to see you?"
"Sure." I smiled too.
"I thought you'd forgotten about me all this time, having been so engrossed in your romance with the Elf King," he said, sounding quite aggrieved.
"How could that be?!" I pinched his handsome face. "You're much more handsome than him."
"Is he more handsome than her in other ways?" he asked ambiguously.
"You're more handsome than him in every way." I said softly, like a scumbag coaxing a woman, "From head to toe, there's not a single part of you who isn't more handsome than him. He can't even compare to your toes."
He burst into laughter, laughing uncontrollably, "You have such a lovely voice, I enjoy listening to you more and more."
"I'm glad you like it." I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "My handsome guy."
We whispered sweet nothings to each other, but the guards surrounding us seemed not to hear us, continuing to march forward with serious expressions. They were all robust young men, full of vigor and vitality; one would expect them to blush at such a sight, but they remained composed. It wasn't that they were without desires or ambitions, but rather that there were more important matters ahead.
Our laughter and conversation also came to a halt.
Standing in the main square of the royal city, all the prisoners were bound and held here. Men, women, young and old, all looked ashen-faced, some terrified, some panicked, some filled with hatred. Some were lying on the ground, some kneeling, and some lying flat. It was a scene of chaos and devastation.
"Madam, should we kill them all or send them to work as laborers?" the guard leader asked.
"Is he a commoner or a nobleman?" I asked.
"There are commoners and ordinary nobles. Commoners make up the majority in the royal city, while commoners in the tribes make up the minority. Most of the ordinary nobles are from the royal city, while there are only high-ranking nobles in the tribes. Now, they, along with the high-ranking nobles from the royal city, have all been imprisoned."
I fell into deep thought.
Paria didn't say anything, she just looked at me silently.
“Killing is a sin, but if I don’t kill, I’ll leave a hidden danger. They will think about making a comeback. What should I do?” I sighed.
“Madam, kill them,” the head guard said. “If they don’t die, we’ll be the ones who die another day.”
I pondered for a moment, then walked up to the high point of the square and said loudly, "I am giving you all a chance to live and continue to be citizens of this royal city, but you can only reside outside the royal city temporarily. Three years later, if you do not rebel or cause trouble, you can enter the royal city and live as law-abiding citizens. Are you willing?"
This is a chance for them to live. If they don't cherish it, they will die if they are caught a second time.
The square was in turmoil. Some people firmly disagreed, some immediately knelt down to express their gratitude, and some were caught in a dilemma, not knowing what to do.
I arrested those who resolutely disagreed and executed them immediately; those who knelt to express their gratitude were immediately taken to register, given tents, and moved outside the city; those who were caught in the middle were given one night to consider their options.
"Have you ever considered that these people kneeling in gratitude and caught in the middle might one day rebel against you, launch an attack from within and without, and reclaim the royal city?" Paria said slowly.
"I've thought about it, but I'm willing to take the gamble; I just don't want to go too far with the killings."
I have already conquered two royal cities, suffered countless deaths and injuries, and the carnage has run deep; I don't want it to go any deeper.
"Oh, what method are you planning to use?"
I smiled and asked in return, "What suggestions do you have?"
Paria smiled gently: "How can I give you any advice? I just want to hear your insights."
I replied with a smile, "Once people are full, they want to play, not fight."
I've actually answered his question, but I don't know if he understood.
When most people have enough to eat, they won't think about rebelling. This is the solution I've come up with—only by focusing all our efforts on developing the economy, ensuring people have money to earn and enough to eat, can the people live and work in peace and contentment, and the capital will not be thrown into turmoil.
Of course, it's possible that a few extremists will insist on going all the way with you. In that case, I won't be polite. I've already given you a way out, but you insist on taking the path of death. Even if I kill you, God will forgive me—because it would be self-defense.
Three days have passed since I finished dealing with matters in the capital, including the killing of almost all the high-ranking nobles imprisoned in the humble royal palace jail. The Elf King will be returning soon; a messenger bird sent a message asking when I would bid him farewell, so I went back.
Paria didn't come with me; he "sensibly" chose to stay in the simple palace, saying he would help me clean up the mess.
Back at the royal palace in the Great City, I hurried to the courtyard, the place where the Elf King liked to wait for me, but I didn't see him. I asked a maid and learned that he was bathing in the hot spring.
As I entered the stone pillar hall of the hot spring, I took off my outer garment, inner skirt, and underwear, letting my long hair fall loose over my shoulders, and walked naked into the circular hot spring pool. Surprisingly, there were two people in the pool.
The one who's glowing white is the Elf King, and the one with the muscular build is Nathias.
They both turned around and saw me at the same time. I almost pulled the gauze curtain on the stone pillar to cover myself, but I held back and pretended to be nonchalant, asking with a smile, "Why did you two agree to take a bath together? You gave me quite a fright."
The Elf King frowned as he looked at me, then glanced at Nasiah. Nasiah was about to get up when I, without any hesitation, walked naked into the hot spring. "Long time no see, Nasiah."
Nathia could only awkwardly greet me. He was naked, and nobody likes being seen naked by someone they don't know well.
The Elf King looked at me coldly, "You'd better close your eyes, or he'll dare to come out of the water."
I laughed heartily, "I'm not afraid of him looking at me, so why would you be afraid of me looking at him?"
The Elf King's voice was even colder, "You'd better close your eyes now."
"Alright." Seeing that the Elf King was really about to get angry, I obediently closed my eyes.
A moment later, the Elf King's voice, slightly softened, came, "He's gone." I slowly opened my eyes, smiled sweetly, and said, "Tell me, how many rounds did you play before I arrived?"
"It's not the kind of relationship you're thinking of." The Elf King's voice turned cold again.
"How can we arrange to shower together?"
“He brought my guards to escort me back to the secret realm. He needed to discuss some things with me privately. I happened to be at the hot spring, so I had him come over.”
"Can't we talk in the study? Why do we have to talk in the hot spring?"
"You're neither my wife nor my mistress, so by what right are you questioning me?"
I shrugged. "I'm just curious, really."
He moved closer to me, his strong arms encircling my waist with such force that I almost felt my back break. "Hey, be gentle."
His breath was hot and scalding, hitting my ear and lips. "Let us do it again, and I'll answer you."
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