Chapter 77 Love is the Demise of Free Will
Inside the Zichen Palace, the wisps of ambergris smoke curled and swirled in the morning light.
The familiar scent of ambergris in the hall, like a gentle thread, slowly drew Ling Zhenli out of the deep darkness.
Ling Zhenli slowly woke up, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she struggled to open her heavy eyelids.
"You're awake."
A deep, familiar voice came from beside the bed.
Her blurry vision gradually focused, and she lay on the familiar bed. The first thing that caught her eye was the low-hanging curtains, which swayed gently in the breeze.
She moved her fingers, her fingertips touching the cool blanket, realizing she was still alive. She turned her head slightly and saw Pei Xuanlin sitting by the bed.
In the familiar and warm environment, she felt inexplicably at ease, and her body relaxed as a result.
Seeing her like this, a barely perceptible ripple flashed in Pei Xuanlin's deep eyes before returning to calm.
He silently got up, walked to the table, picked up the warm jade pot, poured a cup of warm water, and then slowly returned to the bedside, bringing the cup to her lips.
Pei Xuanlin helped Ling Zhenli sit up slightly, his movements still gentle and meticulous, as if nothing had changed, and she was still the precious treasure he carefully protected.
"Drink some water first, and calm down."
Pei Xuanlin's voice was so calm that it revealed no emotion. Ling Zhenli's throat was dry, and she didn't speak. She just sipped warm water from his hand.
The warm water soothed her parched throat, but she felt lost and confused, unsure of what to do or say next.
After finishing her water, Ling Zhenli looked up at Pei Xuanlin, trying to find a trace of emotion on his face, and she also spoke with a respectful expression.
After what happened, she wasn't sure if Pei Xuanlin would still dote on her.
Unfortunately, after carefully observing for a long time, she couldn't figure it out. Those eyes, which had once been full of doting affection and smiles for her, were now looking at her calmly, leaving her completely baffled.
Pei Xuanlin didn't stare at her for long. After putting the cup back on the low table by the bed, he broke the silence with a calm tone, as if he were stating something insignificant.
"The matter is settled. Pei Shen'ai committed suicide by poison in prison before her execution. As for Xiao Chongheng, out of consideration for our past relationship, I will exile him three thousand miles away, never to return to the capital."
Ling Zhenli couldn't help but wonder why Pei Xuanlin hadn't killed Xiao Chongheng after all that had happened. Why would he spare the life of the man who had cuckolded the emperor?
Fortunately, she didn't show it on her face.
Pei Xuanlin paused after speaking, his gaze falling on her pale and fragile face. He wanted to see if Xue Yingyue would show any secret joy at Xiao Chongheng's birth, but he found nothing on her face.
"Your health is poor, so take good care of yourself. There are still state affairs to attend to in the court. I will come to see you later."
During the three days that Ling Zhenli was in a coma, Pei Xuanlin stayed by her bedside almost every step of the way, paying little attention to matters of state. There were too many things piling up that needed to be dealt with quickly.
Seeing Pei Xuanlin turn to leave, Ling Zhenli felt anxious and quickly sat up, calling out to him loudly.
"His Majesty!"
Pei Xuanlin heard her call and silently stopped.
"You...don't you want to hear my explanation?"
Ling Zhenli stared intently at his retreating figure, her eyes filled with fear, guilt, and a faint glimmer of hope.
Upon hearing this, Pei Xuanlin did not turn back, but merely turned his head slightly, leaving her with a cold and hard profile.
Silence spread through the air, each breath feeling like a slow, agonizing torture.
"I am very busy with state affairs, and there are many important matters in the previous dynasty that I need to handle."
Pei Xuanlin finally spoke, his voice still devoid of emotion, but clearly carrying a deliberate distance.
"You should get some rest."
Before he finished speaking, he had already taken another step and walked out of the bedchamber without looking back.
The heavy palace doors closed behind him with a dull thud, completely cutting off Ling Zhenli's view. The remaining footsteps gradually faded away until they disappeared completely.
Ling Zhenli remained in a half-supported position, frozen in that posture, as if the blood in her body had frozen.
He just left like that.
There was no questioning, no anger, not even the slightest outward expression of emotion.
Pei Xuanlin's extreme calmness filled her with more fear and despair than any storm of rebuke.
He was no longer willing to listen to her, no longer willing to give her any chance to explain, and he shut her out of his world with silence.
What exactly does Pei Xuanlin mean? Why won't he just say it clearly? If he dislikes her, he should just say so. Why leave her guessing all by herself?
Did he believe she was unfaithful and therefore become utterly heartbroken? Or, in his rage, did he make some decision that she was unaware of?
Was keeping her in the palace out of consideration for their past relationship, or was it the calm before the storm, or was he simply waiting to deal with the Xue family before deciding what to do with her?
Various terrifying speculations surged wildly in her mind, weaving together suffocating images.
Ling Zhenli recalled Pei Xuanlin's cold gaze and indifferent back as he left. In her wild thoughts, every detail of Pei Xuanlin's actions was magnified infinitely, repeatedly chewed over, bringing waves of bone-chilling cold.
What should she do?
Should I take the initiative to explain to him?
How can this be explained?
The name Ling Zhenli is real, her past with Xiao Chongheng is a fact, and the unborn child is also a fact. What good would it do to explain? Would he forgive such a complete deception?
Pei Xuanlin was not only her husband, but also an emperor who ruled the world and held the power of life and death. How could he tolerate a woman who betrayed him?
