Chapter 46 Sexy Killer Takes Orders Online
"How many words did you teach them today?" Li Siyan asked when he came back to have dinner with me in the evening.
Talking about this, I was furious. I pinched my philtrum and rolled my eyes. "Let's not talk about it. I have a long way to go. When I was just starting out, I had a photographic memory. How come I can't do that with them?"
Li Siyan pushed a plate of sweet fish breast in front of me and said nonchalantly, "If they can't do it, then replace them with a few smart palace maids. I have always felt that your pair of maids are not smart, but you still treat them as treasures."
As he spoke, several palace servants standing nearby opened their eyes wide, stretched their necks unconsciously, their eyes filled with a fanatical desire to recommend themselves.
I put down my chopsticks and said seriously, "No, they are the ones I have chosen. They will be my trusted generals in the future, so I must cultivate them well."
Their hopes dashed, the palace maids silently retracted their necks.
Li Siyan said indifferently, "It's up to you, but if you want them to be independent, you can't just teach them a few words. First, let them study with Qingfu Huiyue for two years."
He took a bite of the fish sashimi and said, "I remember there was a little girl in your family who has served you since she was a child. Since you like to use old people, why not call her in?"
I flatly refused: "No, Shushu and I are like sisters, how can I lead her into this fire pit?"
"Fire pit?" He repeated softly, "In your heart, my Purple Palace is a fire pit?"
The dinner table fell silent almost instantly. Li Siyan's golden chopsticks were suspended in the air, and the lamb meat on the tip was still shaking slightly.
The table was filled with a variety of delicacies and piled with carefully cooked animal carcasses. The emperor sat opposite the round table, his handsome face covered with a layer of frost.
I remained calm, unaffected. I stuffed a piece of cherry biro into my mouth and mumbled, "Why are you so fierce? I'm not wrong. Once a maid from outside enters the palace, it will take more than ten years before she can leave. My Shushu is going to marry and become a housekeeper in the future. How can she enter the palace and waste her youth?"
Seeing that Li Siyan's face was still as sullen as iron, I quickly stuffed a piece of Biluo into his mouth and said contemptuously, "How can you be so sensitive, a seven-foot-tall man? You can't even take a joke. It really spoils the fun."
He said expressionlessly, "I have never been able to act carefree in front of you."
As soon as I heard this, I knew the opportunity to brainwash her had arrived. I immediately put down my chopsticks and said earnestly, "You need to change this bad habit. We in Chang'an are naturally generous and don't care about trivial matters. It's too petty to argue with a woman. It's only because you met me that I won't argue with you. If it were another young lady, who would tolerate your temper?"
I put on a full show, feigning dissatisfaction, pouting and putting down my bowl: "...You staring at me makes me unable to eat. It's really scary."
Things change. In the past, he was the one who ridiculed and suppressed me unilaterally, but now I am the one who belittles him. Using the big stick and the sweet dates together has double the effect.
After listening to what I said, he withdrew his gaze, and his demeanor softened a lot. He lowered his eyes and said, "Then let this girl stay in the Shen family. I will pick out a few more useful palace maids for you later."
I nodded and said, "That's the best. It's more lively with more people."
Speaking of palace affairs, I suddenly thought of Su Xing and asked, "By the way, what happened to Su Xing? I haven't seen her since I entered the palace."
Li Siyan frowned and his eyes fell on the void above him.
But he didn't remember it in the end. He waved Huiyue over and asked, "What is Suxing doing now?"
Hui Yue bowed and replied, "Aunt Su Xing made a grave mistake in the assassination attempt before the Emperor, and was stripped of her position as Shang Gong, awaiting her fate. Later, Concubine Wei Shu interceded for her and asked her to assist in the management of palace affairs."
Li Siyan rubbed his brow and said, "There have been so many things going on recently that I forgot about her."
I didn't know what to feel inside: he remembered the little girl who served me in the Shen family, but was indifferent to the leading female official of the Purple Palace. Su Xing was really a failure as a servant...
"People who have made mistakes cannot serve me closely," Li Siyan said, "Let her stay with Concubine Wei Shu, and I will find you a better one."
