Chapter 17 From the very beginning, it should have been his…
When Eunuch Li led Xie Linyuan to the Princess's bedroom, he chuckled and tried to leave quickly, but Xie Linyuan stopped him.
Why has Eunuch Li come here today?
His question sounded polite, but when he asked it, Eunuch Li shrank back and felt as if his head was about to fall off his neck.
He certainly couldn't afford to offend General Xie, but since he was a eunuch serving the emperor, the emperor was the one he could rely on.
Besides, if the Emperor really takes a fancy to that woman, General Xie, no matter how powerful he is, is just a subject. Would he dare to compete with the Emperor for a woman?
Although the woman was indeed exceptionally beautiful, a rare sight in the world, it was really not worth offending the emperor for the sake of a woman.
What kind of woman couldn't General Xie have? I've heard that there are countless women in the capital who want to marry into the Xie family. Every time he returns from a military campaign, the streets are so crowded that it's impossible to walk.
It's strange, though. Over the years, we've never heard of General Xie ever showing interest in any girl. He's known for being aloof from women. Perhaps he's just paying more attention to her because she's his brother's widow.
If the emperor wanted it, would he refuse?
He was able to rise to the position of Grand General, and his undefeated record in leading troops into battle naturally shows that he understood the advantages and disadvantages involved.
It's not worth offending the emperor for a woman like that.
But Eunuch Li naturally couldn't say these words to his face, so he could only vaguely cover it up: "The Princess is hosting a banquet, and I am just here to offer my congratulations on behalf of His Majesty."
"oh……"
"Just congratulations?" Xie Linyuan said calmly. He took a few steps forward, and the oppressive aura emanating from him seemed to solidify. Eunuch Li trembled so much that his head almost hit the ground. He looked up at the sword in Xie Linyuan's hand and was so frightened that he dared not hide anything anymore.
"By the way, could you also check if there are any suitable women for His Majesty to enter the palace as concubines? You know, if a girl from a certain family catches His Majesty's eye, that's a blessing that one couldn't accumulate in several lifetimes..."
"General Xie, in my opinion, if His Majesty takes a liking to..." Eunuch Li winked and grinned, his powdered face contorting into a disgusting grimace, displaying extreme obsequiousness, "it would be a tremendous blessing for the Xie family. With someone in the harem helping them, the Xie clan's influence in court would be..."
“That’s true…” Xie Linyuan smiled, “That’s true…”
Originally, Eunuch Li wanted to take the opportunity to flatter Xie Linyuan, but Xie Linyuan's laughter sounded extremely chilling. Eunuch Li really couldn't figure out what this god of death meant, so he didn't dare to stay any longer. He hurriedly made an excuse and practically scrambled away.
After Eunuch Li left, Xie Linyuan placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, and the smile in his eyes turned into a thousand feet of ice.
What a menace!
How should I treat you...?
My... sister-in-law.
——
The sweet, cloying fragrance seemed to fill the entire room. As Xie Linyuan stepped in, a wisp of the fragrance wafted by, and his brows furrowed, his eyes practically overflowing with disgust.
This is a palace built within the princess's residence. It is extremely luxurious, with white jade bricks paving the ground and layers of white gauze curtains fluttering. At a glance, on the white jade steps inside the palace, Princess Anle is propping her head up and half-lying on the chaise longue.
Despite it being broad daylight, without any attempt to conceal it, a group of scantily clad male concubines surrounded her, massaging her legs and feet, while others knelt at her feet, fawning over her...
Princess Anle was enjoying herself with her eyes closed, but when Xie Linyuan entered, she opened her eyes and saw him through the layers of curtains. Her heart stirred, and she raised her hand to dismiss all the male concubines in the hall.
"General Xie has finally come to see me, the princess." Princess Anle chuckled, a look of joy on her face.
Barefoot, she gathered the thin veil around her body, lightly touched the ground with her toes, held her head high, and descended the steps one by one, moving gracefully until she reached Xie Linyuan.
Looking at the person she had longed for day and night, the one she had never been able to have, she couldn't help but raise her hand.
The sheer fabric slipped from her wrist, and the single nail polish on her fingertips made her skin appear as white as snow.
The hand drew closer and closer to Xie Linyuan, until it was about to touch his face. Princess Anle's expression suddenly froze, and the hand stopped just inches away from Xie Linyuan's cheek.
"Your Highness, please have some self-respect."
Xie Linyuan said coldly, grabbing the princess's hand that was about to touch his face with one hand. With a crack, he released her hand, and the princess was thrown aside.
Princess Anle staggered a few steps and almost fell to the ground.
Xie Linyuan frowned, his voice even colder than before: "Don't do anything unnecessary."
No one had ever dared to speak to her like that before.