Thinking of this, Ling Zhenli curled up, buried her face deeply in the soft quilt, and her shoulders trembled slightly uncontrollably.
But if he doesn't explain, should he just let this suspicion and estrangement stand between them until it wears away the last bit of affection in his heart?
When the time comes, will she be met with a white silk ribbon or poison?
She was gripped by immense anxiety and fear.
She felt as if a huge rock was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. The lingering scent of ambergris, which once brought her peace and affection, now only filled her with boundless bewilderment and unease.
Finally, she could no longer bear the deathly silence and summoned a palace maid.
"Go, invite His Majesty over. Tell him I have important matters to discuss with him. Go quickly!"
The palace maid was slightly embarrassed, but dared not disobey the imperial decree, so she could only repeatedly agree.
Just as Ling Zhenli had feared, Pei Xuanlin refused to see her.
"His Majesty said he was handling state affairs and asked the Empress to rest in the palace. He also said... please do not go and disturb him, even if you go, His Majesty will not see you."
Ling Zhenli sat upright in front of the mirror, listening to the palace maid's trembling report, her fingertips pausing slightly.
"Is that really what His Majesty said?"
Her voice was so calm that it didn't betray any emotion, but her heart was in turmoil.
The palace maid knelt on the ground, her head bowed even lower: "Yes, His Majesty also said that the Imperial Kitchen has prepared light meals for you, and you can eat at any time without waiting for His Majesty... His Majesty said he will not be coming tonight, and please get some rest."
The mirror reflected Ling Zhenli's instantly pale face, her eyes, which were always full of spring water, now looked like they were frozen.
"I understand."
Ling Zhenli stood up and sighed, "Then go to the imperial kitchen and bring over what I usually like to eat."
The palace maid felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly withdrew.
Only after the palace doors closed did Ling Zhenli allow herself to reveal a hint of vulnerability.
She walked to the window, looked in the direction of Xuanzheng Hall, and fell into deep thought.
He refused to see her.
He refused to see her.
The sun was shining brightly outside, the sky was clear and blue, and the sunlight shone through the window onto Ling Zhenli.
Winter is approaching, but today is a rare sunny day. Despite the warm sunshine shining on her, Ling Zhenli still feels cold all over, as if she has fallen into an ice cellar.
Ling Zhenli's heart turned cold.
But she cannot end it here, absolutely not.
Now, in this prosperous era, she is Empress Chen, whose power is unprecedented and unparalleled, even surpassing that of Empress Wan.
Deep within the ninefold palace, every inch of land stretched out beneath her feet, silently proclaiming her supreme power and teaching her how to remain invincible in this cannibalistic palace.
You either stay at the top forever, or you fall to your death.
In times like these, she needed to stay calm. She had barely survived, and she couldn't back down now; she absolutely couldn't.
Ling Zhenli recalled what Xue Wenmian had told her: she was Xue Yingyue, the daughter of the Xue family, and there was nothing in this world that she should be afraid of.
Despite her inner anxiety, Ling Zhenli forced herself to remain calm and ate something. Afterwards, accompanied by palace maids, she went to the Imperial Garden to paint and rest.
...
As dusk settled, the last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by the palace walls, and the sky was stained with inky blackness.
The candlelight illuminated the figure bent over his desk in the Xuanzheng Hall.
Pei Xuanlin held the vermilion brush, his brows furrowed with weariness and melancholy. The handwriting on the memorial was sometimes blurred in the flickering lamplight. He forced himself to concentrate and focus on handling government affairs.
Only by immersing himself in national affairs could he temporarily forget the person in the Zichen Palace who troubled his heart.
Very light footsteps came from outside the palace. The eunuch bowed his head and approached, stopping at the foot of the imperial steps. He said in a low voice, "Your Majesty."
Pei Xuanlin did not raise his head, only letting out a low "hmm" from his throat.
The eunuch reported, "This afternoon, the Empress painted with her cat at the Danfeng Pavilion in the Imperial Garden. She painted for about two hours before returning to the Zichen Palace for dinner. She has now instructed the palace servants to prepare for her to retire for the night."
"Clatter".
The vermilion brush was gently placed down, its clear sound echoing in the silent hall.
Pei Xuanlin slowly raised his head, the candlelight casting interplay of light and shadow in his deep eyes.
A faint smile played on his lips, but his eyes were filled with icy coldness.
Xue Yingyue.
She still had the leisure to go to the Imperial Garden to walk her cat and paint, and then go to bed after eating her fill... It was as if the turbulent waves that almost overturned the court a few days ago were nothing more than a gentle breeze on the water, which she could forget in an instant.
What is her heart made of? How can she be so heartless?
She sent a palace maid to invite him over, but she only did it once. He was so angry that he refused to see her. She actually listened to him and wouldn't come. She wouldn't listen when she should, and she listened to things she shouldn't.
He said that one unnecessary thing.
An unnamed fire, mixed with the dull pain of being slighted, suddenly surged into Pei Xuanlin's heart, scorching his reason.
He could no longer focus on a single word in the memorial and simply pushed it aside.
"Go," Pei Xuanlin's voice was devoid of emotion, but carried an overwhelming sense of authority, "summon the Empress to the Xuanzheng Hall."
The eunuch was startled, bowed in agreement, and quietly withdrew.
...
Inside the palace, the water clock dripped slowly, and time flowed by in silence.
Ling Zhenli was dressed in a white palace gown, looking like snow falling under the moon, her beauty beyond compare.