The leader opens his mouth and the subordinates run around. Huiyue and Suxi did not sleep all night to select maids for me. The next morning, they came to me with four dark circles under their eyes, followed by a group of ignorant children, all of them with lowered eyebrows and pleasant looks.
Su Xi's smile was haggard: "Madam Shen, take your pick first, if it's not enough, there's more."
Having no experience in choosing a maid, I felt very uncomfortable and looked at her for help.
In the end, Huiyue gave me some advice and picked out a few that she thought were good. I nodded my head in agreement and accepted all of them, except for choosing a little girl who looked a bit like Shushu. Looking at her always reminded me of the happy and unrestrained days before I was fifteen. My happy childhood is the soft background of my life.
Huiyue gestured for them to kowtow to me and acknowledge their master. I couldn't stand this, so I quickly asked them to stand up and said, "No need for this. Since you're here, just stay and help me with some chores."
Yu Guangzhong, Su Xi and Hui Yue frowned and looked at each other, feeling that something was wrong.
After sending the new young palace maid away, Su Xi found a break to remind me, "Madam Chen, these palace maids are new, and the rules may be inadequate. If you treat them too well, they might develop disrespectful habits."
I'm a casual person by nature and don't like to control others, so I just casually said, "Let them be. Young kids, it's good to be energetic."
Su Xi lowered his voice and continued, "Also, that Pingsheng that my wife chose..."
I wondered, "What happened to her?"
Su Xi lowered his voice and said, "Hui Yue left in a hurry last night and didn't have time to ask about their backgrounds. Just now, the Shang Gong Bureau passed on a message saying that Ping Sheng used to be a servant of Aunt Su Xing. If you feel uncomfortable, you can choose another one..."
I was stunned, and after a moment's hesitation, I said, "Forget it. They're already here, so there's no need to send them back."
The days passed by in a daze, and in the blink of an eye, half of the summer had passed. The ice in the cellar was continuously delivered to the Purple Palace, and along with the ice came the dog emperor. He was like a migratory bird, shuttling back and forth between the Xuanzheng Palace and the Purple Palace every day.
When he was working, I would go out and wander around nearby. Most of the time, someone would clear the area for me in advance. But one day, I was in a hurry to go out and happened to run into old officials I knew from the past. After greeting them awkwardly, I found that not only did they ignore me, some of them even rolled their eyes at me.
I was confused and asked Li Siyan the reason. His eyes darkened, but he did not answer me. He just quietly changed the venue for ministers to meet and discuss matters to Yanying Hall.
Later I vaguely guessed the reason: Li Siyan brought me into the palace with great fanfare, and even had me stay in the Purple Palace for a month. When the news got out, it became that I had seduced the emperor and made him obsessed with me, and he didn't even care about treating me equally.
──With such a reputation, it’s no wonder that my uncles roll their eyes at me.
It was such a small matter, yet I was furious. These grown men always try to pin the accusation of being a slut on innocent girls. Did I beg Li Siyan to marry me? Didn't they see Meng Xu being taken away that day? They're a bunch of cowards, too scared to say a word in front of Li Siyan, only to turn their backs on me.
The more I think about it, the more resentful I feel. They care so much about the country, but when Li Siyan stole the throne, no one spoke up for justice? In the end, it was because I, a weak little girl, pointed at the emperor and scolded him that I ended up in this situation.
I threw a soft pillow three feet away, feeling that all my passion for civil service had been wasted.
In the words of historians, if the king is not wise and the ministers are not virtuous, the country has lost its cultural foundation and will be doomed sooner or later.
As I was scrambling around the room in anger, a thin little hand gently picked up the soft pillow and said softly, "Madam, calm down."
It’s Pingsheng.
I didn't want to hurt her by mistake, so I asked her to leave.
For the first time ever, Pingsheng didn't listen to me. She looked around, then fixed her calm gaze on my face and said, "Pingsheng has something to say to my wife."
"What?"
However, what she said next scared my anger away.
She said, "Madam, do you want to kill the emperor? Pingsheng can help you."
She...what did she say?
Kill Li Siyan?
My heart skipped a beat and I stared at her blankly, my eyes as big as bells.