Princess Anle rubbed her wrist, her earlier admiration now replaced by anger, and her domineering aura surged up again.
She couldn't really call it romantic love for Xie Linyuan; it was simply because Xie Linyuan was the only one who didn't take her seriously, and didn't even deign to look at her.
The more unattainable something is, the more she desires it, regardless of whether she likes it or not.
In order to win Xie Linyuan's heart and to avenge her previous humiliation, she could only endure for the time being.
After you've drunk that aphrodisiac, I'll see how long you can keep up your act.
At that time, won't they be kneeling at my feet like my male concubines?
Thinking of this, Princess Anle suppressed her anger for the time being.
She smiled, walked to the table with the prepared food and wine, and poured two cups of wine: "I only invited General Xie to have a couple of drinks and to talk about your affairs. Why is General Xie so wary?"
After pouring the wine, she drank a glass herself first, and then handed the wine to Xie Linyuan.
Xie Linyuan took the drink and finished it, saying only, "If there is anything you need, Your Highness, please speak."
Seeing Xie Linyuan drink the wine so readily, Princess Anle raised her phoenix eyes and smiled slightly.
This aphrodisiac is extremely potent. Even the most abstinent and calm person will be aroused by its effects and will feel compelled to seek out someone to have sex with.
In the past, when she used her charms on her male lovers, not one of them didn't beg for her favor like a dog.
Moreover, someone like him, who clearly has extremely strong desires.
Sure enough, not long after drinking it, Xie Linyuan's eyes turned red. His appearance was already extremely handsome, and the shimmering red in his eyes at this moment further enhanced his handsomeness.
Handsome and sharp, beautiful without being effeminate, the reason why the princess couldn't forget Xie Linyuan was not only because he was the only man who didn't give her a second glance, but also because of his appearance and figure.
Of all the men she had seen and all the male lovers she had enjoyed, none could compare to her.
It's perfectly understandable that women are attracted to men.
only……
Princess Anle is unaware that she has contacted the wrong person.
Just when she thought Xie Linyuan was drugged and that she could take advantage of this to seduce him and treat him like a male concubine, she walked over. Her hand had just touched his collar when, in the next instant, a sword flashed, the bright sword light sweeping across the wall inside the room. In a flash, a spray of blood appeared on it.
A section of her little finger had been cut off, and there were bloody marks on her fair, white arm, from which blood kept seeping.
Princess Anle was pampered since childhood, and everything she had was of the highest quality. Her snow-white skin was made of thousands of gold and silver.
Even if her appearance wasn't stunning, she was still more beautiful than a flower, but in Xie Linyuan's eyes at this moment, she was like a lump of rotting flesh. He frowned, his disgust evident in his eyes.
"I told you, don't touch me."
Although Xie Linyuan had drunk the wine, apart from the redness around the corners of his eyes, he appeared to be perfectly lucid.
Those peach blossom eyes showed no trace of bewilderment, only coldness and oppression.
What Princess Anle didn't know was that Xie Linyuan was strictly disciplined by his father, trained in martial arts, and went to the battlefield at the age of fourteen to hone his skills. He had experienced countless battles, large and small, and had walked through mountains of knives and seas of fire and smoke. His temperament and composure were far beyond that of ordinary people. The medicine used on her male concubines had no effect on him.
"For a princess to commit such a despicable act is a disgrace to the royal family. Today, I will use this sword to teach the princess a lesson on behalf of His Majesty. I hope the princess will take this as a warning in the future."
He spoke casually, and although he called himself a subject, his condescending gaze was extremely disdainful and arrogant.
Princess Anle had never suffered such humiliation before; it was nothing short of an unbearable disgrace to her.
And what's more, he actually dared to cut off her finger...
At this moment, Princess Anle no longer cared about her princess appearance. She was furious and stood up from the ground, walking directly towards Xie Linyuan.
"Xie Linyuan! Do you know who you are, and who I, this princess, am?!"
A gleaming sword flashed past her eyes, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Xie Linyuan held his sword, pointing it directly at her throat.
He glanced at her sideways, his gaze sweeping away as if he were looking not at a princess whom everyone worshipped, not at a beautiful woman adorned with gold and jade, but at an inanimate object.
"So what if I know?" Xie Linyuan said indifferently. As the sword advanced an inch and drew a bloody mark, Princess Anle finally abandoned her so-called princess face and posture, and fell to the ground, all her arrogance and spoiledness gone.
All that remained was trembling fear.
At this moment, Princess Anle realized just how monstrous and wicked the person she had been longing for was.
Xie Linyuan then sheathed his sword.
He casually grabbed a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood off the sword blade. Once the blood-stained blade was clean, he returned the longsword to its sheath.
Xie Linyuan twisted his neck and turned to walk outside.
