With hostages in hand, still afraid of not being able to retaliate against Ren Tianye

Ren Tianye's kick carried no small amount of force.

It caused Bai Li to fly parallel to the ground after falling from the roof beam, rather than dropping straight down. She crashed heavily into the edge of the bed, let out a miserable shriek, and collapsed flat on the floor.

That scream actually put Ren Tianye's mind at ease.

As long as she wasn't dead.

He immediately ordered the attendants who had followed him inside, "Find a doctor for her."

"The whole capital knows that I took a concubine. If word gets out that this same concubine hung herself in my mansion in the blink of an eye, where would my reputation be?"

With that, he turned and left.

Half an hour later, a servant came to report, "Your Grace, the lady is no longer in serious danger. However, her physical condition is quite poor, and she will need to recuperate for some time."

Ren Tianye nodded and dismissed the servant.

Yet, his brows furrowed involuntarily.

Given Bai Li's current state, trying to use her to coerce the left and right protectors of the Tongxin Alliance would likely yield twice the effort for half the result.

"Damn it, I can't count on her."

"I'll have to choose someone else."

Fortunately, this did not stump Ren Tianye.

He had already figured out that the Lin Family Army was actually controlled by the Seven Righteous Heroes of Chifeng, but the Seven Heroes were in turn controlled by Bai Zixuan, the Left Protector of the Tongxin Alliance.

Originally, Bai Li could control Bai Zixuan.

But since Bai Li was temporarily out of commission, he would just have to bypass her and go straight for Bai Zixuan.

Thinking this over, Ren Tianye quickly formed a plan in his mind.

However, he still needed an actor to cooperate with him.

And this actor...

Was none other than the Empress, Xiao Mingzhao.

"Wang Ming."

"Here, sir."

"Come with me to the palace."

"Yes, sir!"

...

Inner courtyard, side room.

Bai Li lay on the bed. The burning pain in her neck had subsided from its previous agonizing intensity thanks to the doctor's skillful treatment, but the pain in her heart was only magnified.

She could neither die nor get her revenge!

She didn't know what meaning this body of hers still held.

"Oh my, Sister Bai Li, why are you crying again?"

A voice rang out. From the corner of her eye, Bai Li caught sight of one of the maids often seen by Ren Tianye's side. However, she had heard servants gossiping that this woman was once the wife of the Duke of Fuguo, later married the Duke's brother and remained the Duchess.

And then... became Ren Tianye's maid.

Bai Li had no interest in such matters and thus never paid them any mind. She only knew others called her Ruyue, but knew absolutely nothing about her specifics.

Nor did she want to know.

Regardless, this was someone by Ren Tianye's side.

Right now, she didn't have a single shred of goodwill toward anyone associated with him.

"Don't cry, don't cry. Look at your beautiful face; it won't look pretty if you cry." Ruyue took on the posture of an understanding older sister, sitting primly by Bai Li's bed. She even took out a handkerchief to wipe Bai Li's tears. When Bai Li rejected the gesture, she wasn't annoyed, but smiled and said, "Isn't it just a little hardship? Is there really a need to seek death over it?"

"For a woman, as long as she preserves herself, there will always be opportunities."

Ruyue's words seemed to come out of nowhere, but Bai Li was no fool. She instantly caught the hidden meaning in them. Astonished, she asked in return, "What do you mean?"

"Nothing in particular," Ruyue smiled. "I just wanted to say that there are many ways to take revenge on someone. Especially when a woman wants to take revenge on a man, she could think of countless ways with her eyes closed."

"If one way doesn't work, just try another."

Bai Li's spirit was jolted. She sat up abruptly and, as if clutching at a lifesaver, grabbed Ruyue's hand. "Sister, Sister, what... what method do you have?"

"Please teach me."

"I'm begging you."

Ruyue smiled again and said, "I actually have the simplest method right here, and that is..."

"Take hold of the person Ren Tianye cares about the most."

"As long as you have a grip on the person he cares about most, you won't have to worry about not being able to take your revenge on him."

The person Ren Tianye cares about the most?

Bai Li frowned slightly.

After being with Ren Tianye these past few days, her understanding of him had deepened. Yet, the deeper it got, the more she realized that Ren Tianye didn't have anyone he particularly cared about.

What Ren Tianye cared about was sovereign power and wealth!

Aside from that, it wasn't that he didn't care about anyone else, but there was no such thing as someone he cared about the most.

"See, you're stuck in a mental dead end," Ruyue laughed.