After realizing what was happening, I almost immediately rushed over to cover her mouth, saying in horror, "Are you crazy? Planning assassination is a serious crime. You will be dragged out and tortured to death!"
Pingsheng calmly narrowed her eyes, which were similar to Shushu's, and handed the pillow back to me, her little hands cold.
"If no one finds out, nothing will happen." Pingsheng said without any emotion.
I took the soft pillow in a daze, my hands trembling, and suddenly realized that the little girl in front of me was extraordinary. Perhaps Su Xi's concerns were right. The Shanggong Bureau was full of corruption. Since the incident with the old Shangfu happened last time, the other people in it could not be trusted.
After forcing myself to calm down, I stared at her and asked, "Who is your master?"
Pingsheng's voice remained unchanged: "Putting cinnabar pills in the pillow and sprinkling them in the food will kill people over time. The emperor's food is strictly controlled. Only Madam Shen can do this."
I rubbed the pillow inconspicuously, and sure enough, I felt a few round, hard objects inside.
"Just relying on these pills?" I said, "Does your master know who Li Siyan is? Your master is really audacious to expect me, a powerless caged bird, to kill him."
Pingsheng shook his head: “Others can’t do it, but Madam Shen can.”
She still didn't want to say.
I frowned and thought about it.
Now, apart from the confidants in the imperial kitchen, I am the only one who can come into contact with Li Siyan's food, and I am quite favored. The food I cook can be guaranteed to end up in his stomach. And unfortunately, I have a big grudge against him... Maybe I agreed to it on impulse.
When the poison takes effect on Li Siyan, Pingsheng will kill me and then wipe my own neck, leaving no trace.
Although the plan is crude, it is still feasible.
So... who is behind this?
The skill of killing emperors has existed since ancient times. It was so common that the biographies of assassins were specifically recorded in the "Records of the Grand Historian". However, after the Qin Dynasty unified the country, this skill declined and was replaced by more intrigues among the aristocracy.
Powerful ministers? Not really. The power of this dynasty is well controlled. There is no powerful minister who can secure the throne by killing the emperor.
A spy from another country? Even more impossible. Recently, all countries have been keeping a low profile. Changing the emperor of the Ming Dynasty makes no difference to them.
This crude strategy, this fairly extensive network of contacts, this loyal informant...
The most likely candidate slowly emerged in my mind. After pondering for a moment, I slowly said, "The Princess sent you, right?"
Pingsheng's calm little face showed a crack for the first time today.
It seems that I guessed right.
I sighed, "She can come up with such a foolish move. She really hates the emperor."
How could she not hate him? Her two biological brothers had both died at the hands of Li Siyan, and even her nephews had not been spared. She, a princess of great wealth and status, had been reduced to a lonely woman who could not even leave the palace, all thanks to her adopted brother who sat on the throne.
I couldn't help my instinct to be mean: "...As expected of royal siblings, they even have the same madness. They're born with bad morals.
Pingsheng panicked, biting her lip tightly and saying, "Enough! Since you have guessed it, why not do it? Don't you hate the emperor?"
I calmly put down the pillow and leaned back casually.
Seeing Su Xi and Yi De approaching with medicine bowls in hand, I calmed down a bit and said in a friendly manner, "Pingsheng, I hate Li Si Yan, but I also dislike the Princess. The people she sent nearly broke my arm. After such a huge feud, she still expects me to work for her? It's not appropriate, right?"
"But the dog emperor killed the emperor and stole the country..."
I interrupted her, "I know better than you how much of a jerk he is, but I'm not stupid enough to listen to anyone's instigation and risk the death of my entire clan by blowing up a garbage dump. Besides, after that, I'd be dead, right?"
"Anyway, I'm not going to do this. Tell her to come up with a plan next time that won't kill me. I'll think about it."
Seeing my determined expression, her expression almost instantly turned gloomy. She turned her head to look at Su Xi who was walking behind her and clenched her teeth.
I caught the determination in her eyes, and an ominous premonition crossed my heart.
“What are you doing!”
As I screamed, Pingsheng suddenly pulled out a silver hairpin and ran out as if ready to die!