But in her own eyes, it was a set of mourning clothes she had put on in advance, a tribute to the glory, love, and even life that she might soon lose.
When she stepped into the Xuanzheng Hall, where only she and Pei Xuanlin remained, an invisible pressure almost suffocated her.
The palace gates of Xuanzheng Hall slowly closed as Ling Zhenli entered, emitting a heavy and long echo, isolating her from everything outside, and also serving as a token of respect left to her by Pei Xuanlin.
The hall was brightly lit by candles, and eerily quiet.
In the past, Pei Xuanlin received the homage of all the officials here; now, he will interrogate his empress here.
Pei Xuanlin stood with his back to her, hands clasped behind his back, before the throne. His dark robes appeared particularly solemn in the candlelight.
He didn't turn around or speak, yet an invisible pressure had already spread out.
Ling Zhenli's heart tightened slightly. She forced herself to remain calm, stepped forward slowly, and bowed according to the etiquette of a concubine: "This concubine greets Your Majesty."
Pei Xuanlin remained unmoved.
"Your Majesty summoned me here so late at night, what important matter do you have to discuss?"
Ling Zhenli steadied her slightly trembling breath and tried her best to make her voice sound calm and even.
Pei Xuanlin chuckled, slowly turned around, his face revealing neither joy nor anger, and simply said, "Get up first."
Ling Zhenli slowly got up, looking nervously at Pei Xuanlin, but dared not bring up the past.
Pei Xuanlin's deep gaze fell on her, and seeing that she remained silent for a long time, he had no choice but to speak first.
Now that things have come to this, is there anything you wish to say to me?
Ling Zhenli's heart skipped a beat. She looked up to meet his gaze, trying her best to maintain her composure: "What does Your Majesty want to hear?"
Pei Xuanlin's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile, the smile not reaching his eyes.
Ling Zhenli raised her chin, still carrying that stubbornness that he once admired so much, but now found incredibly irritating.
That's just how she is; she won't admit her mistakes even when she's about to die.
What do you think?
Pei Xuanlin fiddled with the jade pendant at his waist, then strolled closer, his voice deep and clear.
"As your husband, shouldn't I have the right to know everything about you?"
Pei Xuanlin stopped a step away from Ling Zhenli, lowered his eyes and gazed at her, looking into her slightly evasive eyes, his voice hoarse yet gentle.
"The night is still long, you can start from the beginning."
This was Pei Xuanlin's way of giving her a way out, and also her last chance.
He wanted to hear her remorse, her explanation, or even just a few words of repentance.
His tone was calm, even gentle, but Ling Zhenli's stubbornness and fear of being completely exposed made her choose to put on a brave face.
Ling Zhenli raised her face, her eyes filled with a hint of grievance and reproach.
"What exactly does Your Majesty want to know? Don't you know and like everything about me—my temperament, my preferences, my family background, and everything about me?"
Ling Zhenli stepped forward, grabbed Pei Xuanlin's sleeve, her voice softened, tinged with tears, her eyes brimming with a seductive charm.
"Sanlang, you love me, have you forgotten? You love me the most. Since you love me, why do you listen to a few unfounded accusations from a villain and start to doubt me?"
Pei Xuanlin watched her performance quietly, letting her tug at his sleeve. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, the last trace of warmth inside had vanished.
Looking at her tearful appearance, which used to easily evoke his pity, he now felt only irony.
Pei Xuanlin gently withdrew his hand, his voice as cold as ice: "Fine, since you refuse to say anything, then I will ask you one thing at a time."
The color drained from Ling Zhenli's face instantly. She knew perfectly well that her attempts to charm and be cute were no longer working.
"Let me ask you first, what is your intention in secretly practicing witchcraft in the palace?"
Ling Zhenli's inner shirt was instantly soaked with cold sweat, and her eyes darted around in a panic.
"What witchcraft? I have never done it."
Pei Xuanlin chuckled and took out the wooden plaque engraved with his birth date from his sleeve.
"Oh, what's wrong? My dear consort, you have a bad memory. You forget things you put under your pillow so easily?"
Ling Zhenli swallowed hard, knowing that Pei Xuanlin must have misunderstood, but she didn't know how to explain, so she had no choice but to tell the truth.
"I...I just really want a child. I haven't been able to get pregnant, and I heard that this method can help me conceive sooner...I just..."
"Yeah?"
Pei Xuanlin interrupted her feeble explanation, "Do you think I'm a fool? Are you asking for a child, or cursing me to die?"
Ling Zhenli panicked completely. She quickly explained, "I had absolutely no intention of harming Your Majesty. How could I possibly curse you? It was truly just something I used to pray for a child..."
Pei Xuanlin took a step closer, his gaze sharp and intense as he stared at her, his eyes filled with disappointment and resentment.
"Alright, since you say so, then I believe you are eager to have a child. Now, next question."
He paused, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "You told me not to believe the machinations of villains, so you mean that everything Xiao Chongheng said in the tower that day wasn't true at all?"
Ling Zhenli's heart was pounding in her chest. She forced herself to stand firm, looked into Pei Xuanlin's eyes, and forced a calm smile.
"Of course not, I am Xue Yingyue, Sanlang. Xiao Chongheng is insane. He is a complete madman. He not only hurt me but also deceived you. Why do you believe the words of a madman instead of your wife?"
Seeing her stubbornly arguing, the last glimmer of hope in Pei Xuanlin's eyes was extinguished.
