Chapter 451: He’s More Cold-Blooded, What Kind of Fetish Is This?

Gao Zhao Yue’s fingertips, painted with red lacquer, slowly traced up his jaw. Her nails gleamed like droplets of blood under the flickering candlelight.

"I heard that the Emperor of Beili was fated to be without heirs, but after finding his destined woman, he was able to have a Prince."

She suddenly tightened her fingers, forcing Yu Wen Tiancheng’s face up.

"The last time he was assassinated, it was also because he was trying to protect that woman."

Yu Wen Tiancheng’s lowered lashes cast a dark shadow on his face. His voice was calm as he asked, "So?"

"And now, within the Northern Border Army, that same woman has reappeared." She released him, the pad of her finger brushing heavily across his lower lip. "She’s in Zhao Mingyan’s tent right now."

Yu Wen Tiancheng said, "What are you planning to do?"

Gao Zhao Yue hadn’t forgotten the messenger waiting outside. The corners of her eyes suddenly lifted.

"Tiancheng, have the man outside come in first."

Yu Wen Tiancheng nodded, his indifferent expression returning.

The scout entered and quickly reported the news he had gathered: the Gu poison on the Wolf King had been cured, and he had appeared near the Xijin army, summoning away the hundred or so wild wolves that had been captured in the camp.

Gao Zhao Yue’s expression soured. "The Wolf Clan is difficult to control. After we successfully lured and placed the Gu on the Wolf King, one wolf still escaped. Strangely enough, that one didn’t even obey the Wolf King."

"It’s fine." Yu Wen Tiancheng’s tone was flat. "Let it run. An uncontrollable one is a potential danger. It would be a problem if it hurt you."

Gao Zhao Yue said, "It won’t. Last time, we were in a hurry and the number of Spider Gu was limited. Now, I have bred over a thousand."

Yu Wen Tiancheng suddenly turned his head and pulled up her sleeve, revealing countless tiny red dots on her skin, which was so pale it was almost translucent.

"The Spider Gu must be nourished with the caster’s blood. Raising so many Gu at once will take a great toll on your body."

Gao Zhao Yue pulled her sleeve down. She was long accustomed to the various marks that appeared on her body.

The secret techniques of the Heavenly Moon Clan all required self-sacrifice. Because of this, she had learned a simple truth long ago: to get what you want, you must offer something of equal value in exchange.

She gazed at Yu Wen Tiancheng, her eyes full of seductive charm. "I want to see if the Emperor of Beili is truly the deeply devoted lover of the rumors."

*

「Northern Border Camp.」

Outside the tent, the howling northern wind whipped sand against the canvas. The candle on the desk flickered, its light wavering between bright and dim.

The Hidden Guard who had just left returned again, kneeling as he said, "Master, Yu Wen Shuo has died suddenly."

Zhao Mingyan stood before a sand table with a map hanging over it. He picked up the red flag representing Xijin, twirling the staff in his palm so fast it became a blur.

"Yu Wen Tiancheng is even more impatient than I anticipated, taking the King of Xijin’s life so quickly. When it comes to ruthlessness, he truly hasn’t disappointed me."

The Hidden Guard said, "With the Old Emperor dead, the entire nation will be in mourning. Xijin’s morale might suffer. Perhaps this is our chance to..."

The Hidden Guard made a striking motion, suggesting a tit-for-tat move: assassinate the Prince of Xijin and launch a surprise attack on the main Xijin Camp.

"He’s waiting for me to make a move." Zhao Mingyan’s voice was grim. "Yu Wen Tiancheng will only become more guarded. Besides, that man cannot be judged by conventional logic."

Emperor Wu Su’s words were profound, and the Hidden Guard only half-understood.

Zhao Mingyan’s fingertip traced a winding, white ice river on the sand table. "He is even more cold-blooded than Yu Wen Shuo."

’From the time Yu Wen Tianqing was imprisoned until his execution, a full seven days passed, yet Xijin did nothing. I refuse to believe that Yu Wen Tiancheng was unaware.’

’Perhaps Yu Wen Tianqing came to Beili to carry out the assassination under his orders. Yet he could stand by and watch his own brother die, not even sending anyone to retrieve the body.’

