She is an Empress and an Embroiderer

Winter gave way to spring. The snow piled outside Ganlu Hall finally melted, revealing touches of tender green shoots.

These past few days had been an unprecedented, peculiar experience for Wu Lingxiao.

By day, she was the decisive and ruthless Empress sitting high upon the dragon throne. By night, she transformed into an Embroidery Maid dressed in coarse cloth, carrying a food box as she sneaked into this forbidden area of the deep palace to see the man who made her gnash her teeth in hatred, yet constantly tugged at her heartstrings.

Ye Xuan's complexion had improved significantly.

The Nine Turns Nirvana Sutra was truly miraculous. Coupled with the slight easing of his inner turmoil, he was no longer hell-bent on seeking death.

His originally pale and gaunt cheeks now held a trace of color. Whenever his clear eyes saw the Embroidery Maid, they would curve into beautiful crescents.

Sister, you are here.

Ye Xuan set down the scroll in his hands and skillfully helped the Embroidery Maid take the food box.

Have a seat. The pastries sent from the dining hall today are pretty good, I saved half for you.

Looking at Ye Xuan's bright smile, Wu Lingxiao felt a warmth in her heart, but it was immediately followed by an inexplicable surge of bitterness.

How wonderful it would be if this smile were meant for her as the Empress.

The two sat facing each other, drinking tea in a harmonious atmosphere.

Ye Xuan suddenly stretched his back. Looking at the bright sunlight outside the window, he sighed with emotion:

Speaking of which, that person has not come to harass me in a long time.

That person he spoke of naturally referred to the Empress.

That is truly wonderful, Ye Xuan said sincerely. The relieved lightness in his tone made the Embroidery Maid's hand tighten slightly around her teacup.

The Embroidery Maid lowered her eyes, concealing a trace of gloom in their depths. She deliberately gave a cold snort and spoke in a probing tone:

You certainly have it easy. Do you know why Her Majesty has not visited recently?

Why? Ye Xuan asked casually.

I heard that a few days ago, the Northern Region presented a young genius possessing a supreme Ice-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root. This person has an otherworldly appearance and is extremely good at pleasing others. Her Majesty was greatly delighted and directly conferred him the title of Noble Consort. Lately, she has been showering him with favor, staying overnight in his palace every single day.

After saying this, the Embroidery Maid stared intently at Ye Xuan's face, hoping to catch even the slightest hint of disappointment, jealousy, or anger.

However, she was disappointed.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xuan merely gave a soft Oh. His face remained completely unruffled, and he even nodded.

Is that so? That is quite good.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip, a faint trace of mockery curving the corners of his mouth:

That dog is in heat again, it does not matter. Just ignore her.

Pfft!

The Embroidery Maid nearly spat out the mouthful of tea she had just drunk.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the gentle and jade-like youth before her, scarcely able to believe her ears.

A dog?

In heat?

She, the majestic Empress of Great Xia, the supreme ruler over billions of miles of territory, had actually been reduced to a dog in heat in the mouth of this mere Qi Condensation stage brat?!

You...

The Embroidery Maid trembled with anger, her face flushed red and her chest heaving violently. She almost could not resist the urge to shatter the table with a slap and reveal her true identity.

What is wrong, Sister? Ye Xuan looked at her strangely and waved a hand in front of her eyes: Why is your face so red? Did you catch a cold?

The Embroidery Maid took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fury that was rushing straight to the top of her skull, and said through gritted teeth:

I... I am fine! I just feel... your words are a bit too harsh!

Harsh? Ye Xuan shrugged: I am just telling the truth. Since she could force herself on me, she can naturally force herself on others. As long as it is a pretty skin, she wants to take a bite. How is that any different from a beast in heat?

The Embroidery Maid shuddered all over.

She stared fixedly at Ye Xuan, ultimately unwilling to give up, her voice becoming a bit sharper:

Ye Xuan, are you not jealous at all?

That is the Empress! The most powerful woman in this world! Furthermore...

The Embroidery Maid bit her lip, her voice dropping lower: She is, after all, the first woman to take your body. Now that someone else is lying in her arms and she has tossed you to the back of her mind, do you truly not feel the slightest bit of heartache?

Ye Xuan set down his teacup.

He turned his head and looked at the Embroidery Maid. His eyes were clear to the bottom, holding only a swath of indifferent calmness:

Why should I be jealous?

She is not my Dao companion. Besides, I was forced.

For a rapist, am I supposed to feel jealous because she went to rape someone else? Sister, I am not that pathetic.

These words were logically sound and impeccable.

But as the Embroidery Maid listened, she felt an empty hollow in her heart.

Even so...

