Chapter 316: In Short, the Empress is a Good Person

Xiao Li hadn’t killed the Beicang Royal Family. It wasn’t that she couldn’t, but simply that she couldn’t be bothered to at the moment.

She had already reached such a pinnacle of power that not just anyone was worthy of being killed by her hand.

Besides, they still had some use before Beicang fell completely under Longsheng’s control.

Of course, with Beicang now lacking a Beicang King, the Royal Palace certainly wasn’t for them. She had everyone thrown out and imprisoned in a separate location.

Guards? Xiao Li couldn’t be bothered to waste her Silver Armor Army on them. Instead, she issued a direct order to the officials Beicang had left.

If even one member of the Royal Family escaped, or if she ever heard news of them trying to restore their kingdom...

...she wouldn’t need proof. The moment she received the news, the countdown to their deaths would begin.

Of course, this threat was directed at Beicang’s remaining high-ranking officials. As for the common people, the Ministry of Rites would handle everything with care without the Empress even needing to issue an order.

In short: the Empress didn’t deploy troops, so the Empress was merciful. The Empress didn’t slaughter the Beicang Royal Family, so the Empress was merciful.

The Empress unified the lands only to save the people from their suffering. The Empress killed the greedy and wicked Royal Family and corrupt officials, but she would never harm the common folk in the slightest.

The Empress despised evil, abhorred oppression, and was decisive in her judgment, yet she possessed a benevolent heart.

In short, the Empress was a good person.

Jiang Zhou, newly promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Rites, grumbled to himself as he worked.

’Although... they’re not exactly wrong. The Empress really doesn’t harm the common people, and she is a wise and good Emperor.’

’But a good Emperor isn’t the same as a good person. All this praise just feels... strange.’

SMACK!

Wang Wanqing smacked him on the back of the head. "What are you spacing out for? Get back to work!"

Jiang Zhou was furious. "Mr. Wang, I am now a fifth-rank minister. My rank is higher than yours. Please show some respect for your superior."

That’s right, Jiang Zhou had been promoted, while Wang Wanqing was still Sixth Rank. He was now one rank above her. He could finally act high and mighty.

Wang Wanqing shot him a contemptuous glance. "I am Your Majesty’s confidante. I have direct access to her bedchamber. I have even shared a bed with Her Majesty. You want to compare yourself to me?"

She hadn’t been promoted yet because she was going back to take the imperial examination. She had promised Your Majesty she would return as the top female scholar.

Besides, her importance to Her Majesty couldn’t be measured by official rank.

’What good is official rank? The Empress’s favor is what truly matters.’

Jiang Zhou was absolutely fuming. ’If Wang Wanqing were a man,’ he thought, ’saying things like that would make him a textbook treacherous courtier—a shameless sycophant trying to climb into the Emperor’s bed.’

But the Empress truly did dote on her and had even shared a bed with her. Their relationship was truly enviable.

Jiang Zhou thought back to the sudden, naive crush that had blossomed and died so quickly in his young heart.

’If only the Empress had taken a liking to him back then. He would be her favored courtier now, and there’d be no room for that female demon, Wang Wanqing, to be so arrogant.’

Unfortunately, ever since he discovered that the girl he’d fallen for at first sight was the Empress, his spirit had completely shriveled. He no longer had a single worldly desire.

’It figured. He was unworthy of being liked by the same person a pervert like Lu Ling and a demon like Wang Wanqing were fond of.’

-------

While her subordinates were running around frantically, Xiao Li, the Emperor, was quite relaxed.

She even had time for a ride across the Gobi Desert of Beicang.

"Whoa!"

Rong Qing reined in his horse. "Your Majesty, the dust storm ahead is too thick. We can go no further."

Xiao Li had only come out for a ride with no particular destination in mind, nor did she feel any need to push her limits.

"Alright, let’s head back."

Xiao Li had no intention of seeking adventure, but that couldn’t stop danger from finding its way to her.

Xiao Li was taken aback when sand bandits suddenly erupted from the earth before her.