’Instead, Yu Wen Tiancheng immediately stirred up trouble on the Northern Border, using the death of the Fourth Prince of Xijin as a pretext to dispatch his troops. It just goes to show how cold-blooded and merciless he is.’

The Hidden Guard continued, "Master, your subordinate has heard they plan to release all one thousand wild beasts."

Zhao Mingyan placed a hand on the edge of the sand table. The red flag representing the Xijin Camp had just been planted at the mouth of Luoying Gorge.

The rugged mountain rocks of Luoying Gorge looked like giant beasts in the wavering candlelight.

Zhao Mingyan suddenly snapped the flagpole and tossed it aside. His eyes were sharp as he said, "Then we’ll break the beasts’ fangs."

It was unclear what order the Emperor had given, but the Hidden Guard quickly vanished.

In the inner chamber, behind the bed curtains, Ji Qingwu was exhausted but couldn’t sleep. She stared wide-eyed at the canopy, listening to them talk.

When the voices fell silent, she reached out her arm, about to lift the curtain and check on the situation, when it was suddenly flung open.

Zhao Mingyan caught her wrist as it hung in mid-air. His thumb circled over her racing pulse.

"Still not tired?"

Ji Qingwu bit her lower lip and nodded honestly. "I am."

"If you’re tired, why aren’t you sleeping?"

Zhao Mingyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His gaze swept over her collarbone, where the love bite he had left earlier had faded to a faint mark.

He asked nonchalantly, "Did I wake you?"

Ji Qingwu glanced at him. The candles in the inner chamber hadn’t been lit yet, and his features were cloaked in shadow, giving him an indescribably deep and handsome look.

Her face quietly flushed. "I... I need to use the lavatory."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, and her toes curled in embarrassment under the blanket.

He had made her drink too much tea earlier, and now her lower abdomen ached with the need to relieve herself. But she hadn’t wanted to run into the Hidden Guard reporting official business, so she had held it in until now.

Zhao Mingyan’s eyebrow arched slightly. His fingertip brushed her earlobe. "Then go. Why are you holding it in?"

While Emperor Wu Su had been listening to the Hidden Guard’s secret report, Ji Qingwu’s body had mostly recovered. The stinging pain was gone, with only a slight soreness remaining at the top of her thighs.

But Ji Qingwu didn’t want him to discover that she was almost completely better. After all, recovering so quickly was simply unbelievable.

Her hand clutching the corner of the blanket suddenly tightened, her knuckles turning a pearly pink. She deliberately furrowed her brow into a pained expression, her face scrunching up as she struggled to sit up, inching her way toward the edge of the bed.

By the time she finished, her breathing had become rapid. ’This is actually pretty tiring,’ she thought.

But then, Zhao Mingyan’s black, cloud-patterned waistband blocked her view. The chi-dragon jade buckle was right in front of her eyes. She tilted up her face, which was beaded with a light sweat.

"Excuse me, could you move a little?"

Zhao Mingyan said, "Are you sure you can walk on your own?"

Ji Qingwu said, "I think so... I should be fine if I walk slowly."

But without another word, Zhao Mingyan swept her up into a princess carry. With a single, strong arm, he held her in his embrace, supported only by his forearm.

He even gave her a little bounce. Ji Qingwu quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, secretly tensing her core for fear of falling.

Zhao Mingyan’s gaze swept over the top of her head, a dark glint in his eyes.

He carried her into the lavatory. The washing area and the toilet area were separated by a "hundred treasures" screen.

Ji Qingwu smelled the familiar scent of Agarwood.

The sandalwood commode stood about two and a half feet tall. Its seat was wrapped in tribute satin, and inside was a three-finger-thick layer of aged pagoda tree charcoal ash. On top of that were shavings of Agarwood. The bottom had a sliding track that could be opened and closed by a mechanism.

Ji Qingwu was placed on top of it. The moment she saw the commode, her urgency intensified, and she felt like everything was about to burst out.

But the Emperor was still standing right beside her, unmoving. ’What kind of fetish is it to watch someone relieve themselves?’