The Embroidery Maid's voice trembled slightly. She was unwilling to accept this, she truly was unwilling:

After all, you two shared physical intimacy. After all... she was extremely gentle with you during those few days. Did you really... not feel the slightest stirring in your heart?

The hall fell quiet.

Ye Xuan remained silent for a long time.

He lowered his head, looking at the tea leaves bobbing in his cup, a trace of extremely complex emotion flashing through his eyes.

It was melancholy, regret, and also a kind of honesty toward his own humanity.

I am not a saint.

Ye Xuan said softly:

Nor am I made of stone. Those three days... although I was forced, the physical contact was real, and that tenderness was real.

He raised his head and looked at the Embroidery Maid, a bitter smile appearing at the corners of his mouth:

She took my first time. To me, the first time is always unforgettable. How could I possibly not have even a bit of feeling for her?

The Embroidery Maid's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

The flame of hope that had originally been extinguished was ignited once more by this single sentence. She looked at Ye Xuan eagerly, waiting for what he would say next.

It is precisely because there was a bit of feeling, precisely because I did not want to turn myself into a mere plaything...

Ye Xuan's gaze became firm and resolute:

That is why I made that request on that day.

I wanted her to disband her harem. I wanted her to be with me, one lifetime, one couple.

If she had agreed, even if she was the lofty Empress, even if this path was incredibly difficult to walk, I would have retracted all my thorns, tried to love her, accepted her, and become her one and only husband.

Speaking up to here, Ye Xuan sighed softly and spread his hands:

Unfortunately, she refused.

Since she refused, there was nothing to be done.

From that moment on, that tiny bit of budding emotion was smothered to death by my own hands. Because I knew that it was not love; it was an abyss. If I did not smother it, I would be eternally doomed.

The Embroidery Maid sat there blankly, her entire being as though struck by lightning.

So it turned out...

So it turned out he had given her a chance.

So it turned out that in his most desperate, most vulnerable moment, he had actually been reaching out his hand to her.

If only she had grasped that hand at that time, if only she had been willing to give up her so-called imperial pleasures for him, she could have obtained the purest, most complete heart in this world.

Yet, she had personally pushed this opportunity away.

With mockery and humiliation, she had thoroughly pushed this man, who might have originally fallen in love with her, to the opposing side.

Regret.

Endless regret submerged the Embroidery Maid like a tidal wave.

Her heart was filled with extreme agony, but she could only brace herself and use that pale and feeble excuse to defend the Empress:

But... she is the Emperor.

The Embroidery Maid's voice was dry as she attempted a final struggle:

Born into the imperial family, she has no control over her own fate. She must maintain the stability of the entire Great Xia Immortal Dynasty. Those concubines in the harem are not just men; behind them stand the Four Great Noble Families and various sect factions. Marriage alliances are an emperor's means to balance the court.

If she were to disband the harem for you, the court would inevitably fall into chaos, and the world might plunge into misery and suffering. This... how could you expect her to agree?

After hearing this, Ye Xuan did not fall into deep thought or show understanding as Embroidery Maid had expected.

He simply looked at her calmly and asked in return:

What does that have to do with me?

Embroidery Maid was stunned: Wh... what?

Ye Xuan's gaze was cold and clear:

Whether the court is stable or not, whether the noble families rebel or not, that is her responsibility as the emperor. It is the price she must pay for enjoying supreme power.

But what about me?

It is not like I voluntarily entered the palace to cling to royalty. I was forcibly snatched here by her.

I am just an ordinary person who wants to live a peaceful life. For the sake of her empire and her balance, can she just sacrifice my desire for a devoted, monogamous life? Can she just treat me as a sacrificial pawn?

Ye Xuan shook his head, his tone so indifferent it bordered on cruel:

Sister, do not use her difficulties to emotionally blackmail me.

I have said it before. Whether she is an empress or a beggar, as long as she agrees to my conditions, I will be with her. But if she cannot do it, even if she were the Lord of Heaven himself, I would not give her a second glance.

If she does not agree, then we are strangers. Perhaps even... enemies.

Embroidery Maid was completely speechless.

She opened her mouth, only to find that she could not utter a single word in rebuttal.

Indeed.

You were the one who forcibly snatched him into the palace, and now you tell him, I have my own difficulties and cannot love only you. Where in the world is there such logic?

Overwhelmed with shame, Embroidery Maid only felt a burning sting on her cheeks.

To cover up her awkwardness, she forced a smile and stiffly changed the subject:

Al... alright, let us not talk about these unhappy things anymore. Let us... just have a nice chat.

Mhm. Sister. Ye Xuan readily went along, reverting to his obedient and gentle demeanor.