Seeing her rushing towards the imperial study, I immediately understood what she wanted to do.
Damn it!
I screamed in my heart, "The dog emperor must not die now! If he dies, I'll be the first to die! If I die, the Shen family will be doomed too!"
I reacted quickly, lifted my skirt and ran after her, shouting urgently to Su Xi who was walking towards me, "Su Xi, quickly call the guards! Someone is trying to assassinate me!"
Su Xi's eyes widened in shock for a moment. Before she could make any move, Yi De, who was standing beside her, misunderstood me in a panic and shouted, blocking my way: "Someone come! Someone is trying to assassinate Madam Shen!"
His roar was so heart-wrenching that the entire Zichen Palace could hear it clearly.
I rushed too fast and didn't brake, so I was tripped and fell flat on my face by my eagerness to protect my master. I was so angry that I almost vomited blood. I fell to the ground and shouted, "It's not me! It's the Emperor! The Emperor!"
Su Xi finally understood, her expression changed drastically, she threw the tray away, and ran towards Pingsheng at a speed that was too fast for a palace maid.
At this moment, Pingsheng was only one step away from the imperial study. Suxi grabbed her by the vest and pulled her hard. The two women rolled on the ground and started fighting with life-and-death moves. Pingsheng, especially, had completely given it her all. The silver hairpin pierced Suxi's unarmed arm, drawing a pool of blood.
Su Xi was also a fierce man. He took the stab without making a sound. He did not loosen his grip at all and screamed, "Hu Yue'er, there are assassins outside. Protect His Majesty!"
It was too late. Just as she finished speaking, the door of the imperial study suddenly opened. Li Siyan didn't even have time to put down his pen before he rushed out, looking extremely anxious.
He didn't even glance at Pingsheng and Suxi who were rolled into a ball. From the moment he pushed open the door, his eyes were glued to me and never moved away. He probably thought I was stabbed and fell to the ground. His facial features trembled and he called my name hoarsely: "Chen Ying, Chen Ying..."
I flung Yide aside, scrambled to my feet in frustration, and yelled at the Dog Emperor, "Idiot! What are you doing out here? Get back here!"
But Li Siyan seemed to have fallen into a terrible nightmare. He didn't listen to what I said at all. He staggered two steps to me and grabbed my shoulders with trembling hands.
I don't know what he was thinking at that moment. Facing a dangerous assassin who was ready to take his life at any time, the first thing he did was to confirm whether I was injured.
Meanwhile, Pingsheng shook off Suxi at the last moment before the guards arrived, screamed, and lunged towards Li Siyan, shouting, "Today I will avenge His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
I was so frightened when I saw her face, which was as hideous as a demon, that I subconsciously pushed the emperor away and rolled to the side to avoid hurting myself.
Last time, I blocked the knife for Li Siyan for no reason. I don’t want it to happen a second time. I’d rather die than let my friend die. Let Li Siyan take the knife.
But to my surprise, the next second, everything in front of my eyes suddenly went dark, and a huge force hit my body, knocking me dizzy, seeing stars, and the fried noodles in my stomach were almost squeezed out.
Damn it! It hurts so much!
What is the dog emperor doing?
With a soft "puff" sound, a few drops of liquid fell on my eyelashes. It was warm and emitted a strong smell of rust.
I blinked instinctively, and the liquid spread, staining my eyes crimson.
The roar in my heart stopped instantly, and I opened my mouth with a dazed look on my face.
Blood, this is blood.
It's the emperor's blood.
My body felt lighter, and through a red net, I saw Li Siyan turn over and stand up, one hand tightly covering his neck, and the other hand hitting Pingsheng's palm like lightning.
Pingsheng screamed in pain, and the sharp hairpin flew far away.
"Bitch."
With cold murderous intent in his eyes, he stomped Pingsheng to the ground, and with a clang of his dagger, he was about to stab Pingsheng in the heart...
I yelled, "Don't kill her!"
Li Siyan turned around and looked at me.
"Don't kill her!" I said incoherently, "She didn't reveal who was behind this, nor did she say whether the hairpin was poisoned. We can't kill her."