’Heh. I was so focused on Beicang’s Royal Family, officials, and commoners that I completely forgot about these desert marauders.’

This band of sand bandits had clearly been lying in wait for some time. They were ruthless and wasted no words, attacking the moment they emerged. They started by flinging sand, then went for the horses’ legs, catching Xiao Li’s party completely off guard.

"Protect Her Majesty!"

Rong Qing immediately pulled Xiao Li onto his own horse, shielding her with his body. Without letting go of her, he plunged his long saber into the sand, killing a bandit who was trying to launch a sneak attack from below.

Blood geysered up from the ground, instantly staining a patch of sand crimson.

The guards fended off the bandits while protecting Xiao Li, simultaneously firing a signal flare into the sky.

Xiao Li might enjoy living on the edge, but she wasn’t foolish enough to put herself in a situation where just anyone could harm her.

She only had thirty guards with her, but that one signal flare would bring hundreds of soldiers from the Silver Armor Army rushing to her aid.

But while the Silver Armor Army was numerous, so were the sand bandits—a force of four to five hundred strong.

The bandits were masters of the desert, skilled at using the sand to hide and throwing it to disrupt their opponents, which caused considerable trouble for the Silver Armor Army.

However, they were mostly only able to injure the horses. Once a Silver Armor Guard was unhorsed and forced into close combat, the outcome was far from certain.

Watching the sheer ferocity of the sand bandits, Xiao Li was genuinely a little stunned.

’For the most powerful Emperor in the world to be killed in the middle of nowhere by a gang of pop-up sand bandits... that would be the greatest joke in history.’

’So, I can’t die here.’

"Fall back!"

Everyone fought with all their might to open a path backward, breaking free from the bandits’ encirclement. Then came the order: "Grenades!"

Dozens of grenades were tossed toward the bandits’ positions. A series of thunderous BANGS echoed as the sand erupted into craters, revealing the bodies of the bandits one by one.

The surviving bandits were terrified and didn’t dare advance. But just then, a subtle sound grew increasingly distinct.

Right in the middle of the blast zone, a small pit suddenly formed. Sand began to pour downward, swallowing the corpses along with it.

The bandits instantly turned and fled for their lives. "Run! It’s quicksand!"

Even those not from the desert knew the terror of quicksand. The Silver Armor Guards quickly began their retreat with Xiao Li.

But what chance did the speed of men and horses have against the power of nature?

Seeing the sand collapsing faster and faster, Rong Qing put Xiao Li back on Chi Yan’s back. Chi Yan was the fastest horse; it could surely carry her to safety.

But the quicksand seemed to be targeting Xiao Li specifically. The main pit was behind them, yet after she had galloped a good distance, she plunged headfirst into a new sinkhole that opened right in front of her.

The sinkhole appeared without warning. One moment there was solid ground, the next her horse stepped onto it and instantly plummeted more than ten meters, giving Xiao Li no time to react.

"Your Majesty!"

In that same instant, Rong Qing abandoned his horse and leaped after her. He caught Xiao Li in mid-air, wrapping his body around her.

DRIP... DRIP... DRIP...

The sound of dripping water was piercingly clear in the vast, silent space.

Xiao Li slowly regained consciousness. She tried to move and realized she was being held in a tight embrace.

’It was Rong Qing.’

She didn’t feel injured, but she couldn’t move. His arms were like iron bands, pinning her tightly.

"Rong Qing? Rong Qing?"

Xiao Li called his name several times, but there was no response.

The air was damp and sticky. Along with the rich, earthy smell, there was the sweet scent of fresh blood.

’Rong Qing was injured. Badly.’

Xiao Li waited a moment, gathering her strength before she slowly tried to pry Rong Qing’s arms away.

But his grip was incredibly tight. She had just managed to create a small gap when his arms snapped shut again, pulling her back.

The force of his grip was so great it almost squeezed her to death!

Xiao Li’s vision swam with stars as she suffocated. ’To die like this... what a joke that would be.’