Pei Xuanlin sneered again, his laughter filled with exhaustion and disappointment.
"Alright, alright, then even if it's all fabricated by Xiao Chongheng, I won't mention your identity. I'll ask you again."
Pei Xuanlin's gaze suddenly sharpened, carrying a chilling intent that seemed to pierce through everything. "You have repeatedly had illicit affairs with men outside the palace, committing acts of debauchery. This cannot be fabricated, can it?"
Seeing Ling Zhenli's expression of utter shock, her eyes filled with disbelief and terror, Pei Xuanlin knew that she couldn't deny what had happened.
His voice was filled with barely suppressed anger.
"Ha, as long as I'm not by your side, you're so thirsty, you can't wait to throw yourself into the arms of other men and sleep with them. Xue Yingyue, you're really something!"
This question, like a final verdict, completely shattered Ling Zhenli's psychological defenses.
Her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground with a thud. Her magnificent palace dress spread out like a flower that had suddenly withered, and all her pretense crumbled at that moment.
She wept uncontrollably and pleaded incoherently.
"No, Your Majesty, no... I, I... Your Majesty, I didn't mean it... They forced me first... Please, please forgive me this time... I was really just confused for a moment, bewitched... Sanlang, for the sake of our past relationship, please forgive me this time... I really won't dare to do it again, I won't dare to do it again!"
Ling Zhenli crawled on her stomach, trying to grab the hem of his dragon robe and cry out.
Pei Xuanlin watched indifferently as Ling Zhenli collapsed to the ground, watching her carefully maintained elegance and pride crumble in an instant, watching her weep and beg for mercy.
In the past, he might have softened and forgiven her because of her tears.
However, this time, her tears could no longer move the man before her, who had been heartbroken by her and was utterly disappointed in her.
Pei Xuanlin looked down at her as she wept bitterly, his eyes filled with only cold disappointment, letting her cries echo throughout the hall.
After a long while, until Ling Zhenli's sobs gradually turned into suppressed sobs, he slowly spoke, his voice eerily calm.
"Your tears are worthless to me now."
After saying this, Pei Xuanlin walked past her limp, weeping body and headed towards the palace gate, where he gave a deep order to the eunuchs waiting outside.
"By imperial decree, Lady Anguo is to be summoned to the palace for an audience immediately."
The eunuch received the order and left.
After giving his instructions, Pei Xuanlin turned around and walked back. Looking at Ling Zhenli, who had suddenly stopped sobbing and was now stiff, a cruel yet gentle smile appeared on his face.
"As for your identity... since you are unwilling to tell me the truth, then I will ask your most respected and beloved mother in person. I believe that Lady Anguo should know best who her daughter is."
These words, like the final death knell, resounded loudly in Ling Zhenli's ears.
She dared not gamble. What if her mother only loved her because she had become empress? Then there would be no way to redress her crime of deceiving the emperor by taking her place in marriage!
What if the Prime Minister's mansion abandons her without hesitation in order to protect itself? What awaits her is disgrace and ruin, and a dead end!
A wave of overwhelming fear washed over her instantly.
Ling Zhenli's face was completely bloodless, and her eyes were filled with a death-like despair.
She let out a piercing scream, almost crawling over on all fours, and clung tightly to Pei Xuanlin's leg, pleading with her tear-streaked face upturned.
"No! Your Majesty! Don't let my mother enter the palace! I beg you, I truly know I was wrong! Please, for the sake of our marriage, spare me even a little dignity! Don't... don't make me suffer so much in front of my mother... Your Majesty! Sanlang! I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! You can punish me however you want, you can cripple me, send me to the cold palace, make me do anything, just please don't humiliate me like this, please, please give me even a little dignity... I beg you... I really can't see my mother..."
She cried her heart out, losing all dignity, trying to use this miserable state to evoke even the slightest bit of his old feelings.
But Pei Xuanlin just stood there expressionless, his eyes lowered, looking at the disheveled woman at his feet.
He once regarded her as the bright moon in his heart, and they had countless tender and affectionate days together. But now, that bright moon has long since fallen into the mud and become unrecognizable.
His tears and pleas no longer stirred any emotion within him; all he felt for her was endless sorrow and hatred for her deception.
He was punishing her by making her watch as everyone turned against her, leaving her with no one but him by her side.
Time slipped away in agony.
Footsteps approached from afar, and the eunuch led a person quietly into the palace.
The one who arrived was none other than Lady Cui Yuerong, the Lady of Anguo.
Dressed in the official robes of a noblewoman, her steps were steady, but her eyes and brows betrayed a hint of undisguised surprise and haste.
As she followed the eunuch into the Xuanzheng Hall, where the atmosphere was as still as ice, her gaze fell upon the slightly trembling white figure lying on the ground, and she saw her daughter's disheveled hair and despairing profile.
The emperor stood aside, his face ashen.
Cui Yuerong's heart sank to the bottom instantly, and she immediately understood most of it.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." She composed herself and bowed respectfully.
"Please rise, Mother-in-law."
Pei Xuanlin turned around, his sharp gaze fixed on Cui Yuerong, and went straight to the point: "I invited you here today only to ask you one thing: Is the Empress really your daughter?"
Cui Yuerong shuddered. She glanced quickly at Ling Zhenli, who was trembling on the ground, and then answered.
"Your Majesty, it is indeed my daughter. I gave birth to twin daughters. The elder sister is named Xue Qing, whose fate is unknown. She was raised in the countryside and was never recognized by the family. The Empress is the younger sister, named Xue Run. She is well-behaved and sensible. She is truly my own flesh and blood, not some child of unknown origin."
