Chapter 71 "I've done so many things to you, I..."
Xiao Chongheng carried Ling Zhenli and walked towards the bed.
When he reached the bedside, he gently laid Ling Zhenli down, removed her outer robe, covered her with a quilt, and then sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her face.
"Ah Li, during the time you were gone, I stood in this tower, gazing at your portrait every day, offering incense and praying for our daughter. Every night I dreamt of your return, of our family reunited..."
He reached out and gently stroked Ling Zhenli's cheek, his fingertips burning hot.
"You say you love Pei Xuanlin, but what about me?"
"What am I?"
Ling Zhenli lost consciousness. In her dream, she heard his deep voice echoing in her ears, like a nightmare or a death sentence.
Xiao Chongheng leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
"Sleep well, sweet dreams."
Outside the window, the autumn wind grew colder, and fallen leaves fluttered down, as if mourning this forbidden reunion.
...
The night was as dark as ink, so thick it was impossible to see through.
The palace lanterns swayed in the wind, and the copper bells on the eaves jingled softly, as if whispering about an impending storm.
The Duke of Yan's Mansion.
Pei Qianguang was still waiting for Xiao Chongheng to return to the manor. The spies who had gone out to follow him had not returned for a long time. Looking at the empty courtyard, she had a feeling that something would happen tonight.
"Princess, you should rest first," her personal maid advised softly.
Pei Qianguang shook her head. She wasn't tired or sleepy, but she felt a tightness in her chest and a sense of unease.
Soon after, the men sent to track and investigate Xiao Chongheng returned.
Pei Qianguang's gaze was indifferent, as if he had known all along: "Has the Duke gone to rest at his villa in the suburbs of the capital again?"
"The Duke carried a person into the high tower of Huaiming Temple and rested there. The person should be a woman."
Pei Qianguang's eyes widened instantly, his anger evident between his brows: "Is the tower of Huaiming Temple the place where the Duke and that prostitute's daughter are buried?"
"Exactly."
Pei Qianguang raised his eyes in a threatening manner: "If you dare to utter even the slightest lie..."
"Every word is true."
“Tell me everything that happened today from the beginning.”
"After leaving his villa in the suburbs of the capital in the evening, the Duke went to Zuixianlou in a carriage with a woman. When they left the restaurant, the Duke carried a person dressed in black into the tower. I speculate that the person the Duke carried into the tower was the woman who went into Zuixianlou with him."
"..."
Pei Qianguang instantly calmed down, waved his hand, and dismissed the scout.
After the scouts left, Pei Qianguang felt strangely calm, as if a heavy stone that had been hanging over his heart for a long time had finally been lifted.
The long-held suspicions have finally come true: Xiao Chongheng did indeed have a woman outside the marriage, and it might even be that prostitute. That woman was not dead at all.
"Su Xi, prepare the carriage; we're going to the Princess's residence."
Although her guess was confirmed, Pei Qianguang still felt that something was going to happen tonight. Rather than staying here guessing, she might as well ask her good mother-in-law.
In the blink of an eye, Pei Qianguang arrived at the residence of Princess Wuyang.
People were constantly coming and going in the mansion. It was already late at night, and they were still in such a hurry, so it was clear that something important had happened.
"Your Highness, should we still go in...?"
"What's there to be afraid of? There are no ghosts."
The maid beside her had already given up, but Pei Qianguang was not flustered at all. She was determined to see what was going on tonight.
All the guards of the Princess's residence were mobilized outside. Along the way, Pei Qianguang also saw the guards of the Prince of Changping's residence, and she secretly felt that something was wrong.
Upon entering the inner room, Pei Qianguang saw his father, Pei Qi.
"Greetings to Father, and to Mother-in-law... Father, what brings you here?"
Pei Qi didn't answer, but instead asked Pei Qianguang, "What are you doing here so late?"