"If Ren Tianye currently doesn't have a person he cares about the most, then create one for him, someone he absolutely has to care about."

Bai Li was even more confused. "Cre... create one?"

"Yes, create one."

Bai Li didn't understand.

How could one create that?

But the next second, Ruyue pointed at Bai Li's stomach, and realization instantly dawned on Bai Li.

"Sister, I... I understand now."

"I will bear Ren Tianye's child. With his child in my hands, I will have a hostage, and I can take revenge on him however I want in the future."

Ruyue praised her, "Smart!"

"Bear his children. Give him ten or eight of them, so that just raising them exhausts him to death. Take ruthless revenge on him."

"Mhm!" Bai Li nodded heavily. A starry light surged in her eyes, sweeping away her previous decadence and confusion. She was instantly radiant with energy, though it did not last for long.

Bai Li soon became somewhat dejected. "Sister, it won't work."

"Ren Tianye won't let me bear his children."

As she spoke, her eyes dimmed. "Just during the three days of my honeymoon, musk was burning in the room the entire time."

"Look, you don't understand again, do you?" Ruyue said with the air of an experienced woman. "At a time like this, you have to show him a side of you that is uniquely different from others. Then, it will work."

Uniquely different!

These words were originally the core of Bai Li's strategy to deal with Ren Tianye.

But now, just hearing them made her body tremble involuntarily.

However, since this concerned her grand scheme to seek revenge for Ye Fan, she suppressed her fear and asked, "Sister, how should I be uniquely different?"

"Simple. Just a few words!" Ruyue stood up, looking down from above with the imposing manner of someone directing the fate of the world. She enunciated every word clearly, "You must have skills!"

"Have... have skills?" Bai Li was taken aback. Thinking of something, her face flushed red, while Ruyue continued, "Seeing as you're still young, your experience in this area must be quite shallow. Do you want your sister to teach you a few tricks?"

"I guarantee it will bring Ren Tianye completely under your submission."

Bai Li hesitated for a moment, then said heavily, "Please, Sister, do not hold back your teachings. Bai Li is all ears!"

...

The Imperial Palace, Sijun Hall.

Xiao Mingzhao's body was showing signs that left the royal physicians utterly astounded. Despite being struck by such viciously poisoned needles, her body was actually improving day by day, to the point where she was almost ready to personally attend to state affairs again.

However, Xiao Mingzhao clearly had no desire to return to her sovereign duties.

She merely stayed in Sijun Hall, shedding tears in secret as she looked in the mirror.

"Tianye, he has already taken a wife. It seems he ultimately intends to use this method to take revenge on me..."

"It appears I hurt him too deeply in the past."

"It is I who wronged him."

"But I will not give up."

"I... will definitely use even greater effort to win him back."

"One life, one lifetime, one couple. In all this world, it would be hard to find another who is a fitting match for me."

Xiao Mingzhao wiped away her tears and stood up.

An imposing aura of a supreme ruler who had long stood above all others gradually emanated from her. "I heard Tianye took a concubine? And for the sake of that concubine, he actually hasn't stepped out of his house for three days straight."

"That vixen must have some real skills!"

"But I will not lose to her!"

"If she has skills, my skills must be even better!"

Xiao Mingzhao's gaze grew increasingly determined; she had already made up her mind.

Although she had used body doubles in the past, she had never lost her virginity. Even when she built the Jinghua Palace for Xiangxiang and spent time with Xiangxiang in secret, she remained untouched.

She was still a virgin. As long as her skills were better, why wouldn't she be able to outshine those seductive sluts?

"Your Majesty, the Duke has arrived."

The eunuch's report made Xiao Mingzhao instantly thrilled.

She hurried out, almost crashing right into Ren Tianye as he walked in.

"Tianye, you... you are here?"

"Your Majesty." Ren Tianye did not even bother to bow. He sat down casually on a chair and said lightly, "Right now there is a matter that requires..."

"I am willing!"

Before Ren Tianye could even finish his sentence, Xiao Mingzhao impatiently shouted her answer.

"No, I mean..."

"I am willing!"

"No..." Ren Tianye was completely speechless. Could you just let me finish my damn sentence? I know you are willing, and even if you were not, I would make sure you were, but can you just let me finish speaking?

So he tried again, "I mean, you need to make a public appearance..."

"I am willing!" Xiao Mingzhao interrupted again. "I am willing to do anything!"

Ren Tianye: "..."

...