Cui Yuerong's words were urgent and firm, as if she wanted to use them to nail down Xue Yingyue's unshakeable identity.
For her sake, Cui Yuerong even said that her own daughter's fate was inauspicious. This unwavering protection was like the warmest bulwark, instantly shattering Ling Zhenli's last defenses.
She could no longer hold back and threw herself into Cui Yuerong's arms, bursting into tears: "Mother! I'm sorry, I was wrong, I have failed the family's teachings, it's all my fault, I have brought shame upon you..."
Ling Zhenli's words were incoherent, and hot tears quickly soaked Cui Yuerong's clothes. Her cries were filled with genuine regret and fear of having nowhere to turn. Cui Yuerong quickly patted her back gently to comfort her.
Seeing the mother and daughter embracing and crying, Pei Xuanlin felt a mix of emotions.
He already knew the truth from Xue Wenmian's letter, so Cui Yuerong's explanation was not important.
In his letter, Xue Wenmian mentioned that Xue Yingyue's parents did not seem to give her much love before, so after receiving Cui Yuerong's almost doting maternal love, she became unusually close to Cui Yuerong.
At the same time, Pei Xuanlin knew that although Ling Zhenli was stubborn and rebellious, she had a deep dependence on and respect for her mother, Cui Yuerong.
He was about to make the most of this weakness.
Pei Xuanlin raised his hand, gesturing to the eunuch beside him.
A palace servant immediately bowed and presented a rattan cane that gleamed with a cold, eerie light.
"Does Mother-in-law still recognize this?"
Cui Yuerong's pupils contracted sharply as she looked at the familiar rattan cane.
"This is the whip and cane that Madam Cui used, bestowed upon her by Emperor Wen. I have heard that Madam Cui was strict in managing her household and that her family had a pure and upright style."
As Pei Xuanlin's gaze turned to Ling Zhenli, who was sobbing in Cui Yuerong's arms, his tone suddenly turned cold.
"Now, your daughter, Cui, is not only defiling the palace and practicing witchcraft in my palace, but after being exposed, she shows no remorse and tries every trick in the book to deny and disobey her husband! Lady Anguo, tell me, what should be done about such behavior?"
Pei Xuanlin specially prepared the whip that Old Madam Cui had used, not only because he wanted Cui Yuerong to teach Xue Yingyue a lesson, but also because he felt that Xue Yingyue's behavior was very much in line with the disorderly conduct of the Cui family.
With trembling hands, Cui Yuerong accepted the heavy whip.
She looked at her daughter in her arms, her eyes filled with heartache and helplessness.
Ling Zhenli looked at Pei Xuanlin in despair, unable to believe that Pei Xuanlin would humiliate her dignity like this.
Pei Xuanlin stared at her coldly, unmoved.
"Today I command you to personally wield the staff and properly discipline this shameless and willful daughter in your arms!"
"Your Majesty..." Cui Yuerong couldn't bring herself to do it and wanted to plead for mercy.
"Let's do it."
Pei Xuanlin interrupted Cui Yuerong before she could finish speaking, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, his eyes as cold as knives.
"Could it be that Lady Anguo believes my handling of the matter was inappropriate and should be done in accordance with the rules of Heaven and our ancestors?"
If it were truly according to the rules of Heaven and Earth and our ancestors, Ling Zhenli would have died a hundred times over. How could it be that Cui Yuerong was only allowed to enter the palace and beat her up?
Cui Yuerong slowly lowered her head, raised her whip, and struck Ling Zhenli on the back.
"Smack!"
A muffled thud echoed in the silent hall.
The sound was not loud, and even had a slightly hollow quality.
Cui Yuerong couldn't possibly hit him properly; she didn't use any force at all. Even so, Ling Zhenli was hit so hard that she let out a miserable cry, releasing the pent-up grievances and fear in her heart.
"Your daughter truly knows she was wrong! Truly knows she was wrong! Please forgive me, Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
She cried so hard her voice was hoarse, her heart breaking, as if she were enduring excruciating pain.
Ling Zhenli wasn't entirely acting.
Even though the whip didn't strike hard, the humiliation of being punished in front of everyone amplified the pain.
More importantly, she knew that the more she cried and the more pained and remorseful she appeared, the better her mother could explain to the emperor, and the more likely she was to receive even the slightest bit of sympathy from Pei Xuanlin.
"Did you ignore all the lessons your father and I taught you before you got married? How could I have given birth to such a willful and unruly daughter! You have completely disgraced your father and me!"
"Slap! Slap!"
The whip fell on Ling Zhenli's body again and again. Humiliated and in pain, she wailed and threw herself at Cui Yuerong's feet, begging for mercy with tears streaming down her face.
"Mother, I really know I was wrong. I will never dare to do it again. Please stop hitting me, Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please spare me."
"You've committed such shameless acts, and you still dare to beg His Majesty for forgiveness! You've truly disappointed me!"
Pei Xuanlin sat upright on his throne, watching Ling Zhenli beg for mercy with a blank expression.
He could tell that Cui Yuerong had shown mercy, and he could also hear how much of Ling Zhenli's crying was fake.
However, when the piercing cries truly reached his ears, and he saw that white figure trembling and moaning helplessly in the hall, his heart still clenched uncontrollably, a sharp pain shooting through him.