“Your son-in-law carried a woman into Huaiming Temple in the middle of the night. I came to ask my mother-in-law if she knows the woman’s identity.”
On the surface, he was talking to Pei Qi, but Pei Qianguang kept staring at Pei Shen'ai with hostile eyes, as if he were questioning her.
While Pei Shen'ai was still trying to come up with an excuse, Pei Qi, unaware of the truth, had already revealed the woman's identity.
“Ge’er, the woman A’Xun brought into the tower is the Empress. You’ve misunderstood A’Xun.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Shen'ai's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. She had gone to great lengths to come up with so many excuses to hide the truth, only to have it all revealed by Pei Qi.
How could she possibly bear this?
Pei Qianguang chuckled and her gaze fell on Pei Shen'ai again. With just one glance, she understood that the woman her husband had been meeting outside these past few days, and the woman her husband had been longing for, was none other than Her Majesty the Empress.
Her Majesty the Queen...
Why would she be the Empress? She's already the Empress, what could she possibly be dissatisfied with?
No, that's not right, how could it be the Empress?
Pei Qianguang pretended not to understand and challenged Pei Shen'ai: "Mother-in-law, why did my husband kidnap Her Majesty the Empress?"
Pei Shen'ai knew, of course, that Xiao Chongheng had ulterior motives. How could she not see through her son's little scheme? He had originally planned to raid the palace tonight, but he deliberately kidnapped and hid that woman, wasn't it all to protect her?
But facing Pei Qianguang, who wasn't so easily fooled, Pei Shen'ai couldn't tell the truth, nor could she speak carelessly.
"Well, it's like this. Tonight, your father and I are going to storm the palace. Chongheng has taken the Empress hostage beforehand, so the palace guards won't dare to act rashly..."
"What? Didn't you know beforehand that Chongheng kidnapped the Empress? I thought it was your doing."
Pei Qianguang said that on purpose, and then smiled gently.
"I did know beforehand, but I didn't expect Chongheng to be so cunning," Pei Shenai continued to lie.
Pei Qianguang knew that Pei Shenai was making up lies for her.
She didn't believe that a man and a woman alone in a room late at night was something they had to do for a coup; she was trying to fool a fool.
However, since they want to keep her in the dark, why should she bother to keep digging deeper? She might as well go with the flow now.
Judging from her father's expression, he didn't want her to know too much, or perhaps he didn't know much anyway, and it was all just a ploy to seize the throne.
"Ah, these are not things I understand. I wish my father and mother-in-law a great victory. I just need to go back to the Duke's mansion and wait to become the empress."
After speaking, Pei Qianguang smiled, stood up, bowed, and took his leave.
The moment she turned around, her gentle smile vanished without a trace.
The position of Empress, and the honor of being honored as both Empress and Emperor, should all belong to her.
She wouldn't care about such trivial details as long as it was hers.
Empress...
When Xiao Chongheng lived alone in the villa, the emperor and empress were in the palace, so the person he was having secret meetings with was probably someone else.
No matter who this woman is, anyone who threatens her position must die.
………
The next day, at dusk, the setting sun painted the sky with a brilliant orange-red hue, gradually darkening.
Huaiming Temple Pagoda
Ling Zhenli gradually awoke, and what came into view was the dimly lit space inside the tower. The walls were made of cold stone, exuding a sinister atmosphere.
She looked around, a strong sense of unease rising in her heart. When her gaze fell on the familiar figure not far away, Ling Zhenli's eyes widened instantly, filled with shock and fear.
Why is Xiao Chongheng here?
"You're awake. I thought you wouldn't wake up until evening."
Xiao Chongheng sat on a wooden chair, a half-smile playing on his lips, watching her.
"What?"
Ling Zhenli had just woken up and was still in a daze. She tried to get up but found herself chained up, and the chains made a crisp clanging sound as she struggled.
Looking at the iron chain on her wrist, she recalled last night. After she lost consciousness, she must have been brought to this place by Xiao Chongheng, who had locked her up.