"Today, I will spare the life of Your Highness."
"Your Highness, you may explain this matter to the Emperor."
"Your Majesty, I will wait."
The words faded away, and Xie Linyuan left.
He chopped off the princess's finger, held the sword to the neck of the most esteemed princess of the Liang royal family, and left.
After Xie Linyuan left, Princess Anle stared at her severed finger, her eyes wide as if they were about to pop out. Her exquisite makeup could not hide her deathly pallor, and the hairpins and ornaments in her hair were crooked and swaying precariously. She was no longer the domineering princess she had been just moments before; she looked utterly wretched.
She slumped to the ground, her bloodied fingertips digging into the earth, still trapped in the immense fear Xie Linyuan had instilled in her.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but when the wind made the light gauze curtains in the room flutter, she gradually came back to her senses, and the fear in her eyes was gradually replaced by overwhelming anger.
Her proud and noble status was trampled on by Xie Linyuan, and he even dared to hurt her, or even kill her!
However, she is merely a high-ranking general; she is the most esteemed princess of the Great Liang Dynasty!
She always gets whatever she wants, but she's the one who ends up hurting others and holding a sword to their throat!
Xiao Anle had never suffered such a humiliating disgrace!
She is a princess... a noble eldest princess!
No one has ever dared to treat her like this before!
She was determined to go to the palace and see her imperial brother!
——
After cutting off one of the princess's fingers, Xie Linyuan walked out without any hesitation, completely unconcerned.
He remained expressionless, as if nothing had happened.
However, the screams that came from inside the hall just now were undeniable.
The maid waiting outside glanced at Xie Linyuan and trembled instantly. She no longer had the courage to step forward and stop him, and could only hurriedly enter the room.
Screams and slaps soon echoed from inside the house, but no one came to stop Xie Linyuan.
Nobody dares.
Xie Linyuan picked up his sword and walked towards the banquet area.
"Eunuch Li..."
"Princess..."
“Wu Zizhuo…”
"emperor."
Xie Linyuan read it aloud, word by word.
Today, he used the incident of the eldest princess poisoning him as an excuse to cut off one of her fingers, intending to make her report the matter to the emperor.
Since someone wants him to rebel, Xie Linyuan will have no choice but to comply.
As if he had thought of something again, Xie Linyuan's eyes darkened, and then his lips twitched, letting out a mocking laugh.
"Do you really think I, Xie Linyuan, would care about that woman?"
She was nothing more than my concubine.
However, no one is allowed to touch Xie Linyuan's things.
What's his will always remain his.
It should have been his from the very beginning.
—
The Princess's residence was enormous, occupying almost half of the eastern district, but Xie Linyuan moved from the back palace to the front hall in a very short time.
Just as he was about to reach the front hall, where the banquet was being held, a commotion suddenly broke out, and a crowd gathered around him.
There were rustling sounds, women's voices, and men's loud shouts and curses.
"Drink! Give this young master a drink!"
"Where did this young lady come from, daring to disobey me?! You must drink when I tell you to!"
"She looks like a slut, what are you pretending to be virtuous for? Drink up!"
"Young Master is drunk, watch your words! This young lady is General Xie's woman..."
"I don't care who she is!"
"Even if she's someone the King of Heaven himself, she still has to drink with me today!"
"I, the young master, am giving you wine as a sign of respect. Who do you think you are, daring to defy me?!"
"It's your good fortune that I, the young master, have taken a liking to you! What's wrong with letting you have a drink?"
"drink!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the man tried to force the wine down his throat again.
At that moment, as if they had seen something, the crowd that had gathered together suddenly parted to make way for each other.
The surrounding chatter all fell silent, leaving only the man's cursing.
While Su Muying was still thinking about how to resolve this trouble without angering Xie Linyuan and causing trouble for the Xie family, she never expected that this trouble would be resolved in another way.
It was solved in an extremely simple way.
The sharp sword wind, carrying immense force, slashed down, even severing several strands of her hair.
Hot blood spurted out, and her eyes were suddenly filled with large patches of glaring red, followed by a scene that made her want to vomit.
Xie Linyuan arrived at some unknown time, and it was unclear when he drew his sword.
With a single sword strike, the man was cleaved in two!
The bloody scenes that could only be seen on the battlefield were played out at this banquet, in front of all the guests, and in front of Su Muying.
From the forehead down, the man's body was split in two.
Crimson blood, mixed with internal organs, sprayed out, with intestines and other organs spilling onto the ground, still steaming.
Su Muying looked up in horror. Through a cloud of blood mist, she saw Xie Linyuan's blood-stained face, which was both extremely calm and extremely terrifying.
He was looking at her too.
A note from the author:
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Female protagonist: Horror story
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