Pei Xuanlin's hands, hidden in his sleeves, were already clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He used the slight pain to fight against the surging reluctance and lingering emotions within him.
But he cannot be soft-hearted, absolutely not.
He had to teach Xue Yingyue a lesson she needed to learn. Only when she knew the pain and remembered it would she behave herself in the future.
Finally, Ling Zhenli's sobs gradually became hoarse and weak, and Pei Xuanlin then spoke coldly.
That's enough.
He waved his hand irritably, his voice slightly hoarse, "Madam Anguo, step back."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Cui Yuerong felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She glanced at Ling Zhenli with concern before bowing and leaving Xuanzheng Hall, turning back every few steps.
"You may all leave now."
Pei Xuanlin dismissed the eunuchs and palace maids.
"yes."
The heavy palace doors closed again, leaving only the emperor and empress inside.
Ling Zhenli remained lying on the ground, sobbing softly, her shoulders heaving.
The pain in her back wasn't intense, but the humiliation and fear were deeply etched into her heart.
With her mother gone, it seemed that her last refuge had vanished as well.
She knew she was truly finished this time. Witchcraft, adultery, deceiving the emperor—each and every one of these crimes was enough to kill her countless times.
Despair overwhelmed her like a cold tide.
How could Pei Xuanlin possibly forgive her infidelity? She could even imagine that what awaited her next might be a cup of poison or a white silk noose...
Just when she was utterly despondent and even crying had become numb, the cold and authoritative voice from the head of the table rang out again, carrying an elusive meaning.
"come over."
The two simple words made Ling Zhenli freeze, almost thinking she was hallucinating.
She stopped crying, raised her head blankly, and looked at the blurry figure on the throne through her tear-filled eyes.
What...what did he say?
Pei Xuanlin looked at her bewildered and lost expression, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly. He repeated what he had just said, his tone still cold, but with less of the previous indifference.
"I ordered you to come here, did you hear me?"
This time, Ling Zhenli heard it clearly.
Pei Xuanlin's words gave her a glimmer of light in the boundless darkness. Although she didn't know if that light led to a way out or to a deeper hell, she could only rush towards it without hesitation.
After being frightened, Ling Zhenli was so scared that she was weak and powerless. But she was afraid of missing the opportunity Pei Xuanlin gave her. Ignoring her physical pain and her disheveled posture, she mustered all her strength and subconsciously staggered towards the steps, towards the man who held her life and death in his hands.
Her clothes became even more disheveled and covered in dust as she crawled, just like her shattered dignity.
She crawled to the foot of the throne, not daring to approach any closer. She simply lay prostrate on the steps, her body trembling violently with fear and anxiety. She looked up at Pei Xuanlin with her eyes, red and swollen from crying but still retaining a trace of panic and pleading.
She hoped he would pity her and forgive her.
Pei Xuanlin lowered his eyes, scrutinizing her from above.
Xue Yingyue, if you had known this would happen, you wouldn't have done it in the first place.
He looked at her for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice low and dangerous:
“Raise your head.”
Ling Zhenli obeyed, straining to raise her neck even higher, revealing that slender and fragile curve, as if she were offering her neck for execution.
Pei Xuanlin reached out and, with an irresistible force, suddenly grabbed her delicate chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.
He felt her body trembling, but Pei Xuanlin's expression remained unmoved, only showing an almost cruel scrutiny.
He leaned down, getting close to her, staring into her tear-filled, fearful eyes. A faint, ambiguous smile slowly curved his lips, a smile devoid of warmth, filled only with calculation and control.
"Xue Yingyue".
"Yes... Your Majesty."
Ling Zhenli, propped up on the ground, almost breaking, answered shakily.
Pei Xuanlin looked at her with a half-smile, and touched her face with great interest, as if he were teasing her.
Tell me, do you still want to live?
"Yes, yes," Ling Zhenli nodded desperately, tears streaming down her face.
Pei Xuanlin tightened his fingers slightly, making her jawline hurt a little. He stared at her face and spoke slowly and clearly, word by word.
"If you want to live, do you know what to do?"
The words echoed wildly in her mind, intertwined with her will to survive, crushing the last vestige of her pride.
She looked up at the handsome face so close to hers. The eyes that had once looked at her with love and tenderness were now filled with mockery and disdain.
Her mind raced with fear, eliminating one impossible possibility after another.
He didn't want her confession, as it was worthless, nor did he want her empty promises, which even she herself didn't believe.
So, in the Xuanzheng Hall late at night, after dismissing everyone, he pinched her chin and asked these questions...
An absurd yet logical guess echoed in her chaotic mind.
Is it... that he wants...?
However, this is the place where the Xuanzheng Hall is used for holding court...
Ling Zhenli's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.
Her gaze cautiously swept over Pei Xuanlin's cold and handsome features, finally settling on the jade belt buckle at his waist.
Ling Zhenli stretched out her trembling hand, her fingertips icy cold, with a resolute determination as if facing death, yet mixed with a trace of humble pleading, and very slowly touched the cold jade belt buckle.
She looked up through her tear-filled eyes, observing his reaction.
Pei Xuanlin neither moved nor stopped him.
He simply looked down at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable, containing neither encouragement nor disgust, only a quiet acquiescence.
This tacit approval was like a faint glimmer of hope, allowing Ling Zhenli's dying heart to linger on.
Ling Zhenli took a deep breath and clumsily began to untie the complicated clasp.
The faint sound of friction was exceptionally clear in the silent hall, accompanied by her uncontrollable sobs.