Why did he do that?
Fear overwhelmed her like a tidal wave; she desperately tried to break free, but the chains wouldn't budge.
"What are you doing? What have you done to me! Where am I?!"
She looked at Xiao Chongheng, her heart filled with anger and despair. She didn't understand why she had to be treated this way.
"Don't get agitated, stay calm."
Xiao Chongheng got up, walked to the bedside, and looked at Ling Zhenli's angry expression. He remained calm and said, "This is the tower of Huaiming Temple. Don't be nervous. I won't hurt you."
Ling Zhenli looked at him warily: "Then why did you kidnap me? I am the Empress. Aren't you afraid of dying?"
"Empress... Last night, my mother took control of the palace. You will soon be mine. How could I possibly die?"
As Xiao Chongheng watched Ling Zhenli's face gradually turn terrified, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Finally, it's her turn to suffer a fate worse than death, to be in hell.
Ling Zhenli finally understood.
Pei Shen'ai seized control of the palace and usurped the throne.
"You beast!"
Ling Zhenli's eyes widened in anger as she burst into curses, "You think you can succeed in usurping power? When Pei Xuanlin returns, even if Pei Shen'ai dies a thousand times over, it won't be enough! And you, I will definitely kill you!"
Seeing her angry expression, Xiao Chongheng was not angry at all; instead, he chuckled.
“Ah Li, I’m telling you, but you mustn’t get excited. Pei Xuanlin isn’t coming back. He’s dead. His head has been cut off. He died a gruesome death, with blood flowing like a river, just like your father. But you, you will stay by my side forever.”
Upon hearing the news of Pei Xuanlin's death and his tragic manner of dying, coupled with Xiao Chongheng's use of her father's death to provoke her, Ling Zhenli was stunned for a long time. Then, she trembled uncontrollably, struggled violently, and screamed wildly, trying to pounce on Xiao Chongheng, but the chains restricted her movements.
"Impossible! You're talking nonsense, Xiao Chongheng, you evil spirit! You're the one who should be dead! I'm going to kill you! You'll suffer a terrible death!"
Xiao Chongheng sneered and strolled over to Ling Zhenli. He reached out and gently pinched her chin. Ling Zhenli turned her head away in disgust. Seeing this, Xiao Chongheng used his strength to pinch her chin hard, forcing her to look at him.
"Listen up, Ling Zhenli, if you want to stay here and serve me as my slave for the rest of your life, then continue to resist."
"You're crazy!"
Ling Zhenli was not intimidated by threats. She bit Xiao Chongheng's finger hard, and Xiao Chongheng, in pain, let go.
"Xiao Chongheng, let me tell you, you're dreaming if you think I'll listen to you and collude with you!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Xiao Chongheng's eyes: "Fine, fine, Ling Zhenli, you've got guts. Since you're so eager to escape me, don't blame me for being impolite."
Ling Zhenli felt a wave of despair. She knew she was at a disadvantage, but she didn't want to give in like this.
"If you dare do anything to me, I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"
Seeing Ling Zhenli's continued stubbornness, Xiao Chongheng sneered.
"What have I done to you? There are countless things I've done to you. Is there anything we haven't done between us?"
"If you dare touch me, your whole family will suffer a terrible death! Xiao Chongheng, get out of here! How many times have I told you to get out? How can you be so shameless? Do you just love to be a jerk? Get out!"
Ling Zhenli continued cursing relentlessly, hoping to provoke Xiao Chongheng into releasing her.
But Xiao Chongheng remained unmoved, simply watching her coldly, as if enjoying her struggle.
Faced with Ling Zhenli's barrage of curses, Xiao Chongheng's face remained completely unmoved.
He simply stood there quietly, arms crossed, a slight sneer playing on his lips.
The laughter echoed in the dimly lit room, sounding particularly jarring, as if it were a merciless and angry mockery of Ling Zhenli.