Seeing that Li Siyan still had murderous intent on his face, I crawled forward, held his knife-wielding hand, and guided him to sheath the dagger that could cut through iron like mud.
"Where's the imperial physician?" I said, "She's well prepared. The hairpin must be poisoned. Hurry up and have the imperial physician seal the acupoints connecting you and Suxi. It will be too late if we're late."
Li Siyan looked at my anxious expression and his eyes gradually softened.
He must have been in a lot of pain, his forehead was soaked with sweat, his back teeth were clenched tightly, and the wolf leader who was about to tear people apart just now now looked more like a big dog caught in the rain.
After getting Li Siyan's approval, Pingsheng was hurriedly taken away by the guards like a piece of rag. The pair of eyes that were similar to Shushu's were now extremely empty, without a trace of sadness or joy, only silence.
After gambled everything, she lost everything. From that moment on, she had no chance of turning the tables.
I saw the hairpin rolling on the ground, my throat tightened slightly, I walked forward to pick it up, and found that it was glowing with a faint green light.
"It really is poisonous." I whispered, "Are you...are you okay?"
In fact, needless to say, I could see that Li Siyan's condition was really very bad. He kept holding the wound on his neck tightly, and blood was flowing out from between his fingers. He must have injured a major meridian, which was much more serious than the time I stabbed him.
However, with his skills, he could have avoided the hairpin.
At the moment of life and death, I clearly pushed him away with force. If he had blocked it in time, Pingsheng's hairpin would at most have landed on his arm. But he didn't. He once again threw me down and used his body to block Pingsheng's attack.
He thought it was directed at me.
Just as I was stunned, Li Siyan asked me, "What's with the blood on your face? Are you scratched?"
I blurted out: "I'm fine, this is your blood."
He reached out his hand shakily and felt around my face. When he found no wound, he breathed a sigh of relief with an almost imperceptible intensity.
He closed his eyes tiredly and let the palace maids and eunuchs rush over and place him on a Hu bed.
Pressing the blood channel beside the wound tightly, his face became visibly paler.
But even though it was very strenuous, he still managed to hold on and said to me, "Go wash your face."
What kind of person is this! He injured his own vital meridians, and he still had the mind to ask me to wash my face!
I didn't know whether to be angry or amused. I wiped my face and sneered, "You're so stupid. You actually risked your life for me. Don't think I'll accept your kindness. This is all your fault. I have nothing to do with it."
He covered his neck, smiled weakly, and looked strange.
"Since you don't care about my life or death and want to kill me, why do you still come to remind me that there is an assassin?"
Nonsense! I roared in my heart. I am not stupid. If I don’t come out to dissuade Pingsheng, the first thing the princess will do is kill me for not cooperating. If Pingsheng fails, I will be suspected of conspiracy if I don’t report it.
She's going to die anyway, so she might as well come out and stop her.
Although my heart was in turmoil, when the words came to my lips, I still chose the safest response: I lowered my head and remained silent, pretending to be worried.
Let Li Siyan imagine my attitude for himself.
The emperor was injured, and the entire Imperial Medical Bureau was mobilized. Doctor Fan took the lead, leading a large group of old men with goatees into the Purple Palace. I squeezed forward and handed the hairpin to Doctor Fan, watching the old men arguing over the type of poison.
In the noisy hall, Li Siyan kept looking at me intently through the crowd. Because he was seriously injured, there was a hint of fragility and hope in his eyes.
He suddenly said, "You blocked it for me once, and this time I blocked it for you. From now on, we are even."
I was speechless. You were the target of both assassinations. Why are you taking credit for it?
Besides, I clearly thought of a clever move at that time and pushed him out. It would have been fine if he didn't dodge, but he rushed back. Now he was seriously injured, and I was pressed so hard that I almost vomited my lunch. Both of us were hurt.
When I'm with Li Siyan, we often both suffer losses.
But I still gave him face and nodded, "Okay, if you say it's even, then it's even."
The poison spread throughout his body, his face grew paler and paler, his lips an abnormal purple, but when he heard my answer, a strange light appeared in his eyes.
"We'll start over from now on."
He said this just before he passed out.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