She finally untied it, and then her belt.
His robe was slightly open, revealing dark underpants underneath.
After doing all this, she was almost exhausted. Her forehead rested on the cold dragon throne. After a moment, she mustered up the courage to bend down.
She brought her face close to the burning heat that had already revealed its contours, closed her eyes, tears still clinging to her long eyelashes, and opened her mouth with an almost devout humility.
At that moment, she trampled all her dignity under her feet.
As the warmth enveloped the burning sensation, Pei Xuanlin let out a suppressed groan.
He remained seated, but his hands unconsciously tightened their grip on the armrests of the throne.
As he lowered his gaze, it fell on her bowed figure. Her hair was disheveled, and as he looked at her, an extremely complex emotion surged within him.
Those eyes, usually so charming and reproachful, were now misty with tears, the corners of her eyes reddening. Her plain white dress was already rumpled and wrinkled, making her movements appear pitiful yet alluring, with a hint of self-degradation.
Lacking any skill, and even somewhat clumsy, she relied entirely on the vague memories of what he had taught her in the past and her instinctive judgment.
But this awkward service touched the deepest, most hidden string in Pei Xuanlin's heart more than any skillful technique.
Pei Xuanlin's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. Finally, he raised his hand, his fingertips running through her loose hair, gently caressing her smooth, alabaster-like nape.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but when she felt like she was about to suffocate and her jaw was sore and numb, Pei Xuanlin finally moved.
He reached out, not to push her away, but to grab her arm with such force that she cried out in pain.
The next moment, the world spun around her, and he scooped her up from the ground and held her in his arms!
Ling Zhenli gasped in surprise, instinctively reaching out to hug his neck and curling up in his arms like a startled bird, her whole body still trembling slightly. She looked up at him with teary eyes, not understanding what this sudden change meant.
Pei Xuanlin didn't give her time to think. He raised his hand and slowly unbuttoned her already loosened clothes.
The cool air touched her skin, and Ling Zhenli trembled slightly.
He leaned down, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive skin, and then, with a hint of punishment, he bit her, the force not light, bringing a slight stinging pain, strangely mixed with a heart-pounding tingling sensation.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
Ling Zhenli couldn't help but let out a soft moan. Her fair cheeks quickly flushed red, spreading all the way to her ears and neck, and her body twisted slightly in Pei Xuanlin's arms.
She instinctively wanted to curl up and hide, but he held her firmly in his arms, unable to move.
As Pei Xuanlin punished her, Ling Zhenli's breathing became rapid, and her previous crying was replaced by intermittent moans.
She felt her body soften and weaken in his arms.
She subconsciously brought her legs together, but couldn't help rubbing against his firm thighs through the layers of clothing, seeking closer contact. Her eyes gradually became hazy, veiled with a moist desire.
Sensing the changes in her body and the subtle rubbing motions, Pei Xuanlin lifted his head from her chest, a glint of triumphant darkness flashing in his dark eyes.
Looking at her hazy, watery eyes, flushed cheeks, and panting lips, her voice hoarse with desire, he chuckled softly.
Then, he raised his hand, not to caress, but with a punitive intent, and slapped her buttocks with a "smack".
"Um.….."
Ling Zhenli's body went limp from his beating, panting heavily, her voice hoarse from crying and seductive with passion.
"Speak," Pei Xuanlin's lips were almost touching her earlobe, his hot breath spraying onto her sensitive skin, his voice deep, "Will you dare to disobey me again, will you dare to act recklessly behind my back?"
Ling Zhenli was held captive in his arms, her body aroused by his teasing, and her mind completely suppressed by him, leaving no trace of her previous stubbornness.
She twisted her body, not to escape, but to press herself even closer to him, pleading softly with a sob in her voice:
"Waaah... I won't dare, Your Majesty... I won't dare anymore..."
"Smack!"
Another slap landed on the same spot, this time with slightly more force, bringing a clearer pain and numbness.
What should you call me?
Pei Xuanlin gripped her soft waist and pressed her for answers. Ling Zhenli was completely overwhelmed. In her confusion and infatuation, all that remained was her most instinctive submission to power and her dependence on the man before her.
"My husband... Sanlang..."
"Whose orders should we listen to from now on?"
Ling Zhenli was captivated by this mixture of punishment and intimacy, and she clung to him, begging for mercy in a sweet voice.
"I'll listen to my husband... I'll listen to my husband... Please forgive Ah Li, Ah Li will definitely be good from now on..."
That address of "husband" seemed to please him.
Pei Xuanlin finally stopped what he was doing, looking at her eyes sparkling and her face flushed, a complex and unfathomable light flashing deep in his eyes.
He picked her up horizontally, his movements no longer rough as before, but with a deliberately slowed force. He did not walk towards the bed in the side hall, but stood up to give way and gently placed her on the dragon throne.
Ling Zhenli sank into the soft cushion, her body stiff and at a loss.
The dragon throne, symbolizing supreme power, was a realm she had never set foot in.
At this moment, she lay there in such a disheveled state.
"Husband...what are you doing...I..."
"Don't speak."
Pei Xuanlin leaned down, placing his hands on either side of her body, trapping her in this small space.
His gaze slowly swept over her entire body. Although Xue Yingyue tried to cover herself and push him away out of shame, he still saw the marks that Xiao Chongheng had made on her in the past.
A fleeting, extremely sinister glint flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by another, deeper emotion.
He did not rush to achieve results, but instead bowed down in an almost pious manner.