"Is that all you're capable of? Every time something happens, all you do is bark like a mad dog."
Xiao Chongheng spoke disdainfully, his tone full of contempt for Ling Zhenli.
Ling Zhenli was so angry that her face turned red, and her eyes burned with rage, but she was powerless to do anything about it.
Xiao Chongheng slowly stepped forward, leaned close to Ling Zhenli's ear, and whispered, "No matter how loudly you curse, it's useless. It's just you and me here. No one will hear you and come to save you. As for me, I don't care. The more you curse, the happier I am."
His breath brushed against Ling Zhenli's ear, causing her to tremble and feel a chill run through her.
"You madman, you'll die a horrible death!" Ling Zhenli gritted her teeth and continued to curse.
"Say what you will." Xiao Chongheng shrugged, looking completely unconcerned. "I've said it before, you can't escape my grasp. No matter how much you struggle, you can't change that fact."
Looking at his smug expression, Ling Zhenli felt a deep sense of despair.
She couldn't understand why the person she once loved and who loved her had become so cold and heartless, and why he tormented her for his own amusement.
She felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss. Xiao Chongheng was the evil spirit who controlled her fate, and no matter how she struggled, she could not escape his control.
Looking at Ling Zhenli's angry and desperate eyes, Xiao Chongheng revealed a cruel smile.
"You're still as naive as ever, Ahri, thinking that if you scold me a few times, I'll let you go, just like you used to think that if you coaxed me a few times, I'd stay with you."
Ling Zhenli glared at him, her eyes filled with hatred.
"What are you trying to say? Are you trying to say that you're very powerful and can control my words and actions? Just say it clearly. Who are you trying to impress with these roundabout words? It's disgusting."
“Haven’t I made myself clear enough?” A glint of madness flashed in Xiao Chongheng’s eyes. “I want you to stay by my side forever.”
"No, absolutely not, give up."
Hearing the expected answer, Xiao Chongheng smiled, reached out and gently stroked Ling Zhenli's cheek. Ling Zhenli wanted to dodge away in disgust, but was unable to move due to the iron chains binding him, and could only remain frozen.
“You can’t escape. Your husband is dead. I sent people to kill him. In this life, you can only be mine.”
Ling Zhenli struggled fiercely, trying to break free from Xiao Chongheng's grasp.
"Don't even think about it. Pei Xuanlin is dead, and I'll die with him! I'll go to the underworld to find him. Xiao Chongheng, you want me to bow down to you? I'll show you what true love is."
"Is that so?" Xiao Chongheng's eyes turned cold. "You want to die, to prove to me that your love for him is stronger than ever? Ha, you won't. You can't escape my grasp. You will fall in love with me, just like before."
The beautiful past seems to be gone forever.
How tragic.
Just as Ling Zhenli was on the verge of despair, Xiao Chongheng slowly walked towards her and untied his belt.
As he approached step by step, Ling Zhenli's eyes were filled with fear, and her body involuntarily shrank back, but the wall behind her left her nowhere to escape.
Xiao Chongheng was already in front of her. She reached out, grabbed Ling Zhenli's collar, and ripped it open with a "ripping" sound, revealing her snow-white skin underneath.
Ling Zhenli screamed and tried to struggle, but her strength seemed so insignificant in front of Xiao Chongheng.
Xiao Chongheng pushed Ling Zhenli down, and Ling Zhenli's head hit the bed hard. A sharp pain hit her, and her vision went black. She almost fainted.
Ignoring her pain, Xiao Chongheng roughly tore at her clothes, and soon Ling Zhenli was left with only a thin undergarment covering her body.
Xiao Chongheng looked at Ling Zhenli, his eyes flashing with a crazed light.
"Xiao Chongheng! What do you think you're doing! Get out of here!"
Despite Ling Zhenli's fierce resistance, Xiao Chongheng remained unmoved. He pounced on Ling Zhenli and forcefully pinned her hands down. Ling Zhenli struggled desperately, kicking her legs wildly, but Xiao Chongheng's strength was too great, and she couldn't break free at all.
Xiao Chongheng began to kiss Ling Zhenli's face and neck passionately, but Ling Zhenli turned her head away forcefully to avoid his kisses.
Xiao Chongheng got angry. He grabbed Ling Zhenli's chin forcefully, forced her to raise her head, and then kissed her lips fiercely.
He wouldn't allow her to fall in love with someone else.
Xiao Chongheng tried to pry open her teeth, but Ling Zhenli clenched her teeth tightly to prevent him from succeeding. However, Xiao Chongheng used even more force, almost biting her lips until they bled.
Then, Xiao Chongheng moved roughly, and Ling Zhenli sobbed in suppressed sobs, her eyes filled with tears.
Hate, yet powerless.
Ignoring her pain, Ling Zhenli felt as if her body had been split in two. A sharp pain struck her, and she screamed in agony.
Xiao Chongheng seemed not to hear her screams and became even more frenzied.
The pain is more intense in the heart than in the body.
Ling Zhenli struggled fiercely, trying to push Xiao Chongheng away, but Xiao Chongheng held her down even harder. The more she resisted, the more he wanted to subdue her.
A web of love and hate tightly bound the two together.
Her hair was disheveled and scattered across her face, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
She felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss, suffering immense pain in both body and mind.
Blood flowed down.
"It hurts...it hurts so much..."
Ling Zhenli wailed in agony, feeling as if her body no longer belonged to her, and she could only let Xiao Chongheng do whatever he wanted to her.
She struggled desperately, trying to break free from Xiao Chongheng's grasp, but her strength seemed so insignificant in front of him.
"No, Xiao Chongheng, please don't do this..."
Ling Zhenli begged for mercy in despair, her eyes filled with tears.
Xiao Chongheng, however, seemed not to hear her pleas for mercy.
"You're a liar, Ling Zhenli, I'll never believe you again."
She felt as if her body was being torn apart; she was in excruciating pain, and her voice grew weaker and weaker.
She longed to live, but not like this; rather than living like a walking corpse, she preferred to give up the struggle.
"Xiao Chongheng, please let me go, I really can't take it anymore..."
Ling Zhenli's voice was weak and filled with despair.
Xiao Chongheng stopped what he was doing, looked at Ling Zhenli's pained expression, and revealed a cruel smile.
"Want me to let you go? Sure, but only if you beg me and swear to be my servant from this day forward, taking whatever I want from you." Xiao Chongheng's tone was full of provocation.
Ling Zhenli's eyes widened; she couldn't believe Xiao Chongheng would make such a request.
"No, I don't want to..." Ling Zhenli shook her head vigorously.
"Then you can continue to enjoy it."
After Xiao Chongheng finished speaking, he began again.
Ling Zhenli screamed in agony, feeling as if she had fallen into endless darkness and would never see the light again.
"No, please, I really can't take it anymore..."
Ling Zhenli's voice grew weaker and weaker; she felt like she was about to faint.
Seeing Ling Zhenli's pained expression, Xiao Chongheng reached out and grabbed her hair, forcefully lifting her head and looking at her coldly.
"Keep begging me. If you beg me, I'll let you go."
Looking into Xiao Chongheng's cold eyes, Ling Zhenli felt a surge of fear and despair that suffocated her.
“I can’t take it anymore… Ah Xun… about the past, we… we both had our own difficulties… I loved you, I hated you, let’s not torture each other anymore, let go, or if you hate me, kill me, I can’t take it anymore, it’s too painful… your feelings for me, my feelings for you… it’s not just physical pain, my heart aches even more… don’t make me suffer anymore…”
Tears streamed down his face, dripping not onto the bedding, but onto Xiao Chongheng's heart.
Love turned to hate.