The old wound had not yet healed, and Pei Xuanlin knew he could not indulge in reckless abandon.
The warm breath was like a spring breeze caressing newly opened petals, and the hot and moist touch finally landed on her most vulnerable spot, gently soothing her past pain and wounded heart with tenderness.
"ah……"
Feeling comforted, Ling Zhenli's toes suddenly curled up, and her hands gripped the bright yellow soft silk cushion beneath her tightly.
She stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Pei Xuanlin, who was buried between her legs.
Why would he do something like this at this time...?
Pei Xuanlin's movements carried an irresistible force, yet were unexpectedly gentle.
He knew every sensitive spot on her body as well as he knew his own territory. He used his lips and tongue to patiently caress the places that had been treated roughly, as if to cover up all the marks that did not belong to him and reclaim his sovereignty.
Ling Zhenli was completely overwhelmed by the overwhelming impact he brought.
She forgot her identity, her situation, all the sins and punishments, leaving only her most primal reaction.
When she was so overwhelmed with passion that she could barely bear it, Pei Xuanlin finally granted her wish.
Instantly, both of them let out a suppressed groan.
Love and hate intertwined at this moment, vanishing into nothingness.
The tight embrace seemed to dispel the barriers, yet it also seemed to bring deeper entanglements and pain.
The dragon throne is hard; even with a soft cushion, it is still uncomfortable to sit on.
Throughout the entire process, Pei Xuanlin's arm remained behind Ling Zhenli and under her neck. Although he was sharp-tongued, he silently avoided any places where she might bump into something.
He carefully protected her, giving her a contradictory and distorted sense of security within this small vortex of emotions.
But his gentleness at this moment only made her more upset, making her realize how wrong she had been in the past.
A tear rolled down Ling Zhenli's cheek.
"Look at you, you've dirtied my dragon throne."
Pei Xuanlin's eyes darkened as he deliberately teased her, "How can I sit here and hold court tomorrow? Do you want all the civil and military officials to see the traces of your debauchery, Empress?"
Her mind went completely blank, and she didn't have time to think. Ling Zhenli believed him. In a state of extreme panic at being abandoned, she thought he really disliked her, so she subconsciously begged for mercy: "It's all my fault, I'll clean it up right away, Your Majesty, please don't abandon me..."
Pei Xuanlin feigned a cold expression, pushing his luck further: "Let's see how you perform."
...
After a long while, the storm finally subsided.
Pei Xuanlin lay on top of Ling Zhenli, […].
A moment later, he withdrew without the slightest hesitation, stood up, straightened his robes, and resumed his aloof imperial demeanor, as if the man who had just lost control over her was merely an illusion.
After finishing his own tasks, Pei Xuanlin leaned over and wrapped Ling Zhenli tightly in his outer robe to make sure she wouldn't get cold when she went out. Then, he picked her up horizontally, and without saying a word, strode out of Xuanzheng Hall.
We walked through the quiet corridor and headed straight for the Zichen Hall.
The palace servants had already kept their distance, and no one dared to look up.
Upon arriving at the bedchamber, the palace servants had already prepared hot water and clean sleeping clothes, and then quietly withdrew.
Pei Xuanlin personally placed her in the warm bath to clean her, and he also cleaned himself up briefly.
Throughout the entire process, he remained silent, uttering no unnecessary words.
Pei Xuanlin settled her in, placing her on the inside of the soft bed, while he lay down on her outside as always.
Suddenly, only their soft breathing filled the bedchamber.
Ling Zhenli curled up in the quilt, her body still lingering with the afterglow and exhaustion of their lovemaking.
She lay on her side, gazing at his broad back, so close yet turned away from her, and a strong longing welled up within her.
So she cautiously reached out, wanting to wrap her arms around his waist from behind, press her cheek against his back, and seek a moment of tenderness and comfort afterward.
However, the moment her fingertips touched Pei Xuanlin's back, his back stiffened almost imperceptibly. Then, instead of responding as usual, he didn't even turn around, remaining with his back to her.
Her outstretched hand remained awkwardly suspended in mid-air for a moment before she dejectedly withdrew it.
She curled up, wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, and felt a lump in her throat.
What was she hoping for? The fact that he stayed overnight and didn't leave immediately afterward was perhaps the limit of what he could do at that moment.
He didn't kill her, and just now in the Xuanzheng Hall, he even gave her that indescribable intimacy. Isn't that enough?
She had committed a heinous crime, and that Pei Xuanlin had already shown extraordinary mercy by sparing her life. How could she possibly crave the tender affection of the past?
Ling Zhenli closed her eyes tightly, forcing herself to suppress the grievances and sadness in her heart.
She kept telling herself, "Xue Yingyue, you should be content. At least he's still willing to touch you and sleep next to you. That's a good start. Maybe after a while, when his anger subsides and he forgets about it, he'll make up with you."
In this humble self-comfort, she struggled to find the little bit of strength to keep going, unaware that the man beside her, with his back to her, had his eyes open in the darkness, his eyes filled with the same complex and indescribable struggle and pain.
He wasn't oblivious to her cautious touch, nor was he truly heartless.
However, the rift between them was too deep, and the betrayals and hurts were like thorns, making it impossible for him to calmly respond to her approach at this moment.
Everything that happened tonight was a punishment for her, and also a confirmation for him that even he himself could not fully sort out his feelings for her, so he could only continue to be entangled with pain.
Perhaps this is love.
Free will thus succumbed.
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