Both of them were in the same pain.
The underlying tone of hatred is the ultimate form of love.
"No, Ahri, let's continue torturing each other. The pain I feel from this torture will at least make me feel your vitality."
Ling Zhenli smiled weakly.
He is completely unresponsive to reason.
Xiao Chongheng has gone mad.
Xiao Chongheng got up and took a pill from the table.
Ling Zhenli had no idea what he was up to, but she was too tired and in too much pain to care.
Torture her as much as you want; she's already broken and battered anyway.
Xiao Chongheng returned to the bed, forcibly stuffed the pill into Ling Zhenli's mouth, and then sat down by the bed to observe her reaction.
Ling Zhenli initially struggled desperately, trying to spit out the medicine, but the medicine dissolved in her mouth and quickly slid down her throat.
Not long after, Ling Zhenli began to feel something was wrong with her body.
A blush gradually rose to her cheeks, and her body began to feel hot.
She felt as if she were in a furnace, unbearably hot.
She twisted her body forcefully, trying to relieve the discomfort, but to no avail.
Ling Zhenli knew that death was probably not so easy; she was going to be tormented to death by Xiao Chongheng.
It would be better to just kill her outright; why torture her like this?
As time went on, the burning sensation grew stronger and stronger, and Ling Zhenli felt as if her body was about to burst into flames.
Her breathing became rapid, and her eyes began to glaze over. She bit her lip hard, trying to stay awake, but her body became increasingly out of control.
Her body began to twist involuntarily, but the feeling was unbearable. She started to grip her clothes tightly, twisting her body incessantly, praying that she wouldn't feel so uncomfortable.
Xiao Chongheng looked at her and revealed a smug smile.
"Ah Li, are you in pain? Beg me, I can make you feel better."
Ling Zhenli bit her lip hard to keep herself from making a sound.
She didn't want to submit to Xiao Chongheng, but the sensations in her body grew stronger and stronger. She felt as if she had lost her mind, and her physical needs completely took over.
The unwavering resolve to "rather be a broken jade than a whole tile" has gradually crumbled and dissipated under the powerful effects of the medicine.
"Please... don't make me suffer anymore..."
Ling Zhenli finally couldn't help but speak, her voice filled with desire and pain.
Xiao Chongheng smiled as he looked at her.
"That's a good boy."
She bit her lip hard until it bled, and blood flowed down the corner of her mouth. It was as if the medicine had torn her in two, one side suffering physical torment, the other her inner dignity.
This is absolutely not allowed.
But the sensations in her body grew stronger and stronger, and Xiao Chongheng made it almost impossible for her to resist.
"Please, please, let me go... Ah!"
With a sharp "slap," the crisp sound of a slap echoed inside the tower. Ling Zhenli screamed in pain, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"You brought this on yourself."
Ling Zhenli bit her lip hard, tears welling up in her eyes.
She felt so much hatred, wondering why she had suffered such humiliation.
Ling Zhenli was suffering immense pain, both physically and mentally. Xiao Chongheng's humiliation and torment had almost robbed her of the will to live. She didn't know how much longer she could endure, nor what her final fate would be.
Seeing Ling Zhenli's pained and humiliated appearance, Xiao Chongheng felt a pang of pity.
"Let's have another child. With a child, even if it's just for the child, let's forget everything from the past and start over."
Ling Zhenli's eyes widened, filled with shock and fear.
The physical pain reminded her of how their first child was lost. If Xiao Chongheng hadn't abandoned her to marry another woman, she wouldn't have lost her child, her poor child.
"No...no...I don't want to, I don't want to..."
Xiao Chongheng got angry: "Why? Just because I'm the father of the child? Would you want it if it were Pei Xuanlin?"
Ling Zhenli let out a breath and sighed, "I suffered a miscarriage and my body is damaged. I will never have children again. If you want a house full of children and grandchildren, don't waste your energy on me."
"Really?" Xiao Chongheng smiled and stroked her face. "It's alright. As long as it's you, I'd rather die childless."
After saying that, Xiao Chongheng began again.
………
A night of intense pleasure washed away all my emotions.
The next morning, the air was exceptionally fresh, with a slight chill in the air.
Xiao Chongheng pushed open the door and stepped out. The late autumn scene unfolded before him like a scroll painting, with sunlight shining on the withered leaves on the ground, shimmering with golden light.
The distant mountains stretch endlessly, shrouded in mist, with birds chirping on the branches; everything is peaceful and beautiful.
At this moment, the appearance of a carriage broke the silence.
Xiao Chongheng looked up and immediately recognized who it was, then heard a guard shout.
"Who dares to trespass on this forbidden area?"
"The Lady of Xiangcheng County"
After revealing her identity, Pei Qianguang didn't even bother to lift her eyelids. Dressed in luxurious attire, adorned with gold and jade, and carrying a hand warmer, she arrogantly dismounted from the carriage.
The guards, seeing that she was the wife of the Duke of Yan, dared not stop her.
“I know the Duke has been staying here for the past few nights, so I came to take a look. It’s not all that great. In a place like this, you probably couldn’t stay for even a moment without a beautiful woman by your side.”
Pei Qianguang sneered as he walked inside.
He bumped right into Xiao Chongheng.
"You really have the leisure to follow me all the way here."
Pei Qianguang was unfazed by Xiao Chongheng's sarcastic remarks. She took a few steps forward and met his eyes without fear.
"Since I'm already here, aren't you going to introduce me to her?"
Xiao Chongheng looked at her coldly, and leaned back quietly because he didn't want to be in close contact with her.
Who are you talking about?
"The woman you're keeping on the side." Pei Qianguang sneered.
"What a joke, are you delirious?"
Hearing the insults, Pei Qianguang couldn't contain his anger: "I don't have hysteria, you're the one who's sick, Xiao Chongheng. You never come home, you're always out there wandering around. What, you dare to do it but don't dare let me see?"
"You want to see it, right?"
Enraged, Xiao Chongheng grabbed her arm. "Fine, I'll let you see."
And so, Pei Qianguang was pulled and dragged forward by Xiao Chongheng until they arrived at the door on the top floor of the tower.
Xiao Chongheng reached out to push the door open, but Pei Qianguang's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly stopped him.
"stop!"
Xiao Chongheng indeed stopped.
"What, didn't you want to see this yourself?"
Pei Qianguang stared intently at the door, gritting his teeth: "I'm asking you, is the woman inside the Empress?"
"Yes, she is my queen."
"Heh." Pei Qianguang's cold gaze was fixed on him. "What did you say? Your Empress?"
Xiao Chongheng didn't care about Pei Qianguang at all and confessed directly.
"Yes, you don't actually think that I'll make you my empress after I become emperor, do you? Pei Ge, don't you have a brain? Haven't you suffered enough at Yang Chengxun's hands? How dare you still trust men? There isn't a single man you can trust."
Pei Qianguang laughed in anger: "So, you've remained chaste all this time just for her?"
“That’s right,” Xiao Chongheng boldly admitted.
Pei Qianguang was both angry and amused, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at Xiao Chongheng: "I really can't believe it. When did you fall so deeply in love with the Empress, or rather, with Xue Run? Was it when she was still unmarried? No wonder, no wonder she killed Pei Chanlian. You two are truly terrifying."
Xiao Chongheng sneered: "I know that many women will flock to me because of my appearance, but that doesn't mean I'll accept them all."
"Get out of the way!"
Enraged by him, Pei Qianguang was determined to see for himself.
She pushed the door open.
The room was dimly lit, with only a sliver of light shining obliquely through the broken window. Dust particles floated in the light, clearly indicating that it was a prison cell with bare walls and stagnant air.
A woman lay curled up on the bed, weakly asleep.
Her disheveled hair clung to her sweaty cheeks, her face was ashen, her lips were bloodless, her smooth back was exposed, her skin was covered with purplish-blue marks, and the chains had worn deep red marks on her wrists. She looked like a flower petal broken by wind and rain.
Pei Qianguang was stunned.
She never imagined that the once high and mighty Empress would be tormented to this extent, a phoenix fallen into the mud, living a life less carefree than a pheasant.
Pei Qianguang couldn't help but ask Xiao Chongheng, "You love her, so you treat her like this?"
Xiao Chongheng's eyes were icy: "What's between her and me is none of your business. You've seen it all, so get out of here and don't wake her up."
"Ha, do you even care if she wakes up? You only care about yourself."
Pei Qianguang was unwilling to stay in this filthy place any longer, so she turned around and left without looking back.
Does someone as ungrateful as Xiao Chongheng deserve to inherit the Pei family's empire?
This empire belongs to the Pei family. If it weren't for Pei Qianguang, what right would Xiao Chongheng have to be emperor? That's just wishful thinking!
...
In her dream, Ling Zhenli saw her daughter, whom she had been longing for, once again.
The little girl's smile was as warm and bright as the spring sun. Seeing Ling Zhenli's sadness, the girl gently stroked her cheek and asked with concern, "Mother, why are you so sad? Did someone make you angry?"
Ling Zhenli looked at the girl, her heart filled with sorrow. She shook her head, forcing back the bitterness in her heart, and said to her, "No, I'm just happy to see you. By the way, your father gave you a nickname, Chiying. Do you like this nickname?"
"It sounds great, I like it."
"If you like it, that's good..." Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. Ling Zhenli noticed and quickly wiped them away.
Seeing this, the little girl kindly comforted her, "Mommy, don't cry. If you're sad, I'll be unhappy too."
Ling Zhenli couldn't help but ask her daughter, "Okay, stop crying, Chiying, why don't you come to visit me in my dreams more often?"
The little girl looked helpless and said softly, "Because we are not destined to be together in this life."
Ling Zhenli's heart tightened, her eyes blurred with tears, and she anxiously asked, "Is it because I separated from your father? If I go back to him, will you come back..."
The little girl shook her head: "Mother, I am your child, and no matter what, I will always be your child."
Ling Zhenli quickly wiped away her tears, still pleading and asking desperately, "Will you come back?"
At this crucial moment, before she could get an answer from the girl, a rustling sound from outside woke Ling Zhenli from her dream.
She slowly opened her eyes, and her consciousness gradually returned.
She tried to rub her eyes, but found that her hands were chained and she couldn't move.
At that moment, she saw Xiao Chongheng standing at the door. Thinking about the dream she had just had, she felt a mix of emotions.
When Xiao Chongheng saw that she had woken up, a faint smile appeared on his face, and he slowly walked to her side.
He said softly, "You're awake."
"Hmm, I want to wipe my face."
"I'll wipe it for you."
Ling Zhenli paused for a moment, then subconsciously agreed.
Xiao Chongheng went to get a handkerchief, first wet it in the basin of water, wrung it out, and then brought it back to gently wipe her face and eyes.
Ling Zhenli felt his tenderness, her heart filled with conflict.
She clearly remembers that their relationship had now reached a freezing point.
"When will you let me go?" Ling Zhenli asked in a low voice, suppressing her emotions.
Xiao Chongheng did not answer her question, but asked with concern, "Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat? You haven't eaten for a long time. You can't go on like this. I'll go get you something to eat."
Seeing that Xiao Chongheng ignored her request, Ling Zhenli felt a surge of anger and coldly replied, "If you keep me locked up, I'd rather not eat anything and starve to death."
Xiao Chongheng's face instantly turned cold. He stared at Ling Zhenli and said, word by word, "Then you can go hungry."
A tense atmosphere filled the air once again.
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